Virginia Fire Service Needs Assessment: an Annual Profile of Critical Needs As Identified by Virginia’S Fire Service
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Virginia Fire Service Needs Assessment: An annual profile of critical needs as identified by Virginia’s Fire Service Volume V - January 2009 Preface Background At the request of the Virginia General Assembly (VGA), Secretary of Public Safety John W. Marshall directed the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of Virginia’s fire service in 2003 in order to provide members of the VGA with adequate information to make informed decisions with regard to fire service funding issues. The first needs assessment supplement was published in 2004 laid the ground work to assist in the legislative decision-making process. This report, Volume V, published in January, 2009 was produced from survey results collected from fire departments in 2008. The 2008 Needs Assessment continued to focus on the efforts of Virginia’s Fire Service to identify specific needs in the areas of apparatus, equipment, facilities, personnel and training and also analyzed the ability of fire departments to adequately perform the duties of the Emergency First Responder. Survey Team The 2008 Fire Service Needs Assessment Survey team consisted of the following VDFP staff: Marion A. Long, Information and Statistics Manager, and Dwight E. Crews, Fire Research Analyst. Acknowledgements The survey team gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following Management with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) for assistance with survey development and report assistance during the 2009 Fiscal Period. • Willie G. Shelton, Jr., C.E.M., Executive Director • Larry McAndrews, Branch Chief - Operations • Russell Chandler, Branch Chief - Training and Technical Services • Brook Pittinger, Director of Administration • Christine Lopilato, Director of Finance • Ed Altizer, State Fire Marshal • David Jolly, Curriculum Development and QA Chief • Mark Buff, Marketing and Communications Manager • Amanda Wood, Grants Manager Volume V - January 2009 - i The following VDFP Division Chiefs greatly helped to encourage completion of the needs assessment survey with fire departments and publicized the importance of the needs assessment in their areas. • Tom Berry, Division Chief - Division 1 Office - Richmond • Bert Roby, Division Chief - Division 2 Office - Orange • Don Brown, Division Chief - Division 3 Office - Farmville • Dennis Price, Division Chief - Division 4 Office - Marion • Samuel Burnette, Division Chief - Division 5 Office - Hampton • Donald E. Hansen, Division Chief - Division 6 Office - Roanoke • Melvin Byrne, Division Chief - Division 7 Office - Loudoun We also want to thank all the members of the Virginia Fire Services Board for their continued support, as well as, all County Administrators, and City and Town Managers in Virginia for their promotion of the survey. Finally, we would like to thank all the fire departments in Virginia for their efforts in responding to the 2008 Needs Assessment Survey. The assessment could not be successful without their valuable support and contribution. Volume V - January 2009 - ii Table of Contents Preface i Background i Survey Team i Acknowledgements i Table of Contents iii Index of Figures viii Index of Tables x Index of Photos xii Index of Maps xii Executive Summary 1 Top Needs 1 Estimated Costs 1 Apparatus 2 Equipment 2 Facilities 2 Personnel 3 Training 3 Communications 3 2008 Fire Service Needs Assessment Quick Facts 4 Chapter 1 - Introduction 9 Survey Methodology 9 Sample 9 Survey Design 10 Data Collection 11 Survey Procedures/Mailouts 11 Final Survey Response 12 Collaborative Effort 13 Volume V - January 2009 - iii Other Data Sources 13 Limitations 13 Survey Response Rate 14 Organization Structure of Virginia’s Fire Service 14 VFIRS Response Rate 15 Local Use 16 Average 16 Chapter 2 - Survey Results 19 Survey Section II - General Department Information 19 Type of Area Protected 19 Department Population Protected 19 Department Coverage Area 21 Survey Section III - Department Personnel 23 Firefighters By Status 23 Average Firefighters On Duty 23 Civilian Personnel By Type 24 Fitness Program 26 Personnel Programs 27 Survey Section IV - Facilities & Apparatus 28 Fire Stations Over 40 Years of Age 28 Fire Stations with Backup Power 28 Apparatus Currently Owned 30 Equipment Currently Owned 32 Building Height 35 Survey Section V - Operation Budget Information 37 Budget Funding 37 Apparatus Replacement 40 Equipment Replacement 40 Survey Section VI - Communications 42 Frequency Spectrum 42 Volume V - January 2009 - iv Assigned Radios 43 Emergency Alert Button 43 Dispatch Operations 44 GPS Map Coordinate System 44 Internet Access 46 Incident Data 47 Survey Section VII - Fire Department Roles / Training 49 Department Roles 49 Firefighter Certification 54 Regional Technical Rescue Response 55 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) 55 Survey Section VIII - Fire Prevention & Code Enforcement 57 Programs / Activities 57 Fire Code Inspections 57 Fire Investigation 58 Survey Section IX - Your Fire Department’s Top Needs 60 Top Needs 60 Estimated Costs 61 Apparatus Needed 62 Equipment Needed 64 Facilities Needed 66 Personnel Needed 67 Training Needed 69 Supplemental Table 1. Fire Department Personnel Data Reported By Locality 79 Supplemental Table 2. Number of Apparatus Owned Reported By Locality 83 Supplemental Table 3. Number of Equipment Owned Reported By Locality 87 Supplemental Table 4. #1 Top Need / Total Estimated Costs Summary Reported By Locality 95 Supplemental Table 5. Number of Apparatus Needed Reported By Locality 99 Supplemental Table 6. Number of Equipment Needed Reported By Locality 103 Supplemental Table 7. Number of Personnel Needed Reported By Locality 111 Volume V - January 2009 - v Chapter 3 - Reported Incidents 117 Description 117 Incident Types 117 Fires 120 Supplemental Table 8. VFIRS Participation 2007 125 Supplemental Table 9. Incident Type Summary By Locality, Virginia, 2007 129 Supplemental Table 10. VFIRS Summary Data By Locality, Virginia, 2007 133 Supplemental Table 11. VFIRS Rate Summary By Locality, Virginia, 2007 137 Chapter 4 - Training 143 Description of Schools 143 Type of Schools 143 Active Students 145 Personnel Type 146 Student Demographics 147 Education Level 148 Title 148 Certifications 150 Supplemental Table 12. Number of Active Students By Personnel Type By Locality 153 Supplemental Table 13. Number of Certifications By Virginia Region By Certification Type 157 Chapter 5 - Funding 163 Introduction 163 Fire Programs Fund 163 Description of Fund 163 Aid to Localities (ATL) Program 163 Federal Funding Programs 167 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program 167 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) 168 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants 168 Volume V - January 2009 - vi State Homeland Security Grants 169 Other State Funding Programs 169 Rescue Squad Assistance Fund 169 Fire Services Grant Program 169 VFIRS Hardware Technology Grants 170 Virginia Dry Hydrant Grant Program 170 Supplemental Table 14. Aid to Localities (ATL) Program Allocations By Locality, FY 2005-2009 171 Appendix I - Virginia Regions 181 Appendix II - Virginia Localities By Region By House / Senate Districts 191 Appendix III - Survey Questionnaire 195 Appendix IV - Survey Promotion Flyer 229 Appendix V - Survey Participation By Locality 231 Appendix VI - Completed Surveys By Fire Department 235 Appendix VII - Fire Department Participation By Locality 245 Volume V - January 2009 - vii Index of Figures Figure 1. Fire Service Needs Assessment Sample By Fire Department, Virginia, 2008 10 Figure 2. Type of Area Department Has Primary Responsibility to Protect 19 Figure 3. Number of Permanent Residents Department Has Primary Responsibility to Protect 20 Figure 4. Number of Permanent Residents Department Has Primary Responsibility to Protect By Virginia Region 20 Figure 5. Number of Square Miles Department Has Primary Responsibility to Protect 21 Figure 6. Number of Square Miles Department Has Primary Responsibility to Protect By Virginia Region 22 Figure 7. Active Firefighters By Status 24 Figure 8. Civilian Personnel By Type 25 Figure 9. Does Your Department Have a Program to Maintain Basic Firefighter Fitness and Health as Required by NFPA 1500? 26 Figure 10. Does Your Fire Department Currently Have Personnel Programs? 27 Figure 11. Age of Fire Stations 28 Figure 12. Fire Stations with Backup Power 29 Figure 13. Number of Buildings 4 or More Stories in Height 35 Figure 14. Is Your Facility Shared with Any Other Organizations? 36 Figure 15. Fire Department Budget Funding 37 Figure 16. Was Your Current Apparatus Purchased or Donated? 39 Figure 17. Funding Source for Purchased Apparatus 39 Figure 18. Communication By Radio with Other Agencies 42 Figure 19. What Radio Frequency Does Your Department Operate On? 43 Figure 20. Radios with an Emergency Alert Button 44 Figure 21. Primary Responsibility for Dispatch Operations 45 Figure 22. Apparatus Equipped with a GPS Map Coordinate System 45 Figure 23. Departments with Internet Service 47 Figure 24. Are You Using Incident Data for Department Decision Making? 48 Figure 25. Personnel Designated and Responsible for Specific Duties 49 Figure 26. Fire Departments that Perform Specific Fire Service Role 51 Figure 27. Personnel That Have Received Formal Training By Department Role 52 Figure 28. Personnel Received Training in National Incident Management System (NIMS) 53 Figure 29. Does Your Jurisdiction Mandate Firefighter Certification? 54 Figure 30. Percent of Departments that Conduct Specific Programs or Activities 57 Figure