Tennessee County Fire Handbook Prepared by Kevin J
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Tennessee County Fire Handbook prepared by Kevin J. Lauer Fire Management Consultant TENNESSEE COUNTY FIRE HANDBOOK Kevin J. Lauer Fire Management Consultant DEDICATION The Tennessee County Fire Handbook is dedicated in both new and existing buildings. Over time the to Dwight and Gloria Kessel. Dwight Kessel gave fire bureau expanded to provide public education 31 years of dedicated service to the people of and fire/arson investigation as well as code Knox County as a Knoxville City Council member, enforcement. This approach was unprecedented at Knox County Clerk and County Executive. During the time on a county level and remains a model his tenure as County Executive, Kessel oversaw that most counties in the state should study to tremendous growth in the county’s population improve life safety and property loss reduction. and services provided. The county was handed several duplicate governmental services from Even after Kessel’s tenure in office, he has the city such as schools, jails, libraries and continued to improve county government across indigent care (which became a model that other the state. The Kessel’s generous endowment communities across the nation studied and used to the University of Tennessee was earmarked to improve their delivery of indigent care). All for special projects that the County Technical were successfully absorbed into the realm of Assistance Service (CTAS) would not normally county services. be able to fund. The endowment has made this groundbreaking evaluation of county fire In 1983 Knox County suffered some major losses protection possible. Many issues and concerns from apartment fires, including one fatality. have been identified, and this book will assist Kessel put together a task force to address what county officials for many more years with was needed to prevent these tragic events from improving fire protection. re-occurring. In 1984 the County Commission passed a resolution establishing a fire prevention The University of Tennessee and CTAS are department. Building and fire codes were adopted extremely appreciative and grateful to have and subsequently two groups were formed to supporters like Dwight and Gloria Kessel who enforce the codes. The building department assist with the mission of improving the delivery addressed new construction practices and the fire of county governmental services across the state bureau’s role focused on fire prevention practices of Tennessee. COUNTY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICE • TENNESSEE COUNTY FIRE HANDBOOK FOREWORD County government officials and local citizens to accomplish this goal, initially two surveys across the state face many challenges in regard were developed. One was sent to all County to fire protection issues. The most serious Executives/Mayors, and a more in-depth survey of the concerns is the fact that the state of was sent to more than 650 fire departments. Tennessee has the second highest fire death Additional site visits were taken to encourage fire rate in the nation. Many factors contribute departments to complete the evaluation survey. to this grim statistic, including some of the The following pages contain the results of this deficiencies that are identified in this publication. project. During the scope of this assessment, Secondly, numerous counties are becoming more an additional 17 county projects were requested urbanized due to massive growth and changes in regarding fire protection issues. Some have been demographics and land usage. With the increased completed, while others are in various stages of urbanization, more demands for traditionally completion. The challenges regarding the delivery “municipal” services are challenging county of a balanced and progressive approach to fire officials. One pressing service is in regard to fire protection will only increase as populations grow protection. In the past, most counties have given and demographics shift. Counties will be called donations to the local volunteer fire departments upon to provide higher levels of fire protection and some have bought apparatus for these services and must begin to plan for these issues departments. This action is being examined more prior to the occurrence of a crisis or catastrophe. closely across the state. With the costs of fire engines exceeding $150,000 per truck and ladder The County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) trucks in excess of $500,000, county officials intends to assist counties with these issues by see an increased need to ensure proper planning providing comprehensive reference materials, prior to these purchases in accordance to long educational opportunities addressing current range plans addressing the overall “fire situation.” and crucial topics, and a high level of technical Several counties have to address the decreased assistance that most counties have found availability of volunteer and part-time personnel essential to the delivery of county services. It is during normal working hours. Fire prevention the goal of CTAS to assist counties in providing services, along with building codes, are an the highest level of fire protection that is increasing service to improve public welfare and economically feasible in each jurisdiction that reduce losses. chooses to address this issue. The scope of this document is to determine the (Note: Most percentages referenced in this need for fire protection assistance to county document were rounded to the nearest whole governments, assess the current level of fire number; therefore, some tables that categorize all protection across the state and establish a responders to the survey may not add up to 100 reference source for improving the multiple percent.) versions of fire protection services. In order COUNTY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICE • TENNESSEE COUNTY FIRE HANDBOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Executive Summary of Statewide Analysis ... 1 XI. Mutual and Automatic Aid ........................ 62 II. Current Assessment XII. Tennessee Statutes Regarding of Fire Protection Capabilities ................... 6 Fire Protection ........................................ 68 County Executive/Mayor’s Survey ............... 6 XIII. Federal Regulations Addressing Fire and Emergency Services ........................... 70 Fire Department Survey ............................ 9 XIV. Fire Department Performance III. ISO Ratings and County Government– Evaluation Criteria ................................... 88 What Is ISO? .......................................... 34 XV. NFPA Standards and IV. County Water Supply Planning .................. 42 County Fire Operations ............................. 91 V. Fire Prevention ....................................... 45 XVI. Homeland Security Threat Level Responses ...................................... 94 VI. Fire Department Recognition Act ............... 48 XVII. Fire Protection Resources ......................... 97 VII. Fire Department Funding .......................... 49 Appendix A: ISO Inventory Sheets ........................ 98 VIII. Formation of a Countywide Fire Department ...................................... 50 Appendix B: Live Fire Evolution Sample Checklist ... 104 IX. Recruitment and Retention ....................... 55 Appendix C: Fire Department Directory .................. 108 X. Training ................................................. 56 Appendix D: NFPA 1720 Matrix ............................. 133 OFFICES Nashville (Headquarters) ............... 615.532.3555 Chattanooga ................................... 423.755.5319 Cookeville ....................................... 931.525.3535 Jackson ............................................ 731.423.3710 Johnson City ................................... 423.282.4141 Knoxville ........................................ 865.974.8181 Martin ............................................. 731.587.7055 COUNTY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICE • TENNESSEE COUNTY FIRE HANDBOOK TENNESSEE COUNTY FIRE HANDBOOK Kevin J. Lauer, Fire Management Consultant I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • The average per capita expenditure in counties OF STATEWIDE ANALYSIS that provide funds for fire protection was $7.31 BACKGROUND when the top three counties were taken out of • Surveys were created to assess levels of fire the equation. (These counties were taken out protection from the county officials as well as due to the large gap between them and the the fire departments that deliver the service. next highest per capita expenditure.) • Eighty-six of the 95 County Executives/Mayors • While several counties have subdivision returned the completed survey. regulations that affect fire protection • Fifty-one percent of the 654 identified fire (almost one-half), several indicate that the departments returned the assessment form. enforcement of these regulations is practically • Fire department responses were compared non-existent. with similar type departments: city, county, • Only eight counties have some type of combination city/county, subscription/fee organized fire prevention office. based and non-profits (traditionally mostly • More than 60 percent of the counties indicate volunteer organizations), as well as population that they can use technical assistance in categories. regards to numerous fire protection issues. COUNTY EXECUTIVE/MAYOR SURVEY FINDINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT SURVEY FINDINGS • A high level of interest has been generated • More than half of the communities in the state from county officials who must work with the are served by an Insurance Services Office’s various models of fire protection services. (ISO) rated Class 8, 9, or 10 fire department. • Twenty-one countywide