San José Fire Department Organizational Analysis – City Council PSFSS Committee Briefing Presented on February 18, 2016 The Business of Better Government 2/18/2016 www.citygateassociates.com1 | (916) 458-5100 Project Report Overview • Volume 1 – Executive Summary (48 pages) • Volume 2 – Technical Report (207 pages) • Volume 3 – Map Atlas (29 maps/pages) • All three volumes contain 284 pages including 54 findings and 49 recommendations 2 Policy Choice Framework • There are no mandatory federal or state regulations directing the level of fire service response times and outcomes. • Federal and State safety laws require that if fire services are provided, they must be done so with the safety of the firefighters and citizens in mind. • Historically, the City has been challenged over the last 20+ years to provide best practice response times as the City grew out from the urban core. 3 Response Times Department Wide • The date range is 5/1/2014 – 4/30/2015. • Only “in city” incidents, labeled as “Priority 1.” • Only 5 station areas meet 8 minutes @ 80%. SJFD SJFD Best Practice Goal @ 80% Actual 80% Actual 90% Type min/sec min/sec min/sec Call to Arrival 8:00 8:30 9:45 1st Due Travel 4:00 6:34 6:34 4 Risk Assessment and Battalions 5 Risk Assessment Summary • 35% of building inventory is High, Special, or Maximum risk: – There is an unusually high ratio of high-hazard occupancies. – Predominantly consists of R-1 multi-family, E, and F occupancies. – Higher risk occupancies are fairly equitably located across all battalions. – Special risk occupancies are predominantly located in Batt. 10. – Maximum risk occupancies are predominantly located in Batt. 1, 10, and 29. • 64% of building inventory is Moderate risk. – Predominantly residential occupancies. 6 Deployment Gap Analysis 14 Station Area Gap Analysis at 4 Minutes Travel Road Miles Not 2nd Due Unit Citygate Fill Dimensions Covered at 4- Risk & Bldg. Travel and Priority Name (Miles) Min Travel Population Fire UHU % Order Willow Glen 3 X 2.5 63.6 20,403 Moderate High 1 Cambrian 3 X 2.5 46.5 16,035 Moderate Low 8 Vinci/Berryessa 2.5 X 2 38.3 11,162 Low Low 9 Oak Ridge 2.5 X 1.5 34.2 12,650 Low Moderate 6 East Foothills 2.8 X 2.5 33.7 8,564 Moderate High 2 South San José 3.5 X 2 33.0 9,902 Low High 4 Centerwood 2 X 1.75 29.9 14,012 Low High 3 Westmont 1.5 X 1.5 24.7 10,346 Low Moderate 7 Santee 1.5 X 1 18.0 10,958 Moderate Moderate 5 Time Road Miles Covered Total Road Miles Percent Covered 4 minutes 2,519 3,533 71.30% 6 minutes 3,197 3,533 90.50% 17 Comparison to 15 Years Ago • The year 2000 study recommended the City add 7-9 additional fire stations. • Since then, only three stations were added; others were repaired, replaced, and/or moved. • During 2014/15 four companies were closed and Squads tried. • Response times have decayed over 15 years: Year Citywide Downtown Other 1998/99 7:14 6:42 7:21 2014/15 8:30 8:03 8:36 Change (1:16) (1:21) (1:15) Percent -18% -20% -17% 18 Comparison to 15 Years Ago (cont.) • The City grew in population from 894,943 to (as of January 1, 2014) 1,016,499, an increase of over 13%. • Total Fire Department responses in this period grew from 41,728 to 77,097, which is an increase of almost 85%, or an average 5% per year. • Population does drive calls for service, but the increase in emergency medical incident demand has far outpaced population growth in most urban areas. • During this study timeframe, the Department restructured and used a grant to restore two companies, leaving two squad units in operation. 19 Crew Staffing Review • 4 firefighters per unit are needed in San José for: – The fire risks presented – Compliance with the OSHA 2-in/2-out fire attack regulation – The incident critical tasks requiring completion simultaneously to gain fire control without more units – Provision of adequate staffing quickly where station gap areas and simultaneous incidents lengthen second-due cover unit response times – Leaving a 3-firefighter crew when the paramedic has to go in the ambulance to the hospital to assist with patient care • 4-firefighter unit staffing is provided by other large agencies with similar risks and issues (see next slide) 20 Fire Unit Staffing Comparison Rank by Size City Population Fire Unit Staffing 1 New York 8,175,133 5 2 Los Angeles 3,792,621 4 3 Chicago 2,695,598 5 4 Houston 2,099,451 4 5 Philadelphia 1,526,006 4/5 6 Phoenix 1,445,632 4 7 San Antonio 1,327,407 4 8 San Diego 1,307,402 4 9 Dallas 1,197,816 4 10 San José 1,016,479 4 Other California Large Cities Staffing at 4 – Oakland, San Francisco, Sacramento. 21 Headquarters Staffing and Other Review Areas 22 Bureau of Field Operations (BFO) Organizational Design • Training, quality oversight, and career development programs are all understaffed and have limited effectiveness. • The Battalion Chief positions of Safety and Communications Manager (Dispatch) should be reassigned. • EMS and IT logistical support additions are also critically needed, or the BFO managers will continue to chase “spot fires” and not perform proactive management. 23 Technology • A current technology plan does not exist. • The Department should participate in the regional dispatch study. • The Department should research, procure, and operate analytical software to monitor response times. • The Department needs to design, bid, and procure a robust, versatile business information system to tie together its disparate legacy data systems. 24 Response and Technology Management • Establish a Continuous Process Improvement Committee of Police and Fire Dispatch and IT. • Add an executive manager for process improvement, reporting to the Fire Chief, whose sole task is to order process improvement changes for all aspects of the Department’s operations where they materially affect response times. • The position will manage the recommended process improvement committee and the needed technology and staffing for process improvement measurement and reporting. 25 Sworn and Non Sworn Personnel Turnover Observations: • From 2005 to 2015, 538 employees separated from the San José Fire Department out of approximately 775 employees. • That is almost 70% turnover in 10 years. • Contributing factors: Budget shortfalls and a large number of eligible employee retirements. From 2005/06 to Service Disability Probationary 2014/15 Resignation Retirement Retirement Death Release Layoff Other Total Total 128 (27%) 263 (49%) 34 (6%) 9 (2%) 8 (1%) 52 (10%) 44 (6%) 538 26 Leadership Training Need Rank 2005 2010 2015 Battalion Chief (Number In Rank) 24 22 21 Average Age 50.3 51.1 48.6 Average Years In Dept. 23.2 23.2 21.8 Average Years In Rank 5.2 5.2 2.4 Captain (Number In Rank) 158 169 164 Average Age 46.2 46.1 45.8 Average Years In Dept. 25.4 18.6 17.8 Average Years In Rank 7.7 7.4 6.2 • Battalion Chief: From 2005 to 2015, the average length of service of Battalion Chiefs in the Fire Department decreased by 6.03%; the average number of years in rank of Battalion Chiefs decreased by 53.85%. • Captain: From 2005 to 2015, the average length of service of Captains in the Fire Department decreased by 29.92%; the average number of years in rank of Captain decreased by 19.48%. 27 Recommendations 28 Deployment Policy Consideration • If the City wants to provide the three outcomes below, the City will have to increase its deployment of fire crews and add peak hour reliever companies in the busiest areas: – Provide equitable response times to all similar risk neighborhoods – Provide for depth of response when multiple incidents occur – Provide for a concentration of response forces in the core for high-risk venues • If the City chooses not to adopt these three policy goals for fire services delivery, then it should modify the existing 4- minute travel time goal in the General Plan to provide less than an urban level of fire service. 29 EMS Deployment Re-Design Urgent Need • The incident volumes and response time issues identified in Volume 2—Chapter Two should be used for foundational material for an ambulance system re- design effort. • We strongly suggest the City stop sending fire crews to low acuity EMS incidents. • It only makes sense for as many cities as possible to participate with the County in a regional solution to provide and jointly fund both first responder paramedic and ambulance transportation. • The problem is so large and acute that fragmented solutions are likely insufficient or short term. 30 Key Human Resources Observations • The City needs to make an on-going commitment to training, oversight, and succession planning for the Fire Department. • An equal effort is needed on education and compliance oversight in EMS. 31 Key Organizational Recommendations • Improve operations policy, proper procedures, and performance expectations. • Increase leadership training performance evaluation compliance. • Add positions to middle management for safety, communications, quality assurance oversight, and process improvement. • Improve management data analytics. 32 Funding Recommendations/Scenarios 33 Improve services given current budgetary resources, staffing configurations, and performance goals • The Fire Department should complete the current work plan of 24 items, providing minor improvements to response times, some of which are funded. • Focus on: Response Zone Refinement; Business Intelligence Tool; and GPS Unit Tracking. • While all are necessary, in Citygate’s opinion, without additional line or headquarters staffing, none of the needed major improvements to the Department’s organization can be addressed.