Copyright 2001, NFPA Report of the Committee on deployment, and evaluation of substantially all career public fire protection and emergency medical services. Fire and Emergency Service Organization and Deployment — Career This list represents the membership at the time the Committee was balloted on the text of this edition. Since that time, changes in the Alan V. Brunacini, Chair membership may have occurred. A key to classifications is found at the City of Phoenix Fire Dept., AZ [E] front of this book. Richard M. Duffy, Secretary This portion of the Technical Committee Report of the International Association of Fire Fighters, DC [L] Committee on Fire and Emergency Service Organization and (Alt. to IAFF Reps.) Deployment — Career is presented for adoption. Terry Allen, City of Cambridge, Canada [E] This Report on Comments was prepared by the Technical Robert C. Barr, Firescope, Inc., MA [SE] Committee on Fire and Emergency Service Organization and Wayne Bernard, City of Surrey Fire Dept., Canada [E] Deployment — Career, and documents its action on the Rep. Fire Chiefs’ Association of British Columbia comments received on its Report on Proposals on NFPA 1710, William L. Bingham, City of Boynton Beach, FL [U] Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Rep. International Fire Marshals Association Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations and Diane Breedlove, City of Sugar Land, TX [C] Special Opertions to the Public by Career Fire Departments, as Kenneth E. Buzzell, United Firefighters of LA City, CA [L] published in the Report on Proposals for the 2001 May Meeting. Rep. International Association of Fire Fighters Ross Chadwick, City of Denton, TX [E] This Report on Comments has been submitted to letter ballot of Welling S. Clark, ITT Industries, CO [RT] the Technical Committee on Fire and Emergency Service John L Cochran, U.S. Fire Administration, MD [SE] Organization and Deployment — Career, which consists of 32 Dennis R. Compton, Mesa Fire Department, AZ [E] voting members; of whom 27 voted affirmatively, 2 negatively after Rep. International Association of Fire Chiefs circulation of negative ballots (Lawrence, Lemmie), 2 abstained Don R. Forrest, United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, CA [L] (Breedlove, Mullikin), and 1 ballot was not returned (King). Lawrence D. Garcia, City of Wichita, KS [E] Rep. International Association of Fire Chiefs Mr. Lawrence voted negatively stating: Harold B. Hairston, City of Philadelphia Fire Department, I vote against the Report on Comments for the following PA [E] reasons: Rep. Metropolitan Fire Chiefs 1. The proposed Standard 1710 refers to studies regarding time- Patrick K. Hughes, North Richland Hills Fire Department, temperature relationships, particular to the apparently TX [U] accelerating rate of rise as the time axis is extended. The popular Rep. International Fire Service Accreditation Congress literature ratifies our fire service anecdotal evidence, suggesting William D. Killen, U.S. Dept. of the Navy, DC [U] that after 8 minutes or so, structural fires go to flashover. Though John K. King, City of Detroit Fire Department, MI [L] my organization staffs and responds at better than the proposed Cortez Lawrence, Auburn Public Safety Department, AL [E] level (4 f/f and 5/8 minutes), there is an undocumented time Jim Lee, Toronto Professional Fire Fighters’ Association, between ignition, discovery, and reporting of the fire incident. It Canada [L] is almost certain that the total time between ignition and initial Rep. International Association of Fire Fighters fire attacks exceed 8 minutes, yet rarely are the structural fires we Valerie Lemmie, City of Dayton Fire Department, OH [C] see post-flashover. Thus the “science” relied on has questionable David McCormack, International Association of Fire Fighters, DC external validity. [L] 2. The “one-size-fits-all” approach may provide disincentives for Larry Mullikin, Stillwater Fire Department, OK [M] communities to utilize technology to reduce fire occurrences or Rep. International Fire Service Training Association to minimize the impact of fires. Strong prevention and education Christopher E. Platten, Wylie, McBride, Jesinger, Sure & Platten, programs, effective code enforcement, and installed protection CA [SE] including automatic sprinkler systems get no credit regarding Franklin D. Pratt, Los Angeles County Fire Department, CA [SE] community fire service deployment and response. The proposed Gary Rainey, Miami Dade Fire Rescue, FL [L] standard may only result in more folks working at the fire station Ken Riddle, City of Las Vegas Fire Department, NV [U] with no enhancement of community life and property safety. Nick Russo, Dept. of Fire/Rescue & Emergency Services, 3. Rather proscribing mandate staffing and response, the MA [E] committee should consider performance outcomes. Every Rep. International Association of Fire Chiefs competent fire chief should have the capacity and the skills to Mark A. Sanders, Cincinnati Fire Fighters Union, OH [L] provide a risk assessment of the community and project outcomes Patrick Smith, U.S. Dept. of Energy, ID [U] based on the alternatives considered. The “one-size-fits-all” Charles C. Soros, Spencer Safety Products Co., WA [M] approach removes significant expectations that fire chiefs will Rep. Fire Dept Safety Officers Association conduct meaningful risk analysis and abatement. Rather than Edward L. Stinnette, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, defining community problems and proposed solutions it will be VA [E] “1710 requires…” (Sounds just like the “ISO requires…”). The end result may be a lower level of professionalism among fire chiefs and a reduction in technical competencies of leadership. Alternates We can now duck the tough issues! 4. Fire protection is a community issue. National standards, Ricky Black, City of Southlake, TX [E] national training, and even the national assistance programs are (Alt. to C. Lawrence) founded on buttressing local government through a replication of Sallie Clark, Colorado Springs, CO [RT], our federal system of government. We have a responsibility to (Alt. to W. S. Clark) accurately inform the elected policy makers of the best options Brian D. Johnson, International Association of Fire Chiefs, regarding any policy decision. But regardless of our preferences, CO [E] they have the responsibility to the entire body politic to make the (Alt. to D. Compton, L. Garcia, N. Russo) appropriate decisions based on their local needs and conditions. Steve Kreis, City of Phoenix Fire Department, AZ [E] The proposed Standard 1710 usurps that local authority and (Alt. to A. V. Brunacini) responsibility. Don N. Whittaker, Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC (BBWI), ID [U] 5. Contrary to the rhetoric of the Committee, the proposed (Alt to P. Smith) standard is likely to result in de facto rules for operating fire Milt Wilson, City of Oshawa, ON [E] departments in much of the country. The adoption of this Rep. NFPA Fire Service Section proposed standard by OSHA would risk many organizations and (Alt. to T. Allen) should be addressed through a recommended practice rather than a standard. 6. The NFPA standard process is described as a consensus Staff Liaison: Stephen N. Foley process. In fact, the resulting proposed standard does not represent a consensus representing common grounds for Committee Scope: This Committee shall have primary agreement but rather a majority of the committee members’ responsibility for documents on the organization, operation, opinions and agendas. 226 NFPA 1710 — May 2001 ROC — Copyright 2001, NFPA 7. Again, I would like to point out that my organization meets Ms. Breedlove abstained stating: the proposed fire staffing and deployment criteria. We assign 5 Without a doubt, given appropriate training and organization, f/f to each pumper (4 f/f minimum) and we get to our fires with shorter response times and adequate staffing will result in better the first unit in less than 5 minutes. But our resource allocation outcomes for those in need of emergency services. The was based on our community risk analysis and affirmed by our department I managed showed my commitment to this as we did elected policy makers. I consider this process the core of our staff apparatus with four and did strive to keep response times to responsibility in the democratic process. less than five minutes. 8. I trust my colleagues on the 1710 Committee will understand Believing strongly in local control of local operations, however, my position. I have been consistent on these points throughout make it difficult to vote affirmatively for a standard that could be the committee process, as have they. Regardless of our imposed on local governments by a state or federal government. agreement or disagreement on the above points I have a very high In addition, I am not confident that adequate study has been regard for all the committee members and hold each in high done to claim that this standard is the result of “scientific” study. professional and personal regards. Again, I believe in the intent – I believe adequate staffing can result in better outcomes but I must abstain from voting to affirm Ms. Lemmie voted negatively stating: 1710. 1. The proposed standard makes no provision or allowances for the use of built-in technology or fire protection systems, public Mr. Mullikin abstained stating: education or code enforcement activities, all of which clearly have Recently, we conducted the balloting on the approval of the a positive impact on the fire problem of a community. draft of NFPA 1710. As the IFSTA representative on the 2. The provision and scope of fire protection at the local level Technical Committee, my intention was to reflect the position of has always been a decision made by the citizens and elected the organization on the issue at hand and to judge the merits of officials of the community being served. No two communities are the draft proposal based on my beliefs and background. the same. Fire protection needs and services levels should be Currently, I have severe differences between what is best for tailored to the identified hazards and local conditions according IFSTA and my personal beliefs that I am unable reconcile.