LAFAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT
A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF
FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
2012 UPDATE
Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ...... 4
Introduction: Why We Are Here...... 5
Mission Statement……………………………………………………………………………………………………………7
The Community ...... 8
Growth Trends ...... 9
Where We Want to be – Goals and Objectives ...... 12
Emergency Medical and Rescue Services ...... 13
Fire Protection – Suppression and Prevention ...... 16
Wildland Fire and Response Management ...... 20
Hazardous Materials ...... 22
Response Time ...... 26
Improving Response Times ...... 30
Other Response Time Reduction Strategies ...... 31
Organizational Structure ...... 33
Our Staff: our greatest asset ...... 34
Expanding our Career Personnel ...... 37
Salary and Benefits for our staff ...... 41
Fire Prevention Through Codes ...... 42
Disaster Preparedness ...... 44
Community Risk Reduction – Public Safety Education ...... 46
Training ...... 48
Equipment Replacement ...... 52
The Budget ...... 54
SWOT 2012: STRATIGIC / MASTER PLAN ...... 57
Summary of Recommendations ...... 62
EMS Recommendations ...... 62
Fire Recommendations ...... 62
2 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
Wildland Fires Recommendations ...... 62
Hazardous Materials Recommendations...... 62
Emergency Response Recommendations ...... 63
Staffing Recommendations ...... 63
Salary and Benefits Recommendations ...... 63
Fire Prevention Recommendations ...... 63
Disaster Preparedness Recommendations………………………………………………………..…………64
Public Safety Education Recommendations…………………………………………………………………64
Training Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………………..64
Budget Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………………….64
3 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2002 the Fire Department created the first long range planning document in the history of the department. The 2002 Master Plan was the steering document that created dramatic change for the fire department. The 2012 update to the Fire Department’s Master Plan will guide the department and the City through more changes that will ultimately benefit the citizens of our city. Creating this document would not have been possible without the cooperative efforts of the City of Lafayette staff, firefighters and officers of the Lafayette Fire Department and officials from other emergency response agencies.
The planning process identified issues in the following areas:
• Response Times • Staffing • Emergency Medical Response • Fire Suppression Response • Fire Prevention and Public Education • Training • Management
A SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) was performed by the department. Goals related to the SWOT analysis and various aspects of the department’s services and operations were then developed. These goals and objectives were examined in relation to the department’s previous and future capabilities, and to the experience of other similar jurisdictions.
The fire department goals are to:
1. Minimize death and suffering for the people experiencing sudden illness, accidents, or injury. 2. Minimize death and injuries due to fire. 3. Minimize direct and indirect losses due to fire. 4. Minimize the number and adverse impact of hazardous materials releases. 5. Minimize deaths, injuries, and property loss due to natural and technological disasters. 6. Provide cost-effective fire protection and emergency services. 7. Maximize citizen satisfaction.
Guided by these goals and their associated objectives, the department evaluated service trends and growth projections to develop recommendations.
The Lafayette Fire Department’s primary recommendations include:
• Diversify staffing plans to best utilize our resources to decrease response times • Increase inspections and pre-planning • Improve public education efforts • Increase career and reserve staffing • Enhance training opportunities with mutual aid partners
4 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
INTRODUCTION: WHY WE ARE HERE
The Lafayette Fire Department believes the time to plan for an emergency is before it occurs, when people have time to think and to reflect.
Many communities wait for problems to surface and then react to the symptoms rather than treating the causes of the problems. This philosophy has led to emergency service systems where resources are maintained to protect people from emergency incidents that may have been prevented. These reactive emergency services are ineffective as well as costly.
The Lafayette Fire Department wants to take a pro-active approach to providing service to our citizens. As the City of Lafayette continues to grow, the fire department must re- examine how it provides fire protection and emergency services to our citizens. The fire department has inventoried and analyzed its resources so that it can adjust its service to better meet the community’s present and future needs.
SPECIFICALLY, THIS MASTER PLAN:
• Profiles the current fire protection and emergency services system, including the capabilities and limitations of the system. • Identifies the nature and extent of the risks faced by the citizens, their property and the environment. • Establishes goals and performance measures to evaluate the effectiveness of the fire and emergency services system in future years.
This Master Plan reflects the fire department’s desire to enduring professionalism. It also takes a critical look at the fire department’s services, the environment it operates in and continually seeking means to improve itself.
It is also important to understand that this document looks at the fire department using a snapshot in time. Therefore, while the fire department was going through the planning process, it was implementing many of the recommendations in this document – improving its operations and service delivery.
OVERVIEW
Emergencies and their aftermath cost the citizens of Lafayette in both human and financial terms. The Lafayette Fire Department responded to 1,732 calls for service in 2011. Of these calls, 1186 were for emergency medical assistance. Emergency medical services and rescue services (the
5 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. removal of a victim from a dangerous situation) account for 68% of the fire department’s calls for service.
In 2011 there were 218 fire-related calls in the City of Lafayette. Of these fire calls, 29 resulted in significant fires. The old and young are most often victims of fire. According to the National Fire Data Center, fifty-percent of fire fatalities, nation wide, are people over sixty or under five years of age. Seventy-three percent of these deaths occur in the victim’s home.
As more baby boomers enter retirement age, the corresponding increase in fire deaths and injuries among older adults is likely. For a group with the highest fire risk already, this increase yields substantial challenges to the fire service.
The total cost of fire in the United States, as it is defined, is a combination of the losses caused by fire and the money spent on fire prevention, protection and mitigation to prevent worse losses, by preventing them, containing them, detecting them quickly, and suppressing them effectively. For 2008, that total cost is estimated at $362 billion, or roughly 2.5% of U.S. gross domestic product. Economic loss (property damage) – reported or unreported, direct or indirect – represents only $20.1 billion of this total. The net costs of insurance coverage ($15.2 billion), the cost of career fire departments ($39.7 billion), new building costs for fire protection ($62.7 billion), other economic costs ($44.0 billion), the monetary value of donated time from volunteer firefighters ($138 billion), and the estimated monetary equivalent for the civilian and firefighter deaths and injuries due to fire ($42.4 billion), all are larger components than property loss.
Fire creates additional economic burdens for citizens. Following a significant fire in a commercial or industrial occupancy, most businesses never reopen or fail shortly after reopening. The business’ clientele simply seek goods and services from other suppliers. If that supplier is outside the City of Lafayette, the community loses economic benefits. In addition, the community loses the circulation of displaced employees’ payroll and the state suffers an increased burden from unemployment and welfare claims.
What these economic costs fail to include is the human loss related to fire. The loss of a loved one, the suffering of the burn victim, the emotional trauma experienced by a displaced family, and the emotional damage suffered by rescuers are all costs which are difficult to quantify. Simply put, how much would you pay to avoid being a fire victim or losing a loved one to fire?
Type of Calls
6 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
MISSION STATEMENT
THE LAFAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT PROTECTS OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES THROUGH EDUCATION, PREVENTION, AND MITIGATION, WITH DEDICATION, COMMITMENT AND COMPASSION FOR THOSE WE SERVE
7 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
THE COMMUNITY
DEMOGRAPHICS
Studies of population are an integral part of urban planning and service needs. An awareness of changes in population and population projections help decision-makers anticipate needs before they arise. To understand who makes up our customer base in the City of Lafayette, the following section discusses basic data about population and area, along with changes in age composition of the population.
POPULATION CURRENT & FUTURE GROWTH
Figure 2: Population Growth Predictions
The following table illustrates the City of Lafayette’s population estimates for the years 2010 through 2017. The growth predictions are based on the number of housing unit permits, with an average Lafayette household having 2.63 people living in the home (DRCOG Lafayette Community Profile). Lafayette’s population is experiencing an increase as part of an overall increase in the Colorado Front Range. The City of Lafayette Growth Management Ordinance provides for managed growth by placing ceilings on new housing and promoting balanced growth for the City. The limitations affect residential growth only, not commercial or industrial growth.
Age Groups
In 2012, Lafayette built two unassisted living communities. Affinity of Lafayette has 125 units with an estimated 220 senior residents. Josephine Commons has 75 units with an estimated 100 senior residents. This will increase our average citizen age of 37.6 years. Additionally, an increase in senior residents will also increase the emergency medical responses to these locations.
8 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
GROWTH TRENDS
LAND AVAILABILITY
Given land availability, Lafayette has the opportunity for commercial and industrial growth in the future that far surpasses current levels. There are approximately 890 acres within Lafayette’s municipal boundaries and 282 acres likely to be annexed that are zoned or designated in the Comprehensive Plan for non-residential development. Of the 1,262 acre total, 380 are planned for commercial growth and 882 are planned for industrial development. According to Planning and Building Department estimates, buildings developed on these sites will total 12,116,600 square feet in size. This estimate was generated using a combination of factors including development plans submitted for specific parcels and typical floor area ratios for Lafayette.
FUTURE RESIDENTIAL GROWTH
Housing Growth
As of December 2011, there were 10,497 housing units in the city. The majority of these units (59%) were single-family homes. Multi-family units make up 31% of the inventory; of the total inventory, approximately 8% are condominiums, 4% are duplexes, and 14% are townhouses. The townhouse category includes triplexes, four plexes and other similar multi-family structures. Approximately 10% of the inventories are mobile homes and 5% are apartment units. The apartment category does not include units that are rented that are located in small-scale buildings such as four plexes, six plexes or similar types of structures. At approximately 10% of the total, mobile homes outnumber apartments and condominiums.
The Planning Department predicts that an additional 1307 housing units will be built by the end of 2017, increasing the city’s population to 29,091. This estimate is based on the assumption that developments will build-out in accordance with their annual allocation.
9 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. FUTURE COMMERCIAL/ DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
Planned Commercial Growth
The majority of commercial growth is planned to occur south of South Boulder Road. The above map shows the planned commercial growth areas within the city. Area A is planned for a commercial development, Area B has a long term care facility planned as well as other commercial development. Area C is the Prana apartment complex that was recently built and the Prosanna apartment complex that currently being built. This area will eventually have hotels as well as other retail commercial space. Area D is the area that is slated for a Target store and additional retail space.
VEHICLE TRAFFIC PATTERNS
Traffic Patterns
Vehicle traffic through our city greatly affects the department’s demand for service. The graphic to the right represents the number of vehicles traveling on a particular road per day. Highway 287 is the city’s busiest roadway, but it is the major intersections that are the greatest hazard. The intersection of Highway 42 and Highway 287 has seen numerous high speed crashes. Dillon Road and Highway 287 is another area that we have responded to severe motor vehicle accidents. These two areas are significant because it takes at least 10 minutes to arrive on scene from our current Station 1 location. Once Station 2 is complete, we will be able to get to these two locations in less than three minutes.
10 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
OVERALL PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS
All planning documents are based on a series of assumptions. The assumptions used in the Plan are highlighted where appropriate. In addition to assumptions specific to a particular section, this Master Plan is developed under the following broad assumptions:
• The planning period is ten years. • The City of Lafayette population will increase. • The fire department will continue to experience increases in calls due to population growth, commercial growth, commuter traffic and increased citizen expectations. • The fire department has limited resources available to maintain public safety. • The Master Plan does not allocate resources for future unfunded mandates from state or federal governments. • Through the use of fire codes, the City of Lafayette can exert a significant amount of control over the types of fires experienced by the community in its commercial and public occupancy buildings. • The fire department’s mutual aid program with other fire departments has been, and will continue to be enhanced in an effort to provide highly effective emergency services to the residents of Lafayette.
11 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
WHERE WE WANT TO BE – GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
CALLS FOR SERVICE
The Lafayette Fire Department delivers services to the citizens by responding to the scene of the request for help. To be effective, firefighters must:
• Arrive at the scene of the emergency quickly. • Arrive with sufficient personnel and equipment for the emergency. • Be well trained. • Be well equipped.
These four factors are critical for successful outcomes in emergency response. Fulfillment of one of these conditions without each of the others renders the emergency response system ineffective. It is unsatisfactory to simply arrive at the scene quickly, if there are insufficient firefighters and if they are not properly trained or equipped. Likewise, firefighters’ efforts are futile if they arrive too late.
Responses from 2000 - 2011
12 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND RESCUE SERVICES
RESPONDING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND RESCUE INCIDENTS
Emergency medical and rescue responses account for 68 % of the Lafayette Fire Department’s total responses and account for the majority of responses where the fire department is actively engaged in providing service to the community. Most victims of a medical emergency in Lafayette receive their first assistance from the fire department. Medical response is an integral part of the Lafayette firefighter’s job and the Lafayette firefighters are an integral part of the health care system.
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES Approximately 68% of the department’s calls are medical calls, where time is also critical. The American Heart Association established a standard response time of less than four minutes for basic life support to begin and four to eight minutes for advanced life support to begin for victims of cardiac arrest. These standards were established using the probability of survival curve. As the intervention time approaches four minutes, the slope of the probability of survival curve becomes steeper. This illustrates that without basic or advanced life support, the chances of reviving a critical patient diminish quickly. The probability for survival curve also applies to drowning, electrocution, severe trauma, and choking victims. In all of these cases the victims’ bodily systems are not able to supply the brain with sufficient oxygen. Without oxygen, the brain begins to die. Intervention after four minutes may result in “saving a persons life,” but the quality of life for the survivor may be questionable.
13 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
According to the American Heart Association, the national average of people sustaining a cardiac arrest and surviving to leave the hospital is 4%. Since 2007, when the department started tracking such statistics, we have averaged a 60% or better survival rate. We feel this is a direct association of highly trained personnel, rapid response, the latest advanced medical equipment, and an outstanding medical quality assurance and quality improvement program.
Response times for trauma victims are also critical. Medical researchers have linked response times for EMS to survival of major trauma victims. In one study, survival of major trauma victims who were expected not to survive but did, was linked to short response times (average 3.5 minutes), and trauma patients who were expected to survive but did not, were linked to longer response times (6.0 minutes).
Medical vs Trauma
The gold standard for treatment of trauma is to have the patient in surgery within 60 minutes of the accident. We accomplish this goal by
• Rapid response times • Efficient and skilled extrication technique (when required) • Short scene times; accomplishing critical treatment quickly and efficiently • Transporting patients to the appropriate facility (Level one or two trauma center when indicated) • Early notification to receiving facility so that they may prepare for arrival of the patient • Well established positive relationships with the medical personnel on the helicopter transport and/or at the receiving hospital
The Lafayette Fire Department has a well established reputation of mastering each of these six areas. In 2011, we utilized air medical transport eleven times to get critically injured patients to level one or level two trauma centers. In the future, Exempla Good Samaritan Hospital will be licensed as a level two trauma facility. This will mean a higher and more efficient service for the trauma patients in Lafayette.
14 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. MEDICAL DIRECTION
The Lafayette Fire Department works under the direct medical supervision of our Physician Advisor, Jeff S. Beckman, M.D., F.A.C.E.P.. After graduating Emory University Medical School (class president), Dr. Beckman decided it was time to venture outside the South. Spending time as a volunteer physician in Honduras and Nepal allowed him to appreciate the extensive resources and high quality of care patients receive in the USA. After completing residency training in Colorado at the Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine in 2003, he joined the Ergentus practice.
In reaching out to the people and patients of his new home in Colorado, Dr. Beckman became involved in volunteer EMS Medical Direction of multiple fire departments and agencies in Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lafayette, and Wheat Ridge. His endeavors in EMS were recognized with appointment by the Governor to the State Emergency and Medical Advisory Council (SEMTAC) and to the Foothills Regional Emergency and Trauma Advisory Council (FRETAC) by the Jefferson County Commissioner.
SUMMARY OF EMS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Pursue regionalization to ensure that the closest unit responds to the calls. • Continue to use traffic preemption devices and encourage the installation of devices on all signaled intersections. • Reduce effective response time by operating out of second fire station. • Improve EMS response times to less than five minutes for 90 percent of the medical calls through additional career personnel and an enhanced reserve volunteer utilization.
15 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
FIRE PROTECTION – SUPPRESSION AND PREVENTION
The level of fire protection in a community is based upon a combination of proactive and reactive activities. Fire protection is the combination of fire suppression efforts – a reactive practice – and fire prevention and public education efforts – proactive practices. The Lafayette Fire Department protects the community from fire with each of these components. This chapter of the Master Plan will address fire suppression and prevention efforts, while a subsequent chapter will address public education efforts.
FIRES
Saving lives during a fire requires keeping people away from the heat and toxic smoke released by fire. Limiting exposure can be done in two ways – by controlling the fire or by separating endangered people through evacuation or shielding.
Fire grows exponentially until the entire surface area of the burning item is involved in fire, or until one of the elements needed to sustain combustion, such as oxygen or heat, is removed. As a typical fire involving a room and its contents grows, the fire approaches the critical point known as flashover. As the fire preheats the room’s contents, the heated contents produce flammable vapors. These vapors build to the point where everything in the room ignites simultaneously – flashover. At the point of flashover, fire totally engulfs the room and temperatures can exceed 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Flashover generally occurs six to ten minutes after the start of a fire.
Therefore, the department’s strategy in responding to fires that cannot be prevented is simple – get there fast and extinguish the fire while it is still small. When firefighters arrive before flashover, they usually find a low-intensity blaze that requires very little water and little effort to extinguish. However, once flashover occurs, ordinary fire suppression techniques have little impact on life and property loss in the immediate vicinity of the fire. After flashover, the smoke and heat generated by the fire dramatically reduce chances of safe evacuation in the remainder of the building. After flashover, the blaze also presents much greater danger to firefighters.
16 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
Unless a building is furnished with a sprinkler system, firefighters must take hose lines inside to successfully extinguish a fire. These interior fire attacks are designed to extinguish the fire while pushing heat, smoke and steam away from any potential survivors remaining inside. Exterior firefighting operations, “surround and drown,” is a tactic used to contain fires when they are too large for the initial arriving units to make a safe interior attack. Tactics used to contain fires from the outside increase damage and reduce survivability inside the building. Once exterior operations start, the building on fire has already sustained major, if not total, damage. Again, the key to successful fire suppression operations is early intervention, either through built-in protection (sprinkler systems) or rapid response from the fire department.
Engine companies are responsible for rescuing occupants, advancing fire hoses and extinguishing the fire. The fire department reliably delivers one engine company on an initial alarm. This response typically puts four firefighters on the fire and provides for coordination of fire suppression efforts. The response time for the first engine company depends on the location of the fire in relationship to the fire station.
With one Engine Company, the fire department can effectively extinguish a fully involved fire in 375 to 500 square feet of single story space. This is approximately the size of a one- bedroom apartment entirely engulfed in flames. With additional resources from second and third arriving engine companies, the department can effectively triple its extinguishing capacity. This extinguishing potential is not reached until the second and third engine companies arrive and are set up. However, the first arriving firefighters are expected to immediately begin rescue and extinguishing activities to the best of their ability in a safe manner. When the first crew begins to put water on the fire, the fire’s growth slows. This buys some time while subsequent companies arrive and set up. Once the second and third engine companies join in the firefight, full extinguishing potential is realized.
TRANSITION FIRES
Because fire continues to grow in size and intensity until it is overwhelmed by the water applied to it, second and third engine company response times are also critical in determining whether a fire can be successfully extinguished in its early stages. If the first arriving engine companies are unable to slow the fire’s growth sufficiently, they will likely be caught in a transition fire. A transition fire occurs following flashover and when the fire becomes larger than the first arriving firefighters’ extinguishing potential.
Transition fires present additional dangers to firefighters. They can become exhausted and more susceptible to injury. The building around them may collapse, leading to an entrapment. Because of the potential for collapse, firefighting efforts may switch from a direct attack in the fire building to protecting adjacent properties exposed to the fire. Instead of working on the inside, they are forced by the intense heat and instability of the structure to retreat outside.
17 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
Transition fires tend to spread to adjacent units or buildings, becoming uncontrollable by the first engine company. Therefore, additional resources are required to suppress the fire. These resources are typically mutual aid resources.
ENHANCED STAFFING AND AUTOMATIC MUTUAL AID
The fire department is very motivated to pursue alternatives that put additional firefighters at the scene of a fire quickly so that transition firefighting can be avoided or made more effective. Because staffing plays a critical role in its response time and fire suppression efforts, the department should pursue augmentation of its staffing through career firefighters and utilization of its reserve firefighters. (This will be discussed in detail in the Staffing chapter).
The fire department has very good mutual aid resources from neighboring fire departments. The department has excellent relationships with its surrounding mutual aid providers and has taken a role in Boulder County by helping to implement automatic aid. Automatic mutual aid is a reciprocal agreement that allows for predetermined personnel and equipment to be dispatched automatically when certain criteria are met. For example, firefighters from neighboring agencies are called automatically on a structure fire, thereby making transition firefighting more efficient. Unfortunately it takes between 14 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic patterns and weather, for those mutual aid fire departments to arrive on scene.
WATER SUPPLY
In addition to municipal water supplies found in fire hydrants, fire departments can use water from a variety of static sources, including lakes, ponds, streams, and wells. Where the water comes from is not as important as the adequacy and reliability of the water supply. Adequacy is defined as the water system’s ability to deliver its maximum daily consumption (the maximum use for activities other than firefighting) and the required fire flow. Distribution of hydrants or access points for pumping also determines the supply’s adequacy. The further you have to move water from the source to the fire, the less water you can move.
The reliability of water supplies is also a concern for fire departments. Reliability of a water supply is simply defined as the system’s ability to supply water, even if part of the system is out of service or weather conditions cause freezing or draught.
The City of Lafayette has adequate and reliable water supplies. Most of the City of Lafayette occupancies are within 500 feet of a reliable fire hydrant. While there are a few areas in the older sections of Lafayette that do not have adequate hydrant placement, the risks to the citizens can be
18 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. minimized by code enforcement, pre-planning and training of fire personnel. All new construction, residential or commercial, that is over 500 feet from a hydrant are required to be fully sprinkled.
FIRE FLOWS
The central question concerning water supply is: “How much is enough?” Typically, water supply needs are calculated for specific building within a jurisdiction. These buildings are generally large structures, structural complexes, or target hazards (buildings or facilities that present a special hazard, e.g., propane distribution facilities and hospitals). There are several formulae used to determine flow rates for occupancies within a jurisdiction. These formulae generally have two components: 1) the flow rate to suppress a theoretical fire in a given occupancy; and, 2) the duration of the flow.
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) calculated Needed Fire Flow (the flow rate and duration for individual target hazards) and the Basic Fire Flow (used to determine the number of engine companies needed to flow the maximum Needed Fire Flow) for the City of Lafayette. The City of Lafayette Basic Fire Flow is 3,500 gallons per minute for duration of three hours. The City of Lafayette can supply the Fire Flow for an unlimited duration.
Not only is the ultimate fire flow important, but how quickly the flow can be established is also important. Equipment, training, and policies and procedures are key elements in determining the speed at which various fire flows can be established. An aggressive initial attack with a hand line capable of flowing 250 gpm, should be accomplished within two minutes of the initial engine company’s arrival, a requirement of NFPA 1710. A sustained flow with 500 gpm should be accomplished within five minutes and a fire flow of 1000 gpm sustained should be established within eight minutes of arrival.
SUMMARY OF FIRE RECOMMENDATIONS
• Improve response times as previously stated in the emergency response section • Increase the number of firefighters on-duty through the hiring of career firefighters and the enhanced utilization of reserve firefighters, consistent with the recommendations in the Staffing Chapter. • Continue to prevent fires through the application of codes. • Enhance public safety education programs.
19 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
WILDLAND/OUTDOOR-FIRE HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND MITIGATION
THE URBAN WILDLAND INTERFACE
The urban wildland interface is a term used to refer to a geographic area in which flammable wildland fuels are in close proximity to urban and/or suburban structures. The urban wildland interface problem is a growing issue in many of the arid and semi-arid western states. The seasonal wildfires in Colorado quickly come to mind. The main factor contributing to an increased wildfire hazard is an increased population density in areas that were formerly wildland or farmland.
Expansion of residential and other types of development into surrounding rural and wildland areas has led to increased risk due to wildfire for those developments. Not only do residential and commercial developments increase the population living in the interface, but also the number of residents interested in recreation in the City of Lafayette open space areas has increased the number of potential fire starts and people at risk from wildfires.
GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
The primary goal of this plan is to minimize the loss of life and property from wildfires and outdoor fires by mitigation of those hazards for homes and structures in the urban-wildland interface. The acronym WHIM stands for the Wildland/outdoor-fire Hazard Identification and Mitigation. As the sequencing of words in the name correctly indicates, we must first identify the wild/outdoor-fire hazard before we can mitigate that hazard. So identification which involves description of the wildfire hazard is a significant component of the WHIM.
WHIM is designed for:
• Wildfire Hazard Identification • Risk Assessment • Homeowner Education and Motivation • Pre-Attack Plans • Emergency Preparedness & Response
CAUSES OF OUTDOOR FIRES
Historically, lightening strikes primarily caused wildfires. Farmers also intentionally light fires to improve game habitat and water flow through irrigation ditches. Those fires can become out of control due to high winds and by fires being left unattended. In the City of Lafayette arson is the leading cause of outdoor fires. Juveniles experimenting with fire or fireworks set the majority of wildland fires in Lafayette.
20 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
The prevalence of children playing as a cause of fires is troubling. Research shows that as juvenile firesetters get older, they tend to direct their fire-starting behavior away from their homes toward outdoor locations.
FIREFIGHTING CONSIDERATIONS
Outdoor fires pose a variety of challenges to the Lafayette Fire Department, particularly when homes and other structures are threatened. Open space areas adjacent to housing developments are becoming increasingly attractive to homebuyers. Areas where homes and other structures meet combustible vegetation are known as the “urban/wildland interface.” Firefighting tactics in the urban/wildland interface must be adapted to combat different type of fires, each with their own unique features. Important tactical decisions include determining which structures to defend in a wildfire, when to evacuate residents and how to establish water supply for firefighting operations.
FIRE PREVENTION
Fire prevention efforts in the wildland/urban interface are also unique. Attention must be paid to the prevention of wildfires and conventional structure fires. To prevent wildfires requires significant education of the general public, particularly of homeowners about the hazards from wildfire, and the City of Lafayette taking a pro-active approach in mitigating those hazards in the open space areas that abut residential and commercial development in the of City of Lafayette. Prescribed burns on city owned property need to be performed by the Fire and Parks and Open Space departments to reduce fuel loads. Homeowners and HOA (homeowner associations) must increase their role in fire prevention by providing “defensible space” to protect their own properties.
SUMMARY OF WILDLAND FIRES
• Fire prevention and prescribed burning programs are extremely important. And homeowners must accept a measure of responsibility and be fully aware of the risks when deciding to locate next to open space. • The Parks and Open Space department should mow tall grasses/weeds in city owned open space areas that are next to residential or commercial structures. A firebreak of 12 feet is appropriate. • Code enforcement units should cite those residences or businesses that dispose of materials on open space areas; particularly tree limbs and grass clippings. • The Fire Department must work closely with other city departments in identifying all areas of concern and mitigate the potential for fire before it happens.
21 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
RESPONDING TO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENTS
NATURE AND SCOPE Because significant portions of Boulder County’s economies are associated with advanced technology, research and chemical manufacturing, large quantities of hazardous materials are transported through the City of Lafayette. These materials, when either accidentally or intentionally released from their containers, threaten the lives and health of the residents of Lafayette. These chemical releases also threaten air and water quality, private and public lands, and the regional economy. Finally, hazardous material incidents pose a serious threat to the health and safety of the firefighters who must respond to these releases. Because of this, the fire department takes its responsibilities towards preventing and controlling hazardous materials releases very seriously.
The fire department responded to 33 hazardous material calls in 2011, and the department anticipates that the number of hazardous materials incidents will increase in the future. Growth in hazardous materials emergencies is consistent with trends seen throughout the region and the nation. The projected growth in calls for hazardous materials incidents can be attributed to three factors. First, successful public education campaigns have heightened awareness about hazardous substances and the need to protect the environment. Citizens are calling for help with the disposal of chemicals that they would have washed down their sinks just a few years ago. Second, the increased demand for hazardous materials responses is related to changes in manufacturing and technological processes in industry – more companies are using hazardous materials in their production processes. This results in a proportionate increase in spills and other chemical emergencies. Finally, increased costs for legally disposing of hazardous wastes have resulted in more illegal dumping of hazardous materials.
RESPONSE TO HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CALLS
Hazardous materials response became a locally provided service by statute. Federal law required the state to develop hazardous materials response systems, and in Colorado, the responsibility was delegated to local jurisdictions by statute. The statute requires local governing bodies to appoint a Designated Emergency Response Authority (DERA) for the purpose of responding to hazardous materials emergencies within their jurisdictions. In order to provide the citizens with the best
22 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
possible and most cost-effective response, Boulder County has one county Hazmat Team. Firefighters from Lafayette are part of this county team. The team is comprised of City of Boulder, City of Longmont, Boulder Rural Fire Protection District and City of Lafayette.
There are 3 trucks that jointly respond to Hazardous Materials calls in the County. City of Lafayette, City of Longmont and City of Boulder all have a truck.
The fire department handles initial responses to hazardous materials spills. By statute, all expenses associated with the response to a hazardous materials incident can be recovered from the party responsible for the event. The City of Lafayette should bill to recover extraordinary costs associated with hazardous materials incidents within the city. Currently, the City of Lafayette has to rely heavily on a response that is mode 2 or 3 because we do not have all the necessary equipment to safely and properly identify and analyze a hazardous material which results in a larger response than is necessary. This can potentially generate a larger cost than is necessary.
Responses to hazardous materials incidents in Lafayette follow a mode system. The modes are:
• Mode I – When the fire department first receives a call to respond to a hazardous materials incident, the department responds in Mode I. Engine companies and officers respond to the scene and assess the situation. If the incident is within the capabilities of the first responding units, they handle the containment and arrange for disposal themselves. If the first responding personnel cannot handle the incident alone, they call for additional assistance. At the point additional assistance is requested, the incident enters Mode II. • Mode II – When the first responding engine company cannot handle the incident alone, they can call for the Boulder County Hazmat Team for assistance. In Mode II, control of the incident remains with the fire department. • Mode III – If the incident is too large to be handled by the fire department the incident commander calls for a full Hazmat Team response and a joint command is established. • Mode IV – In Mode IV, federal and /or state assistance is requested and command of the incident is turned over to the appropriate State or Federal agency. An incident would reach Mode IV only after all local resources are exhausted.
While hazardous materials incidents are not currently an excessive burden on the fire department response resources, they are still a threat to the City of Lafayette residents, firefighters and the environment. Therefore, the fire department should take a more active role in preventing hazardous materials releases and gaining information on hazardous materials storage and use which is critical to firefighter safety.
Hazardous Materials responses are a labor intensive type of call. One call in the Mode II level will require 20-30 people, which is why it is so important to have as many firefighters as possible trained to the Technician level.
23 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. HAZMAT TRAINING
There are three nationally recognized levels of training for hazardous materials responders. First is the Awareness Level. Awareness Level training is rudimentary and designed primarily to teach self- preservation. At the Awareness Level, firefighters are trained to recognize potential hazardous materials situations and avoid self-exposure and exposure to others.
The next basic level of hazardous materials training is the Operations Level. Here responders are trained to mitigate small releases that do not require the use of fully encapsulated protective equipment. Operations Level training is also designed to develop personnel who can assist and support operations in the next level (Technician Level). In Operations Level training, personnel are taught to provide decontamination services, develop safe zones and supply other support functions for Technician Level operations.
The final level is the Technician Level. Technicians are trained in the use of fully encapsulated (Level A) protective equipment. They also receive extensive training on mitigation and clean up of chemical releases.
Currently, the department can consistently provide response at the Operations Level. However, there are typically two Hazardous Materials Technicians on duty 24/7/365.
All firefighters are required to obtain Operations Level as a minimum standard. The majority of our firefighters are Operations Level and seven of our firefighters are Technician Level.
PREVENTING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EMERGENCIES
PREVENTING RELEASES – PUBLIC EDUCATION Although public education programs are more thoroughly discussed in subsequent sections of this Master Plan, they deserve mention here. The first efforts toward decreasing the number and severity of hazardous materials incidents involve public education. Through public education efforts, the City of Lafayette can increase the awareness of options such as the Household Hazardous Waste Disposal program, thereby decreasing unnecessary storage and inappropriate or illegal disposal of hazardous substances by citizens. Public education programs for business and industry also help decrease the number and severity of hazardous materials releases.
PREVENTING RELEASES – ENFORCEMENT Another essential aspect of decreasing the number and severity of hazardous materials incidents is the enforcement of complex local, state and federal laws concerning the storage, transportation and handling of hazardous materials. Areas of the fire code, which pertain to hazardous materials, have become quite complex.
To cope in this complex regulatory environment, the City of Lafayette should enhance its current inspection program. The fire department should collect information about the storage and handling of hazardous materials within the city. While some of this information is provided by businesses in town, its use for pre-planning incidents, reacting to incidents, and providing firefighters with information concerning their personal safety is very limited. The inspection program can be enhanced by having on-duty personnel collect and catalog hazardous materials storage and use information in an improved and automated inspection program.
24 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
SUMMARY OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Carefully monitor trends in hazardous materials incidents. • Through the City of Lafayette Finance Department, invoice responsible parties for hazardous materials spills. • Prevent hazardous materials incidents through public education • Augment the current fire inspection program to include enforcement of appropriate laws and regulations concerning hazardous materials. • Monitor types and quantities of hazardous materials and their locations so that firefighters know what their potential for exposure is. • Increase the amount of Hazardous Materials detection and monitoring equipment to prevent minor calls being turned into Full Team callouts (Mode 2 or 3). • Continue to send people to Hazardous Materials Technician School and classes which will help further education and the number of Hazardous Materials Technicians.
25 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. RESPONSE TIME
In one of their most successful advertisements, FedEx described waiting as “frustrating, demoralizing, agonizing, aggravating, annoying, time consuming and incredibly expensive.” If this is how it feels to wait for a package, imagine what it feels like to wait for firefighters when you are experiencing an emergency.
COMPONENTS OF RESPONSE TIMES
There are five key factors that influence the time interval between ignition and intervention in fires. Similar factors influence the response time for medical emergencies. The first is the detection time period. Early discovery through smoke detectors and other alarms systems increases the probability of the occupants escaping and results in earlier notification of the fire department. Without automatic detection in place, there is a variable period of time that passes before one detects or recognizes that there is a problem. The detection time can be minimized through appropriate detection and alarm methods, and enforcement of fire codes related to fire detection equipment upkeep. It can also be lowered through public education concerning smoke detectors and alarm systems.
The second period of time is the notification time. This is the amount of time it takes to notify the fire department that there is a call. The Boulder Regional Communications Center averages a 1.02 minute notification time for fire and rescue calls. Including this time is critical when looking at fire growth and probability of survival from cardiac arrest. It is also critical from a customer service point of view – the customer is only concerned with the time it takes for a fire truck to arrive after they have dialed 9-1-1, not how long it takes for the firefighter to be notified.
The next time interval is turnout time – the time between notification of the dispatch center and the first engine company going in route to the scene. Turnout time is minimized through sufficient staffing of the station and proper training and equipment. In addition, we have installed modernized alert notification system made by First Alerting. This system uses in station lighting, acoustic speaker system, and a timing clock mounted on the walls of the vehicle bay. With every call, the crew can visualize the exact amount of time that has transpired from when they received the tone to when they are leaving the bay. This immediate feedback has reduced our turnout time to an average of one minute.
The fourth time interval is travel time. Travel time is influenced by the distance between the emergency and the fire station, road conditions, traffic, weather, time of day, and how fast the fire apparatus can safely travel. For most fire departments, this is the most significant time interval. Currently there are portions of our response area that take
26 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. up to 8-12 minutes to travel to due to station location, weather and traffic patterns. This will be addressed when we open and operate Station 2.
The final period of time to consider is setup time – the time between the arrival of the first engine company and the initial attack on the fire, application of emergency medical treatment or rescue operations take place. Once on the scene, crews must find access, acquire information in order to plan and execute their mission, and conduct final preparations of themselves and their equipment before the actual rescue or fire attack occurs.
While setup time varies with the type of incident; training, staffing, equipment, and prior knowledge of response area have a profound effect on setup time. For example, most heavily involved structure fires require 15 to 20 firefighters to perform efficiently without undue fatigue. Fewer firefighters can extinguish smaller fires, but chances of firefighter injuries increase when fewer firefighters are used. Since effectiveness in fire suppression means lives and property saved or lost, it is important that adequate numbers of firefighters arrive on the scene simultaneously whenever possible. Due to our limited resources, we have worked to establish a very efficient and effective mutual aid program. We utilize resources from our surrounding fire departments (Mountain View Fire Protection District, North Metro Fire Protection District, Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District, and Louisville Fire Protection District). Just getting people and equipment to the scene quickly does not mean effective fire suppression. The co-responding agencies must work as one cohesive unit.
Emergent vs. Non-Emergent Response 2011
REALITY OF RESPONSE TIMES
Lafayette Fire Department currently delivers emergency services through traditional fire station response and automatic mutual aid partners. Reserve firefighters augment our career staff. The fire department staffs one fire engine and one ambulance 24/7; reserve firefighters, when available, fill in when a career firefighter is sick or on vacation or fills the “4th” seat on the fire truck. Reserve firefighters were on duty 43% of the time in 2011. In 2011 the fire department’s average response time was 4.5 minutes. While that time is excellent as an “overall” measure of the fire department performance, the time is skewed because a large percentage of our responses are in “old town” where our fire station is located. Responses in old town can range from 1 minute to 4 minutes after the fire department receives the call for service, whereas those residents or businesses that are in
27 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. the southern or most northern portions of our city should expect a 7 to 8 minute response when road and weather conditions are favorable. The trending concern is more than one call at a time or within an hour of the first call.
DEMAND AND CAPACITY ISSUES
Every fire department has some acceptable level of delay resulting from simultaneous calls. To avoid all delays associated with simultaneous calls is cost prohibitive. However, at some time simultaneous calls push a station beyond its capacity and drain the system to a point where the service delivery becomes inadequate. In 2011, there were 359 occasions where more than one call occurred within the same hour. This means that 21% of the calls for service had a potential delayed response due to our crew and apparatus already being on a call. The extensive automatic mutual aid program has helped to curb delayed responses but is not a valid long term solution. The department must open and staff a second station to effectively address this growing trend.
LONGER TRAVEL DISTANCES INCREASE RESPONSE TIME?
Fire and emergency service delivery systems are typically geographically based. Living close to a fire station usually ensures prompt service. However, as the distance from fire stations increases, or as access to an area becomes restricted, response times worsen.
Response Locations
2011
28 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
In late 2013, we plan to open and staff Station 2. Our operational plan is to have Station 1 cover calls from South Boulder Road north while Station 2 will cover calls on South Boulder Road to the south. Each station and its personnel will respond to cover the other’s area when they are on a call or both stations will respond together on major incidents. We believe this will better meet the current, trending and future needs of our citizens.
TIME OF DAY AND DAY OF WEEK AFFECT RESPONSE TIMES
The fire department responds to more calls between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm. Monday and Tuesday were our busiest days of the week. Overall, the weekdays are busier than the weekends. We surmise this to be associated to the vehicle traffic through our city during “business hours”.
Responses by time of day 2011
29 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
Responses by day of the week 2011
IMPROVING RESPONSE TIMES
STAFFING AND STATIONS
Our focus has changed from an all volunteer fire department in 2001 whose members occasionally staffed at the fire station or drove to the fire station in order to respond to calls, to that of a career fire department augmented by reserve firefighters who staff at the fire station. It is important to remember in 2002 when the first master plan was written, the fire station had times during the day where no firefighters were on duty staffing at the fire station and average response time for the fire department exceeded 9 minutes.
From the response time analysis, the Department knows:
• The distance from the fire station has an impact on response time. • Turn-out and travel time are the major components of response time for emergency calls. • Multiple calls for service within the same time are impacting our service 21% of the time.
In order to substantially improve response times, the fire department must increase the size of our staff, both career and reserve, and change where its apparatus are located. This will be discussed in detail in the Staffing chapter. Further improvements in response time will also come from adding a second fire station.
30 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. OTHER RESPONSE TIME REDUCTION STRATEGIES
REDUCE DEMAND FOR SERVICES
A strategy used by other fire departments to reduce response times is to reduce the demand for services – thereby reducing simultaneous calls for service. Reducing demand for service reduces the weighted response time by decreasing the absolute number of calls or stemming the growth rate of service demand. Proactive fire and injury public education programs have long been recognized as a very cost-effective long-term solution in reducing emergency service demand. Not only can the fire department educate people about when to call for help, these programs are ideal opportunities to teach citizens about injury prevention, home safety and general wellness.
REGIONALIZATION
Decreasing travel distances through a regionalized system can lower response times. In a regionalized system, the closest unit to the emergency is sent without regard to jurisdictional boundaries, thereby decreasing response times. These systems are enhanced through the use of new technologies. For example, automatic vehicle locator dispatching utilizes the global positioning system and geographic information systems to dispatch the closest apparatus to emergency calls. We are working with Boulder Regional Communications to implement this program not only in Lafayette, but throughout Boulder County. Currently, we have instituted a “box alarm” program that assigns units from surrounding departments based on the location and type of the call when our current resources do not cover the demand. See the map identifying fire station locations in our surrounding area.
31 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
APPARATUS SPEED
The acceleration and speed of apparatus affects travel time. Given the start and stop nature of emergency response, adequate acceleration is necessary for a timely response. The fire department has done a good job of matching horsepower to vehicle weight, while ensuring that a safe travel speed can be maintained. This practice should be continued. The other side apparatus speed is to travel at a safe speed. We have policies that mandate apparatus come to a complete stop at all controlled intersections and that vehicles do not travel more than 15 mph over the posted speed limit when running emergent. Additionally, we do not ever exceed the posted speed limit in school zones. Our ultimate goal is to arrive quickly, but more importantly, arrive safely.
FURTHER USE OF TRAFFIC PREEMPTION DEVICES
The fire department currently utilizes traffic preemption devices, which turn traffic lights green for approaching emergency vehicles. The fire department currently utilizes OptiCom traffic preemption devices and encourages the expanded use of these devices at all signaled intersections.
DECREASE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TIME
The effective response time is the time between detection and intervention. As was demonstrated above, it is possible to reduce the effective response time for a particular occupancy by utilizing built-in fire protection systems, such as sprinkler systems. Reducing setup time can also reduce effective response time. Setup time can be reduced through proper training, pre-planning and equipment.
SUMMARY OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE RECOMMENDATIONS
• Open and staff a second fire station located in the area by Exempla Good Samaritan Hospital. • Reduce demand for services and effective response times through pro-active programs such as public education and fire prevention services. • Pursue further regionalization to ensure that the closest unit responds to the calls. • Continue to purchase apparatus with adequate horsepower in order to ensure adequate travel velocities. • Continue to use traffic preemption devices and encourage the installation of devices on all signaled intersections. • Reduce effective response time by encouraging built-in fire protection systems (e.g. sprinklers).
32 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Departments utilizing both career and reserve personnel need clearly defined and communicated roles, responsibilities and expectations for all personnel. Participation in the development of these roles and responsibilities by career and volunteer staff, and acceptance by the administration and the City of Lafayette’s governing body, is critical.
Communications within a department utilizing career and reserve personnel are crucial. Accurate information needs to be disseminated to both forces. The department’s administration needs to keep in touch with both formal and informal communications networks and direct communications between career and volunteer elements need to be encouraged and rewarded.
Management must help develop mutual respect through mutual activities of career and reserve personnel. Training activities provide an excellent opportunity to develop mutual respect. By working together, career and reserve personnel will learn what to expect from each other and have a better understanding of their roles within the organization. They will be able to take advantage of each other’s unique skills and abilities.
.
33 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
OUR STAFF: OUR GREATEST ASSET
As demonstrated in previous sections, the fire departments existing staffing strategies and associated distribution of resources are reflected in its response times. This portion of the Plan will explore methods to maximize service delivery while maintaining cost-effective service.
LAFAYETTE FD – A COMBINATION FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Lafayette Fire Department is comprised of a combination of both career and reserve firefighters. The combination fire department approach allows a jurisdiction to maintain a minimum level of staffing on a consistent timely basis while utilizing very cost-effective resources for large incidents and simultaneous calls. In a sense, the combination fire department combines the best of what both career and reserve firefighters have to offer. It also combines the drawbacks of both systems and presents management challenges that are not present in strictly career or strictly volunteer fire departments.
RESERVE PROGRAM
As in many American communities, reserve firefighters are an efficient means of supplementing department staffing needs. We currently have a minimum career crew on-duty (staffed at the fire station) to respond to calls and have reserve firefighters augment the minimal response of the personnel on-duty. In addition, given current labor market trends, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find people with flexible enough schedules to volunteer. While a combination fire department is an excellent way to ensure cost-effective, sufficient and timely emergency response, it is getting harder to recruit qualified reserve firefighters. The fire department must take an active role in recruiting more reserve firefighters.
What was once a strictly volunteer department is now a combination department with career personnel, augmented by a core of reserve firefighters who are the hiring pool for the department and trained to the same level of the career staff. Our Reserve Program offers its members the following:
• Top flight Firefighter Training • Cutting Edge EMS training • Monthly Stipend and Years of Service monetary award • Learning the skills and gaining the experience to be marketable as a Career Firefighter • Advanced training opportunities to include HAZMAT Tech, Driver Operator Series, Firefighter II
34 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. RECRUITING
Attracting talented, committed career and reserve firefighters for the City of Lafayette Fire Department is of paramount importance if the fire department is to continue the strong legacy of service to the community and prepare the organization for the future.
Recruiting appropriate personnel for career positions is one of the most important aspects of the program. The fire department is in an ideal position - it has a pool of highly qualified personnel within its existing ranks. It is recommended that the City of Lafayette initially recruit from within. By recruiting from within, the fire department is able to select from “known quantities” who are familiar with the Lafayette Fire Department’s procedures.
If recruiting from within fails, the fire department is again in an advantageous position for recruiting. The fire department enjoys an excellent reputation, has a call volume that is sufficient to maintain the interest of potential career personnel, and is geographically located near large pools of trained volunteer firefighters in surrounding departments.
Qualities the Lafayette Fire Department is looking for in a firefighter include:
• A person who is a team player • Ability to think clearly under stress • Ability to get along with others • A person with organizational loyalty • A person in excellent physical condition (for emergency response roles)
LAFAYETTE FD – AN ALL CAREER FIRE DEPARTMENT
The fire department examined the costs and benefits of becoming a fully career fire department. The benefits of being a fully career fire department include the ability to ensure a consistent and timely level of response. Because of the importance of employment, there is a higher level of accountability with career firefighters when compared to volunteers. Career firefighters are easier to train because training is performed on the clock and, therefore, training activities for career personnel are not competing with employment and family time as much as they do for volunteer personnel. In career departments there is an increased level of teamwork because the same fire personnel work together over extended periods of time. Unlike most fully volunteer fire departments; emergency response originates from the station, decreasing response time and the number of vehicles traveling the streets to respond to an alarm. Career firefighters can generally provide a wider range of services to the community including fire inspections and public education programs. Finally, because of the competitive nature of career
35 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. firefighter employment, career departments generally have a better selection process for the position of firefighter and a greater opportunity to select and direct the workforce.
These benefits do not come without a cost. Career fire departments are expensive to maintain on an on-going basis. The additional costs may cause jurisdictions to staff more lightly; that is, at any given time, a career department is typically staffed to handle a routine emergency. In the event of a large-scale emergency, additional personnel would be called back to respond. This increases the time until a full response is amassed at a large emergency. As with volunteer departments, career departments have difficulty in providing equity of service to all citizens – in order to provide equitable service to all areas of the jurisdiction, all areas of the jurisdiction must be staffed with the same basic resources regardless of demand for service.
This Plan does not recommend the formation of an all career fire department. Volunteerism is one of the values the department holds in high regard.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Health and safety are primary concerns to all firefighters of the City of Lafayette. It is the policy of the Lafayette Fire Department to provide and to operate with the highest possible levels of safety and health for its members. The prevention and reduction of accidents, injuries, and occupational illnesses are goals of the fire department and shall be primary considerations at all times. Health and safety are affected by many factors including training, equipment, facilities, operating procedures, medical supervision, government regulations, lifestyle, and nutrition; as well as attitude, awareness, and perception.
The fire department has been proactive in this regard. The City of Lafayette provides its employees with a wellness program that encourages physical fitness. The fire department also places an emphasis on scene safety. The fire department should continue these efforts in a manner consistent with the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard 1500 by:
• Continuing to emphasize physical fitness • Providing stress management and critical incident stress intervention • Providing appropriate safety equipment and apparatus • Providing a comprehensive fire apparatus replacement and preventive maintenance program • Continue to provide emergency incident management training • Ensuring fire stations are built/remodeled with an emphasis on personnel health and comfort • Provide biennial medical examinations for all fire firefighters
36 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
EXPANDING OUR CAREER PERSONNEL
In 1971, federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) adopted a respiratory protection standard requiring employers to establish and maintain a respiratory protection program for their respirator-wearing employees. OSHA recently issued a revised standard regarding respiratory protection. Among other changes, the regulation now requires that interior structural firefighting procedures provide for at least two firefighters inside the structure. The two firefighters inside the structure must have direct visual or voice contact between each other and direct, voice or radio contact with at least two firefighters outside the structure.
OSHA requires that the function of one of the two outside persons is to account for and, if necessary, initiate a firefighter rescue. Aside from this individual dedicated to tracking interior personnel, the other designated person(s) is (are) permitted to take on other roles, such as incident commander in charge of the emergency incident, safety officer or equipment operator. However, the other designated outside person(s) cannot be assigned tasks that are critical to the safety and health of any other employee working at the incident.
Any task that the outside firefighter(s) performs while in standby rescue status must not interfere with the responsibility to account for those individuals in the hazard area. Any task, evolution, duty, or function being performed by the standby individual(s) must be such that the work can be abandoned, without placing any employee at additional risk, if rescue or other assistance is needed.
The Lafayette Fire Department uses NFPA 1500, Standard for Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, as a guideline for firefighter standards. The 1997 edition of NFPA 1500 now includes requirements corresponding to OSHA’s respiratory protection regulation. In addition the Two-in/Two-out rule has become the standard of care for all fire service employers. In other words, the OSHA regulation is civilly applicable. Therefore, the City of Lafayette must ensure its policies are consistent with the Two-in/Two-out rule.
This is especially critical when looking at responses to structure fires where less than four members initially arrive. In addition to NFPA 1500, NFPA 1710 states the minimum requirements for fire ground staffing level. In this document, NFPA recommends a minimum of 14 personnel arriving on the fire-ground with in eight minutes. We have set this standard as our goal for career personnel levels in the next ten years. In the next section, we will present several different models that allow us to phase in staff to reach this goal.
37 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. STAFFING MODELS
Currently we have three shifts each having:
• Lieutenant 1 • Engineer 1 • Firefighter/Paramedics 2 • Firefighter/EMT 1
This staffing model provides for three people on a fire engine and two people on an ambulance. Our present staffing model demands that we utilize outside resources 21% of the time to handle the current service demand levels. This model does not remotely meet the NFPA fire-ground minimum staffing levels of 14 people within eight minutes of the call. With an extensive mutual aid response program, we are able to get 14 people on the fire ground, but this occurs at more than twice the recommended eight minutes. One of our highest priorities in this comprehensive plan is presenting staffing models that will better handle our current and future service demands. Model A meets our long term goals. Models B – C are transitional models that represent an improvement to our current staffing model, but are not a feasible long term solution.
New Employee Cost 2012 dollars EMT Paramedic
Annual Salary 2nd year- beginning level 42,744.00 53,560.00 Pension 10.2% City Contribution 4,359.89 5,463.12 Health Ins/Dental/Vision, etc (family) 16,536.00 16,536.00 Medicare 619.79 776.62
Total 64,259.68 76,335.74
MODEL A: 3-3-2-2-1 (HIRE 18)
This model allows for one Battalion Chief, three people on a fire engine and two people on an ambulance at Station 1, while Station 2 would have three people on a fire engine and two people on an ambulance. Model A is the standard fire engine staffing model for Longmont Fire, Boulder Fire, Mt. View Fire (Erie), Brighton Fire, and North Metro Fire.
Costs
To achieve this model we would need to hire 18 people. We would have to promote three people to Battalion Chiefs and of the 18 people hired three would need to be paramedics. The overall increase in our budget is estimated to be $1,222,902.42 in 2012 dollars.
38 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
MODEL B: 3-2-2-1 TRANSITIONAL (HIRE 6)
This model allows for one Battalion Chief, one Lieutenant and one engineer on a fire engine, and one paramedic and one firefighter on an ambulance at Station 1, while Station 2 would have one Lieutenant and a paramedic that could move between the fire engine or ambulance depending on the nature of the call.
Costs
To achieve this model we would need to hire 6 firefighters. The overall increase in our budget is estimated to be $407,637 in 2012 dollars.
MODEL C: 3-2-1 TRANSITIONAL (HIRE 3)
This model allows for a Battalion Chief, one Lieutenant and one engineer and one firefighter on a fire engine that could move between the engine and ambulance at Station 2, while station one would have one Lieutenant and one paramedic that could move between a fire engine or an ambulance depending on the nature of the call.
Costs
The current mil levy can handle the expense of hiring the three additional firefighters.
SUMMARY OF STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS
The city’s efforts in commercial development have been outstanding in the past few years, especially during the down turn in the US economy. While the new businesses have generated additional sales tax revenue, there are other departments within the city that need budget increases to meet the citizens’ demands for existing and new services.
A fundamental question arises when it comes to paying for fire department operations. Should property taxes or sales taxes pay for fire department operations? Fire departments are in the business of protecting property. Those businesses that do not generate sales tax revenue for the City of Lafayette still require fire protection, and likewise, those people who live in Lafayette, but do not shop here, also require fire and emergency protection. It is the opinion of the department that an increase in the mill levy, dedicated to fire department operations, is an equitable way for all citizens and property owners to pay for fire protection.
Department / City Mill Levy Lafayette Fire / Lafayette 4.5 Louisville Fire / Louisville 6.686 North Metro Fire / Broomfield 11.176 Mountain View Fire / Erie 11.747 Rocky Mountain Fire / Superior 13.445
As seen in the above: Mil levy comparison, our current 4.5 mills is below any other fire department in our area. The 4.5 Mils is projected to produce $1,680,773 in 2012. This equates to one mill = $373,505. For summary purposes, we will list the expected cost of each staffing model and how many mills would need to be raised to pay for the model.
39 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
Description Budget Mil Levy Increase
Model A $1,222,902 3.27 Mil
Model B $407,637 1.1 Mil
Model C $229,000 Current Budget
• We strongly believe Model A is the best long term solution • We believe adjusting the mill levy by approximately 3.27 mils for a total of 7.7 mils, raises our per capita cost from $85.23 to $135.24, is the most equitable and favorable solution. • If passed, the new mill levy would be 7.77, still far below the surrounding area median of 11.46 mills. • Continue the department’s aggressive approach towards recruiting reserve volunteers.
COST PER CAPITA WITH A PROPOSED MILL LEVY OF 7.77
40 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR OUR STAFF
Our department goal, pertaining to salaries and benefits, is to pay our staff commensurate with the surrounding fire departments and/or municipalities with similar demographics. The city has set the salary goal for its employees to be at the 33rd percentile of the Denver Metro area. The city has made significant strides in raising the pay of the firefighters, but we still have not reached the 33rd percentile benchmark that other city employees are being paid. Unless the city’s economy dramatically increases, it will be difficult for the city to fully fund adjustments in salaries. Since a large portion of the fire department’s budget is derived from a city-wide mill levy, a small increase in the mil levy may be the only way to increase salaries.
STEP PLAN
A step plan that identifies employees by their job description, time in grade, and fire/EMS certification level has been implemented. We believe this plan needs to be further refined so that it provides on-going motivation for employee improvement, enhances our service level by having better trained and certified employees, and provide a clear structure for future promotion within the department.
SUMMARY OF SALARY AND BENEFITS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Through the use of a current salary survey of the surrounding fire departments and/or municipalities with similar demographics, establish a salary pay scale that is at the 33rd percentile. • Refine the fire department’s pay grade step plan
41 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
FIRE PREVENTION THROUGH CODES
FIRE CODES – THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
With the adoption of the 2009 International Fire Code, as well as local ordinances, the City of Lafayette has set a high standard for fire protection and prevention. Continually updating the fire codes on a three year cycle will keep the city in the forefront of prevention and public safety.
Firefighters in the past were never involved with business inspections because the fire department was mostly volunteers. Presently the fire department has five career personnel nationally certified as fire inspectors, with another six trained and awaiting certification. It is the goal of the Prevention Bureau to have all career firefighters certified as Fire Inspector I.
Firefighters are now performing business inspections with the goal to identify and inspect all business and vacant buildings in the city. Presently there are not enough personnel to inspect every business in the city on a yearly basis. When Station 2 opens and more career personnel become available, it is the department’s goal to inspect all commercial businesses yearly. Because many commercial buildings/businesses have life safety systems that must be maintained annually by code it is imperative that yearly fire inspections occur to ensure the life safety of our citizens.
These life safety systems include fire sprinkler, fire alarms and commercial kitchen hoods (many of these systems have not been tested in over 5 years). Fire system failures cause an increase in false alarms; lack of maintenance in commercial kitchens can cause cooking fires and many other issues. Responding to false alarms increases the risk to civilians as well as firefighters. Also they take away our ability to respond to other emergencies. Our goal is to reduce these risks by reducing false alarms.
The fire department has the opportunity to generate revenue by issuing permits for various fire and life safety events at businesses. Business licensing is allowed by codes adopted by the city. By licensing every business the city can track if that business has a valid sales tax license, ensure they are meeting water quality/pollution issues and are complying with fire/life safety codes. When the fire department performs inspections and educates businesses about fire/life safety hazards, we can provide customer service as opposed to being an enforcement agency.
Fire departments have had little control over residential housing; new code developments in the future may require fire sprinkler systems, protection for engineered and lightweight construction as well as green building. Prevention bureaus will be required to review and inspect these new systems. The building department, as well as the fire department, will have to work closer together to make these systems work.
New lightweight and engineered lumber has created hazards for firefighters and the general public. Fire spread and structural collapse is much faster today than in the past. Rapid response and code enforcement is vital to the safety of the public as well as to the firefighters. Heat and smoke detectors have reduced fire death across the country by half. Today we have the opportunity with residential fire sprinklers and protected assemblies to reduce fire death even more. Education and involvement with the public can make this happen.
42 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
CITY OF LAFAYETTE ISO RATING:
Currently the department maintains an insurance rating of 4 which is good. The department’s goal is to decrease this rating. With addition of Station 2 and increased staffing, there is the opportunity in the future to decrease this rating to a 3 or 2. The decrease in ISO (Insurance Services Organization) rating would greatly benefit commercial building insurance rates. Residential insurance rates for cities with ISO ratings between 1 and 4 are the same, based on similar structure, replacement cost and location.
ISO rates cities/fire departments every 8-10 years. The City of Lafayette was rated three years ago and we maintained our “4”rating. When Station 2 is built and staffed we will ask ISO to re-evaluate the City, it is anticipated that we should be able to reduce our rating to a “3”.
SUMMARY OF FIRE PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS
• Train and certify all career personnel in fire prevention • Require all businesses to have a business license for tracking purposes • Provide staffing for fire prevention activity and inspections • Reduce the number of false calls thru inspections and system testing requirements • Provide advanced training and staffing for fire investigation and enforcement • Continue to adopt and change codes on a regular cycle. • Find new ways to generate revenue thru permits and fees • Decrease the cities ISO rating to a 3 with the goal to reach a level 2 • Expand fire prevention education and customer service to citizens • Expand the prevention bureau in the future with full-time Fire Marshal
43 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Disasters are a fact of life in Colorado. This year has been a devastating year for Colorado, as of July 1st over 600 homes have been destroyed due to wildland fires along the Front Range. In 2010, the Four-Mile canyon fire destroyed over 6,000 acres, 169 homes and an estimated cost of over $9,955,000. The 1994 South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain resulted in 14 firefighter deaths. The 1992 visit of Pope John Paul II resulted in a mass casualty incident of unprecedented scale – over 20,000 people required emergency medical treatment during the two-day event. With increasing growth and urbanization, Colorado is becoming more and more vulnerable to similar large-scale emergencies.
Emergencies are routine for the fire service and generally there is no community-wide impact or need for extraordinary resources to bring conditions back to normal. It is the scale of an emergency that defines a disaster. By definition, when the scope of an emergency exceeds the local jurisdictions’ resources, it becomes a disaster.
There are three types of disasters: natural, technological and civil. Natural disasters include, but are not limited to, wildland fires, floods and tornadoes. Technological disasters include chemical and biological releases, fires and radioactive material releases. Civil disasters include civil unrest, terrorist attacks and incidents where no unrest is present but conditions lead to large numbers of people being injured, such as the Papal visit.
In the City of Lafayette, the Fire Chief and Police Chief coordinate disaster planning along with the city’s management team. Boulder County Sheriff’s Department is in charge of the county-wide “Office of Emergency Management”. Under the joint funding structure, funds from all levels of government are funneled through the Boulder County OEM unless the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides them directly. State statutes require each county to maintain an emergency management and preparedness office and only the county OEM can ask for disaster assistance from the Federal Government.
Disasters have a very low probability of occurring but have a very high potential for catastrophic losses. Because the risk at any given time is relatively low, jurisdictions, including Lafayette Fire, never staff for the “Big One”. It can take days, even weeks, to amass the resources necessary to combat and recover from a catastrophic event. In many cases, it may take up to 72 hours to deliver assistance to all but the most severely affected citizens. Therefore, the City of Lafayette’s residents should be encouraged to devise plans to care for themselves for up to 72 hours.
44 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. PLANNING PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE
Because disasters are not routine, and come in different types and sizes, an effective all-risk plan of action is important to maintain. The City of Lafayette prepares and maintains an emergency preparedness plan. The fire department is an active player in the development and maintenance of the plan in order to ensure that the requirements of the citizens of Lafayette are met.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Because disasters occur so infrequently, it is difficult for emergency response officials to remain proficient in all aspects of disaster response. Disasters require response from several agencies, from both inside and outside the City of Lafayette and Boulder County. These agencies may not work together on a regular basis, so it is essential to practice skills and develop a working knowledge of other agencies’ capabilities before a disaster strikes.
PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
As noted above, disaster assistance may take up to 72 hours to reach all but the most critical victims. In many cases, those that best survive a disaster are those that can assist themselves. Therefore, basic survival education for citizens is a critical component of disaster preparedness. Basic disaster survival education should include an assessment of the relative risks, general survival tips and information specific to particular disaster situations. In addition, citizens should learn evacuation routes, emergency shelter locations, and sign up for emergency alerts from the Boulder County OEM.
SUMMARY OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Actively participate in the development, maintenance and training of the City of Lafayette’s disaster plan. • Participate in Boulder County disaster drills. • Have one disaster drill in the City of Lafayette each year. • Educate the citizens of Lafayette for the need to care for themselves for up to three days in the event of a disaster.
45 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION – PUBLIC SAFETY EDUCATION
While no one believes fires and medical emergencies can be completely eliminated, there are many proactive actions the City of Lafayette can take to reduce the number of incidents, and severity of fires and medical emergencies in the community. While the need for improved fire prevention activities was discussed, there are several other areas where the fire department can be more proactive in decreasing the number and severity of emergency incidents. The fire department should improve every individual’s ability to avoid emergencies, and improve their ability to react appropriately during an emergency.
EDUCATING THE PUBLIC TO DECREASE RISK
Public education efforts of the fire service have traditionally been directed towards fire prevention. Slogans such as “people can learn not to burn” and “Stop, drop, and roll,” have become cornerstones of fire department public education efforts. However, the fire department has an obligation to protect lives, property and the environment from a variety of threats, not just fires. Therefore, the fire department wishes to expand its approach to public education to encompass all risks.
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION EFFORTS
Public information differs from public education in that it is typically distributed through mass media, i.e. newsletters, open houses, news releases, safety brochures, coloring books, and presentations to large groups. The advantage of public information programs is that large numbers of people can be reached at a small cost. The disadvantage of public information programs is that once the information is presented, it is very difficult to measure whether the intended audience received and understood the message.
The fire department’s public education efforts are somewhat limited and are often reactive – delivered upon request of specific groups. Therefore, the fire department needs to augment its public information activities with a formal public education program which:
• Targets specific groups (e.g., kindergartners, homeowners’ associations and specific industries) with programs that are appropriate for their needs. • Actively approaches target audiences, instead of waiting for them to ask for a program. • Provides education efforts that have measurable outcomes. • Provides sufficient resources to deliver the programs.
The fire department believes that its public education efforts can be enhanced through the career firefighters. Those career firefighters should be expected to help coordinate and deliver public education programs.
46 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. CONSISTENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Studies have shown that fire safety programs are very effective when given consistently to kindergarten through fourth grade students. Therefore, the safety program that is currently in place for these students should be continued and enhanced to provide injury prevention topics.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT – A NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM
The Fire Department would like to become more active in community programs. The department believes that neighborhood meetings provide an excellent opportunity to provide public education programs. The department should contact homeowners’ associations and recruit a liaison from each association to help develop and schedule specific programs for individual neighborhoods.
WILDLAND FIRES
Public education is an important aspect of preventing undesired wildland fires. Public education should be expanded and communicating the benefits of mitigation programs in order to gain public acceptance.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PUBLIC EDUCATION
Public education in the hazardous materials arena includes working with business and industry, and individual citizens. By providing public education concerning hazardous materials, both the City of Lafayette and businesses within the city are better able to inventory and assess the hazards, develop strategies to improve safety when working with hazardous chemicals, and provide better information to the public about what to do in case of a chemical emergency. Public education efforts also increase awareness of options available to citizens for proper handling and disposal of hazardous materials. For example, the Household Hazardous Waste Disposal program has decreased inappropriate and illegal disposal of hazardous substances by citizens.
SMOKE DETECTOR PROGRAM
Smoke detectors are the single most effective means of decreasing fire-related fatalities. Fire breaks out every 13.5 seconds in the United States and the vast majority of these fires occur in residential occupancies. The United States Fire Administration estimates that there are 5700 fire deaths and 30,000 fire injuries annually. Over the last two decades there have been a decreasing number of fire-related fatalities in the United States. In 1971 there were approximately 9,000 fire deaths in the United States, in 1978 there were 8,100, and in 1990 there were 5,195. Seventy-two percent of these fatalities were in residential occupancies. This decreasing trend in residential fire fatalities is due to the increased use of smoke detectors.
47 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
Currently, 80 percent of the residential fire deaths occur in occupancies where no working smoke detector is present. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go with smoke detectors. Seventy percent of residential fires occur in homes without a working smoke detector. Therefore, working smoke detectors are least often found in the residences that need them the most. Every home in the City of Lafayette should be equipped with a working smoke detector.
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS
• Expand public education efforts to include an all risks approach. • Institute an aggressive public education effort with measurable goals. • Utilize enhanced staffing to provide public education programs. • Expand the department’s current fire safety message to include the appropriate use of 9-1-1, CPR, accident prevention, hazardous materials awareness, and disaster preparedness. • Provide hazardous materials information in the City of Lafayette public information materials. • Place more emphasis on an aggressive smoke detector program, targeting populations that will benefit the most from the program.
TRAINING
WHY EMPHASIZE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT?
Today’s firefighters operate in complex, dangerous and dynamic environments. Firefighter training is the single most important factor in determining if firefighters are prepared to meet the challenges of the environments in which they work. Proper training means the difference between success and failure during emergency operations. The need for firefighter and officer training within the fire department is substantial.
Firefighter safety and survival is the first and foremost reason for improved training in the department. As the community grows, firefighters are faced with new challenges and hazards. Changing construction techniques and new manufacturing processes require specialized knowledge in order for firefighters to respond safely to emergency incidents.
Citizen expectations also increase the need for improved firefighter training. The Department provides a variety of services previously unheard of in the fire service – services such as hazardous materials response, emergency medical services and confined space rescue.
48 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
The demands for increased efficiency and effectiveness also drive the need for enhanced training. As service demands increase, the department attempts to do more with limited resources by looking at new technologies and procedures to make its operations more efficient and effective. The use of new technologies and new procedures require training.
Increased training requirements are also driven by the “Paradox of Firefighter Training.” This paradox simply states: as the fire department does a better job in preventing fires and other emergencies, the less proficient firefighters become – basic skills must be practiced and refreshed. This paradox accelerates the need for training in order to provide superior services to the community.
Finally, the Lafayette Fire Department is a growing department, which means that its personnel do not have the depth of experience that larger departments enjoy. In order to maintain expertise and provide promotional opportunities from within, the department must provide adequate development opportunities for its personnel.
TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
The department’s training program has evolved over the last ten years as we transitioned from an all volunteer force to a combination career/reserve department. Citizen expectations also increase the need for improved firefighter training. The Department provides a variety of services previously unheard of in the fire service – services such as hazardous materials response, emergency medical services and confined space rescue.
Our firefighters are assigned to three different shifts, A, B, and C; they are on duty 48 hours and then are off duty 96 hours. These “duty shifts” match the schedules of our neighboring fire departments. Having three different shifts creates training challenges because our firefighters don’t have the opportunity to train together. The solution to combat this dilemma is to implement “company based” training that not only involves our department but all the departments that are our automatic mutual aid partners.
COMPANY BASED TRAINING A company based training program provides each firefighter with the knowledge that enables them to focus on their role without the need of direct supervision. This enables an emergency scene to run smoother and safer, which provides the best benefit to the department and most importantly the citizens. The future of our department in terms of strictly company based training revolves around two major components - Engine and Truck Company operations. These two operations are vital to running a safe and efficient emergency scene and are what the fire service prides itself on.
We have started honing in our skills when it comes to Truck Company and Engine Company operations, with outside instructors teaching classes; however, it is impossible to perform company operations with the limited on duty staff we have. Based on current staffing levels our department can only focus on company based training. The department is teaching the necessary skills to understand and be competent in both the engine and truck company operations so when we are working with our mutual aid partners at an emergency scene we work as a team. This will become a challenge once the new fire station comes online and more firefighters are hired. 49 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
MULTI-DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS Our department has also become more involved with automatic mutual aid with our surrounding departments. This enables us, as well as surrounding fire departments, to provide better service to the citizens. It is vital that we take company based training methods and apply those techniques together with our automatic mutual aid partners so that we are all operating and working together as one unit. It is the recommendation that the department work with surrounding departments on a frequent basis to ensure that we are operating in the same manner. It is also recommended that training be held in conjunction with our mutual aid partners in area fire training centers so that we can also focus more the physical aspect of our work. These physically challenging trainings can help identify both strong and weak points when working with other departments. This becomes complicated because we only have one engine company to both train and run calls in the city at the same time.
METHODS OF TRAINING AND DELIVERY OF TRAINING The department has implemented a “train the trainer” program. This has helped increase the knowledge among the three shifts and is improving operational consistency, especially when it comes to skills such as technical rescue. The department now has a more reliable skill set both in Fire and EMS, so we can provide the best level of service 24/7/365.
The department needs to be more consistent with the three shifts and a JPR based check off form will be created to ensure all the shifts are getting the same training year round. Training should be both physically and mentally challenging, which relates to the real world stresses that firefighters encounter on a day-to-day basis.
THREATS TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM Lafayette has transitioned over the last 7 years from an all-volunteer department to a career department with reserves supporting the career staff. Over the past several years our department has lost over 33% of the career staff and an even higher number of the reserve staff. This creates a training handicap because we are never able to move away from the “basics” and onto more advanced life saving skills. Our department must retain staff in order to get out of the “revolving door,” and move on to the training focus our department has set forth.
TRAINING FOCUS Today’s citizens rely on the fire department for more services than ten years ago. Today we are expected to help skate boarders trapped with a broken leg in the bottom of the deep hole at the skate park to the wildfires that ravage our mountains so close to our city. It is important that our department continue to focus on our company oriented firefighting skills and EMS skills as well as the following:
• Hazardous Materials Emergency response at the technician level
• Hazardous Materials Emergency response at the Specialist level
• Technical Rescue
• Ice Rescue
• Wildland Firefighting
• Officer Development
50 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
• Driver Operator Training
These training subject matters will be able to sustain our department with the arrival of Station #2 and will cover all training concerns for the next ten years.
SUMMARY OF TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS
. • Continue with Truck Company and Engine Company operations • Develop a training program that is student-centered – customizing training activities to appropriate skill levels. • Improve Officer Development, Driver Operator, Rescue, and Hazardous Materials training programs. • Actively pursue functional consolidation of training efforts with other local fire departments. • Actively pursue building training props on existing fire department property. • Retain personnel to ensure that we move away from basic training to more specialized training
51 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT
FIRE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEEDS
The City of Lafayette has adhered to a replacement schedule for fire apparatus that meets ISO and NFPA guidelines. Those guidelines state that fire engines are to be used for twenty years – fifteen as a front line vehicle and five years as reserve. Rescue trucks have a life expectancy of ten years and command vehicles should be replaced in five years. Additionally, medical equipment has a similar five to ten year replacement recommendation. The table below lists our existing capital equipment, with an estimated replacement value based on year purchased cost when purchased, year to be replaced and a calculated 3.125% interest compounded annually.
Year Year to be Purchase Apparatus Estimated Purchased Replaced Price Replace Cost 2601 2011 2031 $609,287 $1,335,022.85 2602 2001 2021 $368,723 $807,917.50 2603 1998 2015 $430,943 $839,434.08 2617 2007 2027 $727,544 $1,594,138.50 2621 2008 2018 $174,816 $258,770.38 2622 2009 2019 $210,115 $311,021.53 2626 2003 2013 $33,296 $49,286.21 2633 2004 2014 $100,026 $148,062.91 2655 2001 2021 $185,206 $405,809.15 2660 2003 2012 $28,347 $40,346.62 2661 2010 2020 $57,345 $84,884.61 2662 2010 2020 $60,412 $89,424.52 2664 1999 2013 $18,000 $31,170.18
Medical Year Year to be Purchase Estimated Equipment Purchased Replaced Price Replace Cost LifePak 12 2006 2013 $22,000.00 $28,950.50 LifePak 12 2006 2013 $22,000.00 $28,950.50 LifePak 15 2009 2015 $24,938.29 $31,554.89 Glidescope #1 2007 2017 grant $13,850.00 Glidescope #2 2007 2017 grant $13,850.00 Auto-Pulse #1 2010 2020 grant $16,500.00 Auto-Pulse #2 2010 2020 grant $16,500.00 Stryker Pram #1 2009 2019 grant $17,000.00 Stryker Pram #2 2009 2019 grant $17,000.00
52 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
Fire Year Year to be Purchase Estimated Equipment Purchased Replaced Price Replace Cost Thermal Camera #1 2004 2014 grant $15,000.00 Thermal Camera #2 2004 2014 grant $15,000.00 Amkus Unit 1 2001 2016 grant $7,300.00 Amkus Unit 2 2007 2022 grant $10,805.00 Amkus Unit 3 2011 2026 $7,000.00 $12,606.60 Auhora Hazmat Detector 2012 2022 grant $51,000.00 Ice Rescue Boat 2010 2020 grant $3,000.00 Air Bas High/Low Pressure 2006 2016 grant $7,500.00 SCBA Packs (35) replace with 2002 2013 grant $250,000.00 (25)
SUMMARY OF EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
• Continue to adhere to replacement schedule.
53 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
THE BUDGET
The Lafayette Fire Department is a municipal department. Funding for the department comes from sales tax revenues and property taxes. The department must submit its budget requests each year and the City Council allocates the funds based on the needs of every department within the city and the availability of funds.
Cost per Capita
The fire department examined its operating budget and compared it to other Denver Metro area fire departments that are equivalent in size to Lafayette. For comparison purposes we used only the operations portion and not the capital expenditures portions of each fire department’s budget. In that comparison, the department received the lowest “cost per capita” amount of any Denver Metro fire department. Lafayette Fire Department’s cost per capita is $85.32 while the average cost per capita of the above compared departments is $206.48.
PAYING FOR CAREER FIREFIGHTERS
According to the US Fire Administration/NFPA report, “A Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service”, 78% of fire departments across the nation generate their budget revenue by the utilization of a special fire district tax or other public safety tax.
LFD MILL LEVY
Fire departments are in the business of protecting property. Those businesses that do not generate sales tax revenue for the City of Lafayette still require fire protection, and likewise those people who live in Lafayette, but do not shop here, also require fire and emergency protection. In 2009, the citizens of Lafayette voted in favor of assessing a 4.5 mill levy dedicated to fire department
54 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. operations. This amounts to a cost of $72 per year on a $200,000 home. The fire department mill levy brought in:
• 2010 $1,727,116 • 2011 $1,647,813 • 2012 $1,680,773 (projected)
Mill Levy Comparison
It is the opinion of the department that an increase in the current fire department mill levy, dedicated to fire department operations, is an equitable way for all citizens and property owners to pay for fire protection. A comparison of surrounding fire departments shows that our mill levy is substantially lower.
Department / City Mill Levy Lafayette Fire / Lafayette 4.5 Louisville Fire / Louisville 6.686 North Metro Fire / Broomfield 11.176
Mountain View Fire / Erie 11.747 Rocky Mountain Fire / Superior 13.445
FEES
Fees for fire prevention services are being used to pay much of the cost of fire prevention, a part of fire department budgets that has traditionally received little public support and has been hard to fund adequately. The structure of fees for prevention also can play a significant role in shaping prevention strategies. To motivate safe behaviors and achieve better compliance with codes, departments are using a variety of fees and citations for repeat inspections, false alarms, and code violations.
GRANTS
There is a wide array of Federal Grant programs from federal agencies. Some programs are not specifically earmarked for fire protection but can be used for those purposes, such as community block grants for improving cities, crime control initiatives (which often can be used for arson and juvenile fire-setting programs), military surplus vehicles, and others.
Since 2001 the fire department has received over $1,750,000 in grants to purchase equipment and hire full-time personnel. But the grants are slowly going away and the city can’t rely on the “chance” of getting a grant to fund the fire department.
55 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. SUMMARY OF BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS
• An increase in the current fire department mill levy, dedicated to fire department operations, is an equitable way for all citizens and property owners to pay for fire protection. • Continue to apply for grants that provide essential equipment, resources and staffing. • Continue the department’s aggressive approach towards recruiting reserve firefighters.
56 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. SWOT 2012: STRATIGIC / MASTER PLAN
In an effort to be all inclusive with our ten year comprehensive plan, the management team held a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) workshop with each shift. The following are the line items from staff input. It is the goal of this comprehensive plan to maximize our strengths, fix our weaknesses, take advantage of our opportunities, and minimize our threats.
STRENGTHS
• The staff is trained at a high standard through state and national certifications and internal continuing education. In house trainings have expanded and should continue.
• There have been great educational/training opportunities that staff have been approved to attend.
• There has been a low turnover in career staff.
• We have a younger staff that is proactive and open to change
• The career staff’s experience level continues to increase.
• There is consistency with staffing levels and service from shift to shift i.e. 5/5/5 as of 1/1/12.
• The leadership brings experience to the department. It is a team that shares a common vision. There is minimal micro management by upper management.
• Ideas for change are welcomed and often implemented. There is minimal red tape.
• The work environment is generally positive on all shifts. The majority of staff is highly motivated and positive.
• The city provides a solid benefits package.
• There is an adequate call volume that is conducive to longevity.
• We enjoy positive community support overall.
• Internal communication has improved through the use of shift reports and meetings.
• We have a solid relationship with the police department which allows for a solid team approach to managing incidents.
• We provide an all hazards approach to the community providing fire suppression, EMS treatment and transport, HAZMAT Technician level response, and enhanced wildland fire response.
• The field staff provides a high level of EMS care.
• We have the presence of a large level III (to be level II) hospital within the city of Lafayette.
57 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
• There is a solid relationship with Exempla GS Hospital. We have excellent Medical Direction from Dr. Beckman. He is approachable and the protocols are good.
• The boundaries of the city are defined for future growth. There will be controlled growth for the remaining land. With this, projections of growth, call volume, staffing and need for stations are predictable.
• We have quality vehicles; gear, equipment and facilities with Station 2 coming soon.
• The building of Station 2 will position the department to improve response times in the southern areas of the city.
• Our first alarm auto-aid meets NFPA 1710 standards for obtaining personnel on the fire ground, but this does not occur in the accepted time standard.
• Mutual / auto-aid allows for response when multiple incidents are occurring.
• The relationship with most surrounding departments has improved and the number of calls that are run jointly through mutual aid / auto aid agreements has increased.
• The new fire marshal is in place and restructuring the Fire Prevention Bureau.
• Fire codes are being updated to a more current edition of codes.
• Reserve Program
o The Reserve Program provides enhanced staffing levels at a reduced cost.
o There is a core group that has been consistent for a couple of years.
o The volume of EMS calls has helped with the development of EMS skills and knowledge.
o The Reserves have significant input into the direction of the program.
o Regular training is provided.
WEAKNESSES
• The economy is creating uncertainty in current and future financial needs.
• Without additional funding, staffing at NFPA minimums will not be possible.
• With current staffing we lack the ability to internally handle multiple calls.
• With current staffing there are limited promotional opportunities.
• Career staff wages are getting better but still below comparables. We still lack an organized format for pay scales / step plan.
• The city’s established overtime policy / procedure needs to be re-evaluated.
58 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
• There is a perceived lack of representation on issues important to the line personnel – mainly the pay issue.
• Seniority isn’t always followed on some issues.
• We have continued difficulty attracting a qualified hiring pool after using multiple avenues of applicant searching. i.e. DRCOG, national advertising, etc. This is due to lack of competitive pay.
• Having defined boundaries does limit commercial and residential growth, capping mill levy and sales tax amounts.
• There is a lack of a local / nearby training facility. We have the inability to do good trainings because we only have one engine that we have to keep in service.
• SCBA’s are older, less reliable and not compatible with other departments / RIT needs.
• With a younger staff we are all lacking a lot of experience overall.
• With some staff there is a lack of participation and inconsistency with responsibilities without repercussions.
• There is inconsistency with command staff i.e. when they show up, when they take command or not, and consistency with what they expect from the crews.
• The level of drama negativity that occurs can be a distracter to achieving positive things. It seems as though someone is always in the “cross hairs”.
• There needs to be a better understanding of the disciplinary process and it needs to be more defined and consistent.
• There are still inconsistencies and outdated information in the SOG manual. This may be why there are inconsistencies in discipline or it may be that the discipline SOG is okay but it isn’t followed.
• People still tend to not follow the chain of command. The chiefs tend to be too accessible by the line staff. There is lack of “official word” disseminated which results in gossip about what’s happening.
• There is inconsistency and lack of professional ability of Boulder Regional Communication Center.
• There is a complexity of using multiple channels and frequencies between multiple agencies and three separate communication centers.
• There are ongoing issues with mapping software and current vendor.
• Limited number of fire inspections that have been done to include school inspections.
• There is difficulty with the city in tracking businesses for inspections / Business license system in the city.
• We are lacking a structured and meaningful public education.
59 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
• Reserve Program
o Lack of structure fire calls limits the opportunities for development of firefighting skills and knowledge.
o There is uncertainty as to the overall future of the Reserve Program. There are more people leaving than coming into the program at times.
o Communication flow to the Reserve Program is sometimes lacking in the department, more email / texting would be helpful.
OPPORTUNITIES
• There is potential redevelopment of different areas of the city.
• There is the potential of improvements with the CAD system improving response times.
• With the potential increase of staffing into the future it will create promotional opportunities i.e. engineer, lieutenant, battalion chief, etc.
• Adding staffing as a result of a second station is an overall opportunity. It will allow current staff to specialize in their interests versus having to be a “jack of all trades”.
• With the addition of staffing there will be an ability to have a more defined approach to seat assignments and a dedicated truck that you know is actually responding and will have known truck company roles..
• Residential construction is not at a standstill anymore and structures are actively being built or will start being built in the future i.e. Exempla area, retirement / assisted living complexes = increased call volume / revenue from calls and mill levy assessments.
• We may have the ability to increase the mill levy in future election cycles.
• Enhancing the inspection program allowing for safer buildings / pre-plans
• Reserve Program
o Have the opportunity to enhance the current program by offering input on training and staffing.
o If we continue to hire smartly for the Reserve Program and apply the proper management and oversight, we will continue to have a small pool of potentially qualified career hires and talented and capable backfill for reserve slots.
o The opening of Station 2 will offer many opportunities for the reserves to take on a larger role in the Department.
o Attendance at public events offers the chance to discuss the workings of the fire department with the citizens we serve.
o The department training offers many opportunities to develop skills and knowledge.
60 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. THREATS
• The economy creates unpredictability in current and future financial needs.
• There could be unpredictable call volume spikes based on growth.
• Without a proper staffing approach the department could be spread too thin with personnel and resources to adequately and equally cover all areas of town. Additionally, other departments may drop LFD from their mutual / auto aid due to low staffing levels on LFD’s apparatus i.e. two person truck or engine.
• If the opportunity arises to add staffing, hiring too many too fast could lead to unqualified people in promotable positions.
• We will continue to have issues attracting quality applicants with our current pay levels.
• Most people are content with their current shifts. Morale could be impacted if people are switched on shifts due to one or two “problem children”. Continue to address the issue with individuals without impacting multiple people. This could apply to now or 5 years from now.
• Residential building permits may cap out in the future since the city is borrowing on future 200 residential structures / per year permits.
• Reserve Program
o Diminishing number of reserve members.
61 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
EMS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Pursue regionalization to ensure that the closest unit responds to the calls. • Continue to use traffic preemption devices and encourage the installation of devices on all signaled intersections. • Reduce effective response time by operating out of second fire station. • Improve EMS response times to less than five minutes for 90 percent of the medical calls through additional career personnel and an enhanced reserve volunteer utilization.
FIRE RECOMMENDATIONS
• Improve response times as previously stated in the emergency response section • Increase the number of firefighters on-duty through the hiring of career firefighters and the enhanced utilization of reserve firefighters, consistent with the recommendations in the Staffing Chapter. • Continue to prevent fires through the application of codes. • Enhance public safety education programs.
WILDLAND FIRES RECOMMENDATIONS
• Fire prevention and prescribed burning programs are extremely important. And homeowners must accept a measure of responsibility and be fully aware of the risks when deciding to locate next to open space. Educate the public of the risks of living near open space/farming areas. • The Parks and Open Space department should mow tall grasses/weeds in city owned open space areas that are next to residential or commercial structures. A firebreak of 12 feet is appropriate. • Code enforcement units should cite those residences or businesses that dispose of materials on open space areas., particularly tree limbs and grass clippings. • The fire department must work closely with other city departments in identifying all areas of concern and mitigate the potential for fire before it happens.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Carefully monitor trends in hazardous materials incidents. • Through the City of Lafayette Finance Department, invoice responsible parties for hazardous materials spills. • Prevent hazardous materials incidents through public education. • Augment the current fire inspection program to include enforcement of appropriate laws and regulations concerning hazardous materials. • Monitor types and quantities of hazardous materials and their locations so that firefighters know what their potential for exposure is. • Increase the amount of Hazardous Materials detection and monitoring equipment to prevent minor calls being turned into Full Team callouts (Mode 2 or 3).
62 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
• Continue to send people to Hazardous Materials Technician School and classes which will help further education and the number of Hazardous Materials Technicians.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE RECOMMENDATIONS
• Open and staff the second fire station with a full crew. • Reduce demand for services and effective response times through pro-active programs such as public education and fire prevention services. • Pursue further regionalization to ensure that the closest unit responds to the calls. • Continue to use traffic preemption devices and encourage the installation of devices on all signaled intersections. • Reduce effective response time by encouraging built-in fire protection systems (e.g. sprinklers). • Reduce effective response time by reducing setup time through training, pre-planning and the use of proper equipment.
STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS
• We strongly believe Model A is the best long term solution • We believe adjusting the mill levy by an additional 3.27, which raises our per capita cost from $85.23 to $135.24, is the most equitable and favorable solution. • If passed, our new mill levy would be 7.77 still far below the surrounding area median of 11.46 mills. • Continue the department’s aggressive approach towards recruiting reserve volunteers.
SALARY AND BENEFITS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Through the use of a current salary survey of the surrounding fire departments and/or municipalities with similar demographics, establish a salary pay scale that is at the 33rd percentile. • Institute a pay grade step plan.
FIRE PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS
• Train and certify all career personnel in fire prevention. • Require all businesses to have a business license for tracking purpose. • Provide staffing for fire prevention activity and inspections. • Reduce the number of False calls thru inspections and system testing requirements. • Educate the public to new ideas and sell fire prevention and new code ideas. • Advance training and staff for fire investigation and enforcement. • Continue to adopt and change codes on a regular cycle. • Find new ways to collect revenue thru fees and permits. • Keep up with other cities and jurisdictions on plan review fees and requirements. • To keep ISO rating at 4 or better with the goal to reach a level 2. • Have ISO re-evaluate the City have Station 2 is built and staffed. 63 Lafayette Fire Department Ten Year Comprehensive Plan.
• Become involved in residential systems and requirements and work with building and planning • Continue to try new ideas in education and customer service to the public and city • Expand the prevention bureau in the future with full or part time personnel
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS RECOMMENDATIONS
• Actively participate in the development, maintenance and training of the City of Lafayette’s disaster plan. • Participate in Boulder County disaster drills. • Have one disaster drill in the City of Lafayette each year. • Educate the citizens of Lafayette for the need to care for themselves for up to three days in the event of a disaster.
PUBLIC SAFETY EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS
• Expand public education efforts to include an all risks approach. • Institute an aggressive public education effort with measurable goals. • Utilize enhanced staffing to provide public education programs. • Expand the department’s current fire safety message to include the appropriate use of 9-1-1, CPR, accident prevention, hazardous materials awareness, and disaster preparedness. • Provide hazardous materials information in the City of Lafayette public information materials. • Place more emphasis on an aggressive smoke detector program, targeting populations that will benefit the most from the program.
TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS
• Continue with Truck Company and Engine Company operations. • Develop a training program that is student-centered – customizing training activities to appropriate skill levels. • Improve Officer Development, Driver Operator, Rescue, and Hazardous Materials training programs. • Actively pursue functional consolidation of training efforts with other local fire departments. • Actively pursue building training props on existing fire department property. • Retain personnel to ensure that we move away from basic training to more specialized training.
BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS
• Ask the citizens to approve an increase in the current fire department mill levy, dedicated to fire department operations. • Continue the department’s aggressive approach towards recruiting reserve firefighters.
64