Vacaville Fire Department Annual Report
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Vacaville Fire Department 2017 Annual Report City of Vacaville Fire Department 2017 Annual Report 1 Message from the Fire Chief This report provides a summary of another eventful year for the Vacaville Fire Department. As you will see in the following pages, 2017 was full of proud achievements and milestones for the hard working men and women of the VFD. Throughout the year, our people remained focused on our mission, “to reduce the impact of emergencies in a caring and competent manner.” In 2016, the Vacaville Fire Department reached the 10,000 annual incident milestone for the first time in our long history. We had a 6.64% increase in calls for service in 2017, and finished the year with 10,664 incidents. Although the number of medical emergency responses increased to 7,422 in 2017 (a 4.7% increase), the number of medical emergencies as percentage of overall incidents dropped to 69.5% - the first time in five years that figure has been below 70%. After almost nine years of being browned out, we were able to staff our fourth ambulance again beginning on July 16, 2017. Our fourth ambulance has been placed at Station 75 in South Town. This brought our daily staffing to a minimum of 24 personnel. Staffing the fourth ambulance was a much needed restoration of services as medical emergencies continue to increase and it was not uncommon for our three ambulances to all be busy at the same time. We celebrated an important anniversary in 2017, as it marked 40 years since the start of paramedic services in our community. In 1977, Vacaville became one of the first agencies in Northern California, and likely the smallest, to begin delivering paramedic services. In that year, four firefighters – Gene Gantt, Brian Lopez, Lynn Norman, and Tony Ramos – successfully completed training at Stanford University and started the paramedic program in Vacaville. A program that has grown to 45 budgeted paramedics responding to 7,422 medical emergencies last year. We welcomed 13 new firefighters in 2017 to replace retirees and fill other vacancies. This was the first time in two years we were able to hold a recruit academy. The 13 recruits went through 14 weeks of rigorous training and were finally able to hit the floor on December 10, 2017. This brings our Operations Division to near full staffing. According to Cal Fire, 2017 was considered to be the most destructive wildfire season on record. Although the City of Vacaville was not directly affected by any of the catastrophic fires, 76 of our personnel responded to 16 different incidents throughout the state, logging a total of 602 days of mutual aid provided. Thank you for taking time to read our 2017 Annual Report. I am honored to serve the nearly 96,000 residents of Vacaville, and work alongside the tremendous group of people that is the Vacaville Fire Department. We look back at 2017 with pride and look forward to another great year in 2018, as we know it will afford us new opportunities to improve on what is already a first-class fire service agency. Respectfully, Kristian Concepcion, Fire Chief Cover photo: Courtesy of Joel Rosenbaum, The Reporter, Vacaville City of Vacaville Fire Department 2017 Annual Report 2 Mission, Values, and Goals Department Mission Statement Reducing the impact of emergencies in a competent and caring manner. Our Core Values: The Vacaville HILLS Honesty Integrity Leadership Loyalty Superior Service Department Goal Statements Ensure prompt, appropriate response to emergency incidents. Recruit, hire, and retain only the best people and support them through development and maintenance of their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Deliver fire and life safety programs to all segments of the community. Gain fire code compliance in partnership with others. Determine the causes of fires by thoroughly investigating them. Provide and maintain high quality apparatus and equipment in well designed, strategically-located fire stations. City of Vacaville Fire Department 2017 Annual Report 3 Leadership Fire Department Staff and Managers Kristian Concepcion Alan Hartford Fire Chief Fire Deputy Chief Alex Nourot Matt Lage Gary Mahlberg Battalion Chief (A Shift) Battalion Chief (B Shift) Battalion Chief (C Shift) Jill Childers Lluvica Altamirano Sheryl Williams Fire Prevention Bureau Management Analyst Administrative Assistant Manager City of Vacaville Fire Department 2017 Annual Report 4 Organization Organizational Chart Office of the Fire Chief/ Fire Marshal Kris Concepcion Management Analyst (1) Administrative Assistant (1) Administrative Clerk (2) DEPUTY CHIEF EMS PROGRAM SUPPORT OPERATIONS TRAINING Fire Prevention Bureau Manager (1) OPS A OPS B OPS C Fire Training Code Enforcement Fire Prevention VCERT Battalion Chief Battalion Chief Battalion Chief Captain (1) (1) (1) (1) Code Enforcement Fire Plans Examiner/ 5 Stations 5 Stations 5 Stations Technician Inspector Captain (5) Captain (5) Captain (5) (3) (1) Engineer & Engineer & Engineer & Fire Prevention Engineer/PM (5) Engineer/PM (5) Engineer/PM (5) Specialist (2) Firefighter & Firefighter & Firefighter & Firefighter/PM Firefighter/PM Firefighter/PM Fire Safety (13) (13) (12) Coordinator (1) Facilities Fire Stations and Administrative Headquarters Administration Station 71 650 Merchant Street 111 South Orchard Avenue 707-449-5452 Built: January 10, 1996 Administration – Prevention Bureau – Training 2017 Unit responses: 3,781 Station 72 Station 73 2001 Ulatis Drive 650 Eubanks Court Built: February 3, 1989 Built: February 5, 1988 2017 Unit responses: 7,125 2017 Unit responses: 1,347 Station 74 Station 75 1850 Alamo Drive 111 Cogburn Circle Built: January 1, 1994 Built: May 16, 2016 2017 Unit responses: 4,482 2017 Unit responses: 3,316 City of Vacaville Fire Department 2017 Annual Report 5 2017 Fire Academy The Vacaville Fire Department held a 14-week academy for its 13 new firefighters and firefighter/paramedics in 2017. The group, who called themselves, “the Wolfpack,” were hired to fill vacancies and began their employment with the City of Vacaville on September 1, 2017. The 752-hour academy challenged them, both physically and mentally. Studies have shown that recruits that are more physically fit are more successful in the academy – both in academics and hands-on skills. As a result, each day of the academy started with a tough workout coordinated by one of our Peer Fitness Coordinators. During the 14-week academy, the recruits were trained in a wide array of topics because the term, “firefighter,” has become a bit of a misnomer. Today’s firefighters are really “all-risk emergency responders.” They have to be just as adept at treating a heart attack patient as they do in attacking a grass fire. They have to be equally skilled in mitigating a hazardous materials spill as they do in rescuing someone trapped in a car. The academy included training in all these subjects, and many more. It was designed to build a good foundation of not only hands-on skills, but also reinforcing character and ethical decision-making that is necessary to become a Vacaville firefighter. After their graduation on December 7, which was attended by about 300 people, each probationary firefighter was assigned to one of our five stations on one of three shifts. Each will go through an 18- month probationary period where they will be evaluated every three months through a battery of manipulative and written tests. The firefighters must pass each exam with a score of 80% or better in order to successfully complete probation. This newest group of firefighters and firefighter/paramedics is a strong, cohesive group. They are ready to take on the most challenging tasks. They are ready, willing, and able to serve the community of Vacaville and provide the excellent service to which our residents have become accustomed to receiving from the fire department. “The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle!” City of Vacaville Fire Department 2017 Annual Report 6 Celebrating 40 Years of Paramedic Services in Vacaville In 1967 the Vacaville City Council voted to purchase two station wagons instead of patrol cars so police officers could have a dual purpose vehicle to transport patients to the hospital. Police officers were the ones trained in basic first aid. In 1971, the fire department eventually took over the transporting of patients after every member completed an 84-hour course to become emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Vacaville, at the time, had no hospital and despite the work of EMT's operating from station wagons, lives were being lost, and injuries and illnesses were intensified by the delay in patients receiving hospital care. The service needed an upgrade and even though paramedic services were relatively new – the Wedworth-Townsend Paramedic Act was only signed into law in 1970 – the City of Vacaville recognized it as a necessary service to save lives. A paramedic program was expensive, so in order to fund this critical service, Vacaville residents were asked to support a special property tax. The paramedic tax was established on November 2, 1976. Four Vacaville firefighters – Gene Gantt, Brian Lopez, Lynn Norman, and Tony Ramos – started paramedic school at Stanford University in February, 1977. By July, 1977, Vacaville was one of the first cities, and likely the smallest, to have a paramedic service. A great deal of the credit for the success of the program goes to our four original paramedics. Four paramedics had to cover three shifts, so a great deal of responsibility was bestowed on them. If any one of them had failed or left the department, the success of the program would have been in jeopardy. What started with four paramedics has now grown to 45 budgeted paramedic positions – four fully staffed paramedic ambulances and at least one paramedic on each of our engines and truck company. The paramedic tax that was expected to bring in $144,000 in its first year, now generates about $4 million in revenue to be used for paramedic services.