REPORT
TOWN OF GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS
FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATIONAL AND STAFFING ANALYSIS
DECEMBER 2018
Prepared by: Municipal Resources, Inc. 120 Daniel Webster Highway Meredith, NH 03253 603-279-0352 866-501-0352 Toll Free 603-279-2548 Fax [email protected] www.mrigov.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I: PROJECT OVERVIEW, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY PROJECT OVERVIEW ...... 1 PURPOSE ...... 2 SCOPE OF WORK ...... 2 METHODOLOGY ...... 4
CHAPTER II: COMMUNITY RISKASSESSMENT OVERVIEW ...... 6 EDUCATION - ENFORCEMNT – ENGINEERING – ECONOMICINCENTIVES – EMERGENCY RESPONSE ...... 9 TOWN OF GRAFTON ...... 9 GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT...... 10 OBSERVATIONS ...... 11 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 24
CHAPTER III: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OVERVIEW ...... 24 OBSERVATIONS ...... 25 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 28 MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION ...... 31 OVERVIEW ...... 31 OBSERVATIONS ...... 31 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 34
CHAPTER IV: EMERGENCY OPERATIONS OVERVIEW ...... 39 OBSERVATIONS ...... 39 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) ...... 50 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 52
CHAPTER V: STAFFING,RECRUITMENT& RETENTION OVERVIEW ...... 54 OBSERVATIONS ...... 59 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 72 APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT ...... 56 OVERVIEW ...... 56 OBSERVATIONS ...... 57 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 65
CHAPTER VI: TRAINING OVERVIEW ...... 75 OBSERVATIONS ...... 76 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 79
CHAPTER VII: FACILITIES & APPARATUS FACILITIES ...... 82 OVERVIEW ...... 82 OBSERVATIONS ...... 84 FIRE HEADQUARTERS/STATION 1 ...... 84 STATION 2- NORTH GRAFTON ...... 87 STATION 3- SOUTH GRAFTON ...... 89 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 91 APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT ...... 91 OVERVIEW ...... 91 OBSERVATIONS ...... 92 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 101
CHAPTER VIII: FISCAL FORECASTING & CAPITAL PLANNING OVERVIEW ...... 103 OBSERVATIONS ...... 103 CAPITAL PLANNING ...... 105 GRANTS ...... 106 SOURCES OF ADDDITIONAL FUNDING ...... 108 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 108
CHAPTER IX: FIRE PREVENTION OVERVIEW ...... 109 OBSERVATIONS ...... 110 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 114
CHAPTER X: BENCHMARKING AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OVERVIEW ...... 116 GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT BENCHMARK DATA ...... 119 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 125
CHAPTER XI: CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………………………..…………. 125
CHAPTER XII: SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS CHAPTER II: COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT ...... 132 CHAPTER III: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION ...... 132 CHAPTER IV: EMERGENCY OPERATIONS ...... 138 CHAPTER V: STAFFING, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ...... 140 CHAPTER VI: TRAINING ...... 143 CHAPTER VII: FACILITIES AND APPARATUS ...... 146 CHAPTER VIII:FISCAL FORECASTING AND CAPITAL PLANNING ...... 148 CHAPTER IX: FIRE PREVENTION ...... 149 CHAPTER X: BENCHMARKING ANDCOMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ...... 151
CHAPTER XIII: PROJECT TEAM PROFILES
PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE Alan S. Gould, President and Chief Operating Officer ...... 152
PROJECT MANAGER Brian P. Duggan, Director, Fire Services Group ...... 152
TEAM MEMBER Peter J. Finley Jr., Senior Consultant, Fire and EMS ...... 153
TEAM MEMBER Robert C. Craig, Senior Consultant, Fire and EMS ...... 154
REPORT
REPORT
TOWN OF GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS
FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATIONAL AND STAFFING ANALYSIS
DECEMBER 2018
I. PROJECT OVERVIEW, PURPOSE, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Municipal Resources, Inc. (MRI), of Meredith, New Hampshire, was engaged by the Town of Grafton, Massachusetts to undertake a comprehensive organizational assessment of the Grafton Fire Department’s current fire protection delivery systems and operations, with an emphasis on staffing, identifying any gaps or deficiencies, and making recommendations for improvements. The goal of this study is to evaluate the structure of the department and to provide recommendations to guide town officials in developing a coherent and disciplined approach to planning for staffing needs, based on objective criteria, relevant data, performance measures, and surrounding communities. MRI attempted to assess the Fire Department’s workload, staffing, and resource deployment information and provide that will assist the administration in recommending and prioritizing staffing needs.
MRI’s goal is to help communities solve problems and provide solutions for future success. MRI does not assess blame; rather, its team simply works to gain an understanding of past events in order to build a framework for future success. MRI does not put forth idealistic, unachievable, or narrowly focused solutions. This is evidenced by a high level of implementation of MRI’s recommendations by its clients.
MRI’s objectives are always:
• To help agencies obtain maximum value for limited tax dollars. • To identify and help communities manage the risks associated with public safety functions.
• To raise public awareness of the value and professionalism of their public resources. • To help local leaders develop and execute plans that best meet their community’s needs, given the resources available.
PURPOSE
The Town of Grafton is growing, yet the budgetary resources devoted to personnel have remained stable for town operations. Uncertainties surrounding the level of state aid and future increases in health insurance premiums remain significant areas of potential exposure that need to be carefully monitored during future budget cycles, particularly with regard to any need to increase long term staffing levels. None-the-less, the Board of Selectmen spearheaded this review of the Fire Department staffing levels based on what they believe to be rising service demands for that department. To that end, the Board has requested that this study evaluate not only the department’s wants and needs from a staffing perspective, but, do so within the context of the town’s financial condition.
Each community determines the composition of fire and emergency medical services that residents receive by balancing the level of risk against the cost to provide these critical services. Based on MRI’s review of the Town of Grafton, it is clear that the residents of the Town expect the timely response of both fire and EMS services on a 24/7 basis. This report will focus on assessing the Fire Department, based on the service expectation described above.
SCOPE OF WORK
This study focused heavily on an assessment to determine whether the existing staffing, shift coverage, and scheduling practices, of the Grafton Fire Department are in line with generally accepted standards and benchmarks, and commensurate with communities of like character. MRI reviewed the background information that impacts the Fire Department and performed a comparative analysis of similar communities.
Items that were considered as part of this evaluation included:
1. Policies that determine staffing levels and types of staffing used. 2. Potential shift schedule options. 3. Community population and demographics.
4. Target fire hazards (residential, industrial, and municipal features of the community). 5. Property values. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 2 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
6. Services provided. 7. Special hazards and risks (i.e., hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, lakes, rivers and waterfronts, industrial facilities, fuel storage facilities, road network, and high-rise buildings). 8. Budgets, including potential benefits and overtime. 9. Deployment strategy of manpower and apparatus by type of incident.
In addition, as they relate to staffing, shift coverage and scheduling options, MRI performed a historical review of past practices and performed a comparative analysis of the Fire Department, to the performance standards, guidelines and best practices that have been established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This assessment included the following key elements:
• A basic community risk assessment. • Assessment of the department’s current and future/projected staffing levels, including call/volunteer personnel recruitment and retention programs. • A standard of cover/response time analysis. • A review of internal operations, staff, and management operations including training and fire prevention functions. • An analysis of policies, procedures, and communications systems of the fire department. • An analysis of the organizational structure. • A review of facilities and equipment.
In order to complete this study, emphasis was placed on the following:
1. Organizational Structure: Reviewed organizational structure for appropriateness.
2. Organizational, Managerial, and Operational Practices: Reviewed existing general orders, standard operating guidelines, policies, rules and regulations in relation to federal and state requirements and guidelines and in relation to contemporary practices and procedures.
3. Strategic and Capital Planning, Budgeting: Reviewed planning processes and the current processes for establishing budgets, specifically with regard to fire department staffing.
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4. Staffing: Assessed the department’s staffing practices, work scheduling, and equipment compared to service level demands, safety issues, and quality of service considerations inherent in such policies, staffing, and scheduling.
5. Community: MRI Identified major issues and concerns of the community regarding the operations of the Fire Department. As part of that process, MRI believes the project team achieved an understanding and appreciation of the values and “personality” of the community and the local government. The team developed an understanding, of the community’s needs, wants, and desires regarding fire services in the future.
6. Risk: Identified potential areas of risk/liability and developed recommendations to reduce those exposures.
METHODOLOGY
To fulfill the requirements of this study, members of the project team held initial orientation meetings with the Town Administrator, the Fire Chief, an assistant fire chief, and the Fire Department clerk, and in partnership with them, attempted to gather a variety of statistical information and data on the Town and the Fire Department and its operations. MRI team performed several days of on-site work, interviews, and observations, in Grafton.
The MRI project team made several visits to Grafton and conducted a variety of activities in the development of this report. There were twenty-one major work elements involved in this review. These are:
1. A review of compiled data regarding key operational aspects of the department.
2. A thorough tour of the community to gain a sense of the physical environment, the primary fire and life safety risk exposures, and the location of population and commercial centers in relation to existing facilities.
3. Interviews with several municipal officials including the Police Chief and Building Commissioner.
4. Several Interviews and interactions with the Town Administrator.
5. Several interviews and interaction with the Fire Chief.
6. Interviews with the Assistant Fire Chiefs.
7. Interviews with several other fire department officers.
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8. Interviews with the Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Officer.
9. Review and evaluation of training and fire prevention/inspection records.
10. Interviews with a number of other stakeholders and interested persons.
11. Tour of the Town’s public safety communications center.
12. Inspection and review of the Fire Department facility, apparatus/vehicles, and equipment.
13. Analysis of the Fire Department’s current deployment strategy.
14. Review and evaluation of mutual aid capabilities.
15. Review and evaluation of existing fire department policies, procedures, and practices.
16. Analyze compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
17. Review of the Fire Department’s incident reporting system.
18. Review and analysis of fire department’s incident/response time statistics.
19. Review of basic EMS transport system data and statistics.
20. Review of numerous documents, including municipal budgets, fire department budgets, grants, fire prevention fees, and ambulance billing and collections.
21. Development and analysis of a summary comparative using nationally accepted norms and practices of other Massachusetts communities of similar type and size.
The MRI project team spent time with the key personnel in the Fire Department to gain an understanding of the organizational, operational, and management systems and approaches currently in place, and then compared and contrasted the current structures against contemporary practice and convention. The team also engaged other stakeholders, both internal and external, in discussions about the current system and structure to identify any concerns or areas requiring special focus, and to gather thoughts and ideas about areas of potential improvement.
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The MRI project team investigated areas such as the organizational and command structure of the Fire Department, chain of command, budgeting, service demands, fire prevention services, staffing and deployment of personnel and resources, communications and data processing functions, internal policies and procedures, facilities and equipment, and compliance with various state and federal regulations.
In conjunction with the on-site visits, the data collected, and observations made were subjected to analysis by the project team, both individually and collectively. This included a review of the Fire Department’s operating budget and expenditure detail for the last three years to gain a sense of how the community currently commits its financial resources towards provision of fire services. All fire and EMS recommendations for improvement are based on various administrative regulations promulgated at the federal and state levels, nationally accepted consensus standards developed by ISO (Insurance Services Office), NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), CFAI (Commission on Fire Accreditation International), CAAS (Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Service), OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration), NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), state laws, and administrative regulations, and industry best practices and procedures. However, since every community has unique characteristics, challenges, and resource limitations, MRI’s recommendations are specifically designed to set a clear course of action for future service improvements and delivery to address the immediate and long-term needs of the Town of Grafton.
MRI would like to take this opportunity to thank the Town of Grafton, the members of the Board of Selectmen, and Town Administrator Timothy McInerney, for being most cooperative and helpful in assisting the project team in carrying out the work on this project. The team especially appreciates the candor and integrity of Chief Gauthier and Assistant Chief Charest of the Grafton Fire Department, and the members of the Grafton Fire Department who demonstrated their professionalism and genuine desire to improve and strengthen the fire protection services that they deliver to the citizens of, and visitors to, the Town of Grafton.
II. COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT
OVERVIEW
Fire and rescue services generally have a common overall mission - the protection of life and property - but fire service organizations operate in communities with differing risk profiles. These dissimilarities create very different fire and rescue service operational needs, based upon a unique community risk profile, service demands, and stakeholder expectations present in the community.
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A community risk assessment is a comprehensive process to identify the hazards, risks, fire and life safety problems and the demographic characteristics of those at risk in a community. In each community there are numerous hazards and risks to consider. For each hazard there are many possible scenarios and potential incidents that could be encountered depending on timing, magnitude, and location of the hazard or incident. A thorough risk analysis provides insight into the worst fire and life safety problems and the people who are affected. The analysis results create the foundation for developing risk-reduction and community education programs. Conducting a community risk analysis is the first step toward deciding which fire or injury problem needs to be addressed. Risk analysis is a planned process that must be ongoing, as communities and people are constantly changing. Too often, an objective and systematic community risk analysis is a step that is overlooked in the community education process. Many emergency service organizations address risks based on a perceived need for service that isn’t there. This approach can be costly (i.e., misdirected resources, continued property loss, injuries or deaths) 1. In short, a good community risk assessment will produce a picture of what the hazards and potentials for incidents are, identify who is at risk, and attempt to quantify the expected impacts (Figure II-1).
Figure II-1: Risk Assessment Process Image credit: www.ready.gov/risk-assessment
Understanding the definition of hazards and risk is critical to the risk assessment process. Hazards are physical sources of danger that create emergency events. Hazards can be items such as buildings, roadways, weather events, fires, etc. Risk relates to the probability of a loss due to exposure to a hazard. People and property can be at risk. Consequences to the community are also factors to consider. Each of these factors is assessed during the community risk process.
1 https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/coffee-break/fm/fm_2014_2.pdf February 5, 2016 ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 7 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
A fire risk assessment is performed by assessing such factors as the needed fire flow, probability of an incident, consequences of an incident, and occupancy risk. The “score” established is then utilized to categorize the area…or even individual properties…as one of low, moderate, or high/maximum-risk. This categorization can assist the department with establishing fire risk/demand areas or zones. Having this information readily available provides the community and the Fire Department with a better understanding of how fire stations, response run cards, and staffing patterns can be used to provide a higher concentration of resources for higher risk scenarios or, conversely, fewer resources for lower levels of risk.2 The community fire risk assessment may also include determining and defining the differences in fire risk between a detached single-family dwelling, a multifamily dwelling, an industrial building, and a high-rise building by placing each in separate category.
The community risk and vulnerability assessment evaluates the community as a whole, and regarding property, measures all property and the risk associated with that property and then segregates the property as either a high, medium, or low hazard.
According to the NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, these hazards are defined as:
High-hazard occupancies: Schools, hospitals, nursing homes, explosives plants, refineries, high-rise buildings, and other high life-hazard or large fire-potential occupancies.
Medium-hazard occupancies: Apartments, offices, and mercantile and industrial occupancies not normally requiring extensive rescue by firefighting forces.
Low-hazard occupancies: One-, two-, or three-family dwellings and scattered small business and industrial occupancies3.
The NFPA also identifies a key element of assessing community vulnerability as fire department operational performance which is comprised of three elements: resource availability/ reliability, department capability, and operational effectiveness4.
Resource availability/reliability: The degree to which the resources are ready and available to respond.
Department capability: The ability of the resources deployed to manage an incident.
2 Fire and Emergency Service Self-Assessment Manual, Eighth Edition, (Center for Public Safety Excellence, 2009), p. 49. 3 Cote, Grant, Hall & Solomon, eds., Fire Protection Handbook (Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association, 2008), p. 12. 4 http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/pdf/urbanfirevulnerability.pdf. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 8 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
Operational effectiveness: The product of availability and capability. It is the outcome achieved by the deployed resources or a measure of the ability to match resources deployed to the risk level to which they are responding.5
The implementation of successful community risk reduction strategies after completion of a community risk assessment are linked directly to prevention of civilian and firefighter line of duty deaths and injuries. In fact, they directly address goals found in firefighter Life Safety Initiatives 14 and 15. Virtually every risk reduction program in the fire and emergency services will have elements of what are called “The 5 Es of Prevention”. These include:
Education ▪ Enforcement ▪ Engineering Economic Incentives ▪ Emergency Response
Understanding and addressing only one element will not lead to a successful program. All five “Es” must be integrated into every program for it to be effective6 (Figure II-2). Strong fire prevention codes have been shown to be extremely effective means to reduce risk in a community. Fire alarm and sprinkler systems mandates for not only commercial buildings but all occupancies including single family dwellings dramatically reduces fire risk and increases life safety. Code implementation that doesn’t require these creates an increased risk. Strong code Figure II-2: Five Es of prevention in a community provisions and enforcement have demonstrated a risk reduction program. greater ability to decrease fire problems than Image credit: www.beaherosaveahero.org continuing to acquire more traditional fire department resources.
TOWN OF GRAFTON The Town of Grafton is located in Worcester County, in central Massachusetts. It is located approximately 40 miles west of Boston, and 5 miles southeast of Worcester on the western edge of what is considered the Metro West area. Grafton is bordered by the Towns of Westborough and Upton to the northeast and east respectively, the Town of Shrewsbury to the north, the City of Worcester to the northwest, the Town of Millbury to the west, Town of Sutton to the southwest, and the Town of Northbridge to the south.
5 National Fire Service Data Summit Proceedings, U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST Tech Note 1698, May 2011. 6 http://www.beaherosaveahero.org/2013/10/community-risk-reduction-crr-overview/ February 5, 2016 ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 9 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
According to the United States Census Bureau, Grafton had an official 2010 population of 17,765 in 6,892 households7. This represented an increase of 2,871 or 19.3% from the 20008 population of 14,894. Based upon the five-year 2012 – 2016 American Community Survey (ACS), the Town’s 2016 population was estimated to be 18,3309. There are approximately 4,500 single family parcels in town, with an average single-family home value of $364,531.
The Town has a total area of 23.3 square miles, of which 22.7 square miles is land and 0.6 square miles, or 2.6%, is water10. The population density of the Town is approximately 760 persons per square mile, which classifies it as a suburban community (population density between 500 and 1,000 people per square mile). The Fiscal Year 2018 combined town-school operating budget is $55,000,000.
GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Grafton Fire Department is currently an all on-call department. As a call department, personnel do not normally staff the station on regular shifts, or, on a consistent basis. Rather they respond to emergency calls from wherever they may be when an incident is dispatched or “toned out”.
The department roster currently lists 62 personnel as being active members. The Grafton Fire Department is proud of the fact that it is one of the largest all call fire department in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The department’s leadership includes one (1) fire chief, one (1) deputy fire chief, two (2) assistant fire chiefs, three (3) captains, and six (6) lieutenants. One of the assistant chiefs is a full-time employee who is responsible for the department’s fire prevention/inspection functions. All the other officers are on-call status.
The Grafton Fire Department currently operates from three (3) fire stations. Figure II-3 illustrates the district boundaries for each of the department’s three stations.
7 https://factfinder.census.gov/ September 20, 2018 8 https://factfinder.census.gov/ September 20, 2018 9 https://factfinder.census.gov/ September 20, 2018 10 https://factfinder.census.gov/ September 20, 2018 ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 10 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
Station 1 is located at 26 Upton Street in Grafton Town Center and serves as fire headquarters and the business office.
Station 2 is located at 2 Mill Street, in North Grafton.
Station 3 is located at 92 Main Street in South Grafton.
Annual responses each year between 2015 and 2017 consistently averaged between 540 and 550 per year.
Figure II-3: Grafton fire station first due districts.
OBSERVATIONS
The MRI project team conducted a basic fire safety risk assessment of the Town of Grafton. The greatest fire safety concern is the potential life loss in fires that occur in non-sprinklered, single and multi-family residential dwellings during sleeping hours, which is consistent with national trends. These fires are fueled by new “lightweight” construction and more flammable home contents. In a series of studies conducted by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) researchers suggested that the time to escape a house fire has dwindled from about 17 minutes, 20 years ago, to 3 to 5 minutes today. This poses a severe risk not only to occupants but also to firefighters as they now have less time to do their job and save residents’ lives and property.
Grafton provides an interesting mix of challenges and hazards that must be protected by its Fire Department. Although the Town is a community that was at one time rural it has transitioned into more of a suburban nature. Although it remains primarily residential in nature, it does have an increasing number of apartments and other multi-family developments within its
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borders, as well as, several unique industrial operations that the Fire Department is responsible for protecting.
Like many New England towns, Grafton has a town square area that was one of the original centers of the community and where the oldest structures are located. The Villages of North Grafton and South Grafton also formed part of the original town. Among the largest and most prominent buildings on the Town square is the Grafton Inn (Figure II-4) which has a restaurant, function room, and six overnight guest rooms. Fortunately, during various renovations over the years, this structure has been totally protected with an automatic fire suppression (sprinkler) system.
Automatic sprinklers are highly effective elements of total system designs for fire protection in buildings. They save lives and property, producing large reductions in the number of deaths per thousand fires, in average direct property damage per fire, and especially in the likelihood of a fire with large loss of life or large property loss. They do so, much quicker, and often more effectively and with less damage than firefighters do (Figure II-5). No fire safety improvement strategy has as much documented life safety effectiveness as fire Figure II-4: Grafton Inn on the Town square is fully sprinklered. sprinklers because they actually extinguish the fire, or, at a minimum holds it in check and prevent flashover, until the arrival of the fire department. In 2007-2011 fires in all types of structures, when sprinklers were present in the fire area of a fire large enough to activate sprinklers in a building not under construction, sprinklers operated 91% of the time11. When they operated, they were effective 96% of the time, resulting in a combined performance of operating effectively in 87% of reported fires where sprinklers were present in the fire area and fire was large enough to activate sprinklers12. In homes (including apartments), wet-pipe sprinklers operated effectively 92% of the time. When wet-pipe sprinklers were present in the fire area in homes that were not under construction, the fire death rate per 1,000
11 U. S. Experience with Sprinklers. John R. Hall, Jr. National Fire Protection Association, June 2013. 12 U. S. Experience with Sprinklers. John R. Hall, Jr. National Fire Protection Association, June 2013. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 12 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
reported structure fires was lower by 82%, and the rate of property damage per reported home structure fire was lower by 68%13. In all structures, not just homes, when sprinklers of any type failed to operate, the reason most often given (64% of failures) was shutoff of the system before fire began14.
Figure II-5: Time versus products of combustion curve showing activation times and effectiveness of residential sprinklers (approximately 1 minute), commercial sprinklers (4 minutes), flashover (8 to 10 minutes) and firefighters applying first water to the fire after notification, dispatch, response and set up (10 minutes).
Image credit: Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board http://firesprinklerassoc.org/images/newflashoverchart.jpg
Like most communities, Grafton does have a significant percentage of its housing stock that is older, although still well maintained. Approximately 41% of the residential units in the Town were built prior to 1970, so they are almost 50 years old or older. Some of these older residential occupancies are wood frame “row” houses. These areas include older
13 U. S. Experience with Sprinklers. John R. Hall, Jr. National Fire Protection Association, June 2013. 14 U. S. Experience with Sprinklers. John R. Hall, Jr. National Fire Protection Association, June 2013.
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neighborhoods around the original villages and around the old mills which were once the center of activity in the Town (Figures II-6 and II-7).
Figure II-6 (left): Older housing area in one of the mill village areas. Figure II-7 (right): Older wood frame “row” dwelling comprised of 6 units.
The Town continues to experience new residential growth, including some relatively new housing developments that have been constructed over the past several years (Figure II-8). It is anticipated that growth rates will be in the range of about 200 – 250 new units per year. All these newer homes and developments feature modern, lightweight construction and materials, and present firefighters with significant challenges including the very real, and dangerous, possibility of early failure and collapse. The MRI project team was also Figure II-8: Typical new residential development. informed of and shown some very large new residential structures that have been built, often referred to as McMansions. Water supply and personnel needs for fires in these types of homes can be similar to those required for fires in commercial buildings rather than normal single-family residential fires. At current rates, the Town could reach its residential buildout limit of about 29,000 people by around 2030.
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The Grafton Housing Authority oversees four housing complexes ranging in size from six to 88 units, none of which are equipped with automatic sprinkler systems. Grafton Housing Associates has a 48-unit residential complex that is also not sprinklered. There are several other multi-family residential complexes in the town, some of them protected by fire suppression systems, some not. (It should be noted that the multi-family complexes are protected by fire detection systems.) The largest of these complexes is Lordvale/Forest Hills which comprises Figure II-10: Buildings in the Lordvale/Forest Hills 358 condominiums (figure II-10). These Condominium Complex. buildings are sprinklered, however as noted below, these systems have limitations as they do not protect all areas of the building, or, are not properly maintained.
The Crescent Manor Rest Home is a residential care facility located near the center of Grafton (Figure II-11). Services include independent and assisted living services, personal care, crises intervention, and skilled nursing. The building is equipped with both fire alarm and fire suppression systems. These systems greatly improve fire safety for both residents and staff, and significantly reduce the life safety risk during a fire. However, as was demonstrated in the November 2017 fire in West Chester, PA, Figure II-11: Crescent Manor Rest Home which is fully even complete fire suppression systems sprinklered. Image credit: Crescent Manor Rest Home cannot eliminate the possibility of a serious fire 100%. This is particularly true if the sprinkler systems are not designed to protect non- living areas such as building attics. While the fire risk for a facility like this may be relatively low, the potential consequences should one occur are high.
Grafton is home to thirteen education-oriented facilities, serving students from pre- school/early learning age thru adult learners. Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine has a large campus in the town. Seven of these facilities are outfitted with complete automatic fire suppression systems including the pre-schools/early learning centers. However, only five of nine facilities that deal with school age children, grades K – 12, are fully sprinklered.
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While Grafton does have a somewhat limited commercial and industrial base, it is not without some unique hazards associated with some of these facilities and operations. The largest of these complexes is the Wyman Gordon Company, a 998,000+ square foot heavy manufacturing facility located on Worcester Street in North Grafton (Figure II-12). There are several older mill style facilities dispersed throughout the town. This includes the mill at 6 Depot Street in South Grafton now utilized by U Store It (Figure II-13), and Washington Mills, Plant 2 (figure II-14) on Mill Street in North Grafton (Washington Mills also has another large facility on Main Street in North Grafton).
Figure II-12: Wyman Gordon Company on Worcester Street in North Grafton.
Figure II-13 (left): Depot Street Mill in South Grafton now used by U Store It. Figure II-14 (right): Washington Mills Plant 2 on Mill Street in North Grafton.
A portion of the site of the old Grafton State Hospital has been redeveloped into the Centech Park which is host to a wide range of new business operations from psychiatric assessment services to a UMASS medical school facility to experimental laboratories (Figure II-15). There ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 16 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
are also several other laboratories on the Tufts University campus including one each, Type 2, Type 3, and Type 4 laboratory (ratings based upon the potential hazards and risks associated with the facility (figure II-16).
Figure II-15 (left): Sign indicating wide variety of occupancies and risks found in the Centech Park complex. Figure II-16 (right): One of the laboratory buildings on the Tufts University campus.
Fortunately, most of these structures are equipped throughout with complete automatic fire suppression (sprinkler) systems, which considerably reduces the overall risk of these structures. However, the firefighting and emergency response challenges, that may confront firefighters in these types of commercial structures and occupancies are none the less much more complex, often requiring significantly more resources to mitigate, and are potentially more dangerous from a life safety perspective to both occupants and firefighters, than those usually found in single family dwellings. While built-in fire protection should significantly reduce the spread of fire, it may not completely extinguish the fire. Firefighters still need to complete the extinguishment and perform ventilation, overhaul, and salvage operations. Large area buildings sometimes referred to as horizontal high-rises such as factories, warehouses, and other large “structures often require greater volumes of water for firefighting and require more firefighters to advance hose lines long distances into the building. They also present challenges for ventilation and smoke removal.
Some of the high tech, research, development, and manufacturing complexes, as well as the other facilities oversee their own specialized in-house risk management and loss prevention programs. However, aggressive enforcement of fire and building codes in both new and existing facilities will continue to be a critical factor in managing the specialized risk in the town. Ensuring that existing buildings continue to maintain code compliance is an important component of an overall community’s fire protection system.
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There are a number of other more typical type commercial complexes located throughout Grafton (Figure II-17). These present a moderate risk to firefighters primarily because they are usually non-sprinklered and frequently mix both commercial and residential occupancies together (figure II-18).
Figure II-17 (left): Typical suburban type strip shopping center found in several locations throughout Grafton. Figure II-18 (right): These facilities which are usually not sprinklered often combine business and residential uses into the same building.
Grafton is served by an excellent water supply system with much of the Town within 1,000 feet of a fire hydrant (figure II-19). However, there are some areas that are not protected by the municipal water supply system. Being able to develop an adequate water supply for firefighting purposes is perhaps the most critical, non-safety aspect of firefighting operations. If an adequate water supply cannot be established quickly and maintained, effective firefighting operations will simply not be possible. Rural communities that do not have a municipal pressurized water supply must supply their needs from other sources. Sometimes static water sources (lakes, rivers, ponds, cisterns) are drafted out of either manually, or with dry hydrants, to achieve the needed water supply to fight a fire. In cases where static water sources are not readily available and often even if they are, fire departments must utilize water tankers/tenders to carry or shuttle the needed water supply from the source to the incident scene. In communities without staffed fire stations such as Grafton, there is an inherent delay in the response to a building fire. This delay is due to the fire department members having to respond to the station to staff and respond with the apparatus. This inherent delay allows the fire to increase in size before the arrival of the fire department. This situation can exacerbate the need for an adequate and sustainable water supply.
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Figure II-19: Grafton Fire Hydrant Locations.
As an alternative to extending the municipal water supply system to additional areas of the community, several Massachusetts communities that have developing areas that are not served by the municipal water supply system have adopted bylaws applicable to any new subdivision being built with three or more houses that the residences be equipped with automatic fire suppression systems, or, a water supply cistern to hold water necessary for fire suppression operations be installed in the development. In some cases, individual homes that exceed a certain size…perhaps 3,000 square feet …would be required to comply with the bylaw requirements as well. The requirements for these systems are detailed in several NFPA standards. This is an important fire and life safety initiative for the rural areas of a community (figures II-20 and II-21).
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Figures II-20 and II-21: Pump house and fire department connections to access water in below ground cistern stored for firefighting use in a planned subdivision in Berlin, MA. Grafton should consider the adoption of a proactive fire and life safety regulation requiring these in any planned subdivision of three or more homes, and, for any home that exceeds a certain designated square footage in areas of the Town that are not served by the municipal water supply system.
Although the current codes prohibit municipalities from requiring residential sprinkler systems in all new occupancies, the fire department can approach the developer/builder/owner to discuss the pros and cons of residential sprinkler systems during the approval process for subdivisions and large single-family residences and encourage them to consider the installation of these life safety systems regardless of where they are located. In addition, if a subdivision outside of the water district requires Planning Board approval the fire department can request that residential sprinklers be installed as a condition of Planning Board approval. There are several publications that the fire department can use as resources to market the benefits of residential fire suppression systems including NFPA, which has developed the standards for their design and installation.
The fire service further assesses the relative risk of properties based on a number of factors. Properties with high fire and life risk often require greater numbers of personnel and apparatus to effectively mitigate a fire emergency. Staffing and deployment decisions should be made with consideration of the level of risk within each area of a community.
Low Risk: Minor incidents involving small fires (fire flow less than 250 gallons per minute), single patient non-life-threatening medical incidents, minor rescues, small fuel spills, and small brush or outside fires.
Moderate Risk: Moderate risk incidents involving fires in single-family dwellings and equivalently sized commercial office properties (needed fire flow generally between 250 gallons per minute to 1,000 gallons per minute), life threatening medical emergencies, hazardous materials emergencies requiring specialized skills and equipment, technical rescues involving specialized skills and equipment, and larger brush and outside fires particularly if structures are exposed.
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High Risk: High risk incidents involving fires in larger commercial properties with sustained attack (fire flows more than 1,000 gallons per minute), multiple patient medical incidents, major releases of hazardous materials, and high-risk technical rescues.
The potential emergency risks present in the Town of Grafton are not limited to just structural fire incidents. The Town is bisected by an eight mile stretch of Interstate 90, the Mass Pike. State roads 30, 122, and 140 also traverse the town.
The Town is also crossed by several rail lines, including a busy main line route in the northern part of town that includes heavy CSX freight traffic, Amtrak, and MBTA commuter rail. This line averages between 20 and 30 trains per day, at least a portion of them carrying hazardous materials. CSX also has an interchange point with the Grafton and Upton Railroad which has a yard in North Grafton. A Providence and Worcester Railroad freight line travels through the Town in South Grafton.
Concerns regarding transportation emergencies include:
• The busy CSX freight rail line including hazardous materials transportation and storage in the Upton and Grafton Railroad yard.
• The Grafton and Upton Railroad line including switching and storing of rail cars on sidings directly behind Grafton Fire Headquarters/Station 1 which could require evacuation of the building in an emergency involving one of these cars.
• Grafton & Upton Railroad propane transfer facility located at 42 Westboro Road in North Grafton (Figures II-22 and II-23). This facility includes four 80,000-gallon tanks for propane storage, eight railcar product transfer platforms, and two truck transport fill stations. Hazards from this facility include those from the switching and storing of rail cars, the transfer of product operations, and the travel of loaded propane trucks leaving the facility and traveling on town roads as they exit the area. The facility is protected by four high volume water deluge monitors, a gas detection system, and video monitoring.
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Figure II-22 (left): Propane tank cars (black) positioned for unloading product into storage tanks (white) in the rear at Grafton and Upton facility. Figure II-23 (right): Truck loading stations with rail cars (black) in the rear and storage tanks (white) visible to the right.
• The Providence and Worcester Railroad line which also occasionally transports hazardous materials.
• Hazardous materials transportation on I-90, the Mass Pike as well as other roads in the town. This includes propane trucks traveling to and from the rail transfer facility.
• Mass casualty incident involving either an Amtrak or MBTA train anywhere on the line as it bisects the town, or, involving a bus on the MASS Pike.
Overall it is the project team’s assessment that the town’s current relative basic fire and life risk translates to (Figure II-24):
OCCUPANCY DESCRIPTION RISK Single Family Residential (unsprinklered) Moderate Multi-family Residential (sprinklered) Moderate Multi-family Residential (unsprinklered) High Institutional High Commercial (retail and office) (sprinklered) Moderate Commercial (retail and office) (unsprinklered) High Industrial Moderate/High Open Space Low Transportation Incident Moderate Research Laboratory Incident Moderate Figure II-24: Town of Grafton Fire and Life Safety Risk Levels. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 22 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
The weather a community experiences can impact the fire department’s ability to respond. Snow, ice, and other conditions can slow response. Major storms can create emergency situations that can overwhelm local emergency response forces. The Grafton area enjoys a moderate climate typical of the New England region. Thunderstorms, strong wind storms, and significant rain events happen several times in an average year. Tropical storms and hurricanes also occasionally impact the area. Snowfall is experienced annually and occasionally in amounts that paralyzes the region. Although rare, tornadoes have occasionally touched down in Massachusetts.
The above information is intended to provide a community “snapshot” of Grafton. It is not intended to be all-inclusive or comprehensive. For the Town’s Governing Body and first responders it serves to put the town, and its associated hazards and risks, into some context as the Fire Department works to carry out the recommendations of this study. Ultimately, the comprehensive risk assessment should:
• Clearly identify and classify the Town’s current risks, • Place the risks in context with the Fire Department’s current operational capabilities and procedures, • Reflect what the Board of Selectmen feels is an acceptable level of risk for the Town of Grafton.
Looking ahead, the Town of Grafton will continue to experience steady, although probably not high, growth and development. While this development will have a definitive impact on the Town’s emergency services, the exact amount is difficult to quantitatively and accurately predict. Increased development of any type will mean an increase in the number of people living, working, and traveling within the area. Each of these will reasonably be expected to result in an increased number of requests for services from the Grafton Fire Department. They can also impact response times through increased traffic and congestion.
It is likely the most significant increase in requests for emergency services will be EMS related. More people simply increase the number of medical emergencies that occur. It would not be unreasonable to expect that the increase in EMS incidents would be proportional to the increase in population; however, that is not always the case. Although a number of factors can ultimately impact the requests for service, such as ages or socio-economic status of new residents, or an aging population, it could reasonably be anticipated that an increase in population, along with potential increases in employment from any significant commercial development, would translate into an increase in emergency medical incidents.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
II-1 The Grafton Fire Department should work to develop and implement an internal risk management plan following the recommendations of NFPA 1500, Standard for a Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, and, NFPA 1250, Recommended Practice in Fire and Emergency Services Organization Risk Management.
II-2 The Town of Grafton should strongly consider adopting a municipal bylaw requiring the installation of an automatic fire suppression systems, or, fire water supply cisterns in any new development consisting of three or more homes or, for any individual home of larger than a designated square footage, in the areas of the Town that are not covered by the municipal water supply system.
II-3 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a compelling public education program that includes discussing the benefits of installing residential fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family dwellings.
III. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
OVERVIEW
Municipal government is the basic unit of local control. A municipality is a political subdivision of a state within which a municipal corporation has been established to provide general local government for a specific population concentration in a defined area. Municipal corporations are organized under the applicable state constitution and laws, with powers of government expressly or implicitly conferred by that constitution and laws, and often, also by municipal charter. The specific powers and responsibilities held by each different municipality, and type of municipality, depends upon its founding legislation. Significant general laws affecting local governments both grant powers and impose restrictions.
Within the municipality, the designated powers are exercised by a Governing Body elected by the people. Municipal government is basically the response of the state government to the individualized local need for certain public services (i.e., waste disposal, police and fire protection, water supply, health services, etc.) in addition to what is available from the state and/or county. The municipal Governing Body is usually the one who is tasked with providing emergency services or, designating which entity or entities are authorized to provide them on their behalf.
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The organizational structure of any organization or entity, whether public or private, establishes and illustrates the important heirarcial relationships between various personnel, supervisors/ subordinates, levels, divisions, and bureaus within the organization that allow it to function properly, operate effectively and efficiently in its daily operations, or the pursuit of its mission. It also helps to clearly define the organizational chain of command from top to bottom, an especially important consideration in a quasi-military public safety organization such as the fire department where everyone from the highest rank to the lowest is subject to receiving orders, and, with the exception of the lowest rank also issues them. Effective communications in any organization, but especially public safety agencies are essential, and a cohesive chain of command, allows everyone to know exactly who they report to, and/or who reports to them.
OBSERVATIONS
The Grafton Fire Department is headed by a fire chief who is the department’s highest-ranking officer and who is also designated to serve as the administrative and operational head of the organization. At the time of this assessment, the Fire Chief is a paid on call position. In addition to his normal on call pay for responding to emergencies and participating training, the Chief receives an annual stipend of $2,000. The Chief is appointed by, and reports to, the Town Administrator with approval of the Board of Selectmen. The Chief is not covered under the provisions of MGL Chapter 148 and is granted an unlimited term until he is age 65. There is also a Board of Fire Engineers, whose duties and role in the department’s operations was never clearly defined to the MRI project team.
Traditionally in Massachusetts, Boards of Fire Engineers (BOFE) are semi-autonomous boards that oversaw the operations of the fire department. The current board is comprised of the department’s four chief officers. Once a common way of overseeing fire protection in communities, BOFEs have gradually been replaced by more traditional systems of governance. Today, there are only a handful of these relics from an earlier era still operating in Massachusetts. The MRI project team has significant concerns about the current set-up. The Board is entirely made up of the department’s chief officers whom traditionally, the BOFE is tasked with overseeing, directing, and supervising. This situation is comparable to the CEO of a large corporation not only serving on the board that he reports to, but also including his senior management team, and possibly deciding who else is appointed to that board. Although still found occasionally in autonomous fire districts as well, this arrangement justifiably does not evoke confidence that there is adequate transparency and an appropriate level of checks and balances in the system. In a worst-case scenario, it presents a blatant conflict of interest.
Although, as noted above, the actual roles and responsibilities of the BOFE were never clearly defined to the project team other than that they meet only sporadically and are responsible for developing fire department policy. In some cases, these boards are involved in all personnel decisions of the fire department including hiring, promotion and firing actions. In other cases,
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these boards vote to pay the fire department bills, then forwarded them along to the Board of Selectmen for their approval. The MRI project team was informed by several stakeholders that the Fire Department views themselves as their own entity, independent and autonomous from the Town government. This is reflected in their resistance to following the Town’s policies and connect to the Town’s computer network (the FD maintains their own internal network).
The Grafton Fire Department’s current organization lists one deputy fire chief and two assistant fire chiefs. These officers are each responsible for one the three response districts in the town. The deputy chief oversees District One in Grafton Center, while the two assistant chiefs oversee Districts Two and Three in North and South Grafton. Each of the department’s stations has one captain. Stations one and two currently have two lieutenants while station three has one. Except for one assistant chief, these officers, like all others in the department, are on-call positions. The one assistant chief is a full-time employee who serves as the department’s fire prevention officer. However, during this study, he gave notice of retirement from that position at the end of 2018.
At the time of this assessment, all officers in the department were appointed by the Town Administrator with approval of the Board of Selectmen. There are no minimum training, certification, and years of experience requirements for each rank, nor is there any rank appropriate assessment process to evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities of personnel who are seeking promotion to each respective rank.
The Grafton Fire Department’s current roster lists a total of about 62 personnel, all of whom are considered to be “active” firefighting personnel. Based upon the fact that out of 62 personnel there are 12 officers, that leaves 50 personnel with the rank of firefighter in the department. Each station can also have up to 6 auxiliary personnel who are probationary members who have not yet completed their required Firefighter I and II, and medical first responder (MFR) and CPR training. It is important to remember that in call/volunteer fire departments that actual numbers tend to fluctuate as members move on, or new members are recruited and join. In addition, in almost any call/volunteer emergency services organization there is going to be a percentage of members whose names still appear on the “active” roster, yet they no longer are, or are minimally so, for a variety of reasons. Factor in that most members of the call department have a primary job, other than the fire department, that probably limits their availability to respond, and that some of them do not even live in Grafton, the current personnel picture begins to take on a different perspective.
Normally during most studies, MRI can determine how many personnel are truly “active” through analysis of records that indicate how often each person responds to calls (response percentage) and participates in training. However, despite numerous requests for this information by the project team, the Grafton Fire Department was unable to provide the statistics or reports that would have allowed an evaluation of the participation of each
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member. The project team’s interviews with various stakeholders indicate that approximately 20 members attend training on a regular basis. All members of the department, apart from the one career assistant chief, are paid on-call, in that they receive monetary compensation for their services as opposed to being true volunteers. Firefighters earn $25.00 per hour. From 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM and on holidays personnel receive two-hour minimum compensation. This salary scale for on call personnel is near the top of the scale for Massachusetts departments. Personnel are compensated for emergency calls/incidents, training, and other duties. The department’s budget has a line item for additional stipends for officers and firefighters, but it was never clearly defined what these were used for.
In addition to its emergency response personnel, the Grafton Fire Department employs one full time, and one part-time clerical personnel to provide administrative support.
The MRI project team was informed that all the department’s current chief officers will need to retire over approximately the next three to four years due to age. This will present an outstanding opportunity for the Town to change the status of the Fire Chief’s position from on- call to full time, to provide the much needed 24/7 leadership and management that a modern fire department in a growing community requires to be successful and accomplish its mission. As the Town has grown the limitations of the part time nature of the position have become more apparent, and, as a result, more problematic. This change is widely viewed as essential by the department’s stakeholders, both internal and external. The project team believes that the current lack of operational administrative capability is the largest issue facing the organization. This study seeks to provide guidance and support to mitigate the liabilities in this area.
As there is no succession planning in place currently, Grafton’s town leadership needs to start a succession planning process as soon as possible in anticipation of the retirement of all the department’s chief officers. The Town will need to very carefully examine their options for making this transition successful, and, selecting the department’s next leader. It is MRI’s opinion that in addition to the requisite education and experience, the successful candidate will need to have excellent leadership, management and communications skills to be able to articulate his/her vision of the department; patch the divides that currently exist in the department; insure that all personnel are working in unison toward common goals and to achieve that vision; to implement the recommendations found in this report; and in general navigate through the choppy waters that major transition brings to any organization. Previous experience managing a combination department that remains primarily call, with a small career staff, particularly during that continued transition, will be a definite plus.
It is MRI’s opinion that the Town should also revise the department’s overall table of organization to clearly delineate the chain of command and make it more effective by identifying exactly who reports to who, and what the hierarchical relationships are. In order to
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stress the fact that the Grafton Fire Department will continue, for the foreseeable future, to be primarily a call department, probably supplemented by a small career staff, the department’s #2 position should remain a call position. The person selected to fill this position, as well as, all other officer positions should be filled based upon the person’s firefighting/emergency services training, certifications, and experience commensurate with the position being sought, along with successful completion of a rank appropriate assessment process, and, a basic practical skills evaluation. All officers should have one or more administrative duties/responsibilities to assist the Fire Chief with the department’s overall management, in addition to their normal emergency scene operational duties and station management responsibilities.
Once all key leadership positions are filled by qualified personnel, the Fire Chief should work to implement a professional development program and succession planning process to ensure that all officers can perform their superior’s duties, as well as, identify the core future leaders of the department.
RECOMMENDATIONS
III-1 The Town of Grafton should take steps to streamline the oversight and direction of the Grafton Fire Department by abolishing the Board of Fire Engineers and place full control, direction, and supervision, of the Fire Department under the control of the Town Administrator the same as the other town emergency services. It is MRI’s belief that the BOFE does not provide the appropriate level of checks and balances to properly and transparently oversee the operations of a 21st century fire department and should be relegated to the history books.
III-2 The Town of Grafton should revise the department’s overall table of organization to clearly delineate the chain of command and make it more effective by identifying exactly who reports to who and what the hierarchical relationships are (Figure III-1). NOTE: The need for career staff shown in the organizational chart is discussed in Section IV, Staffing, Recruitment and Retention.
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FIRE CHIEF Full Time/Career
Administrative Assistant Fire Chief/ Fire Prevention
Deputy Fire Chief Part Time/Call
Captain Captain Captain Captain Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Fire Prevention/ Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Training Full Time/Career
Lieutenants (2) Lieutenant (2) Lieutenants (2) Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Lieutenant Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Recruitment and Retention Full Time/Career Call Firefighters Call Firefighters Call Firefighters Station 1 Station 2 Station 3
FIGURE III-1: PROPOSED GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT TABLE OF ORGANIZATION
III-3 Managing, administering, and leading, a modern-day fire department requires a complex set of knowledge, skills, abilities, training, and experience. As a result, the Town of Grafton should make the position of Fire Chief a full-time, career position. This Chief should be a working chief, that is, one who responds to most emergency incidents and takes an active hands-on role in incident mitigation. In conjunction with the current chief, they should begin a succession planning process to begin looking toward the future and the changes that will bring to the department. As part of the preparation for this process, the Town should start the development of a comprehensive job description for the new chief, including determining the necessary qualifications. As this position will be a working chief, in addition to being mentally and physically capable of performing the job, suggested qualifications should include certification as a firefighter, fire officer (preferably be chief officer certified), and EMT, and possess Massachusetts fire prevention Level II credentialing. In order to recruit ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 29 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
and attract quality candidates, the salary should be comparable to surrounding communities.
III-4 The position of full-time, career fire chief, although reporting to the Town Administrator should be designated a “strong” fire chief. In order for the Town to attract and retain a high-quality chief, he/she must have a significant level of autonomy to lead and manage the department, including at times making unpopular decisions, without undue political influence, or even meddling, as may be more inclined to occur with a “weak” chief who would be more susceptible to these pressures. The Town and the Chief should negotiate a strong personnel services contract, to ensure that the interests of both parties are properly addressed and protected. Careful consideration and review of the Town Charter is imperative to make the appropriate decision relative to the section of law that best applies to the appointment of this department leader.
III-5 Prior to the retirement of the current chief, and possibly utilizing the services of a professional consulting firm, through a variety of evaluative and assessment measures the Town should attempt to select for their next chief a leader who possesses the ideal combination of assets they have identified as necessary to meet the unique needs of the Grafton Fire Department to lead it through this critical transition process.
III-6 All officer positions, from lieutenant to fire chief, should be filled based upon the person’s firefighting/emergency services training, certifications, and experience commensurate with the position being sought, along with successful completion of a formal, rank appropriate assessment process, and a basic practical skills evaluation.
III-7 All officers should have one or more administrative duties/responsibilities to assist the fire chief with the department’s overall management, in addition to their normal emergency scene operational duties and station management responsibilities.
III-8 The Town of Grafton should consider increasing the annual financial stipend for each of the call officers to compensate them for the time involved with assisting with the management of the Fire Department. However, with this increased stipend must come increased expectations and accountability.
III-9 As part of the succession planning process, the next fire chief should work to implement a professional development program to ensure that all officers can perform their superior’s duties, as well as, identify the core future leaders of the department.
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MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
OVERVIEW
The use of rules and regulations, operational procedures, and various other forms of written communications are vital parts of a fire department’s overall operations. Rules and regulations establish expected levels of conduct and general obligations of department members, identify prohibited activities, and provide for the good order and discipline necessary for the credible operation of a quasi-military emergency services organization. Operational procedures ensure the consistent, effective, efficient, and safe operation of various aspects of the department’s operations, both emergency and routine. One of many common denominators among the best fire departments across the United States is that they have a comprehensive and up-to-date operational procedural manual, and their personnel are well versed and well-trained in those procedures. The inclusion of written documents, such as training and safety bulletins, serves to make the system more effective.
OBSERVATIONS
It does not appear that the Grafton Fire Department has a formal mission or vision statement, or a set of core values. Although their widespread use in the fire and emergency services is relatively new, well-designed mission and vision statements identify the very reason for the department’s existence and helps to ensure that all personnel are working toward the same goals, or are proverbially, “all rowing in the same direction”. The development of core values helps to establish what the department and its membership stand for.
The MRI project team evaluated the Grafton Fire Department’s current written policy and procedures system and found it very limited in scope and content and totally inadequate for the operations of a modern-day fire department. In fact, the Grafton Fire Department does not have any formal rules and regulations, has very few standard operating procedures/guidelines (SOPs/SOGs), and no real system of written communications other than by memos, letters and directives to department personnel. It was noted by the project team by several department members interviewed that there was no real discipline in the department, but that was not unexpected as there are no real rules to break.
Effective communications systems are key to successful operation of any organization. As a quasi-military emergency response organization, SOPs and other orders are critical to consistent, effective, and safe operations. Without them there is a tendency to freelance and personnel may not all be on the proverbial “same page” regarding a wide range of operations, both emergency scene and administrative.
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The project team was informed that the development of a manual of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) has nominally been an ongoing project for several years. At one point the department formed a committee to work on this project. They gathered some SOPs/SOGs from other departments but made little to no progress beyond that. As of the time of this assessment the file for department communications consisted of an assortment of documents from other fire departments interspersed with the aforementioned memos, letters, and directives.
Since these are the only written communications (operational procedures) documents that were provided to the MRI project team, it is the assumption that these documents comprise the entire system at this time. If this is in fact the case, the system as it exists is totally inadequate for providing the wide-ranging guidance and direction necessary for operations involving a 21st century emergency services provider. The lack of an effective system of standard operating procedures/guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) will have an adverse impact on many different facets of the day-to-day operations of the department that can result in a lack of consistency during operations, freelancing, unsafe actions, loss of accountability and discipline, poor performance of individuals and operational crews, and increased risk to firefighters and citizens.
There are no operational procedures/guidelines in place to deal with mission critical operations such as Structure Fires, Basic Engine Company and/or Truck Company Operations, Rapid Intervention Team Operations, Personnel Accountability, Vehicle Extrication Operations, or, Thermal Imaging Camera and Automatic External Defibrillator Use to name just a few. There is also not a single operational procedure/guideline, devoted to Training. These are the types of operational procedures/guidelines that are most important and provide standardization and consistency of operations. There are also no procedures/guidelines that deal with any of the department’s administrative and/or non-emergency types of operations.
The current memos and directives appear to have been prepared by the Fire Chief. It was reported that in many cases they were issued in reaction to an issue that had occurred in the department. In the modern fire service this is not conducive to effective operations, good communications, or in a call department, building moral and esprit de corps. The personnel who are going to be required to adhere to and follow the procedures should have input into their development.
The Town of Grafton does have personnel policies, which appear to be comprehensive, reasonable, and which are relatively up-to-date. However, some members of the Fire Department were unaware of its existence and were unsure whether town policies would apply to them. As part-time employees of the town, MRI believes unequivocally that the Town policies are applicable.
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The MRI project team also believes that the Grafton Fire Department should establish a separate rules and regulations document that identifies and establishes expected levels of conducted and prohibited actions for all members of the department. In addition, it must be ensured that the town’s personnel and other policies that are applicable to members of the Fire Department, such as sexual harassment, and smoking/tobacco use, are fully integrated into the Fire Department’s written communications system and are available to all members of the department since they are unequivocally applicable to them. The relative importance and relationship to each of the various types of documents should be clearly delineated in the rules and regulations.
During MRI’s field visits and review of pertinent documentation provided by the department, and in interviews with department stakeholders, the project team learned that the Grafton Fire Department does not have either a respiratory protection plan or a blood borne pathogens/exposure control plan. Both plans, which are mandated by OSHA regulations, are critical to the safety of employees and to the department’s overall risk management program. The department also does not perform annual self-contained breathing apparatus “fit testing” as required by the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard.
Even though the department has 1.5 FTEs providing administrative support to the Fire Department, the MRI project team found it extremely difficult to obtain basic department data and statistics for evaluation as part of this assessment. The team was informed that the department utilizes Fire Programs as its records management system (RMS), but they had long standing problems with entering and later retrieving data from it. The team was also informed that the Fire Department computer system in dispatch, had been out of service for an extended period and as of the time of this assessment they were just starting to re-create statistics. During interviews it was reported that the Fire Department was up to three years behind in entering fire report data into the RMS. This made it extremely difficult to obtain information on response times, number of personnel responding, training records, and other areas that are normally evaluated as part of this type of study. The project team was informed that the Grafton Fire Department does not even track or analyze call attendance.
The overall record keeping systems for functional areas such as emergency incident reports, personnel, vehicle and equipment maintenance, equipment inventories (personal protective equipment, portable radios, etc.), hose, pump, ladder and SCBA testing, building maintenance, fire prevention inspections, and pre-fire/ incident planning are seriously deficient and/or nonexistent. The limited use of an organized and recognized information and records management system makes the retrieval of important data extremely difficult, hinders administrative and emergency response functions, impairs the budget and planning process, and makes it difficult to remain on track, and on task, with critical functions.
Effective intra-department communications was noted, almost unanimously, as a major problem within the Grafton Fire Department. One electronic communications tool that is
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noticeably absent from the Fire Department, and which would go a long way towards correcting this deficiency, is an e-mail account for every member of the department. It is the opinion of the project team that the Town of Grafton should provide every member of the department with their own e-mail address. In conjunction with the development of a procedure that requires all members to check their e-mails regularly, at least weekly, this would significantly improve communications within the department. Documents that could be distributed electronically include, but would certainly not be limited to, training announcements, schedules, meeting/assignment announcements and reminders, and once implemented, components of the department’s written communications system such as Standard Operational Procedures, General Orders, Training Bulletins, Safety Bulletins, and Informational Bulletins.
RECOMMENDATIONS
III-10 Based upon the recommendations contained in this report, the Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should develop a formal process for implementing a long- term vision for the department. An early part of this process should include the development of a formal mission statement, vision statement, and set of core values. Well-designed mission statements should properly and accurately reflect the department’s overall mission within the community. Vision statements identify the very reason for the department’s existence and help to ensure that all personnel are working toward the same goals, or are proverbially, “all rowing in the same direction”. The development of core values helps to establish what the department and its membership stand for.
III-11 The Grafton Fire Department mission statement should be prominently displayed in each station along with the vision statement and core values (Figure III-2).
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FIGURE III-2: SAMPLE MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES PLAQUE
III-12 The Grafton Fire Department should form a committee to develop a comprehensive rules and regulations document that identifies anticipated, acceptable/ permitted, and prohibited behaviors. This document should be distributed to and signed for by each member of the department. It will also provide important guidance to new personnel.
Some suggested sections for the rules and regulations could include, but are by no means limited to: • A preamble • Department vision statement and mission statement • Purpose of the rules and regulations • Organization • Membership requirements • General rules of conduct • Officer qualifications and selection (may just reference current department procedure) • Officer duties and responsibilities • Chain of command • Uniforms and grooming ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 35 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
• Discipline • Other areas that may be agreed upon for inclusion
III-13 The Grafton Fire Department should form a committee as soon as possible to begin development of a comprehensive department standard operations procedure (SOP) manual starting with mission critical procedures such as, but not limited to, Structure Fires, Basic Engine Company and Truck Company Operations, Rapid Intervention Team Operations, Personnel Accountability, Vehicle Extrication Operations, and Thermal Imaging Camera and Automatic External Defibrillator Use. The addition of numerous other procedures covering routine administrative operations and training procedures should then follow. The committee should be comprised of members of each rank. Due to the urgency of this task, and its significant importance to the department’s future success, the committee should be given whatever support is necessary to complete this task within one year. If necessary, outside professional assistance is available to assist with facilitating this endeavor.
The general set up and organization of the manual is a very important consideration and the department must insure that the manual/system is easy to utilize and cross reference the necessary procedure. If personnel are going to be required to learn and adhere to the department’s procedures, then the format, organization, and the filing of them must be user friendly, otherwise they will sit on a shelf unused.
The first operational procedure should identify and explain the components of the Written Communications System, including the use and organization of the SOP Manual and other components of the system such as standardized forms. This procedure should also contain a provision that the entire SOP Manual will be reviewed on at least an annual basis and that updates and revisions can/will be made at any time, as necessary. All procedures/revisions should be approved and issued after being signed by the Fire Chief.
III-14 The Grafton Fire Department should adopt a standardized SOP form that includes the following information:
• Title of the SOP • Number of the SOP • Category of the SOP (EMS Operations, Training, Administration, etc.) • Page number and total number of pages • Effective date • Revision date (if applicable) • Approval/signature of the Fire Chief
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If a procedure is reissued with only minor to moderate revisions, it can carry the original issue date with the revision date also noted. Revisions from the previous version should be identified by some means within the revised document. Full-scale revisions to a procedure should result in it being reissued with a new issue date.
Each SOP should, at a minimum, contain the following sections:
• Purpose • Scope (If necessary and/or appropriate) • Definitions of terms (If necessary and/or appropriate) • Procedure(s)/Main body • References (If necessary and/or appropriate)
III-15 The Grafton Fire Department should develop and implement a procedure that provides for the documented review of policies, procedures, general orders, training and/or safety bulletins, etc. that includes a provision requiring each member of the department to sign that they received the document, have read it, and understand it.
III-16 The Grafton Fire Department should institute a process for issuing general orders, which are directives and/or special instructions that cover various facets of department operations but can be quickly issued as needed. They may cover a particular period of time regarding a special situation or may provide a temporary procedure pending development and issue of a full operational procedure.
Also included in the system should be training bulletins that would be issued to serve as reference regarding tested and approved methods of performing tasks; safety bulletins, that are issued to serve as references about general and specific safety and health issues; and informational bulletins that are published for the general knowledge of recipients. A numbering system should be implemented to keep track of these documents for indexing and future reference purposes.
III-17 The Grafton Fire Department should develop an effective system for ensuring that any new standard operating procedures, general orders, training bulletins, safety bulletins, and informational bulletins are distributed to all personnel and stations. Electronic communications are highly recommended as the method of choice for distributing departmental communications and documents.
III-18 Since town policies and personnel regulations apply to all town employees, this material should be made available in each station (or on line), and policy training should be conducted on a periodic basis for all personnel.
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III-19 The Grafton Fire Department should immediately develop a comprehensive respiratory protection plan in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134, and a blood borne pathogens/exposure control plan in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1030. Appropriate SOPs that implement various components of these plans should also be developed. Annual training as required should be provided to all personnel.
III-20 The Grafton Fire Department should take immediate steps to ensure that the department’s RMS is utilized for all aspects of the department’s management, operations, and recordkeeping, including incident reporting, training, inventory, fire prevention and inspections, maintenance, staffing and scheduling, personnel, and pre- fire planning. For records such as personnel records, training records, fire prevention inspection records, and vehicle and equipment maintenance records, efforts should be undertaken to retroactively enter critical data. To the extent possible, information that is stored in databases other than the Fire Department RMS should be moved to the RMS database.
III-21 For many types of records, hard copy files must also be maintained, in addition to electronic ones. This includes vehicle, station and equipment (hose, ladders, pumps, SCBA, hydraulic rescue equipment, etc.) inspection, testing and maintenance records, personnel and training records, and fire prevention records, to name just a few. In conjunction with the comprehensive use of the RMS regarding all aspects of fire department operations, the Grafton Fire Department should also insure that all pertinent hard copy records are correctly, and completely organized into appropriate files into some type of recognized and consistent filing system.
III-22 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should take steps to immediately establish a department or town e-mail account for every member of the Fire Department. The Fire Department should also concurrently develop a procedure that requires every member of the department to check their e-mail at least weekly. Establishment of the e-mail accounts and this procedure will significantly improve communications and flow of information within the department. Documents could then be sent out electronically include, but would certainly not be limited to, training announcements, schedules, meeting/assignment announcements and reminders, and once implemented, components of the department’s written communications system such as Operational Procedures, General Orders, Training Bulletins, Safety Bulletins, and Informational Bulletins.
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IV. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
OVERVIEW
Fire, rescue, and emergency medical system (EMS) incidents, and the fire department’s ability to respond to, manage, and mitigate, them effectively, efficiently, and safely, are mission- critical components of the emergency services delivery system. In fact, fire, rescue, and EMS operations provide the primary, and certainly most important, basis for the very existence of the fire department. Ensuring that the department is operationally prepared; necessary equipment is provided, tested, inspected, and maintained; and that adequate funding is allocated to ensure that the department can fulfill its core mission, are basic responsibilities of the Governing Body of the municipality or municipalities that it serves. Utilization of an incident command system and adherence to safety procedures are also important pieces of the system.
In addition to structural and other types of firefighting operations, the fire department is tasked with responding to and managing a broad spectrum of other types of emergencies, including, but not limited to, vehicle crashes, building collapse, water and ice rescue, mass casualty incidents, weather-related emergencies, natural, and technological disasters. These types of incidents require specialized equipment and training, and in small communities are frequently handled by a regional team, or by a larger, more capable neighbor. In all types of emergency responses, an incident command system (ICS) should be utilized that conforms to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) guidelines that have been promulgated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. While firefighter safety is a primary focus throughout all operations, a formal component of the ICS program includes the consistent designation and use of an on-scene safety officer when appropriate.
OBSERVATIONS
The Grafton Fire Department is fortunate to have a dedicated core membership group who strive to provide the best possible services to the community given the limitations and constraints, primarily from a time commitment standpoint, of a call fire department. However, the size of that core group is both diminishing and aging. Overall, the department appears to be trained, equipped, and generally prepared to serve the needs of the community that it protects. A fire chief from an adjoining community noted that he relies on Grafton to provide a high volume of personnel when mutual aid is requested.
However, that does not mean they are without weakness, or areas where there could be significant improvement. Concerns include a lack of interest in training among some members, an aging fleet, the lack of reliable data to analyze department performance, and extended response times with associated staffing challenges. Certain aspects of the staffing issues are identified in Chapter III, Organizational Structure, Management and Administration, some ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 39 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
identified in Chapter V, Staffing, Recruitment and Retention while others will be discussed in this chapter. The study team did not observe a coordinated cross training effort between stations. Several interviews of Grafton Fire Department members reaffirmed this concern, indicated that the overall training effort was lacking and noted that the onbly real training was that conducted at the station level.
Grafton provides a mix of challenges and hazards that must be protected by its Fire Department. While large portions of the Town still reflect its traditional rural, and primarily residential characters, there are areas where large apartment and condominium complexes have been constructed, as well as, several significant industrial facilities including the Grafton and Upton Railroad propane transfer facility, Wyman Gordon, Tufts University, Washington Mills and the Depot Street Mill. The area around Highland Commons presents a much different picture. The firefighting and emergency response challenges that confront firefighters in these types of structures and occupancies are much more complex, require more resources to mitigate, and are potentially more dangerous from a life safety perspective to both occupants and firefighters, than those usually found in single family dwellings. In addition, continued residential development in the Town creates increasing traffic conditions. These traffic conditions not only will create additional incidents such as motor vehicle accidents, they can also impact response times and routes from one area of town to another, and, for call personnel attempting to respond to their stations for an emergency.
The strategic and tactical challenges that the widely varied hazards the department protects need to be identified and planned for through a community risk analysis planning and management process as recommended in paragraphs 4.2 and 4.2.1, Community Risk Management of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1720 – Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments (2014 Edition).
Despite the complexities of a number of the facilities that it protects, at the time of this assessment, the department does not have any type of pre-fire/incident planning program which is one of the most effective tools the Fire Department has to assist them with handling fires and other emergencies in these facilities. Paragraph 5.5.1 of NFPA 1720 states, “the Fire Department shall set forth operational guidelines to conduct pre-incident planning”, while paragraph 5.5.2 states, “particular attention shall be provided to target hazards”.
The purpose of a fire pre-planning program is to allow firefighters to become familiar with buildings and/or facilities within their response area prior to an emergency, alert them to on site hazards and risks, and develop a detailed fire response plan for them that includes specific tactics that will be required to mitigate fires or other emergencies. Information collected for pre-fire/incident plans includes, but is certainly not limited to, data such as:
• the occupancy type
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• floor plans/layouts • building construction type and features • fire protection systems (sprinkler system, standpipe systems, etc.) • utility locations • hazards to firefighters and/or firefighting operations • special conditions in the building • apparatus placement plan • fire flow requirements and/or water supply plan • forcible entry and ventilation plan
The information contained in pre-fire/incident plans allows firefighters and officers to have a familiarity with the building/facility, its features, characteristics, operations, and hazards, thus enabling them to more effectively, efficiently, and safely, conduct firefighting and other emergency operations. Pre-fire/incident plans should be reviewed regularly and tested by periodic table-top exercises and on-site drills.
Paragraph 4.1, Fire Suppression Organization in NFPA 1720 states, “fire suppression operations shall be organized to ensure that the fire department’s fire suppression capability includes sufficient personnel, equipment and other resources to deploy fire suppression resources effectively, efficiently and safely”. Paragraph 4.2.2, Community Risk Management states, “the number and types of units assigned to respond to a reported incident shall be determined by risk analysis and/or pre-fire planning”.
Dispatch and communications operations for the Grafton Fire Department are handled by the Grafton Police Department. At the time of this study, calls that do not appear to be serious such as outside fires and most automatic fire alarm activations initially have just a single station dispatched. However, some districts will result in the dispatch of two stations simultaneously during the day. For activated fire alarm systems from schools when they are in session all three stations are dispatched immediately.
For potentially more significant incidents such as when a call is received reporting any type of a fire/emergency incident in a structure (smoke/fire in the building, interior gas leak, etc.), all three stations are dispatched immediately. However, regardless of size, and apart from Westborough responding as a rapid intervention team (RIT), the Grafton Fire Department is, for the most part, initially dispatched alone for the incident.
While Grafton utilizes a standard 10 alarm box alarm/run card system, it does not specify the initial dispatch of a certain number of resources, i.e.: engines, ladders (other than Grafton), chiefs, etc. at the time of first dispatch. The number of apparatus and personnel who respond initially would be determined solely by the number of call firefighters who were available at that time and who responded. The decision on whether to request additional resources to ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 41 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
respond is made on a case by case basis by the highest-ranking officer responding, predicated upon information they may be receiving while enroute and/or upon conditions encountered upon their arrival on the scene. This procedure is a concern as it results in delays in the dispatch and response of additional needed mutual aid resources who may also be faced with the realities of limited staffing, extended travel distance, and as a result, longer response time.
From 2016 through September 2018 the average number of personnel responding to each incident in Grafton has decreased from 7.9 in 2016 to 4.6 in 2018. The implication of these numbers is that while reported structure fires will often result in a higher number of personnel responding, there is little chance of Grafton achieving NFPA 1720 compliance with the recommended number of personnel on scene within a predetermined period of time. From a more practical operational stand point it can significantly impact the ability of the department to quickly mitigate the incident resulting in potentially increased fire damage and loss. It is MRI’s opinion that Grafton needs to establish appropriate automatic mutual aid agreements with its neighboring departments to provide appropriate additional resources on initial dispatch, to any type of structural incident.
At the time of initial dispatch, the incident is toned out over the department’s radios and pagers. An alpha page is also sent out to members’ cell phones. The department’s sirens at the fire stations are also activated during select hours. After a predetermined period, the incident is toned out again and is supposed to be re-toned until there is a response, or an officer signs on radio, who can provide direction. If there is no response after the third tone (about four minutes) mutual aid is supposed to be dispatched. The MRI team was never provided with definitive information on exactly what this procedure entails. The Police dispatchers have a book that they utilize for requesting mutual aid.
As a call department, Grafton personnel do not normally staff the stations on regular shifts or on a consistent basis. Rather they respond to emergency calls from wherever they may be when an incident is dispatched or “toned out”. When the incident has been dispatched, responding personnel normally drive to the nearest fire station to obtain the apparatus necessary to successfully handle the emergency. Due to the additional travel time necessary for personnel to respond to the station, which obviously increases with distance, responses by volunteer and call emergency services providers, inherently tend to be longer.
The Grafton Fire Department does utilize the I Am Responding system, whereby members can notify dispatch that they are responding even if they have not arrived at the station. However, it was reported to the MRI project team that the department personnel do not utilize this system like they should. The team was informed that particularly during the day that the dispatchers often have no idea who may be responding to an incident.
The Grafton Fire Department does have an Incident Management System (IMS) in place, and from most accounts it is effective, and is utilized on most incidents. Use of an IMS is mandated
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by federal regulations, as well as, numerous other regulations and standards. It is imperative that the Incident Commander (IC) exercise overall command and control to insure the proper coordination of incident operations, which prevents freelancing, and/or competing/dangerous strategies and tactics being employed. A shortage of qualified personnel in Grafton to fill some ICS roles and responsibilities was mentioned by several stakeholders as a concern.
A critical component of ICS is the establishment of the role of safety officer to monitor conditions at an incident scene, to ensure that appropriate safety procedures are being followed. It was reported to the team that, when necessary, a safety officer is usually assigned to an incident. The department does have a personnel accountability system that appears to work and be effective. It is imperative that officers lead by example as this set the tenor for the entire safety culture of the department.
Regarding incident management and the safety of on-scene operations, the MRI team was advised that fire department incident commanders rarely provide status updates to the dispatch center, time checks are not utilized, and personnel accountability reports (PAR) are rarely given. All of these are standard incident management practices that are expected to be provided during any significant incident.
One of the best ways to get a broad overview picture of an emergency services provider is to look at, and analyze, their emergency response/incident statistics. Looking at statistical data that is compiled from incident reports that should be generated for each and every emergency response, and/or request for assistance, will assist with determining the adequacy of current operations, as well, identify trends in responses, i.e.: increasing vs. decreasing, changing types of incident requests, increasing response times, frequency of simultaneous incidents, etc. Utilizing current trends to help predict future ones, while not an exact science, can be helpful to communities and fire departments in predicting, and planning for future operational needs. However, as with any other type of statistical analysis, the information that is analyzed is only as good, and/or reliable, as the data that was originally entered, and has been provided for evaluation.
The very limited data that was analyzed for this report was provided to the MRI project team by the Grafton Fire Department. However, the MRI project team experienced extreme difficulty in obtaining any type of good incident response data from the Grafton Fire Department despite multiple requests during the course of this study. First, the Fire Department does not utilize the IMC CAD and RMS system utilized by the Police Department. Instead the Fire Department utilizes Fire Programs as its RMS. The MRI project team was informed that the Fire Department has been having ongoing problems with this system. As a result, the Fire Department had not entered any fire reports into the system for approximately the previous three years. This situation makes it virtually impossible for the Fire Department to produce any type of usable data for analysis or to develop statistics for a wide range of purposes. With those facts in mind, MRI has significant concerns regarding the accuracy of the very limited data that was
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eventually provided with in conjunction with this study. There were also discrepancies in data that was obtained from different sources.
According to the reports provided by the Fire Department, during the three-year period from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2017, the Grafton Fire Department responded to a total of 1,631 emergency requests for assistance, an average of 544 per year, or 1.49 per day. While most fire departments, particularly in communities that are still experiencing some growth, encounter a gradual increase in the number of incidents from year to year, Grafton’s responses were steady and almost identical for the three years. The department responded to 542 incidents in both 2015 and 2017 and 547 incidents in 2016. As of September 30, 2018, the department had responded to 421 incidents which puts the department on target to run slightly fewer calls than the previous three years.
For actual fire incidents, the statistical sample is quite small, however, that would not be unexpected in a smaller community such as Grafton. It is very important to note that per National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) protocols, the category for “Fire Incident” must be an actual fire situation that in many, but not all, situations caused some type of damage. Many of the incidents that are classified under other types of incidents were probably initially dispatched as some type of fire incident, but ultimately were classified otherwise, for reporting purposes, based upon the situation actually found at the scene. From 2016 through September 2018, the department responded to a total of 104 actual fire incidents. Actual fires accounted for 6.3% of the department’s total responses in 2016, 8.5% in 2017, and 5.4% so far in 2018. These percentages are somewhat lower than national averages which tend to run in the 10% to 12% range.
Fire departments also respond to many other types of incidents that may, or may not, be fire related. These types of incidents frequently constitute the largest number of fire department responses, and each must be treated as an emergency. In the case of automatic fire alarm systems, the incident must be treated as a potential actual fire until such time as a trained and qualified emergency responder arrives on the scene and determines otherwise. Other incidents, such as fuel or chemical spills, create other dangers and hazards to people, property, and the environment, unless they are properly mitigated. Figure IV-1 through IV-3 illustrate the number of incidents by type for 2016, 2017, and 2018.
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Fire - Other Structure Chimney, Car, 47 Fire Brush, Trash 8 Cooking 27 25
Service Calls Rescue/EMS 84 58 Hazardous Condition 77
Fire Alarms 227
Fire - Chimney, Car, Brush, Trash Structure Fire
Cooking Rescue/EMS
Hazardous Condition Fire Alarms
Service Calls Other
FIGURE IV-1: TYPES OF INCIDENTS 2016 (552)
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Other Fire - Chimney, Structure 36 Car, Brush, Trash Fire 23 23 Cooking 24
Service Calls 109 Rescue/EMS 65
Hazardous Condition 52
Fire Alarms 235
Fire - Chimney, Car, Brush, Trash Structure Fire Cooking Rescue/EMS Hazardous Condition Fire Alarms Service Calls Other
FIGURE IV-2: TYPES OF INCIDENTS 2017 (541)
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Fire - Chimney, Car, Brush, Structure Trash Fire 13 10 Cooking 19
Other 36 Service Calls Rescue/EMS 59 64
Hazardous Condition 42 Fire Alarms 178
Fire - Chimney, Car, Brush, Trash Structure Fire
Cooking Rescue/EMS
Hazardous Condition Fire Alarms
Service Calls Other
FIGURE IV-3: TYPES OF INCIDENTS JANUARY – SEPTEMBER 2018 (421)
Response time is another important measuring instrument to determine how well a fire department is currently performing, to help identify response trends, and to predict future operational needs. Getting emergency assistance to the scene of a 9-1-1 caller in the quickest time possible may be critical to the survival of the patient, and/or successful mitigation of the incident. Achieving the quickest, and safest, response times possible should be a fundamental goal of every fire department.
While National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1720 – Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments (2014 Edition), which is the ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 47 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
nationally recognized consensus standard on staffing and deployment by volunteer/call and combination fire departments provides only limited guidance, as far as overall on scene response times, its companion standard 1710 - Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments (2016 Edition) sets a number of benchmarks. These are the benchmark standards that the United States Department of Homeland Security utilizes when evaluating applications for staffing grants under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. While as a fully call department the provisions of NFPA 1710 are not applicable to the Grafton Fire Department they can provide some valuable benchmarking guidelines.
Paragraph 4.1.2.1 states that the first arriving engine company shall arrive at the scene of a fire suppression incident within four minutes or less after the unit is responding. For EMS incidents, a unit with first responder or higher-level trained personnel should arrive within four minutes, and an Advanced Life Support (ALS) unit should arrive on scene within eight minutes. Paragraph 4.1.2.2 requires the establishment of a 90% performance objective for these response times.
NOTE: The four-minute response time is from when the units are physically moving to the incident. One minute can be added for call processing and dispatch, and one minute can be added for turnout time, that is from when firefighters in the station are notified until they are responding, providing six total minutes from the time the 9-1-1 call is answered until the first unit arrives on location.
The Grafton Fire Department provided the MRI study just rudimentary response time data for this analysis. The only data provided was broken down into two components, “Time Out” and “Arrival”. When the MRI team requested clarification on what the “Time Out” time signified (the time the call was received by dispatch or time it was dispatched to the Fire Department), the team was informed that there was no real consistency on what time was used. At times it was when the call was received, other times when the Fire Department was dispatched, and at times, could even be the time when the police were dispatched to the incident. Likewise, “Arrival” did not necessarily indicate the time the first fire department unit capable of mitigating fire control or other emergency actions arrived on scene. It could be an officer, usually a chief, with a portable radio. It should also be noted that a significant number of incidents lacked an “Arrival” time.
A review of response time data provided from January 1, 2016 through September 30, 2018 indicated that the department’s average response time is generally much higher than recommended by the standard. While that is to be expected in a community with a call fire department and their inherently longer response times, many of these response times are excessive and need to be reduced. Average response times ranged from four minutes in May and October 2016 and March 2018 to nine minutes in January 2017. The January 2017 average
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is two minutes higher than any other month. It is important to also note that the data that MRI received from Grafton was in an hour and minute format (hh:mm) rather than hour, minute and second format (hh:mm:ss) which can mean that there is a possibility of up to one minute, 59 seconds (00:01:59) difference in the times being analyzed.
Figure IV-4 illustrates the average response times. Beyond these statistics, the MRI project team was informed by various stakeholders that fire department responses often take an extended period of time, many times from eight to ten minutes. The need for consideration of some level of career staffing and/or in station duty crews is clearly illustrated in these statistics.
AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME (Mins) PER CALL BY MONTH*: CALENDER YEARS 2016 - August 2018 10 8 6 4 2 0
2016 2017 2018
*Monthly Response Average = Time Out – Arrival Time ÷ Number of Total Calls each month in a calendar year FIGURE IV-4: GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AVERAGE RESPONSE TIMES - 2016 – 9/2018
Structural firefighting has become far more challenging and dangerous in the last thirty years with the introduction of significant quantities of plastic and foam-based products into homes and businesses (e.g., furnishings, mattresses, bedding, plumbing and electrical components, home and business electronics, decorative materials, insulation, and structural components). These materials ignite and burn quickly, and, produce extreme heat and toxic smoke. If firefighters cannot arrive in a timely manner and attack the fire quickly, a strong possibility exists that a dangerous flashover (simultaneous ignition of the all combustible materials in a room) will occur. Flashover can occur within five to seven minutes of fire ignition, and, is one of the most dangerous events that a trapped civilian, or firefighter, can face and is not survivable
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for either. When a flashover occurs, initial firefighting forces are generally overwhelmed and will require significantly more resources to affect fire control and extinguishment.
The Grafton Fire Department could not provide the project team with any statistics or data regarding how well it complies with the staffing requirement of ten personnel on scene of a structure fire within ten minutes as recommended by NFPA 1720. It was reported to the project team that the department “does not track call attendance”. If true, this issue is problematic not only from the perspective of the inability to develop accurate personnel staffing statistics, but also from a fiscal perspective in that as a call fire department personnel are paid for their responses. The ready availability of additional resources in neighboring communities and the Town of Grafton taking the necessary steps to improve staffing levels, and response times, will result in the Fire Department being able to provide the community with a higher level of protection than may be currently available.
The MRI project team noted that Grafton Fire Department has somewhat limited specialized operations capabilities. There are several valid reasons for this, and the situation here is in fact quite common with smaller, call fire departments that do not have the resources, or personnel, to undertake these types of endeavors. Specialized operations can include but are not limited to:
• Hazardous materials incidents • Rope rescue including high angle • Water and ice rescue • Trench/collapse rescue • Confined space rescue • Urban search and rescue (building collapse)
The department has provided hazardous materials awareness and operational level training to all its personnel. More specialized, technical level resources to handle these rare but dangerous types of incidents are available regionally through the Massachusetts fire service deployment system. It is imperative that Grafton Fire Department personnel understand their roles and responsibilities when responding to these types of incidents, know what operations they can safely perform, as well as, be fully aware of what they cannot do. Joint training with the teams that will provide these operations to Grafton should be conducted periodically.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS)
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) operations are an important component of the comprehensive emergency services delivery system in any community. Together with the delivery of police and fire services, it forms the backbone of the community’s overall public safety life net. In fact, as a percentage of overall incidents responded to, it could be argued
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that EMS incidents constitute the greatest number of “true” emergencies, where intervention by trained personnel, makes a difference, sometimes literally between life and death. While for the most part a review of Grafton’s EMS operations is outside of the scope of this study, some of the recommendations contained herein, could, in the future, have connection to the provision of these important services.
EMS in Grafton is currently provided by a private vendor under contract to the Town. The current provider is MedStar, who provides the service at no cost to the Town (previously Grafton paid up to $200,000 per year for this service). MedStar provides a staffed ambulance with advanced life support (ALS) capabilities stationed in Grafton 24/7. This unit is deployed out of Grafton Station 1. When needed, multiple additional ambulances are available through MedStar.
The Grafton Fire Department has very little involvement with the delivery of EMS services. The department does not respond normally to EMS incidents unless requested by MedStar. Incidents where the Fire Department may be requested to assist include CPR in progress, assisting with lifting and moving, and certain incidents on the Mass Pike.
Figure IV-5 illustrates the number of annual EMS incidents and patients transported from fiscal year 2015 beginning July 1, 2014 thru September 10, 2018. Over this time frame MedStar averaged just under six incidents per day in Grafton. Of these incidents the number in which a patient was transported to the hospital ranged from a low of 49% in FY 2016 to a high of 56.9% in FY 2018.
7/1/14 – 7/1/15 – 7/1/16 – 7/1/17 – 7/1/18 – 6/30/15 6/30/16 6/30/17 6/30/18 9/10/18 Total Emergency Incidents 2,146 2,179 2,104 2,095 439 Total Patients Transported 1,157 1,069 1,127 1,193 248 Percentage of Patients 53.9% 49.0% 53.6% 56.9% 56.5% Transported FIGURE IV-5: MEDSTAR GRAFTON INCIDENT RECAP – 2014 - 2018
As with most EMS service providers today, MedStar offsets the cost of their service to Grafton by billing the insurance company of patients who require their services, primarily those transported to the hospital. Long term, should the Grafton Fire Department find the need to provide career firefighter coverage around the clock, considering assuming responsibility for providing the primary EMS transport service to the community should be seriously considered.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
IV-1 The Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal pre-incident planning program with the goal of having an up to date pre-plan for every business and commercial occupancy (including schools, churches, etc.). The purpose of a pre-incident planning program is to develop a fire/emergency response plan for buildings in the Town. A pre-fire/incident plan includes data such as the occupancy type, floor plans, construction type, hazards to firefighting, special conditions in the building, apparatus placement plan, water supply plan, and forcible entry and ventilation plan. Pre- planning will improve the firefighter knowledge of the specific tactics needed to handle a fire or other emergency at a facility and will alert them to on-site hazards and risks. Pre-fire/incident plans should be reviewed regularly and tested by periodic table-top exercises and on-site drills. It is recommended they utilize a cloud-based system that utilizes ipad in apparatus and other vehicles to enhance response capability by providing the information for use enroute to an incident and while on scene.
IV-2 When there is a report of a structure fire, or smoke in a structure, a full structural response should be automatically initiated. This would include the immediate, and automatic, response of several departments. Although cultural resistance should be expected, this is a common and successful practice employed in many smaller communities that have more limited response capabilities.
IV-3 In consultation and cooperation with its neighboring departments, the Grafton Fire Department should enter into automatic aid agreements that specifies the number and types of resources that should be dispatched to various types of reported emergencies. While the recommendations contained in this report can be adjusted/revised based upon a risk management process or pre-fire/incident plan, these processes take time. In the interim, MRI recommends that additional resources be dispatched to structural fire and emergency incidents.
IV-4 The Grafton Fire Department should implement a procedure that mandates the use of the I am Responding system by all personnel who are responding to an incident. This is particularly important during the day when the number of available personnel is very limited.
IV-5 The Grafton Fire Department should enhance it safety culture and emphasis through the establishment of a formal fireground/incident safety officer program. All department officers should receive safety officer training, obtain safety officer certification, and an operational procedure should be implemented that results in a guaranteed response of additional chief officers on every working/all hands incident.
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IV-6 Working in conjunction with the Grafton Police Department dispatch center, the Grafton Fire Department should implement a procedure to provide for the dispatch center to provide interval time checks to the incident commander, for the incident commander to provide status reports, and as necessary PAR reports.
IV-7 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a SOP, specifying what information and times are necessary for the dispatcher to enter onto a fire incident report prior to the report being passed to the Fire Department. In order to develop the most accurate statistical database, all response time data should be entered into the appropriate National Fire Incident Response System (NFIRS) incident reporting database in a precise manner (hours/minutes/seconds). In order to accurately assess each component of overall response time, call processing time – turnout time – response time, these times should each be entered separately, and into the appropriate category in the NFIRS database.
IV-8 The Grafton Fire Department should immediately adopt a SOP that mandates that the incident report shall be completed by the incident commander (IC), or his/her designee, immediately upon completion of the incident. Should the IC designate someone else to complete the report for them, he/she is still ultimately responsible for the proper completion of the report and should review and approve it at their earliest convenience.
IV-9 The Grafton Fire Department needs to significantly improve their data gathering procedures and their ability to generate statistics regarding a wide range of their operations.
IV-10 Although more stringent than the requirements found in Table 4.3.2 of NFPA 1720 for suburban communities, through the utilization of automatic mutual aid agreements with neighboring communities, the Grafton Fire Department should attempt to achieve a goal of having a minimum of 14 personnel on the scene of any reported structure fire within 10 minutes or less.
IV-11 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should attempt to significantly improve its initial unit on scene response times.
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V. STAFFING, RECRUITMENT & RETENTION
OVERVIEW
The fire service has experienced tremendous technological advances in equipment, procedures, and training, over the past fifty years. Better personal protective equipment (PPE), the widespread use of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), large diameter hose, better and lighter hand lines and nozzles, and thermal imaging cameras are just a few of the numerous advances in equipment and procedures that have allowed firefighters to perform their duties more effectively, efficiently, safely, and with fewer personnel. However, the fact remains that the emergency scene in general, and the fire ground involving a structure fire in particular, is a dynamic, dangerous, frequently unpredictable, and rapidly changing environment where conditions can deteriorate very quickly, placing firefighters in extreme personal danger.
The operations necessary to successfully extinguish a structure fire, and do so effectively, efficiently, and safely, requires a carefully coordinated and controlled plan of action, where certain operations, such as venting ahead of the advancing interior hose line(s), must be carried out with a high degree of precision and timing. Multiple operations, frequently where seconds count, such as search and rescue operations and trying to cut off a rapidly advancing fire, must also be conducted simultaneously. If there are not enough personnel on the incident initially to perform all the critical tasks, some will, out of necessity, be delayed. This can result in an increased risk of serious injury or death to building occupants and firefighters, and increased property damage. Understanding the community’s risk greatly assists fire department management planning for and justification of staffing and apparatus resources.
NFPA 1720, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments, 2014 edition (National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA) outlines organization and deployment of operations by volunteer/call, and primarily volunteer/call fire departments.
Some of the key provisions of NFPA 1720 are as follows:
• Paragraph 4.3.1 on Staffing and Deployment states that the Fire Department shall identify minimum staffing requirements to ensure that a sufficient number of members are available to operate safely and effectively.
• Paragraph 4.3.2 on Staffing and Deployment states that Table 4.3.2 (Figure V- 1) shall be used by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to determine staffing and response time objectives for structural firefighting, based on a low-hazard occupancy such as a 2,000 square foot, two-story, single-family, without basement or exposures. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 54 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
Table 4.3.2, Staffing and Response Time Minimum Response Meets Demand Zone Demographics1 Staff to Time2 Objective (% Respond (minutes) of the time) Special risks AHJ AHJ AHJ 90 % 2 Urban >1000 people/mi. 15 9 90 % 2 Suburban 500 - 1000 people/mi. 10 10 80 % 2 Rural < 500 people/mi. 6 14 80 % Dependent Remote* Travel distance > 8 mi. 4 upon travel 90 % distance FIGURE V-1: STAFFING AND RESPONSE TIME TABLE FROM NFPA 1720
• Paragraph 4.3.3 on Staffing and Deployment states that upon assembling the necessary resources at the emergency scene, the Fire Department should have the capability to safely commence an initial attack within two minutes, 90% of the time.
• Paragraph 4.6.1 Initial Firefighting Operations states that initial firefighting operations shall be organized to ensure that at least four members are assembled before interior fire suppression operations are initiated in a hazardous area.
• Paragraph 4.7.1 Sustained Firefighting Operations states that the Fire Department shall have the capability for sustained operations, including fire suppression; engagement in search and rescue, forcible entry, ventilation, and preservation of property; accountability of personnel; the deployment of a dedicated rapid intervention crew (RIC); and the provision of support activities for those situations which are beyond the capabilities of the initial attack.
• Paragraph 4.7.2 Sustained Firefighting Operations also states that the capability to sustain operations shall include sufficient personnel, equipment, and resources to effectively, efficiently, and safely conduct the appropriate operations.
Note: While the NFPA standards are nationally recognized consensus standards, it is still the responsibility of the local jurisdiction to determine the acceptable level of risk and corresponding fire protection/EMS services. When applying any standard, including the NFPA standards, it is important to apply the document in its entirety. One should not selectively extract requirements to the exclusion of others or take a requirement out of context.
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Some jurisdictions add additional response resources and, in some cases, exceed, the specifics of national benchmarking for personnel and other resources particularly when the incident is in a larger structure where the life hazard may be higher and/or the potential fire situation much more complex. Personnel needs for fires involving large, more complex structures, such as large senior citizen, assisted living, and commercial occupancies, of which the Town of Grafton has a growing number of, will require a significantly greater commitment of initial personnel, minimally 27/28, according to the 2016 edition of NFPA 1720’s companion standard NFPA 1710. This should include reported fire incidents in buildings that are fully sprinklered. While sprinklers are highly effective, they are not 100% so. Until such time as the extent and seriousness of the incident can be determined, a full complement of personnel and apparatus should be dispatched.
Figure V-2 illustrates the critical tasks and resource deployment required for low and moderate- hazard incidents such as residential and small commercial structure fires. Although some people advocate that these types of incidents can be handled with less personnel unless it is a small fire, there is the possibility there will not be enough personnel available to perform all the critical tasks necessitating that some be delayed.
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FIGURE IV-2: Typical basic staffing needs for a single-family dwelling fire. Image credit: IAFF 266
There has been much research done by a number of fire departments on the effects of various staffing levels. One constant that has emerged is that company efficiency and effectiveness decrease substantially, while injuries increase when company/unit staffing falls below four personnel. A recent comprehensive yet scientifically conducted, verified, and validated study titled Multi-Phase Study on Firefighter Safety and the Deployment of Resources was performed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters, and the Center for Public Safety Excellence. This landmark study researched residential fires, where most of the fire, injuries, and fatalities occur. The study concluded that the size of firefighter crews has a substantial effect on the fire department’s ability to protect lives and property in residential fires and occupancies. Several key findings of the study include:
• Four-person firefighting crews were able to complete 22 essential firefighting and rescue tasks in a typical residential structure 30% faster than two-person crews and 25% faster than three-person crews.
• The four-person crews were able to deliver water to a similarly sized fire 15% faster than the two-person crews and 6% faster than three-person crews, ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 57 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
steps that help to reduce property damage and reduce danger/risks to firefighters.
• Four-person crews were able to complete critical search and rescue operations 30% faster than two-person crews and 5% faster than three- person crews.
The United States Fire Administration, part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Department of Homeland Security, recommends that a minimum of four firefighters respond on or with each apparatus. In its respected textbook Managing Fire Services, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) states, “that at least 4 and often 8 or more firefighters under the supervision of an officer should respond to fire suppression operations”. They further state, “If about 16 firefighters are not operating at the scene of a working fire within the critical time period then dollar loss and injuries are significantly increased, as is fire spread”.
Beyond the NFPA standard(s), which as standards do not carry the weight of regulation or law, is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Respiratory Protection Standard, CFR 1910.134, which carries the weight and force of regulation, thus making compliance mandatory. One key provision of the Respiratory Protection Standard that is directly applicable to fire department staffing is known as the “Two-In/Two-Out” rule. In brief, this regulation specifies that anytime firefighters operate in an environment/atmosphere that is “immediately dangerous to life and health” (IDLH), whenever two members enter the IDLH area together/as a team, they must maintain visual or voice communication with two additional firefighters who must remain outside of the IDLH atmosphere, prepared to render immediate emergency assistance to those inside (Figure V-3). The OSHA rule does provide an exception, however, which states that the rule does not apply in emergency rescue situations where a person is visible and in need of immediate rescue, or there is credible and reasonable information that potentially viable victims are still in need of rescue.
To comply with the “Two-In/Two-Out” rule, a team of four firefighters must be assembled before an interior fire attack can be made when the fire has progressed beyond the incipient stage, except in an imminent life-threatening situation when immediate action could prevent the loss of life or serious injury before the team of four firefighters are assembled. The serious concern of the MRI project team is that the OSHA “Two-In/Two-Out” rule permits an exception for life hazard or rescue situations. The reality is that in one of the most serious life hazard fire situations that can be encountered, trapped civilians, a firefighter may need to place himself/herself in extreme danger by entering the structure alone.
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FIGURE V-3: OSHA TWO-IN/TWO-OUT Image Credit: IAFF 266
OBSERVATIONS
By strict definition, the Grafton Fire Department is a combination fire department by virtue of the fact that it has a full-time assistant fire chief who serves as the fire prevention officer. In reality, and from a practical standpoint, it is still truly a call organization since there are currently no other career staff. The on-call members are compensated for the time they spend training, as well as, responding to emergencies. With a long heritage of being a call fire department, Grafton proudly proclaims that they are still served by one of the largest such organizations in Massachusetts.
Officially, the Grafton Fire Department is authorized 20 regular members in each of the department’s three companies. Each company is also authorized up to 6 auxiliary personnel who are in the process of obtaining required training. At the time this study was conducted, the department’s roll call sheet showed sixty-two active members15, thirteen officers, forty- nine firefighters. Most of these personnel have completed a recognized Firefighter I (and in some cases Firefighter II) training program, but the number who have actually obtained certification could not be ascertained. As with many call/volunteer departments today, there is a core group of older, long-time members of the department with a second group of young, newer firefighters. There is a dearth of personnel who would fall into the middle between the other groups both in age and years of experience. Although not unusual in today’s call/volunteer fire service, the average age of the department’s personnel is also a reason for
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long-term concern as its core group of members…those who are generally the most active responders…are aging without an offset in new, younger personnel.
The size of the department, personnel wise, would generally be adequate to handle the expected emergency workload in a town the size of Grafton. However, in almost any call/volunteer emergency services organization there is going to be a percentage of members whose names still appear on the “active” roster, yet they no longer are, or are minimally so, for a variety of reasons. Factor in that most members of the department have a primary job, other than the fire department, that probably limits their availability to respond, mostly during normal business hours, and the current staffing picture becomes more of a concern. It was reported to the MRI project team that between 10 and 20 members (16.7% to 33.3%) of the department are truly active and respond to a significant number of calls. These numbers are consistent with the personnel who also show up for training. It should be noted that personnel who have not completed a certain number of hours of training, and/or, certain mandatory training, should not be permitted to respond to emergency incidents.
As is evidenced by the need for this evaluation, the department is under an increasing level of scrutiny based on the community leadership’s concerns relative to its operational capability and response, particularly during the daytime hours. Overall, the average number of personnel who responded to each incident has decreased significantly over just the previous few years from 7.9 in 2016 to 4.3 in 2018, a 45.6% drop (Figure V-4). It should be noted, however, that the information provided by the Grafton Fire Department could not be verified as to accuracy.
AVERAGE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL PER CALL Calendar Year 2016 - 2018 10
8 7.3 6 4.6 4
2
0 2016 2017 2018 AVERAGE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL PER CALL
FIGURE V-4: GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL RESPONSES
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Like many, if not most call fire departments, the Grafton Fire Department’s most significant staffing challenges occur during the day when most members are at their full-time jobs. This is a common problem in bedroom communities such as Grafton where few members of the department also work in town. The department is fortunate to have six members who work for various town departments (4 sewer, 1 water, 1 highway) and can usually leave to respond to calls during the day. However, there are times when the project they are working on may preclude them from responding. In addition to the Town employees, the department reports they can usually get about three or four additional personnel for significant daytime incidents. During this study a daytime house fire in town had a total of eight personnel from Grafton respond.
In a sign of the increasing strain relative to overall staffing, daytime is not the only time the department has challenges. The overnight hours from 10:00 PM to about 6:00 AM have become an increasing problem with sufficient personnel responding to incidents, particularly those that are deemed to be less serious in nature. Weekends during the summer have also presented staffing challenges. In order to try to encourage personnel to respond during these times, the department has implemented a two (2) hour minimum pay for calls during the overnight hours, summer weekends, and holidays. Compounding the long-term outlook for staffing, is that the department is aging with approximately 50% of the total membership, including about 75% of the highest responders reported to be over the age of 50.
Cumulatively, these identified problems point to the fact that the Town and department have arrived at a crossroads, caused in part to a diminishing level of on-call membership and response. It is clear that the department is struggling to meet the needs and expectations of the community, and if unchecked and in fact not reversed, the department could eventually cease to be a viable emergency response organization.
At the time of this assessment Grafton does not have any minimum staffing requirements for their apparatus, so vehicles can respond with just one or two personnel rather than a much more desirable minimum of three or the recommended four. It is MRI’s opinion that Grafton, with their current personnel response levels, will rarely be able to get either enough apparatus, or firefighters, to the scene of an incident without turning to their neighboring departments for assistance. This is common practice in both career and on call fire departments throughout the country and should not be viewed negatively in any way. Paragraph 4.7.3 of NFPA 1720 states, “the Fire Department shall be allowed to use established automatic aid or mutual aid agreements to comply with the requirements of Section 4.7, Sustained Firefighting Operations”. Paragraph 4.3.5, Staffing and Deployment states, “standard response assignments and procedures, including mutual aid response and mutual aid agreements predetermined by the location and nature of the reported incident, shall regulate the dispatch of companies, response groups, and command officers to fires and other emergency incidents”.
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The Town of Grafton has expressed a desire to retain a strong call firefighting force. MRI concurs, and believes that goal is realistic and achievable for the foreseeable future. However, achieving this goal will require the implementation of program(s) to recruit and then, perhaps more importantly, retain personnel; a strong commitment from the town; and strong leadership in the fire department.
In March 2004, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) issued a report by the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section, entitled “A Call for Action: Preserving and Improving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service” (Appendix A). Among other things, the report highlighted the fact that the ranks of volunteer/call firefighters nationwide are declining due, at least in part, to an increasing demand for services. There are also various other factors that are prevalent to the reduction in the number of volunteer and on-call firefighters in communities such as Grafton. Among them is that the demographics of many communities today do not support a sufficient number of the type of person who is attracted to the fire service in the 21st century - someone with time to dedicate to public service, or a young person who wants to make a career of it. MRI has found that on average, for every five on-call firefighters recruited, two will remain active after a period of about 48 months has elapsed. This fact alone can frustrate recruitment efforts. The task of recruitment and retention is further complicated if the department lacks a true commitment (whether real or perceived) to the on-call force.
In November 2005, the IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officer’s Section released a second report, called “Lighting the Path of Evolution: Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments” (Appendix B). This report further expanded on issues and strategies for maintaining high service levels to the community, and safety for emergency response personnel while simultaneously keeping costs down. One prominent question asked in the report was “How can fire departments ensure the delivery of services are reliable?” The answer was the development of a list of “indicators for change”, where fire department managers and local government leaders need to be cognizant of warning signs pointing to potential problems and “prepare for change before it is forced on them by external circumstances”. These “indicators” of change include:
Community Growth: Generally speaking, the larger the community, the larger the call volume, and higher level of service people expect.
Community Aging: Maintaining an appropriate level of service depends on the fire department’s ability to recruit new and younger members. This appears to be a major issue for Grafton as many long time, senior members are retiring.
Missed Calls: A critical issue because it is a failure that is highly visible to the public and there is an over-reliance on mutual aid for coverage.
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Extended response times: A reliability problem as the public is not provided the appropriate service.
Reduced staffing: A serious problem as it puts citizens and first responder safety at a greater risk.
Most of these issues appear to have growing applicability to Grafton and its fire department. These warning indicators are not necessarily an indictment of anything wrong in Grafton; the same problems are facing call and volunteer fire department across the country. A recent report done in Pennsylvania (one of the states with the strongest traditions of volunteer firefighters in the United States), found that from 1976 to about 2012, the number of volunteer firefighters had declined from more than 300,000 to about 50,000.
Over the next three to five years, a significant effort will need to be put forth to recruit new members, retain existing personnel, and, enhance the participation of those who become inactive, and ensure that those who remain on the roll call sheets are truly active and not just filling a space. Although Grafton is far from alone in dealing with this reduction in on-call staff, it is essential that addressing this situation is clearly identified as a top priority of the Town and Fire Department leadership and be adopted as a shared mission of the entire department. In fact, to attain success will require the development of new strategies and a monetary investment to reestablish, and, maintain the long-term viability of the on-call component in the department.
The Grafton Fire Department does not have a formal recruitment and retention program for call personnel and only appears to Figure V-5: Volunteer recruit new members sporadically. The MRI project team was recruitment poster informed that most new members of the department are recruited by word of mouth. There is no mention of the need for additional members on the town’s website, on the Friends of the Grafton Fire Department Facebook page (the Fire Department does not have its own website), or even a person to contact if someone is interested in joining the department. This is something that is frequently displayed very prominently on the websites of many call/volunteer departments and those of the community they serve. The sign above (figure V-5) was observed hanging in the fire station in another community. Other communities have placed yard signs strategically throughout the Figure V-6: Volunteer community (Figure V-6). These are the type of recruitment recruitment yard sign
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posters/signs the department needs to prominently display in high visibility or high traffic locations throughout the town.
Even if the recruitment obstacles can be overcome, hurdles remain before a new member is a productive member of the department. Once an individual becomes interested in becoming an on-call firefighter, they must achieve a level of ever-increasing specialized skill that is time- consuming. Often exit interviews reveal that the training commitment alone is daunting and one of the primary reasons that on-call personnel resign. It is also costly to the department. To become a certified firefighter takes several hundred hours. Once certified, there are the dozens of hours training annually, maintaining firefighter and EMT or paramedic skills and certifications. Younger call firefighters frequently use call training and opportunities as a stepping stone to seek employment as full-time firefighters, which often results in their loss to the community. Although some call fire departments report that fire departments in their areas hiring at increased rates making the competition for personnel more intense, at $25.00 per hour, Grafton’s call salary is higher than most other area departments which should make the department an attractive destination.
Unfortunately, in 2018 the average citizen does not want to spend a great deal of personal time dedicated to the fire and emergency services, especially when family commitments take priority. In addition, many on-call firefighters in departments that have a career force handling the day-to-day emergencies find it hard to stay motivated if they are not being utilized frequently. This creates a delicate balancing act. Other reasons for difficulty recruiting and retaining members include:
1. An overall reduction in leisure time.
2. Employment obligations and the common need to maintain more than one job.
3. The virtual elimination of employers understanding and flexibility relating to this form of community service.
4. Increased family demands.
5. Generational differences.
6. Increasing training requirements.
7. The cost of housing in many affluent communities. This is reported to also be a problem in Grafton as many young people cannot afford homes in the town.
8. Organizational culture.
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9. Internal respect.
10. Recognition of personnel.
11. Internal communication.
12. Department leadership styles and commitments.
It is easy to believe that increasing the number of on-call firefighters can be a cure-all to eliminate all staffing, and thus response problems. Unfortunately, in 2018, this is an increasingly difficult problem to overcome. However, there still appears to be a sense of community in Grafton. This is a key attribute that may increase the likelihood of success for any call firefighter recruitment and retention program. Some studies and reports prepared by various entities have noted that many call and volunteer fire departments serving small to medium-sized communities anticipate that about one percent of its year-round population will be members of the fire department. While MRI believe this figure is way overly optimistic, particularly in 2018, the project team still believe that there are members of the Grafton community who would be excellent candidates to be members of the Fire Department. The challenge for the Town and the department, however, is not recruiting personnel as much as retaining them as active, participating members of the department.
As most rural and suburban communities across the United States are dealing with the reduction of volunteer and on-call staff, trying to reverse this trend has become a common issue in many places. When compared to the ever-increasing costs of employing additional full- time career personnel, many communities have concluded that investing in on-call personnel is the best and more cost-effective practice and, to that end, they have pursued some of the following strategies:
1. Creating a marketing program to recruit new personnel into the department.
2. Placing a prominent banner or link on the home page of the Town of Grafton website and the Friends of the Grafton Fire Department Facebook page.
3. Conducting a recruitment mailing to all residential properties in the Town with information about the Fire Department and recruiting new members.
4. Placing signs at the entrances to town, recruiting call members to the department.
5. Placement of a temporary signboard at various locations in the community.
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6. Placement of a recruitment message on the signboard at the various municipal buildings including the town hall.
7. Working with local businesses in an attempt to form partnerships that would allow employees to leave work to respond to emergency incidents when needed.
8. Hire a volunteer firefighter “Recruitment and Retention Coordinator” to develop, implement, and coordinate these activities. This could possibly be undertaken by several communities as a regional endeavor.
9. Nurture the call fire department.
10. Increasing the minimum hours paid for a response.
11. Provide a reduction in property taxes, or a tax abatement incentive, for volunteer service.
12. Provide on-call firefighters with community-based benefits such as free dump stickers, etc.
13. Provide community-based awards and recognitions such as implementing an incentive for members that attain a level of more than 25% response. An example would be to provide gift certificates for local restaurants, concerts, or other entertainment as a reward for attaining a high level of response.
One of the challenges that many volunteer organizations face today is that the motivation of newer members is much different than the older, long-time members. The newer members tend to need to receive something tangible to show that their service is appreciated. This is a changing dynamic that the Town and department will need to maintain awareness of as they try to determine the most effective focus of their recruitment, and perhaps more importantly, retention efforts.
In the smaller government, anti-taxes, and benefits climate of today, many of these benefits can be controversial. However, after considering these strategies MRI has focused on developing innovative strategies for the Town of Grafton. One example of an unconventional and innovative best practice that may work in Grafton is to provide a health insurance package for self-employed year-round residents, provided they complete and participate in all required training, obtain certifications, and provide the Town with a high level of immediate response. Typically, this type of program attracts electricians, plumbers, painters and other trades as well as self-employed professionals that would be beneficial to the organizations.
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An example of this best practice has worked successfully in the Town of Holliston, Massachusetts, for several years. Viewed as costly and unconventional, this program has retained a high-level of active personnel that provides an immediate response on a 24/7 basis. This strategy to invest in the on-call force avoided the need for career personnel, and compared to a smaller neighboring community, produced an overall cost (including health insurance) of 50% of what the neighboring community pays for fire protection. MRI believes a program of this nature could be a good fit for Grafton and should be considered.
During the project team’s research for several previous studies in similar communities, a member of the project team visited Chief Michael Cassidy in Holliston and conducted an interview pertaining to this concept. An overview of that interview has been inserted below:
Holliston is a community of approximately 14,500 residents. It has a call firefighting force of 50, with an additional call EMS force of approximately 28 persons. Chief Cassidy is the only full-time employee, other than a few hourly workers who provide dispatch services. All these personnel are eligible to participate in the town's health insurance program. Chief Cassidy reports that turnout at all incidents regularly exceeds NFPA 1720 standards. A recent structure fire that occurred midweek, midday, drew a response of 32 call firefighting personnel to the incident.
All call firefighters are required to be certified as least to the level of firefighter I/II, the roster is currently full at the authorized strength and Chief Cassidy reports a waiting list of approximately 15 to 20 persons. He stated that the health insurance benefit offered to his call firefighters is most definitely the driving factor in his ability to maintain such a robust and adequately trained call firefighting force. Below is a breakdown of some of the numbers:
• Chief Cassidy stated that approximately 55% of the current membership elects to take the health insurance benefit. Additional compensation is provided to the call firefighter should he or she elect not to participate in the benefit group.
• Chief Cassidy stated that most all the members that participated were self- employed tradesmen. Many of those who elect not to participate are young adults who might still be on their parents’ health insurance. Since members can become call firefighters at age 18, and the department also has a very active Explorer post, which acts as a feeder pool for the department, a sizable number of the current call force are within the 18 to 26-year-old category, and, may still participate in their parents’ health insurance program.
• All call firefighting personnel must first successfully complete firefighter I/II training, no compensation is provided until after successful completion. If ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 67 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
selected for employment, the call firefighter has the option of participating in the town’s health insurance program.
• Those that elect to enroll in an HMO program have 60% of their expenses covered by the employer (family or individual plan). Members that prefer a PPO style plan have 50% of that cost paid by the employer.
• Holliston call firefighters also enjoy a very generous compensation program. Active members receive a base retainer, as well as hourly compensation for time spent working at incidents. Recently, the compensation package was expanded to provide a flat fee of $75 per month for those who regularly attend the bi-monthly training sessions.
MRI asked Chief Cassidy if the rising cost of healthcare had caused local government officials any concern in providing these benefits to such a sizable number of part-time employees. He responded by saying that the trade-off was considered minimal in that the community enjoyed a consistent professional response by its call firefighters and EMTs without the cost of a full-time, unionized workgroup.
Obviously, health insurance is expensive, and costs seem to escalate on an annual basis. However, landscapers, tradespeople, stay at home parents, and self-employed professionals that work from home are also confronted with this cost. The ability to join the Town’s insurance in itself may reduce their cost. Furthermore, the Town could develop a sliding scale that would pay a percentage of the health insurance cost equal to the level of response and training provided by the responding firefighter (Figure V-7). The project team suggests rate cost sharing as follows:
PERCENTAGE OF TRAINING AND INCIDENT PERCENTAGE OF HEALTH CARE EXPENSE RESPONSE PAID BY THE TOWN 90% or greater participation 50% 70% - 89% participation 40% 50% – 69% participation 30% 33% – 49% participation 20% 25% - 33% participation Eligible to enroll at the employee's cost Under 25% participation Not eligible to enroll FIGURE V-7: PROPOSED HEALTH INSURANCE PERCENTAGES
The federal government has a version of the Staffing for Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program that pertains strictly to volunteer and on-call firefighters. It provides competitively awarded funds to municipalities to recruit and retain on-call and volunteer firefighters. The grants fund expenses, such as recruitment campaigns, and, can provide money for expenses such as tuition for college curriculums in fire science, for EMT and paramedic ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 68 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
training, health insurance for call members, physical fitness programs, uniforms, and various tax incentives offered to attract new candidates to join the fire department, then stay for an extended period.
MRI believes that the town/department should attempt to secure a SAFER grant to recruit and more importantly retain members of the call department who are going to be truly active for the first time. This grant application should note the staffing issue that currently exists and indicate that the grant would be an attempt to meet the NFPA 1720 fire response standard. It is quite possible that a portion of the healthcare program cost described above may be eligible to be incorporated into a SAFER grant.
As mentioned previously, the MRI project team fully supports the continued use of a strong primarily call fire department in Grafton, and, believes that this model can continue to serve the needs of the Town for the foreseeable future. However, it is the project team’s opinion that the current call volume, which will most likely continue to increase each year, along with the multitude of other daily tasks which need to be performed, not the least of which is an increasing number of fire inspections and other fire prevention activities including the development of pre-incident/fire plans, indicate that the time has arrived for the Town to consider the transition to a combination fire department utilizing a small career staff.
As was noted in Chapter III, Organizational Structure, Management and Administration, it is MRI’s recommendation that the Town prepare to transition to a full-time, career fire chief upon the retirement of the current chief. This chief should be a working chief, that is, one who responds to most emergency incidents and takes an active, hands-on role in incident mitigation.
It is also recommended that the department continue to employ at least one full-time person whose primary job function is dedicated to fire prevention. However, as with all personnel, it is imperative that they be a qualified/certified firefighter and officer and available to respond to emergency incidents whenever necessary. Although MRI recommends that the rank of captain be established, this must also be a working position. This person could also be responsible for the department’s training function and should be involved in the call recruitment and retention efforts.
At a minimum, caused primarily by limited availability of the call firefighters due to their commitments to their regular, full-time occupations, effective day time responses appear to be growing increasingly problematic for the department. There are times where the department is unable to field personnel to respond at all, requiring the dispatch of mutual aid resources. Other times, the response is very slow resulting in an unacceptably long delay in getting emergency assistance to the 9-1-1 caller.
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As noted in the overview, Paragraph 4.3.1 on Staffing and Deployment, NFPA 1720 states that the Fire Department shall identify minimum staffing requirements to ensure that a sufficient number of members are available to operate safely and effectively. Paragraph 4.6.1 Initial Firefighting Operations, states that initial firefighting operations shall be organized to ensure that at least four members are assembled before interior fire suppression operations are initiated in a hazardous area. To comply with the “Two In – Two Out” provision of the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard, a team of four firefighters must be assembled before an interior fire attack can be made when the fire has progressed beyond the incipient stage, except in an imminent life threatening situation when immediate action could prevent the loss of life or serious injury before the team of four firefighters are assembled. Finally, the United States Fire Administration recommends that a minimum of four firefighters respond on or with each apparatus.
While effective, efficient, and safe, emergency scene operations, particularly initial fire attack operations, is the overriding reason for considering the addition of career staffing, that is not the sole justification. There are numerous other duties and responsibilities that full-time, career personnel could undertake when not responding to fire emergencies. These can include, but would certainly not be limited to:
• Quicker and greater compliance with the OSHA Two in-Two Out requirement for initial fire attack; • EMS first responder to get lifesaving help to the 9-1-1 caller quicker, prior to arrival of the ambulance; • Performing fire prevention inspections (possible future duty) and other fire prevention activities; • developing pre-fire/incident plans; • performing fire apparatus, tool, and equipment inspections, testing and maintenance; • performing basic station maintenance; • performing fire hydrant testing, maintenance and flow testing (if permitted); and, • assisting the Fire Chief with various day-to-day administrative duties and/or special projects.
It is MRI’s belief that initially, the Town should hire one full-time fire lieutenant that would be in charge of recruitment and retention efforts; who along with the Fire Chief and captain/fire prevention/training officer and one on-call firefighter working a per-diem shift would provide a four person crew to insure guaranteed, timely, and qualified, response to day time – 0800 hours to 1800 hours - emergency incidents. With four personnel available for immediate response, the department would comply with the initial fire attack requirements recommended by NFPA and required by OSHA. As noted above, these personnel would also handle a wide range of other duties between emergency responses ultimately improving the department’s ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 70 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
operational preparedness/readiness, while simultaneously lightening the work load for the call firefighters to concentrate on training and emergency response. Beyond this initial deployment of personnel, it would be up to the Fire Chief to develop statistics and ultimately justify the need for additional full-time career personnel as part of the normal budgetary process.
Should the Town ultimately decide at some point that it is in their best interests, and the interests of the department’s varied stakeholders, to take over the delivery of EMS services and provide it locally through the Grafton Fire Department, the full-time career staffing needs will be greater. If the Town opts to implement its own EMS system, it is very possible that the Town would be successful, applying for a SAFER grant to initially fund the necessary positions citing the dual benefits of attempting to comply with NFPA 1720, and, starting up a locally based EMS delivery system.
Another viable solution to the staffing challenges, one that has been successful in many other call/volunteer fire departments, is the implementation of a duty crew system. Under the duty crew system, the department could be divided into two or three duty crews. Each duty crew would have their own separate alert tone and would function on some type of a rotational system with the other crews, perhaps one week on and either one or two weeks off. Only the “duty crew” would be dispatched initially to minor incidents often referred to as “still alarms”. A different model of duty crew utilizes the on-call personnel to provide in station staffing, nights and weekends. These crews would handle most incidents thus relieving the remainder of the membership from the need to be available to respond to them. If each qualified member of the Fire Department actively participated, members would only need to pull duty perhaps one night per week. The advantage of the duty crew system is two-fold. It preserves the active, primary response role of what is a relatively strong call force while simultaneously reducing the constant need for personnel to respond to all incidents. Whether any type of duty crew is compensated or not would be a decision the Town would need to make based upon conversations with the members of the department. Statistical analysis of incident response data and trends, once the program is operational, would provide guidance on what adjustments to the program may be required to optimize its effectiveness.
It is critically important to stress that in the context of staffing requirements for fire and emergency response operations that certain minimum standards of training and certification must be met. Just because an individual has been on the Fire Department roles for many years, has a set of personal protective equipment (PPE), and responds to calls does not necessarily make them a “qualified” firefighter by modern day standards and best practices. For a member to be qualified for the purposes of staffing considerations, they should, at a minimum, be:
• Firefighter I and II certified. • SCBA qualified with up-to-date fit test and proficiency evaluation. • Medically qualified (required by OSHA for SCBA certification) and physically capable.
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• Hazardous materials operations certified. • Completed Incident Management System I-100, I-200, I-700 and I-800 training. • Completed all mandatory annual training requirements including Blood Borne Pathogens and Exposure Control. • Participate in the required number of minimum hours of training per year. • Be CPR and First Responder certified.
There are no easy or guaranteed solutions to the staffing quandary facing Grafton and many other communities throughout the country. It is also important to stress that what may work in one community with regards to staffing and call/volunteer recruitment and retention may not work in another nearby community. Each community must individually determine what programs, incentives, and motivations will work, and be most effective in their community. It is also very important to advise the Town that should they decide to transition from a fully call fire department to a combination one that the process may be difficult one. However, this situation is one that many fire departments experience during the time of their evolution, and growing pains would not be unique at all to Grafton.
RECOMMENDATIONS
V-1 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should establish reasonable minimum response and training benchmarks for a member to continue to be designated as an active member in good standing. Four hours per month of training and 25% of all calls would be reasonable starting points. They should then conduct one-on-one interviews with all current members to determine their ability and/or willingness to meet these requirements. Personnel who will not or cannot should be placed into inactive status.
V-2 The Town of Grafton and the Grafton Fire Department should apply for a federal SAFER grant for on-call recruitment and retention. This grant should be utilized to develop a comprehensive marketing program to attract new members, and provide incentives for the retention of those personnel such as tuition reimbursement, health care benefits, tax abatements, etc.
V-3 The Town of Grafton should recognize that the only way to develop a more active and properly staffed fire department in the absence of hiring a large force of career firefighters is to determine what would motivate potential responders (including current ones) and craft a program of investment that meets these extrinsic and intrinsic needs.
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V-4 The Town of Grafton should convene a focus group to determine what concepts and recruitment and retention strategies are feasible and most attractive to both current members and potential candidates. V-5 The Grafton Fire Department should make it a priority to develop an active on-call recruitment program led by a ranking call officer. At a minimum this program should consist of:
1. Developing a recruitment brochure and mailing it to all residents.
2. Holding periodic open houses at the fire station.
3. Performing public outreach and advertising through the local media.
4. Contacting community and service groups.
5. Developing an eye-catching banner on the Town’s website and the Friends of the Grafton Fire Department Facebook page.
6. Placing signs recruiting call personnel at the main entrances to Town.
7. Placing a temporary signboard at various locations within the community.
8. Placing signs recruiting call personnel in Town buildings and local businesses, particularly high-volume locations.
9. Placing lawn signs recruiting call personnel at locations throughout the community.
10. Implementing a fire explorer program.
11. Maintaining an active presence in the local high school.
The proposed SAFER Grant could be utilized to cover many of these expenses.
V-6 The Grafton Fire Chief should develop a social media presence and involve other members of the department in this endeavor.
V-7 The Town of Grafton and the Grafton Fire Department should attempt to enter into partnerships with local businesses to allow their personnel to respond, when needed, to emergency incidents during working hours, without any financial penalty.
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V-8 The Town of Grafton should explore the feasibility of utilizing, and in fact encouraging, town employees to perform “dual roles” by serving not only in their full-time positions but also serving the Town as call firefighters and/or rescue personnel. Caution is needed here though as there are provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act that would be applicable, particularly, if these personnel respond to incidents during times when they are not working.
V-9 The Town of Grafton should consider the development of a program that would provide active responders with the opportunity to obtain health insurance. The Town should pay a graduated percentage of this program based upon participation levels suggested in Figure V-7 including that a minimum number of hours of training be completed.
V-10 The Grafton Fire Department should seek assistance from the Massachusetts Call and Volunteer Firefighters Association (MCVFA) relative to enhancing recruitment and retention efforts in Grafton.
V-11 The Town of Grafton should consider hiring one full-time fire lieutenant that would be in charge of recruitment and retention efforts. Operationally along with the Fire Chief and captain and one on-call firefighter working a per diem shift would provide a four- person crew to insure guaranteed, timely, and qualified, response to day time emergency incidents and augment staffing at the time when most call members are least available to respond. With four personnel available for immediate response, supplemented by available call firefighters the department would much more frequently comply with the initial fire attack requirements recommended by NFPA, and required by OSHA.
V-12 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should consider implementing a duty crew system whereby the department will be divided into two or three duty crews. Utilizing their own separate dispatch tone the duty crew would be dispatched to minor incidents reducing the need for the entire department to respond. An alternative duty crew system would have a crew of four personnel on duty in the station during designated hours.
Under the duty crew system, the entire department would be dispatched and respond to potentially serious incidents such as any type of reported fire, rescue incidents, etc.
V-13 The Grafton Fire Department should work to develop statistics that indicate the frequency with which the department is able to comply with the requirements of NFPA 1720, and, the average number of call personnel who respond to each incident. These statistics should be further broken down by weekday daytime (normal working hours 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM), weekday night time (6:00 PM to 7:00 AM) and weekends.
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V-14 As primarily call organizations where personnel respond from various locations upon receipt of an emergency incident dispatch, the Grafton Fire Department should mandate that personnel responding to incidents announce their response through the “I Am Responding” system. This will allow officers to better assess their available staffing in relation to the nature of the incident they are responding to.
VI. TRAINING
OVERVIEW
Training is, without question, one of the three most important functions that a fire department should be performing on a regular basis; the others being a response to emergency incidents and fire prevention activities. One could even make a credible argument that training is, in some ways, more important than emergency responses because a department that is not well- trained, prepared, and operationally ready, will be unable to effectively, efficiently, correctly, and safely, fulfill its emergency response obligations and mission. A comprehensive, diverse, and ongoing training program is absolutely critical to the fire department’s level of success. An effective fire department’s training program must cover all the essential elements of that specific department’s core missions and responsibilities. The program must include an appropriate combination of technical/classroom training and manipulative or hands- on/practical evolutions. Most of the training, but particularly the practical, standardized, hands-on training evolutions, should be developed based upon the department’s own operating procedures and operations while remaining cognizant of widely accepted practices and standards that could be used as a benchmark to judge the department’s operations for any number of reasons. Numerous case studies of firefighter fatality and injury incidents have documented the importance of training. For example, the failure to train for and use widely accepted firefighting practices was a significant conclusion in the many investigations that were conducted after the Charleston, South Carolina, Super Sofa Store fire in June 2007, that resulted in the deaths of nine firefighters. As with all other fire department operations, there must be consistency in how the training is being conducted.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established requirements for minimum training must be completed on an annual basis, covering various topics including:
• A review of the respiratory protection standard, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) refresher and user competency training, SCBA fit testing (29 CFR 1910.134) • Blood borne Pathogens Training (29 CFR 1910.1030) • Hazardous Materials Training (29 CFR 1910.120) • Confined Space Training (29 CFR 1910.146) ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 75 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
• Structural Firefighting Training (29 CFR 1910.156)
Although local government employees in Massachusetts are exempt from compliance with US OSHA regulations, it is the policy of the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety that public-sector employees follow the OSHA standards as a minimum in the absence of specific standards.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards contain recommendations for training on various topics such as a requirement for a minimum of 24 hours of structural firefighting training annually for each fire department member.
The MRI project team looked at the Grafton Fire Department’s training program. Through personnel interviews and the limited evaluation of the current training program based upon the absence of records and documentation, the team reached the conclusion that the training program is not a priority, has been neglected for several years, and with few exceptions, has been inconsistent, and in a number of ways, almost non-existent.
OBSERVATIONS
The Grafton Fire Department does not have a dedicated Training Division, as the department is smaller, and, comprised almost entirely of on-call personnel. This is not uncommon for a department of this size. However, unlike like many other similar departments there seems to be little, if any, coordinated training efforts being conducted with the department as a whole.
It was reported to the MRI project team that while most of the department’s members (except for auxiliary members who are in the process of completing their initial training) have successfully completed a formal Firefighter I, and in some cases Firefighter II, training program, many have never received formal certification from the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (NBFSPQ or Pro Board). The project team was unable to verify this information during this assessment, as the Grafton Fire Department never provided the project team with any training records or lists of personnel certifications, despite multiple requests for them. It should be noted that compared to other departments Grafton send far more personnel to the Massachusetts Fire Academy Firefighter I/II Training program. The Department should be recognized for supporting personnel to attend this high-quality basic training program.
Fire department stakeholders informed the MRI project team that basic firefighter training is a mandatory requirement for new call members who join the department; however, the accuracy of that information could not be verified. Initial in-house indoctrination and familiarization training for new members who are waiting to attend Firefighter I training was reported to be sporadic, and in many cases contingent upon the new person’s level of motivation and interest in/desire to learn. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 76 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
It was reported that at the department level there is no formal drill night, or schedule. Multiple persons interviewed informed the MRI project team that the department has no minimum number of hours of training that must be completed annually, and in fact, has no requirement at all for any type of training. As was noted in the overview, both OSHA and NFPA have minimum numbers of hours of training that personnel should be completing on an annual basis including structural firefighting training. Annual fit testing and SCBA refresher and competency training is not conducted.
In most cases the Grafton fire companies view training as a company level endeavor and handle it as such. The department’s annual reports provide a brief synopsis of training that was conducted over the past several years such as Firefighter I/II refresher, multi-community water shuttle operations, basic animal rescue, and multi-town rapid intervention team training. However, the exact amount of actual training that is completed, and how many members participated, is unknown. Some training is reported to be done monthly, while other stations train more frequently. The department rarely receives training reports for any of the company level training. One person interviewed by the MRI team indicated that the overall culture and attitude within the department is that, “You can’t force them to come to the station for training”. Another officer observed, that for the most part the 10 to 15 members who show up consistently for training are “not the ones who need it the most”.
Even when training is conducted, a formal lesson plan for each session is not formulated. Although MRI fully understands the time constraints facing the members of the department who are voluntarily attempting to provide some level of training, the lack of formal lesson plans is a serious issue. Each training session needs a written lesson plan with goals and objectives and measured performance standards. As with the lack of formal lesson plans, the lack of completed training reports is a significant problem because even outstanding training in essence did not happen if it is not properly documented. This practice could lead to serious perception and/or liability issues for the department and the Town for a wide range of reasons. Better written documentation of all training needs to occur, and all members’ individual skills and certificates need to be kept up-to-date.
Despite the apparent lack of return on its investment, the Town allocated about $60,000 per year into a salary line item for fire department training. They had also allocated nearly $10,000 per year for the hiring of outside entities to provide training to the department. For about six years this training was conducted by Cross St. Associates. During their tenure Cross St. provided training up to two times per month and on some Saturdays. However, they have not been utilized since 2017. The FY 2019 budget includes just $1,900 for outside training instructors.
The critical need for all members to maintain their basic skills proficiency, dictates that a comprehensive training program with proper documentation is required. The department
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should have a comprehensive fire, rescue, and EMS training program based upon the State Fire Academy model, with supporting training aids from NFPA, IFSTA, and the National Fire Academy systems. Unfortunately, the demands, particularly time, to develop a quality training program are significant, making the development of a reliable training program, even with support from multiple members, an extremely difficult undertaking. However, there are numerous opportunities for firefighters, even call/volunteer personnel with limited time, to engage in training at least weekly. The Grafton Fire Department should seek to maximize, support, and encourage, these opportunities.
The Grafton Fire Department has no EMS transport responsibility or license from the state Office of Emergency Medical Services. However, a First Responder certificate and valid CPR card is required of all members of the department. This makes sense as a significant portion of the department’s annual incidents are motor vehicle accidents, and the department may, in the future, get more involved in medical first responders as well. However, as with many other things examined, this requirement is not enforced.
There are several ways to evaluate the effectiveness of the fire department’s training program. One increasingly common way is through the use of annual skills proficiency evaluations where all members of the department are required to successfully perform certain skills and/or complete standardized evolutions, either individually or as part of a team. Post-course evaluations post incident critiques, and evaluation of incident operations and statistics can also provide important feedback regarding the training program. It is important that all training, no matter how minor or inconsequential, be documented. Failure to do so can expose the department and town to significant liability.
Professional development for fire department personnel, especially officers, is also an important part of overall training. The Grafton Fire Department has traditionally not encouraged or supported outside training endeavors by its personnel. There are numerous excellent opportunities for firefighters and officers to attend training on a wide range of topics outside of Grafton, including the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stowe, other county fire academies, the Firehouse Expo in Nashville, the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference in Indianapolis, and the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Beyond the practical benefits to be gained from personnel participating in outside training, encouraging personnel to earn and/or maintain various specialized certifications, such as Fire Instructor or Fire Officer, increases the positive professional perception of the organization and can help to demonstrate a commitment to continued excellence.
One of the primary duties of a career captain serving as part of a small supplemental career force would be to develop, coordinate, and supervise the department’s overall training program. The fire prevention/training captain’s duties could include, but not necessarily be limited to, development of lesson plans, standardized evolutions and skills proficiency
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evaluations; direct delivery of major and/or important training; administering annual proficiency evaluations; ensuring that required certifications are maintained; coordinating and assisting other officers with training that they are going to deliver; and ensuring that all training related records and reports are completed and maintained.
All officers, especially those tasked with the training responsibility, should be formally certified as fire instructors. It is unclear if any of the officers have completed fire instructor training. Fire Instructor I is a 36-hour course and Fire Instructor II is a 35-hour course. Both courses are offered at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow.
RECOMMENDATIONS
VI-1 Should the Town of Grafton adopt the recommended organizational structure for the Grafton Fire Department, one of the duties of the full-time captain should be to develop and supervise the department’s training program.
VI-2 The Grafton Fire Department should conduct a comprehensive and formal training needs assessment for the purpose of determining training program priorities. Part of this needs assessment should be an initial evaluation of the current basic skills proficiency of ALL department personnel.
VI-3 Based upon the results of the needs assessment, the Grafton Fire Department should begin the development of a comprehensive training program that addresses, but is not limited to: applicable OSHA training, recommended NFPA training, every operational mission and responsibility of the department, and specialized training including personnel/officer development. The training should comply with accepted and/or recommended practices and standards, should include standardized evolutions, and should be consistent with newly developed and/or updated operational guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
VI-4 Formal training of some type, lasting a minimum of two hours, should occur weekly. The training should be lesson plan driven, and when appropriate, EMT continuing education credit hours should be applied for through the state Office of EMS. Additional opportunities for training can be found during related activities such as weekly/monthly apparatus and equipment inspections, and, building pre-planning activities.
VI-5 Additional, high intensity training on various subjects, including periodic live fire training, should be conducted on a quarterly or semi-annual basis at a formal fire academy where appropriate training facilities, structures, and props are available.
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VI-6 All Grafton Fire Department personnel should be required to complete a minimum of 48 hours of documented training per year (an average of 4 hours per month) including all mandatory training.
VI-7 Training should be delivered and/or conducted utilizing formal, standardized lesson plans that include objectives and performance criterion. However, when this is not possible or practical (a frequent occurrence in the fire service), a detailed description of the training should be included in the narrative section of the training report.
VI-8 All training that is conducted, no matter how brief or inconsequential it may seem, MUST result in the completion of a formal training report. Training reports should include the date, time training commenced, time duration of the training, the instructor, the officer in charge, names of all personnel trained, and include a detailed description of the training or reference the formal lesson plan utilized. All persons trained should sign or initial either a printed hard copy of the training report, or if this is not practical, a sign in sheet should be attached. The officer in charge, and when possible, the instructor, should also sign the hard copy training report.
A formal operational procedure on the completion of training reports should be developed. The training module of the department’s RMS should be utilized for completion of training reports and to assist with the development of a training database, keeping track of certifications and related lapse dates, etc.
VI-9 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a separate training file for each member that can provide a supplement to the member’s main personnel file. The training file should, at a minimum, include all course completion certificates, professional certifications, skills performance evaluation sheets and reports, and an annual summary of completed training.
VI-10 As part of the development of a new comprehensive training program, the department should implement periodic basic skills proficiency evaluations for ALL personnel. These proficiency evaluations, consisting of standardized evolutions, can be based upon recognized standards and benchmarks, in conjunction with performance criterion and benchmarks established through evaluation of, and based upon, Grafton Fire Department operations and procedures.
VI-11 In order to assist with the large amount of training that needs to be done, and in recognition of their important role in the delivery of training and the success of the program, the Grafton Fire Department should provide fire instructor training for any members of the department who wish to take it. All officers should be formally certified at Fire Instructor Level I.
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VI-12 The Grafton Fire Department should insure that all department members are trained/ certified to the minimal NIMS level required for their duties/responsibilities and ranks. The department should also further enhance the level of incident management training provided to the members of the department. In addition to the basic I-100/I- 700 training mandated, it is MRI’s recommendation that all personnel be trained to the ICS-200 level. All officers should be trained to the ICS-300 level. All chief level officers should be trained to the ICS-400 level.
VI-13 The Grafton Fire Department should strongly encourage its officers to obtain a certain level of fire officer certification as a job requirement such as Fire Officer I for lieutenant, Fire Officer II for captain, Fire Officer III for deputy/assistant fire chief, and Fire Officer Level IV for fire chief.
VI-14 The Grafton Fire Department should require that all officers be certified as Incident Safety Officers. Additional personnel who may be interested should be encouraged to take this training and obtain this important firefighter safety certification.
VI-15 The Grafton Fire Department should encourage personnel to seek additional training on their own, and to the financial and practical extent possible, send personnel to outside training opportunities. Information gained at this training can then be brought back and delivered to other members of the department. Training reports should be completed for all this training, and copies of any certificates earned should be placed in the member’s personnel and training files. A training board should be placed in each station where upcoming training opportunities can be posted for all personnel to review. These opportunities should also be posted on the department’s website and could be e-mailed to every member once addresses are established.
VI-16 The Grafton Fire Department should seek annual funding in the training budget to upgrade its training resources such as manuals, DVDs, and subscriptions to other available training resources.
VI-17 The Grafton Fire Department should, as part of its written communications system, develop Training Bulletins which would be issued to serve as reference regarding tested and approved methods of performing various tasks, and Safety Bulletins which should be issued to serve as references about general and specific safety and health issues.
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VII. FACILITIES & APPARATUS
FACILITIES OVERVIEW
Fire and EMS stations are a critical community asset. The station facilities of a modern fire and EMS department are designed to do much more than simply provide a garage for apparatus and a place for firefighters and EMS personnel to wait for a call. A fire EMS station should, at a minimum, provide adequate, efficiently designed space for the following functions:
1. Housing of fire apparatus and ambulances, with adequate space for apparatus length and height (and the housing of all equipment, including staff, service and support vehicles including trailers) 2. On-duty crew quarters, with sufficient toilet/shower/locker room space for both sexes 3. Adequately sized sleeping facilities 4. Kitchen and eating area 5. Training and meeting space 6. Administrative offices 7. Vehicle maintenance 8. Hose drying and storage 9. Supply and equipment storage 10. Public entrance/reception area
Many communities find that an emergency services station is an ideal place to locate the community’s emergency operations center (a large room, such as a training classroom, can be designed to serve as the EOC when needed). Meeting rooms are also frequently made available to community organizations, thus increasing their versatility. However, in today’s environment, serious consideration must be given to station security and whether allowing members of the public, who are not members of the department, to utilize these facilities, particularly if there is open, or easy access to the operational areas of the facility.
National best practices, such as guidance provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), recommend that among other things the following features be included in modern fire and rescue station capabilities:
1. Seismic-resistant construction (based on local risk assessment)
2. Flood hazard protection (based on local risk assessment)
3. Automatic fire sprinkler system and smoke detection system
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4. Carbon monoxide detectors
5. Vehicle exhaust extraction system
6. Capability to decontaminate, launder, and dry personal protective equipment, station uniforms, tools, and equipment
7. Adequate facility security
8. Emergency power supply and system redundancy
9. Exercise and training area(s)
10. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
11. Compliance with current fire and building codes
12. Adequate storage for supplies and equipment, including emergency medical and disaster supplies
13. Adequate parking for on-duty personnel, administrative staff, and visitors
14. Capability for future expansion
Fire and EMS capital facilities are exposed to some of the most intense and demanding uses of any public local government facility, as they are subject to use (and may be occupied) 24 hours a day. While the demands of use may be somewhat less in stations that are primarily staffed by volunteer personnel, the very nature of fire and rescue operations necessitate that all stations be functional, adequate to fulfill the department’s core missions and be well maintained. Well-designed fire and EMS facilities enable staff to perform their duties effectively, efficiently, and safely. As a facility ages, it may no longer meet the needs of an evolving department and/or community, thus negatively affecting morale, efficiency, safety, security, technology, and overall efforts to provide quality fire, rescue, and emergency medical services. It may also hamper the ability of the department to keep pace with increasing and/or expanded requests for, and/or levels of service. Older and/or obsolete facilities are also expensive to maintain due to inefficient energy systems. When these conditions occur, typical remedies include expanding, renovating, and/or replacing the existing facilities. In some communities it also makes sense to consider a consolidation of several older and/or obsolete facilities into one or more new, green, operationally adequate stations, that may be better located for the department to fulfill its current, and future, missions.
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Typically, fire stations have an anticipated service life of approximately fifty years, although some newer stations are being designed to remain functional longer. In most cases, facilities require replacement because of the size constraints of the buildings, a need to relocate the facility to better serve changing population centers, the absence of needed safety features or service accommodations, and the general age and condition of the facility. The day-to-day cost of operating a fixed capital facility can burden the operating budget. Properly maintaining mechanical and structural components is critical to the longevity of the facility. Deferring routine maintenance creates inefficiencies of mechanical systems and increases costs for replacement and repairs. It can also shorten the station’s serviceable life.
Fire and EMS station facilities should be an important component of a municipal capital improvement plan (CIP). A long-term plan should be in place that takes into consideration the anticipated life expectancy of a facility, space needs, technology needs, and location requirements, based on response times, travel distance, changes in community development patterns, and regional fire protection capabilities. The construction or renovation of fire stations is a costly proposition that should be planned well in advance in order to balance other community needs for capital projects.
OBSERVATIONS
The Grafton Fire Department currently operates from three stations. All the fire stations that the MRI project team visited appeared to be adequate for the current staffing as a fully on-call fire department, apparatus, and equipment deployed from them. Further, each station was viewed for general code compliance and safety. Only Headquarters/Station 1 was found to be fully code compliant with fire protection (fire sprinkler system), a fire alarm, facility surveillance, and a coded entrance system.
The MRI project team found all the fire stations to be well-maintained from a housekeeping and general maintenance perspective. However, because of the age of the stations, in North Grafton and South Grafton, unforeseen maintenance issues can sometimes develop. These types of issues are common when dealing with older facilities. Facility capital maintenance and improvement plans for the fire stations should be developed and included in the Town’s overall capital plan.
FIRE HEADQUARTERS/STATION 1
Fire Headquarters/Station 1 located at 26 Upton Street serves as the main focal point of department operations (Figure VII-1). The station was built in 2009 and consists of four double deep, drive through apparatus bays.
Engines 1 and 4, Forestry 2, Tower 1, and Maintenance 2 (support unit) are all deployed from this station. The department also has a sewer truck that it is using as a tanker stored here, as it
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is an off road “Gator” that is used by fire, police, and OEM (Office of Emergency Management). Medstar’s on duty ambulance for 9-1-1 response in Grafton is also deployed from this location. All apparatus is outfitted with electric and air shore lines as necessary.
FIGURE VII-1: Grafton Fire Headquarters/Station 1
Fire Headquarters/Station 1 houses the department’s administrative offices, as well as, a significant operational component of both fire and EMS operations for the town. The first-floor administration areas consist of a reception area, the Fire Chief’s office, administrative assistant’s office, fire prevention office and officer work area (Figure VII-2), a conference room, a training room with full, state of the art AV capabilities (Figure VII-3), and, records and general storage areas. From an operational perspective, the first floor contains the apparatus bays, all service areas for all equipment and apparatus, and a kitchen and day room area for personnel. There is also a “watch” room that is equipped with full dispatch capabilities (Figure VII-4).
Figure VII-2: Fire prevention office and general officer work area.
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Figure VII-3 (left): Training room with full, audio visual capabilities. Figure VII-4 (right): Watch area with full dispatch capabilities.
On the mezzanine level there is additional storage areas, air compressors for general station use, along with one for refilling self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) cylinders, and a data/phone room that among other things houses the fire department’s internal computer network servers. The second floor consists of one bunk room/dayroom, three offices/bunk rooms, one of which is utilized by the on-duty EMS crew, and EMS day room, fitness room, and separate locker rooms for males and females.
Storage areas in the station were adequate, though like most fire departments there never seems to be adequate storage areas. The facility has a dedicated biohazard decontamination area. The mezzanine area provides an area where some firefighter and specialized rescue training can take place (Figure VII-5).
Figure VII-5: The mezzanine area provides areas for inside firefighter and rescue training.
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The building is equipped throughout with automatic fire alarms (including smoke detectors) and fire suppression (sprinkler) systems. This building is also equipped with an access control system.
The MRI team found the facility’s general condition to be very well-maintained and with adequate space to fulfill its mission. The administrative portion of the station has a security system requiring visitors to be “buzzed” in, particularly after normal business hours. All times that the MRI project team was on-site for field visits, all other building doors, including the apparatus bay overhead doors, were secured. This would be expected with the station being staffed primarily by on call personnel.
The station is equipped with a diesel-powered emergency standby generator that starts automatically upon an interruption in the power. While it was reported to the MRI team that the generator is tested and run on a periodic basis, written test/inspection records were not reviewed.
The station is equipped with a source capture vehicle exhaust extraction system. These units are designed to limit the exposure of building occupants to exhaust fumes from hydrocarbon emissions from units currently assigned/stored there.
Most furnishings in the building showed reasonable wear. The administrative area still looks like new, with minimal signs of wear, even with the volume of use over the past 9 years. The crew quarters are adequate. Bunk rooms appeared adequate. The exterior of the site is adequate for the operational needs of the department. There is adequate parking for employees, staff, and visitors. The Fire Department property is well-maintained and was landscaped. Overall, this station is in very good condition.
STATION 2 – NORTH GRAFTON
North Grafton Station 2 is located at 2 Mill Street in the northern area of the Town (Figure VII- 6). This two, double deep bay fire station was built in the late 1950s or early 1960s. One of the two bays has drive-thru capabilities, the other does not. The building was constructed for and was intended to be used as, a station strictly for a call fire department and as such, meets those needs. There are almost no facilities within the station that might allow firefighters to stay overnight during an emergency, and, the station does not meet current fire and life safety codes for staffing around the clock. Other than the apparatus bays, the station consists of a single crew room/kitchen/office area (Figures VII-7 and VII-8). It has just a single bathroom. It is equipped with a card access control system.
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Figure VII-6: Grafton Fire Station 2 located in North Grafton.
Figure VII-7 (left) and VII-8 (right): Crew quarters in the station are limited to this small combination office/crew room/kitchen.
Engine 2, Engine 10 (used primarily for brush incidents), and Truck 6, the department’s air and light unit are assigned to this station. These units have electric shore lines but not air, as the station’s air compressor is out of service.
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The station is equipped with a limited automatic fire alarm that consists just of heat rather than smoke detectors. It does not have a fire suppression (sprinkler) system. The alarm system is transmitted to the Police Department. It is also equipped with a gas-powered emergency standby generator that does start automatically upon an interruption in the power. While it was reported to the MRI project team that the generator is tested and run on a periodic basis, the project team did not review test records. The station is equipped Figure VII-9: Firefighter PPE stored in open racks in the apparatus bays. with a source capture vehicle exhaust extraction system. The station has a single utility/storage room. All firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE) is stored in open racks in the apparatus bays (Figure VII-9) which is not recommended. At one time the station had an air compressor and a hose dryer, but both are now out of service.
The MRI project team found this fire station to be marginally adequate to continue to be used as an on-call department facility. However, in order to be used for more than what its current mission is, significant upgrades and renovations would be required. This would include the installation of an automatic fire suppression (sprinkler) system, as well as, personnel living quarters. The station does not meet the current NFPA 1581, Standard on Fire Department Infection Control Program (National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA), which has requirements to provide minimum criteria for infection control in the fire station. It is also not in compliance with the requirements and recommendations of NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program (2013 edition), which provides requirements for facility safety, maintenance, and inspections.
STATION 3 – SOUTH GRAFTON
South Grafton Station 3 is located at 92 Main Street in the southern area of the Town (Figure VII-10). This station which consists of two, double deep, drive-thru apparatus bays was built in the early 1970s. The building was constructed for and was intended to be used as, a station strictly for a call fire department and as such, meets those needs. There are limited facilities within the station that might allow firefighters to stay overnight during an emergency, and, the station does not meet current fire and life safety codes for staffing around the clock. Other than the apparatus bays, the station consists of a single small office/crew room and a kitchen area on the first floor. It also has a single bathroom and locker room area on the first floor. There is a small TV room/lounge area on the second floor that could be used as a sleeping area during an extended emergency. It is equipped with a card access control system.
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Engine 3, Rescue 1, and the Support Unit (Rehab Unit) are assigned to this station. There are both air and electric shore lines for the apparatus assigned here.
Figure VII-10: Grafton Fire Station 3 located in South Grafton.
The station is equipped with an automatic fire alarm system. It does not have a fire suppression (sprinkler) system. The alarm system is transmitted to a central monitoring station. It is also equipped with a gas-powered emergency standby generator that starts automatically upon an interruption in the power. While it was reported to the MRI project team that the generator is tested and run on a periodic basis, the project team did not review test records. The station is equipped with a source capture vehicle exhaust extraction system. The station is equipped with an air compressor and fill station. for refilling the department’s SCBA cylinders.
The MRI project team found this fire station to be marginally adequate to continue to be used as an on-call department facility. However, in order to be used for more than what its current mission is, significant upgrades and renovations would be required. This would include the installation of an automatic fire suppression (sprinkler) system, as well as, personal living quarters. The station does not meet the current NFPA 1581, Standard on Fire Department Infection Control Program (National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA), which has requirements to provide minimum criteria for infection control in the fire station. It is also not in compliance with the requirements and recommendations of NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program (2013 edition), which provides requirements for facility safety, maintenance, and inspections.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
VII-1 All three Grafton fire stations should be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms. These important life safety devices should be installed as soon as possible.
VII-2 The Town of Grafton should include fire and personnel safety upgrades to the North and South Grafton fire stations in future capital improvement plans. These upgrades should be based upon the projected long-term use and mission of each of the stations.
VII-3 The Grafton Fire Department should consider installing surveillance camera systems at all three fire stations. These systems should be monitored by the Police dispatch “radio room”. Since these stations are normally not staffed, this would allow a dispatcher to monitor the facilities and communicate with visitors to the station that may require assistance.
VII-4 The Grafton Fire Department should replace the air compressor at Station 2 to allow the apparatus deployed from there to be connected to air shore lines to maintain air system pressure between responses.
VII-5 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure that appropriate tests and inspections are conducted as required/recommended, and that records are maintained for all systems in their facilities such as fire suppression systems, fire detection and alarm systems, and emergency generators.
VII-6 The Grafton Fire Department should maintain records of all repairs conducted at each station, as well as costs associated with maintaining each station, in order to assist in the annual budget process and in long-term capital improvement planning.
APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT
OVERVIEW
The resources that the Fire Department uses to perform its core mission and mitigate a wide range of emergency incidents are generally divided into two major categories, apparatus and tools/equipment. Apparatus generally includes the department’s motorized vehicle fleet and the major emergency response apparatus such as engines (pumpers), water tenders, aerial apparatus including towers and ladders, rescue vehicles, and ambulances. Specialized apparatus includes emergency units such as lighting vehicles, brush trucks, and other off-road vehicles. They also often include trailers for specialized applications such as technical rescue, hazardous materials response/equipment, hazardous material decontamination, structural collapse rescue equipment, breathing air/light support units, foam units/supplies, and mass
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casualty incident supplies. Support vehicles that are critical to fire department operations, both routine and emergency, include command post and emergency communications units, command/staff vehicles, and maintenance trucks.
The geography, infrastructure, hazards, and construction features within the community all play a major role in determining the composition of each department’s unique and individualized apparatus fleet and equipment inventory. The Grafton Fire Department’s response area characteristics present the Fire Department with a wide variety of strategic and tactical challenges related to emergency response preparedness and mitigation. This includes fire suppression operations, emergency medical responses, and complex incidents requiring special operations capabilities such as technical rescue and hazardous materials emergencies.
Large commercial buildings and other target hazards present much different operational hazards and challenges than those required for operations in single-family dwellings. These factors, as well as projected future needs, must be taken into consideration when specifying and purchasing apparatus and equipment. Every effort should be made to make new apparatus as versatile and multi-functional/capable as is possible and practical.
The tools and equipment that a fire department utilizes, cover a wide assortment of resources necessary to effectively, efficiently, and safely respond to, and mitigate, a wide range of emergency incidents. These resources include, but are certainly not limited to, the firefighter's personal protective equipment (PPE), self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), hose, nozzles, adapters, master stream appliances, ground ladders, radios, hydraulic rescue tools and equipment, and various hand and power tools. The technology and standards for fire department equipment are constantly evolving to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of firefighters.
Today's fire departments are obligated to establish and document formal programs and procedures to ensure that equipment is replaced regularly, maintained properly, and deployed in accordance with accepted standards and department procedures. Proper training on the use and maintenance of equipment is essential to effective and safe firefighter performance and minimizes the company’s risk exposure.
OBSERVATIONS
The Grafton Fire Department deploys an array of fire apparatus and several other emergency response vehicles to accomplish the missions of the department. This department’s current apparatus fleet includes five pumpers (engines); one 95-foot tower ladder; one rescue truck; one water tender/pumper combination; one brush truck; one air/light unit; one canteen/support unit; one utility vehicle; and one command vehicle. The department does not have any formally designated reserve apparatus to replace vehicles that are out of service for routine maintenance, or if long-term maintenance/repair is necessary on front-
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line units. However, the department’s overall number of vehicles allows apparatus to be redeployed when necessary.
Overall, the Grafton Fire Department’s current apparatus fleet make-up regarding types and numbers of apparatus is commensurate with the averages for a community of the size and demographics of the existing service area. When compared to national averages a community the size of Grafton would typically have the following apparatus set:
• 3 - 4 Pumpers
o 47.2% of communities with populations between 10,000 and 24,999 have either three or four pumpers. o 33.3% have just two pumpers, while 10.2% have five or more. o Average is 3.4 pumpers.
• 1 - 3 “other” vehicles such as tankers, brush trucks, rescues, etc.
o 22.8% have one o 20.1% have two o 21.1% have three o Average is 2.4
• 1 Aerial
o 49.4% do not have an aerial ladder o 47.1% have one aerial ladder
A review of the Grafton Fire Department’s current apparatus in terms of age, condition, and capabilities finds a fleet whose conditions range from fair to very good. However, the pumper fleet is aging with these units being six, eighteen, twenty-four, twenty-eight, and thirty-six years old. The rescue is the departments newest major piece of apparatus at four years old. The ladder is seventeen years old. The newest vehicle overall is the brush truck which was placed in service in 2016.
Figures VII-11 thru VII-20 summarize the Grafton Fire Department apparatus fleet.
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Figure VII-11: Engine 1 – 2000 American LaFrance pumper Figure VII-12: Engine 2 – 2012 Pierce Saber pumper 1500 GPM pump capacity – 1250-gallon water tank 1500 GPM pump capacity – 1000-gallon water tank Good condition 20 gallons foam /Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) Assigned to Station 1 Very good condition Assigned to Station 2
Figure VII-13: Engine 3 – 1994 Pierce Saber pumper Figure VII-14: Engine 2 – 1982 Ford Pierce pumper 1500 GPM pump capacity – 1000-gallon water tank 1000 GPM pump capacity – 500-gallon water tank Good condition Poor condition Assigned to Station 3 Assigned to Station 1 LACKS FULLY ENCLOSED CREW COMPARTMENT
Figure VII-15: Engine 10 – 1990 Ford F-700/American Eagle Figure VII-15: Forestry 2 – 2016 Ford F-350 4x4 Brush ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 94 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
750 GPM pump capacity – 750-gallon water tank 125 GPM pump capacity – 150-gallon water tank Fair condition 5 gallons foam Assigned to Station 2 Very good condition Assigned to Station 1
Figure VII-16: Tower 1 – 2001 Pierce Dash 95’ Aerial Figure VII-17: Rescue 1 – 2014 Pierce Impel Heavy Rescue 1500 GPM pump capacity – 200-gallon water tank Very good condition Good condition Assigned to Station 3 Assigned to Station 1
Figure VII-18: Truck 6 – 2009 International Pierce Figure VII-19: M2 – 2002 Chevrolet 3500 4x4 Utility Air/Light Unit Fair condition Very good condition Assigned to Station 1 Assigned to Station 2
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Figure VII-20: Support Unit – Chevrolet Support/Canteen Truck Fair condition Assigned to Station 3
The project team’s review of apparatus pumping capabilities found that the department’s newest engine, Engine 2 has the capabilities of delivering compressed air foam on the fireground. Compressed air foam systems (CAFS) are a method by which a foam-producing agent and air are added to water, which creates a far more effective tool to extinguish fires. The use of these foam systems in fire suppression has been well documented to reduce fire knockdown time by up to 78%, compared with the use of just water. This means that when using compressed air foam, firefighters are exposed to dangerous operating conditions for less time and can operate at a safer distance from the fire.
CAFS requires about 15 gallons of water to achieve the same knockdown that 70 gallons of straight water achieve. This means that much less water is required with foam. This reduction in water translates into far less structural, smoke, and water damage, which are the typical kinds of damage sustained in a structure fire. Using a CAFS also reduces overhaul and cleanup operations because there is less damage and more evidence preserved for fire investigation. In addition, it is well documented in the fire service each year that physical fitness and cardiovascular disease continue to be a leading contributor to line of duty injury and death for fire service personnel. CAFS minimize the weight in these attack lines and thus lessens the physical strain placed upon personnel during limited staffing situations. This is a particularly important consideration for volunteer fire service organizations and personnel who may initially be deployed to structure fires. The Grafton Fire Department should be commended for the use of CAFS for firefighting operations which MRI considers a BEST PRACTICE.
Despite the lack of clear guidance in the various NFPA standards, there is a significant body of knowledge that suggests that fire apparatus definitely has a finite lifespan. The reasonable serviceable lifespan of fire apparatus will depend on a number of variables such as the level of use, local environment, and operating conditions, and very importantly, the scope of preventative maintenance. It is generally accepted that lower use fire apparatus, such as units serving communities that are suburban in nature, might still be mechanically sound after ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 96 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
twenty years or more, due to their lower frequency of use. However, after twenty years, technical and functional obsolescence may make the apparatus less desirable to use even if mechanically sound and serviceable. Nevertheless, that does not mean that it will still not be serviceable as a spare or reserve apparatus.
One of the biggest factors that can impact the serviceable life of the apparatus is the level of preventative maintenance that is received. NFPA 1911: Standard for the Inspection, Maintenance, Testing, and Retirement of In-Service Automotive Fire Apparatus (2012 edition) provides guidance on this important aspect of fire department support operations. Apparatus manufacturers also identify suggested programs and procedures to be performed at various intervals. As apparatus ages, it is reasonable to expect that parts will wear out and need to be replaced. It follows then that maintenance costs and overall operating expenses will increase. As a result, cost history and projected costs for the future must be considered as a factor in determining when to replace or refurbish a fire apparatus. In addition, the reliability of the apparatus must be considered. Experiencing low downtime and high parts availability are critical factors for emergency equipment maintenance and serviceability. A pro-active preventative maintenance program can assist with holding costs to an acceptable level.
Overall, the Grafton Fire Department fleet appears to be reasonably well-maintained and in serviceable condition despite its increasing age. However, three of the departments five pumpers are nearing 25 years old and probably nearing the end of their serviceable life spans. Comparative to other similar size on-call fire service agencies, Grafton appears to have and older and more utilitarian fleet than the apparatus sets in other similar communities. Moving forward the community will need to invest and replace aging apparatus with more capable vehicles that better support the response effort.
A white paper developed by the Fire Apparatus Manufacturer’s Association (FAMA) suggests that the front-line lifespan of active duty fire apparatus in a suburban setting ranges from 16 to 19 years, with the possibility of an additional 9 to 10 years in a reserve, or spare status. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) suggests that the lifespan of a fire pumper should be 20 years, and the lifespan of an aerial ladder should be 25 years. The National Fire Protection Association suggests 15 years in front line service with an additional five in reserve status.
One common recommended practice is to purchase one major piece of fire apparatus every 5 years. The goal of this strategy is to spread major purchases out over time in an effort to allow the governmental entity to maintain a consistent level of debt service. Regardless, the decision is left to each locality and represents a balancing of numerous factors: fire department activity levels, maintenance costs and history, individual vehicle reliability, funding availability, technological changes, firefighter safety, and vehicle use. Fire apparatus must be replaced before it becomes unreliable, but it must be held in service for as long as practical to maximize the benefit of the large initial investment from the community.
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As the value of the apparatus or vehicle depreciates, the maintenance costs are evaluated along with the age, mileage, and engine hours so that expected maintenance costs do not exceed the value of the apparatus or vehicle. When considering apparatus usage, hours on the engine and pump must be taken into consideration. Fire apparatus typically spend more time idling while at the scene of emergencies, or when operating the fire pump at a fire. A rule of thumb that can be used is that each hour on the motor is the equivalent of 30 - 35 miles of actual driving mileage.
As newer technological improvements are introduced that increase safety and efficiency for the department, the capital replacement plan should be evaluated in an ongoing manner, and these other factors should be considered as a component in scheduling replacement apparatus. An important component of the plan is that it allows front-line apparatus to be replaced before it is no longer serviceable due to safety or efficiency issues, but still be usable as a reserve or backup unit.
In 2016 the Town of Grafton engaged Emergency Vehicle Response (EVR) Fire Protection Consultants to perform a comprehensive analysis of the fire department’s apparatus fleet. In their report, EVR noted, “With the exception of the 2012 Pierce Saber, Engine 2 the engine fleet is not well designed due to vehicle age, lack of equipment standardization and maintenance costs.” The EVR report recommended that the department remove several vehicles, all of which were 40 years or older, from service, which has been done.
Other significant findings and recommendations in EVR report16 include:
Regarding Engine 4: “There is no demonstrated need to maintain this apparatus in the department’s fleet. Over the past four years repair and maintenance costs for this apparatus has far exceeded the residual scrap value for the unit. Among the safety issues with this apparatus is the open canopy seating area, lack of non-slip step surfaces, heavy rust and corrosion on the cab in the front fender wells, lack of reflective Scotchlite on the cab and body, inadequate warning lights, non- compliant SCBA mounting along with other mechanical issues. Due to the age and condition of this vehicle it cannot be considered to be an operationally safe reserve engine and should be declared surplus and removed from service.”
Regarding Engine 10: “The utilization of this vehicle as a back up to Engine 2 cannot be justified, and much the same as the age, condition and equipment placement of both Engine 4 and Engine 10 do not lend themselves for this purpose. Among the safety issues with the vehicle is that all tires are out of date and in need of replacement, lack of non-slip step surfaces, lack of reflective Scotchlite on the cab and body compartments, inadequate warning lights, lack of adequate engine company equipment, preconnected attack lines along with other mechanical issues. Engine 10, upon delivery
16 Town of Grafton, Massachusetts Fire Department Fire Apparatus Fleet Review and Assessment, Emergency Vehicle Response Fire Protection Consultants, 2016. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 98 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
and acceptance of the new engine/tanker should be declared surplus and removed from service at that time during 2017.”
Regarding Ladder 1: “The ground ladder compliment on the tower is very limited due to the space allocated for the water tank and supply line hose beds.” This report further states, “The aerial tower ladder has not been inspected by an outside testing company over the past few years and no certification labels were provided on the vehicle to indicate compliance with NFPA 1911, the maintenance and testing standard for fire apparatus.”
The EVR report also found, “The Fire Department maintenance program is overseen by the Assistant Chief of each respective station with the assistance of the department officers and members who together are responsible for the coordination of repairs and maintenance on the apparatus fleet. Apparatus maintenance checks are conducted by department personnel on a regular basis after each incident using check off style forms. Each piece of apparatus is subject to annual preventative maintenance conducted by the outside vendors.” This information is consistent with the information that was provided to the MRI project team by Grafton Fire Department personnel. However, EVR also noted that, “During the past few years due to the size of the fleet several pieces of fire apparatus have not been completely maintained in accordance with NFPA 1911 with several units requiring corrosion repairs and many requiring new tires.”
Both NFPA and ISO set standards for annual testing of fire department apparatus and equipment. Both require annual service testing of fire pumps and fire hose. NFPA also requires annual testing of fire department ground and aerial ladders.
The MRI project team was informed during the assessment that annual testing on the department’s ladder truck was conducted by Minuteman Trucks, Inc. which is an authorized Pierce service center. However, no records were available for the team to review. The 2016 EVR report reported that the annual tests had not been performed partially due to extensive repairs that were needed on several department vehicles. It was also noted that the department’s ground ladders do not have current certifications.
The EVR report stated, “Annual pumper service tests have not been conducted by an outside fire apparatus repair service…”. The MRI project team was informed that annual pump testing still has not been completed.
There is significant risk exposure for the Town by failure to conduct these tests within the prescribed time intervals. Test results provide an indicator of apparatus’ and equipment’s condition and are a valuable tool in budget planning. Often, as a result of this testing, minor maintenance issues can be resolved, which will delay or eliminate the need for major repairs in the future. It is also important to remember that from a safety and performance perspective, this annual testing needs to be completed to ensure the overall rating, capacity, and functionality of the pumps and ladders are reliable during emergency incidents. Appropriate levels of funding should be included in the annual operating budget so that pump and ladder
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testing is conducted on an annual basis. The time interval between tests should not exceed 12 months.
NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus (National Fire Protection Association, Quincy MA, 2016 edition) and ISO (formerly the Insurance Services Office), provide standards for the minimum complement of equipment that should be carried on fire apparatus. It is important to recognize that each agency has different requirements for apparatus and equipment. NFPA focuses broadly on the safety and performance of the apparatus, while ISO focuses specifically on the fire suppression capabilities of the apparatus. These differences are most significant for equipment carried on pumpers and aerials. Differences between NFPA and ISO equipment for pumpers include hose, monitors, ground ladders, foam, and radios. Differences in aerial equipment include self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), ground ladders, and radios.
The MRI project team found the Grafton Fire Department’s apparatus to be fairly well equipped. All apparatus had a typical selection of portable hand, power, and service tools, and equipment utilized for firefighting and other emergency operations. This includes thermal imaging cameras, automatic external defibrillators, gas meters, and hydraulic rescue tools. However, as was also previously noted in the EVR report much of the equipment is not properly mounted in either the crew cab areas (which require NFPA 1901 compliant 9G capable brackets) or the compartments.
Grafton Fire Department personnel reported to MRI that the department performs annual testing of all the department’s hose in house. This testing requirement is found in both NFPA and ISO standards. However, no records were available for review and the process that was followed could not be ascertained.
In June 2018, the Board of Selectmen approved the seven-year lease of a new combination pumper/water tender apparatus for $585,971. In keeping with the best practice mentioned above, the new apparatus will be equipped with a CAFS foam system. An initial appropriation for this vehicle of $130,000 was approved in October 2017. The remainder of the annual lease payments of approximately $99,577 are included in the Town’s capital plan. The new unit will be delivered in mid-2019. Once this new unit is placed in service both Engine 4 and Engine 10 will also be removed from service.
The EVR report includes a recommended capital apparatus replacement plan for the years 2016 thru 2038. The MRI study reviewed the recommendations for the capital plan and fleet replacement schedule and redeployment and found them to be a reasonable plan for the Town to implement moving forward.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
VII-7 The Town of Grafton should formally adopt – and follow – the capital apparatus replacement plan found in the Town of Grafton, Massachusetts Fire Department Fire Apparatus Fleet Review and Assessment prepared by Emergency Vehicle Response Fire Protection Consultants in 2016.
VII-8 The Grafton Fire Department should continue equipping new pumping apparatus with compressed air foam system (CAFS) capabilities to improve fire knockdown capabilities, especially in limited staffing conditions.
VII-9 As an alternative to the engine/water tower apparatus recommended by EVR, the Town of Grafton should give consideration to the acquisition of a true “quint”17 apparatus that has a 75’ aerial ladder and is configured to also fully function as a fire pumper (Figure VII-21).
Figure VII-21: A Quint such as this one in service in Springfield and equipped with a 1500 gallon per minute pump, 500-gallon water tank and 75' aerial will more than adequately meet the Grafton Fire Department's operational needs and provide the community with a versatile, multi-function vehicle particularly in limited staffing conditions and when responding as the first out unit and “engine” to many incidents. (Photo: Mass Fire Trucks)
VII-10 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure that all fire apparatus pumps are serviced, inspected, and tested at intervals no greater than 12 months apart, in accordance with NFPA and ISO standards. All tests conducted, results including deficiencies noted, and any corrective action taken should be documented.
17 A “quint” serves the dual purpose of an engine and a ladder truck. The name quint refers to the five functions that a quint provides: pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device and ground ladders.
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VII-11 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure all department aerial and ground ladders are serviced, inspected and tested at intervals no greater than 12 months apart, in accordance with NFPA standards. All tests conducted, results including deficiencies noted, and any corrective action taken should be documented.
VII-12 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure that all department hose is inspected and tested, at intervals no greater than 12 months, in accordance with NFPA and ISO standards. All tests conducted, results including deficiencies noted, and any corrective action taken should be documented.
VII-13 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a complete inventory of all department equipment, review compliance with NFPA criteria (including the proper organization and mounting/securing of equipment in crew cabs and compartments) and assess the department’s own operational and equipment needs. The inventory should be updated at least annually to ensure that it is current.
VII-14 The Grafton Fire Department should adopt a policy of purchasing new NFPA 1901 compliant equipment when new apparatus is purchased. This policy will ensure that equipment is the most technologically up-to-date and that it is safe and functional. It will also make it possible to keep reserve apparatus fully equipped for immediate use.
VII-15 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal replacement plan for equipment. The regular replacement of large cost items such as hose and SCBA on an incremental basis will avoid major one-time increases in the operating budget. The life expectancy of these items can be estimated based on usage and manufacturer's recommendations.
VII-16 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should take advantage of the fire apparatus and ambulance group purchasing system that is sponsored by the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts (FCAM) and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). Municipalities may select a specific design and manufacturer from a pre-determined bid list and are not required to establish their own bid process. It is estimated that this group purchasing system will save approximately five to ten percent of the cost of a fire truck or ambulance (see www.mapc.org).
VII-17 The procurement of most of the Grafton Fire Department’s future apparatus needs will normally be funded at the annual town meeting. However, in any given year, a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG or FireAct) could also be pursued as a way to obtain funding. This is particularly true if the requested apparatus is going to replace more than one unit. If the AFG grant application is successful, then any already capital project funding can be cancelled.
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VIII. FISCAL FORECASTING & CAPITAL PLANNING
OVERVIEW
Emergency services budgets are more than the dollar amount allocated for the operation of the department. The budget is a document that reflects the goals and objectives that the Fire Department established for delivery of services to the community. The budget should be used as a planning tool by the department, and its members, and should represent the needs of the department to properly and safely serve the public.
Budget preparation and management must be an ongoing process in every aspect of the department. Before one budget cycle is completed, the next must already be in process. The Fire Chief along with his/her other officers, must continuously monitor their department and their ongoing needs, as well as anticipate the demands that will be placed upon them in the future.
Most funds for the Fire Department budget come from property taxes and the rates charged to property owners. Some funds also come from a wide variety of fees for services, grants, and other sources. Some long-term capital funding may be included as part of a bond issue that will be paid back over a number of years. Some departments are using leases, and lease purchase programs, to assist with replacing undependable or unsafe apparatus and equipment. Contracting to provide shared services, such as for dispatching, has proven to assist with generating funds in some departments, or conversely, reducing expenses by joining another community.
While a comparative study can evaluate the level of effort and ability of residents to fund services, it cannot measure residents’ willingness to pay over the long run. Caution should be used if looking for hard and fast answers using statistical comparisons on their face value alone. Every emergency services provider, and every town, has developed creative methods for service delivery, and cost labeling, based on specific needs. Additionally, the information that might be obtained from various municipalities could vary to some degree as to how they report expenses such as employee benefits or vehicle maintenance.
OBSERVATIONS
Each year at the start of the budget process the Board of Selectmen and/or Town Administrator provides basic direction to the Town departments regarding their expectations for the upcoming budget year such as no increase, or an increase no greater than 1.5%, etc. In the fire department, the Chief prepares the budget in conjunction with the BOFE. The chief prepares a budget message and narrative to explain and/or defend his requests for increased line item
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funding, or the need for capital equipment purchases. The Town Administrator meets with the Chief to discuss the budget, then accepts the budget as submitted, or, revises it before providing it to the Board of Selectmen. The budget is then forwarded to the Finance Committee who reviews it, meets with the Chief, and then makes recommendations for town meeting. The budget is then ultimately voted on at town meeting.
The MRI project team reviewed the budget documents provided by the Fire Department. The operating budgets appear to meet the current needs of the department in order to maintain the existing levels of service, as a call fire department.
A review of the Grafton Fire Department's annual operating budget shows that it increased each fiscal year from 2015 through 2017. The budget increased from $638,023 in FY 2015 to $664,722 in FY 2016, an increase of 4.2%. The budget increased another $59,800 or 9.0% in FY 2017 to $724,532 from FY 2016 to FY 2017. The personnel/salary line item decreased by $30,592 (7.9%), while the equipment increased from $95,650 to $172,018 an increase of $76,368 or 79.8%. This increase was for the first installment on the lease of the new pumper/tanker that the department has ordered.
Personnel costs account for the greatest portion of the budget costs in most fire departments that are not fully volunteer. In FY 2015 through FY 2017, employee compensation accounted for 49.0% (FY 2017) and 58.3% (FY 2015), of the Grafton fire budget.
FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR
2015 2016 2017 OPERATING BUDGET* $ 638,023.00 $ 664,722.06 $ 724,532.00 PERSONNEL EXPENSES* $ 372,041.50 $ 385,911.00 $ 355,319.00 % OF BUDGET 58.3% 58.1% 49.0% OPERATING EXPENSES $ 149,771.29 $ 179,305.00 $ 154,541.00 EQUIPMENT $ 84,729.00 $ 95,650.00 $ 172,018.00 REVENUES $ 32,680.87 $ 33,249.05 $ 42,701.00 PER CAPITA COST** $ 34.81 $ 36.26 $ 39.53 PER INCIDENT COST** $1,177.16 $1,215.21 $1,336.77 FIGURE VIII-1: GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET – FY 2015 – FY 2017 * Includes annual fire inspector salary budget of $24,500.00 ** Based on operating budget only. Does not include capital.
The Grafton Fire Department generates some revenue each year, which comes almost exclusively from fire inspection and permit fees the department collects.
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Looking ahead at the need for the Grafton Fire Department to begin to gradually make the transition to a combination fire department, initially with a small career staff to supplement the call force, will have an impact on the department’s budget in the years ahead. Figure VIII-2 breaks down the projected annual costs to the department for an initial small contingent of personnel who will provide staffing to the department during the daytime, weekday hours. In the future, should the number of career personnel need to be increased to provide additional coverage the projected costs will increase as well.
DESCRIPTION COST One (1) Full-time Career Fire Rescue Chief (Salary and Benefits) $140,000.00 One (1) Full Time Career Fire Captain (Salary and Benefits) $105,000.00 One Fulltime Lieutenant and a per diem on-call shift (Salary and $150,000.00 Benefits) One Full-time Administrative Assistant (Salary and Benefits) $ 45,000.00 Call Fire Personnel $250,000.00 Operational Expenses* $225,000.00 TOTAL ESTIMATED GROSS ANNUAL COST $915,000.00 COST PER CAPITA – ESTIMATED GROSS COST $ 49.92
Current Total Gross Fire Rescue Budget (FY 2019 estimate) $728,279.00 COST PER CAPITA – CURRENT GROSS FIRE RESCUE BUDGET $ 39.73
TOTAL ADDITIONAL COST TO GRAFTON $186,721.00 COST PER CAPITA - ADDITIONAL $ 10.19 FIGURE VIII-2: PROJECTED COSTS FOR INTIAL CAREER STAFF * Operational expenses only. Not capital. NOTE: These costs are very rough estimates and can be impacted by a number of different factors.
CAPITAL PLANNING
A Capital Improvement Plan (Program), or CIP, is a plan of varying duration, in government, usually five to ten years in duration, which identifies major (capital) projects and equipment purchases, organizes long term projects, provides a planning schedule and identifies options for financing the plan. The plan serves as a mechanism for decision-making, to identify priorities early, to allow for more deliberate planning of financial resources, to provide a link to the Town of Grafton’s long-range strategic plan, and to communicate those long-range plans and needs to the community.
Capital infrastructure is essential to all communities. Streets, bridges, water and sewer systems, and public buildings help shape the local economy affecting the flow of goods, business location decisions, and prospects for future development. The quality of life for a ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 105 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
community’s residents depends on the reliability of its transportation, the quality of its water and sewer systems, the efficiency of its waste disposal, and the accessibility of many other essential public services. Service quality can only be maintained if governments are committed to keeping their capital in good condition.
Budgetary pressures often divert government resources away from capital renewal. At a time when many governments are challenged by citizen demands for additional or improved services and taxpayer resistance to higher tax levies to pay for these services, the capital budget is often the first to be cut in an effort to balance the budget. Careful planning is required to ensure that capital needs receive the full attention and commitment of government officials. A well- planned capital improvement program is a crucial tool to systematically plan for and manage capital needs. On-going service delivery can be assured only if adequate consideration is given to capital needs. If facilities and infrastructure are not maintained, they will deteriorate until costly maintenance is required, services are threatened, and community growth stagnates or declines.
It does appear that the Town of Grafton is in relatively sound financial condition. This is a result of sound financial management, as well as the continued growth and development that the Town is still experiencing. Although the Town does not have an available levy capacity, the voters have shown a willingness to approve levy overrides. The continued growth of the Town, along with projections for the next several decades makes it imperative that the Town continues to maintain its services, and appropriately fund needed capital projects in an ongoing manner.
It is unclear whether the Grafton Fire Department has a long-range capital plan, or, if that plan is included in the Town’s overall plan. The aging apparatus fleet and the need for some capital improvements at fire stations 2 and 3 would suggest not. When the Town received the Fire Department Fire Apparatus Fleet Review and Assessment report from Emergency Vehicle Response Fire Protection Consultants in 2016, it included a recommended capital replacement plan for the department’s apparatus from 2016 thru 2038. As noted previously, MRI believes that the apparatus replacement plan recommended by Emergency Vehicle Response Fire Protection Consultants is reasonable and should be followed by the Town of Grafton relative to the Fire Department apparatus fleet.
GRANTS
There are a number of federal, state, and private grants available for fire departments and communities to consider for supplementing their budgets. If successful in receiving a grant award, most departments can acquire equipment, training, and programs that they would not be able to achieve through the normal budget process. Though the process can be difficult, and time consuming, the outcomes can be very beneficial to the Fire Department.
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While the economic challenges of the last decade have had an impact on grants from private entities and foundations, fortunately, the federal grant programs targeted to the fire service, the Assistance to Fire Firefighters (AFG) Grants for equipment, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants for personnel, and the Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants for fire prevention and public fire education programs, continue to be funded, although not anywhere near their authorized levels.
The AFG program provides financial assistance directly to fire departments to enhance their capabilities with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The AFG supports fire departments that lack the tools and resources necessary to more effectively protect the life and safety of the public, and their emergency response personnel with respect to fire and all other hazards. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources, needed to protect the public, and emergency personnel, from fire and related hazards.
The goal of the SAFER grants is to enhance the fire departments’ ability to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards, established by NFPA and OSHA (NFPA 1720 and OSHA 1910.134). Specifically, SAFER funds assist the Fire Department to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities in order to respond to emergencies whenever they may occur. SAFER grants are awarded to departments for both hiring of career personnel, and recruitment and retention of volunteer/call personnel. However, a department cannot apply for both categories of grant in the same year.
FP&S grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards. The primary goal is to target high-risk populations and mitigate high incidences of death and injury.
There are several other grants available to fire departments for various purposes. Some grants that may be available to the Grafton Fire Department are the Fireman’s Fund Heritage Grants, Factory Mutual grants for fire investigation, and Wal-Mart community grants. Other large chains, such as Home Depot and Lowes, are frequently willing to provide funding, and/or enter into partnerships for specific projects. The key to success at this level is finding grants for which the department may be eligible, and, ensuring that the application is tailored to the grant program’s priorities.
Like most fire departments, Grafton has had a limited record of success regarding grants they have applied for. One of the shortcomings in the AFG program is that departments which submit grant applications that are ultimately not successful are notified to that fact, however, they are not informed as to why. Typically, only about 8% of all grant applications submitted are approved and funded. Nearly 50% of the applications fail to make it past the initial computer review where statistical aspects of the application are reviewed to determine their compatibility with the established grant criterion/ priorities. This explanation is not, in any way,
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meant to cast a negative light on Grafton’s applications. It is included to illustrate the long odds of successfully obtaining a grant even with a strong application.
SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING
In this era of extremely tight budgets, where every governmental entity is looking for alternative revenue streams to offset declining tax receipts, there are several other sources of potential revenue for the Fire Department that the Town of Grafton may want to explore and consider implementing. Among these are increased fire prevention business registration, inspection, and permit fees; billing insurance companies for response to motor vehicle accidents; registration fees for fire alarm systems; and the issuance of penalties for those whose systems generate repeat false alarms.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Throughout this report, the MRI project team has made several recommendations that could, if adopted, increase expenditures in the Grafton Fire Department. MRI believes that these recommendations are essential for the effective, efficient, and safe operation of the Fire Department. Other recommendations are intended to reduce overall financial risk and liability, or will have the effect of smoothing expenditure rates, and minimizing one-time spikes in the budget. Ideally, emergency services expenditures should result in programs that are well- justified and cost-effective, and that have measurable outcomes that result in an improved level of safety and protection for the citizens of Grafton and those who are visiting the town.
VIII-1 The Town of Grafton should review all fees on an annual basis for possible increases in accordance with state law.
VIII-2 The Town of Grafton should explore additional potential ways to generate revenue to offset the fire department’s operating costs. Consideration could be given to billing insurance companies for response to motor vehicle accidents; registration fees for fire alarm systems; and, implementing fines for repeat false alarms.
VIII-3 The Grafton Fire Department should identify and prioritize its most critical equipment, training and/or operational needs, and apply annually to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. This should include making applications for apparatus capital replacement projects that will otherwise be funded through the Town’s capital budget and at town meeting.
VIII-4 The Town of Grafton should apply for a federal SAFER grant in 2019 for the salaries of the two full time firefighter/EMTs recommended elsewhere in this report citing an attempt to better comply with the provisions of NFPA 1710/1720.
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VIII-5 The Grafton Fire Department should prioritize its fire prevention and public fire education needs and apply annually to the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant (FP&SG) program.
VIII-6 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should actively search for other grant opportunities. Grants for fire protection, fire safety, fire prevention, domestic and emergency preparedness, and homeland security may be available from federal, state, corporate, and foundation sources.
VIII-7 The Grafton Fire Department and the rescue should actively seek out businesses that may be interested in establishing public/private partnerships that could provide, or assist with, funding for various programs, projects, or initiatives.
VIII-8 The Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal replacement plan for equipment. The regular replacement of large cost items such as hose, ladders, PPE, portable radios, AEDs, and even SCBA on an incremental basis will avoid major one- time increases in the annual operating budget where such purchases should be funded. For instance, the hose and ladders on one vehicle can be replaced in the next fiscal year, another the following year, etc. The life expectancy of these items can be estimated based on usage and manufacturer's recommendations. Items such as hose and ladders can remain in service indefinitely, provided they continue to successfully pass their annual tests.
IX. FIRE PREVENTION
OVERVIEW
The core service that a fire department provides to the public it serves begins with fire prevention. Fire prevention activities are one of the most important missions of a modern-day fire department. A comprehensive municipal fire protection system should include, at a minimum, the key functions of fire prevention, code enforcement, inspections, and public education. Preventing fires before they occur, and limiting the impact of those that do, should be priority objectives of every fire department. Educating the public about fire safety and teaching them appropriate behaviors on how to react should they be confronted with a fire is also an important life safety responsibility of the fire department. At some level, fire prevention efforts should involve all members of the department, or in call departments such as Grafton, as many personnel as possible.
Fire prevention activities in a municipal fire department typically include fire safety inspections; fire code enforcement; issuance and oversight of permits; review of construction plans for new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings; and public fire safety education programs. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 109 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
Since fire prevention should be approached in a truly systematic manner, and many community stakeholders have a vested interest and/or responsibility in these efforts, various activities such as plan reviews, permits, and inspections should be coordinated with similar activities in the municipal building inspection department and/or planning departments in each community. Inspection and code enforcement procedures and policies must conform to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts statutory requirements, and the regulations and the policies of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, Office of the State Fire Marshal. The local fire chief, or designee, is authorized to enforce 527 CMR (Code of Massachusetts Regulations), Board of Fire Prevention Regulations, also known as the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code.
Investigation of the origin and cause of fires also generally falls under the responsibility of the fire prevention bureau in a fire department. Although based on relative and frequency of events, Grafton should pursue this as a regional effort.
OBSERVATIONS
Fire prevention and inspection operations in the Grafton Fire Department are the responsibility of full-time Assistant Fire Chief Steven Charest who serves as the department’s code enforcement officer. His duties include performing both inspections and plan reviews.
Chief Charest was hired in 2013, for the specific purpose of performing the increasing number of inspections/fire prevention activities that needed to be completed due to the growth the community continues to experience. Prior to the chief being hired mandatory fire and life safety inspections were performed by either one of the other department chiefs and/or the Town’s building inspector/official during the day, while another of the department’s chiefs performed inspections in the evenings.
Day-to-day fire inspection duties are the primary responsibility of the full-time assistant chief, a position that was created expressly for the purpose of serving as the department’s fire prevention and code enforcement officer. However, he also assists with the day to day administration of the department. From strictly a fire prevention perspective, the Chief’s duties include:
• plans reviews for new construction and renovations including fire sprinkler systems and fire alarm systems; • in progress inspections of various construction and renovation projects; • signing off on certificates of occupancy for new and renovated buildings; • issuing permits and conducting various permit-related inspections; • conducting quarterly school inspections; • conducting annual liquor license inspections;
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• performing change of ownership smoke detector/carbon monoxide detector inspections in residential occupancies; • observing acceptance tests of fire protection systems (fire alarm systems, automatic fire sprinkler systems and fire extinguishing systems); • supervising underground tank removals; • performing oil burner inspections; • conducting public fire education programs; and • responding to citizen inquiries and complaints.
TYPE OF INSPECTION/PERMIT 2015 2016 2017 304 304 Inspection for Liquor License 4 5 12 304R 304 Re-inspection 3 0 3 26F Certification of Compliance for resale 290 368 321 26FR 26F Re-inspection 94 66 72 Annual Annual Inspection: Nursing Home, Day Care 12 35 29 Annual R Annual Re-inspection 6 1 3 Compl Complaint 9 7 2 FA/OC Residential Fire Alarm Inspection for Occupancy 97 80 87 FA/OCR Residential Fire Alarm Re-inspection 17 12 16 FA-C Commercial Fire Alarm Inspection 9 7 11 FA-CR Commercial Fire Alarm Re-inspection 1 3 2 FAFU Fire Alarm Follow-up 8 13 6 LP Liquid Propane Inspection 53 37 45 LPR Liquid Propane Re-inspection 0 0 3 Oil Burner/Oil Tank, AST- Installation & 78 106 OB/OT 51 Removal Oil Burner/Oil Tank Re-inspection-Installation 6 3 OB/OTR 3 & Removal S-C Commercial Sprinkler Inspection 5 9 16 S-CR Commercial Sprinkler Re inspection 0 1 1 S-OC Residential Sprinkler Inspection for Occupancy 30 16 21 S-OCR Residential Sprinkler Re-inspection 6 4 1 SFU Sprinkler Follow-up 10 1 5 ULP Underground LP Inspection 13 19 21 ULPR Underground LP Re-inspection 1 0 0 KitExh Kitchen Exhaust Systems: New and Cleaning 0 2 0 TT Transfer Tanks Inspections 4 15 3 Schools School Inspections - ALL 22 18 18 Misc Construction site, UST tanks, welding site, 10 18 18 Temp Shelter, etc.
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TOTAL ANNUAL INSPECTIONS/PERMITS 758 821 825
Burning Permits Issued 507 697 574 FIGURE IX-1 GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT: ANNUAL PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS – 2015 – 2014
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has implemented 3 levels of fire prevention credentialing. Level 1 allows personnel to perform basic company level inspections. Level 2 provides more advanced knowledge and understanding of the code and administrative procedures. Level 3 is for fire prevention administration and management. The personnel in Grafton who are involved in fire prevention activities are reported to all have obtained at least a basic level of credentialing; however, MRI was not able to definitively confirm this. It is important to remember that performing fire prevention inspections is a life safety specialty. Using people who are not properly credentialed will present a significant liability to the Town.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that the Fire Department and the Building Department work together to enforce their respective codes/regulations. There is significant overlap in their respective responsibilities, particularly in restaurants, assembly occupancies and educational uses, and in some areas, they share joint jurisdiction. Both departments need to sign off annually that required fire and life safety inspections have been satisfactorily completed as required for businesses that hold a liquor license and some place of assembly uses. It was reported to the MRI project team that the Fire Department assistant chief and building inspector enjoy a very good working relationship. The project team’s observation appears to support that assertion.
The department has a fee schedule for a wide range of permits, licenses, and inspections. The authority for the issuance of permits and licenses is pursuant to Massachusetts General Law (MGL) Chapter 148, or 527 CMR. The authority to charge fees is derived from MGL Chapter 148, section 10A. Most of the fees are established by the commonwealth and individual towns cannot charge more than the state maximum. Although the Town of Grafton website lists fee schedules for many types of permits including, but not limited to, building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and gas, and health, the Fire Department permit, and inspection fees are not included.
Over the past three years, this revenue, which is utilized to offset fire prevention operations, has been gradually increasing generated from $32,039 in 2015 to and $39,476 in 2017 (Figure IX-2).
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2015 2016 2017 $32,039.19 $33,219.05 $39,476.00 FIGURE IX-2: GRAFTON FIRE PREVENTION REVENUE
Permit fees are collected at the Fire Department at the time the application is received. At the present time, applications cannot be submitted/received on-line. It is unknown if periodic financial audits are conducted regarding this aspect of operations; however, a comprehensive audit of fire prevention revenues should be conducted at least annually.
If necessary, for larger and/or more complex projects the department can utilize outside consultants to assist with plan review and/or inspections. This outside assistance can include fire protection engineers and personnel from the state fire marshal’s Office of Code Enforcement.
At the time of this assessment, Grafton does not have a false alarm billing bylaw, as permitted under MGL, to use as a tool against locations from which repeated false alarms are received. Under model bylaws, after 3 false alarms, a letter is sent to the facility/owner directing them to repair the system to proper working order. If compliance is not achieved, subsequent false alarms result in the levying of fines/penalties. Most communities only include commercial occupancies in their bylaw. Residential occupancies are exempt.
The Grafton Fire Department tries to perform public fire safety education training throughout the year. The department participates in Grafton’s National Night Out program. It is also involved in “Grafton Celebrates the Holidays” which includes tours of the fire stations and the department’s equipment. Although the department does offer various fire safety educational programs to the schools, day care and pre-school facilities, DYS facilities, group homes, and other community groups, they are primarily done on request, rather than as part of a formal, year-round program. The MRI project team was informed that the ability of the department to provide public education in the schools is becoming a significant problem. In fact, in 2017 it was reported that the department could not get anyone to go to perform these important fire safety education programs. The challenges associated with providing these programs is manifested in the fact that the department has not been awarded an annual Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) grant by the Executive Office of Public Safety since 2010.
Investigation of the basic origin and cause of fires also generally falls under the responsibility of the fire prevention bureau in a fire department. The Grafton Fire Department does not have a formal written procedure in place regarding the investigation of fires. Generally, for any fire that results in property damage the assistant fire chief will conduct an initial investigation to provide fire cause and origin determination. Investigators from the state fire marshal's office are requested to assist with large or complex fire investigations, if the fire is deemed to be suspicious or incendiary, or when specialized investigative resources are required (such as an ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 113 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
accelerant detection dog), which is typical for communities the size of Grafton. The state fire marshal's office is also called in for fires that result in a fatality.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Fire prevention should be promoted as a key component of the vision of the Grafton Fire Department and should be a major aspect of its primary mission. Aggressive fire prevention programs are the most efficient and cost-effective way to reduce fire risks, fire loss, and fire deaths and injuries in the community. Fire prevention is a key responsibility of every member of the Fire Department and to the extent practical, every member of the department should have a responsibility for fire prevention.
IX-1 As part of the Grafton Fire Department’s proposed reorganization, one of the primary responsibilities of the full time captain should be to serve as the department’s fire prevention officer and ensure that all mandated inspections are completed at the required intervals, and allow the operation of a comprehensive, multi-faceted fire prevention program that includes periodic inspections (preferably on an annual basis) of all commercial/business occupancies and ongoing public fire education activities throughout the year.
IX-2 The Grafton Fire Department should continue to support training and professional development activities for department members in the fire prevention and fire inspection areas. This can include, among other endeavors, attendance at the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts, and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Credentialing at the Fire Inspector I, II, and III levels should be required for the captain and the career fire chief, should the Town decide to create that position. All additional full-time personnel should be required, at a minimum, to possess/obtain Fire Inspector Level I credentialing as a condition of employment. Call personnel should be encouraged to obtain this training/certification as well. The full-time captain should also be required to attend fire prevention and management courses at the National Fire Academy.
IX-3 Should the Town of Grafton decide to hire additional full-time, career personnel, the Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal in-service fire safety inspection program. The on-duty personnel can be assigned with the responsibility for “in- service” inspections to identify and mitigate fire hazards in buildings and to familiarize firefighters with the layout of buildings, identify risks that may be encountered during firefighting operations, and to develop pre-fire plans. On-duty personnel in many departments are assigned responsibility for permit inspections and public fire safety education activities. In order to establish an in-service inspection program, it will be necessary to:
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• Train personnel on proper procedures (all personnel should be credentialed at least to the Fire Inspector I level recommended above); • Develop standard operating guidelines for in-service inspections; • Establish inspection schedules; • Establish a system for documenting inspections and notifying property owners of fire hazards; • Establish a follow-up inspection system to ensure that hazards have been mitigated; and • Require on-duty personnel to conduct regular in-service inspections of all building construction sites in the Town.
IX-4 The Grafton Fire Department should continue to update its website on a regular basis to provide its customers, and other interested parties, as much information as possible on fire safety, fire prevention, and the department as a whole. The department should also work actively to make on-line permitting, inspection scheduling, etc. a reality.
IX-5 The Town of Grafton should consider the adoption of a bylaw as permitted under MGL to allow enforcement action, including the issuing of fines/penalties for repeat false fire alarm activations.
IX-6 The Grafton Fire Department should make the delivery of year-round public fire safety education programs, in the schools, and throughout the community a top priority since this is the area where the fire service is most effective at preventing fires, injuries, and deaths. Personnel should be encouraged to obtain the Fire and Life Safety Educator certification issued by the state fire marshal’s office.
IX-7 The Grafton Fire Department should continue to maintain and enhance its library of fire prevention reference materials, including maintaining online subscriptions such as NFPA and its professional subscriptions.
IX-8 The Grafton Fire Department should consider participating in the red and blue joint fire investigation team program in a collaborative endeavor with other local fire departments and the Grafton Police Department. This would allow routine fire cause and origin investigations to be conducted by local area public safety personnel. In most cases the “red” component, fire personnel, are a regional resource, while the “blue” component, police personnel, are from the local jurisdiction. When necessary, the State Fire Marshal can still be requested to assist with large or complex fire investigations or when specialized investigative resources are required (such as an accelerant detection dog). The State Fire Marshal's Office is also automatically called in for fires that result in a fatality.
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X. BENCHMARKING AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
OVERVIEW
As part of the study, the team prepared a benchmarking and comparative analysis survey for distribution to a few comparable communities. Benchmarking and comparative analysis is a process that compares specific data points within similar agencies or communities, and, is an effective way of making general comparisons between similar communities and identifying trends and patterns, but there are limitations as to how the data should be used. The purpose of this process is to provide a perspective relative to the organizational practices of other similar entities. Ideally, a community would utilize this information to identify needed change and through paced action, work incrementally toward implementation.
The communities selected were derived from recommendations from town officials. This is done purposely to avoid any perception that the members of the emergency services departments being assessed selected favorable comparable. The MRI team developed appropriate points of comparison for the benchmarking and comparative analysis. The benchmark communities that were chosen were selected by the Town Administrator based on the size of the community, the Fire Department, and the services provided. The communities selected were drawn from a list of peer communities that the Town of Grafton utilizes frequently for the purpose of comparative analysis. The communities are Millbury, Northbridge, and Uxbridge.
The data provided by these communities is just one of several tools that MRI is providing to the Town of Grafton to assist them with understanding how their emergency services departments compare to organizations serving other similar communities in Massachusetts. This information indicates how other similar communities address the areas of interest outlined within the fire and rescue/EMS surveys. Allowing them to view their emergency services operations in comparison to other communities will allow Grafton to have some different perspectives to utilize for comparison as they make decisions for determining the future course of the Town’s emergency services delivery system.
In an effort to extract the maximum amount of data, Assistant Chief Charest was asked to contact the fire chief in each community and request cooperation and response. The Grafton data utilized in this comparative analysis was provided by the Grafton Fire Department.
The methodology for calculating various data categories may vary from community to community, so this can have an impact on the comparison. For example, a fire department budget in one community might not include personnel benefits costs, which would skew the comparison. In the past, MRI has encountered departments that have used different formats
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to assign incident numbers to emergency calls, or that also assign these numbers to routine activities such as public education programs, inspections, and training. As such, when reading and trying to interpret the information in the tables and graphs in this section of the report it is important to consider that the specific details for the data used could only be extracted with a more detailed and in-depth study of those communities.
All three of the departments contacted (100%) actively responded and provided the data that is displayed in the tables below and included in this study. It should also be noted that while some responses were complete, others either did not supply or lacked the ability to provide, the full data set requested. Not every department maintains or collects the entire set of data requested.
The Grafton Fire Department in particular had difficulty in providing the MRI team with the data necessary for comparative analysis with many basic data points on their survey left blank. This included information such as the Town population, how many firefighters routinely respond to calls in Grafton, the number of commercial occupancies, and the number of inspections of various types performed. These data points are in red in the Grafton line on the tables. If the Grafton data is included, but is in red, that indicates that the MRI team entered data that the project team obtained from other sources in order to make a comparison. Overall this survey illustrates the serious shortcomings that the Grafton Fire Department has with the ability to generate even basic statistical data. Improving their ability to enter valid data and develop useable statistics needs to be a top priority for the department.
There are similarities between each of these departments, but it should be noted that there are also differences in how each community delivers fire and EMS services. Each municipality and its fire department provide emergency and other public services based on the expressed desires of that community and its citizens. What may be effective in one community may not be in a neighboring town. The ability of the Fire Department to provide the services desired by the community it serves is based on its available funding and resources.
Based upon the information contained above MRI has developed the following observations and recommendations:
1. Grafton’s population is larger than all the peer communities and 27% larger than the average of the peer communities. Grafton is also 8% bigger in land area than the average.
2. The average fire service budget is almost $555,589 larger than the current budget in Grafton. Overall, Grafton’s fire budget is just 57% of the average.
3. While the per capita cost for the overall municipal budgets are almost identical with just a 2% difference from the average, the Grafton’s per capita fire budget of $39.73 is just 63% of the average of $62.46. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 117 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
4. The number of fire related calls in Grafton was just 12% of the average in the peer communities; however, this deviation is most likely the result of how other communities classify incidents or interpreted the question. If all of Grafton’s 541 incidents are compared the Town is just 21% below the average.
5. Grafton has 14% more structure fires, then the average of the peer communities which would be expected considering that it is a larger town.
6. Overall Grafton has the largest contingent of call firefighters of the communities surveyed, and, was 88% more than the average.
7. Grafton is within 5% of the peer communities regarding percentage of fire department personnel certified to at least Firefighter I (75%) and the percentage of call members who live in the Town (95%).
8. On average, the peer communities reported they had about 15.33 personnel who are active and respond to 50% or more of their calls. Grafton was unable to provide comparative numbers.
9. The communities surveyed reported a fire unit on location time for incidents of six minutes, twenty-one seconds (00:06:21) and for structure fires six minutes, fifty-five seconds (00:06:55). Grafton was unable to provide information on either of these times.
10. The comparable communities have an average of 15.7 personnel responding to a structure fire; Grafton reported 25, 59% more than the average.
11. Grafton’s fire prevention revenue of $38,456 is more than two-and-a-half times the average of $15,288 collected in the peer communities. However, Grafton did not provide information on umber of occupancies of various types and breakdowns of inspections by type.
12. Grafton’s apparatus set is in line with the peer communities.
13. The number of officers in Grafton is 88% higher than the other communities but that would be expected with Grafton being a larger department with more personnel and stations.
14. With training conducted just once monthly (although at least one station does train more often) Grafton’s call personnel train the least of any of the peer communities.
15. Two out of three of the comparable communities have a full-time, career fire chief; as of this time, Grafton does not.
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GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT BENCHMARK DATA
POPULATION PROTECTED COMMUNITY SQUARE MILES DENSITY/ ROAD MILES POPULATION SQUARE MILE
MILLBURY 13,261 15.7 812.5 69.7 NORTHBRIDGE 16,000 19.2 830 90 UXBRIDGE 14,000 30 467 120
AVERAGE 14,420 21.6 703.2 93.2 GRAFTON 18,330 23.3 760 90 DEVIATION 1.27 1.08 1.08 0.96
Community Fire Budget Fire Grants Per Capita Per Capita COMMUNITY Budget FY2019 FY 2019 Budget Fire Budget FY 2019
MILLBURY $44,142,271.00 $ 518,041.00 $ -0- $ 3,328.00 $ 39.06 NORTHBRIDGE $41,774,284.00 $1,887,188.00 $ 30,000.00 $ 2,610.00 $ 45.00 UXBRIDGE $45,330,070.00 $1,446,377.00 $1,500.00 $ 3,237.86 $ 103.31
AVERAGE $43,748,875.00 $1,283,868.66 $10,500 $3,058.62 $62.46 GRAFTON $55,000,000.00 $ 728,279.00 $ -0- $3,000.54 $39.73 DEVIATION 1.26 0.57 0.02 0.63
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Does Number Type of If you do not department of Department (All provide EMS do EMS Full Time additional COMMUNITY call/ volunteer, who is the transport? Fire Chief officers Combination, primary EMS (Primary EMS besides All Career) provider? provider?) chief
All call/ MILLBURY No Med-Star No 4 volunteer NORTHBRIDGE Combination Yes N/A Yes 8 UXBRIDGE Combination Yes N/A Yes 8
2 = Combination 2 = Yes 2 = Yes AVERAGE 6.67 1 = All Call 1 = No 1 = No All call/ GRAFTON No Med-Star No 12 volunteer DEVIATION 1.8
Average Hours career number of Number of FT Maximum Minimum firefighters hours per COMMUNITY career staffing staffing provide week career firefighters level level coverage firefighters work
MILLBURY 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A NORTHBRIDGE 17 24/7 42 4 4 UXBRIDGE 13 24/7 42 5 2
AVERAGE 10 24/7 42 3 2 GRAFTON 0 N/A N/A 0 0 DEVIATION N/A
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What Number of What percentage of active percentage of Number of your Number of call/volunteer call/volunteer PT/per- call/volunteer COMMUNITY call/volunteer firefighters firefighters diem firefighters firefighters (respond to are certified firefighters actually live at least 50% at least in your of calls) Firefighter I? community?
MILLBURY 0 56 12 64% 100% NORTHBRIDGE 0 18 18 50% 100% UXBRIDGE 0 20 16 100% 100%
AVERAGE 0 31.3 15.33 71.3% 100% NOT GRAFTON 0 59 75% 95% REPORTED DEVIATION N/A 1.88 UNKNOWN 0.05 0.05
Average Percentage of Average number number of time you achieve of call/volunteer Civilian call/volunteer NFPA 1720 COMMUNITY firefighters that administrative/ firefighters that compliance for respond to each support staff respond to each structure fire call structure fire response
MILLBURY 18 27 100% 1 Day = 2 – 3 Day = 2 – 3 NORTHBRIDGE 80% 1 Night = 10 - 16 Night = 10 - 16 UXBRIDGE 4 still, 10 box 12 Unknown 1
AVERAGE 15.7 90% 1 GRAFTON NOT REPORTED 25 NOT REPORTED 1.5 DEVIATION UNKNOWN 1.59 UNKNOWN 1.5
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Full time Assistant Deputy Fire COMMUNITY Captains Lieutenants Chiefs Chiefs Prevention personnel
MILLBURY 3 1 4 7 0 NORTHBRIDGE 0 3 2 4 1 2 = Career UXBRIDGE 0 2 2 = career 1 2 = Call
AVERAGE 1 2 2.67 5 0.67 GRAFTON 2 1 3 6 1 DEVIATION 2.0 0.5 1.12 1.2 1.49
Number of Number Number of fire Number of Number of COMMUNITY rescues of water stations pumpers aerials/ladders (non-EMS) tenders
MILLBURY 4 4 1 1 1 NORTHBRIDGE 2 3 1 1 0 UXBRIDGE 2 3 1 1 1
AVERAGE 2.67 3.33 1 1 0.67 GRAFTON 3 4 1 1 0* DEVIATION 1.12 1.2 0 0 N/A * Grafton has a new pumper/tender apparatus on order.
Number Number of Number of Number of Number Specialty COMMUNITY of brush command utility/staff ambulances of boats vehicles? trucks vehicles vehicles
MILLBURY 2 0 1 2 1 1 NORTHBRIDGE 2 2 1 3 1 3 UXBRIDGE 1 2 1 2 1 0
AVERAGE 1.66 1.33 1 2.33 1 1.33 GRAFTON 2 0 2 1 2 1 DEVIATION 1.2 N/A 2.0 0.43 2.0 0.75
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Number of Number of Number of Total number fire related EMS NFIRS 111 Fire dollar COMMUNITY of incidents incidents incidents structure loss 2017** 2017 2017 2017 fires 2017
MILLBURY 350 70 0 27 $2,548,520 NORTHBRIDGE 3,529* 1,179 2,350 18 $ 911,000 UXBRIDGE 2,400* 800 1,600 5 $ 163,000
AVERAGE 2,093* 683 1316.67 16.67 $1,207,506.67 NOT GRAFTON 541 81 19 19 REPORTED DEVIATION 0.26 0.12 NOT VALID 1.14 UNKNOWN * Both Northbridge and Grafton provide primary EMS to their communities. ** A single large fire loss in a community can significantly skew this data. How many How many times did times did Do you have Do you have mutual aid a mutual mandatory an active need to aid unit duty crews call/volunteer respond arrive first Fire for your recruitment COMMUNITY because on the Department call/volunteer and retention your unit scene of ISO Rating personnel? program? was unable an (please (please to respond incident in describe) describe) to a toned your call? town?
Yes MILLBURY 0 0 04/04Y No Explorer Post NORTHBRIDGE 350* 2 4B No Yes ** Yes Weekly still UXBRIDGE 0 0 4/4R No alarm coverage
AVERAGE 116.67 0.67 4 NOT No GRAFTON 0 0 No REPORTED DEVIATION NOT NOT VALID N/A VALID * Northbridge provides primary EMS service to their community. ** Northbridge is actively recruiting all the time, retention is a constant problem due to the amount of time that the job requires for training. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 123 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
Average Average Number of Number of response response Number of annual annual time - first time - first commercial/ COMMUNITY commercial/ liquor unit - to all unit - to industrial industrial license emergency structure occupancies inspections inspections calls fires
MILLBURY 00:07:45 00:08:30 410 188 27 4 - 7 4 - 7 NORTHBRIDGE 175 30% 9 minutes* minutes* Not UXBRIDGE 00:05:48 00:06:48 Not Reported 8 Reported
AVERAGE 00:06:21 00:06:55 292.5 14.6 NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT GRAFTON REPORTED REPORTED REPORTED REPORTED REPORTED DEVIATION UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN UNKNOWN * Depends upon location in town.
Do you Does your Do you perform Number of career staff Total fire perform smoke COMMUNITY multi-family perform in prevention multi-family detector/CO complexes service revenue inspections? detector inspections? inspections?
MILLBURY 474 Yes Yes N/A $21,500.00 NORTHBRIDGE 576 Some Yes Yes $18,000.00 Not UXBRIDGE Not Reported On Request Yes $6,365.00 Currently
AVERAGE 525 N/A Yes $15,288.33 NOT NOT GRAFTON Yes N/A $38,456.00 REPORTED REPORTED DEVIATION UNKNOWN 2.52
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Do the Number How often do call/volunteer of years How are your your personnel Salary from call/volunteer call/volunteer train in their range for starting COMMUNITY officers personnel individual career salary to selected/ train per stations or on firefighters top salary promoted? month? a department for career wide basis? personnel
Must meet MILLBURY 4 times Both criteria and N/A N/A interview $55,000 - NORTHBRIDGE 50 hours/year Both Policy 20 years $68,000 $49,000 - Not year UXBRIDGE 5 hours Both Test/interview $70,000 driven
AVERAGE Both GRAFTON 1 Both Interview/test N/A N/A DEVIATION N/A N/A
RECOMMENDATIONS
X-1 The Grafton Fire Department should make it a priority to improve its information gathering and management capabilities, regarding the entry of a wide range of data pertinent to department operations, which will in turn allow the development of statistics to evaluate the department’s operations in comparison with nationally recognized benchmarks, and locally established goals and objectives.
XI. CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY
The missions performed by the Fire Department are some of the most basic and fundamental functions of government; to ensure the safety and protection of its residents and visitors. The real issue facing Grafton then, as it is for every community, is to determine an acceptable level of risk and then define an appropriate level of service for the community. There is no “right” amount of fire protection or EMS delivery. It is a constantly changing level based upon the expressed needs of the community. Determining the appropriate level of service also involves deciding upon the Town’s fiscal ability, and willingness, to pay for the desired level of service. Planned growth of the Fire Department is essential to provide a consistent service level to the ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 125 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
community while keeping pace with increased demands for service caused by continued development. It is the unenviable task of the Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator to translate those needs into reality, maximize the delivery of fire, rescue, and EMS services, and do it in the most fiscally responsible manner possible.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards 1710 and 1720 have been referred to within this study and should be considered by the community as a foundation to determine an acceptable level of service. The recommendations in this report consider applicable NFPA standards, as well as other regulations, such as OSHA.
Based upon the analysis of the current day operations of the Grafton Fire Department, MRI found an organization that is well equipped, albeit with an aging apparatus fleet that will continue to require an ongoing capital investment. On paper, at least, the department appears to have enough personnel to handle the expected workload within the community. As would be expected, this fully call department has a dedicated core group of members who are trying to make their organization one that provides dependable, high quality, emergency services to the Town of Grafton. From all accounts, once they arrive on the scene of an emergency, the Grafton Fire Department personnel perform their duties competently, and can be counted upon to complete assignments given to them. They should be commended for their efforts and given the support they need to continue to try to be successful.
However, although the Fire Department possesses a number of very definitive, positive attributes, it is also facing serious challenges both today, and looking toward the future. While MRI would not describe it as an organization that is in crisis, it definitely has some deficiencies and is at an important crossroads. With volunteerism declining, and the ranks of call emergency services personnel dwindling nationwide, the Town of Grafton faces the dual challenges of attempting to balance a credible emergency response system staffed with call members, while simultaneously facing a gradually increasing number of requests for service, both emergency and non-emergency. Unfortunately, in 2018, the chances of these efforts being fully successful are not particularly high.
Although the MRI project team has concerns regarding the accuracy and validity of the data that it received from the Grafton Fire Department, and, it was by no means complete, it does indicate that staffing remains a significant concern for the department. Although the department boasts of being one of the largest all call fire departments in Massachusetts with a roster of around 60 personnel, the department is aging with more than 50% of the membership reported to be age 50 or above. The same age factor is reported to be found with the department’s highest-level responders. In addition, the department has not had a formal program to try to recruit new members and motivate existing personnel to remain active.
The data that was analyzed, although incomplete, indicated that the average number of personnel who respond to each incident has decreased by 45.6%, from 7.9 per call in 2016 to
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4.6 per call in 2018. This is a significant decrease in a short period of time and certainly is cause for concern. The department is fortunate to have six members who work for various Town departments, that can often leave to answer daytime calls. Without them the department would be hoping for a minimal response of three or four personnel.
There is disagreement among the various stakeholders over whether the staffing concerns have been brought to the attention of the Town Governing Body by the Fire Department. The Fire Department leadership informed the MRI project team that they have been “telling” the Town for four or five years that they need to hire career staff. The Town leadership says this is not the case and the Fire Department has not made any formal requests or presented any evidence. Based upon the project team’s experience trying to obtain data and information for this study there is probably a lack of any type of valid data other than the limited numbers presented in this report.
With 541 calls handled in 2017, the Grafton Fire Department is averaging around 1.5 incidents per day. That is a heavy workload for a fully call organization that is in all probability putting a strain on its membership. While there is no hard and fast rule or benchmark, once a call or volunteer emergency services provider exceeds about 450-500 responses annually, their ability to continue to maintain the traditional levels of service often begins to decline as the members struggle to keep up with the increasing requests for service, training needs, and other duties necessary to keep the organization operating. It appears that Grafton has reached that threshold.
MRI fully supports the continued use of a strong primarily on-call fire rescue department in Grafton, and, believes that this model can continue to serve the needs of the Town for the foreseeable future. However, the project team also believes that the call volume, which will most likely continue to increase each year, along with the multitude of other daily tasks which need to be performed, not the least of which is a significant number of fire inspections and other fire prevention activities, indicate that the time has arrived for the Town to consider the transition to a combination fire rescue department utilizing a small career staff to supplement the call force.
It is MRI’s recommendation that the Town make the transition to a full-time, career, fire rescue Chief once the current Chief retires. This Chief should be a working chief, that is, one who responds to most emergency incidents and takes an active, hands-on role in incident mitigation. The Town should also continue to have an officer…the rank of captain is recommended… who is dedicated to fire prevention and training activities of the department (and by extension recruitment and retention).
In addition, the Town should initially hire one additional full-time, fire lieutenant who along with the Fire Chief, captain and a per diem firefighter would provide a guaranteed, timely, and qualified, response to day time emergency incidents. While effective, efficient, and safe,
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emergency scene operations, particularly initial fire attack operations are the overriding reasons for considering the addition of career staffing, that is not the sole justification. As noted above, these personnel would also handle a wide range of other ancillary duties between emergency responses ultimately improving the department’s operational preparedness/readiness, while simultaneously lightening the work load for the call personnel to concentrate on training and emergency response. The need for additional personnel in the future will be driven by the continued viability of the call force, and, by valid and reliable statistical data developed by the Fire Chief to support the need. While the department may eventually get to the four personnel staffing 24/7 advocated for by some members of the department, that is not a realistic initial step in the department’s transition.
The MRI project team believes that another option that may be viable, with or without career staff, one that has been successful in many other call and volunteer fire departments and rescue squads, is the implementation of a duty crew system. Under the duty crew system, the department could be divided into two or three duty crews. Each duty crew would have their own separate alert tone and would function on some type of a rotational system with the other crews, perhaps one week on, and one or two weeks off. Only the “duty crew” would be dispatched initially to minor incidents often referred to as “still alarms”. The advantage of the duty crew system is two-fold. It preserves the active, primary response role of what is a relatively strong call/volunteer force while simultaneously reducing the constant need for personnel to respond to all incidents. Statistical analysis of incident response data and trends, once the program is operational, would provide guidance on what adjustments to the program may be required to optimize its effectiveness.
The department’s training functions need to be significantly strengthened. Grafton’s requirement that call personnel training just one time per month is significantly less than its peer communities reported in their surveys. It also would fall far short of the number of hours of training that are called for by various regulations and standards. NFPA alone calls for a minimum of 24 hours of structural firefighting training. Although training records were not available for inspection, several internal stakeholders informed the MRI project team that training at the station level is sporadic and often poorly attended. Failing to have personnel who are adequately trained is simply unacceptable in the current emergency services and exposes the Town to increased liability.
Having a sense of common vision is important for any organization to ensure that the organization and its personnel are moving in unison toward common goals. Having a common vision is not just making sure that all parties are aware that they are in the same boat and rowing, but even more importantly, that they are rowing in the same direction. The impact of not sharing a common vision will be very noticeable in the quality and quantity of work performed, but also with the spirit and passion that the work of the organization is accomplished.
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The Grafton Fire Department lacks operational administrative capacity and therefore lacks any type of long-range or strategic plan to chart its projected path to the future. The department does not even appear to have a mission statement (at least none was ever provided to MRI). The mission statement should provide the very foundation for the Grafton Fire Department, and, provide the broad direction that everything else that the department does is going to be built upon. The Fire Department does not currently have any formal vision statement, nor has it developed any core values that will help to drive the organization forward. Finally, it does not have a formal standard operating procedures/ guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) manual. Administrative oversight and supervision appear to be lacking.
There is also skepticism among the leadership of the Fire Department regarding what will be done with the results of this study. While again there is disagreement over the facts among the stakeholders, several senior fire department personnel informed the MRI team that the Town leadership or Governing Body had not met with the Fire Department leadership after a previous study was conducted of the Fire Department in 2015. This study by Clark University looked at the departments staffing levels from the perspective of, “How can an on-call fire department best be prepared to maintain adequate staffing levels through strategic recruitment and retention as substantial turnover is inevitable with retiring baby boomers?”
To that end, MRI proposes the following recommendations as a roadmap for initiating the significant change that needs to occur in the department.
Objective #1: The Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator should take an active role in setting appropriate goals and a vision for the Fire Department. Town officials should include residents and the department in an open and honest discussion within the goal-setting process. This process could provide the foundation for the formation of a long-range strategic planning committee comprised of a cross-section of community stakeholders.
Objective #2: The Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator should establish an annual goal-setting workshop with the Fire Chief to develop the sense of common vision necessary to improve the department and the quality of fire and rescue services the Town receives.
Objective #3: The Fire Chief should begin to develop a formal process for developing a long-term vision for the fire department. Part of this process should be the development of a mission statement to properly and accurately reflect the department’s overall mission within the community. In addition, a vision statement along with a set of core values should be developed by utilizing the input of department stakeholders. Although this is a time- consuming process it serves as a foundation to set a common direction for the organization.
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Objective #4: The Town Administrator and the current Fire Chief should start the process of planning for the retirement of the current Chief and the position transitioning from on-call to full-time career status.
Objective #5: The Grafton Fire Department must increase the monthly training hours required and implement an aggressive, and mandatory, back to basics fire training program for all personnel that is based on Massachusetts Fire Academy’s call and volunteer basic skills program. This action should include a training effort that is designed to refresh all personnel on the 85 specific “non- fire” hands-on skills and 20 “live fire” skills required for basic level certification. Contrary to the opinion of some personnel, “the department can, and MUST require members to training if they want to maintain active status”.
Objective #6: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing training records. The Fire Chief should meet individually with each member to review the training file and develop a prescriptive training plan.
Objective #7: A concerted effort should be made to improve the department’s information management, data entry, and statistical development capabilities.
Objective #8: The Fire Chief should form a committee for the purpose of putting together an aggressive and wide-ranging program for recruitment and retention of call personnel. While a long-term strategy to address this issue needs to be developed there are also short-term actions that can be taken to try to immediately re-motivate existing members of the department in an attempt to improve their participation and ultimately the department’s operations.
Objective #9: The Fire Chief, assisted by a committee comprised of a cross section of department stakeholders, should begin the development of a standard operations procedures/guidelines (SOP/SOG) manual starting with mission critical procedures such as, but not limited to, basic engine company and truck company operations, dwelling fires, commercial structures, rapid intervention team operations, personnel accountability, gas leaks, hazardous materials incidents, ice rescue, vehicle extrication operations, and thermal imaging camera, automatic external defibrillator use, and EMS protocols and procedures. The committee should be given whatever support is necessary to complete at least a basic manual within one year.
Objective #10: Based upon the foundation that currently exists and building upon the results of the recommendations contained in this report, the Town of
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Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should develop a formal process for implementing a long-term vision for the department and developing a strategic plan.
Overall, and despite its shortcomings, and the challenges it is facing, the Grafton Fire Department appears to have a positive public image, and, is respected for its long-standing service to the community. This is commendable. If the recommendations contained in this report are implemented, those levels of service will only improve to the ultimate benefit of every citizen of, and visitor to, the Town of Grafton.
This report should be studied and considered in its entirety to gain a complete picture of MRI’s recommendations. While the recommendations are numbered in each section, they have NOT been listed in any preferential manner or order of importance. The numbering is for reference purposes only. The areas that need improvement are by no means insurmountable, or beyond the Town’s and its leadership’s ability to deal with them. However, there are some significant issues that are facing the Grafton Fire Department. The Town and Fire Department leaderships should prioritize the recommendations, and coordinate solutions, based upon time, personnel availability, and fiscal realities.
In order to address the recommendations contained in this report, the Town and its Fire Department leadership and personnel should:
• Approach them strategically and in a systematic manner.
• Use them as the basis for the development of a long-range strategic plan for change and improvement.
• Break them down into reasonably sized components. Categorize them as short- term and long-term and/or high-priority and low-priority. This will allow a clear implementation plan to emerge that considers things such as which items can be accomplished within existing resources, and which items will require additional funding and/or time to accomplish in the coming years.
• Refer to them when making various recommendations, check them off as they are accomplished, revise the plan as necessary moving forward just making sure to maintain forward progress and most importantly, recognize the positive achievements publicly.
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XII. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT
II-1 The Town of Grafton should make it a priority to complete a comprehensive fire and rescue community risk assessment. This assessment should be done in conjunction with a fire and EMS calls for service demand analysis, and, take into consideration the Fire Department’s current operational capabilities and preparedness, as well as, the community’s level of service expectations. II-2 The Grafton Fire Department should work to develop and implement an internal risk management plan following the recommendations of NFPA 1500, Standard for a Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, and, NFPA 1250, Recommended Practice in Fire and Emergency Services Organization Risk Management. II-3 The Town of Grafton should strongly consider adopting a municipal bylaw requiring the installation of an automatic fire suppression systems, or, fire water supply cisterns in any new development consisting of three or more homes or, for any individual home of larger than a designated square footage, in the areas of the Town that are not covered by the municipal water supply system.
II-4 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a compelling public education program that includes discussing the benefits of installing residential fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family dwellings. Though Massachusetts’s construction codes do not allow residential fire sprinkler systems to be mandated, there is no prohibition for property owners to install them if they determine that it is in their best interest.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
III-1 The Town of Grafton should take steps to streamline the oversight and direction of the Grafton Fire Department by abolishing the Board of Fire Engineers and place full control, direction, and supervision, of the Fire Department under the control of the Town Administrator the same as the other town emergency services. It is MRI’s belief that the BOFE does not provide the appropriate level of checks and balances to properly and transparently oversee the operations of a 21st century fire department and should be relegated to the history books.
III-2 The Town of Grafton should revise the department’s overall table of organization to clearly delineate the chain of command and make it more effective by identifying exactly who reports to who and what the hierarchical relationships are (Figure III-1).
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FIRE CHIEF Full Time/Career
Administrative Assistant Fire Chief/ Fire Prevention
Deputy Fire Chief Part Time/Call
Captain Captain Captain Captain Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Fire Prevention/ Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Training Full Time/Career
Lieutenants (2) Lieutenant (2) Lieutenants (2) Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Fire Lieutenant Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Part Time/Call Recruitment and Retetnion Full Time/Career Call Firefighters Call Firefighters Call Firefighters Station 1 Station 2 Station 3
FIGURE III-1: PROPOSED GRAFTON FIRE DEPARTMENT TABLE OF ORGANIZATION
III-3 Managing, administering, and leading, a modern-day fire department requires a complex set of knowledge, skills, abilities, training, and experience. As a result, the Town of Grafton should make the position of Fire Chief a full-time, career position. This Chief should be a working chief, that is one who responds to most emergency incidents and takes an active hands-on role in incident mitigation. In conjunction with the current Chief, they should begin a succession planning process to begin looking toward the future and the changes that will bring to the department. As part of the preparation for this process, the Town should start the development of a comprehensive job description for the new Chief, including determining the necessary qualifications. As this position will be a working Chief, in addition to being mentally and physically capable of performing the job, suggested qualifications should include certification as a firefighter, fire officer (preferably be chief officer certified), and EMT, and possess Massachusetts
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fire prevention Level II credentialing. In order to recruit and attract quality candidates, the salary should be comparable to surrounding communities.
III-4 The position of full-time, career Fire Chief, although reporting to the Town Administrator should be designated a “strong” fire chief. For the Town to attract and retain a high-quality Chief, he/she must have a significant level of autonomy to lead and manage the department, including at times making unpopular decisions, without undue political influence, or even meddling, as may be more inclined to occur with a “weak” Chief who would be more susceptible to these pressures. The Town and the Chief should negotiate a strong personnel services contract to ensure that the interests of both parties are properly addressed and protected.
III-5 Prior to the retirement of the current Chief, and possibly utilizing the services of a professional consulting firm, through a variety of evaluative and assessment measures the Town should attempt to select for their next Chief, a leader who possesses the ideal combination of assets they have identified as necessary to meet the unique needs of the Grafton Fire Department to lead it through this critical transition process.
III-6 All officer positions, from lieutenant to fire chief, should be filled based upon the person’s firefighting/emergency services training, certifications, and experience commensurate with the position being sought, along with successful completion of a formal, rank appropriate assessment process, and a basic practical skills evaluation.
III-7 All officers should have one or more administrative duties/responsibilities to assist the Fire Chief with the department’s overall management, in addition to their normal emergency scene operational duties and station management responsibilities.
III-8 The Town of Grafton should consider increasing the annual financial stipend for each of the call officers to compensate them for the time involved with assisting with the management of the Fire Department. However, with this increased stipend must come increased expectations and accountability.
III-9 As part of the succession planning process, the next Fire Chief should work to implement a career development program to ensure that all officers can perform their superior’s duties, as well as, identify the core future leaders of the department.
III-10 Based upon the recommendations contained in this report, the Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should develop a formal process for implementing a long-term vision for the department. An early part of this process should include the development of a formal mission statement, vision statement, and set of core values. Well-designed mission statements should properly and accurately reflect the department’s overall mission within the community. Vision statements identify the very reason for the
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department’s existence and help to ensure that all personnel are working toward the same goals, or are proverbially, “all rowing in the same direction”. The development of core values helps to establish what the department and its membership stand for.
III-11 The Grafton Fire Department mission statement should be prominently displayed in each station along with the vision statement and core values (Figure III-2).
FIGURE III-2: SAMPLE MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES PLAQUE
III-12 The Grafton Fire Department should form a committee to develop a comprehensive rules and regulations document that identifies anticipated, acceptable/ permitted, and prohibited behaviors. This document should be distributed to and signed for by each member of the department. It will also provide important guidance to new personnel.
Some suggested sections for the rules and regulations could include, but are by no means limited to:
• A preamble • Department vision statement and mission statement • Purpose of the rules and regulations • Organization • Membership requirements • General rules of conduct • Officer qualifications and selection (may just reference current department procedure) • Officer duties and responsibilities • Chain of command ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 135 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
• Uniforms and grooming • Discipline • Other areas that may be agreed upon for inclusion
III-13 The Grafton Fire Department should form a committee as soon as possible to begin development of a comprehensive department standard operations procedure (SOP) manual, starting with mission critical procedures such as, but not limited to, Structure Fires, Basic Engine Company and Truck Company Operations, Rapid Intervention Team Operations, Personnel Accountability, Vehicle Extrication Operations, and Thermal Imaging Camera and Automatic External Defibrillator Use. The addition of numerous other procedures covering routine administrative operations and training procedures should then follow. The committee should be comprised of members of each rank. Due to the urgency of this task, and its significant importance to the department’s future success, the committee should be given whatever support is necessary to complete this task within one year. If necessary, outside professional assistance is available to assist with facilitating this endeavor.
The general set up and organization of the manual is a very important consideration and the department must insure that the manual/system is easy to utilize and cross reference the necessary procedure. If personnel are going to be required to learn and adhere to the department’s procedures, then the format, organization, and the filing of them must be user friendly, otherwise they will sit on a shelf unused.
The first operational procedure should identify and explain the components of the Written Communications System, including the use and organization of the SOP Manual and other components of the system such as standardized forms. This procedure should also contain a provision that the entire SOP Manual will be reviewed on at least an annual basis and that updates and revisions can/will be made at any time, as necessary. All procedures/revisions should be approved and issued after being signed by the Fire Chief.
III-14 The Grafton Fire Department should adopt a standardized SOP form that includes the following information:
• Title of the SOP • Number of the SOP • Category of the SOP (EMS Operations, Training, Administration, etc.) • Page number and total number of pages • Effective date • Revision date (if applicable) • Approval/signature of the Fire Chief
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If a procedure is reissued with only minor to moderate revisions it can carry the original issue date with the revision date also noted. Revisions from the previous version should be identified by some means within the revised document. Full-scale revisions to a procedure should result in it being reissued with a new issue date.
Each SOP should, at a minimum, contain the following sections:
• Purpose • Scope (If necessary and/or appropriate) • Definitions of terms (If necessary and/or appropriate) • Procedure(s)/Main body • References (If necessary and/or appropriate)
III-15 The Grafton Fire Department should develop and implement a procedure that provides for the documented review of policies, procedures, general orders, training and/or safety bulletins, etc. that includes a provision requiring each member of the department to sign that they received the document, have read it, and understand it.
III-16 The Grafton Fire Department should institute a process for issuing general orders, which are directives and/or special instructions that cover various facets of department operations but can be quickly issued as needed. They may cover a particular period of time regarding a special situation or may provide a temporary procedure pending development and issue of a full operational procedure.
Also included in the system should be training bulletins that would be issued to serve as reference regarding tested and approved methods of performing tasks; safety bulletins, that are issued to serve as references about general and specific safety and health issues; and informational bulletins that are published for the general knowledge of recipients. A numbering system should be implemented to keep track of these documents for indexing and future reference purposes.
III-17 The Grafton Fire Department should develop an effective system for ensuring that any new standard operating procedures, general orders, training bulletins, safety bulletins, and informational bulletins are distributed to all personnel and stations. Electronic communications are highly recommended as the method of choice for distributing departmental communications and documents.
III-18 Since Town policies and personnel regulations apply to all town employees, this material should be made available in each station (or on line), and policy training should be conducted on a periodic basis for all personnel.
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III-19 The Grafton Fire Department should immediately develop a comprehensive respiratory protection plan in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134, and a blood borne pathogens/exposure control plan in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1030. Appropriate SOPs that implement various components of these plans should also be developed. Annual training as required, should be provided to all personnel.
III-20 The Grafton Fire Department should take immediate steps to ensure that the department’s RMS is utilized for all aspects of the department’s management, operations, and recordkeeping, including incident reporting, training, inventory, fire prevention and inspections, maintenance, staffing and scheduling, personnel, and pre- fire planning. For records such as personnel records, training records, fire prevention inspection records, and vehicle and equipment maintenance records, efforts should be undertaken to retroactively enter critical data. To the extent possible, information that is stored in databases other than the Fire Department RMS should be moved to the RMS database.
III-21 For many types of records, hard copy files must also be maintained, in addition to electronic ones. This includes vehicle, station and equipment (hose, ladders, pumps, SCBA, hydraulic rescue equipment, etc.) inspection, testing and maintenance records, personnel and training records, and fire prevention records, to name just a few. In conjunction with the comprehensive use of the RMS regarding all aspects of fire department operations, the Grafton Fire Department should also insure that all pertinent hard copy records are correctly, and completely organized into appropriate files into some type of recognized and consistent filing system.
III-22 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should take steps, as soon as possible, to establish a department or town e-mail account for every member of the fire department. The Fire Department should also concurrently develop a procedure that requires every member of the department to check their e-mail at least weekly. Establishment of the e-mail accounts and this procedure will significantly improve communications and flow of information within the department. Documents that could be sent out electronically include, but would certainly not be limited to, training announcements, schedules, meeting/assignment announcements and reminders, and once implemented, components of the department’s written communications system such as Operational Procedures, General Orders, Training Bulletins, Safety Bulletins, and Informational Bulletins.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
IV-1 The Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal pre-incident planning program with the goal of having an up to date pre-plan for every business and commercial occupancy (including schools, churches, etc.). The purpose of a pre-incident planning
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program is to develop a fire/emergency response plan for buildings in the Town. A pre- fire/incident plan includes data such as the occupancy type, floor plans, construction type, hazards to firefighting, special conditions in the building, apparatus placement plan, water supply plan, and forcible entry and ventilation plan. Pre-planning will improve the firefighter knowledge of the specific tactics needed to handle a fire or other emergency at a facility and will alert them to on-site hazards and risks. Pre-fire/incident plans should be reviewed regularly and tested by periodic table-top exercises and on- site drills. It is recommended they utilize a cloud-based system that utilizes Ipad in apparatus, and other vehicles to enhance response capability by providing the information for use enroute to an incident and while on scene.
IV-2 When there is a report of a structure fire, or smoke in a structure, a full structural response should be automatically initiated. This would include the immediate, and automatic, response of several departments. Although cultural resistance should be expected, this is a common and successful practice employed in many smaller communities that have more limited response capabilities.
IV-3 In consultation and cooperation with its neighboring departments, the Grafton Fire Department should enter into automatic aid agreements that specifies the number and types of resources that should be dispatched to various types of reported emergencies. While the recommendations contained in this report can be adjusted/revised based upon a risk management process or pre-fire/incident plan, these processes take time. In the interim, MRI recommends that additional resources be dispatched to structural fire and emergency incidents.
IV-4 The Grafton Fire Department should implement a procedure that mandates the use of the I am Responding system by all personnel who are responding to an incident. This is particularly important during the day when the number of available personnel is very limited.
IV-5 The Grafton Fire Department should enhance it safety culture and emphasis through the establishment of a formal fireground/incident safety officer program. All department officers should receive safety officer training, obtain safety officer certification, and an operational procedure should be implemented that results in a guaranteed response of additional chief officers on every working/all hands incident.
IV-6 Working in conjunction with the Grafton Police Department dispatch center, the Grafton Fire Department should implement a procedure to provide for the dispatch center to provide interval time checks to the incident commander, for the incident commander to provide status reports, and as necessary PAR reports.
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IV-7 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a SOP specifying what information and times are necessary for the dispatcher to enter onto a fire incident report prior to the report being passed to the fire department. In order to develop the most accurate statistical database, all response time data should be entered into the appropriate National Fire Incident Response System (NFIRS) incident reporting database in a precise manner (hours/minutes/seconds). In order to accurately assess each component of overall response time, call processing time – turnout time – response time, these times should each be entered separately, and into the appropriate category in the NFIRS database.
IV-8 The Grafton Fire Department should immediately adopt an SOP that mandates that the incident report shall be completed by the incident commander (IC), or his/her designee, immediately upon completion of the incident. Should the IC designate someone else to complete the report for them, he/she is still ultimately responsible for the proper completion of the report and should review and approve it at their earliest convenience.
IV-9 The Grafton Fire Department needs to significantly improve their data gathering procedures and their ability to generate statistics regarding a wide range of their operations.
IV-10 Although more stringent than the requirements found in Table 4.3.2 of NFPA 1720 for suburban communities, through the utilization of automatic mutual aid agreements with neighboring communities, the Grafton Fire Department should attempt to achieve a goal of having a minimum of 14 personnel on the scene of any reported structure fire within 10 minutes or less.
IV-11 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should attempt to significantly improve its initial unit on scene response times.
STAFFING, RECRUITMENT & RETENTION
V-1 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should establish reasonable minimum response and training benchmarks for a member to continue to be designated as an active member in good standing. Four hours per month of training and 25% of all calls would be reasonable starting points. They should then conduct one-on- one interviews with all current members to determine their ability and/or willingness to meet these requirements. Personnel who will not or cannot should be placed into inactive status.
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V-2 The Town of Grafton and the Grafton Fire Department should apply for a federal SAFER grant for on-call recruitment and retention. This grant should be utilized to develop a comprehensive marketing program to attract new members, and provide incentives for the retention of those personnel such as tuition reimbursement, health care benefits, tax abatements, etc.
V-3 The Town of Grafton should recognize that the only way to develop a more active and properly staffed Fire Department in the absence of hiring a large force of career firefighters is to determine what would motivate potential responders (including current ones) and craft a program of investment that meets these extrinsic and intrinsic needs.
V-4 The Town of Grafton should convene a focus group to determine what concepts and recruitment and retention strategies are feasible and most attractive to both current members and potential candidates.
V-5 The Grafton Fire Department should make it a priority to develop an active on-call recruitment program led by a ranking call officer. At a minimum this program should consist of:
1. Developing a recruitment brochure and mailing it to all residents.
2. Holding periodic open houses at the fire station.
3. Performing public outreach and advertising through the local media.
4. Contacting community and service groups.
5. Developing an eye-catching banner on the Town’s website and the Friends of the Grafton Fire Department Facebook page.
6. Placing signs recruiting call personnel at the main entrances to Town.
7. Placing a temporary signboard at various locations within the community.
8. Placing signs recruiting call personnel in Town buildings and local businesses, particularly high-volume locations.
9. Placing lawn signs recruiting call personnel at locations throughout the community.
10. Implementing a fire explorer program.
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11. Maintaining an active presence in the local high school.
The proposed SAFER Grant could be utilized to cover many of these expenses.
V-6 The Grafton Fire Chief should develop a social media presence and involve other members of the department in this endeavor.
V-7 The Town of Grafton and the Grafton Fire Department should attempt to enter into partnerships with local businesses to allow their personnel to respond, when needed, to emergency incidents during working hours, without any financial penalty.
V-8 The Town of Grafton should explore the feasibility of utilizing, and in fact encouraging, town employees to perform “dual roles” by serving not only in their full-time positions but also serving the Town as call firefighters and/or rescue personnel. Caution is needed here though as there are provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act that would be applicable, particularly, if these personnel respond to incidents during times when they are not working.
V-9 The Town of Grafton should consider the development of a program that would provide active responders with the opportunity to obtain health insurance. The Town should pay a graduated percentage of this program based upon participation levels suggested in Figure V-7 including that a minimum number of hours of training be completed.
V-10 The Grafton Fire Department should seek assistance from the Massachusetts Call and Volunteer Firefighters Association (MCVFA) relative to enhancing recruitment and retention efforts in Grafton.
V-11 The Town of Grafton should consider hiring one full-time fire lieutenant who along with the Fire Chief, captain and the response of a per diem on-call firefighter would provide a four-person crew to insure guaranteed, timely, and qualified, response to day time emergency incidents and augment staffing at the time when most call members are least available to respond. With four personnel available for immediate response, supplemented by available call firefighters the department would much more frequently comply with the initial fire attack requirements recommended by NFPA, and required by OSHA.
V-12 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should consider implementing a duty crew system whereby the department will be divided into two or three duty crews. Utilizing their own separate dispatch tone, the duty crew would be dispatched to minor incidents reducing the need for the entire department to respond. An alternative duty crew system would have a crew of four personnel on duty in the station during designated hours.
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Under the duty crew system, the entire department would be dispatched and respond to potentially serious incidents such as any type of reported fire, rescue incidents, etc.
V-13 The Grafton Fire Department should work to develop statistics that indicate the frequency with which the department is able to comply with the requirements of NFPA 1720, and, the average number of call personnel who respond to each incident. These statistics should be further broken down by weekday daytime (normal working hours 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM), weekday night time (6:00 PM to 7:00 AM) and weekends.
V-14 As primarily call organizations where personnel respond from various locations upon receipt of an emergency incident dispatch, the Grafton Fire Department should mandate that personnel responding to incidents announce their response through the “I Am Responding” system. This will allow officers to better assess their available staffing in relation to the nature of the incident they are responding to.
TRAINING
VI-1 Should the Town of Grafton adopt the recommended organizational structure for the Grafton Fire Department, one of the duties of the full-time captain should be to develop and supervise the department’s training program.
VI-2 The Grafton Fire Department should conduct a comprehensive and formal training needs assessment for the purpose of determining training program priorities. Part of this needs assessment should be an initial evaluation of the current basic skills proficiency of ALL department personnel.
VI-3 Based upon the results of the needs assessment, the Grafton Fire Department should begin the development of a comprehensive training program that addresses, but is not limited to: applicable OSHA training, recommended NFPA training, every operational mission and responsibility of the department, and specialized training including personnel/officer development. The training should comply with accepted and/or recommended practices and standards, should include standardized evolutions, and should be consistent with newly developed and/or updated operational guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
VI-4 Formal training of some type, lasting a minimum of two hours, should occur weekly. The training should be lesson plan driven, and when appropriate, EMT continuing education credit hours should be applied for through the state Office of EMS. Additional opportunities for training can be found during related activities such as weekly/monthly apparatus and equipment inspections, and, building pre-planning activities.
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VI-5 Additional, high intensity training on various subjects, including periodic live fire training, should be conducted on a quarterly or semi-annual basis at a formal fire academy where appropriate training facilities, structures, and props are available.
VI-6 All Grafton Fire Department personnel should be required to complete a minimum of 48 hours of documented training per year (an average of 4 hours per month) including all mandatory training.
VI-7 Training should be delivered and/or conducted utilizing formal, standardized lesson plans that include objectives and performance criterion. However, when this is not possible or practical (a frequent occurrence in the fire service), a detailed description of the training should be included in the narrative section of the training report.
VI-8 All training that is conducted, no matter how brief or inconsequential it may seem, MUST result in the completion of a formal training report. Training reports should include the date, time training commenced, time duration of the training, the instructor, the officer in charge, names of all personnel trained, and include a detailed description of the training or reference the formal lesson plan utilized. All persons trained should sign or initial either a printed hard copy of the training report, or if this is not practical, a sign in sheet should be attached. The officer in charge, and when possible, the instructor, should also sign the hard copy training report.
A formal operational procedure on the completion of training reports should be developed. The training module of the department’s RMS should be utilized for completion of training reports and to assist with the development of a training database, keeping track of certifications and related lapse dates, etc.
VI-9 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a separate training file for each member that can provide a supplement to the member’s main personnel file. The training file should, at a minimum, include all course completion certificates, professional certifications, skills performance evaluation sheets and reports, and an annual summary of completed training.
VI-10 As part of the development of a new comprehensive training program, the department should implement periodic basic skills proficiency evaluations for ALL personnel. These proficiency evaluations, consisting of standardized evolutions, can be based upon recognized standards and benchmarks, in conjunction with performance criterion and benchmarks established through evaluation of, and based upon, Grafton Fire Department operations and procedures.
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VI-11 In order to assist with the large amount of training that needs to be done, and in recognition of their important role in the delivery of training and the success of the program, the Grafton Fire Department should provide fire instructor training for any members of the department who wish to take it. All officers should be formally certified at Fire Instructor Level I.
VI-12 The Grafton Fire Department should insure that all department members are trained/ certified to the minimal NIMS level required for their duties/responsibilities and ranks. The department should also further enhance the level of incident management training provided to the members of the department. In addition to the basic I-100/I-700 training mandated, it is MRI’s recommendation that all personnel be trained to the ICS- 200 level. All officers should be trained to the ICS-300 level. All chief level officers should be trained to the ICS-400 level.
VI-13 The Grafton Fire Department should strongly encourage its officers to obtain a certain level of fire officer certification as a job requirement such as Fire Officer I for lieutenant, Fire Officer II for captain, Fire Officer III for deputy/assistant fire chief, and Fire Officer Level IV for fire chief.
VI-14 The Grafton Fire Department should require that all officers be certified as Incident Safety Officers. Additional personnel who may be interested should be encouraged to take this training and obtain this important firefighter safety certification.
VI-15 The Grafton Fire Department should encourage personnel to seek additional training on their own, and to the financial and practical extent possible, send personnel to outside training opportunities. Information gained at this training can then be brought back and delivered to other members of the department. Training reports should be completed for all this training, and copies of any certificates earned should be placed in the member’s personnel and training files. A training board should be placed in each station where upcoming training opportunities can be posted for all personnel to review. These opportunities should also be posted on the department’s website and could be e-mailed to every member once addresses are established.
VI-16 The Grafton Fire Department should seek annual funding in the training budget to upgrade its training resources such as manuals, DVDs, and subscriptions to other available training resources.
VI-17 The Grafton Fire Department should, as part of its written communications system, develop Training Bulletins which would be issued to serve as reference regarding tested and approved methods of performing various tasks and Safety Bulletins which should be issued to serve as references about general and specific safety and health issues.
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FACILITIES AND APPARATUS
VII-1 All three Grafton fire stations should be equipped with carbon monoxide alarms. These important life safety devices should be installed as soon as possible.
VII-2 The Town of Grafton should include fire and personnel safety upgrades to the North and South Grafton fire stations in future capital improvement plans. These upgrades should be based upon the projected long-term use and mission of each of the stations.
VII-3 The Grafton Fire Department should consider installing surveillance camera systems at all three fire stations. These systems should be monitored by the Police dispatch “radio room”. Since these stations are normally not staffed, this would allow a dispatcher to monitor the facilities and communicate with visitors to the station that may require assistance.
VII-4 The Grafton Fire Department should replace the air compressor at Station 2, to allow the apparatus deployed from there to be connected to air shore lines to maintain air system pressure between responses.
VII-5 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure that appropriate tests and inspections are conducted as required/recommended, and that records are maintained for all systems in their facilities such as fire suppression systems, fire detection and alarm systems, and emergency generators.
VII-6 The Grafton Fire Department should maintain records of all repairs conducted at each station, as well as costs associated with maintaining each station, in order to assist in the annual budget process and in long-term capital improvement planning.
VII-7 The Town of Grafton should formally adopt – and follow – the capital apparatus replacement plan found in the Town of Grafton, Massachusetts Fire Department Fire Apparatus Fleet Review and Assessment prepared by Emergency Vehicle Response Fire Protection Consultants in 2016.
VII-8 The Grafton Fire Department should continue equipping new pumping apparatus with compressed air foam system (CAFS) capabilities to improve fire knockdown capabilities, especially in limited staffing conditions.
VII-9 As an alternative to the engine/water tower apparatus recommended by EVR, the Town of Grafton should give consideration to the acquisition of a true “quint”18 apparatus that
18 A “quint” serves the dual purpose of an engine and a ladder truck. The name quint refers to the five functions that a quint provides: pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device and ground ladders.
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has a 75’ aerial ladder and is configured to also fully function as a fire pumper (Figure VII-21).
Figure VII-21: A Quint such as this one in service in Springfield and equipped with a 1500 gallon per minute pump, 500-gallon water tank and 75' aerial will more than adequately meet the Grafton Fire Department's operational needs and provide the community with a versatile, multi-function vehicle particularly in limited staffing conditions and when responding as the first out unit and “engine” to many incidents. (Photo: Mass Fire Trucks)
VII-10 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure that all fire apparatus pumps are serviced, inspected, and tested at intervals no greater than 12 months apart, in accordance with NFPA and ISO standards. All tests conducted, results including deficiencies noted, and any corrective action taken should be documented.
VII-11 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure all department aerial and ground ladders are serviced, inspected and tested at intervals no greater than 12 months apart, in accordance with NFPA standards. All tests conducted, results including deficiencies noted, and any corrective action taken should be documented.
VII-12 The Grafton Fire Department should ensure that all department hose is inspected and tested, at intervals no greater than 12 months, in accordance with NFPA and ISO standards. All tests conducted, results including deficiencies noted, and any corrective action taken should be documented.
VII-13 The Grafton Fire Department should develop a complete inventory of all department equipment, review compliance with NFPA criteria (including the proper organization and mounting/securing of equipment in crew cabs and compartments) and assess the department’s own operational and equipment needs. The inventory should be updated at least annually to ensure that it is current. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 147 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
VII-14 The Grafton Fire Department should adopt a policy of purchasing new NFPA 1901 compliant equipment when new apparatus is purchased. This policy will ensure that equipment is the most technologically up-to-date and that it is safe and functional. It will also make it possible to keep reserve apparatus fully equipped for immediate use.
VII-15 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal replacement plan for equipment. The regular replacement of large cost items such as hose and SCBA on an incremental basis will avoid major one-time increases in the operating budget. The life expectancy of these items can be estimated based on usage and manufacturer's recommendations.
VII-16 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should take advantage of the fire apparatus and ambulance group purchasing system that is sponsored by the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts (FCAM) and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). Municipalities may select a specific design and manufacturer from a pre- determined bid list and are not required to establish their own bid process. It is estimated that this group purchasing system will save approximately five to ten percent of the cost of a fire truck or ambulance (see www.mapc.org).
VII-17 The procurement of most of the Grafton Fire Department’s future apparatus needs will normally be funded at the annual town meeting. However, in any given year, a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG or FireAct) could also be pursued as a way to obtain funding. This is particularly true if the requested apparatus is going to replace more than one unit. If the AFG grant application is successful, then any already capital project funding can be cancelled.
FISCAL FORECASTING AND CAPITAL PLANNING
VIII-1 The Town of Grafton should review all fees on an annual basis for possible increases in accordance with state law.
VIII-2 The Town of Grafton should explore additional potential ways to generate revenue to offset the Fire Department’s operating costs. Consideration could be given to billing insurance companies for response to motor vehicle accidents; registration fees for fire alarm systems; and, implementing fines for repeat false alarms.
VIII-3 The Grafton Fire Department should identify and prioritize its most critical equipment, training and/or operational needs, and apply annually to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. This should include making applications for apparatus capital replacement projects that will otherwise be funded through the Town’s capital budget and at town meeting.
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VIII-4 The Town of Grafton should apply for a federal SAFER grant in 2019 for the salaries of the two (full time firefighter/EMTs recommended elsewhere in this report citing an attempt to better comply with the provisions of NFPA 1710/1720.
VIII-5 The Grafton Fire Department should prioritize its fire prevention and public fire education needs and apply annually to the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant (FP&SG) program.
VIII-6 The Town of Grafton and Grafton Fire Department should actively search for other grant opportunities. Grants for fire protection, fire safety, fire prevention, domestic and emergency preparedness, and homeland security may be available from federal, state, corporate, and foundation sources.
VIII-7 The Grafton Fire Department should actively seek out businesses that may be interested in establishing public/private partnerships that could provide, or assist with, funding for various programs, projects, or initiatives.
VIII-8 The Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal replacement plan for equipment. The regular replacement of large cost items such as hose, ladders, PPE, portable radios, AEDs, and even SCBA on an incremental basis will avoid major one-time increases in the annual operating budget where such purchases should be funded. For instance, the hose and ladders on one vehicle can be replaced in the next fiscal year, another the following year, etc. The life expectancy of these items can be estimated based on usage and manufacturer's recommendations. Items such as hose and ladders can remain in service indefinitely, provided they continue to successfully pass their annual tests.
FIRE PREVENTION
IX-1 As part of the Grafton Fire Department’s proposed reorganization, one of the primary responsibilities of the full time captain should be to serve as the department’s fire prevention officer and ensure that all mandated inspections are completed at the required intervals, and allow the operation of a comprehensive, multi-faceted fire prevention program that includes periodic inspections (preferably on an annual basis) of all commercial/business occupancies and ongoing public fire education activities throughout the year.
IX-2 The Grafton Fire Department should continue to support training and professional development activities for department members in the fire prevention and fire inspection areas. This can include, among other endeavors, attendance at the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts, and Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. Credentialing at the Fire Inspector I, II, and III levels should be required for the captain
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and the career Fire Chief, should the Town decide to create that position. All additional full-time personnel should be required, at a minimum, to possess/obtain Fire Inspector Level I credentialing as a condition of employment. Call personnel should be encouraged to obtain this training/certification as well. The full-time captain should also be required to attend fire prevention and management courses at the National Fire Academy.
IX-3 Should the Town of Grafton decide to hire additional full-time, career personnel, the Grafton Fire Department should establish a formal in-service fire safety inspection program. The on-duty personnel can be assigned with the responsibility for “in-service” inspections to identify and mitigate fire hazards in buildings and to familiarize firefighters with the layout of buildings, identify risks that may be encountered during firefighting operations, and to develop pre-fire plans. On-duty personnel in many departments are assigned responsibility for permit inspections and public fire safety education activities. In order to establish an in-service inspection program, it will be necessary to:
• Train personnel on proper procedures (all personnel should be credentialed at least to the Fire Inspector I level recommended above); • Develop standard operating guidelines for in-service inspections; • Establish inspection schedules; • Establish a system for documenting inspections and notifying property owners of fire hazards; • Establish a follow-up inspection system to ensure that hazards have been mitigated; and • Require on-duty personnel to conduct regular in-service inspections of all building construction sites in the town.
IX-4 The Grafton Fire Department should continue to update its website on a regular basis to provide its customers, and other interested parties, as much information as possible on fire safety, fire prevention, and the department as a whole. The department should also work actively to make on-line permitting, inspection scheduling, etc. a reality.
IX-5 The Town of Grafton should consider the adoption of a bylaw as permitted under MGL to allow enforcement action, including the issuing of fines/penalties for repeat false fire alarm activations.
IX-6 The Grafton Fire Department should make the delivery of year-round public fire safety education programs, in the schools, and throughout the community a top priority since this is the area where the fire service is most effective at preventing fires, injuries, and deaths. Personnel should be encouraged to obtain the Fire and Life Safety Educator certification issued by the state fire marshal’s office. ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 150 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
IX-7 The Grafton Fire Department should continue to maintain and enhance its library of fire prevention reference materials, including maintaining online subscriptions such as NFPA and its professional subscriptions.
IX-8 The Grafton Fire Department should consider participating in the red and blue joint fire investigation team program in a collaborative endeavor with other local fire departments and the Grafton Police Department. This would allow routine fire cause and origin investigations to be conducted by local area public safety personnel. In most cases the “red” component, fire personnel, are a regional resource, while the “blue” component, police personnel, are from the local jurisdiction. When necessary, the State Fire Marshal can still be requested to assist with large or complex fire investigations or when specialized investigative resources are required (such as an accelerant detection dog). The State Fire Marshal's Office is also automatically called in for fires that result in a fatality.
Benchmarking and Comparative Analysis
X-1 The Grafton Fire Department should make it a priority to improve its information gathering and management capabilities regarding the entry of a wide range of data pertinent to department operations which will in turn allow the development of statistics to evaluate the department’s operations in comparison with nationally recognized benchmarks, and locally established goals and objectives.
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XIII. PROJECT TEAM PROFILE
The following practitioners contributed to this project. Each member of the team has more than 25 years of field experience in their respective discipline.
PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE Alan S. Gould, President and Chief Operating Officer, is a graduate of Saint Anselm College with a BS degree in Criminal Justice. He is certified as a Public Manager by the American Academy of Certified Public Managers and has completed numerous management and leadership programs including the Babson Command Training Institute and the FBI’s LEEDS program. He is recognized for his creativity in community policing and his leadership in promoting ethics in the law enforcement community. Mr. Gould began his public sector career with the Salem, NH, Police Department where, during 21 years, he served at all ranks of the Department. He served as Chief of Police in Rye, NH, where, upon retirement from law enforcement, he was appointed and served as Town Administrator until joining MRI in 2008. Mr. Gould served as the Ethics Instructor at the New Hampshire Police Academy for 15 years and has been an instructor of college courses in Criminal Code, Criminal Investigation, Report Writing, Constitutional Law, and Juvenile Delinquency. Among his many community involvements, Alan served as an initial incorporator of two non-profit organizations; one addressing family violence and visitation issues, and the other established to help seniors remain in their homes as they age. He continues to serve as Deputy Emergency Management Director in the coastal community of Rye, NH, located within the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant’s Emergency Planning Zone. In addition to his responsibilities as MRI’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Gould manages most of the company’s public safety projects including operational studies and “internal” investigations. Mr. Gould also specializes in recruitment/selection processes for executive level municipal positions and has completed dozens of processes for top management positions throughout New England.
PROJECT MANAGER Brian P. Duggan, Director, Fire Services Group, recently retired from the Fire Department in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he has instituted substantial changes to modernize and restructure the entire department including equipment, facilities, personnel, and training. In conjunction with his staff, Brian has created a regional Advanced Life Support Program that currently serves eighteen communities within the Northampton Area. He formerly commanded the Northborough, Massachusetts, Fire Department, and has significant experience with the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services where he held several key positions. Mr. Duggan developed and directed the Graduate and Undergraduate Fire Science Programs at Anna Maria College in Paxton Massachusetts from 1995 - 2003. Mr. Duggan has a Business Management/Fire Science degree from Providence College and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and the Senior Executive Program for State and Local Leaders at Harvard University. In December 2012, Mr. Duggan received a ______Fire Department Operational Study- Grafton, MA Page 152 Prepared by Municipal Resources, Inc. December 2018
Master’s Degree in Homeland Security through the Naval Post Graduate School based in Monterey, California, where his thesis entitled “Enhancing Decision-making during the First Operational Period of Surge Events” was selected as an outstanding thesis. He is one of only a few fire service professionals to be designated as a Chief Fire Officer by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. He leads the Massachusetts fire service through his affiliation as Chairman of the Fire Chief Association of Massachusetts Technology Committee and as a Regional Director on the Massachusetts State Fire Mobilization Committee. Mr. Duggan has authored several publications, inclusive of writing Section 7, Chapter 3, Fire Department Information Systems, in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Editions of the National Fire Protection Association’s Fire Protection Handbook. Chief Duggan has served as a subject advisor to MRI since 2002.
TEAM MEMBERS Peter J. Finley, Jr., Senior Consultant, Fire and EMS most recently served as Chief of the Winslow Township Fire Department in New Jersey, where he was responsible for the planning, establishment, and initial deployment of the career component of the department. He previously served for 4 ½ years as the Chief of Department for the City of Vineland, New Jersey Fire Department where he initiated significant changes within the department including updating and modernizing equipment, providing the department’s first ever formal officer training, and significantly increasing the capabilities of the regional hazardous materials response team. During his tenure, the department received more than one million dollars in various grants. He formerly commanded the Vineland Rescue Squad gaining significant EMS operations and command experience, as well as completing an overhaul of that organization’s operations. Chief Finley serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Fire Science Program at Camden County College. Chief Finley received his Associate in Applied Science degree from Atlantic Community College in New Jersey, and, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science/Administration from the University of Maryland. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, earning perfect scores on three of his four Applied Research Projects. He was awarded an Outstanding Research Award for his 2002 paper titled, “Residential Fire Alarm Systems: The Verification and Response Dilemma”. Chief Finley holds nearly two dozen state and national certifications and is a member of a number of fire service organizations, including achieving the prestigious Chief Fire Officer designation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (formerly the Center for Public Safety Excellence). He is a member of a number of fire service organizations and is currently serving as President of the New Jersey Career Fire Chiefs Association where he has been involved in the development and administration of fire service promotional examinations. From 2003–2005 he served on the Training and Education Committee of the Governor’s Fire Service and Safety Task Force. He also previously served on the state committee that developed New Jersey’s first Firefighter I Instructor Manual.
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Robert C. Craig, Senior Consultant, Fire and EMS most recently served as Interim Director of Fire and Emergency Medical Services for the Town of Acton, Massachusetts. Immediately prior to this he had served the Town of Acton during his entire career of almost 44 years of service as a member of the Acton Fire Department which included his last 22 years as Fire Chief. The Town of Acton Fire Department is staffed by 42 career personnel, housed in three Fire/EMS stations and provides full fire, rescue and emergency services including EMS for approximately 23,000 residents. During his career Bob administered an annual fire department budget of approximately 3 million dollars. Together with the Acton Police Chief, he also managed a joint Public Safety Dispatch Center. Bob holds an Associate Degree in Fire Science and Technology as well as a Bachelor of Arts Degree and is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program of the National Fire Academy. He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs; the New England Association of Fire Chiefs; the Fire Chief’s Association of Massachusetts and the National Fire Protection Association. Bob has served for over twenty (20) years as a member of the Massachusetts Fire Training Council as one of the representatives of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts and now continues to serve as appointed by the Governor to represent the Citizens of the Commonwealth. He has attained professional status and recognition as a credentialed Fire Chief in Massachusetts. Bob has a diverse background and expertise in Firefighting, EMS, Dispatch, Fire Prevention and Investigation, Emergency Planning and Operations, Municipal Finance and Government and Labor/Management relations. During his career he has also participated in the study of and /or implementation of a number of regional programs including Fire Investigation, Dispatch, and EMS to include ALS services. In addition, he has been instrumental with the planning and construction of a public safety facility which included a joint dispatch center and Fire/EMS station construction and renovations. He has also participated in a number of Fire/EMS management studies.
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APPENDIX A
A Call for Action The Blue Ribbon Report Preserving and Improving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service
A Call for Action The Blue Ribbon Report Preserving and Improving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service
m a r c h 200 4 A Call for Action The Blue Ribbon Report Preserving and Improving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service
AUTHORS Chief Gary Scott VCOS Legislative Chair Campbell County Fire Department Gillette, Wyo.
Chief John M. Buckman III, CFO IAFC President 2001–2002 German Township Volunteer Fire Department Evansville, Ind.
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Fire Marshal Robert Bettenhausen, CFO Chief John Leahy VCOS Executive Committee VCOS Executive Committee Village of Tinley Park Volunteer Fire Department Former President ISFSI march 2004 Tinley Park, Ill. Pinellas Suncoast Fire and Rescue Indian Rocks Beach, Fla. Chief Larry Curl, Ret. VCOS Chair Chief Fred Windisch EFO, CFO Wayne Township Fire Department Former VCOS Chair Indianapolis, Ind. IAFC Director Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department Chief Richard Gasaway, EFO, CFO Houston, Texas Roseville Fire Department Roseville, Minn. Executive Summary America’s volunteer fire service has faithfully served our nation for more than 300 years. Volunteer firefighters serve their communities with dedication and enthusiasm. Volunteer fire departments save local communities approximately $37 billioni per year—money that can be reinvested to improve local infrastructure, social programs and minimize the local tax burden.
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, America has learned that local emergency responders are the com- munity’s FIRST line of response, regardless of the event. Community protection and well-being depends on the expe- rience, expertise and tenure of local emergency service providers. The volunteer fire service faces significant challenges in overcoming a basic lack of resources—both financial and in human capital. Only by aggressively confronting both of these issues will we create the necessary atmosphere of stability that will allow volunteer fire and rescue depart- ments to meet the new expectations and challenges of the 21st century.
While volunteer firefighters and emergency workers provide a tremendous contribution to our country, they are often under-funded and ill-equipped. Lacking cohesive national leadership, efforts to correct these problems are often frag- mented and ineffective. Additionally, volunteer fire departments have a difficult time retaining volunteers. Ultimately, much of the blame for these problems can be attributed to poor leadership. Unfortunately, there are few programs at the local, state or national level to assist fire chiefs and volunteer managers in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for effective management.
Support from the local, state and federal levels is necessary to ensure that the volunteer fire service continues to be a full partner with all facets of homeland security response and effectively functions as the first line of defense with- in local communities. The International Association of Fire Chiefs believes that by enacting the specific recommen- dations outlined in the text of this report, we can enhance the role of the volunteer fire service in this critical mission. The most important of those recommendations are outlined below.
At the local level, we must: 1. Emphasize the importance of local support for this basic community service 2. Provide appropriate levels of funding for necessary safety gear and training 3. Engage in strategic planning that emphasizes volunteer retention 4. Use mutual aid to offset service and technical deficiencies 5. Use uniform incident management systems 6. Use performance measurement to measure and analyze response times, fire fighting effectiveness, training and retention rates of volunteer fire departments.
At the state level, we must: 1. Emphasize the importance of the state government in developing and promoting disaster planning 2. Certify fire and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to comply with basic training standards 3. Promote regional service delivery where local capabilities and technical expertise are weak 4. Provide statewide volunteer benefit programs to protect both the firefighter and employer from the risks associated with volunteer fire service.
Finally, at the federal level, we must: 1. Work to produce a national climate encouraging individuals to volunteer within their local communities
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 1 A Call for Action The Blue Ribbon Report Preserving and Improving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service
Introduction America’s volunteer fire service is deeply woven into the basic fabric of our nation. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are close to 800,000 volunteer firefighters across the United States, and the majority of this nation’s geographical area is protected by volunteer fire departments. Of all the fire departments in America, 73 percent are all-volunteer departments.
Firefighters, both career and volunteer, are extremely dedicated to public service. This trait explains why firefighters often take tremendous risks to save the lives of the citizens they are sworn to protect. Volunteer firefighters, because of their diverse educational and employment backgrounds, bring tremendous depth and diversity to any emergency scene based upon their regular jobs and expertise in their communities. In many cases, volunteer firefighters invest an enormous amount of time and dedication to fire fighting, moving the fire service forward through improved fire fighting techniques and technological innovations.
Volunteer firefighters provide an enormous economic benefit to our nation. It is estimated that volunteer firefighters save the American taxpayers $37 billionii per year that can be reinvested in each community’s infrastructure, social and other community programs, and/or a general reduction in local taxes.
Unfortunately, despite their tremendousmarch contribution to American 2004 society, volunteer fire departments are often under- funded and ill-equipped, putting many in a position where they must raise their own operational funds to provide apparatus and safety equipment. In addition, the number of volunteer firefighters is declining across the country. During the mid-1980s, it was estimated the volunteer fire service was more than 880,000 members strong, but those numbers have dropped to less than 800,000 in recent years.iii Finally, the volunteer and combination fire service con- tinues to be unorganized across the nation with no clear leadership representing the volunteers. It has no unified posi- tion on national legislative initiatives or research issues affecting their services. Volunteer departments and their man- agers will continue to struggle until local, state and national attention directs a concentrated effort to assist in preserving and improving the management of this long-standing American tradition.
The perception of the role of emergency services changed with the events of Sept. 11, 2001. These attacks against America changed the expectations of local emergency providers who are now clearly each community’s first line of response, regardless of the event. As the country and local communities re-evaluate their abilities to respond and
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 2 handle new threats, such as weapons of mass destruction and biological incidents, the stability of the American vol- unteer fire service has become a significant issue. Community protection and well-being depends on the experience, expertise and longevity of local emergency service providers. It becomes imperative that local communities under- stand that the homeland is secure when the hometown is secure. Local communities and the leadership of those communities will look toward the volunteer fire department for answers to questions of terrorist threats and threat assessment. Enhancing the overall community safety is a new responsibility for local responders. Significant improve- ments in the volunteer fire service will be necessary to improve retention and create an atmosphere of stability, allow- ing local, volunteer fire departments to meet the new expectations and challenges of the 21st century.
Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments Across the United States: Examples of Value and Effectiveness Campbell County, Wyo., is governed by a Joint Powers Fire Board and covers the City of Gillette, the Town of Wright and all of Campbell County, with a total response area of 5,000 square miles and a population of approximately 40,000 residents. One third of the nation’s coal supply is mined in this community. The combination fire depart- ment is composed of 19 career positions and 175 volunteers. The volunteer firefighters of Campbell County have saved local taxpayers more than $21 million in wages alone since 1996. The department’s savings are calculated on the reduced need for full-time career staffing and the actual dollar savings for 226,243 donated hoursiv during the study period. When assigned a value of $16.05 per volunteer hourv (used as a national mean), the volunteer con- tribution of $3,413,244 annually becomes a significant savings for the community.
The Campbell County Fire Department provides all of the normal city emergency services—fire suppression, emer- gency medical response, rescue, etc. It enjoys an above average working relationship with law enforcement and pro- vides extensive industrial and wildland fire response expertise. The department offers full administrative services including building inspections, plan reviews, investigations, public education, vehicle and building maintenance, and an aggressive industrial fire training and hazardous materials training program to community businesses. All career employees provide both shift coverage and administrative duties. Tactical operations are considered fully integrated and all personnel, regardless of career or volunteer status, meet the same training and experience standards for the rank that they hold. The department retention rate for volunteers is 17 years per person.
The department is family based with yearly activities that support and promote a strong family unit. The department sponsors the Campbell County Cadet Program, which functions as a worksite for juvenile offenders and was chosen as the number one Junior Emergency Services program in the United States in 2000 by Volunteer Fire Insurance Services. Volunteers are active in a number of community events throughout the calendar year, including a commu- nity pancake feed serving more than 2,000 people on the Fourth of July and a number of fundraising projects to assist less fortunate families in the community.
The midwest village of Tinley Park, Ill. is protected by a 120-member paid on-call volunteer fire department. All fire- fighters are certified and tested under the state of Illinois certification program. Tinley Park provides coverage for haz- ardous materials incidents, and features a Combined Area Rescue Team (CART) that provides special services for build- ing collapse and major structural incidents, as well as a Rapid Intervention Team (RIT). All department members are trained to the Hazardous Materials Awareness level, and members of CART and RIT are certified by the state of Illinois.
The department also employs two personnel specializing in public education, inspections, preplanning, and investi- gations, supporting the overall safety mission of the department and relieving these administrative duties from the vol- unteers. It is the largest volunteer fire department of this type in the state of Illinois, protecting a population of 56,000 residents and an estimated 100,000 daytime work population within the 17-square mile area. Full city services are provided from four fully equipped fire stations, and personnel are trained at a state-of-the-art training center. Tinley Park has an Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating of Class 3. The department averages 800 calls per year with a
3 IMPROVING VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE SERVICEABILITY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES turnout rate of 30 firefighters per call.vi The department also assists the local EMS provider with incidents requiring extrication or reported entrapment. All fire department motorized equipment is secured through fund drives. For example, in 2004, community fund drives will finance and pay for the cost of one Class A pumper and a one com- bination Quint 95’ aerial unit with a total cost $1,500,000.
The department boasts a retention rate of approximately six years per firefighter. Because of the volunteer coverage, the estimated yearly savings to the village exceeds $3,744,000 per year, deducting the direct volunteer expenses. This is one-quarter the cost of a full-time department.
In German Township, Ind., the predominantly volunteer department (two paid personnel and 70 active volunteers) serves 11,000 residents and provides the community a direct savings in staffing costs of $441,000 per year. German Township Volunteer Fire Department responds with an average of 10 volunteer personnel per call. To replace the vol- unteers with an all paid staff would cost their residents more than $1.5 million dollars annually.
The community is a suburban bedroom community. Nearly 99 percent of the residents own their residences, and 50 percent of the population has moved into the community within the last 10 years. The fire protection challenges are significantly impacted by the availability of water. A large segment of the population and geographical area has a rural water system that does not provide hydrants every 500 or 1,000 feet. The other portion of the population is pro- tected by a municipal water system that does provide hydrants in the normal configuration. The water or lack of it requires the department purchase apparatus with large water tanks.
The department historically has made a significant commitment to training its members. It has always been its goal that each member is highly trained and competent in all necessary skills. The department’s training program is out- come-based and requires a significant investment of time and energy. The instructional staff has identified more than 70 basic skills, and written drills have been developed to allow members to train and measure their competency with- out attending every regular training session. These basic skills drills have significantly improved the members’ com- petency. They know that when confronted with a dangerous situation, they will be able to perform the fire ground evolution safely and effectively.
Leadership development and certification are encouraged, and in most cases tuition reimbursement is available for course work. The promotional process for leadership positions is based upon a written test, experience, education, seniority and personal performance evaluation. It is not based upon an election or the buddy system. Officers main- tain their ranks on a permanent basis provided they continue to receive satisfactory evaluations.
The Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department is an ISO Class 3 rated, combination fire department in northern Harris County (Houston), Texas—the third most populous county in the nation. The department, formed in 1972 as population growth in the area exploded, currently serves a population of approximately 45,000 people in 13 square miles and provides the com- munity a direct savings of $439,000 per year based on the hours donated by volunteers. To provide the same coverage with an all-career department would cost the taxpayers an additional $3,315,000 per year in personnel expenses.vii
The county lacks the tax base to provide the necessary funding to transition to full-time career positions. The Emergency Services District levies a tax of 6 cents per hundred dollars of evaluation, which equates to $60 per $100,000 of prop- erty value that fund all operating and capital expenditures. The 65 volunteers continually demonstrate their commit- ment to the community by their performance and by maintaining a very effective response system that includes fire, technical rescue, EMS first response, water rescue, hazardous materials response, public education and a host of other services. The cost of the high quality services is only $27 per resident, which compares to full career departments that are above $110 per resident.viii
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 4 The Roseville, Minn. Fire Department is staffed by two full-time career firefighters and 70 volunteer firefighters serv- ing a first-ring suburb of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The volunteers represent a vast cross-section of the community, rang- ing in age from 18 to 55. The chosen full-time career fields of Roseville’s volunteers include: police officers, account- ants, software engineers, bankers, career firefighters, city employees, teachers and a dentist. More than half of the department’s members have college degrees. In addition to their very demanding full-time jobs and family commit- ments, each volunteer contributes an average of 16 hours every week serving the community. Many say that serving as a volunteer firefighter completes their lives, giving them an opportunity to serve others during difficult times and gives them a reward and sense of fulfillment and teamwork they are unable to achieve in their full-time occupations.
Providing fire and rescue services from three stations, the volunteer department consumes only 3.8 percent of the city’s $35 million budget, easily earning it the accolades of best value in town. In addition to an intense commitment to pro- vide high quality service for the department’s 700 annual emergency responses, members contribute thousands of hours supporting hundreds of community events each year. Throughout the summer, Roseville firefighters are frequent visitors to the city’s 28 parks, giving hundreds of kids of all ages an opportunity to ride a fire engine and learn fire pre- vention tips. Firefighters will dress-up a parent in firefighter gear, using the opportunity to teach kids about the equip- ment firefighters use while educating the parents about the cost of a firefighter’s ensemble. Kids are quizzed on fire safety and awarded prizes for correct answers. Roseville’s firefighters attend more than 100 community block parties each year, regularly visit senior centers and pre-schools, hosts birthday parties in the fire stations and occasionally show up with a fire engine when the candles are lit on the cake during a celebration of a special senior resident’s birthday.
Each and every one of these events represents an opportunity to educate, a role the department takes seriously. While some departments focus primarily on the response to emergency calls, in Roseville, the priority is prevention and education. It’s no accident that first line of the department’s mission statement reads “To continually strive for the prevention of fires, injuries and accidents…” When it comes to emergency responses, the department is well- trained, well-equipped and well-prepared. In 2001, the ISO scored the department with a 79.36 (ISO Rating 3).
Issues Confronting the Volunteer Fire Service While there are many volunteer fire departments across the country that play a vibrant role in their community—as exemplified by the examples mentioned in the previous section—much of the volunteer fire service across the United States is currently in crisis. While many departments function at a very high level, many other departments struggle for their very existence. Particularly in rural areas, volunteer departments are closing their doors and shuttering their windows for two basic reasons: 1) lack of financial resources and 2) lack of volunteers. But this problem is not only found in rural America. Many volunteer departments in more populated areas are in a state of crisis and face a deep- seated struggle to provide adequate services. In order to ensure that we maintain a vibrant, capable volunteer fire service throughout the United States, we must confront both of these complex problems head on.
LACK OF RESOURCES Few local governments understand the true value of their local volunteer fire department—both in financial terms as well as the social capital generated by the department. A number of departments are independent corporations that do not have direct attachment to their local government, yet they are the sole providers of emergency services. In addition, volunteer fire departments often serve as the social and communal hub of their towns. As detailed by the earlier examples, volunteer fire departments save local communities significant expenses. Unfortunately, most vol- unteer firefighters not only donate their time for this basic community service but also are required to spend a signif- icant amount of time conducting fundraisers to generate revenue. In many communities, local governments take for granted the services provided by the volunteer fire department. They are not willing to assist with even the most basic expenses, such as appropriate safety gear, functional apparatus or station facilities.
5 IMPROVING VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE SERVICEABILITY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES Compounding this problem, the demands on volunteer fire departments have increased significantly over the past 20 years. Today, because of increasing call volumes, departments provide more and more traditional services (firefight- ing, EMS response, etc.). However, volunteer fire departments also are being asked to expand their role in order to address new problems, the most prominent of which are new duties surrounding homeland security. This increase in responses and responsibility, combined with the lack of resources noted above, means that many departments must make hard choices about the level of service they can provide. This is difficult in a mobile society, where urban dwellers often move to more remote locations and continue to expect the same level of service they were receiving previously. Often, they do not appreciate the funding constraints placed on rural communities.
In addition, the costs associated with new apparatus and equipment have increased exponentially. In 1972, a Class A pumper was about $25,000; today a new pumper can easily approach $350,000. Just a few years ago, a single self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) cost about $1,900; today an SCBA unit costs about $3,500. The cost for this basic equipment has increased over and above the funding levels available to many volunteer fire departments. As a result, many communities have had to reduce their capabilities by not purchasing needed apparatus, equipment and technology. Other communities have reacted by extending the life of their current equipment. Unfortunately, this decision can give rise to numerous safety related issues.
The following charts demonstrate the growth in emergency response calls in the United States. Total emergency calls in the United States have increased by an estimated 61 percent since 1983ix to nearly 18,000,000 responses per year.
1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 6 What is particularly interesting about these statistics is the change in the nature of emergency responses. While total responses have increased, the number of actual working fires has decreased 47 percent since 1977.x Residential fires have decreased from a reported 472,000 incidents in 1992 to 396,500 fires in 2001, a 16 percent reduction.xi Because departments are responding to fewer fires, managers are often concerned about the promotion of engine/command officers who lack sufficient experience actually fighting fires. This problem affects the safety of emergency operations and could lead to increased liability exposure for departments.
Detailing the Lack of Resources As part of an effort to better understand the needs of the fire service, the Congress directed the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to conduct a Needs Assessment Study of the U.S. Fire Service for the United States Fire Administration (USFA). The study attempted to define problem areas in the nation’s fire service as well as function as a guide for future planning to enhance the fire service and firefighter safety.xii
The following issues were outlined in the executive summary provided in the NFPA report.xiii While the report sur- veyed all types of fire departments, items selected for this report have the most impact on volunteer/combination departments. All of the problems documented below are a greater problem in smaller communities.
Concerns with Facilities, Apparatus and Equipment • Roughly 15,500 fire stations (32 percent) are at least 40 years old and 27,500 fire stations (57 percent) have no backup electrical power. • It is estimated that 60 to 75 percent of fire departments have too few fire stations to meet maximum response distance guidelines promulgated by the Insurance Services Office. • Approximately half of all fire engines are at least 15 years old and more than one-third are over 20 years old. • One-third of firefighters per response are not equipped with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and near- ly half of SCBA units are at least 10 years old.
7 IMPROVING VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE SERVICEABILITY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES • Fifty percent of emergency responders per shift are not equipped with personal alert safety system (PASS) devices that assist in locating firefighters trapped in burning buildings. • An estimated 57,000 firefighters lack even basic personal protective clothing, and an estimated one-third of per- sonal protective clothing is at least 10 years old.
Communications and Communications Equipment • Fire departments do not have enough portable radios to equip more than half of the emergency responders. This is a particular problem in small communities. • Only 25 percent of fire departments can communicate on scene with all of their public safety partners at the local, state and federal level. • Forty percent of all fire departments lack internet access.
Training Concerns • An estimated 233,000 firefighters, most of whom are volunteers serving in small communities, lack formal train- ing in structural firefighting—the most basic service the volunteer fire service provides. An additional 153,000 fire- fighters have received some training but lack certification in structural firefighting. • An estimated 27 percent of fire department personnel involved in delivering EMS lack formal training in those duties. And in the majority of fire departments, EMS personnel are not certified to the level of Basic Life Support. • An estimated 40 percent of fire department personnel involved in hazardous materials response lack formal train- ing in those duties; the majority of them serve in smaller communities. In 80 percent of fire departments, per- sonnel involved in hazardous materials response are not certified to the operational level. • An estimated 41 percent of fire department personnel involved in wildland fire fighting lack formal training in those duties; there are substantial training and certification needs in communities of all sizes.
Ability to Handle Unusually Challenging Incidents • Only 11 percent of fire departments can handle a technical rescue with EMS at a structural collapse of a build- ing involving 50 occupants with local trained personnel. Nearly half of all departments consider such an incident outside their scope. • Only 13 percent of fire departments can handle a hazmat and EMS incident involving chemical and/or biologi- cal agents and 10 injuries with locally trained personnel. Forty percent of all departments consider such an inci- dent outside their scope. • Only 26 percent of fire departments can handle a wildland-urban interface fire affecting 500 acres with locally trained personnel. One-third of all departments consider such an incident outside their scope. • Only 12 percent of fire departments can handle mitigation of a developing major flood with locally trained per- sonnel. The majority of departments consider such an incident outside their scope.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 8 LACK OF VOLUNTEERS Nationally, the number of volunteers has continued to drop since a high of 880,000 in 1984.xiv Today, the total num- ber of volunteer firefighters has declined by about 10 percent, representing a reduction of approximately 90,000 indi- viduals to 790,000.
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
The decline in the number of volunteers is a two-faceted problem. It stems both from difficulties in retaining current volunteers as well as problems with recruiting new volunteers.
Retention Retention of volunteer firefighters is a substantial concern for the fire service. It is estimated that the national reten- tion average of volunteer firefighters is approximately four yearsxv per person, per department. When recruiting vol- unteer firefighters, the fire department will spend approximately $4,000 per person in orienting, equipping and train- ing those recruits. While this figure would appear to be conservative in some jurisdictions, the cost to maintain one volunteer for the national retention rate average of four years is approximately $1,000 per year. This may not be an effective investment based on the return by the volunteer.
Retention of volunteer firefighters is a complex issue with a number of variables that can contribute to the lack of longevity. In 1993, the consulting firm Tri-Data, on behalf of the United States Fire Administration (USFA), conducted a national study titled Retention and Recruitment in the Volunteer Fire Service, Problems and Solutions. The study was assembled with input from volunteer departments across the country. The following areas were identified as major issues affecting retention of volunteer firefighters:
• Volunteers face increased demands from the fire department stemming from the increase in emergency response calls, the need for ongoing training and the increasing need to undertake specialized training. • Demands on the volunteer’s time are also increasing away from the fire department as families struggle to bal- ance the career and family obligations of today’s two-income families. • Many of those who volunteer for the fire department do so in order to improve their employability. A volunteer fire department will provide training at no cost. This training can then be used to obtain a full-time position with- in the profession.
9 IMPROVING VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE SERVICEABILITY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES • The lack of a comprehensive benefit and incentive program. Benefits are necessary to protect the livelihood of the volunteer and his or her family in the event the volunteer suffers a significant injury or dies while on duty, while incentives are designed to recognize their personal achievements and to motivate them to improve their skills and participation. • Finally, the lack of quality local leadership within the fire department is cited as the most significant problem to retaining volunteer firefighters. Echoing the sentiment of that finding, it is the opinion of the contributing authors that ineffective leadership will doom an otherwise excellent organization. Sound management practices have the potential to significantly enhance retention rates.
The Value of Good Management The following passage is taken directly from the Tri-Data report discussed above.
The ability of a fire department to retain its people is directly related to its ability to manage those people. It was unanimous among workshop attendees that poor management contributed heavily to people leaving the vol- unteer fire service. The leadership issue was considered the most important; in one way or another, nearly all the other causes were either directly or indirectly traced back to the leadership problem. (emphasis added)xvi
The lack of quality leadership is the most critical issue confronting the volunteer and combination fire service. Few programs at the state or national level have been established to assist and provide fire chiefs and/or managers with the skills necessary for effective management. An example of how poor management can exacerbate a problem, such as an increase in call volume, is illustrated through the example below.
An increase in emergency service calls can significantly affect volunteer retention, so an effective manager will look at ways to minimize this intrusion on the daily life of a volunteer. A department that provides emergency medical serv- ices (EMS) will intrude on the life of a volunteer more often than those departments without EMS. EMS is an emer- gency response that can be reasonably predicted. As a result, staffing for EMS response is generally easier than staffing for activities that occur with a much lower frequency—such as structural fires. In addition, the number of staff required to respond to each call is relatively low. Three emergency care providers can handle the overwhelming majority of EMS calls. When a volunteer fire department providing EMS alerts a volunteer component of 20 members to an EMS call when only three members are needed, it can be damaging to a system. This intrusion into the life of the volun- teer sets up a “cry wolf” syndrome where the pager is alerted but the volunteer is not needed. This increases the risk that the volunteer will not respond when actually needed.
The Challenges of Managing a Combination Department Another difficult management challenge is the management of fire departments staffed with both career and volun- teer personnel—combination departments. Combination fire departments are difficult to manage because career and volunteer firefighters often have different institutional interests. Administrative changes such as the transition from an all-volunteer department to a combination system may exacerbate the problem. The individual volunteer’s sense of identity is important. Although the financial consequence of resigning a volunteer position is small, the psychological cost to an individual is extremely high because of the firefighter’s great personal investment in the organization. The structural distrust the volunteer and career groups have for each other might be more tolerable if each group did not have to work with the other, but they usually do. Efficiency is a desirable goal; however, reaching that goal can be a tortuous path of management anxiety arising from personnel conflict between the two groups. The conflicts within a combination department can lead to unproductive involvement by the local government that sees itself as legally and often politically responsible for resolving the conflict.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 10 A combination system will not work when it is based on prejudice or when either group of firefighters, volunteer or career, functions in a minority role and is perceived as subservient to the other. This situation often creates an atmos- phere where the department is unable to tap the knowledge and expertise possessed by the individual. This can be perpetuated when we lose site of our basic mission—serving the public. The real test of a successful combination department is its ability to fully integrate tactical rank structure. The training and performance standards should be the same, regardless of the firefighter or officer status with parallel lines of authority, bringing personnel resources into har- mony. The quantitative measure of that success is the retention rate of the minority group.
Nature of Volunteerism in the United States and its Implications for the Volunteer Fire Service In 2002, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor released the Volunteer Service Indicator, a new national measurement of volunteer behavior developed by the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the USA Freedom Corps. The indicator provides a wealth of information relating to volunteerism in the United States. Those findings indicate that 27.6 percent of individuals (more than 59 million) over the age of 16 volunteered with a volunteer service organization between September 2001 and September 2002. The findings suggest that cer- tain groups are more likely to volunteer, while others are more likely to volunteer more hours. The findings also offer information regarding what types of organizations and activities enjoy support from different segments of the popu- lation. Finally, they give information on how much time people are dedicating to volunteer work, including data that more than 34 percent of those who volunteered did so for more than 100 hours during the past year.
Perhaps the most striking statistic from the survey is that volunteers spent a median of 52 hours volunteering during the year. Volunteering for the fire service can be and most often is substantially more demanding. Depending on the call volume, designated shift coverage and the level of training standards mandated by the local community, an average volunteer could easily contribute in excess of 1,000 hours per year in community service. In Campbell County, Wyo., an active average volunteer can expect to donate 750–1,000 hours of serv- ice per year,xvii German Township, Ind., 500 hours per yearxviii and in Ponderosa, Tex., 360 hours per year.xix In two communities with mandatory 24-hour volunteer shift coverage—Tinley Park, Ill. and Roseville, Minn.—an active volunteer will be required to provide 1,000 hoursxx to maintain his or her volunteer membership. Both depart- ments provide volunteers with a monetary stipend as part of the compensation for services provided.
The estimated 800,000 volunteer firefighters account for less than one fifty-ninth of the estimated number of indi- viduals who volunteered, in some fashion, for their communities during the time of this study. The available per- sonnel pool for volunteer firefighters may be more extensive than we realize, and a more detailed review of this study may provide insight into the recruiting strategies and diversification options that must be developed to fill open positions within our departments.
To be competitive, the volunteer fire service may need to refocus recruiting efforts, develop diversification strate- gies and design other volunteer opportunities within the organization that utilize skills outside of traditional recruit- ment considerations.
11 IMPROVING VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE SERVICEABILITY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES RECOMMENDATIONS – A CALL FOR ACTION The International Association of Fire Chiefs represents the leaders of America’s fire service, both career and volunteer. Through the technical expertise and guidance of its Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS), the IAFC is well positioned to lead the volunteer fire service forward to confront the difficult issues detailed in this report. The rec- ommendations that follow are broken down by the level of government that should address the solution. While most of these recommendations must be implemented at the local level, the IAFC will be active at the national level to secure the necessary resources and climate to make these important changes in the volunteer fire service.
Federal Responsibilities/Recommendations: • Advance a Congressional Resolution supporting the American Volunteer Firefighters Bill of Rights. • Create an Office of Volunteer and Combination Fire Service within the Department of Homeland Security. • Develop a grading system for evaluating local emergency response capability. • Create a national definition of allowable compensation for volunteer firefighters. • Develop and support administrative changes to the Internal Revenue Code to clarify legislative issues related to length of service awards programs and allow “cafeteria style” benefit programs for volunteers. • Create national job protection for volunteer firefighters. • Fund the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (FIRE Act) at its full authorization, allowing the fire service to build a solid baseline of apparatus and safety equipment within its hometown communities. • Appropriate funding for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters Act (SAFER Act). • Provide tax incentives for the installation of automatic fire suppression and alert systems. • Provide national tax incentives for certified volunteer firefighters, reducing federal income tax by 3 percent annually.
State-Level Responsibilities/Recommendations: • Develop community, regional and state disaster plans with specified review dates. Plans should include identified resources and certifiably trained personnel available for regional and statewide deployment. • Develop methods for certifying fire and EMS personnel to enhance their professional commitment and achieve minimum training standards. • Develop a benefits plan for all emergency responders to protect and provide for responders who are injured or killed in the line of duty. • Develop a benefits plan that provides college tuition, including books, to the immediate family members of fire- fighters killed in the line of duty. • Develop regional and statewide recruitment campaigns. • Assure that volunteer liability protection is provided. • Assure that statewide mutual aid places response liability on the responding agency versus the requesting agency.
Local Responsibilities/Recommendations: Volunteer firefighters, leadership within the volunteer fire department, community leaders, elected officials and citizens should expect that standards, rules and regulations be used, adopted and enforced at the local level that measure the effectiveness of services provided.
Strategic planning must become institutionalized as an integral part of fire department operations and community resource allocation.
• Plan development should be performed in conjunction with the community to meet community expectations, growth and staffing requirements. • Planning should be done in conjunction with surrounding communities affected by automatic mutual aid agree- ments. A multi-jurisdictional approach must be utilized to provide specialized services such as technical rescue, hazardous materials response and water rescue as well as covering training needs for these responses.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 12 • The planning process should be developed with immediate, intermediate and long-range goals and have estab- lished review dates. • An evaluation of the current volunteer response capabilities must be completed as part of the strategic planning process. • A risk management policy must be instituted that clearly identifies the necessity of performing defensive fire sup- pression operations under noted conditions. • A management structure must be developed and maintained. It should address business management opera- tions, training, EMS, member benefits and operational leadership strategies. • The number of calls significantly increases the business aspect of running a fire department. A department that responds to more than 750 calls per year, which is an average of two calls per day, should consider providing a compensated leadership position for developing and executing an organizational plan. • If transition to paid personnel is necessary, the emergency service delivery system must prepare for an orderly transition from an all-volunteer to a partial career staff with identifiable funding options. Critical issues such as pay rates, job descriptions, duties, responsibilities, positions and status authority for career and volunteer person- nel must be examined. When the overall composition of the department is predominately volunteer, then career personnel serve to support the volunteer system. • A funding plan for vehicle and equipment maintenance and replacement, as well as a plan to replace personal protective gear and accessory equipment in order to ensure adequate protection of emergency service person- nel should be developed. • Local, county, regional, state, federal and industrial resources that are available within the jurisdiction should be identified as part of a mutual aid agreement. • The organization must develop a service delivery approach to meet the risks that are presented, consistent with what the community expects and can afford (standard of response cover).
Recruiting and retaining quality personnel continues to be the most important element in the overall success of a volunteer or combination fire department. Therefore, it is important to look at developing the following:
• Programs designed to certify and credential volunteer and career firefighters as well as officer positions at the state minimum level (NFPA Firefighter I/Fire Officer I or equivalent) to improve individual educational levels, emergency scene proficiency and safety. • A diversification plan that maximizes individual talent and skill in order to enhance the overall efficiency, safety and effectiveness of the department. It should also guide the educational growth of the individual while maxi- mizing his or her potential and enthusiasm in a specific discipline(s) within the organization. • Ongoing educational opportunities that reinforce minimum training standards, enhance awareness and reinforce safety precautions dealing with local target hazards. • Training that is measurable and emphasizes safety, command, multi-company drills, multi-agency drills and multi- jurisdictional responses. • Benefit programs that encourage long-term participation from individual volunteers. Programs could include, but are not limited to, workers compensation; health, accident and life insurance; and coverage that will protect the livelihood of the individual volunteer against lost wages. • A housing analysis to document housing availability and, if necessary, contingent housing alternatives for retain- ing reliable and well-trained volunteers within a community. Those options may include, but are not limited to, subsidized housing, dormitories, low or no-interest loans or relief on property taxes. • Adequate liability coverage to protect an employer from costs associated with injuries that occur while perform- ing duties. This consideration may extend to policies that provide the employer with overtime coverage to fill the position of the injured volunteer. • A recruitment program that ensures adequate staffing and delivery of emergency services. • Appropriate recognition and award programs to identify individuals or team members because of their perform- ance or commitment to the department and community.
13 IMPROVING VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE SERVICEABILITY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES • A promotional process that ensures fairness for all members within the existing rank structure. Promotional sys- tems should replace the traditional method of electing officer positions. It should be based upon merit with appro- priate performance, education, training, skills and experience. • Partnerships with other community emergency entities working to maximize resources. • Partnerships with civic organizations and local businesses to integrate the fire department within the local community. • Training programs that provide all new recruits with basic firefighting skills and First Responder level training before they are allowed to respond to and perform on fire, medical or rescue emergencies. • A physical assessment program designed to evaluate each member’s physical ability to perform the activities and tasks required for every job description within the organization. This assessment should be performed at least annually. • A written policy prohibiting drug and alcohol use with specific enforcement, discipline and follow-up procedures. • An “Emergency Vehicle Operational Policy” to qualify each member as a driver/operator of fire and rescue apparatus. • A process to check the status of each member’s driver’s license annually. • Criminal background checks on all prospective members.
Community Support Services are necessary elements to the overall image and success of the department and the well-being of the community. Departments should develop the following:
• Fire prevention and education programs to educate at risk groups as identified by the USFA. Programs should direct educational, awareness, prevention and support groups to assist in reducing concerns. • Safety and accident prevention programs beyond the normal scope of fire prevention to augment identified needs of the community. Those programs could include, but are not limited to, drowning prevention; bike, roller- blade and car safety; and sponsorship of SAFE KIDS projects. • Practices that would prevent fire loss, injury or death based upon occupancy, construction, apparatus, water sup- ply, available personnel, communication abilities and response capabilities. • An annual evaluation of water systems that affect local operations, including county, industrial and/or private deliv- ery. Evaluations should include the capability of the water supply to deliver the required fire flows based upon existing occupancy as well as planned growth. Ensure that appropriate steps and procedures are in place to prop- erly maintain supply. • Customer service programs that provide community feedback and satisfaction ratings. • The capability to complete investigations in an efficient and reliable manner involving police agencies where applicable. • Appropriate preplan documents, including target hazards, to provide timely and accurate information to incident commanders. • A partnership with the Local Emergency Planning Committee to work for a fire safe community.
The volunteer fire service is at a critical juncture in the United States. On one hand we have a positive can-do spirit, on the other hand we have forces that are creating ever-increasing challenges that attack that spirit. The needs and realities of the volunteer fire service appear to be moving in divergent directions, so when the spirit dies, all that remains is historic fact. It is imperative that local, state and federal government understand the challenges listed in this document, develop a problem solving attitude and be proactive in creating a new pathway that will allow the vol- unteer fire service to survive and flourish. The IAFC stands ready to work with all partners to lead this charge. This great country cannot afford to lose the rich legacy of the volunteer fire service.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 14 END NOTES i Fire Protection in Rural America: A Challenge for the Future. National Association of State Foresters, 1993. ii Fire Protection in Rural America: A Challenge for the Future. National Association of State Foresters, 1993. iii U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2000. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, Massachachusetts, December 2001. iv Coal Bed Methane Exploration, Campbell County Fire Department Partners in Progress, Impact Study Prepared for the Campbell County Commissioners January 2002, - Addendum Report 2003. Campbell County Fire Department managed by a Joint Powers Fire Board responsible for the City of Gillette, WY, Town of Wright, WY, and unincorporated areas of Campbell County, WY. v Figure of $16.05 per hour provided by the National Volunteer Center as a national means for calculating time donated by vol- unteers. vi Tinley Park Village Fire Department volunteer firefighter staffing agreement per 24-hour shift. vii Ponderosa VFD Response and Training Statistics 2002, Ponderosa, TX. viii Firehouse magazine, Fire Department Annual Statistics ix U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2000. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, Massachusetts, December 2001. x U.S. Fire Problem 1977 – 2001. National Fire Protection Association, Fire Analysis and Research Division, Quincy, Massachusetts, March 28, 2003. xi U.S. Residential Fire Data 1992 – 2001. National Fire Protection Association, Fire Analysis and Research Division, Quincy, Massachusetts, March 28, 2003. xii A Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service, A Cooperative Study Authorized by U.S. Public Law 106-398, FA-240/December 2002. xiii ibid., pages iii – ix. xiv U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2000. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, Massachusetts, December 2001. xv Figure is estimated based on the experiences of the authors. No formal studies have been developed to accurately define this figure. xvi Retention and Recruitment in the Volunteer Fire Service, Problems and Solutions, National Volunteer Fire Council and The U.S. Fire Administration, August 1993, pg 1. xvii Coal Bed Methane Exploration, Campbell County Fire Department Partners in Progress, Impact Study Prepared for the Campbell County Commissioners January 2002, - Addendum Report 2003. Campbell County Fire Department managed by a Joint Powers Fire Board responsible for the City of Gillette, WY, Town of Wright, WY, and unincorporated areas of Campbell County, WY. Volunteers actively participate in numerous wildland campaigns each summer. xviii Calculation based on an average of three hours of training and seven hours of emergency response each. xix Ponderosa VFD Response and Training Statistics 2002, Ponderosa, TX. xx Based on an average of 16 hours of shift coverage and three hours of training per week.
15 IMPROVING VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE SERVICEABILITY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES National Fallen Fire Fighter Foundation
www.firehero.org
Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives
The Firefighter Life Safety Summit held in Tampa, Florida, in March 2004, produced 16 major initiatives that will give the fire service a blueprint for making changes.
1. Define and advocate the need for a cultural change within the fire service relating to safety, incorpo- rating leadership, management, supervision, accountability and personal responsibility.
2. Enhance the personal and organizational accountability for health and safety throughout the fire ser- vice.
3. Focus greater attention on the integration of risk management with incident management at all levels, including strategic, tactical, and planning responsibilities.
4. Empower all firefighters to stop unsafe practices.
5. Develop and implement national standards for training, qualifications, and certification (including regular recertification) that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are ex- pected to perform.
6. Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.
7. Create a national research agenda and data collection system that relate to the initiatives.
8. Utilize available technology wherever it can produce higher levels of health and safety.
9. Thoroughly investigate all firefighter fatalities, injuries, and near misses.
10. Ensure grant programs support the implementation of safe practices and/or mandate safe practices as an eligibility requirement.
11. Develop and champion national standards for emergency response policies and procedures.
12. Develop and champion national protocols for response to violent incidents.
13. Provide firefighters and their families access to counseling and psychological support.
14. Provide public education more resources and champion it as a critical fire and life safety program.
15. Strengthen advocacy for the enforcement of codes and the installation of home fire sprinklers.
16. Make safety a primary consideration in the design of apparatus and equipment.
46 The Orange Ribbon Report International Association of Fire Chiefs 47 IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section 4025 Fair Ridge Drive Fairfax, VA 22033
APPENDIX B
Lighting The Path of Evolution
The Red Ribbon Report
Leading the Transition in Volunteer and combination fire departments
Lighting the Path of Evolution
The Red Ribbon Report
Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments
November 2005 Lighting the Path of Evolution
The Red Ribbon Report
Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments
AUTHORS
Chief Gary Scott Division Chief Eddie Buchanan Chief Fred Windisch EFO CFO* VCOS Legislative Chair VCOS Board of Directors VCOS / IAFC Board of Directors Campbell County FD Hanover County Fire & EMS Ponderosa VFD Gillette, Wyoming Hanover, Virginia Houston, Texas
Chief Tim Holman CFO* Chief Dave Fulmer EFO CFO German Township Fire & EMS Miami Township FD Springfield, Ohio Miamisburg, Ohio
Chief Larry Curl (ret.) Chief John M. Buckman III CFO* VCOS Chair IAFC President 2001-2002 Indianapolis, Indiana German Township VFD Evansville, Indiana
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Chief Shane Ray* Mike Wilson ISFSI Vice-President President Pleasant View VFD Midlothian VFD Pleasant View, Tennessee Midlothian, Virginia
REVIEWERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
The IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section is grateful to the following Fire Chiefs for their assistance in the preparation of this report by serving as contributors and reviewers:
Chief Fire Inspector Mike Chiaramonte CFO Chief Richard Gasaway EFO CFO Former VCOS Chair Roseville FD Lynbrook FD Roseville, Minnesota Lynbrook, New York Chief Bill Jenaway Ph.D. CFO* Fire Marshal Robert Bettenhausen CFO* King of Prussia FD VCOS Treasurer King of Prussia, Pennsylvania Tinley Park VFD Tinley Park, Illinois *Fire Chief Magazine Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION Lighting the Path of Evolution
The Red Ribbon Report
Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments
Introduction Nearly 300 million people live in the United States today and the number keeps growing. Many areas of the country that traditionally have relied on citizen volunteers to provide fire protection and emergency medical services are finding fewer people available or willing to carry on the honorable tradition. The demand for service grows and the number of providers declines. How are communities’ needs to be met? Finding the answer to that question is one of the most daunting challenges facing local governments and fire service leaders all across the country. What is the appropriate level and menu of emergency services to be offered in the community? How do we assure that those services are delivered reliably? If not by volunteers, then by whom? It’s an issue of considerable national and local importance. As the March 2004 Blue Ribbon Report by the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs noted, of the 26,354 fire departments in the country, about three-quarters of them that serve 19,224 communities are staffed by volunteers. The balance—and these numbers have been rising as more departments are unable to provide adequate services using only volunteers—includes 4,892 departments that operate with a combination of compensated and volunteer staffing and 2,238 that are fully staffed by paid personnel. The 800,000 volunteer firefighters who today protect large areas of America number ten percent fewer than 20 years ago. Why the decline? The answer lies in a combination of factors that reflect our society’s evolution. The growth in population has meant an increase in the numbers of calls for service just about everywhere in the country, putting added pressure on the volunteer staffing component and systems. There’s the matter of rising expectations by citizens in most communities that have led to demands for increasingly sophisticated services. External drivers, such as legislative mandates, legal considerations, and the need to deal with the potential threats of terrorism, have all had an impact on volunteers. So have family considerations: two-job parents, two-earner households, and more competition for personal and family time...they all factor into the decline in the number of volunteers on the front lines. What does this mean for fire service and community leaders? The fire service is evolving as well; in fact, it always has been. As demand for services outstrips resources, there has been in many areas of the country a natural progression from departments fully staffed by
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 1 volunteers, to some form of combination system, to a fully paid service. The pace of that change is different from place to place, as are the problems encountered along the way. It depends largely on how successfully deficiencies, at all levels in organizations, are identified and resolved by the chief officers and the extent to which appropriate services are delivered successfully. An evolving and progressive volunteer fire department will encounter a number of service delivery options before actually migrating into the combination fire service arena. This evolution process, if managed, can be systematic and prolonged. There is no cookie-cutter approach to staffing an evolving department, but there are a variety of approaches that have been successful in many communities. This report will share several of those successful models. As the accompanying chart illustrates, there is a progression from a purely volunteer-staffed organization to one that is primarily staffed by paid personnel.
e im ll T Fu n n ig tio s ina e mb
s o C De d l m a Ti n rt n Pa a o i all t C m a n z d O e i i Pa n s D a ift h g y S e r t Du c O
i r tee v lun r o ll V e A S Volunteer Dominance Paid Dominance
The goal of the fire service is to protect life and property by delivering the highest possible level of service consistent with need at the lowest possible cost consistent with safety. The goal of this report is to call attention to some of the strategies and options available to fire service and community leaders who are looking to do just that.
2 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS Signals of Change Long time volun teers often look back on the “way it used to be.” They re call a time when train ing was much less deman ding and time consum ing and the local fire depart ment had fewer respon sibi li ties. Fires and acci dent s were pretty much the game. Atten dan ce and training standar ds were achievable. There were fewer calls but each was an event that requi red the assis tance of neighbors , who took great pride in their member ship in the local de partment. The commu nity appre ciated their neighbors’ help, local businesses sup ported the volun teer fire depart ment, and the call volume was small enough so as not to inter fere with the requi rements of the members ’ jobs. The system was manage able, the emer gen- cies were mitigated, and it was fun to be a member. The reality today is that in many communities, to be a contributing, effective firefighter, a person has to meet significantly higher standards physically, in terms of training, and in terms of time “on the job” gaining experience. Not everyone has the luxury of time, or in some cases the inclination, to meet those requirements in today’s hectic environment. Anymore, the fire department is not just a group of people trained to suppress fire and render first aid. It has become the premiere provider of choice for different levels of emergency medical services and in many cases transportation, as well as the provider of just about every other service that is not provided by the police department—hazardous materials response, high-rise and below-grade rescue, inspections, prevention and education, and community emergency planning and management, to name a few. This is not to say that volunteers can’t handle the job, for their abilities and successes are demonstrated daily in many places from coast to coast and border to border. But where they can not, community and fire leaders are challenged to meet their community’s needs. In some cases, they will find ways to reinvigorate the volunteer members of their departments and improve their performance. In others, they will recognize the need for another type of change, moving to some form of partial or fully paid department, and they will set out to make it happen. Indicators for change A natural evolution for a volunteer department is the growth in services and added responsibilities as the demographics of the community change. When the system develops problems, people generally know about them long before they are willing to admit that they need serious attention. For fire department managers and local government leaders, it is critical that they recognize the signs of problems ahead and prepare for change before it is forced on them by external circumstances. It is helpful when they recognize these pointers to change: Community Growth. Emergency services are directly impacted by community growth—more people, more businesses, more emergencies. The larger a community, the higher level of service people expect. In many areas people moving to “suburbs” assume wrongly that emergency services are delivered in the same way they are provided in the more established cities and towns. A history of community growth and projected increases in demand can help managers forecast and plan for changes in the delivery of emergency services. In some cases, population growth projections might even help a department determine to limit its services based on available staffing. Community Aging. A fire department’s ability to recruit new members in part depends on the supply of new, younger people who can be tapped for service. A community’s age profile can be an indicator of problems ahead. The age factor in your community is revealed by data showing who are moving in and moving out. If the younger people are moving away, or if schools are showing or expecting declining enrollment, the fire department may have a difficult time maintaining appropriate levels of service in the future. Missed Calls. When an emergency call goes unanswered—a “scratch” on the East Coast or in other communities a “did not respond”— the fire department has a serious problem, not just because life and
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 3 property are at stake, but also because it is a failure highly visible to the public. Equally serious is a department’s over-reliance on mutual aid for coverage and the lack of adequate personnel to handle subsequent calls when primary units are on an assignment Extended Response Times. When units regularly fail to get out of the fire station in a timely manner because of inadequate staffing resources, the community is endangered and fire department managers have a reliability problem. Response time is a critical factor for any fire department determined to provide appropriate service to the public. It is especially critical for medical calls when the first-due company fails to respond for whatever reason and an EMS unit responds but fails to meet the response-time standard, a common occurrence even when mutual aid is not involved. Reduced Staffing. Units responding with fewer than the required number of people needed to perform that unit’s functions pose a serious problem for the safety of citizens and the responders. This is another indicator of reduced service capability. All of these situations indicate an inconsistency in a department’s ability to provide necessary service, though not all are necessarily caused by a shortage of volunteer members. Staffing deficits can be related to other factors, such as changes in local business and industry policies regarding employees leaving the workplace, the number of volunteers who are employed outside their response areas, a lack of understanding on the part of new corporate managers of the community’s needs, a tight labor market driven by rapid community growth, or even members’ apathy. Where workforce restrictions are at play in the community, they typically lead to daytime response shortages and a significant challenge for the department. Other Considerations. While employment issues tend to be the major factor in volunteer staffing shortages, other factors also contribute. Decreased interest among members who fail to participate could be the result of unreasonable community expectations, some problem with the fire department’s internal requirements, or other organizational issues, such as: n Responsibilities outpace capabilities. Mandated and selected responsibilities and response commitments exceed the department’s capability to manage outcomes properly. Mandated responsibilities may have their basis in state statutes or local resolutions, proclamations and ordinances. Selected responsibilities are response categories that result from self-imposed obligations to provide a service. n Inability to raise funds. Growth in the department as it faces new demands outpaces the volunteers’ ability to raise capital and operational funds. n Waning political support. A once-supportive political climate begins to falter and less emphasis is placed on the volunteer-staffed fire company. This becomes noticeable when apparatus is not replaced, new purchases are postponed, or local government wants the volunteer company to operate less expensively. The volunteer-staffed fire company needs to be a vital, supportive and healthy part of the local governmental infrastructure. n Internal conflict. A department has internal struggles over its mission in the community and that conflict involves the preservation of the system as a fraternal organization rather than a service-delivery system. n Officers filling lower operational positions. Staffing shortages that result in the fire chief driving the fire truck or fulfilling the responsibilities of other line firefighters is another sign of a serious staffing problem. n Mission creep. When first-responder programs that once managed to provide essential services and also extra staffing for critical events and rescues become subject to all kinds of other assignments: or to policies that dictate that fire units respond every time an ambulance is dispatched, chronic staffing shortages can be a problem. n Controversy. When internal controversy becomes the focal point and public image of the department, its effectiveness is impaired. Controversy can be inflamed by a poorly managed
4 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS emergency, an event that exceeds the capabilities of the volunteers, or public criticism that home response is no longer adequate for the number of emergency calls handled by the department. The problems are exacerbated when the volunteers are unable to reorganize and meet the increased demands, or when the news begins to publicly question the effectiveness of the service. Few volunteers join the department to fail or be exposed to a community philosophy that “they tried hard, but they are just volunteers.” n Too many jobs, too little time. Another indicator: The department cannot provide fire prevention, public education or inspection responsibilities because of training and response demands occupy the time volunteers have to commit. n Kingdoms come first. Some jurisdictions consider their response areas their “kingdoms.” Boundary disputes can occur when department leaders fail to understand that the public does not care what color or name is on the fire truck. The “kingdom” attitude also leads to contentious working environments with neighboring agencies. n Lack of budget support. Failure by elected officials to approve budgets that include capital expenditures for the department is an ominous sign. n Missed deadlines. When critical administrative deadlines, such as daily response reports, training records, and legally required documentation are not completed or budget deadlines are not met, the department’s effectiveness is compromised. n Catastrophic losses. Catastrophic events, such as the loss of a firefighter or a civilian fatality, focus great attention on the department, and perhaps its problems and deficits, which can discourage members. n Volunteers priced out of the community. In many communities the price of homes and property taxes makes it difficult for the children of current volunteers or others who have time to volunteer to live in the community, thus reducing the pool of potential members. n Demographic Changes. Shifts in the community that drive decisions by current members to purchase homes outside the fire district are a detriment to member retention.
When the time for change has come Once a department recognizes there is a need for change, it must examine carefully both the organization and the options available to it. It is essential that all members of the organization identify the department’s mission and core values. Whether in the end the change is a revitalized volunteer organization or a move to some type of paid or part-paid organization, a careful articulation of core values is critical to the success of the organization. Those core values must be incorporated and reinforced as employee strategies in new career positions and the core values must be carried throughout the evolution process. If the members expect the organization to be a mirror of what it once was, everyone must believe in and apply its core values. If you expect to maintain big city services with small town pride, the organization must maintain the focus on their core values and reinforce those values at every opportunity. Once it is clear that change is necessary to preserve the department’s ability to engage in its core mission, creating a paid staff is not necessarily the first option to consider. Having the answers to a number of key questions may help resolve a department’s staffing issues. Does the department have the right leadership? An initial examination of problems should always include a review of the fire department’s leadership. The lack of dynamic, adequately prepared leaders has long been identified as a significant issue for the volunteer fire service. Poor leadership has a significant impact on the retention rate of volunteers, on a department’s desire and ability to meet new levels of service demand, and on the quality of the service provided. Does the department offer benefits and incentives? Benefits are safeguards provided by the community or the department to protect firefighters and their families against unexpected financial strain should the
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 5 firefighter be injured, disabled or killed while on the job. As demands for service increase, so do the chances that firefighters will be injured or worse at the emergency scene. Departments need to provide protection—such as insurance and retirement or wage supplement plans—to ensure that the health, welfare and financial stability of firefighters and their families are protected. Such benefits are essential to assure that members are treated as valuable assets. Incentives can provide motivation for members to improve personal performance and participation. These are defined by personal or team recognition programs or awards. Young people today, the future lifeblood of all fire departments, are interested in immediate feedback and that includes benefits and incentives. It is more cost-effective to pay for benefits than it is to pay people. It is imperative that the community be involved in determining the level of support for volunteer or part-time firefighters. How willingly the community provides benefits for them now may help department leaders gauge its willingness to sustain a combination system, if one is needed. Are department membership standards appropriate? Fire department leaders should review membership standards to ensure that they are appropriate for the services provided. Do you need to increase requirements to ensure that volunteers have adequate skills to deal with the dominant types of calls to which the department responds? Does the department really need a requirement that all members have the expertise and the responsibility to respond to all types of calls? Can you use diversification strategies? It is critical for department leaders to understand that not everyone is equal in skills or abilities. Diversification strategies—essentially, not everyone in the department has to be proficient in all the jobs in the department—can be helpful in attracting new members. Diversification strategies are fairly simple. Recruit subject-matter experts for the different disciplines within the department. You can take advantage of that to attract new members and take pressure off of a small group of dedicated responders. For example, you might recruit from a number of professions within the community that deal with hazardous materials. Attract and train those individuals as volunteers and use them when chemical emergencies are dispatched. By implementing diversification strategies, you may actually improve your volunteer base by reducing the demand on all your members and enhancing their subject-matter expertise. Trim the non-essentials. Review your organization’s mission and values and identify the essential functions and services it is required to deliver. A review can, in some cases, lead to reducing or eliminating nonessential services. Remember, you can’t be all things to all people. Transitioning from the present system—alternative delivery systems When it is clear that the present system is not working well, departments can follow a progressive path that leads from a completely volunteer-staffed organization to one that is staffed by some combination of volunteer and paid personnel. A department can stop anywhere along the path when that step leads to a satisfactory resolution of the community’s fire department problem. The stop may be transitory or it could be permanent. The incremental approach helps a community achieve the best possible resolution of its issues at the lowest cost. Here are steps along the progressive path: n Divide volunteer members into on-call duty shifts to ensure adequate coverage. n Develop a program for volunteers to provide 24 hour coverage. Shift coverage needs to be flexible to accommodate individual commitments of 4, 6, 8 or 24 hours. Allow flexibility of start times and lengths of shifts to accomplish the coverage. n Convert all-volunteer members to pay-per-call members, financially rewarding their participation. n Implement regional response coverage and develop station-specific expertise. n Develop Standard Operating Procedures or Standard Operating Guidelines.
6 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS n Establish a paid-on-call system, allowing the chief the flexibility to actually schedule shift coverage with financial compensation, essentially setting up part-time employee contracts with the volunteers. n Create paid-on-call positions for specific job functions such as training, public education, inspections or administrative duties. n Consider part-time employees specifically hired to provide coverage for inconsistent and sporadic volunteer coverage. n Establish full-time career positions for daily shift coverage and completing administrative duties while supporting and maintaining a predominantly volunteer system. n Convert a predominantly volunteer department to a 50/50 split, or predominantly career department where volunteers assume the supportive role. Any of these solutions requires a new level of commitment, planning and consideration. Typically, paid personnel are brought in to take on administrative duties or provide coverage for specialty services such as hazardous materials or technical rescue at a county or regional level, freeing volunteer firefighters to provide core services. (When an organization begins to pay personnel an hourly wage, they are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act.) Doing so also sets the stage for more cooperative efforts on a regional basis. Regionalization of services clearly has a future in the volunteer fire service, providing economic relief and maximizing, not competing for, available volunteers. Transitioning to a combination system Communities need to understand the forces that drive departments to consider transitioning, which may include hiring paid firefighters. Doing so is critical to a successful transition. The community’s expectations about services and what they should include must guide how the fire department deploys and seeks additional resources. Such expectations are best identified in the local government by finding the balance between expectations of service and what the available funding is will support. These expectations can be expressed in the form of response goals that provide the fire department a benchmark for success. It is important that goals are not set internally. Sometimes the fire service choose what they “think” is right and move forward with the goal. Community feedback is essential to determining the correct path to the future. Sample performance goals include: n Average time from dispatch to response. n Average time from response to arrival. n Average time on scene with basic or advanced life support. n Number of certified/qualified firefighters assembled on scene within a defined time period (NFPA 1720). n Generation of proper fire flow (as defined by locality / ISO expectations) within a defined time period. Such data can provide “dashboards” (analogous to the array of gauges in a car) for the fire department and the local government to use in determining how the department’s performance measures up to community expectations. Organizational dashboards provide a way to monitor in real time compliance with organizational goals. Translated to the fire service, the department can monitor response goals in real time and adjust response strategies accordingly. The system will be performing efficiently when the organization is in full compliance with the goals and expectations set by the community. When goals and expectations are not being met, the department needs to re-evaluate how it operates.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 7 In volunteer and combination systems other dashboards may be used to monitor performance and progress in other areas besides response. Other benchmarks include: n Average volunteer retention rate. n Average annual recruitment and associated demographics. n Average call per volunteer. n Various fund-raising data. n Less government taxing support. n Controlling the cost of recruiting, hiring and training new personnel. Such information can be used to monitor the health of the organization based on what is deemed important by the stakeholders, but it isn’t determined in a vacuum. It takes a plan.
Strategic Planning
What is a Strategic Plan? The development of a strategic plan is an important aspect of the evolution process. Fire executives who adopt a strategic plan for transition are better able to predict and manage change successfully. Strategic planning for an evolving department requires a commitment from the department’s leadership and members and also from elected officials and other leaders in the community. Developing a strategic plan without involving community partners and stakeholders lessens chances for success. Fire chiefs, presidents, and elected officials are often so preoccupied with immediate issues that they lose sight of their ultimate goals. That’s why a preparation of a strategic plan is a necessity. A plan is not a recipe for sure success, but without it a fire department is much more likely to fail. A sound plan should: n Serve as a framework for decisions or for securing support/approval. n Provide a basis for more detailed planning. n Incorporate detailed plans that include timelines, assignments and evaluations. n Explain the services provided to others in order to inform, motivate and involve. n Assist bench marking and performance monitoring. n Stimulate change and become the building block for next plan within established timelines. Preparing a strategic plan involves a multi-step process addressing vision, mission, objectives, values, strategies, goals and programs. When you develop a strategic plan, you must involve all the stakeholders if you hope to be successful. The Vision Your first step is to develop a realistic Vision for the department. Present it as a picture of the community and the department in three or more years’ time, stated in terms of the department’s likely growth and development. The Mission Describe the nature of a fire department in terms of its Mission, which indicates the purpose. Some people confuse mission statements with value statements (see chart on next page)—the former should be very hard-nosed, while the latter can deal with “softer” issues surrounding the business. The Values This element expresses the Values governing the operation of the department and its conduct or relationships with society at large, employees, local community and other stakeholders.
8 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS The Objectives It is essential that you state the fire department’s business Objectives in terms of the results it needs or wants to achieve in the medium and/or long terms. Objectives should relate to the expectations and requirements of all the major stakeholders, including employees, and should reflect the underlying reasons for operating the department. The Strategies Strategies reflect the roles and guidelines by which the mission, objectives and the like may be achieved. They can be developed using a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, identify and resolve weaknesses, identify and exploit opportunities, and identify and avoid threats. The Goals Goals are specific interim or ultimate time-based measurements to be achieved by implementing strategies in pursuit of the objectives. Goals should be quantifiable, consistent, realistic and achievable. The Programs The final elements are the Programs that set out the implementation plans for the key strategies. These should cover resources, objectives, timescales, deadlines, budgets and performance targets.
Hard Soft
What business is / does Reason for existence Primary products / services Competitive advantages Key processes and technologies Unique / distinctive features Main customer groups Important philosophical / social Primary markets / segments issues Principal channels / outlets Image, quality, style standards Stakeholder concerns
Designing a Combination System
The transition from an all-volunteer department to a combination system works best when the system is developing through detailed communication and strategic planning, rather than blind evolution. Many departments have evolved into an awkward conglomerate of resources with little thought given to system design and functionality and the long-term effects such a transition may have on the future of the organization. In many cases the evolution process is made more difficult by a lack of stable leadership. The revolving door process for selecting leaders within the volunteer fire service creates a difficult structure to overcome in developing long-range plans. In addition, the election of officers requires a constant political campaign, creating a significant strain on the organization’s ability to evolve. This paper strongly recommends that the officers’ selection process eliminates elections and focuses on credentialing with performance factors. Casualties of Transition As departments approach the task of transitioning from an all-volunteer organization to another form of deployment, they need to be aware of a variety of pitfalls. It is common for such transitions to be emotionally charged events for those closely involved, and emotions often lead to serious mistakes. When emotions are allowed to overtake rationality, departments should expect some limited attrition of
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 9 volunteers. Casualties could be significant but the vast majority of the volunteer members, even though some may be skeptical and cautious, will be willing to work through the issues and contribute meaningfully to improve the department. The same dangers apply to paid personnel. Those who are unable to integrate effectively with volunteer firefighters will quickly become a liability to the system. They seldom last if the department leadership recognizes and addresses the issues. Another common casualty of transition results from avoiding sensitive issues and dodging conflict. Some departments may deem themselves “combination” simply because they utilize both career and volunteer personnel, but closer examination may show they are organizations in which paid firefighters are segregated from volunteer firefighters and there is little cooperation and integration between the two. This type of system is best described as “dual” rather than combination. While some dual departments function successfully in the short term, their division makes issues between the two groups stand out even more, and they miss out on many of the advantages a combination system brings. Poorly managed “dual” systems often become “duel” systems that are destined to fail. Some indicators of a dual system include: n Volunteers operating in different quarters than paid staff. n Volunteers riding on separate apparatus than paid staff. n Separate rules and regulations used. n One group receiving better equipment and apparatus than the other. n Rank structures and supervision not integrated. n No opportunity for social interaction. Departments should work to ensure system fairness for all parties. Integrating personnel fosters relationships that help to sustain the system. An effective indicator of transition casualties is the retention rate of the minority component of the organization. If the paid component of the organization is in the minority and the retention rates are less than two years, it is likely that issues exist that are driving these firefighters away. Likewise, if the volunteers serve as the minority and retention rates are declining, it is likely issues are present that have negative impacts on the organization. The key to avoiding these issues is to ensure that everyone fully understands the core values of the organization and is committed to its mission. Basic Design Models
Part-Time Power Paid On Call Shift Staffing Occurs Options
Conflict Starts h h t t w w o o r r G G
n n n o o o i i i t t t a a a l l l u u u p p p o o o P P P s s s e e e s s s n n n d d e e o o o d d p p p s s s d d e e e A A
R R R f f
/ f f y y y s s s a a r r r c c c t t e e e n n n S S s
e e e t e e e r r t t t i g g g f e e n n n r r r e e e u u u e e e r r n l l l a a e o o o m m m V E V E C V E C B
10 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS A department should conduct a cost/benefit analysis during system design to determine which model will function most efficiently for its locality. System design needs to recognize that volunteer/paid-on-call personnel are paid only for work performed. Career firefighters are paid for the POTENTIAL to be used. This does not mean that one is better than the other but it implies that department managers need to clearly understand the differences between the two as they relate to cost.
Some of the benefits/risks of the common system designs include: All-Volunteer System n Reduced labor costs. n High-volume staffing during major emergencies such as natural disasters. Such influxes of manpower may be contingent on employers allowing volunteer employees to leave work during such events. n Volunteers are willing or able to take off work to assist. n Salary cost avoidance, which can be diverted to essential equipment and apparatus. n Unpredictable response from volunteer staff. n Volunteer systems can be more challenging to coordinate because of intermittent or sporadic participation from various members. n Can rely on individual response rather than system response to meet call load, thus resulting in unpredictable service levels. Combination System n Can consist of any combination of career, volunteer, paid-on-call and part-time personnel. n Enhanced staffing deployment as combination systems can capitalize on both the stability of a paid system and the manpower of the volunteer system during a major emergency, providing greater depth for staffing. n Salary cost avoidance, which can free funds for essential equipment and apparatus. n True integration of available resources and distribution of talent resulting in greater efficiency. All-Paid System n Consistent staffing providing predictable service level. n Expensive due to increased salary and benefits requirements. n Can lack depth during major emergencies because once multiple shifts have been deployed in a major incident, few resources are left to cover other service demands. Another vital consideration when designing a combination system is identification of the stakeholders in the department. These stakeholders may include volunteers, employees, the fire department’s management, local government interests, citizens and even the news media. A group of stakeholders should be convened early in the process to identify the obstacles to change and the processes to be used for over coming them. The creation of a combination system can be challenging by its very nature and great care should be used to facilitate the change process. Establishing Authority One of the most controversial aspects of designing a combination system is establishing a clear line of authority and chain of command. Avoiding this challenge will breed animosity and mistrust over time, so it is critical that the lines be drawn early in the process. No matter if the chief will be paid or volunteer, the local government must empower the chief officer to lead the system as a whole. The local government – the “boss” – should be prepared to stand behind the chief as the transition progresses, even when political battles ensue, as they most likely will. Establishing local ordinances, resolutions or
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 11 regulations that clearly define the authority of the fire chief and empower the position holder to effectively lead the organization is vital to success in the combination system. Selecting a chief to lead a combination system is a delicate task. Leading a combination system should be approached as a specialty, and care should be taken to seek out candidates that have experience in this field. A qualified candidate should possess experience in dealing with both volunteer and paid personnel and have a leadership style that is conducive to conflict resolution and facilitation. Failure to select a candidate for chief with the appropriate experience and background can challenge the ability of the combination system to be successful. There is nothing that requires a chief in a combination system to be paid. The selection process for a chief in a combination system should not include term limits or an election, but should be based on common hiring practices. Equally dangerous is the philosophy that a chief from a fully career department automatically has the ability to motivate and supervise volunteers. Subordinate officer selection can also be challenging. The selection of Assistant Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs should follow the same model outlined for the selection of the Chief. As captains, engine company officers, and other supervisory positions are created and people selected, the system’s success is very much dependant on their enthusiasm and commitment to a combination system. They have to recognize and support the overall philosophy of a combination system and clearly understand their role in making it productive and successful. A promotional process should be in place that takes into account experience, education, service, testing and evaluation. Detrimental to this philosophy would be a career officer’s inflated sense of rank based merely on wage compensation. Conversely, a volunteer officer’s assumptions that the majority of “mopping up” duties are to be left to paid personnel defeats the cooperative nature essential to the mission of the department. Substantial benefits can be derived from educating all the department members on the strengths and weaknesses of the system and clearly outlining the expectations of all the firefighters. It is important to ensure that career staff members understand they become informal leaders regardless of their rank because of their frequent exposure to emergency calls and the expertise they develop. Thus, every career firefighter is potentially a mentor who is expected to help others, including volunteers, capitalize on opportunities to improve, excel, and build confidence. Local officials who believe that a system can always operate more cheaply have affected more than one well-organized and productive combination fire system. Sometimes their lack of knowledge about your department’s history, the significant events that have formed it, its struggle for change, and the acceptance of its services by the public seem inconsequential when the time comes to balance budgets. Combination systems have a difficult challenge showing their cost effectiveness because there is no rebate of the monies saved or refund being returned to the funding entities. It is imperative that local officials understand their obligation in this kind of system. Reducing the need for career positions saves the community substantial amounts of money that can be reinvested in other critical infrastructure. It is their responsibility to ensure that all firefighters have good equipment, apparatus, sufficient funds for overtime pay to allow career and volunteer members to train together, and capital to invest in new technology. Those issues make the system complete and they ensure that all the stakeholders have a vested interest in success. Communication & Policy Development Communication is essential in a successful combination system. The fire department leadership should constantly facilitate communication between paid and volunteer personnel and work tirelessly to manage information and dispel rumors. Leadership must constantly maintain open communications with elected officials and government authorities. Including stakeholders in the development of policies and procedures will help to develop ownership in the combination system and create transparency that will help avoid unnecessary conflicts. Both volunteer and paid members of the organization have special considerations that should be taken into account when developing policies. Time is often a major issue
12 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS with volunteers who must juggle other jobs and family obligations, while paid members may be more interested in working conditions and wages. Each perspective should be considered valid and accommodations reached that allow both groups to succeed within their own abilities. Job Descriptions and Expectations It is imperative that all members of the organization understand their responsibilities and expectations. People often join an organization expecting one thing and then experience something quite different and over time they develop negative attitudes. The job description must identify the specific roles and responsibilities of each member of the organization. Remember, paid personnel are being compensated for the work they do, but this does not mean that any less is expected from the volunteers. The expectations of leadership are the same whether career or volunteer members hold top positions. These expectations are the same for firefighters as well. Being trained and competent is not determined by a paycheck but by the level of commitment. Everyone should be expected to be trained and competent; a paycheck or lack of one is not an excuse for incompetence. Focus is important to any organization. If leaders fail to provide a focus, the members will develop their own, and their focus most likely will be centered on themselves and not the organization. Job descriptions and expectations help keep the members focused. One specific responsibility of the career firefighter should be to help mentor the volunteers. The mentoring process should be spelled out in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual. This helps the volunteers grow and develop in their abilities and skills. Ultimately the volunteers will be able to function at a much higher level as a result of mentoring. In addition, the career firefighter should help identify and correct problems within the fire department. It is no longer someone else’s responsibility to solve problems. Well thought out job descriptions and expectations can do much to keep the organization running smoothly. They help all members stay on the same page. Clearly defined expectations, along with an evaluation system, will provide an excellent tool for managing the transition. The expectation model must include an analysis and evaluation of each individual’s ability to function as a team member. Department leaders must enforce the model once it is set, but they should modify it when circumstances invalidate expectations. Maintaining expectations that no longer apply to the organizational structure can lead to conflict. The change model can be learned and implemented as long as management continues to understand that change is inevitable and most likely will produce improved service levels.
Sustaining a Combination System Ensuring that a combination system stays focused requires constant maintenance and leadership. Local government and fire department leaders must embrace the combination philosophy and be prepared to endure intense scrutiny and political pressure. Leaders within the local government and fire department must regularly recommit to the combination mission and keep both paid and volunteer firefighters focused on service delivery. The underlying philosophy of a combination system is improved service at a reduced cost. A combination department needs to be recognized for its value as a cost avoidance tool that reduces the need for employing full time career firefighters. Local officials should support the department with adequate funds committed to maintaining modern apparatus, protective gear and other equipment, and investment in improved technology.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 13 Adequate allowance for overtime pay is necessary to ensure that all firefighters can train together, most likely on a schedule that ensures maximum participation by volunteers. Monitoring the retention rate and/or general treatment of the minority group becomes a good indicator of how the combination system is performing and provides a mechanism for making internal changes.
Tactical Equality One of the secrets of successful combination fire departments is full integration of career and volunteer firefighters at a tactical level. The concept is simple although it can be challenging to implement if you are already a combination department that is not so integrated. Tactical integration pays big dividends for the department and the community by improving emergency scene operations and increasing volunteer longevity. Tactical equality recognizes that all positions, from firefighter through senior fire officer, require formal training and education to meet the expected performance level. Members of an evolving system must understand the complex issues facing the department and community and the serious nature of the service. Officer promotions should be based on certification, tenure, experience and proficiencies in technical skills as well as soft skills, such as interpersonal communication. Tactical equality is achievable if your department provides performance-based, certifiable training and the opportunity for the volunteer and career firefighters to train at the same time. This establishes a respect for the rank and the achievement to obtain the position and less emphasis on whether it is filled by a volunteer or career member. Position and rank are not affected by time of day or the day of the week. The attitude toward rank for everyone should be, “You earned it, you own it.” The importance of joint training and interaction means that it should be supported by adequate overtime funds to ensure training with the volunteers is a formal expectation of the job for the career employee. One obstacle to tactical equality can be a requirement that volunteers meet training standards that are common in paid settings. The time commitment required to complete the training is an issue with many volunteers. Fire service professional standards and accreditation organizations should develop ways to incorporate performance-based training concepts into certification courses that allow students to gain qualification based on actual abilities rather than classroom hours. Implementing this philosophy while the department is still a volunteer-staffed organization can improve the quality of officers available for promotion. Of equal importance, it fosters a cultural change that will dictate the value and respect that are placed on volunteer personnel long after career firefighters are incorporated into the system. Resource Deployment Options When looking at resource deployment of your department make sure that you consider all the options, thinking outside the framework of normal deployment systems and keeping all your search avenues open. It is imperative that leadership does not compare and try to create a system emulating large departments. Focus on what your department should be and create a model that is effective and efficient for your community. Deployment can be a very simple or an extensive and costly process. As we look at the objectives of deployment (NFPA 1710/1720) we need to take into consideration items such as: n Proper number of personnel. n Time for response & delivery. n Apparatus.
14 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS Deployment should take into account a means of getting the proper staffing, needed tools, and required resources to a predetermined location to effectively and efficiently mitigate the emergency. There should never be a differential between adequate “hardware” resources and payroll. Some personnel deployment options include paging by radio, pager, or cell phone. Other items to consider are duty assignments allowing for the best utilization of staff, or working out a system that will provide required staffing without the traditional “everyone respond” or the use of several pieces of apparatus just to gain necessary staffing. The fire service often utilizes apparatus as “expensive” taxis to bring together numbers of personnel rather than calling the proper apparatus for the performance needed. Departments should identify the required level of apparatus and staffing based on type of call, and then look at alternate means of transporting personnel, such as utility vehicles or command vehicles. It is not always prudent to buy bigger apparatus just to carry personnel. Another option is to manage personal vehicle deployment, but this method requires significant discipline to assure accountability and safety considerations. Departments should have a method of monitoring the number of personnel responding to incidents so management can determine if sufficient staffing is going to be available to deliver the required service. Staffing management is key to assuring the proper number of personnel on an incident scene. Assignment of duty hours or days or shifts can ensure proper staffing and help avoid overstaffing. Having each member assigned a time slot and/or a service function can regulate the number of members who respond to a call type so that the result is needed deployment but not overdeployment. This may also provide a more reliable time commitment for the volunteer. Note: When attempting to define the timing element of your deployment system, you must consider the time for a response and the actual time required for the delivery of the service, which could be vastly different. A good reference for assistance in determining response and delivery times is NFPA 1720: Standard for the Organization and the Deployment, or a copy of the Fire Service Standards of Cover. Looking at some nontraditional means of deployment could help solve overstaffing or understaffing concerns that often burden your department’s service deployment. Reviewing all deployment opportunities will save the embarrassment of lack of proper resource development during the time of need. Regional Response and Mutual Aid It may be time to ask, “Can we be all things to all people?” Can two or three departments provide the needed services for the community versus parallel systems for each department? The concept of regional response can help reduce the service-delivery burden felt by many fire departments today. Using this concept, fire departments can stop duplicating resources and services. This saves both time and money for the local community and addresses gaps in specialized response. A relevant question is, “Do each of two fire departments that are located three miles from each other need two tankers and an aerial? Isn’t it possible for one department to have two tankers and the other department an aerial?” Look at the possible savings that an agreement like this could mean for both communities. Although ISO ratings may affect these considerations, the fire service leaders must determine the best deal for the dollar and the best way to provide service to the community. Never allow ISO to be the driving factor. If your system is effective, your ISO rating will improve. During the day two departments have a total of five people on staff. There are two people at one department and three in another. Could we place all five in one station to enhance the staffing? Now the first responding truck has a total of five instead of the possibility of only two. However resources are deployed, a minimum of four people per apparatus dispatched should be assembled on the fire ground.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 15 With the needs of the community as the primary driver, fire department leaders can develop many possible solutions. Never design a system to handle the worst-case scenario. Design it to properly address the vast majority of your responses. It may be that one department will no longer be the expert in all areas. Instead, each department in an area may have a specialty and its services can be offered to the region in exchange for specialized services from other departments. Regionalization of services can reduce the burden on many of the nation’s fire departments. The concept of mutual aid is sometimes abused. Departments that are unable to answer an initial call will rely on mutual aid to cover the alarm. This increases the burden on the other department. True mutual aid should be utilized when back-to-back calls are received, or when an incident is bigger than the resources that are on hand and additional people or equipment is needed. The Impact of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) EMS calls have created a strain for many fire/EMS systems as a result of increases in call volume. It is much easier to get people to volunteer for 150 fire calls than it is for 400 calls. The higher the call volume, the more strain that is placed on the personnel. Even departments that don’t provide EMS patient transports but only first response care are feeling the impact of higher run volumes due primarily to national issues related to health care conditions. To compound this, many stand-alone EMS systems are expecting and relying on fire departments to assist them on various EMS calls. In addition, EMS certifications have become a significant burden for volunteer and career members that results in additional costs and time commitments. The EMS system benefits from this arrangement with the fire department’s first responders in several ways. First, they can reduce the number of EMS units needed to cover a specific area. Fire departments are usually strategically located throughout the community. This allows for quick response and timely coverage, so in many cases the fire department will be on-scene before the EMS unit. Some EMS systems will rely on the first responder to assist with lifting, CPR and other labor-intensive tasks. By doing this the EMS system reduces its cost of doing business, since the fire department is doing what additional EMS personnel would normally do, thus increasing the run volume. Another aspect to consider is that some fire departments have consolidated fire and EMS operations. Although run volumes are increased substantially, additional revenue can be generated through EMS billing and additional services are provided for the community. This additional service is good for the public image of the department and the additional revenue can provide money to help support a part-time, paid-on-call or combination system. EMS can create many challenges for the local fire department. New methods for dealing with the challenges of EMS growth must be identified for the specific community. How the department deals with the EMS issue will ultimately determine its success. People expect to summon an ambulance for any reason at any time and be confident that someone will show up in a short period of time to transport them where they need to go. This public expectation becomes a huge burden when you staff with volunteers via home response. Even in a combination system this can create situations where nonessential EMS calls are taking up so much of the paid staff’s time that other duties are not being completed. Most volunteers join for the excitement and the thrill associated with saving lives, but most EMS calls are not full of excitement and thrills. If peoples’ expectations for service are to be met, they need to be aware that there are costs associated with it delivery. The cost of providing ambulance service in most cases must include career/part-time paid staffing. Part-time Staffing as an Alternative There are alternatives to operating a combination department. One is transitioning from an all-volunteer system to one of all part-time firefighters. The part-time employee program can be
16 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS designed around the specific needs of the department. It is dynamic in nature and can grow as the needs of the department change. Under this system the volunteers are hired as part-time employees. Stations are staffed with part-time members around the clock or during peak call times. This allows for staffing that is comparable to that of the career department at a fraction of the cost to the community. The administrators of the department can decide, based on run volume, the number of staff members needed on each shift. Shifts can vary in any degree of time blocks. Members can work their normal full-time job and sign up for shifts when they are available. Managers must be capable of making creative shift assignments. If a call requires more personnel than are on duty, members responding from home or work are paid from the time the call comes in until they are placed back in service and all equipment is made ready for the next run. The pay scale for this system can be flexible. One example would be to pay those who are trained as firefighters in one pay range while paying basic EMTs and paramedics another range. This makes sense especially in those departments with high EMS call volumes. EXAMPLE: FIREFIGHTER ONLY $ 7.00 per hour FIREFIGHTER/EMT $ 10.00 per hour FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC $ 13.00 per hour Under this system the members are paid more for education. A firefighter wanting to earn more money can return to train for a higher paying position and be paid at the level upon achieving certification. In addition to education, this system pays for performance compensating employees for what they do. Scheduling must be monitored to prevent overtime and creating Fair Labor Standards issues. The cost of the part-time system compared to the full-time system is greatly reduced. The need for many benefits is reduced when part-time employees are working full time at another career. For example, a department with 50 part-time members would save nearly $400,000 by not providing healthcare benefits. (50 employees X $8,000 per employee = $400,000) There are intrinsic benefits to this system as well. The volunteer is now a paid employee. This can increase pride and he or she may feel more valued by the organization. Leadership Selection To ensure a healthy organization, it is imperative that strong leaders are selected for officer positions. Just because an individual is a good firefighter does not guarantee that he or she will perform well as an officer. Sometimes, technical skills are confused with leadership skills. Both are important but remember you are selecting a leader, not a “head firefighter.” This means that special considerations must be taken in selecting those who have the ability to lead. Leadership is a skill that can be learned and developed, but the leader must also have certain characteristics to ensure success. First, integrity gives the officer credibility. If the officer compromises his integrity, credibility is lost, and when credibility is lost his effectiveness is lost as well. Leaders cannot lead where they cannot see. Therefore the officer must have a clear and distinct vision. Where does he see the organization moving? What will the organization look like in the future? Even a frontline officer must be able to see where he would like the people under his command to move. Once this vision is created, the officer must communicate it to the people and get them excited about it. People must buy into it if the vision is to become reality.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 17 The officer must maintain integrity even when it hurts. In other words, the officer chooses to do what is best for the people and the organization even when another choice would benefit the officer. Ask employees what they want from their bosses, and most often the answer is character and fairness. People want to be led by someone they can trust. And when trust is high, overall performance will increase. Next, the officer must have a good attitude, be optimistic about the future, and focus on the positive more than the negative without avoiding problems. An effective officer will also demonstrate a caring attitude for the firefighters, the organization and the community in which he serves. To put it bluntly, “If you don’t care, then get out of the organization or at a minimum, get out of the position of leadership and influence.” The officer sets the tone for the organization. If he is negative and constantly complaining, he creates a negative work environment that acts as a cancer spreading throughout the department. If an officer has a “no” attitude, or a “we cannot do that” attitude, the members will adopt the same philosophy. Eventually this will head into a downward spiral of defeat. The officer must have self-discipline. Self-discipline is defined as “knowing what I need to do, not wanting to do it, but doing it anyway.” Self-discipline demonstrates the officer’s ability to stay cool under pressure. He tends to do what is right for the organization instead of what is popular. Courage is an important trait for any officer at any level. Courage allows the officer to make tough decisions even when he knows he will be challenged. Courage allows the officer to show a healthy confidence in doing the job. Another characteristic important to the officer is humility. A good officer is not driven by ego but by a value system that recognizes right from wrong. The humble leader will admit when he is wrong instead of pointing the blame elsewhere (self-esteem is managed internally) and will work to correct mistakes. Humble leaders are in their positions for the right reasons. They are transparent with nothing to hide and nothing to prove. They are there to serve the people they lead. Effective officers seek excellence in all that they do. They constantly look for better ways of doing things. They learn from their mistakes and educate themselves on a continual basis. They strive to do the best they can in all situations. At the same time, successful officers understand that decision-making is a constant process of assessing risk versus gain or cost. So they incorporate into their decision process a “reality check” that helps to give their decisions a real world perspective. They recognize that not every decision will be the perfect solution. Leadership is a privilege. To lead and influence people is one of the highest honors an individual can be accorded. A leader must never abuse his or her authority or influence, no matter how tempting it may be. The organization must recognize this and have systems in place to ensure that high performers are rewarded for their successes. This provides an incentive for good people to strive for leadership positions. When selecting an officer, look for people who are good communicators, people who are able to articulate information in a timely and accurate manner. They must believe in “open-book management,” which means that information is not guarded but freely distributed within the organization. Remember, the organization will never progress beyond the abilities of the officer. If the officer’s ability to lead is limited, the organization will be limited as well. Strong leaders make strong organizations. Review your current officer selection process and determine how it can be improved. Feedback from firefighters is often helpful for the command officer. An example of a firefighter evaluation of the command officer is included in Addendum B. Feedback from the bottom up is a very
18 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS important part of the process of having great officers. Some fire officers fear this type of evaluation, but this method clearly demonstrates commitment and leadership. Assessment Center – Leadership Selection An assessment center consists of a standardized evaluation of behavior based on multiple evaluations, including job-related simulations, interviews and/or psychological tests. Job simulations are used to evaluate candidates on behaviors relevant to the most critical aspects (or competencies) of the job. Assessment Center Exercises An assessment center can be defined as “a variety of testing techniques designed to allow candidates to demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities that are most essential for success in a given job.” Assessment centers allow candidates to demonstrate more of their skills through a number of job-relevant situations. The term assessment center is really a catchall for an assessment process that can consist of some or all of a variety of exercises. While assessment centers vary in the number and type of exercises included, two of the most common exercises are the in-basket and the oral exercise. Other possibilities include counseling simulations, problem-analysis exercises, interview simulations, role-play exercises, written report/analysis exercises and leaderless group exercises. In-basket exercise. In a traditional in-basket exercise, candidates are given time to review the material and initiate in writing whatever actions they believe to be most appropriate in relation to each in-basket item. When time is called for the exercise, the in-basket materials and any notes, letters, memos or other correspondence written by the candidate are collected for review by one or more assessors. Often the candidates are then interviewed to ensure that the assessor(s) understand actions taken by the candidate and the rationale for the actions. If an interview is not possible, it is also quite common to have the candidate complete a summary sheet (i.e., a questionnaire). A more recent trend over the past 10 years has been the development of selection procedures that are based on the assessment center model, but which can be turned into low-fidelity simulations. Some low-fidelity simulations involve having an applicant read about a work situation. The applicant then responds to the situation by choosing one of five alternative answers. Some procedures have the applicant choose the response he/she would most likely make in a situation and the response that he/she would least likely make. These samples of hypothetical work behavior have been found to be valid predictors of job performance. Recently, the in-basket has become a focus of interest because of its usefulness in selection across a wide variety of jobs. A variety of techniques have been used to develop in-baskets. Quite often information on an in-basket’s development is not available for review because the reports do not contain the critical information. It is not uncommon for armchair methods to be used or for in-baskets to be taken off the shelf. A recent review indicated that nearly 50 percent of the studies do not describe how the in-basket was constructed. There is also a great deal of variation among the ways in which the in-basket is scored, with some scoring systems utilizing almost entirely subjective judgment, while others utilize a purely objective approach. The in-basket exercise may be thought of as an approach that assesses a candidate’s “practical thinking” ability, by having a candidate engage in implicit problem solving for a job-relevant task. It is now well recognized that a content-valid approach to constructing an in-basket is one that is professionally accepted as a technique that has passed legal scrutiny. However, despite the acceptance by the courts and practitioners, the reporting basis for content validity is often deficient. Schippmann, Prien and Katz in a 1990 report point out that all the studies they reviewed failed to establish a link between the task portion and the knowledge, skill and ability portion of the job analysis in order to provide a firm foundation for the construction of the in-basket. Often there has been no procedure for translating the job analysis information into development or choice of the test. Oral exercises. Like all assessment center exercises, oral exercises can take many forms depending on the work behaviors or factors of the job being simulated. Common forms of oral exercises include press
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 19 conference exercises, formal presentations and informal presentations (briefing exercise). In oral presentation exercises, candidates are given a brief period of time in which to plan/organize their thoughts, make notes, etc., for the presentation/briefing. Traditionally, the audience is played by the assessor(s), who observes the presentation and makes ratings. Assessors may also ask candidates a series of questions following their briefing/presentation. The questions may or may not relate directly to the topic of the presentation. Leaderless Group Discussion. The leaderless group discussion is a type of assessment center exercise where groups of applicants meet together to discuss an actual job-related problem. As the meeting proceeds, the behavior of the candidates is observed to see how they interact and what leadership and communications skills each person displays. Role Playing. Role playing is a type of assessment center exercise in which the candidate assumes the role of the incumbent of the position and must deal with another person in a job-related situation. A trained role player is used and responds “in character” to the actions of the candidate. Performance is assessed by observers. Several trained observers and techniques are used. Judgments about behavior are made and recorded. The discussion results in evaluations of the performance of the candidates on the dimensions or other variables. Agencies should not utilize the assessment center as the only Pass/Fail portion of selection. Consider a “piece of the pie” attitude when utilizing assessment centers. Balance is the key objective. Hiring Practices Hiring career personnel is not only an important management/leadership decision, it is also a large monetary and professional investment for the organization. Depending on the size of the agency, it is estimated that approximately 70 to 80 percent of an operating budget for a combination department is dedicated to salaries, wages and fringe benefits for staff. Personnel are truly the most valuable resource for any organization, both in a monetary and asset sense. With that said, organizations should ensure that their recruitment and hiring processes are designed appropriately to facilitate the hiring of qualified staff that meets the organizational needs and that the candidates are screened to appropriately identify strengths and weaknesses so that solid hiring decisions can be made. Once again, it is not only about firefighting and EMS skills—people skills are very important. There are many models that identify the hiring techniques utilized by different organizations for the recruitment, hiring and appointment of volunteer, paid-on-call, part-time and career personnel. While specific criteria may vary with regard to experience, training, education and certification, several very important aspects should remain constant. Two of the most important aspects that come to mind are attitude and personality. Attitudes While hard to measure, attitude can be a driving force that overcomes many obstacles and can be the resolve that carries a person to a higher level of achievement. Southwest Airlines has embraced the motto “Hire for attitude—train for skills.” Attitude is an individual trait that should be measured to ensure that potential candidates possess a level of commitment that will blend with and be accepted within the organizational culture. The use of Likert scales or Semantic Differential Scales can be useful in developing appropriate evaluation mechanisms unique to the organization and can greatly assist managers in assessing a candidate’s attitude. The following Web address provides an overview of the Likert scale and how to develop an evaluation mechanism: www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/scallik.htm.
20 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS For more information regarding levels of measurement and scaling, visit: www.fao.org/docrep/W3241E/w3241e04.htm. The following Web address provides an overview of the do’s-and-don’ts of survey design: www.unf.edu/dept/cirt/workshops/survey/polland_handout.pdf. Personality As important as attitude is personality. The ability of an employee to survive and operate within an organizational culture may very well depend on his ability to fit in. Notwithstanding the fact that measuring a candidate’s personality is subjective, it is extremely important to identify whether or not a potential candidate has the necessary interpersonal skills to connect with peers and supervisors in the organization. A widely utilized mechanism for identifying personality traits is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instrument, which provides a useful way of describing people’s personalities by looking at their preferences on four scales (extraversion vs. introversion, sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling, and judging vs. perceiving). Paladin Associates was formed as a nonprofit organization for the purpose of promoting the benefits of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instrument. Their Web site is www.paladinexec.com and it provides a great deal of information and resources for personal and professional development. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® instrument is available free of charge at www.paladinexec.com/mtbionlinetest.htm. The psychological assessment is based on the psychologist’s knowledge of the requirements of firefighting duties. These requirements are based on a job analysis with identification of the psychological variables that are relevant to the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be an effective firefighter. In addition to the variables that are more or less common to all or most fire departments, the psychologist can also customize the focus on those variables that are valued or required by a specific department. The assessment procedures may include an individual interview with the candidate and a series of paper-and-pencil psychological tests. The comprehensive interview is primarily focused on work and career-related issues. The psychologist may also explore areas such as family history, education, interest in the pursuit of a fire service career, the individual’s strengths and developmental needs, mental health history, legal history, exploration of the use of mood-altering drugs and chemicals, and overall adjustment. The paper-and-pencil psychological tests may include the verbal comprehension, numerical reasoning and verbal reasoning subtests of the Employee Aptitude Survey® series; the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-II®; the California Psychological Inventory®; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®; and/or a writing sample. The three intellectual-based tests (verbal comprehension, numerical reasoning and verbal reasoning) provide an estimate of the individual’s vocabulary knowledge and inductive and deductive reasoning capabilities. They identify the candidate’s ability to analyze situations as well as deal with matters of a more conceptual nature. They provide an indication of how quickly the individual will learn what he or she needs to know to be successful on the job. The candidate’s scores on the aptitude tests are compared to a sample of firefighter candidates’ scores. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Indicator-II® is a clinical screening instrument designed primarily to detect the presence of abnormal functioning, and to screen out clinically significant pathology that may impair an individual’s ability to perform the duties of a firefighter. The California Psychological Inventory® is a general personality inventory designed primarily to differentiate among essentially normal individuals on a number of dimensions, including dominance, independence, responsibility, self-control, etc. Both of these inventories are used extensively in the selection of firefighters in the United States, and there are numerous research studies attesting to their validity and utility in the selection process.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 21 The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® provides useful information related to work style, including how people relate to each other, organizational skills and what information is relevant to them in making decisions (e.g., facts versus feelings). The writing sample consists of having candidates write about a conflict situation. They are evaluated on the basis of the content as well as grammatical accuracy. The conclusions of the psychologist regarding the candidate are based on all of the information gathered from the assessment processes described above. They represent the overall best judgment of the psychologist, taking into account not only the test results but also impressions gained from the interview. In addition to providing an overall description of the candidate in the report, the psychologist may also make a recommendation about hiring. For example, the candidate may be recommended unconditionally, recommended with reservations, or not recommended for hiring. When the psychologist recommends a candidate with reservations, the reservations may not be significant enough to disqualify the candidate but may cause some difficulty or be problematic. In some cases candidates may not be recommended for hire because the psychologist feels the candidate would not be a solid match or does not possess the characteristics that are particularly valued or required by a specific department. The agency must establish the benchmarks or it most likely will be saddled with a low performing employee (or volunteer). Physical Abilities One of the key elements of an organization’s assessment of employees is determining their ability to perform the essential functions of the jobs that are detailed in position descriptions. Regardless of whether an employee is volunteer, paid-on-call, part-time or career, it is essential that the organization evaluate his or her physical abilities prior to appointment to the organization and thereafter on a periodic basis, to ensure capability of performing the essential functions of whatever position the employee fills. A principal concern is the cardiovascular fitness of firefighters. The American fire service continues to see an increase in both injuries and cardiac-related on-duty deaths, which in turn leads to higher insurance premiums and increased workers’ compensation costs. The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), through the Joint Labor Management Task Force, developed The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness Fitness Initiative. The Guide to Implementing IAFC/IAFF Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness/Fitness Initiative is available via electronic format through the IAFC at no charge. The manual includes information on these topics: n Fitness evaluation. n Medical evaluation. n Rehabilitation. n Behavioral health. n Data collection. In addition to these programs, the Joint Labor Management Task Force developed the Peer Fitness Training Certification Program, which is designed to train personnel to implement fitness programs, improve the wellness of personnel and assist in the physical training of new recruits. More information is available from the IAFF web site, www.iaff.org/safe/content/wellness/peer.htm. The IAFC, in conjunction with the IAFF, developed and adopted the Candidate Physical Agility Test (CPAT), as an entry-level physical ability test for measuring the physical capabilities of a firefighter candidate to perform firefighting functions. The Candidate Physical Agility Tests Manual is available through the IAFC and the IAFF. Additional information can be obtained from the IAFF Web site at www.iaff.org/safe/wellness/cpat.html and the IAFC Web site www.iafc.org (member only access).
22 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS It is essential that organizations utilize evaluation mechanisms that have been approved by their political entities and legal counsel to ensure compliance with local, state and federal legislation, such as Americans with Disabilities (ADA). More information can be obtained by visiting the ADA Web site at www.ada.gov. Background Investigations Many changes in the way we conduct business have come about as a result of an increased awareness of global terrorism and the new role of the nation’s fire service as it relates to homeland security. Prior to September 11, 2001, many organizations were obligated under their state statutes to complete background investigations for health care providers with regard to offenses such as domestic violence, theft and drug abuse. With the heightened level of security and the integral role that the nation’s fire service now has at the local, state and federal level with homeland security, it is imperative that organizations perform a comprehensive background investigation on all candidates. Some of the more common aspects of formal background investigations include: n Employment history and verification. n Reference checks and verification. n Credit history. n Criminal case history (www.howtoinvestigate.com). n Certification/training verification. n Polygraph (www.polygraph.org). n Drivers license checks (current, tickets, suspensions, etc.). There are numerous examples of potential candidates misrepresenting their training, education and previous employment and/or criminal record. By utilizing simple technology and/or services, organizations can quickly verify these areas thus confirming the validity of the information provided by a potential candidate. Medical Evaluations According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), data show that in the ten years from 1995 to 2004, 307 of the 440 firefighters who suffered sudden cardiac death were volunteers. NFPA 1582 Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments should serve as a guideline for the medical evaluations of fire/EMS personnel. Organizations should be cognizant of specific requirements imposed by their state. Tobacco/Drug/Alcohol-Free Workplace A tobacco, drug and alcohol-free workplace should be a requirement of all emergency service organizations, regardless of their composition of volunteer, paid-on-call, part-time and career members. If your organization is intending to apply for a FIRE ACT grant or is a recipient of the grant in prior years, it is required to be a drug-free workplace. Below is the language from the grant guidelines:
As required by the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, and implemented at 44CFR Part 17, Subpart F, for grantees, as defined at 44 CFR part 17, Sections 17.615 and 17.620:
The applicant certifies that it will continue to provide a drug-free workplace by:
(a) Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the grantee’s workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibition.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 23 (b) Establishing an ongoing drug-free awareness program to inform employees about:
(1) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace (2) The grantee’s policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace (3) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation and employee assistance programs (4) The penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace
(c) Making it a requirement that each employee to be engaged in the performance of the grant to be given a copy of the statement required by paragraph (a). (d) Notifying the employee in the statement required by paragraph (a) that, as a condition of employment under the grant, the employee will:
(1) Abide by the terms of the statement and
(2) Notify the employer in writing of his or her conviction for a violation of a criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace no later than five calendar days after such conviction.
(e) Notifying the agency, in writing within 10 calendar days after receiving notice under subparagraph (d2) from an employee or otherwise receiving actual notice of such conviction. Employers of convicted employees must provide notice, including position title, to the applicable DHS awarding office, i.e. regional office or DHS office.
(f) Taking one of the following actions against such an employee within 30 calendar days of receiving notice under subparagraph (d2), with respect to any employee who is so convicted:
(1) Taking appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and including termination, consistent with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; or (2) Requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a federal, state or local health, law enforcement or other appropriate agency.
(g) Making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug free workplace through implementation of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f).
Training & Certification The experience and training level for a particular recruit will most likely vary and is dependant on organizational needs. It is not uncommon for smaller volunteer and combination departments to recruit personnel and then train them or assist in training them to the desired level. Other organizations recruit those who have obtained a minimum level of training and/or certification. Each organization will have to evaluate its hiring decisions based on: n Immediate need of trained/certified personnel. n Training/certification infrastructure of the organization. n Available funds for training/certification programs. n Cost versus benefit of training versus certification. The International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (www.ifsac.org) and the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualifications (www.theproboard.org) are two organizations that accredit training and education. Their respective Web sites can provide additional information regarding each organization. Reverse Transitioning: Is it too late to turn back? Just as it is appropriate to consider transitioning from an organization staffed completely by volunteers to a combination or fully paid department, there also may be situations in which it is appropriate to look at
24 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS reversing the transition—moving from a fully career department to a combination system that incorporates volunteers. The clues that reverse transitioning may be an option are clearly visible in career systems. Departments in which training opportunities are restricted, worn-out apparatus is not being replaced, building improvements are not made, or building and apparatus maintenance are deferred because of a shortage of funds, or which face staff downsizing and reduced minimum staffing levels, are candidates for reverse transitioning. When there are serious budgetary shortfalls reverse transitioning from a fully career department to a combination system could, over a period of time, allow for much-needed tax dollars to be reinvested in a physically failing essential service. However, any reallocation of funds must not be at the expense of service to the community. Staffing alternatives of this kind should never diminish the need for qualified, well-trained and experienced emergency service providers. Introducing volunteers to offset staffing shortages and career staff reduction through attrition is a subject that requires a great deal of department and community coordination before a switch can be made. While the number of communities that may have to consider this option is growing, organized efforts to make this switch will classify your department as a pioneer in rediscovering volunteerism and a trendsetter for others to follow. You will be recognized as an organization that planned and prepared the department and the community for the change with successful results. While the needs for reverse transitioning may be obvious, a move to a combination system will require a great deal of planning and consensus building within the community. Community surveys may be useful in determining the practicality of such a move with some insight into the supportive population base. Solicited information should include available time commitments, average population age, types of industries and shift schedules, percentage of single-parent families, average income levels, local cost of living trends, and the involvement of local youth programs. All of these will provide clues as to potential availability of local residents. A key element of a successful effort is to include the union component in all discussions. Other indications of community support may be obtained from a study of the activity levels of other civic groups, which may lend additional clues as to the available population to volunteer. Strong civic organizations with lots of activities and time commitment would most likely indicate an interest of the public to support volunteer functions. The opposite may be true if long-term civic events are cancelled because of a lack of volunteer assistance. A task force encompassing a broad base of community interests and leaders may be useful in researching and documenting the success and effectiveness of similar-sized communities that operate with successful combination systems. This group may have a substantial impact on the decision to make the switch and provide a check and balance to the emotions that can be associated, real or perceived, with such a major change. A timeline for this transition will have to include extended and multiple training opportunities for potential volunteers who have to maintain family obligations and full-time jobs. Career personnel must have the appropriate training to be successful mentors and guidelines for conduct to ensure success. Immediate and decisive disciplinary action may be necessary to curb willful attempts to derail the change. Without proper planning and consensus building, claims of reduced or less than reliable service become a detriment and find their place in destructive rumors.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 25 Examples Of Model Combination Fire Departments
Department Chief of Department Web Address
Garden City FD (NY) Edward Moran www.gardencityny.net/fire_dept.
Long Beach FD (NY) Ralph Tuccillo www.longbeachny.org
City of West Des Moines FD (IA) Donald Cox www.wdm-ia.com
Hanover Co. Fire/EMS (VA) Fred Crosby www.co.hanover.va.us/fire-ems
Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (WA) Jim Wilson www.vifr.org
Xenia Twp. FD (OH) William T. Spradlin www.xeniatownship.org
Jefferson Twp. FD (OH) Keith Mayes www.jeffersontownship.org/departments/fire
City of Vandalia FD (OH) Chad E. Follick www.ci.vandalia.oh.us/firedepartment.html
Montgomery Co. Fire/Rescue (MD) Tom Carr www.mocofiredepartment.com
Prince William Co. FD (MD) Mary Beth Michos www.co.prince-william.va.us
Bloomington FD (MN) Ulysses Seal www.ci.bloomington.mn.us/cityhall/dept/fire
Campbell County VFD (WY) Gary Scott www.ccvfd.com
Troy Fire Dept. (MI) Bill Nelson www.ci.troy.mi.us/fire
Clackamas County FD (OR) Norm Whiteley www.ccfd1.com
Hillsborough CO Fire/Rescue (FL) Bill Nesmith www.hillsboroughcounty.org/firerescue
Volusia County Fire/Rescue (FL) James G. Tauber http://volusia.org/fireservices
Marion County FD (FL) Steward McElhaney www.marioncountyfl.org
Ponderosa VFD (TX) Fred C. Windisch www.ponderosavfd.org
Kitsap County Fire/Rescue (WA) Wayne Senter www.kitsapfire7.org
Saginaw Charter Twp. FD (MI) Richard Powell www.stfd.com
Farmington Hills FD (MI) Richard Marinucci www.ci.farmington-hills.mi.us/services/fire
Evesham Fire/Rescue (NJ) Ted Lowden www.eveshamfire.org
Miami Township Div. Fire/EMS (OH) David B. Fulmer www.miamitownship.com
Clearcreek FPD (OH) Bernie Becker www.clearcreektownship.com/FD/findex.htm
Miami Township FD (OH) James Witworth www.miamitwp.org/fireems/fire.htm
German Township VFD (IN) John M. Buckman www.germanfiredept.org/
Tinley Park VFD (IL) Kenneth Dunn www.tinleyparkfire.org
Bath Twp. FD (OH) Jim Paulette www.bathtownship.org/fire/index.htm
City of Roseville FD (MN) Rich Gassaway www.ci.roseville.mn.us/fire
York County Fire/Life Safety (VA) Steve P. Kopczynski www.yorkcounty.gov/fls/index.html
Village of Savoy FD (IL) Michael Forrest www.village.savoy.il.us/index
City of Fitchburg FD (WI) Randy Pickering www.fitchburgfire.com
26 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS Addendum A
Employee Expectations
The following is a list of expectations that are not included in your job description. We feel it is extremely important for everyone to know what is expected of them. In order for the team to effectively operate all members must buy into these concepts outlined below. Please review the list and clarify any questions you may have. This list is intended to help you make an easy transition to our organization.
1. Maintain and promote a winning attitude. n Look at problems as opportunities. How can we improve? n When you bring a concern to an officer, bring two possible solutions. n Do not engage in chronic complaining. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Complaining does little to improve the organization. Help us work toward positive solutions. n Don’t accept negative attitudes in others. Bring negativity to their attention. n Avoid negative thinking. Negative thinking is contagious and limits our potential. n Remember… Attitude is a choice; choose to have a good one. n Develop a “can do” attitude. You are in control of your potential. n Focus on making a positive impact on others and the organization. n Seek out opportunities and ways to implement them. n Deal in FACTS not assumptions.
2. Practice the Golden Rule. n Treat others the way you wish to be treated. n See value in others. Everyone has value. n Care about the other members and help them succeed. n Focus more on the positive attributes of others instead of the negatives. We will not ignore the negative, but we will emphasize the positive. n Help energize others by being motivated yourself.
3. Be a team player. n Participate in meetings and trainings. n Help your fellow members succeed. n Remember… We win and we lose as a team, not individuals. n Keep communications open. n Always seek win-win solutions. n Have fun. Enjoy working with the group. n Make it a safe environment. n Build relationships to improve trust and understanding. n Allow mistakes. We will all make mistakes when we try new ideas. n Learning must take place when we make mistakes. n Poor performance is not tolerated. n Recognize fellow members for a job well done.
4. Seek excellence. n Increase your education and skill level. n Focus on helping move the organization forward for today and tomorrow. n Finish what you start. Get help if you need it. n Seek to improve everything we do. n Think why we can, instead of why we can’t.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 27 n Be data driven. n Understand our budget is limited. How can we make the biggest impact with what we have?
5. Do that which is right. n Everything you do must be done in a moral, ethical and legal manner. n Contribute to the mission and vision of the organization. n Help accomplish our goals. n Always consider the internal and external customer. n Be trustworthy and show integrity.
6. Stay focused. n Remember... You’re here to help the organization succeed. n Stay focused on contributing to the mission, vision and goals. n Don’t get distracted with personal agendas. n You are our most valuable resource… We will support you through education, training, coaching and counseling. n Every task that you engage in must be aligned with the mission.
7. Participate. n Participate in meetings, training, special details and emergency calls. n Participate by communicating, asking questions and offering suggestions. n Participate by helping the organization be better today than it was yesterday.
8. Capitalize on adversity. n We are constantly faced with adversity and problems. Don’t let the problems pull you down. Our job is to adapt and overcome problems. n Seek out opportunity any time you are confronted with adversity. n Understand all of the facts when confronted with adversity. n Help develop and implement the plan to overcome adversity.
I have reviewed and discussed the above list to clarify my understanding of the expectations. A copy has been provided to me for future reference.
______
Employee Date Officer
28 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS Addendum B
Officer Evaluation
1. I do not interact with this officer enough to complete the survey. o
2. Do you personally get along with this officer? o Yes o No
3. How would you rate his/her ability to take charge of an incident? o Excellent o Above average o Average o Below average o Needs definite improvement
4. How would you rate his/her ability to deal with personnel issues? o Excellent o Above average o Average o Below average o Needs definite improvement
5. How would you rate his/her communication skills? o Excellent o Above average o Average o Below average o Needs definite improvement
6. Do you believe that this officer has the appropriate leadership skills and experience to hold this position? o Yes o No o Could, but needs improvement
7. Please rate this officer’s abilities in the following areas. Rate on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the highest rating and 1 the lowest. _____ Ability to adapt to change _____ Level of personal motivation _____ Ability to motivate others _____ Ability to approach problems and issues in a logical fashion
8. Please rate this officer in overall performance with 5 being the highest rating and 1 the lowest. _____
9. Please rate his/her ability and experience to handle the following situations as a command officer. Rate each item on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest rating and 1 the lowest. _____ Residential structural responses _____ Commercial/industrial responses _____ Hazardous material incidents _____ Rescue operations _____ Medical emergencies _____ Station operations _____ Interaction on mutual aid responses
10. Do you support this individual in his/her current position? o Yes o No
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 29 Addendum C
Sample Career Employee Evaluation Interim Performance Appraisal
Employee Name: Title:
Reason for Review: o Annual Performance Appraisal o Interim Performance Evaluation
The purpose of this performance appraisal is to encourage and recognize the level of employee performance and the achievement of organizational objectives and accomplishments. The Interim Performance Evaluation is designed to solicit your opinion of your performance, combined with comments from your immediate supervisor and the Chief, and to develop a progressive plan to improve skills and performance. This form is designed to facilitate a mutual understanding of performance expectations and the performance appraisal process by encouraging the employee and the supervisor to participate in a meaningful dialogue.
Performance will be evaluated on the following rating levels:
5 = Outstanding Performance consistently and significantly exceeds the requirements of the job and is beyond established standards. Employee achieves objectives at a superior level. The employee demonstrates exceptional skills and innovation in work performance.
4 = Commendable Performance exceeds job requirements in all major areas. Employee displays leadership and initiative, produces quality work, and sets an example for others to follow.
3 = Effective The employee consistently performs tasks at acceptable levels, produces the required amount of quality work, and makes effective use of resources (ex: materials, budget, time, guidelines, procedures, etc.)
2 = Needs Improvement Performance is below job requirements in one or more important area(s) and immediate improvement is required. Employee fulfills some responsibilities; has difficulty completing others. Additional training or development is required to achieve performance expectations.
Each objective is scored with points assigned from 2-5; a score of 2 represents the lowest rating and 5 is the highest. Total points are divided by the number of scored questions. Employee comments to “Discussion Points” are to be typewritten and italicized in black and the Chief’s, and / or supervisor’s, comments will need to be italicized in blue.
1. Rate your personal performance regarding your specific administrative job assignments. ______points
Discussion Points
List your contributions to the department during the past year.
30 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS Define your mission with each of the administrative assignments with which you have primary responsibility.
Prioritize your short term (12-24 months) objectives.
Prioritize your general long-term goals.
What “cost saving” measures have you implemented or could be implementing within your area of responsibility?
2. Rate you personal performance as an emergency services provider. ______points (as a volunteer) (for those assigned as emergency responders)
Discussion Points
What has been your best scene performance this past year and why?
What has been your least productive performance this past year and why?
Identify your technical strengths.
Identify your technical weaknesses and your plans for improvement.
What measures have you personally implemented to improve the safety of department operations?
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 31 3. Rate your performance as a team player with your co-workers. ______points
Discussion Points
In what way have your actions, both as an individual and in the scope of your job responsibilities, contributed to building and enhancing the team effort with your co-workers?
In what way have your actions, both as an individual and in the scope of your job responsibilities, detracted from developing and / or enhancing the team effort with your co-workers?
4. Rate your performance as a team player with the volunteers. ______points
Discussion Points
In what way have your actions, both as an individual and in the scope of your job responsibilities, contributed to building and enhancing the team effort within assigned duty shifts?
In what way have your actions, both as an individual and in the scope of your job responsibilities, detracted from developing and / or enhancing the team effort within your assigned duty shifts?
5. Rate your overall productivity this past year. ______points
Discussion Points
Identify the critical elements / tasks of your job assignment(s).
Identify the non-critical elements / tasks of your job assignment(s), (those elements / tasks that could be transferred to someone else).
6. Rate your ability to effectively schedule your time. ______points
7. Rate your ability to “self-motivate” and assume work without supervision. ______points
32 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS 8. Rate your ability to professionally resolve issues with co-workers and volunteers. ______points
9. Rate your ability to “mentor” other co-workers and volunteers. ______points
10. How would you rate your openness and approachability by co-workers? ______points
General Discussion Topics
What single issue would you change / influence to improve the overall administrative operations of the department?
What single issue would you change / influence to improve the overall emergency services operations of the department?
What single item, within the work environment, serves as your most frustrating issue?
Rate how you feel you are compensated (i.e. wages and benefits) for work / duties performed as an employee.
What changes / adjustments would need to occur for you to reasonably perform your duties within your 80 or 86 hour allocation?
Overall Evaluation Score
Supervisor’s Comments Provide a brief summary statement that characterizes the employee’s overall performance and supports your rating. Supervisors should summarize performance strengths and indicate any performance improvement areas needed. Provide additional pages if necessary.
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 33 Employee’s Comments Do you understand how your performance was evaluated? Provide additional pages as necessary.
NOTE: Employee signature does not necessarily signify the employee’s agreement with the appraisal; it simply means the appraisal has been discussed with the employee.
______/ ______= ______Total Score Total Qualifying Questions Performance Level
PERFORMANCE LEVELS 2005 - 2006 Evaluation “Category” 4.0 – Outstanding
3.0 - 3.9 – Commendable
2.0 - 2.9 – Effective
1.0 - 1.9 – Need Improvement
Print Signature Date
Employee:
Supervisor:
Reviewed by:
Department Head:
34 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS VCOS Position Statements on Fire Service Operational Issues
The following position statements provide basic information to Chief Officers. The full texts are available on the Web at www.vcos.org. Alcohol Use Apparatus Driver Training Chief Fire Officer Designation Commercial Product Endorsement Exhaust System Installation and Use Fair Labor Standards Act Financial Impact Analysis Accompanying NFPA Standards Physical Fitness Rural Community Fire Protection Funding Service Awards for Volunteers Performing Fire Protection and EMS Terrorism Response Performance Objective Training Programs Volunteer Training Standards Wellness and Fitness Programs
VOLUNTEER AND COMBINATION OFFICERS SECTION 35 Volunteer Firefighters Contract with America 2005
This document is offered in a spirit of agreement between the Volunteer Firefighters of America, represented by the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS) of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the federal, state, local governments and the American public.
The purpose of this document is to recognize the significant and cost-effective role that the Volunteer Firefighters of America play in ensuring public safety within our local communities. As part of this cooperative partnership, the agreement outlines the areas that the American volunteer fire service will continue to improve to safeguard our nation’s homeland security. This document also identifies national legislative efforts that will add to the stability and longevity of the American Volunteer Fire Service.
Volunteer Firefighters’ Bill of Rights Article I Volunteering in the fire service is a benefit to America, and every qualified American should have the right to volunteer. In serving their communities, volunteer firefighters should have their constitutionally protected rights to freedom of speech, equal protection under the law and due process. The U.S. federal, state and local governments shall not pass laws or requirements that abrogate these rights. While we recognize that nongovernmental organizations and private groups have the right to establish rules regarding their governance, these groups should not pass any law or requirement that would restrict the rights of Americans to serve as volunteer firefighters. Article II The federal, state and local governments shall strive to create an environment that encourages citizens to volunteer and recognizes volunteers as a community asset. Article III Professionalism is not a paycheck. It is a way of life based on education, training and practice. As such, professional persons are not necessarily paid persons. It shall be recognized that professional persons’ contributions, whether paid or volunteer, are assets to the community. An environment of cooperation and constructive growth shall be encouraged between paid and volunteer professionals. Article IV The federal, state and local governments shall recognize volunteer contributions and shall provide opportunities for volunteers to receive the high-quality training, education and experience necessary to perform expected tasks. Article V The federal, state and local governments, in recognition of the value volunteers provide to their communities, shall provide the necessary tools and equipment for volunteers to perform the expected tasks. Article VI Volunteers shall commit to devoting the time and resources necessary to obtain education, training and experience to reach a level of professional competence to perform the expected tasks. Article VII Volunteers shall expect, and local governments shall commit to, the provision of qualified, certified and competent leaders.
36 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS
The Section Mission Statement
The mission of the IAFC Volunteer & Combination Officers Section is to provide Chief Officers who manage volunteers within the Fire/Rescue/EMS delivery system with information, education, services, and representation to enhance their professionalism and capabilities.
The Section Vision
Our vision is to be the leading International Organization with a sustained performance in representing the interests of the Professional Volunteer and Combination Fire Service. We will be a dynamic organization, characterized by our integrity, customer focus, membership growth, the value placed on people and superior application of technology. We will be the best at generating and applying new ideas and learning faster than other organizations
THIS REPORT IS M ADE POSSIBLE BY THE VCOS EDUCA TION INITIATIVE
WITH THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF
Pierce Manufacturing An Oshkosh Truck Corporation Company
IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section 4025 Fair Ridge Drive Fairfax, VA 22033