Plan - Cedar Hill, TX

Transcription

25030 SW Parkway Ave. Suite 330 | Wilsonville | Oregon | 97070 | www.esci.us | 800-757-3724 | [email protected]
Cedar Hill Fire Department
Texas
Fire Department Program and Service
Audit and Master Plan
July 2014
Prepared by:
Sheldon Gilbert
Lane Wintermute
Rob Strong
Cedar Hill Fire Department, Texas
Fire Department Program and Service Audit and Master Plan
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... i
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................ iii
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... 1
Evaluation of Current Conditions ......................................................................................... 11
Organization Overview ........................................................................................................................... 11
Focus Group meeting .............................................................................................................................. 14
Governance and Lines of Authority .................................................................................................... 18
Organizational Design ......................................................................................................................... 19
Service Area and Infrastructure .......................................................................................................... 22
Finance and Budget ............................................................................................................................ 23
Budget, Funding, Fees, Taxation, and Financial Resources ................................................................ 24
Emergency Response Type and Frequency ........................................................................................ 28
Management Components ..................................................................................................................... 31
Mission, Vision, Strategic Planning, Goals, and Objectives ................................................................ 31
Management Documents and Processes ........................................................................................... 33
Record Keeping and Documentation .................................................................................................. 37
Staffing and Personnel Management ................................................................................................. 38
Administrative and Support Staffing................................................................................................... 39
Emergency Response Staffing ............................................................................................................. 42
Emergency Medical Services Support and Systems Oversight ............................................................... 49
EMS System Integrity .......................................................................................................................... 51
Emergency Management ........................................................................................................................ 54
National Incident Management System (NIMS) Compliance ............................................................. 54
Service Delivery and Performance .......................................................................................................... 56
Demand............................................................................................................................................... 58
Distribution ......................................................................................................................................... 63
Concentration ..................................................................................................................................... 72
Reliability ............................................................................................................................................ 76
Response Performance ....................................................................................................................... 79
Mutual and Automatic Aid Systems ................................................................................................... 83
Support Programs – Training .................................................................................................................. 86
General Training Competencies.......................................................................................................... 86
Training Program Administration ....................................................................................................... 91
Training Resources and Methodology ................................................................................................ 92
Support Programs – Life Safety Services (Fire Prevention) .................................................................... 96
Fire and Life Safety Code Enforcement .............................................................................................. 97
Existing Occupancy Inspection Program ............................................................................................. 99
Fire Cause and Origin Investigation .................................................................................................. 103
Capital Assets and Capital Improvement Programs.............................................................................. 105
Facilities ............................................................................................................................................ 105
Apparatus .......................................................................................................................................... 111
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Texas
Fire Department Program Service
Audit and Master Plan
Apparatus Maintenance and Repair ................................................................................................. 112
Capital Replacement Planning .......................................................................................................... 113
Future System Demand Projections ................................................................................... 117
Population Growth Projections............................................................................................................. 117
Population History ............................................................................................................................ 117
Population Projection ....................................................................................................................... 118
Service Demand Projection ................................................................................................................... 119
Community Risk Analysis ...................................................................................................................... 120
Future Delivery System Models ......................................................................................... 125
Development of Response Standards and Targets ............................................................................... 125
Critical Tasks, Risk, and Staffing Performance .................................................................................. 125
Response Time Performance Objectives .......................................................................................... 128
Short- and Mid-Term Strategies – One to Two years ........................................................................... 130
Response Deployment ...................................................................................................................... 130
Fire Prevention.................................................................................................................................. 131
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) .................................................................................................. 132
Emergency Management .................................................................................................................. 133
Comprehensive Tri-Cities Cooperative Service Agreement .............................................................. 133
Training ............................................................................................................................................. 134
Administrative Support Staff ............................................................................................................ 134
Organizational Development ............................................................................................................ 135
Recommended Long-Term Strategies beyond two years ..................................................................... 136
CHFD Station 212 Relocation ............................................................................................................ 136
New Joint Cedar Hill/Midlothian Fire Station 215 Development and Staffing ................................. 138
Training Facility Development .......................................................................................................... 142
Industry Best Practices and Standards ............................................................................................. 143
Conclusion......................................................................................................................... 145
Appendices ....................................................................................................................... 147
Appendix A: Table of Figures ................................................................................................................ 147
Appendix B: Glossary of Terms ............................................................................................................. 150
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Fire Department Program Service Audit and Master Plan
Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
Without the considerable support of the leadership of the City of Cedar Hill, this project would not have
been possible. Emergency Services Consulting International thanks and acknowledges the following
representatives for their invaluable contribution to this undertaking.
Rob Franke, Mayor
Daniel C. Haydin Jr. Council Member
Stephen Mason, Council Member
Chris Parvin, Mayor Pro Tem
Clifford R. Shaw, Council Member
Jami McCain, Council Member
Wallace Swayze, Council Member
Alan Sims, City Manager
John Ballard, Fire Chief
Ricky Pendley, Deputy Fire Chief, Operations
Kevin Cunningham, EMS Chief
Randy Jordan, Fire Marshal
Richard Dixon, Battalion Chief, A-Shift, Records Management
John Denison, Battalion Chief, B-Shift, Facilities Maintenance & Pre Plans
Mike Harrison, Battalion Chief, C-Shift, Training Coordinator
Matthew Baker, Cedar Hill Professional Firefighters, President
iii
Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) was engaged by the City of Cedar Hill to provide a
long-range plan for the delivery of emergency services within the Cedar Hill Fire Department (CHFD).
This Emergency Services Master Plan will assist the department in future planning and provision of
comprehensive emergency services to the citizens of Cedar Hill. This report is organized as an
organizational master plan that evaluates current conditions; projects future growth, development and
service demand; and provides recommendations to enhance current services or to provide an equal
level of service over the next 10 to 20 years.
ESCI thanks the Cedar Hill City Council, the City Manager, and the staff of the CHFD for their outstanding
cooperation in the preparation of this report. All involved were candid in their comments and provided
a tremendous amount of essential information. Special appreciation is offered to Fire Chief John Ballard
in acknowledgement of the time, effort, and resources he provided for this plan.
The audit and master plan begins with a community forum and review of the current service delivery
provided by CHFD including its programs, administration, management, service delivery performance
and financial health. All areas are evaluated and discussed in detail and specific recommendations are
provided, where applicable.
Community Forum
In order to dedicate time, energy, and resources on the functions that are most desired by its
customers, CHFD wants to understand the customers’ priorities and expectations. To better understand
these priorities and expectations, a facilitated citizen forum was utilized to obtain community
perspective regarding the CHFD.
The community forum was conducted with community members invited to participate in the master
planning process. Invitations were sent out from Neighborhood Services to 30 community leaders and
423 subscribers of the neighborhood service calendar. In addition, the police department sent out
meeting notices through the “Neighborhood Door” which reaches approximately 80 of the city’s
neighborhood watch group. Approximately 20 attendees were asked to fill out several survey
instruments pertaining to how they think CHFD should plan for the future. The citizens represented
were asked to identify the most important functions and services the fire department provides, based
on the list of services currently provided, and rank those services as a critical priority, an important
priority, or a low priority. In addition, participants were asked to rate a number of key indicators as they
related to service levels, staffing and cost of service.
Understanding what the community expects of its fire and emergency medical services organization is
critical to developing an effective long-range perspective. Armed with this knowledge, the CHFD internal
emphasis can be adjusted to better fulfill customer needs. The citizens group identified the following
expectations:
1
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Executive Summary
Adequate staffing and a timely response
Maintenance of existing fire suppression and emergency medical service levels
Well trained and response ready
Professionalism and competency
Continued integration and partnership with the communities served
Employee retention
Community access to stations and personnel
Report Section I: Evaluation of Current Conditions
An analysis of current conditions is documented in nine survey sections, reviewing the CHFD
administration, governance, staffing, personnel management, service delivery, planning, support
programs and capital assets. Each component of the evaluation includes an introductory explanation of
the subject area and discussion of desirable outcomes and identified best practices.
Criterion used to evaluate the fire department has been developed over many years. These gauges
include relevant guidelines from national accreditation criteria, the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) standards, federal and state mandates for fire and EMS systems, recommendations by various
organizations such as the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), and generally accepted best
practices within the fire and EMS industry.
The evaluation of current conditions offers the City a detailed assessment of existing fire department
operations and also provides the ESCI project team with a snapshot in time, the basis from which the
balance of the Fire Department Program and Service Audit and Master Plan is developed. The following
discusses some of the key findings:
Current and Future Service Demand
The City of Cedar Hill and adjacent areas are experiencing consistent and significant population growth,
which is expected to continue well into the future. With community growth comes increasing service
demand and workload on the fire department, challenging the agency to keep pace with growing needs.
Over the years, the department has evolved into the agency it is today providing fire prevention and
suppression, technical rescue, hazardous materials and advanced life support (ALS), medical first
response, and transportation services. The department operates from four strategically placed facilities
using a fleet of two engines, two aerial ladders (two quints) with ALS capabilities, two brush units, three
MICU ambulances and a number of ancillary and support vehicles. The department staffs entirely career
personnel that include an administrative complement of six and an operations complement of 72
personnel.
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) prepares population and service demand projections for
communities and regions throughout Texas to predict future water use and needs. Predicted population
growth estimates have the population of Cedar Hill growing to approximately 77,000 by 2040. The
average annual growth rate varies from 1.70 percent to 2.24 percent and is never negative in the time
2
Executive Summary
period displayed. Note that the 2008 Cedar Hill Comprehensive Plan projects a total population within
Cedar Hill of 80,000 to 85,000 at build out (based on the vacant land available for development in Cedar
Hill).
50,000
45,000
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Population
250%
200%
150%
100%
50%
1980
1990
2000
2010
6,849
19,976
32,093
45,028
Percent Change
0
191.66%
60.66%
40.30%
Average Annual
Growth
0
19.17%
6.07%
4.03%
0%
Service Delivery and Response Performance
Response performance criteria and actual service delivery performance is analyzed in detail, providing
information with which the Department can develop future deployment methodologies and identify
desired levels of response performance and staffing.
Response times in 2013 were found to average 6 minutes 21 seconds. Of all of the incidents to which
the Department responded in the study year, 90 percent were answered in 9 minutes 4 seconds or less.
3
Frequency of Incidents
Executive Summary
1000
100.00%
900
90.00%
800
80.00%
700
70.00%
600
60.00%
500
400
Average
Response Time:
06:21
300
50.00%
90th Percentile
Response Time:
9:04
40.00%
30.00%
200
20.00%
100
10.00%
0
0.00%
Response Minutes
Fire stations are generally well located to provide reasonable response time intervals. GIS analysis
indicates that just over 90 percent of incidents occurring within the City are within 6 minutes 30 second
“travel” time from an existing fire station. This 90th percentile, 6 minute 30 second coverage is
considered acceptable, however absent defined response performance goals it is unknown if it meets
community expectations. It is explained further in the report that some aspects of response
performance are best developed locally based on identified risk, community expectations, and desired
service levels. It is important that Cedar Hill develop and adopt response, performance, and staffing
standards that best meet the city’s risk profile and needs of the communities served. To meet the
identified standards and/or improve upon current response times with anticipated future growth,
additional personnel and fire stations will be needed in the future.
Staffing
The staffing section of the report reviews both operational and administrative and support personnel
deployment. In general terms, operational (emergency response) staffing of fire apparatus is found to
be within acceptable parameters, though it is anticipated that staffing levels will fall behind based on
anticipated community growth.
In review of administrative and support staffing levels, several shortcomings are revealed. The ratio of
administrative staffing to departmental operational manpower is lower than what ESCI’s experience
finds to be adequate. Further, the Fire Chief’s position is assigned multiple responsibilities, exceeding
the capacity of one individual. Additionally, it is found that the Training Division is under-staffed in
consideration of the anticipated addition of new personnel, which directly impact training workload.
4
Executive Summary
Finally, the Department’s Emergency Management and Public Education Division is understaffed, a
situation that has been partially addressed by utilizing fire prevention and line personnel. Several
opportunities to address inadequate administrative staffing can be addressed through enhanced
regional partnerships with the existing Tri-City jurisdictions. Additional assessment and
recommendations are provided.
Report Section II: Future System Demand Projections
Following the evaluation of current conditions, the report continues to analyze the service delivery
demands that can be expected to confront the CHFD in the future. Existing demographics are identified
and compared to U.S. Census Bureau, Texas State Data Center, as well as local and regional planning
resources for development of projected future needs.
In evaluating the deployment of facilities, resources, and staffing, it is imperative consideration be given
to potential changes, such as population growth, that can directly affect emergency workload. Changes
in service demand may require changes and adjustments in the deployment of staffing and capital assets
in order to maintain acceptable levels of performance. For the purposes of this study, ESCI uses the
TWDB population projection for Cedar Hill, multiples this number by a per capita incident rate derived
from historical service demand. This analysis provides a picture of potential service demand through
2040, based on population growth in Cedar Hill. The results are shown in the following figure.
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
9,126
7,714
6,009
6,302
5,221
2010
2013
2020
2030
2040
EMS
3,645
4,147
4,367
5,345
6,323
Other
1,369
1,663
1,699
2,079
2,460
207
199
237
290
343
Fire
Report Section III: Future Delivery System Models
The current conditions analysis and system demand projections form the foundation from which ESCI
has developed strategies for the delivery of services in Cedar Hill for the future.
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Executive Summary
This report cites multiple future system model modifications, included both short term and long term
initiatives that are identified in the interest of improving and maintaining future system integrity. Each
initiative is discussed in detail and guidance is provided.
The discussion of future delivery systems begins with an explanation of the importance of developing
response time standards and targets, viewed by ESCI as a critical step that is needed if CHFD is to be able
to appropriately plan for the future. Guidance is offered regarding how the agency can assess critical
tasking, risk analysis and staffing performance from which response time performance objectives can be
established.
Short and mid-term strategies and models are discussed next. The initiatives identified and explained
include:







Future resource deployment needs
Fire Prevention and Public Education operations and staffing needs
Emergency Medical Services system participation/engagement and future considerations
Emergency Management program shortcomings and needs
Administrative and Support program needs
Training Program direction and ability to meet increasing training needs
Tri-City regional cooperative expansion opportunities and benefits
The report continues by discussing long-term strategies and needs, including:




Future fire station construction considerations
Future personnel and equipment deployment
EMS service delivery challenges and future considerations
Accreditation and industry best practices for dispatch, wildfire management, EMS, and Fire
service delivery
The strategies needed to meet future service demand do not come without cost. In the final discussion
section of the report, ESCI provides information on the financial considerations that come with system
expansion and modified delivery models. Financial projections are offered with regard to fire station
construction costs as well as future personnel and fire apparatus expenses.
The attached recommendations table provides a consolidated view of the key short, mid- and long-term
recommendations. The recommendations table can serve as a tracking and progress report for the
recommendations submitted as part of the Master Plan.
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Executive Summary
Cedar Hill Fire Department Recommendations Summary Table
Key Recommendations
Started
Status
50%
Complete
Establish a defined annual process for regular review and revision of rules, policies,
and procedures that Includes labor participation
Separate department policy documents from operating guidelines
Establish written policy to address hiring/firing authority and notification criteria
Establish written policy to address hiring/firing authority and notification criteria
Complete the development of an updated strategic plan
Develop a code of ethics
Conduct scheduled review and updating of rules and regulations
Assertively explore opportunities for functional service delivery collaboration with
neighboring agencies
Formalize the definition of the organization’s communications path in the rules and
regulations
Use caution and apply appropriate financial controls, particularly in regard to open
purchasing and petty cash accounts and procedures
Transition IT service responsibility from the fire department to the City IT
department
Fire Chief should increase delegation of operational and administrative
responsibilities.
Pursue Tri-Cities regional vehicle repair and maintenance services utilizing
emergency vehicle technicians (EVT)
Enhance special operations at tri-City and mutual aid group
Engage engine companies in the fire higher risk/assembly inspections
Explore enhanced partnerships for education and outreach programs (e.g. PD, nonprofits, public works)
Establish a policy-participation and decision making process that includes all levels
of the organization
Explore implementation of a comprehensive recruitment program either at the
City level, or for public safety, or for CHFD. Adopt entry-level physical ability testing
using the CPAT model or similar
Restore the practice of annual physical competence testing
Implement established and validated evaluation criteria and process
Develop and implement an agency-wide safety committee
Conduct monthly chart review with established trending and targeted data
elements determined by the medical director
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Key Recommendations
Establish an internal peer review committee to review EMS incidents and trends to
make EMS system recommendations. Committee to take a lead role in the
formation of patient documentation standards, transfer of care and EMS
operational policies. Committee should also compare local data against
appropriate benchmark criteria
Integrate the City emergency operations plan with community wildfire protection
plan elements as appropriate
Include specific mitigation measures in local plan for CHFD impacts
Ensure all personnel have ICS training commensurate with their position and NIMS
requirements. Document and maintain ICS training records. Establish a company
officer training and development program
Adopt a department safety policy that addresses LCES components. Implement a
close call reporting and training system
Develop and adopt response and staffing standards to serve the identified risk and
desired service levels within the City of Cedar Hill.
Define and document all wild land training levels. All personnel should be trained
to awareness level and the NWCG S130/190 level and company officers to the
engine boss level
Regionalize EMS scenario-based training with Tri-Cities partner agencies
Validate and implement regional fire training competency standards for high
risk/low frequency operations, e.g. vertical ventilation standard
Implement a culture of safety program e.g. “Just Culture,” “Everyone Goes Home,”
or “Crew Resource Management CRM.”
Upgrade fire code adoption to the 2012 International Fire Code
Seek means by which to encourage or require the installation of fire sprinklers in
new residential construction
Develop practices to monitor the effectiveness of third party new construction plan
reviews and cross check results periodically
Establish a dedicated public education position, possibly as a collaborative initiative
Based on risk exposure increase efforts to provide public education regarding
wildland/urban interface concerns. Utilize the NFPA Firewise Community and
Ready, Set, Go programs
Consider the establishment of a regional fire investigation team
Make pre-incident plans readily available in the field via electronic means
Implement, adopt, and fund apparatus equipment replacement schedule
8
Executive Summary
Started
Status
50%
Complete
Mid-Term Recommendations
Executive Summary
Started
50%
Complete
Establish a CAD interface with Grand Prairie to eliminate delays and duplication of
information flow to and from responding units
Pursue a continued shared station/resource agreement with the Grand Prairie Fire
Department to coordinate and provide services to the established shared Station
214 service area
Implement complete boundary drops between Desoto and Duncanville to provide
increased unit concentration and reliability in the north and eastern portions of the
city, which have the highest level of service demand
It is recommended the second quint be replaced with an “engine” and a engine
apparatus be located with the designated truck company. This configuration will
allow for more effective vehicle utilization, reduced purchase and maintenance
costs, and maintain the current excellent Cedar Hill ISO rating of two
Fire department leaders need to be aware of call processing time and work
cooperatively with the dispatch agency to meet standards
Seek to achieve an inspection frequency of at least annual completion and more
frequently for higher risk occupancies
Integrate local fire code adoption and amendments with the established wildfire
management plan and fire wise community elements
Appropriately staff the program to maintain the existing 88 percent inspection
compliance rate and continue to work toward the 100 percent goal
Prioritize implementation of a Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) and an
appropriate tiered response to medical calls for service (right resource, right
patient, right time)
In coordination with local health care providers and related stakeholders, conduct
a community needs assessment to identify future community paramedicine and
health care services that can and should be provided by the CHFD
Conduct a transportation billing “rate study” to increase revenue and pursue a cost
neutral ambulance transportation service. CHFD should ensure the rate study is in
compliance with Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual (TMPPM) that
utilizes the Texas Medicaid Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) claim system. This rate
study should be conducted in accordance with the Federal Register, 2 CFR 200 cost
determination, billing rates, and billing requirements
Work with the Tri-Cities cooperative partners to fully integrate, training,
equipment/supplies, quality assurance, and EMS administrative functions
Incorporate a blended strategy of planning, mitigation, response and recovery
initiatives such as NFPA “Firewise Community, Ready-Set-Go” and Federal
Emergency Management Agency “Map Your Neighborhood” as well as other
appropriate programs to the address the identified risks
Appropriately staff the emergency management program with, minimally a
program manager or coordinator
Develop a “formal” multi-faceted cooperative services agreement that will
equitably serve CHFD and their partners alike; and will produce consistent and
defined support programs and services at a reduced cost for all partners
Establish, implement, and manage a comprehensive training and professional
development program for all CHFD employees
Expand Tri-Cities cooperative services initiatives in the areas of recruit training,
Multi-Company Tactical Operations (MCTO), technical rescue programs, incident
command system (NIMS) training, and special operations training e.g. hazardous
materials, technical rescue, etc.
9
Mid-Term Recommendations
Executive Summary
Started
50%
Started
50%
Complete
Consider adding one FTE with primary responsibility as an assigned CHFD
administrative analyst and liaison to City Management
The establishment of internal advisory committees is recommended in areas such
as:
• Safety Committee
• Training Advisory Committee
• Operations/Special Operations Committee
• Apparatus Committee
• EMS Committee
It is recommended the City establish a pay policy that maintains pay scales in the
“median” or “average” of the established North Texas comparison jurisdictions
Long-Term Recommendations
Relocate Station 212 to the proposed optimum station location in the general area
of E. Beltline and Joe Wilson Road.
In partnership with the city of Midlothian, develop a phased or staged
implementation of a new-shared fire station 215. Implement in a manner that
allows for a systematic and well-organized partnership that incrementally adds
personnel and resources as the service level and risk demands presents themselves
Construct and maintain a Tri-Cities regional training facility when funding and
space becomes available.
The following programs and accreditations be implemented and maintained:
• Texas Fire Chiefs Association Best Practices recognition:
An accreditation process that provides a well-defined, Texas Fire Chiefs
Association recognized benchmark system for measuring the delivery of
fire and emergency services in relation to Texas best practices.
• Commission on Fire Accreditation recognition of accreditation:
An accreditation process that provides well-defined, internationallyrecognized benchmark system for measuring the delivery of fire and
emergency services in relation to industry best practices.
• International Academies of Emergency Dispatch Accreditation (ACE
Accreditation):
An established high standard of excellence for emergency dispatch, by
providing the tools to achieve this high standard at both the dispatcher
level through certification, and at the communication center level through
the accreditation program.
• Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS
Accreditation):
CAAS accreditation signifies that your service has met the "gold standard"
determined by the ambulance industry to be essential in a modern
emergency medical services provider. These standards often exceed those
established by state or local regulation. The CAAS standards are designed
to increase operational efficiency and clinical quality, while decreasing risk
and liability to the organization.
10
Complete
Evaluation of Current Conditions
Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) was engaged by the City of Cedar Hill to provide a
long-range plan for the delivery of emergency services within the Cedar Hill Fire Department (CHFD) that
will assist the department in future efforts and long-range planning. This report serves as the
culmination of the project and is configured as an organizational master plan that evaluates current
conditions; projects future growth, development, and service demands; and provides recommendations
to enhance current services or provide an equal level of service over the next 10 to 20 years.
Using organizational, operational, staffing, and geographic information system (GIS) models; this phase
of the study provides recommendations for improvement in current services delivered to the
community. The evaluation and analysis of data and other information is based on Texas State laws and
regulations, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, Commission on Fire Accreditation
International (CFAI)1 self-assessment criteria, health and safety requirements, federal and state
mandates relative to emergency services, and generally accepted best practices within the emergency
services community.
Each section in the following report provides the reader with general information about that element, as
well as observations and analyses of any significant issues or conditions that are pertinent. Observations
are supported by data provided by CHFD and collected as part of the review and interview process.
Finally, specific recommendations are included to address identified issues or to take advantage of
opportunities that may exist.
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
The Organizational Overview component provides a review of the organization, discussing the agency’s
configuration and the services that it provides. Data provided by the CHFD, Planning Department, and
Southwest Regional Communications Center was combined with information collected in the course of
ESCI’s fieldwork to develop the following overview.
The purpose of this section is two-fold. First, it verifies the accuracy of baseline information along with
ESCI’s understanding of the agency’s composition. This provides the foundation from which the Program
and Services Audit and Master Plan is developed.
Secondly, the overview serves as a reference for the reader who may not be fully familiar with the
details of the agency’s operations. Where appropriate, ESCI includes recommended modifications to
current observations based on industry standards and best practices.
CHFD was formed in May 1941 as a municipal volunteer fire department and was tasked with providing
basic fire suppression services to the central core of the City of Cedar Hill. In 1964, the CHFD took a step
that no other department within hundreds of miles had taken when it established emergency medical
services (EMS) response services within the fire department. Over the years, the department has
1
The CFAI organization is now a subsection of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) but maintains its
prime function of accrediting fire agencies.
11
evolved into the agency it is today providing fire prevention and suppression, technical rescue,
hazardous materials and advanced life support (ALS), medical first response, and transportation
services. The department operates from four strategically placed facilities using a fleet of two engines,
two aerial ladders (two quints), two brush units, three ALS ambulances and a number of ancillary and
support vehicles. The department staffs entirely career personnel that includes an administrative
complement of six and an operations complement of 72 personnel.
The primary service area of the department resides in the North Texas Metroplex region and
encompasses 36 square miles of the City of Cedar Hill as well as a shared fire station and service area
with the City of Grand Prairie, Texas. In addition, CHFD participates in a number of regional cooperative
efforts including dispatch/communications, training, automatic aid, and emergency medical quality
assurance with the cities of Duncanville and Desoto “Tri-Cities” cooperative. The total population of the
primary service area is estimated at 49,278. The following figure illustrates the city’s primary service
area boundaries.
12
Figure 1: Service Area Map
13
FOCUS GROUP MEETING
In order to dedicate time, energy, and resources on the functions that are most desired by its
customers, CHFD wants to understand the customers’ priorities
The beginning is the most
and expectations. A facilitated citizen forum was utilized to
important part of the work.
obtain community perspective regarding the CHFD. Invitations
were sent out from Neighborhood Services to 30 community
leaders and 423 subscribers of the neighborhood service calendar. In addition, the police department
sent out meeting notices through the “Neighborhood Door” which reaches approximately 80 of the
city’s neighborhood watch group.
Feedback was solicited regarding:
•
•
•
•
•
The appropriateness of the current mission, vision, and guiding principles.
A discussion of taxes, resource deployment, response times, service demand trends, and
customer service.
Expectations, concerns, and organizational strengths.
Current services were prioritized.
Cost, staffing, and response performance were surveyed.
Approximately 20 attendees were asked to fill out several survey instruments pertaining to how they
think CHFD should plan for the future. The citizens represented were asked to identify the most
important functions and services the fire department provides, based on the list of services currently
provided, and rank those services as a critical priority, an important priority, or a low priority. In this
case, the participants could elect to assign a single priority to multiple services. In addition, participants
were asked to rate a number of key indicators as they related to service levels, staffing and cost of
service. The following figures describe the forum participants’ service priorities and opinions.
Figure 2: Citizen Service Priorities
Low Priority
0.00 0.50 1.00
1.50
High Priority
2.50 3.00 3.50
2.00
Fire Suppression
3.00
Emergency Medical Services/Ambulance…
3.00
Fire Code Enforcement/Fire Inspection…
2.20
Technical Rescue (Vehicle Extrication, Water…
2.70
Fire/Arson Investigations
2.40
2.50
Emergency Preparedness (Disaster…
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
Fire Explorer / Volunteer Progams
14
1.90
1.60
Figure 3: Citizen Ranking of Staffing Levels
12
10
10
8
Overstaffed
6
Appropriate
Understaffed
4
2
0
0
0
Number of Respondents
Figure 4: Citizen Ranking of Response Levels
6
5
5
4
3
3
Too Slow/Light
Appropriate
2
Too Heavy
2
1
0
15
Figure 5: Citizen Ranking of Cost of Services
4.5
4
4
4
3.5
3
Expensive
2.5
Appropriate
2
1.5
Adopt New Fiscal Tools
1
1
0.5
0
Discussion
Based on the previous figures, there are a number of perceptions and trends that should be noted. The
core services of fire and EMS response were clearly supported as essential services to the community
and the most important services provided by the department. There was a strong acknowledgement
that the costs of these services were and will be supported by the community as long as they were
deemed as appropriate and efficient.
There was concern over the amount of turnover and training costs related to CHFD personnel leaving
the department due in part to a low salary range for the region.
Lastly, the community was very supportive of looking for better and more efficient ways of providing
essential services such as enhanced regional cooperation, alternative response, and apparatus options
based on call type and need. Participants were thankful for the amount of innovation and regional
cooperation that CHFD has already demonstrated, but encouraged continued exploration and expansion
of beneficial regional partnerships.
Customer Appreciation
Customer views on the strengths and image of emergency service organizations must inform and impact
any effective master plan. Needless efforts are often put into over-developing areas that are already
successful. However, using and promoting customer-identified strengths may help the organization
overcome or offset some of the identified weaknesses.
16
The citizens group identified the following strengths:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Impeccable professionalism
Well-managed
Strong in everything they do
Great personnel and strong commitment to CHFD
Highly committed and integrated within the community
Regionally minded and committed to successful partnerships
Strong community and department pride
Customer Expectations
Understanding what the community expects of its fire and emergency medical services organization is
critical to developing an effective long-range perspective. Armed with this knowledge, the CHFD internal
emphasis can be adjusted to better fulfill customer needs. The citizens group identified the following
expectations:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Adequate staffing and a timely response
Maintenance of existing fire suppression and emergency medical service levels
Well trained and response ready
Professionalism and competency
Continued integration and partnership with the communities served
Employee retention
Community access to stations and personnel
Customer Concerns
The Customer Centered Master Planning process would be incomplete without expression from the
customers and their concerns about the organization. Some concerns, in fact, identify weaknesses
within the delivery system. However, others may be perceptions based on limited customer knowledge.
The citizens group identified the following concerns:
•
•
Sustainability in staffing? Is the pay so low CHFD cannot keep people? Is CHFD becoming a
training ground for other fire service providers to hire from?
Innovation and aggressive recruitment.
Other Thoughts and Comments
• “Do not know the cost but safety, prevention, and education is the number one concern.”
• “I have always been impressed with response time and professionalism.”
• “Because of the turnover, it is putting CHFD staffing sustainability at risk.”
• “We will need more staff as the city grows.”
• “The participation of our fire department in our small town setting is fundamental.”
17
Governance and Lines of Authority
Regardless of organization type, fire departments, like any other formal organization, are overseen by a
governing entity. This entity can take the form of a City Council, County Commission, Board of Directors,
or Executive Board. Since CHFD is a municipal fire department that is a standing department within the
organizational structure of the City of Cedar Hill, the fire chief reports to the City Manager and
ultimately answers to the City’s seven-member City Council.
Survey Components
Figure 6: Survey Table – Governance
Observations
Comments and Recommendations
Governance and Lines of Authority
A. Governing body
i) Head of governing body
ii) Key employee of governing body
iii) Meetings
B. Elected official authority defined
C. Fire chief position
i) Hired by contract
ii) Term of contract
iii) Periodic performance evaluation
D. Fire chief/authority defined
E. Policy and administrative roles
defined
City Manager with mayor, council
form of government.
Mayor
City manager
Second and fourth Tuesday; sevenmember council.
Reports to the City manager.
At will employee.
None
No official evaluation process or
work performance period.
City Charter
City personnel manual, department
rules, regulations, standard
operating procedures, and medical
protocols.
Establish a regularly scheduled
written performance review
Separate department policy
documents from operating
guidelines.
Attributes of Successful Organizations
A. Policy, rules, guiding documents
i) Process for revision provided
B. Legal counsel maintained
i) Consultation available
ii) Labor counsel
C. Financial controls
i) Financial control system
18
Rules regulations and standard
operating procedures exist.
As needed.
Contract City attorney; human
resource has separate contracted
attorney.
Both available upon request.
HR attorney under separate
contract.
Less than three thousand, no
purchase order necessary.
Participate in regional cooperative
purchasing agreements.
Defined spending limits; fire chief or
finance sign off. Fire chief limit at
competitive bidding level.
Establish a defined annual process
for regular review and revision of
rules, policies and procedures.
Include labor input.
Survey Components
ii) Financial review
iii) Auditor
iv) Frequency of review
D. Governing body minutes
maintained
i) Availability of minutes
Observations
Ongoing review via City Finance
Department. Monthly and quarterly
financial reporting is conducted.
Annual City independent audit.
Change firm periodically.
Annual City budget process; midyear and annual budget submission
and approval process.
Yes.
Available on-line at City Hall.
Key Recommendations:

Establish a defined annual process for regular review and revision of rules, policies, and procedures that
Includes labor participation.

Separate department policy documents from operating guidelines.
Discussion
The Cedar Hill governance configuration is typical of Texas cities, operating under the direction of a
sevenmember City Council and mayor. Within the organization itself, the department is structured in a
typical top-down hierarchy and is separated into clear operating divisions consisting of administration
(overseen by the fire chief), operations overseen by a deputy chief, prevention (overseen by a fire
marshal), and EMS (overseen by a battalion chief). Each division has additional support positions as
identified in the organizational chart that follows.
Organizational Design
The organizational design of an emergency services agency is vitally important to the agency’s ability to
deliver service in an efficient and timely manner while providing the necessary level of safety and
security to the members of the organization, whether career, paid-on-call, or volunteer. During an
emergency, an individual’s ability to supervise multiple personnel is diminished; thus, industry standards
recommend a span of control of four-to-six personnel under stressed situations. This recommendation is
derived from military history and has shown to be effective in emergency service situations.
19
Survey Components
Figure 7: Survey Table – Organizational Design
Observations
Organizational Structure
A. Structure type
B. Descriptions of all jobs
maintained
i) Job descriptions updated
C. Employment agreements
Chain of Command
A. Defined chain-of-command
B. Span of control
C. Hiring/firing authority
Formation and History
A. Organization formed
B. History maintained
i). Individual or group responsible
Top-down hierarchy.
Descriptions are in place for safety
and administrative positions.
Updated since 2010; updated as
needed.
None
Via organizational Chart.
4:1
Authority resides with the fire chief.
Fire chief notifies the City manager
and human resources in accordance
with established practice.
Establish written policy to address
hiring/firing authority and
notifications.
May 1941
Partially. Key historical documents
have been removed.
Three volunteers.
Identify department historian and
attempt to return missing historical
documents.
Establish and formalize assignment
and authority.

20
Establish written policy to address hiring/firing authority and notification criteria.
Organizational Chart
To operate effectively, the structure of a fire department needs to be clearly defined in the form of an
organizational chart.
The chart institutionalizes the agency’s hierarchy, identifies roles and, most importantly, reporting
authority. A well-developed chart helps to assure that communication flows appropriately and limits
opportunities to circumvent the reporting structure.
Figure 8: Organizational Chart
Fire Chief
Executive
Secretary
Deputy
Fire Chief
Battalion Chief
A Shift
Fire Marshal
Battalion Chief
B Shift
Captain –
Station 211
Battalion Chief
C Shift
Captain –
Station 211
Inspector
Captain –
Station 211
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
5 Firefighter /
Paramedics
5 Firefighter /
Paramedics
5 Firefighter /
Paramedics
Captain –
Station 212
Captain –
Station 212
Captain –
Station 212
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
4Firefighter /
Paramedics
4 Firefighter /
Paramedics
4 Firefighter /
Paramedics
Captain –
Station 213
Captain –
Station 213
Captain –
Station 213
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
4 Firefighter /
Paramedics
4 Firefighter /
Paramedics
4 Firefighter /
Paramedics
Captain –
Station 214
Captain –
Station 214
EMS Chief
Captain –
Station 214
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
Engineer /
Paramedic
2 Firefighter /
Paramedics
2 Firefighter /
Paramedics
2 Firefighter /
Paramedics
While the chart above gives the impression that certain levels are of equal rank, there is a divergence in
the titles applied to certain levels within the organizational structure. For example, the EMS chief
position is considered to hold the rank of battalion chief, as does the fire marshal, but these positions
are in line with the deputy fire chief.
21
Service Area and Infrastructure
The size and composition of a fire department’s service area affects the type and number of personnel,
fire stations, and vehicles that are needed to provide services efficiently. Sometimes complex decisions
need to be made regarding which deployment strategies should be employed to properly position
resources based on land area, geography, risk and similar factors. Following is a summary of CHFD
service area and service infrastructure resources.
Figure 9: Survey Table – Service Area and Infrastructure
Survey Components
Observations
General Description of Agency
A. Agency type
Municipal subdivision.
B. Area, square miles
35.8
Station 211, 1212 W. Belt Line Rd,
C. Headquarters
Cedar Hill, TX 75104
D. Fire stations
Four
E. Other facilities
None
F. Population served
49,278
Service Delivery Infrastructure
G. Emergency vehicles
2
i) Engines Type 1
Reserve 1
ii) Engines Type 6
1
iii) Ladder truck/quint
2
iv) Ambulance/ MCI bus
3
v) Ambulance, reserve,
1
mass casualty vehicle
1 MCI bus
vi) Air Light
1
vii) Hose tender
1
viii) Brush
2
xi) Command vehicles
2
Identify alternative delivery models
Class 2, May 12, 2009, 86.13 points,
H. ISO rating
that realize efficiencies without
divergent reduction 4.31.
reducing existing ISO rating.
I. Total fire department personnel,
78
uniformed and civilian
i) Administrative and support
6
personnel, full-time
ii) Administrative and support
None
personnel, volunteer
iii) Operational personnel, full-time
72
iv) Operational personnel,
None
volunteer

22
Implement alternative delivery models that realize efficiencies without reducing existing ISO rating.
Discussion
CHFD has been able to deploy people and apparatus in four strategically located fire stations, balancing
the needs of providing effective coverage to both city and shared Grand Prairie service areas. However,
the department is challenged to meet current and future service demand needs in the light of static
service levels for the past five years with a 15.7 percent annual service demand increase during the
same period.
Based on an estimated 3-4 percent annual increase in service demand, additional and/or relocated fire
stations, and alternative service delivery models will need to be considered and implemented. These
types of efficiencies and innovations will be vital to address increased service demand with limited
revenue and personnel resources. The ongoing test will be making the most prudent decisions based on
multiple considerations including risk exposure, response times and deployment, community
expectations, and fire department capacity. Those decisions are difficult given financial considerations
that must be taken into account.
ESCI understands the complexity that is confronting the City of Cedar Hill in terms of growth
management, future risk exposure, fire department workload, and financial considerations. With those
factors in mind, a detailed assessment of current service delivery and effectiveness is provided in the
Service Delivery and Performance section of this report.
Finance and Budget
The fire service is dependent upon sufficient funding to provide the appropriate facilities, apparatus,
and staffing to support service delivery. This funding2 forms the basis from which the agency is able to
purchase the necessary equipment to fulfill its mission. Without adequate, sustainable funding, an
organization is destined for failure. In the current economy, most communities are searching for ways in
which to reduce expenditures while maintaining levels of service. Simultaneously, emergency services
organization are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver the services that the community desires and
are often asking for more funding to adequately supply the expected levels of services. ESCI reviewed
financial information provided by CHFD to determine the adequacy of the organization’s funding and
budgetary trends and policies.
Figure 10: Survey Table – Operating Budget and Financial Resources
Survey Components
Observations
Finance Overview
A. Designated fiscal year
B. Assessed property value,
FY 2012-2013
C. Revised current year general
operating fund budget,
fire department
2
October 1 to September 30
$2,697,467,361.00
$8,118,770
Funding may come from a variety of sources such as ad valorem taxes, fundraisers, donations, etc.
23
Observations
Survey Components
D. General fund property tax,
City levy – current budget year
$0.50963 (FY 12-13)
i) Levy rate (FY 2008 through 2012)
ii) General fund levy collection rate
– prior year
E. Bonds, fire department
i) Levy rate
F. Other tax levy, public safety
i) Levy rate
$0.45949 (FY 08,09,10)
$0.48809 (FY 11)
$0.49982 (FY 12)
100.00
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Discussion
The cost of providing fire and EMS services is highly variable in every community, based on the level of
services provided, deployment practices, and community service-level expectations. While there is no
established standard in terms of how much services should cost, ESCI has conducted an analyses and
provided a number of observations and comparisons to industry benchmarks as a point of reference and
comparison.
Budget, Funding, Fees, Taxation, and Financial Resources
ESCI reviewed financial information provided by the City and fire department to determine the
adequacy of the organization’s funding. The department has seen an increase in annual budget over the
last four years at a rate of 11.46 percent as illustrated in the following figure.
Figure 11: Historical Budget
$9,000,000
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
$0
10-11 Actual
11-12 Actual
12-13 Actual
13-14 Budget
In general, personnel costs have increased 13.24 percent over the four-year period while materials and
services costs have increased approximately 3.39 percent. As with most career emergency services
organizations, personnel costs comprise a vast majority of the department’s overall budget. As seen in
24
the following figure, personnel costs make up approximately 83 percent of the total department budget
for fiscal year 13/14.
Figure 12: Budget Distribution – FY 13/14
Although the FY 13/14 budget provided by the City contains approved capital expenditures in the
narrative, the tabular information did not include a specific dollar amount for those items as it did in the
FY 12/13 budget. During that year, personnel costs accounted for 82 percent of the total budget while
capital only accounted for just over one percent.
Based on FY 13/14, all public safety services made up approximately 64 percent of the total City budget,
excluding enterprise funds. Included in this are the police department, fire department, code
enforcement, animal shelter, municipal court, emergency management, and animal control. Within this
subdivision, the fire department comprises 43 percent of the public safety total. This is illustrated in the
following figures.
25
Figure 13: City Budget Distribution – FY 13/14
Figure 14: Public Safety Subdivision Distribution
26
There is no published criteria as to what an acceptable portion of a municipal budget should be used to
support emergency services and national resources give little in the way of direction. The only published
data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau Statistical Abstract and the U.S. Fire Administration pertaining
to costs per capita. The following figure compares CHFD against North Texas and the national average
for costs per capita.
Figure 15: Comparison of Cost per Capita – FY 13/14
200
175
150
$167.47
$164.75
North Texas
Cedar Hill
135.6
125
100
75
50
25
0
National
The cost per capita figures in the previous chart compare the national average against a North Texas
subset consisting of the thirteen comparable fire departments recognized by the Cedar Hill Fire
Department as comparison agencies. The North Texas departments surveyed all provide EMS transport
services and are comparable in size and complexity to the Cedar Hill Fire Department.
Since CHFD is the primary provider of emergency medical services transport ambulance within the
community, the organization charges for those services. While not specifically spelled out in the overall
City budget, general fund revenue in the line entitled “charges for services” captures those revenues
generated from the transport of sick and/or injured persons to local medical facilities. The following
figure summarizes the general fund revenues for the public safety portion of the City budget.
Figure 16: Public Safety Revenues – FY 13/14
FY 13/14
Revenue Source
Budget
Licenses and Permits
$215,000
Grants
$200,000
Charges for Services
$1,464,100
Charges to other Governments
$766,695
Fines and Forfeitures
$918,680
Misc.
$32,500
.
27
CHFD provides ALS transportation services utilizing three ambulances staffed with dual role crosstrained paramedic firefighters. ESCI was advised by the “Revenue Collection Solutions LLC” that it is
estimated the CHFD allowable costs for providing ambulance transportation services is offset
approximately 50 percent by the collection of ambulance transportation revenue. ESCI recommends
CHFD explore additional revenue options, such as the Texas Health and Human Services Ambulance
Services Supplemental Payment Program (ASSPP), enhanced Medicaid and indigent payments, increased
rates, and/or subscription or other fees should be considered to cover the total costs of providing these
EMS services.
It is recommended the CHFD conduct a comprehensive rate study that is in compliance with Texas
Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual (TMPPM) that utilizes the Texas Medicaid Healthcare Partnership
(TMHP) claim system. This rate study should be conducted in accordance with the Federal Register, 2
CFR 200 cost determination, billing rates, and billing requirements.
Finally, an identified area of concern by City leadership, CHFD management, labor representatives, and
the community is the issue of high turnover at an average of 4-5 personnel or 7% of operational staff
annually. This is universally believed to be in response to a base pay schedule that ranks in the lower
third of comparable departments within the Dallas Metroplex region. However, this figure can be a bit
deceiving based on the per capita spending being slightly above the average in the comparable region. It
is ESCI’s observation that the benefit package and spending on equipment and infrastructure is above
the regional average and contributing to the per capita spending level while CHFD personnel tend to
focus on earnings and take home pay as the dominant measurement of funding, work place desirability,
and appropriate employee satisfaction. ESCI has included a recommendation to bring pay scales in line
with the median or average salary range of the established North Texas comparison jurisdictions.
Emergency Response Type and Frequency
CHFD responded to 6,009 requests for assistance from the citizens of the city and joint response areas in
the 2013 reporting year. As is typically found, the vast majority of incidents are of an emergency medical
nature. The department’s emergency calls for 2013 are listed in the following table.
Figure 17: Survey Table – Emergency Response Type and Frequency
Survey Components
Observations
Incidents
Fire
199
3%
Rescue
33
1%
EMS/Fire response
2,535
42%
EMS only
1,579
26%
Good intent call/false call
826
14%
Other
837
14%
Total
6,009
100%
28
Discussion
69 percent of 2013 incidents involved response to medical emergencies. The percentage is similar to,
though slightly lower than, what is generally found in most fire departments. 199 incidents were
reported as fires in the reporting year, which is consistent with that found in similar sized agencies.
Additional detail on emergency response, service delivery effectiveness, and response performance is
provided in the Service Delivery and Performance section of this report.
ESCI compared the number and type of incidents CHFD responded to over a five-year period. The
following figure displays the call volume, type numbers, and trend line for 2009 through 2013. A total
increase of 15.7 percent in service demand is significant given the average 3.1 percent increase in
service demand annually.
Figure 18: Five-Year Call History
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
EMS
3498
3645
3798
4019
4147
Other
1484
1369
1446
1470
1663
Fire
211
207
237
182
199
Total
5193
5221
5481
5671
6009
The following figure shows a 5.7 percent decrease in the number of fire calls over the past five years.
Similar reductions in fire calls are consistent throughout the fire service as a result of enhanced fire
prevention services, increased fire safe construction and adopted fire code standards. This fire call
volume decrease is offset by double digit increase in EMS and other service demand resulting in a 15.7
percent increase in calls for service. ‘Other’ calls are representative of those not falling into the fire or
EMS categories and include calls such as citizen assists, alarm sounding and other calls for assistance.
Figure 19: Total Percent Change – 2009-2013
Incident Category Percent Change
Fire
Other
EMS
Total Demand
-5.7%
12.1%
18.6%
15.7%
29
In total emergency incidents, CHFD falls at the high end of the incidents per 1,000 population, showing a
robust unit hour utilization of resources. This shows the CHFD is utilizing their emergency response
resources at a level that is 13 percent higher than the regional median.
Figure 20: Total Incidents per 1,000 Population
150.000
121.9
107.0
105.8
100.000
83.0
66.5
56.0
50.000
0.000
The occurrence of fires for CHFD is slightly above the urban low range category and consistent with the
regional median. A consistent range with the regional median is likely a result of a combination of
similar growth patterns, construction, occupancy types, and fire incidents seen by other similar sized
communities within the region. The fairly low number of fires “per-one-thousand” is indicative of a
higher number of newer structures, effective new construction permitting practices, and effective fire
prevention efforts that have been in place in past years.
Figure 21: Fires per 1,000 Population
15.0
10.0
13.6
8.3
4.9
5.0
2.1
0.0
30
4.1
4.0
The following figure is based on 2012 and 2013 data, indicating that CHFD fire losses are slightly above
the national and regional averages. Since the number of fires per capita is consistent with the regional
average, the higher dollar loss in indicative of high fire loss incidents over the past two years. This is a
variable that may be seen with similar types of jurisdictions and does not reflect a long-term trend or
deficiency in fire protection.
Figure 22: Fire Loss per Capita
$36
$36
$35
$34
$34
$33
$32
$31
$31
$30
$29
$28
Regional Average
National Average
Cedar Hill Fire Dept
MANAGEMENT COMPONENTS
As a service provider to a growing community, CHFD faces challenges to organizational growth and
management. Although community growth has slowed in recent years, it can be expected to accelerate
again in the future and the organization must assure that it is adequately prepared in terms of the
fundamental components of its management configuration to keep pace with future needs.
In addition to the operational challenges of emergency response, the management of the business of a
fire department always presents unique issues involving the administration of financial resources, the
setting of goals and objectives, internal and external communications, information management, and
security. This section of the report examines the department’s efforts in this area and preparation for
the future health of the organization.
Mission, Vision, Strategic Planning, Goals, and Objectives
The process of strategic planning involves clarifying an organization’s mission, articulating its vision for
the future, and specifying the values within which it will conduct itself.
31
Figure 23: Survey Table – Mission, Vision, Strategic Planning, Goals, and Objectives
Survey Components
Observations
Mission, Vision, Strategic Planning, Goals, and Objectives
A. Mission statement adopted
i) Displayed
ii) Periodic review
B. Vision established and
communicated
C. Values of staff established
D. Strategic or master plan
Yes
In stations, website.
Currently under review.
Statement is in place but not
properly configured.
None
Strategic plan is under
development.
i) Adopted by elected officials
None
ii) Published and available
None
iii) Periodic review
E. Agency goals and objectives
established
i) Date developed
ii) Periodic review
iii) Tied to division/personnel
performance statements/plans
iv) Objectives linked to programs
v) Performance objectives
established
F. Code of ethics established
No
Being developed as a part of the
current strategic planning effort.
Currently under development.
Has been reviewed on an as-needed
basis in the past.
Not directly tied back to the
strategic plan.
No
None formally
None
Complete the review of the
organizational mission statement.
Re-visit and revise the department’s
vision statement.
Develop a statement of
organizational values.
Complete the development of an
updated strategic plan.
Once complete, adopt the strategic
plan formally.
Publish the strategic plan on the
department’s website.
Establish a schedule for periodic
review of the strategic plan.
Complete identification of agency
goals and objectives.
Establish a schedule for periodic
review of the goals and objectives.
Establish personnel performance
objectives.
Develop a code of ethics.

Complete the development of an updated strategic plan.

Develop a code of ethics.
Discussion
CHFD conducted a strategic planning process resulting in a plan for 2009-2014 and is currently
developing a new plan targeting 2013-2018. The new plan is not yet complete. The department's
mission statement has been established. A vision statement is also in place but the fire chief is not
satisfied and is currently reviewing the statement. A statement of organization values has not been
articulated in writing and ESCI recommends that the statement be developed.
Through its current strategic planning process, the department is identifying specific goals and
objectives whereby it intends to meet its vision. These goals and objectives will provide guidance in
decision-making and focus the agency's efforts on the most critical issues that will impact its success in
32
the future. In addition, the plan will provide the members with direction on the future and how they
each fit in.
CHFD is to be acknowledged for its proactive efforts in developing the Strategic Plan. However the
process is incomplete and ESCI strongly recommends that, upon completion of this Master Plan, the
recommendations herein be processed for implementation in the form of an updated Strategic Plan.
Management Documents and Processes
Similarly, an organization should establish appropriate documentation, policies, procedures, and
identification of internal and external issues that affect the agency. Processes must also be established
to address the flow of information and communication within the fire department as well as with its
constituents.
Figure 24: Survey Table – Foundational Documents and Processes
Survey Components
Observations
Availability of SOPs, Rules and Regulations, Policies
A. Copies of rules provided
Available electronically
i) Last date reviewed
B. Copies of SOGs or guidelines
available
i) Regular update
None
Available electronically
Not scheduled
ii) Process for development of new
SOGs
No defined process
iii) SOGs used in training evolutions
Not routinely
C. Policy manual available
i) Reviewed for consistency
Conduct scheduled review and
updating of rules and regulations.
Schedule periodic review of
Standard Operating Guidelines.
Identify a written process for the
development and adoption of new
SOGs.
Regularly incorporate SOGs into
training evolutions and scenarios.
No policy manual but a rules and
regulations manual is available
electronically.
Inconsistently
ii) Reviewed for legal mandates
No
iii) Training on policies provided
Limited
Establish a practice of regular
update of rules and regulations.
Any foundational documents should
be subjected to legal review.
Provide training on rules and
regulations content.
33
Survey Components
Critical Issues
A. Critical issues are identified
i) First critical issue
ii) Second critical issue
iii) Third critical issue
iv) Internal evaluation of critical
issues
Observations
Informally only
Personnel retention/lack of
experience
Lack of training ground
Resource deployment (Station 212
placement).
Not a formally structured process
but discussed at semi-annual
officers meetings.
Establish a personnel retention and
succession planning process, based
on a structured professional
development program.
Explore opportunities for
cooperative development of a
training facility in collaboration with
neighboring agencies.
Review and re-evaluate current
facility and personnel deployment.
Challenges of the Future
A. Challenges are identified
i) First challenge
ii) Second challenge
iii) Third challenge
Apparatus replacement planning
and funding.
Service delivery changes, primarily
EMS related as a result of changes in
Medicare, ACA, etc.
Increasing regional collaboration.
Complete the development of a
long-range capital replacement
plan.
Use this master plan and other
resources to prepare for anticipated
EMS service delivery challenges.
Assertively explore opportunities for
functional service delivery
collaboration with neighboring
agencies.
Internal and External Communications
A. Internal communications
i) Regularly scheduled staff
meetings (fire department)
ii) Written staff meeting minutes
iii) Memos
iv) Member newsletter
v) Member forums
vi) Open door policy
vii) Bulletin board
34
Weekly staff meeting with on duty
BC, EMS chief, fire marshal, deputy
chief and fire chief. Monthly
meeting with on duty officers. Also
a quarterly shift meeting with all on
duty. There are also semi-annual
meetings with all officers for a full
day.
No. BC may take notes and
distribute.
Email
None
Quarterly meeting with all on duty
personnel serves as a community
forum
Yes
Yes
Continue current efforts to enhance
communication via multiple
meetings, applying care to avoid
excessive meeting or a schedule
that is not sustainable.
Record and post minutes of staff
meetings.
Observations
viii) Vertical communication path
clearly identified
Loosely defined in departmental
rules.
Formalize the definition of the
organization’s communications path
in the rules and regulations.
ix) E-mail
x) Employee mail boxes
xi) Voice mail
xii) Issues taskforce
B. External Communications
Used extensively.
No
All members have voice mail box.
None
Survey Components
i) Community newsletter
ii) Website
iii) Advisory committee(s)
iv) Complaint process
City news only that is sent with
water bill.
Yes, well structured.
None
Consider development of citizens’
advisory committees, as needed
No internal process, but defined by
state law.
v) Social media (Facebook/Twitter)
Yes
vi) Community survey
vii) Local community planning
organizations
None
Establish clear rules for the use of
social networking.
None

Conduct scheduled review and updating of rules and regulations.

Assertively explore opportunities for functional service delivery collaboration with neighboring agencies.

Formalize the definition of the organization’s communications path in the rules and regulations.
Discussion
Policies and Procedures
CHFD policies and procedures are contained in a set of Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs), Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs), and Rules and Regulations. A City Policy Manual further defines guidance
at the City level.
A review of the rules, procedures, and guidelines reveals that they are well-developed and generally
comprehensive. In addition, most indicate that they have been reviewed and/or revised recently, with
review dates falling in 2012 and 2013. The periodic review is commendable and ESCI underscores the
importance of establishing a regular schedule for future review of all foundational documents, which
should be completed at least every three years.
SOGs and SOPs are separated as two documents. They differ in their applicability to some extent and
have been segregated intentionally. However, doing so makes it confusing for an employee to know
where to go to find guidance. ESCI recommends that the two be combined into a single document.
35
Critical Issues
The process of taking time periodically to list the issues that are facing an organization can be invaluable
as a checkpoint for the agency as it moves forward. Doing so on a periodic basis is recommended. In the
course of ESCI’s fieldwork, the fire chief was asked to identify critical issues and challenges that face the
organization.
The critical issues identified are listed in the table above. A primary concern is that of retention of
current employees, which are often lost to other larger or higher paying fire departments. Coupled with
the issue is the need for succession planning to address the future retirements that are predicted. ESCI
advises the establishment of a broadly based professional development program that will prepare and
encourage employees to move forward in the organization. Information on programs is available upon
request.
Also identified was the need for an appropriate training facility. Constructing a training facility in
compliance with industry standards is a costly undertaking and one that should not be borne on a standalone basis. The development of a facility, combined with the on-going cost of operating and
maintaining it, should be approached as a cooperative effort, designed and constructed in collaboration
with regional partners. The initiative is viewed as one of the most important, and achievable, ways to
further develop cooperative efforts.
Finally, the placement and staffing deployment of Station 212 was identified as a concern in multiple
interviews. In the Service Delivery and Performance Section of this report, ESCI evaluates the current
positioning and staffing approach and, later in the report, identifies future strategies related to the
station.
Challenges
Also discussed during ESCI’s fieldwork were challenges that face CHFD today. Apparatus replacement
planning was listed as one concern. ESCI underscores the critical importance of appropriate and full
comprehensive capital asset replacement planning, given that fire stations and fire apparatus represent
a substantial expense and have readily predictable life expectancies and replacement costs. The matter
is discussed further in the Capital Assets and Capital Improvement Planning section, as follows.
Changes in service delivery needs can be expected to occur, many of which can be anticipated in relation
to EMS services such as National Medicare and Affordable Care Act initiatives, along with other
influences. It will be essential that CHFD take a forward-looking approach to meeting changing demands
and carefully monitor changes as they develop. Staying in front of these changes and engaging local
health care and other service providers will help ensure appropriate and beneficial services are
identified, provided, and appropriately compensated.
Increasing partnerships and collaboration was a repeatedly mentioned theme. The City has a sincere
interest in working more closely with its neighbors and the fire department has taken some solid steps
in that regard, specifically by developing a shared fire station with Grand Prairie. While a Cooperative
Efforts Feasibility Study is beyond the scope of this project, ESCI recognizes multiple opportunities for
36
Cedar Hill to develop far more advanced shared initiatives including numerous functional strategies as
well as operational collaboration and, conceivably, various other forms of merger and consolidation.
Decision makers are strongly encouraged to consider future approaches to regional cooperative service
delivery.
Record Keeping and Documentation
In any organization, documentation of activities is of paramount concern. The following table reviews
the practices that are in place in the department.
Figure 25: Survey Table – Record Keeping and Documentation
Survey Components
Observations
Document Control
A. Process for public access
Request process in place per
established
statutes.
Limited hard copies, kept in file
B. Hard copy files protected
cabinets in offices. Not generally
Take steps to secure hard copy files.
locked.
Regular backup process is in place.
C. Computer files backed up
Password protected.
Security
A. Building security
All buildings are locked after hours.
Secure offices when not occupied or
B. Office security
Not always secured.
during non-business hours.
C. Computer security
Password protection is in place.
D. Vehicle security
Limited locking capability.
E. Capital inventory maintained
Yes. System and process is currently
i) Asset security system used
being updated.
Annual, associated with the budget
ii) Inventory interval
process.
F. Monetary controls used
Petty cash on-hand; locked in front
i) Cash access controls
office. Receipts mandatory.
Battalion Chiefs and above are
ii) Credit card controls
issued City credit cards. Receipts
mandatory.
Purchase order process is only in
Use caution and apply appropriate
place for expenditures over $3,000.
financial controls, particularly in
iii) Purchasing controls
Bid requirements based on
regard to open accounts.
minimum expense levels. Open
accounts somewhat flexible.
Reporting and Records
A. Records kept by computer
i) Type of platform
PC
ii) Operating system
Windows based system. MS Office.
B. Periodic report to elected officials
i) Financial report
Only reports maintained via finance.
ii) Management report
No
37
Survey Components
iii) Operational report
iv) Distributed to others
C. Annual report produced
i) Distributed to others
D. Required records maintained
i) Incident reports
ii) Patient care reports
iii) Exposure records
iv) SCBA testing
v) Hose
vi) Ladder
vii) Pump
viii) Breathing air
Observations
Weekly report is posted on the
website and sent to the City
Manager.
On the website.
Yes
Distributed to council and
publicized.
Yes
Yes
Process is in place.
Annual FIT and flow testing.
Annual
Annual, aerial and ground ladders.
Annual
Quarterly
Information Technology
A. Computer platform
B. Maintenance/IT support provided
by
C. Computer security
Windows
City IT department. A large portion
of IT maintenance is done by FD
personnel. Trying to shift more to
City IT.
Adequate
Transition IT service responsibility
from the fire department to the City
IT department.

Use caution and apply appropriate financial controls, particularly in regard to open accounts.

Transition IT service responsibility from the fire department to the City IT department.
Discussion
CHFD’s reports and records practices are generally appropriate, with a few recommendations noted
above. The importance of effective record keeping cannot be overstated and it was apparent from the
data provided to ESCI in the course of this project that the agency has effective records management
practices in place.
It was noted that the majority of Information Technology (IT) services in the fire department are
provided internally. Along with general record keeping, fire department personnel generally complete
installation and maintenance of both software and hardware. As a result, valuable staff time is redirected to IT needs and consistency practices, equipment and software, and is not effectively
coordinated with other City departments. Moving IT services to the City IT department is encouraged.
Staffing and Personnel Management
Although management and organization of an emergency services agency is important, the personnel
that deliver those services are the backbone of the system. Without proper administrative and support
38
personnel to handle supervision, command and control, operational personnel may not be able to
perform satisfactorily.
Administrative and Support Staffing
One of the primary responsibilities of a fire organization’s administration and support staff is to ensure
that the operational entities of the organization have the ability and means to accomplish their
responsibilities on an emergency incident. Efficient and effective administration and support are critical
to the success of a fire agency.
Like any other part of a fire department, administration and support require appropriate resources to
function properly. Analyzing the administrative and support positions of a fire department facilitates an
understanding of the relative number of resources committed to this important function. The
appropriate balance of the administration and support components to the operational component is
critical to the success of the department’s mission and responsibilities.
This section reviews the staffing within CHFD and provides evaluation of the historical staffing
performance.
Figure 26: Survey Table – Administrative and Support Staffing
Survey Components
Observations
Administration and Other Support Staff
Increase delegation of primary
A. Fire Chief
1
operational and administrative
responsibilities.
Increase authority and
B. Deputy Fire Chief
1
accountability for operational and
Emergency Management Oversight.
C. Training Battalion Chief
None handled by
shift battalion chief.
D. EMS Battalion Chief
E. Fire Marshal
F. Fire Inspector
1
1
1
G. Emergency Manager
None handled by fire chief.
H. Administrative Secretary
I. Mechanic
1
None use City mechanics.
Establish full time training position.
Review personnel resource
recommendations in the training
section.
Establish a dedicated emergency
management coordinator position.
Consider an analyst position to
assist with program management,
data evaluation, and technical
administrative/financial functions
currently being handled by the fire
chief.
Pursue Tri-Cities regional vehicle
repair and maintenance services
utilizing emergency vehicle
technicians (EVT).
39
Survey Components
J. Total administrative & support
staff
K. Percent administrative & support
to total
Observations
6
8%

Fire Chief should increase delegation of operational and administrative responsibilities.

Add an analyst position to assist with program management, data evaluation, and technical
administrative/financial functions currently being handled by the Fire Chief.

Pursue Tri-Cities regional vehicle repair and maintenance services utilizing emergency vehicle technicians
(EVT).

Establish a dedicated emergency management coordinator position.
Discussion
ESCI notes that currently the level of administrative and support staffing represents 8 percent of CHFD
total membership. It is our experience that typically effective administrative staffing totals range from
12 percent to 15 percent of agency totals. After reviewing the functions and responsibilities assigned to
the work group, ESCI concludes that the number of FTEs assigned is below what is needed to
appropriately accomplish the responsibilities of this division.3
A key component of the above conclusion relates to the fire chief’s position. The fire chief is tasked with
multiple responsibilities, including emergency management, training oversight, support and logistic
tasks, exceeding the capacity of one individual to address them all effectively. At the time of our
fieldwork, ESCI learned that consideration was being given to a review of the current organizational
structure, including the reallocation of these duties to designated personnel or the deputy fire chief
where possible. ESCI concurs with that initiative.
Fire Prevention
The Fire Prevention functions of the CHFD appear to have a sufficient number of personnel assigned to
match the inspection and enforcement workload. The primary new construction plan review function is
handled by fire prevention staff with a third party contract agency handling large sprinkler and alarm
system review, while the inspection and code compliance functions are situated within the fire
department. This is an acceptable structure and is functioning at an above industry average rate of 88
percent annual inspection compliance with a 100 percent target. ESCI recommends peer and spot
checks of contract plan review functions to ensure local standards and contract elements are met.
3
ESCI recognizes organizational goals, regulatory environment, and workload are the actual drivers that determine
the number of administrative personnel required to deliver support services. The 12 to 15 percent ratio is the
range ESCI typically sees in fire service organizations and is used for comparison purposes.
40
Education of the public regarding relevant risks – including fire, disaster, and emergency medical – and
their appropriate mitigation strategies is an essential component of a fire department’s mission. CHFD
does have a defined public education strategy but there are not enough personnel resources dedicated
to this effort to provide the desired level of service. ESCI encourages CHFD to evaluate this component
of their overall prevention strategy and take the requisite steps to bolster this initiative. We also note
that this is a very appropriate function wherein CHFD should consider a regional cooperative or
consolidated strategy. The need to provide this service at the local and regional level justifies the need
to establish a dedicated public education specialist or coordinator.
Training
CHFD assigns a shift battalion chief to the function of fire training. This places the functions of program
needs assessment, design, coordination, and evaluation with the same single personnel resource that is
also responsible for program delivery as well as shift operational and personnel responsibilities. This
results in a significant workload and, as discussed further in the training section, ESCI encourages CHFD
to reevaluate the resources and assign a dedicated position to this function.
We also note that this is a very appropriate function wherein CHFD should consider an enhanced and
formalized regional cooperative training strategy within their existing Tri-Cities cooperative services. All
fire departments, nationally as well as within the Tri-Cities region, share essentially the same needs with
regard to training their personnel. Further, the regional agencies respond to emergencies together via
mutual aid procedures and, in the interest of safety of firefighters and effectiveness of response should
be trained to common standards and practices. Finally, a regionalized, collaborative approach to training
delivery, in addition to the benefits noted, can substantially reduce costs and increase efficiency of
educational efforts.
Emergency Management
Currently, the City and CHFD are committed to the development of an appropriate strategy to deliver
emergency management functions and services to their community. Within CHFD, the fire chief
manages this function as part of “other duties.” CHFD and City officials acknowledge this issue and
appear ready and willing to consider potential methodologies to best serve their constituency. To reach
that goal, the City will need to place additional emphasis on the program, including that establishment
of an emergency management oversight position, as is discussed later in this report. We note this also is
a very appropriate function wherein CHFD should consider a regional cooperative approach to meeting
emergency management needs.
Administrative Support
CHFD employs one FTE in an administrative support role; given the scope and depth of workload, this
appears to be low. ESCI recommends the CHFD add an “Analyst” position or have one assigned by the
City to assist with financial oversight, data collection and analysis, and project management currently
being conducted by the fire chief and operational staff. We see this as a critical function in order for
CHFD to strengthen their decisions and policy development through data-driven information.
41
Emergency Response Staffing
It takes an adequate and properly trained staff of emergency responders to put the appropriate
emergency apparatus and equipment to its best use in mitigating incidents. Insufficient staffing at an
operational scene decreases the effectiveness of the response and increases the risk of injury to all
individuals involved.
Tasks that must be performed at a fire can be broken down into two key components – life safety and
fire flow. Life safety tasks are based on the number of building occupants, their location, status, and
ability to take self-preservation action. Life safety related tasks involve search, rescue, and evacuation of
victims. The fire flow component involves delivering sufficient water to extinguish the fire and create an
environment within the building that allows entry by firefighters.
The number and types of tasks needing simultaneous action will dictate the minimum number of
firefighters required to combat different types of fires. In the absence of adequate personnel to perform
concurrent action, the command officer must prioritize the tasks and complete some in chronological
order, rather than concurrently. These tasks include:
•
•
•
•
Command
Scene safety
Search and rescue
Fire attack
•
•
•
•
Water supply
Pump operation
Ventilation
Back-up/rapid intervention
The first 15 minutes is the most crucial period in the suppression of a fire. How effectively and efficiently
firefighters perform during this period has a significant impact on the overall outcome of the event. This
general concept is applicable to fire, rescue, and medical situations. Critical tasks must be conducted in a
timely manner in order to control a fire or to treat a patient. CHFD is responsible for assuring that
responding companies are capable of performing all of the described tasks in a prompt, efficient, and
safe manner. The following table lists CHFD’s emergency response staffing configuration.
Figure 27: Survey Table – Emergency Response Staffing
Survey Components
Observations
Emergency Service Staff – Fire
A. Battalion Chief
3 FTE/1 per shift
B. Captain
12 FTE/4 per shift
C. Engineers/Drivers
12 FTE/4 per shift
D. Firefighters
45 FTE/15 per shift
Emergency Service Staff – EMS
A. Shift Paramedic
68
B. EMT-B
2
C. EMT-I
None
D. 40-hour EMT-P
None
E. Total operational staff
70
F. Fire department total
78
G. Percent of operational officers to
1:3
firefighters
42
Survey Components
Use of Career and Volunteer Personnel
A. Career scheduling methodology
i) Length of normal duty period
ii) FLSA period
iv) Residency requirements
Observations
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
iv) Specialized rescue
Yes, rope rescue.
v) Fire prevention inspections
Yes
vi) Emergency management
Yes
vii) Public education
Yes
Yes. First Responder level.
C. Volunteer services
i) Chaplain
ii) Civilian administrative volunteer
Responsibilities and Activity Levels of Personnel
A. Assignment of routine duties:
i) By position
ii) By areas of personal interest
B. Special duties assigned by:
i) Subject matter preference
ii) Duty assignment
C. Work groups/Committees
i) EMS quality management
ii) Chaplain
Enhance special operations at tri
City and mutual aid group
Engage engine companies in the fire
higher risk/assembly inspections.
Engage suppression personnel in
the disaster, mitigation,
preparedness and recovery
programs. Consider EM components
integration with FP inspections.
Involve career staff in the delivery
of public education programs.
Explore enhanced partnerships for
education and outreach programs
(e.g. PD, non-profits, public works).
Conduct training with partner
agencies providing haz-mat team
response.
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Wildland, rope, etc.
Yes
No
Yes
No
iii) Training
No
iv) Safety
No
v) Building development
24 hour days
24 hours on, 48 hours off
56 hour work week/24 day
FLSA cycle
None
B. Operational career services
i) Fire suppression
ii) EMS/rescue, first response
iii) EMS, advanced life support
viii) Hazardous materials response
(level)
Establish regional EMS committee.
Establish training advisory
committee. Committee should
establish training elements and
create an annual training calendar.
Assign Officer and establish a safety
committee to meet on regular basis
with specified authority and
responsibility.
Yes, as needed.
43
Survey Components
vi) Standards/SOGs
Observations
No
Establish a policy-participation and
decision making process that
includes all levels of the
organization.

Enhance special operations at tri-City and mutual aid group.

Engage engine companies in the fire higher risk/assembly inspections.

Explore enhanced partnerships for education and outreach programs (e.g. PD, non-profits, public works).

Establish a policy-participation and decision making process that includes all levels of the organization.
Discussion
Considerable ongoing local, regional, and national discussion and debate draws a strong focus and
attention to the matter of firefighter staffing. Frequently, this discussion is set in the context of
firefighter safety. While there are published national standards regarding firefighter staffing, they
generally speak in terms of the number of firefighters assigned to a particular response apparatus, often
characterized as a “minimum of four personnel per engine company.” ESCI notes that the more critical
issue is the number of firefighters that are assembled at the scene of an incident in conjunction with the
scope and magnitude of the job tasks expected of them, regardless of the type or number of vehicles
upon which they arrive.
It is important to understand that the assembly of firefighters on an incident, also called an “Effective
Firefighting Force” or “Effective Response Force,” is a determination that is made at the community
level based on risk, capability, and citizen expectations. There is not mandated requirement, though
there are standards that are discussed in detail in this report. In the Service Delivery section, resource
concentration is evaluated in detail, finding that CHFD is capable of establishing an effective response in
a timely manner in many areas of the response area, but also challenged to do so in other areas.
Another means of comparison, also used on a national basis, is that of measuring the number of
firefighters on staff per 1,000 population of the service area. The following figure illustrates the current
comparison of CHFD staffing with both national and regional norms. 4
4
Data drawn from NFPA reports "U.S. Fire Department Profile- 2011" and "U.S. Fire Loss- 2011" (most recent
available).
44
Figure 28: Firefighters per 1,000 Population
1.8
1.6
1.53
1.46
1.4
1.2
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Regional Median
National Median
Cedar Hill Fire Dept
At minimum daily staffing levels, CHFD has 17 emergency personnel available to respond to all
emergencies. CHFD has the capability to respond to one house fire at a time but the likelihood of
simultaneous structures fires is low. As will be seen later in this report, a majority of the department’s
workload is medical in nature and, given the current resources; the department is situated to handle
existing workload.
Using this comparison, CHFD appears to appropriately staff each of its engine and quint companies. ESCI
notes that, given the slight lag in the current regional staffing ratio as well as the projected growth for
the west side of the Cedar Hill community, CHFD should begin an incremental approach to increasing
response staffing in the context of the projected growth and the deployment analysis. Given the limited
training and support function resources currently in place, and the incremental growth in revenue that
often lags actual real estate development, we recommend CHFD avoid attempting to staff an entire fire
station facility at a single point in time, but rather build resources and capacity incrementally to parallel
revenue and service demand growth.
Personnel Management
The following review relates to the baseline personnel management components typically found in an
appropriately administered organization.
Figure 29: Survey Table – Personnel and Staffing Management
Survey Components
Observations
Disciplinary Process
Update and revise policy in
A. Disciplinary policy established
Yes, department policy.
cooperation with HR and Labor.
B. Disciplinary process
Policy
communicated
45
Survey Components
C. Appeal process provided
i) Recent litigation
ii) Pending litigation
Counseling Services
A. Critical incident stress debriefing
B. Employee assistance program
C. Intervention program
Observations
Appeal to fire chief.
N/A
N/A
Available through EAP.
City program; voluntary and referral.
Random drug testing with positive
results = termination
Voluntary request for assistance =
provided via EAP.
Application and Recruitment Process
A. Recruitment program
Slight amount of recruiting at local
paramedic classes. Flyers on
occasion. No established
comprehensive recruitment
program.
Advertise, fill out on-line application,
and submit certifications.
HR and deputy chief reviews apps
i) Qualification check
and make first cut. Bring background
packet to written test.
Fire marshal conducts background
ii) Reference check
checks, references included.
Talk to candidates at physical agility
iii) Background check
test. Receive packets.
Local design; internal validation not
iv) Physical standards established
currently done. No time standard.
Pass/Fail
v) Knowledge testing
Written
Yes, 5-person board. Chief’s
vi) Interview
interview after background.
vii) Medical exam required
Yes
viii) Psychological exam required
Yes + polygraph
Testing, Measuring and Promotion Process
Yes, annual company level skills e.g.
A. Periodic competence testing
air pack-timed drill.
No. The practice has been
B. Periodic physical competence
undertaken in the past, but
testing
discontinued.
Explore implementation of a
comprehensive recruitment
program either at the City level, or
for public safety, or for CHFD. Adopt
entry-level physical ability testing
using the CPAT model or similar.
B. Application process
C. Periodic performance review
Yes, annual. Desire to look at more
effective evaluation criteria.
D. Promotional testing
Non-Civil Service, locally developed
criteria. Scored by outside
department subject matter experts.
Health and Safety
A. Medical standards established
46
Consider test validation process by
third party subject matter expert.
Restore the practice of annual
physical competence testing.
Implement established and
validated evaluation criteria and
process.
Develop validating criteria and
process for promotional testing.
Survey Components
i) Periodic medical exam
Observations
Annual; May-June annually;
NFPA 1582
B. Safety committee established
No
i) Membership
N/A
ii) Meetings
N/A
iii) Function
N/A
iv) Meeting minutes
N/A
Develop and implement an agencywide safety committee.
Select diverse safety committee
membership; representing various
groups, interests, and functions.
Safety committee should meet at
least quarterly.
Safety committee should review
accidents, injuries, near-miss
incidents and workplace safety
suggestions; report analysis and
results to fire chief; promote
member safety self-awareness.

Explore implementation of a comprehensive recruitment program either at the City level, or for public
safety, or for CHFD. Adopt entry-level physical ability testing using the CPAT model or similar.

Restore the practice of annual physical competence testing.

Implement established and validated evaluation criteria and process.

Develop and implement an agency-wide safety committee.
Discussion
The personnel management functions for CHFD are handled primarily through the City’s human
resources department in coordination with fire department management staff. As noted elsewhere,
ESCI urges establishment of a regular review and updating of applicable fire department human
resource rules, policies, and procedures to ensure currency and effective processes.
Recruitment
Currently, there appears to be no formal or structured recruitment program for or within CHFD, either
for entry level or promotional opportunities. ESCI recommends CHFD pursue development of a
professional, media-friendly recruitment program for both entry level and promotional opportunities.
This program could be part of a citywide initiative, a public safety specific program, or a CHFD program
exclusively. CHFD should not rule out the potential of developing such a program in concert with Tri-City
partnering jurisdictions that share similar needs.
Physical Ability Screening
Currently, CHFD uses an internally designed physical standards screening process with internal
validation. ESCI recommends CHFD explore adoption of an established and widely validated program.
47
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs
(IAFC) teamed up through the Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness/Fitness Initiative to
develop the IAFF/IAFC Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT).5 The Task Force successfully developed the
Fire Service Joint Labor-Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative in 1997 to address the wellness and
fitness needs in the fire service. In conjunction with this effort, the Task Force discovered that people
were hired who would not be physically capable of a successful career in the fire service. The Task Force
proceeded to develop the CPAT, resulting in a more consistent and valid test for hiring of candidate fire
fighters.
By virtue of the CPAT design and the agreements negotiated in its development, the CPAT is not
authorized for use in the testing/screening of incumbent firefighting personnel. ESCI recommends CHFD
restore annual physical fitness competency testing and, in conjunction and collaboration with the TriCity partners, develop a physical ability screening process to ensure responder fitness and career
longevity. CHFD is commended for its establishment of annual medical health screenings in accordance
with NFPA 1582.
Safety Committee
CHFD does not currently have a safety committee in place. ESCI strongly encourages the department to
move expeditiously to design, staff, and implement this important function. We recommend a diverse
representation from across the department; ensuring representation by shift, rank, function, and
interest, and including representation from non-uniformed and staff members as well.
The committee should meet at least quarterly and include in its mission raising awareness and
modifying member behaviors that will result in a safe work environment. Additionally, the committee
should review all accidents, injuries, near-miss incidents, and workplace safety suggestions. They should
analyze the information before them and report their findings to the fire chief. They should foster
member safety education and encourage members’ safety self-awareness. The committee should
maintain regular and open meeting times and locations; minutes of the meetings should be recorded
and made available to the entire department.
5
http://www.iaff.org/hs/CPAT/cpat_index.html.
48
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SUPPORT AND SYSTEMS OVERSIGHT
EMS incidents constitute 69 percent of all responses for CHFD. CHFD serves as the primary first
responding and ambulance transportation agency providing advanced life support to the City of Cedar
Hill.
CHFD has a long and established history as the first fire agency in the region to provide ambulance
services. This integrated first responder and ambulance transportation system represents a large and
vital component of the overall emergency services provided to the City of Cedar Hill. The
recommendations are intended to ensure the CHFD EMS program provides a high level of management,
performance, quality, and integration of system components.
Figure 30: Survey Table – EMS Medical Control and Quality Assurance
Survey Components
Observations
Medical Control
A. EMS Service Delivery Level
Four ALS engines, three ambulances.
By Medical Director, Texas Emergency
B. Written protocols adopted
Medical Consultant, Inc.
Conduct monthly chart review with
Not on a regular basis.
established trending and targeted
C. Case reviews conducted regularly
Verbal most of time.
data elements determined by the
medical director.
New hires spend two days in ER with
medical director, up to 10 shifts as a
3rd person on medic, 10 shifts as
primary medic with FTO. Two-week
D. EMS Officer conducts in service
orientation with one day spent with
training
EMS Chief. Each new hire must
complete adult and pediatric megacode. Task book completed for each
shift.
Q.A./Q.I. – (Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement)
Establish an internal peer review
committee to review EMS incidents
and trends to make EMS system
recommendations. Committee to take
Yes, periodically looks at new
a lead role in the formation of patient
A. Internal committee
techniques and equipment. Develop
documentation standards, transfer of
new equipment standards.
care and EMS operational policies.
Committee should also compare local
data against appropriate benchmark
criteria.
Implement lessons learned and
unusual occurrence lessons learned
B. Lessons learned are shared?
Not currently.
procedure and communication
methodology.
C. Medical program director
Yes, attends all meetings.
participates?
49
Survey Components
D. Charts spot evaluated for
accuracy?
Observations
No
Establish program to review 100% of
charts for completion and submission
within the required time frame.
Procedure should include spot checks
of patient care reports and supporting
documentation on a random basis
that ensures all paramedic charts are
reviewed periodically.
Key Recommendation:

Conduct monthly chart review with established trending and targeted data elements determined by
the medical director.

Establish an internal peer review committee to review EMS incidents and trends to make EMS system
recommendations. Committee to take a lead role in the formation of patient documentation standards,
transfer of care and EMS operational policies. Committee should also compare local data against
appropriate benchmark criteria.
Discussion
EMS Program Supervision
Currently, a single command staff member, holding the rank of battalion chief, predominantly oversees
the department’s advanced life support and EMS program. This presents challenges as it relates to all
aspects of supervision of an advanced life support responder program. Issues such as required on going
continuing medical education, quality improvement, equipment and clinical research and development,
infectious disease management, and on-scene supervision all compete for supervisory attention. The
department may consider exploring on-shift EMS supervision, given that EMS represents a significant
amount of the call volume. Some options may be to utilize on duty field training officers /preceptors,
senior paramedics or elevating the incumbent battalion chiefs to paramedic level. This will address span
of control issues, shift ALS supervision, and assist with program management of EMS.
EMS Medical Direct and Clinical Protocols
CHFD receives medical oversight under contract from Texas Emergency Medical Incorporated. The
department’s EMS battalion chief works closely with the office of medical director in providing input in
medical procedures, interventions, and protocols. The medical director is active in emergency medical
services research and clinical innovations.
EMS Quality Improvement
The department’s EMS battalion chief and medical director review some EMS reports in the records
management system and currently review data on a targeted or as needed basis. The EMS battalion
chief and or medical director provide informal feedback to crews. The department also participates in
regularly scheduled quality meetings with the medical director.
50
The department, through its medical director, is able to report some community out-of-hospital
outcomes. However, there exists further opportunity to identify key performance areas that are
essential to successful outcomes of EMS cardiac arrest survival and other system outcome performance
indicators. Examples of such outcome-based measurements may include utilizing the well-accepted
Utstein reporting template, STEMI, stroke and trauma system outcomes, reduction of pain scores for
cardiac patients, and improvement in shortness of breath in difficulty breathing populations.
The department should establish a peer review and committee process that makes recommendations of
reports and trends for medical director review and establish monthly reporting metrics to include key
performance indicators for EMS activities. Proper medical control, oversight, and proactive quality
measures should include a prospective, real time, and retrospective elements.
Prospective (Pre-Incident) Medical Control
The EMS chief and/or assigned staff should participate in the development of local and state policy and
procedures as well as data collection elements and system design. Staff should ensure the current and
future needs of the CHFD and the growing service area are addressed. This will reduce the risk of the
department being mandated to adhere to standards and system requirements that may be lacking
input, customization, or key service elements for the CHFD service area.
Concurrent (Real-Time) Medical Control
The EMS chief should ensure the EMS system provides real-time feedback with relevant training and
education. Having assigned and trained staff that can observe the integrated first responder and
ambulance transportation system will provide valuable data on areas of strengths, deficiencies, and
opportunities for the CHFD. Early identification of trends and field performance will reduce potential for
clinical mistakes and provide for early intervention with responding personnel to create a proactive and
cooperative learning environment.
Retrospective (Post Incident) Medical Control
The EMS chief and/or assigned staff should implement and monitor an internal review committee and
retrospective medical control measures. The CHFD should implement a PEER review committee that
performs random patient care report reviews and evaluates calls and trends to offer constructive
feedback and educational improvement programs to individuals and the department as a whole. This
committee should also take a leadership role in the development of patient documentation, transfer of
care, and EMS operational policies. The CHFD should participate in appropriate pilot projects and
focused studies approved by the department and medical director. Audits and study results need to be
reported in a manner that clearly demonstrates the benefits to the patients and communities served.
EMS System Integrity
The department participates in a two-tiered EMS oversight system. First, the State of Texas provides
statutory authority that enables counties and EMS service providers to establish local treatment
protocols, EMS certification and other system components. Secondly, the CHFD under the direction of
the medical director adopts localized policies and procedures to meet the needs of the Cedar Hill. These
requirements are adhered to by the CHFD and managed and monitored at the department level.
51
Figure 31: Survey Table – EMS System Integrity and Logistical Support Services
Survey Components
Observations
Certification/Recertification
Provide periodic scenario-based
Four hours from regional educator
training. Implement integrated
A. Ongoing training & evaluation provided monthly. Department
certification tracking and notification
system in place?
handles recertification/licensure
system with other department
records.
certifications and licenses.
B. Skills assessment performed by
Provide regularly scheduled skills
Occasionally
qualified evaluators?
assessment at specified intervals.
C. Recertification exams administered
Implement regional Tri-Cities qualified
No
by qualified testing center?
testing center.
Medical Supplies
Establish and implement a Tri-Cities
Multiple points of ordering and
A. Inventory controls in place
EMS purchasing and restocking
contact.
consortium with single point ordering.
Passed recent DEA audit, but disposal
B. Controlled meds security
program needs work.
System in place but needs increased
Establish a Tri-Cities capital EMS
C. Replenishment system in place
inventory accuracy and
equipment inventory, maintenance
accountability.
and replacement program.
Install temperature control
D. Temperature controlled
capabilities on engines or carry
On ambulances, but not on engines.
environment for liquids
temperature sensitive supplies only
on ambulances.
Key Recommendation:

Provide periodic scenario-based training. Implement integrated certification tracking and notification
system with other department certifications and licenses.

Establish and implement a Tri-Cities EMS purchasing and restocking consortium with single point
ordering.
Discussion
Maintenance and currency of EMS certification, training, and equipment records is a vital component of
an EMS program. Providing centralized control and monitoring of these functions reduces the risk of
lapsed certifications and unnecessary costs of training and equipment to meet State of Texas
requirements.
The process of initial certification and recertification involves a variety of education and performance
requirements at the department and state level. ESCI’s review of the current certification, EMS training
records, and equipment tracking identified a number of areas that warrant review and system
modifications or enhancements.
52
Certification and Recertification Recordkeeping
The department has maintained training and certification records in accordance with existing CHFD
recordkeeping systems and policies. ESCI recommends CHFD centralize the responsibility for
certification and EMS training and continuing education records under the EMS battalion chief as a
single point of contact and centralized recordkeeping for all EMS certification, recertification, and
continuing education records. ESCI further recommends CHFD conduct a detailed audit of all EMS
continuing education and certification records to ensure currency and compliance. There needs to be
established written policies that establish the procedures for certification and continuing education
recordkeeping requirements by the EMS chief and individual personnel.
Training and Continuing Education
The CHFD provides EMS training in a decentralized manner and utilizes supplements training with a
centralized classroom instruction. Skills testing is a crucial part of ensuring EMS personnel have a proper
understanding of their scope of practice and protocols. Scenario based training ensures personnel have
an adequate understanding of their EMS roles and responsibilities with the capacity to translate that
from an understanding to demonstrated hands-on skills performance.
ESCI recommends CHFD conduct half (50%) of EMS training in a centralized classroom environment.
Hands-on, skill-based testing and training should be a significant portion of the classroom training
requirements for BLS and ALS personnel. CHFD should also provide scenario-based training to simulate
actual field conditions and enhance operational effectiveness and coordination between assigned
engine company and ambulance personnel.
Supplies and Materials Management
CHFD maintains disposable EMS supplies in each station that are periodically inventoried. Inventories
are not currently based on utilization or anticipated call or patient volume. There are differing levels of
restock occurring from a single ordering point and authority. Heart monitors/defibrillators are on each
apparatus but are not separately maintained as part of an amortized internal service replacement fund.
ESCI recommends station supply par levels be established based on historical volume and utilization.
Regular inventories should be conducted with single-point ordering and distribution coordinated by the
EMS chief. ESCI recommends the CHFD establish a capital inventory and replacement program for EMS
capital equipment with a regularly scheduled inventory. An amortized capital replacement program
should be established that is annually funded to ensure adequate revenue exists for replacement of
these items when they have reached their projected equipment life cycle.
53
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Emergency Management (EM) is the discipline of preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and
mitigating natural and man-made disasters. The organization and management of resources is the
responsibility of the EM director and includes dealing with all aspects of emergencies. The intent of EM
programs is four-fold as mentioned above: preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation and these
components of the program are cyclical in nature. The intent of this section of the report is to provide
an overview of the CHFD EM functions as they relate to compliance, planning, documentation,
coordination, communications, and facilities and equipment.
National Incident Management System (NIMS) Compliance
Compliance with NIMS requirements begins by adopting the Incident Command System (ICS) and NIMS
principles and policies. In accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5, the
adoption of NIMS is a requirement to receive federal preparedness funding. The following figure
summarizes current emergency planning efforts:
Figure 32: Survey Table – Emergency Management Planning
Survey Components
Observations
Preparedness and Response (EOP, EAP, RMP, radiological preparedness)
Integrate the City emergency
EM Plan. Annexes in place to meet
operations plan with community
A. Plans/documents
Texas advanced criteria.
wildfire protection plan elements as
appropriate.
B. Date developed
2005, advanced level around 2009.
C. Adopted by elected officials
Yes
D. Published and available
No
.
Yes, reviewed every 5 years and
E. Periodic review
submitted to TX DOEM for approval.
Recovery and Mitigation (HMP)
Annex P included in the City plan Include specific mitigation measures
A. Plans/documents
part of the Dallas County mitigation
in local plan for CHFD impacts.
plan
B. Date developed
2014
C. Published and available
Yes, to those included in the plan.
D. Periodic review
Every 5 years.
Consider specific hazard
E. Hazards identified
Generally
identification.
Table top annually in accordance
F. Plans exercised
with TX DOEM requirements for
grant eligibility.
Key Recommendation:
54

Integrate the City emergency operations plan with community wildfire protection plan elements as
appropriate.

Include specific mitigation measures in local plan for CHFD impacts.
Discussion
Within CHFD, the fire chief manages this function as one of many additionally assigned duties, which
contributes to not having enough time for EM responsibilities. Due to limited staffing resources,
fundamental EM planning is also limited. Plans such as a Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan and Community
Wildfire Protection Plan are either insufficiently developed or not integrated in a comprehensive
mitigation plan. While general template hazard categories are identified the CHFD should develop and
exercise specific Cedar Hill hazard mitigation annexes. It was also noted that the disaster mitigation
plans are not widely distributed for access, review, and utilization by City and CHFD personnel. It is
recommended an appropriate distribution, review, and exercise policy be established to maximize plan
familiarization, effectiveness, and implementation.6
Figure 33: Survey Table – Emergency Management Resources
Survey Components
Observations
Resources
1 fire chief, shared EM
Administrator with surrounding
Consider dedicated EM for regional
A. Internal personnel resources
cities for plan maintenance not
EM needs.
operations.
B. External personnel resources
CERT Teams, NCTCOG regional 16
i) Professional organizations
county asset, coordinating agency,
TDEM.
Blackboard connect-phone
ii) Community notification system
notification system, outdoor siren
warning (15 sirens).
Emergency Management Critical Issues
A. Critical issues are identified
Trained City personnel to operate
i) First critical issue
EM functions, NIMS.
ii) Second critical issue
Communication with citizens.
iii) Third critical issue
Resource Management.
Emergency Management Challenges of the Future
A. Challenges are identified
i) First challenge
Resources to conduct training.
ii) Second challenge
Communicating with citizens.
Mass shelter capabilities
iii) Third challenge
(facilities do not exist).
Key Recommendation:

6
Consider dedicated EM for regional EM needs.
http://emergency.portal.texas.gov/.
55
Discussion
The City has not provided the personnel resources needed to deliver emergency management services
adequately. As stated, the fire chief manages this function as part of other duties. This approach, while
potentially appropriate for interim or temporary situations, is insufficient to address the scope and
content of this important public safety function. While the federal (FEMA) and Texas State government
make significant planning and grant resources available to cities and counties, the majority of the work
must be carried out locally and is labor intensive. The CHFD is uniquely positioned to conduct these
emergency management functions on a regional basis with the already existing Tri-Cities cooperative.
ESCI recommends that CHFD and City officials engage the Tri-City partners and elicit support for
enhanced staffing and funding for the program.
To adequately address the preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation needs of Cedar Hill,
personnel resources should be assigned to ensure (1) development and regular review of the plan, (2)
training of all City employees as to their roles and responsibilities and (3) regular and progressive
exercising of the plan with “table top,” “partial,” and “full-scale” exercise activities. To accomplish the
above, the establishment of an emergency management coordinator position is recommended.
SERVICE DELIVERY AND PERFORMANCE
The delivery of fire suppression, rescue and emergency medical services is no more effective than the
sum of its parts. It requires efficient notification of an emergency and rapid response from well-located
facilities in appropriate apparatus with a sufficient number of well-trained personnel following a wellpracticed plan of action. This section of the report provides an analysis of the current service delivery
components of CHFD.
Figure 34: Survey Table – Service Delivery and Performance
Survey Component
Observations
Demand
Current Service Demand
Information is tracked and recorded Continue tracking incident data.
i) Tracked by incident type and
in RMS. NFIRS reports submitted to Develop consistent methodology for
temporal variation
state and FEMA
tracking service demand.
ii) Geographical call distribution
Recorded in RMS
iii) Demand zones based on
Establish demand zones based on
None
population
population, demand, and risk.
Distribution
Facilities
i) Total area protected
Approximately 36 square miles
Number of fire stations
ii) Number of stations staffed
4
iii) Number of stations unstaffed
0
Apparatus
iv) Apparatus appropriate to risk
(fire, medical, special)
Staffing
56
Engine/quints at 211,212, 213 and
214. ALS transport medics at 211,
212, and 213.
Develop plan to optimize
deployment of apparatus.
Survey Component
v) Adequate for initial attack of
predominant risk
Concentration
Effective Response Force
i) Defined by call type
ii) Actual performance monitored
Observations
3 man minimum staffing on
engine/quints. At least 1 paramedic
on all first out fire apparatus-2
paramedics on transport medics.
Defined in run cards.
No response goal for full first alarm.
Monitor response time for arrival of
full first alarm.
Information in RMS-not tracked.
Monitor and record reliability
information. Utilize data to make
informed decisions.
Reliability
Workload Analysis
i) Unit hour utilization
ii) Failure rate by station area or
response zone
iii) Concurrent calls
Performance
Response Performance
i) Call processing time
02:00 in 2013. Tracked at 911
center. Data provided on request.
ii) Turnout time
01:29 in 2013.
iii) Travel time
06:36 in 2013.
09:04 in 2013. Total Response TimeReceived at 911 to first on scene.
Response goal stated in Strategic
Plan.
iv) Total response time
Response time goals
i) By response zone
ii) By incident type
iii) Actual response performance
documented and published
Mutual/Auto Aid
Given/Received Balance
i) Automatic aid incorporated in run
cards/dispatch procedures
ii) Inter-agency training and SOPs
No response zones established.
NFPA 1710 goals for fire and EMS
responses.
Annual Activity Report and Strategic
Plan-available on web page.
Work with 911 center to improve
call processing performance
Turnout time is satisfactory, but
there is room for improvementcontinue monitoring. Explore
alternative station location or
additional station to reduce travel
time.
Work to improve response
performance. Consider Response
goals by demand zones
(urban/suburban).
Consider developing a Standard of
Cover document.
Keep current on web page.
Given-604, Received-511.
Automatic aid with drop border
protocols for closest unit dispatch in
specific area.
Continue working with neighboring
jurisdictions to strengthen and
improve aid agreements. Look for
other opportunities for cost savings
through cooperative efforts.
Periodic inter-agency training,
county wide multiagency disaster
training.
57
Survey Component
iii) Signed mutual aid agreements
and county plan
Observations
CHFD participates in county-wide
plan (Dallas and Ellis County). Signed
mutual aid agreements with all aid
partners.
Discussion
Demand
In the demand analysis, ESCI reviews current and historical service demand by incident type and
temporal variation for the CHFD. GIS software is used to provide a geographic display of demand within
the study area. National Fire Incident Records System (NFIRS) data, incident response data, and
apparatus response data collected by the department is used in this section of the report. The following
figures demonstrate historical service demand for the last five full calendar years.
Figure 35: CHFD Historical Service Demand, 2009 through 2013
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
EMS
3498
3645
3798
4019
4147
Other
1484
1369
1446
1470
1663
Fire
211
207
237
182
199
Total
5193
5221
5481
5671
6009
The previous figure demonstrates that CHFD service demand increased every year from 2009 through
2013. Using the NFIRS incident type definitions, ESCI categorizes incidents as “Fires” (structures, vehicle,
brush, any 100 series incident in NFIRS), “EMS” (all calls for medical service including MVA’s and rescues,
any 300 series incident in NFIRS), and “Other” (false alarms, hazmat incidents, service calls, all other
NFIRS incident series). The next figure demonstrates the percent change in service demand from 2009
through 2013, summarized by fire, EMS, and other incident categories.
58
Figure 36: CHFD Percent Change by Incident Category, 2009 through 2013
Total Percent Change
2009-2013
Incident Category Percent Change
Fire
Other
EMS
Total Demand
-5.7%
12.1%
18.6%
15.7%
Overall service demand increased by 15.7 percent during the time period displayed. Fire incidents
decreased during this time; and EMS and other service demand increased between 2009 and 2013.
Figure 37: CHFD Service Demand by Incident Category, 2013
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Fires
Other
EMS
3.3%
27.7%
69.0%
Figure 37 displays the nature of service demand in the CHFD study area in 2013. EMS incidents
represent the largest portion (69 percent) of 2013 service demand. Only slightly over 3 percent of CHFD
2013 incidents were fires. The data displayed in the previous figures reflect a nationwide trend for all
hazard fire jurisdictions, especially jurisdictions such as CHFD that provide EMS transport services.
Temporal Variation
It is also useful to evaluate service demand temporally in order to determine if there are specific trends
during certain periods where staffing can be modified to better fit the demand. The following figures
display 2013 service demand within the CHFD study area; summarized by various measures of time.
59
Figure 38: CHFD Service Demand by Month, 2013
12.00%
10.00%
8.00%
6.00%
4.00%
2.00%
0.00%
Overall service demand varies throughout the year, with the lowest demand in February (6.81 percent)
and the highest number of calls for service in December (9.64 percent). The range is approximately
three percent for the study area. The next figure looks at service demand by day of the week.
Figure 39: CHFD Service Demand by Day of the Week
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
As with monthly service demand, service demand varies throughout the week. Again the range is
relatively narrow (approximately two percent). The last analysis of temporal variation demonstrates
workload by hour of the day.
60
Figure 40: CHFD Service Demand by Hour of the Day
7%
6%
5%
4%
3%
2%
1%
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
Noon
11
9
10
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Midnight
0%
Service demand directly correlates with the activity of people, with workload increasing during daytime
hours and decreasing during nighttime hours as shown in the following figure. Incident activity is at its
highest between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM; and over 64 percent of calls for service occurred between
08:00 AM and 08:00 PM. There is a significant and predictable increase in service demand during the
day. This provides an opportunity for CHFD to anticipate increased workload and improve response
performance by deploying additional apparatus during periods of peak activity.
Geographic Service Demand
In addition to the temporal analysis of service demand, it is useful to examine the geographic
distribution of service demand. Using dispatch center incident location data provided by CHFD, ESCI
plots incident locations and calculates the mathematical density of 2013 service demand in the CHFD
service area.
61
Figure 41: CHFD Incident Density, 2013
The above figure demonstrates the areas of highest incident density are located in the core area of
Cedar Hill between stations 211, 212, and 213. Note the area to the west of Cedar Hill in Grand Prairie
that is served by CHFD apparatus as part of an automatic aid agreement. This area is served by CHFD
personnel stationed at Station 214; which was cooperatively constructed by Cedar Hill and Grand
Prairie.
As discussed earlier, EMS incidents represent the major of CHFD service demand. The next figure
pinpoints “Fire” incidents in the 2013 CHFD data set.
62
Figure 42: CHFD Fire Incidents, 2013
Fire incidents are the least frequent incident type in the data set. However, “Fire” service demand is
distributed throughout the study area in a pattern that is similar to the overall incident data.
Distribution
The analysis of distribution of resources presents an overview of the current deployment of fire
department facilities, equipment, and personnel within the CHFD service area.
63
Figure 43: CHFD Service Area and Station Response Districts
Figure 43 depicts the CHFD study area. The city encompasses an area of nearly 36 square miles,
including approximately three square miles in Cedar Hill State Park. CHFD currently provides fire
protection, emergency medical aid and transport, and rescue services from four stations located
throughout the city.
Highway 67 is a limited access, major transportation route through Cedar Hill. Highway 67 provides good
north to south movement through the area, but inhibits east to west movement to some degree in
64
Cedar Hill. The street network within Cedar Hill in some areas lacks direct routes and interconnectivity.
This can negatively impact emergency response vehicles. Modern technology, such as the use of mobile
data computers (MDCs), GPS units, and automatic vehicle location (AVL) technology; allows fire
jurisdictions to dispatch the closest available apparatus to emergency incidents regardless of first due
areas. This technology can provide a means to overcome shortcomings in the transportation network;
and improve response performance.
The following figure uses 2010 Census Block data to display population density throughout Cedar Hill.
Figure 44: Cedar Hill Population Density
65
The US Census Bureau data estimates population of Cedar Hill as 46,461 (as of July 2012). This is a 3.2
percent increase from the 2010 census data. The overall population density of the city is 1,257 persons
per square mile; which classifies Cedar Hill as an urban community. As evidenced in the previous figure,
there is a mix of urban, suburban, and rural population densities in Cedar Hill.
The Insurance Services Organization (ISO) is a national insurance industry organization that evaluates
fire protection for communities across the country. A jurisdiction’s ISO rating is an important factor
when considering fire station and apparatus distribution; since it can affect the cost of fire insurance for
individuals and businesses. For ISO purposes, response areas are measured at 1.5 miles of travel
distance for each engine company; and 2.5 miles for a ladder company (aerial apparatus) on existing
roadways. For a structure to be in a protected rating for insurance purposes, it must be within five miles
of a fire station. The next two figures examine current station and apparatus distribution based on
credentialing criteria for the Insurance Services Organization (ISO).
66
Figure 45: CHFD Engine Company Distribution-ISO Criteria
Nearly 43 percent (42.7 %) of the Cedar Hill road network is within 1.5 miles of a CHFD station. All of the
currently developed portions of Cedar Hill are 5 miles or less from a fire station. CHFD staffs
combination aerial/pumpers (quint) apparatus at stations 211 and 212. The following figure
demonstrates the 2.5 mile service areas for these apparatus.
67
Figure 46: CHFD Aerial Company Distribution-ISO Criteria
The ISO criteria for aerial apparatus distribution is based on the presence and number of buildings over
three stories. ISO provided CHFD with an improvement statement after the last ISO evaluation in 2010.
This statement explains that in order to receive full credit for aerial apparatus, CHFD needs one aerial
apparatus and one ladder service company. ESCI believes there is an opportunity to reduce apparatus
maintenance and replacement costs by removing one quint from service. A fully equipped engine
company should replace the quint apparatus and an equipped engine apparatus should be co-located
68
with the designated truck company to sustain Cedar Hills’ excellent ISO rating. This option is discussed in
the recommendations portion of this report.
The ISO assigned Cedar Hill a public protection classification (PPC) of Class 2 (Class 1 represents
exemplary fire protection) in 2010. The current distribution of stations and apparatus in the CHFD
service area provides sufficient coverage to satisfy ISO criteria. Note that the ISO only addresses fire
suppression activities and is primarily concerned with the geographic coverage of property.
Of equal importance is the travel time required to respond from a fire station to a call for service. The
analysis in the following figure is travel time over the current road network. Travel time is calculated
using the posted speed limit and adjusted for negotiating turns and intersections.
69
Figure 47: CHFD Travel Time Capability-Current Station Locations
The previous figure demonstrates travel time capabilities from the current CHFD station locations. The
next figure displays 2013 emergency incidents and the travel time model to compare travel time
capability to service demand.
70
Figure 48: CHFD Travel Time and Emergency Service Demand, 2013
National standards, such as the NFPA 1710,7 specify that career staffed, urban fire departments should
deploy resources such that 90 percent of emergency service demand can be reached in four minutes
travel or less. Nearly 69 percent of 2013 emergency service demand occurred within four minutes of a
CHFD station. Over 98 percent of emergency incidents were within eight minutes of a CHFD fire station.
7
NFPA 1710, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical
Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments (National Fire Protection Association
2010).
71
Given the current number and location of fire stations, CHFD does not appear able to meet the NFPA
1710 standard for travel time; or the current CHFD response time goal. As demonstrated in the previous
figure, over 800 emergency incidents primarily in the area east of Highway 67 and north of FM 1382
Road (Station 212 first due area) were beyond four minutes travel of a CHFD station in 2013. This
represents nearly 20 percent of overall emergency demand and approximately 40 percent of the Station
212 emergency workload.
Travel time is potentially the longest component of a number of elements, which create the response
continuum that starts when a call for help is received at the 911 center and ends when emergency
responders arrive on scene. In the 2013 CHFD draft Strategic Plan, travel time from the current station
locations is identified as a factor affecting response performance and the possible relocation of Station
212 is discussed. ESCI examines station relocation and other methods to improve response performance
later in this report.
Concentration
Accepted firefighting procedures call for the arrival of the entire initial assignment or effective
firefighting force (sufficient apparatus and personnel to effectively deal with an emergency based on its
level of risk) within a reasonable amount of time. This is to ensure that enough people and equipment
arrive soon enough to safely control a fire or mitigate any emergency before there is substantial damage
or injury. In this analysis, ESCI examines the ability of CHFD to assemble multiple resources across the
study area. The following figure displays the concentration of CHFD stations in the study area in eight
minutes travel.
72
Figure 49: CHFD Station Concentration-Current Station Locations
The majority of the core area of Cedar Hill between stations 211, 212, and 213 is within eight minutes
travel of three CHFD stations. The commercial and retail development on either side of Highway 67 is
also served by three CHFD station in eight minutes. Note that there are only two small portions of the
CHFD service area within eight minutes travel of all four CHFD stations. The next figure demonstrates
the concentration of CHFD and mutual or automatic aid resources within eight minutes travel of the
CHFD service area.
73
Figure 50: CHFD and Mutual Aid Station Concentration
CHFD specifies a full first alarm assignment (ERF-effective response force) of four engine/quints, one
medic, and a battalion chief for a reported structure fire. Eight minutes travel is the NFPA 1710 standard
for travel time for a first alarm assignment. As seen in the previous figure, there is only a small
percentage of the CHFD service area within eight minutes travel of all for CHFD stations. Eight minutes
travel is the NFPA 1710 standard for travel time for a first alarm assignment. The previous figure
demonstrates that utilization of mutual and automatic aid resources allows CHFD to improve the
concentration of resources throughout Cedar Hill, especially the core area between stations 211, 212,
74
and 213. The next figure displays the concentration of personnel available in eight minutes travel from
CHFD stations.
Figure 51: CHFD Personnel Concentration-Minimum Staffing 17
75
Fire service best practices documents recommend 14 to 16 personnel to safely and effectively mitigate a
moderate risk residential structure fire.8 The previous figure illustrates that the Highway 67 corridor and
a the core area of Cedar Hill; which contains the highest amount of risk and the greatest service
demand, is served by 14 CHFD personnel in eight minutes travel. Note that for this analysis, the
battalion chief is considered a mobile resource and is included in the personnel count for all portions of
the CHFD service area.
Reliability
A review of workload by station and response unit can reveal much about response performance and a
department’s ability to assemble adequate resources to mitigate simultaneous incidents. Although fire
stations and response units may be distributed in a manner to provide quick response, that level of
performance can only be obtained when the response unit is available in its primary service area.
Unit hour utilization (UHU) analyzes the amount of time that a unit is not available for response because
it is already committed to another incident. The larger the number, the greater its utilization and the
less available it is for assignment to subsequent calls for service. The following figure displays the total
time CHFD primary response apparatus (staff and utility vehicles are not included) were committed to
an incident in 2013, and expresses this as a percentage of the total year.
Figure 52: CHFD Unit Hour Utilization, 2013
Total Time
Average Time
Apparatus
UHU
Committed
Committed
BC210
174:13:00
33:37
1.99%
E213
453:13:00
20:08
5.17%
E214
167:13:00
24:25
1.91%
M211
1126:55:00
43:06
12.86%
M212
1272:49:00
43:07
14.53%
M213
419:29:00
43:33
4.79%
Q211
358:01:00
20:55
4.09%
Q212
495:15:59
22:13
5.65%
Not surprisingly, the CHFD transport medics display the highest UHU rates. These units respond to
approximately 70 percent of the current CHFD service demand. Transport time to the hospital, patient
handoff, and report writing; increases the time medic units are unavailable. The previous figure also
displays the average time committed to an incident per apparatus during 2013. In general fire apparatus
(engines and quints) are committed to an incident 20 to 25 minutes per incident. The average time
committed for EMS units (medics) is approximately 43 minutes. The following figure illustrates average
time committed and UHU for medic units for an EMS incident resulting in a transport.
8
See: National Fire Protection Association, Standard for Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression
Operations, EMS Operations, and Special Operations (NFPA 1710 and NFPA 1720); and the Commission on Fire
Accreditation (CFAI) Standards of Cover, 5th Edition.
76
Figure 53: CHFD Transport Medic Unit Hour Utilization, 2013
Total Time
Average Time
Apparatus
UHU
Committed
Committed
M211
842:47:00
55:38
9.62%
M212
945:08:00
55:36
10.79%
M213
284:40:00
57:07
3.25%
The average time required for a medic unit to complete an EMS transport ranges from 55 to 57 minutes,
over twice as long as the average time committed for fire apparatus responses. In the next figure, ESCI
examines the average and total time CHFD apparatus are committed to an incident, summarized by
incident category.
Figure 54: Apparatus Average Time and Total Time Committed by Incident Category, 2013
Fire Responses – NFIRS
Category 1, 2 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Apparatus
BC210
Q211
Q212
E213
E214
M211
M212
M213
Average Time
Committed
38:52
25:05
27:27
20:08
27:19
37:45
37:32
36:21
Total Time
Committed
136:02:00
176:01:00
237:28:00
182:09:00
98:46:00
39:01:00
60:40:00
15:45:00
EMS Responses – NFIRS Category 3
Average Time
Committed
22:41
18:01
18:53
20:08
21:10
43:19
43:27
43:53
Total Time
Committed
38:11:00
182:00:00
257:47:59
271:04:00
68:27:00
1087:54:00
1212:09:00
403:44:00
Simultaneous or concurrent incidents can affect a fire department’s ability to muster sufficient
resources to respond to additional emergencies. The following figure demonstrates the percentage of
the time that CHFD resources were committed to more than one incident at the same time in 2013.
Figure 55: CHFD Concurrent Incidents, 2013
Concurrent Incidents
Percentage
Single Incident
62.7%
2
28.5%
3
6.8%
4
1.6%
5 or More
0.4%
Nearly 63 percent of CHFD service demand occurred as a single incident in 2013. Approximately 37
percent of incidents occur concurrently. The percentage of concurrent incidents is comparable to other
fire jurisdictions with similar service demand and EMS transport responsibility.
The following figure details the instances of multiple apparatus being committed to a single incident.
Incidents are summarized by incident category. Apparatus cancelled prior to arrival and mutual aid
apparatus are not included in the analysis.
77
Figure 56: CHFD Apparatus Drawdown, 2013
Multiple Apparatus by Incident Category
Count of
Apparatus
Fire Response
EMS Response
Overall
Single
Apparatus
63.2%
50.1%
53.0%
2
3
4
16.1%
46.8%
40.0%
9.5%
2.2%
3.8%
5.9%
0.8%
2.0%
5 or More
Apparatus
5.4%
0.1%
1.2%
In this figure “Fire Response” refers to all incidents where the primary response apparatus is a fire
apparatus; and “EMS Response” includes all incidents where a medic unit is the primary response
apparatus. Two or more apparatus respond to over 50 percent of EMS incidents. Implementation of
criteria based dispatch protocols for EMS incidents (dispatch of a single unit to non-emergency calls for
medical assistance); provides an opportunity to reduce resource drawdown and improve response
performance.
The ability of a fire station’s first-due unit(s) to respond to an incident within its assigned response area
is known as unit or station reliability. The following figure demonstrates the percentage of incidents that
a first-due apparatus for each of the CHFD station areas was the first apparatus on scene in their
particular station area.
Figure 57: Station Reliability
Station
Station
Station
Station
211
212
213
214
91.6%
91.7%
89.8%
88.0%
In ESCI’s experience, station reliability rates below 85 percent can lead to worsening response
performance because back up apparatus must respond from outside the primary station area. This is
affirmed in industry best practices publications such as the Commission on Fire Accreditation (CFAI)
Standards of Cover, 5th Edition. The reliability rate for CHFD stations is greater than 85 percent.
The next figure in the reliability study displays the workload of each of the four CHFD stations.
78
Figure 58: CHFD Workload by Station Area, 2013
50.0%
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
Station 211
Station 212
Station 213
Station 214
All Incidents
21.3%
46.3%
27.2%
5.2%
Priority Incidents
20.2%
47.5%
27.6%
4.7%
As seen in the previous figure, Station 212 handles nearly 50 percent of CHFD service demand; while
slightly over five percent of 2013 service demand occurred in the Station 214 area. Service demand is
evenly distributed in the Station 211 and 213 first due areas. There are two concerns with the Station
212 workload. First, as discussed earlier, much of the current demand is beyond four minutes travel of
the current Station 212; which affects response performance. Secondly, as demand in the Station 212
response area increases, Station 212 apparatus will be less likely to be available to respond; which will
also negatively affect response performance. A possible solution is to move additional resources from an
underutilized station, such as Station 214, into the Station 212 service area, especially during times of
high demand.
Response Performance
Perhaps the most publicly visible component of an emergency services delivery system is that of
response performance. Most citizens and policymakers alike want to know how quickly they can expect
to receive services. In the performance summary, ESCI examines emergency response performance for
the CHFD service area, using incident data from the Southwest Regional Communications Center
(SWRCC), provided by CHFD. Non-emergency incidents, mutual or auto aid incidents outside the CHFD
service area, data outliers, and invalid data are removed from the data set whenever possible.
ESCI measured total response time from the time of the receipt of the alarm at the 911 center to when
the first apparatus arrived on the scene of the emergency. ESCI calculated both average and 90th
percentile data for these emergency incidents. The use of percentile measurement of total response
time performance follows the recommendations of the NFPA standards and the Center for Public Safety
Excellence (CPSE/CFAI) Standards of Cover document.
Fire department leaders and policy makers often use “average” response performance measures since
the term is commonly used and widely understood. The most important reason for not using average for
79
performance standards is that it may not accurately reflect the performance for the entire data set, and
can be easily skewed by data outliers. Percentile measurements are a better measure of performance
since they show that the large majority of the data set has achieved a particular level of performance.
The first figure in this section of the report displays overall emergency response time frequency
throughout the CHFD study area.
Frequency of Incidents
Figure 59: CHFD Response Frequency, 2013 Priority Incidents
1000
100.00%
900
90.00%
800
80.00%
700
70.00%
600
60.00%
500
400
Average
Response Time:
06:21
300
50.00%
90th Percentile
Response Time:
9:04
40.00%
30.00%
200
20.00%
100
10.00%
0
0.00%
Minutes
The most frequently recorded response time for emergency calls is within the sixth minute. Specifically,
the average is six minutes 21 seconds, with 90 percent (90th percentile) of all emergency incidents
answered in nine minutes four seconds or less. The previous figure measures total response time. Total
response time is comprised of several different components:
•
•
•
•
Call Processing Time – The amount of time between when a dispatcher answers the 911 call and
resources are dispatched.
Turnout Time – The time interval between when units are notified of the incident and when the
apparatus are en route.
Travel Time – The amount of time the responding unit actually spends travelling to the incident.
Total Response Time – Total Response Time equals the combination of “Processing Time,”
“Turnout Time,” and “Travel Time.”
The following figure examines CHFD 2013 performance for the various components of total response
time.
80
Figure 60: CHFD Overall Response Performance, 2013 Priority Incidents
Total Response Time Continuum
Call
Turnout
Travel
Total Response
Processing
Time
Time
Time
Average
01:19
00:48
04:13
06:21
90th
02:00
01:29
06:36
09:04
Percentile
Tracking the individual pieces of total response time assists with identifying deficiencies and areas for
improvement. The NFPA 1710 standard specifies that call-processing time should not exceed 60 seconds
(measured at the 90th percentile).
Figure 61: NFPA Recommendations
Response Element
NFPA Recommendation
Call Processing9
0:60 @ 95th%
0:60 @ 90th % for Medical
Turnout
1:20 @ 90th % for Fire
Response
4:00 @ 90th %
8:00 @ 90th %
The previous figure demonstrates that call-processing time exceeds the 60-second goal by a full minute
at the 90th percentile. Most modern dispatch centers are regional multiagency, multidisciplinary (law
enforcement, Fire, EMS) agencies, and call-processing time is generally not under the direct control of
the fire department. Fire department leaders need to be aware of call processing time and work
cooperatively with the dispatch agency to meet standards.
The second component of the response continuum is turnout time. The following figure displays CHFD
90th percentile turnout time performance in 2013, summarized for fire and EMS responses.
Figure 62: CHFD 90th Percentile Turnout Time, 2013
Turnout Time Performance
Fire
EMS
90th Percentile
01:44
01:26
CHFD turnout time performance ranges from one minute 26 seconds for EMS calls to one minute 44
seconds for fire apparatus. Recommended turnout time for all emergency incidents is less than 90
seconds, 90 percent of the time. Turnout time performance is slightly longer than current NFPA
recommendations. Good training and properly designed facilities can minimize the time required to don
appropriate equipment, assemble at the response vehicle, and begin travel to the incident.
As discussed in the Distribution Analysis, travel time is potentially the longest component of total
response time. The distance between the fire station and the location of the emergency influences total
response time the most. The quality and connectivity of streets, traffic, and geography are also factors.
9
NFPA 1221: Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems.
81
In the following figure, ESCI examines travel time and total response time for each of the CHFD station
areas, measured at the 90th percentile.
Figure 63: CHFD 90th Percentile Travel Time and Total Response Time by Station, 2013
12:00
10:00
08:00
06:00
04:00
02:00
00:00
Station 211
Station 212
Station 213
Station 214
Travel Time
05:47
06:38
06:28
08:13
Response Time
08:02
09:04
08:51
10:56
ESCI displays travel time performance and total response time performance together in Figure 62, to
demonstrate the direct correlation between travel time and total response time. As travel time
increases by station area, there is a corresponding increase in total response time. Total response time
ranges from a low in the Station 211 area of eight minutes two seconds; to a high of 10 minutes 56
seconds in the Station 214 first due area.
The last figure in the Response Performance analysis combines all four components of the overall total
response continuum and tracks performance throughout 24 hours in 2013.
82
Figure 64: CHFD 90th Percentile Response Performance by Hour of the Day, 2013 Priority Incidents
Midnight
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Noon
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
12:00
11:00
10:00
09:00
08:00
07:00
06:00
05:00
04:00
03:00
02:00
01:00
00:00
Call Processing
Turnout Time
Travel Time
Total Response Time
Calculating and tracking the components of total response time allows fire department leaders to
identify trends and correct specific deficiencies. Note that total response time increases during the late
night and early morning hours. This reflects the increased turnout time during these hours. Travel time
ranges from slightly over six minutes to slightly over seven minutes throughout the day. Call processing
time fluctuates from one minute 45 seconds to two minutes 18 seconds. The longest call processing
times occur in the late afternoon through early evening hours when service demand for the fire
department and the 911 center is the highest.
In general, CHFD service delivery and response performance compares well to fire departments with
similar service demand, area served, stations, apparatus, and personnel.
Throughout the Service Delivery and Performance Analysis, ESCI has referred to the NFPA 1710
standards. Note that the NFPA standards are simply a point of reference against which performance can
be measured. The standards are not mandates or requirements. However, they do represent industry
best practices and should be viewed as desirable goals. The CFAI Standards of Cover, 5 th Edition is also
regarded as an industry best practice. This document recommends adopting response goals and
standards that are based on community risk and expectations, current response capabilities, and
standards to maximize response effectiveness throughout the service area.
Mutual and Automatic Aid Systems
There are numerous mutual aid agreements, formal and informal, in place between fire, police, and
emergency medical agencies in the Cedar Hill area. Mutual aid is typically employed on an “as needed”
basis where units are called for and specified one by one through an incident commander.
83
Automatic aid agreements differ from mutual aid agreements in that under certain mutually agreed
upon criteria, resources from the assisting agency are automatically dispatched as part of the initial
response. These agreements facilitate closest unit dispatch to emergencies in boundary areas and allow
for the dispatch of additional apparatus and personnel to specific predefined emergencies. Automatic
aid response areas are defined in the CHFD dispatch protocols. In 2013, CHFD received mutual or
automatic aid 511 times and provided aid 604 times. CHFD provides service to the portions of the Lake
Ridge area west of Station 214 that are located in Grand Prairie through an intergovernmental
agreement. CHFD and the surrounding fire jurisdictions use mutual or automatic aid extensively and
effectively.
The following figure displays the portions of the CHFD service areas that are within eight minutes travel
from a mutual/automatic aid station.
84
Figure 65: CHFD Mutual or Automatic Aid-8 Minutes Travel
As discussed in the Distribution Analysis, mutual/automatic aid resources increase the concentration of
resources available to the areas of highest demand and risk in Cedar Hill.
85
SUPPORT PROGRAMS – TRAINING
Providing safe and effective fire and emergency services requires a well-trained workforce. Training and
education of personnel are critical functions for each study agency. Without quality, comprehensive
training programs emergency outcomes are compromised and emergency personnel are at risk. One of
the most important jobs in any department is the thorough training of responders. The personnel have
the right to demand good training and the department has the obligation to provide it.
Initial training of newly hired firefighters is essential, requiring a structured recruit training and testing
process. Beyond introductory training, personnel need to be actively engaged on a regular basis and
tested regularly to ensure skills and knowledge are maintained. To accomplish this task, the fire
department must either have a sufficient number of instructors within its own organization or work with
their regional partners to provide those resources. The training program should be based on a
structured annual plan and educational sessions should be formal and follow prescribed lesson plans
that meet specific objectives.
In the following pages, ESCI reviews CHFD training practices, compares them to national standards and
best practices, and recommends modifications where they are found to be appropriate.
General Training Competencies
For training to be fully effective, it should be based on established standards. There are a variety of
sources for training standards. CHFD uses the NFPA, the International Fire Service Training Association
(IFSTA), and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) as the basis for its fire suppression training
practices. Texas Emergency Medical Services/CHFD Medical Director standards are used as the baseline
for medical training coursework.
86
Figure 66: Survey Table – General Training Competencies
Survey Components
Observations
General Training Competency
Ensure all personnel have ICS
NIMS 100 through 700 available for
training commensurate with their
all employees. Company and chief
position and NIMS requirements.
A. Incident command system
officers trained to a higher level.
Document and maintain ICS training
Trying to get officers to NFA classes. records. Establish a company officer
training and development program.
Adopt and implement a personal
B. Accountability procedures
Train on Mayday drills.
accountability system in accordance
with NFPA 1500.
Standardize high-risk low frequency
Yes for high-risk low frequency
C. Policy and procedures
policies at the tri cities regional
operations.
level.
Adopt a department safety policy
Some training, “Courage to be Safe”
that addresses LCES components.
D. Safety procedures
state mandate.
Implement a close call reporting and
training system.
Certified FF two-week orientation
and FTO 8 weeks with benchmarks
and task books. Paramedics 5 shifts
on ambulance with FTO, 10 shifts
E. Recruit training
with preceptor, adult and pediatric
mega code, hospital orientation,
non-certified FF sent to Desoto 16
week academy.
Clearly define rope rescue program
No confined space. Working on
and procedure for confined space
F. Special rescue (high angle,
better rope rescue program. Dallas
rescue, and what role CHFD will play
confined space, etc.)
TF 2 can be utilized.
to support confined space rescue
team.
Conduct annual training with
Trained to first responder level, no
Hazmat team to demonstrate first
G. Hazardous materials
other training, use mutual aid for
responder operations level
Hazmat team
functions with full team
Define and document all wild land
training levels. All personnel should
27 people trained through S130-90,
be trained to awareness level and
H. Wildland firefighting
State type 6 engine training, 8
the NWCG S130/190 level and
trained to higher level.
company officers to the Engine Boss
level.
Local auto extrication using vehicles.
Recently completed in-house
I. Vehicle extrication
training. Each engine carries
spreaders, shears, and rams. Air
bags.
Occasional Certified Emergency
Implement driver operator task
Vehicle Operator, periodic driver
book program to include
J. Defensive driving
training. Utilize task book for fire
ambulances and other department
apparatus.
vehicles.
87
Survey Components
K. Use and care of small tools
L. Radio communications & dispatch
protocol?
M. EMS skills and protocol
Observations
Minimal training. Did produce
YouTube video, care, and utilization
covered in station training.
Not on a regular basis.
4 hours a month with contract
educator.
Regionalize EMS scenario-based
training with Tri-Cities partner
agencies.

Ensure all personnel have ICS training commensurate with their position and NIMS requirements.
Document and maintain ICS training records. Establish a company officer training and development
program.

Adopt a department safety policy that addresses LCES components. Implement a close call reporting and
training system.

Define and document all wild land training levels. All personnel should be trained to awareness level and
the NWCG S130/190 level and company officers to the engine boss level.

Regionalize EMS scenario-based training with Tri-Cities partner agencies.
Discussion
New Personnel Training
Proper training of emergency services personnel starts prior to being hired or joining an agency. Specific
knowledge and skills must be obtained to achieve a basic understanding of the roles and responsibilities
of an emergency responder. CHFD has addressed this need by providing Firefighter I and II certification
level training at a recognized regional or state fire academy. CHFD will sponsor new employees who
have not completed fire academy training as part of the hiring and initial field training requirements.
Subsequent to initial hire, new hires are placed on a two-week orientation schedule of CHFD specific
training that is supplemental to what they have obtained to meet the minimum requirements of
Firefighter I and II education. New hires are place with a field training officer for eight weeks with
established benchmarks and task book training requirements. The additional training is conducted to
insure that the new hire is adequately familiarized with equipment and practices specific to the CHFD.
Firefighter Accountability System Training
Firefighter accountability is a safety-critical consideration, designed to track where personnel are during
an ongoing fire event. Systems vary in configuration but are based on similar fundamental elements. The
key to assuring safety of fire personnel is providing adequate training on a system that is consistent with
best practices.
88
CHFD has adopted and periodically trained on a personnel accountability system, which is a widely
accepted standard. However, in the course of stakeholder interviews, ESCI learned that the CHFD does
conduct “mayday” drills to address fire scene search and rescue of firefighters in distress. ESCI
recommends that CHFD seek to develop a standardized and commonly accepted accountability system
in the region. Accountability practices found in NFPA 1500 are the best suited as an industry standard.10
Wildland Firefighting Training
The CHFD area is subject to wildland-based fires, which sometimes present a risk of exposure to
structures within the service area, referred to as “wildland-urban interface” areas. To address the need,
a fleet of two brush fire vehicles is maintained and department personnel are equipped to combat
wildland fires and protect exposed structures.
Fighting wildland fires is highly dangerous, requiring specialized skills and knowledge and large
coordinated regional and statewide response. Given Cedar Hill’s significant wildland and urban interface
risk and possibility of significant wildfire event, it is imperative that all department personnel have a
strong working knowledge of the Texas Interagency Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS), a state-wide response
program which addresses large scale structural and wildland fire situations.
Because any CHFD firefighter is likely to be called upon to fight this type of fire, baseline wildland
training is necessary. ESCI recommends that the department adopt a minimum training requirement for
all personnel at the S-130/S-190 level as defined by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), a
nationally accepted standard. In addition to ensure safe and reliable decision-making and leadership
during these highly dynamic and dangerous events, all company officers should receive additional
training to the NWCG “engine boss” training level.
Firefighter Safety Training
Firefighter safety is generally incorporated into routine training activities addressed in the course of
regular training, but is not separated specifically as dedicated safety training. Safety education could be
more effectively delivered by incorporating the national “Fire Safety Initiatives” and the “Firefighter
Close Call” reporting system. A close call reporting and review system should be in place to ensure
release of initial observation and recommendations relating to any significant safety or close call
incident within 72 hours of occurrence. A program such as the California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection (Cal Fire) “green sheet” near miss reporting system is a good model to review and
replicate.
Pre-Incident Planning
A pre-incident (or pre-fire) plan is a simple document that is developed for commercial occupancies and
target hazard buildings for the purpose of providing firefighters with information about a building,
should a fire occur there. Information is typically gathered regarding a building’s configuration, exiting,
protection systems, and hazards that may present themselves to a firefighter in the event of an incident.
Pre-incident plans help to make firefighting more effective and to provide for increased firefighter
10
NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program.
89
safety. CHFD has not established a pre-incident planning process. ESCI recommends the department
develop a pre-incident planning program.
Minimum Training Requirements
CHFD personnel are generally trained to the Firefighter I and II level as defined by NFPA and TCFP
standards. The department has not, however, established well-defined minimum training level
requirements and associated task books for personnel or standards that are required at various levels of
rank. ESCI was informed that establishing rank-based training requirements is currently being
considered by the department, an undertaking that is recommended.
Similarly, targeted training for department officers, which is now completed only periodically, should be
conducted on a regular and ongoing basis and should be tied to establish TCFP and Texas Fire Chiefs best
practices minimum requirements. The training should be structured in the form of an officer
development program.
Figure 67: Survey Table – Training Program Administration and Management
Survey Components
Observations
Training Administration
On-shift battalion chief assigned to
Explore regional (Tri-Cities) training
A. Director of training program
manage training 16 hours of OT a
officer.
month.
i) EMS Training
BC dedicated to EMS.
Instructor certifications through
B. Education or background
TCFP and DSHS.
C. Program goals and objectives
Safety and timed standards are
identified
reviewed/no requirement.
D. Governing body support and
City Manager has expressed belief in
concurrence
training as a priority.
E. Personnel knowledge and
Most personnel understand the
understanding
program.
Recordkeeping
Consider use of on-line training such
A. Individual training files
Yes
as Target Solutions for appropriate
maintained
topics and training requirements.
B. Records and files computerized
Yes
C. Daily training records
Yes, Firehouse.
D. Company training records
Yes, Firehouse.
Ensure lesson plans are in place and
E. Lesson plans used
Sometimes, not all.
in electronic format for all training
sessions.
F. Pre-fire planning included in
Include pre-fire plans in appropriate
Not recently.
training
training sessions.
90
Survey Components
Administrative Priority
A. Budget allocated to training
B. Using certified instructors
Observations
Yes, line item
Yes
C. Annual training report produced
No
D. Adequate training space/facilities
and equipment
No
E. Maintenance of training facilities
Establish a Training Advisory
Committee (TAC) that produces an
annual training plan and binder.
Identify options for a regional tricities training site. Submit an AFG
grant for a Tri-Cities burn trailer.
Explore a regional training facility.

Explore a full time regional (Tri-Cities) training officer.

Establish a Training Advisory Committee (TAC) that produces an annual training plan and binder.

Identify options for a regional Tri-Cities training site. Submit an AFG grant for a Tri-Cities burn trailer.
Discussion
The CHFD training program operates under the oversight of a single battalion chief assigned to a shift as
an operational battalion chief. The position is a not dedicated to training and must perform the
administration and coordination of training in addition to his shift battalion chief duties. The BC/training
is well qualified with 20 plus years of experience and appropriate credentials for training program
management. He works with no administrative support or other assistance with coursework delivery.
Training Program Administration
The training program is marginally staffed with one operational shift based battalion chief position
managing training as an additional management responsibility. This staffing model has resulted in a
significant workload when you consider providing requisite training for fire, EMS and disaster response
services, professional development and operational oversight, and responsibility for managing a shift as
a battalion chief. The City, having recognized the need to keep pace with community growth, plans to
add a fire station and enhanced regional partnerships which will result in a significantly increased
training workload by adding people that need to be trained. ESCI encourages CHFD to reevaluate the
resources assigned to this function and add personnel and funding, as needed.
ESCI recommends the City consider dedicating one FTE position to the training division. In addition, it is
recommends that opportunities be explored for shared training delivery and cost sharing in partnership
with Tri-City neighboring agencies to mitigate the current unmet and long-range future demands that
will be placed on the training program.
We also recommend CHFD consider developing a Training Advisory Committee including diverse
representation from various ranks, stations, and subject matter experts. This group can be very effective
91
identifying training needs as well as recommending relevant strategies to meet departmental, shift,
company, and individual needs.
Training Program Planning
While the training program operates effectively overall, it does so in the absence of a structured
program planning process with input and contributions from members of the organization. To be fully
effective, training delivery should be based on:
•
•
•
•
•
Periodic training needs assessments
Defined annual program goals based on the needs assessment
Specific delivery objectives addressing program goals
A process of performance measuring and monitoring
Periodic re-evaluation and modification
ESCI recommends a “Training Advisory Committee” be utilized to develop the annual training plan based
on the above criteria including clearly defined program goals and objectives.
Training Resources and Methodology
To be able to deliver effective training to fire and EMS personnel, some resources are necessary to arm
the trainer with the tools needed to provide adequate educational content. In addition to tools,
effective methodologies must be employed for delivery to be sufficient to meet needs.
Figure 68: Survey Table – Training Resources, Scheduling and Methodology
Survey Components
Observations
Training Facilities and Resources
A. Training facilities (tower, props,
pits)
i) Live fire prop
ii) Fire and driving grounds
B. Classroom facilities
C. VCR, projectors, computer
simulations
D. Books, magazines, instructional
materials
Inadequate
Need
Pursue a regional Tri-Cities training
facility.
Submit regional (Tri-Cities) AFG
grant.
Use parking lots.
Good
Good
Adequate
2 copies of promotional books in
stations, fire engineering digital with
access for all personnel.
Training Procedures Manual
A. Manual developed and used
Does not utilize local.
B. IFSTA manuals used
Training Scheduling
A. Career training schedule
B. Volunteer training schedule
Yes
92
Yes, master calendar.
N/A
Establish local training manuals and
task books by position.
Survey Components
C. Minimum training hours,
competencies
Methodology Used for Training
A. Manipulative
B. Task performances
C. Annual training hours
D. Use of lesson plans
E. Night drills
F. Multi-agency drills
G. Inter-station drills
H. Physical standards or
requirements
I. Annual performance evaluation
conducted
Observations
Yes, 18 hours per year in general fire
subjects state minimums.
No, competency training for CHFD
standards.
Validate and implement regional fire
training competency standards for
high risk/low frequency operations,
e.g. vertical ventilation standard.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Occasionally
Yes
Every November live burn training,
night drills.
Yes
Yes
Quarterly
Quarterly or greater
No
Yes, electronic.
J. Employee development program
Yes
Establish career development
committee and career path policy
for all positions within the CHFD.
Operations and Performance
A. Disaster drills conducted
B. Attention to safety
C. Post incident critique (After
Action Review)
D. Priority by management toward
training
Not in Cedar Hill, but participate in
regional exercises.
Not practiced regularly.
Yes, every working fire and other
major incidents, not conducting
tailgate debrief.
Number one priority.
Host annual disaster drill in Cedar
Hill.
Implement a culture of safety
program e.g. “Just Culture,”
“Everyone Goes Home,” or “Crew
Resource Management CRM.”
Implement consistent AAR process
with a consistent method of review
and lessons learned. Utilize TAC
Committee to assist with
development.
Aware of young inexperienced
department. Need to train.
Key Recommendation:

Pursue a regional Tri-Cities training facility.

Validate and implement regional fire training competency standards for high risk/low frequency
operations, e.g. vertical ventilation standard.

Implement a culture of safety program e.g. “Just Culture,” “Everyone Goes Home,” or “Crew Resource
Management CRM.”.
93
Discussion
CHFD has made a recent focused commitment to training. Specifically, the fire chief has taken a
leadership role in clearly defining the desire and commitment for a strong and relevant training
program.
Training Manual
A departmental training manual is the foundation upon which the delivery of educational content is
based. In the absence of this kind of document, personnel will tend to train in “the way we do it here,”
rather than in a manner that is consistent with the department’s established operational practices and
standards.
Some components of a training manual are in place. However, none are fully complete and all are standalone documents. The development of a single, comprehensive, departmental training manual will
prove to be invaluable in meeting growing training demands. ESCI recommends the CHFD identify highrisk low-frequency elements and develop subsequent training components for inclusion in the training
manual. It is further recommended that the training manual be developed in coordination with the
previously recommend training advisory committee and Tri-City regional partner participation.
Professional Development
Beyond the regular training offered to general staff, certain individuals should be offered specific officer
development training in order to prepare them for more responsibility as they progress through the
agency’s command structure. Placing individuals in positions of authority without first giving them the
tools to succeed often ends in failure and discouragement by both the officer and their subordinates.
ESCI recommends that the CHFD work with their Tri-City partners to establish standardized professional
development programs and conduct them on a regional basis.
Training Delivery Methodology – Competency-Based Training
The amount of training delivered to CHFD personnel is currently based on contact hours. The
fundamental objective is to deliver 240 hours of training annually, a measure used by the Insurance
Services Office (ISO) for purposes of fire department ratings. Other minimums are in place including
those related to state certification maintenance.
An hours-based approach is appropriate and generally effective. However, the shortcoming of this
methodology is that sometimes training will be delivered simply to meet minimum hour requirements
when, in fact, the individuals receiving the training are already fully versed in the subject matter. Time in
this instance would be better spent by 1) subjecting the students to a skills performance demonstration
and 2) once competency in the skill area is demonstrated, use the remaining time to address new skills
or subject areas.
Under a competency-based system, an evaluation of skill performance is conducted at scheduled
intervals to determine if the person being evaluated can perform the tasks in accordance with predetermined standards. Those skills that are performed well require no additional training. Those skills
not performed well are practiced until the standard is met. This approach maximizes the time used for
94
effective training. Further, it ensures that members are performing at an established level. Specialty
skills can be evaluated in the same manner with further training provided as needed. Ideally, the
competency-based training approach is used on an ongoing basis. For example, each quarter different
skills are evaluated on an individual basis.
To institute a competency-based approach to training, all of the needed skills must be documented to
describe the standard of performance expected. This would include all skills such as hose handling,
apparatus operation, EMS procedures and protocols, use of equipment and tools, forcible entry,
ventilation, tactics and strategy, and others.
As discussed above, CHFD’s training program is generally designed around training content that is
identified as necessary to meet ISO criteria while also making use of the TCFP standards and continuing
education requirements. Implementation of a competency-based approach to identifying training
needs, using Job Performance Requirement (JPR) guidelines as a foundation, offers a more effective and
efficient method of training program management, which will also address ISO standards.
Physical Standards and Periodic Skills Evaluation
It is important that a fire department adopt appropriate standards that set minimum physical capability
levels and that demonstration of skills competence is required periodically.
As has been discussed earlier in the Personnel Management section, CHFD uses an internally designed
physical standards screening process. When screening is performed, an internal validation process is
used which may not be fully consistent with best practices. Adoption of a nationally recognized
standard, such as the CPAT program, is recommended.11
Regular testing of hands-on skills competency is essential to assure not only that personnel are receiving
adequate training, but they also are able to put their knowledge and skills into practice. A program of
periodic skills testing will not only enable the department to verify personnel possess the necessary
capabilities, but it also provides a valuable tool for assessing the effectiveness and subsequent training
calendar needs of the organization’s training program.
CHFD does not routinely undertake a skills testing process. Doing so can be accomplished by completing
an annual evaluation process. Alternatively, skills assessment can be incorporated into the ongoing
training plan on a weekly or monthly basis. ESCI recommends a system of annual individual skills
proficiency testing be established.
Training Facilities and Resources
ESCI learned that hands-on training facilities are limited in the area. As a result, most training has to be
completed using available buildings and parking lots. ESCI has included a recommendation for the longterm development of a training site, when funding and space becomes available.
11
http://www.iaff.org/hs/CPAT/cpat_index.html.
95
Classroom instruction is an essential component of preparing emergency responders with knowledge
and skills. A training facility or drill ground is a second indispensable element. Training facilities provide a
controlled and safe environment to simulate emergencies, developing and testing the skills of
emergency workers. It is recommended that the CHFD work with its regional Tri-City partners in
establishing a location and design of a suitable training location to meet the current and future training
needs for the region.
In conclusion, ESCI finds that the CHFD training program lacks many of the foundational structural
elements that are expected to be seen in a fully effective program in an organization the size of the
CHFD. This is not to say that personnel are not capable and appropriately educated, but that a need
exists for improved structure, management, and establishment of clear standards and requirements.
The department is encouraged to assign a high level of priority to training program improvements.
SUPPORT PROGRAMS – LIFE SAFETY SERVICES (FIRE PREVENTION)
It is widely acknowledged that it is far more effective to prevent fires than it is to fight them. The
financial impact of a fire goes far beyond the cost of extinguishment, representing a larger cost in the
loss that is incurred by an individual building owner and that of lost revenue to a community. A strong
fire prevention program, based on effective application of relevant codes and ordinances, reduces loss
of property, life, and the personal disruption that accompanies a catastrophic fire.
The fundamental components of an effective fire prevention program are listed in the following table,
accompanied by the elements needed to address each component.
Figure 69: Fire Prevention Program Components
Fire Prevention Program Components
Elements Needed to Address Program Components
Fire Code Enforcement
Public education.
Specialized education.
Public Fire and Life Safety Education
Juvenile fire setter intervention.
Prevention information dissemination.
Fire cause and origin determination.
Fire Cause Investigation
Fire death investigation.
Arson investigation and prosecution.
Discussion
CHFD has developed a healthy appreciation for the importance of fire prevention and public education.
The fire marshal understands that, through assertive code enforcement, a fire department should
actively promote the use of fire resistive construction, built-in warning and fire suppression systems and
maintenance of fire safe buildings to minimize risk to fire and health challenges.
96
In the following data tables, the program components listed in the chart above are compared to the
initiatives under way in Cedar Hill.
Figure 70: Survey Table – Fire Prevention Code Enforcement
Survey Components
Observations
Code Enforcement
A. Fire codes adopted
i) Code used – year/version
2009 International Fire Code.
B. Local codes or ordinances
adopted, amendments
Multiple amendments based on the
North Central Texas COG included in
code adoption.
C. Residential sprinkler ordinance in
place
No
Upgrade fire code adoption to the
2012 International Fire Code.
Seek means by which to encourage
or require the installation of fire
sprinklers in new residential
construction.

Upgrade fire code adoption to the 2012 International Fire Code.

Seek means by which to encourage or require the installation of fire sprinklers in new residential
construction.
Discussion
Fire and Life Safety Code Enforcement
The City of Cedar Hill has adopted the 2009 edition of the International Fire Code detailed in Section
6.21 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, and has supplemented the code with multiple local code
amendments. The amendments are regionally developed via the North Central Texas Council of
Governments and are appropriately developed. Fire code enforcement and administration in CHFD is
the responsibility of the Cedar Hill fire marshal that is supported by one inspector and is also able to use
line personnel for inspection work.
Adoption of the most current available fire code assures that fire and life safety efforts are consistent
with current standards and best practices. ESCI recommends that the City adopt the 2012 International
Fire Code for this reason.
The Cedar Hill area is primarily residential and commercial in nature and the surrounding area,
generally, does not experience a high degree of wildland fire exposure. However, within Cedar Hill, ESCI
observed some areas that may present a wildland/urban interface risk exposure. For this reason, it is
recommended the City evaluate the applicability of the Wildland Urban Interface Code to the
jurisdiction and consider adoption.
97
New Construction Plan Review and Inspection
It is imperative that plans for construction of new buildings be subjected to a fire and life safety plan
review process. When a new building is proposed within a fire department’s boundaries, the new
structure becomes the protection responsibility of that department for the life of that building. If it is
not constructed according to code, it may become a problem for the firefighters in the future and a risk
to the community. Consequently, the fire department has a fundamental interest in ensuring a structure
is properly constructed.
Figure 71: Survey Table – New Construction Plan Review and Inspection
Comments and
Survey Components
Observations
Recommendations
New Construction Inspections and Involvements
A. Consulted in proposed
new construction
B. Perform fire and life
safety plan review
C. Sign-off on new
construction
D. Charges for inspections
or reviews
Third party contractor
conducts sprinkler and
alarm plan reviews. Fire
marshal does plan reviews
on some commercial and
City buildings.
Fire marshal sign off is
required on third party plan
review.
No. Included in the building
permit fees.
Develop practices to
monitor the effectiveness
of third party new
construction plan reviews
and cross check results
periodically.
Key Recommendation:

Develop practices to monitor the effectiveness of third party new construction plan reviews and cross
check results periodically.
Discussion
CHFD’s new construction practices are appropriately developed. The fire prevention staff completes
most of the reviews, with the exception of large sprinkler and alarm reviews. Sprinkler and fire alarm
reviews consisting of over 20 detection or suppression devices are conducted by an external third party
contract provider. The practice of doing so is commonly found and is appropriate.
The department reports that 60 inspections were completed by CHFD personnel in reference to new
construction plan reviews during the period of May through December of 2013 (the only data available).
The inspections are those that are necessary to assure compliance in the building process, subsequent
to the fire and life safety plan review. They are completed by the fire department staff rather than by
the plan review contractor.
98
Because of the importance of assuring the new buildings are designed and constructed properly, it is
essential that an agency assure that the sprinkler and alarm plan review contractor is completing the
process properly. For this reason, random or periodic sampling and review of work is recommended.
Existing Occupancy Inspection Program
Existing property inspections, to find and eliminate potential life hazards, are an essential part of the
overall fire protection system. These efforts are most effective when completed by individuals having
the proper combination of training and experience, and when completed with appropriate frequency.
Figure 72: Survey Table – Existing Occupancy Inspection Program
Survey Components
Observations
General Inspection Program
Performed by the fire marshal and
A. Perform existing occupancy
inspector. By line personnel on
inspections
lower risk occupancies.
B. Special risk inspections
Yes
C. Storage tank inspections
Yes
D. Key-box entry program in place
Knox Box program is in place.
Fire Department typically flow test
E. Hydrant flow records maintained
hydrants as needed relative to
building permits only.
F. Self-inspection program in place
None
Goal of annual inspection of all
.
G. Frequency of inspections
commercial occupancies. Estimated
80% success.
H. Citation process in place and
Yes
formally documented/adopted
i) Court-cited to
Municipal Court.
I. Inspections computerized
Tracked in Firehouse Software.
J. Community feedback system in
None
place
Fire marshal, 1 inspector, shift
K. Number of personnel devoted to
personnel. Only driver is certified as
program
an inspector (12 drivers).
L. Fees for specialty inspections
None
Discussion
The department has made a strong commitment to the completion of inspections in existing
occupancies. There are 1,577 occupancies in the City subject to periodic fire and life safety inspections.
In the 2013 reporting year, the fire marshal and his staff report that 1,775 inspections were completed
in the inspectable occupancies, which calculates to an 88% annual inspection rate. The percentage is
better than what is found in many fire departments.
The fire marshal has indicated a goal of 100 percent annual inspection completion in all commercial
occupancies and is well on the way to achieving what is viewed as a commendable goal.
99
As a point of reference, the recommended frequency for commercial fire safety inspections varies by the
type of property, classified by degree of hazard. NFPA provides a standard for recommended inspections
by hazard class, as listed in the following table:
Figure 73: Recommended Fire Inspection Frequencies
Hazard
Classification
Example Facilities
Recommended
Inspection
Frequency
Low
Apartment common areas, small stores and offices, medical offices,
storage of other than flammable or hazardous materials.
Annual
Moderate
Gas stations, large (>12,000 square feet) stores and offices, restaurants,
schools, hospitals, manufacturing (moderate hazardous materials use),
industrial (moderate hazardous materials use), auto repair shops, storage
of large quantities of combustible or flammable material.
Semi-annual
High
Nursing homes, large quantity users of hazardous materials, industrial
facilities with high process hazards, bulk flammable liquid storage
facilities, facilities classified as an “extremely hazardous substance”
facility by federal regulations (SARA Title III).
Quarterly
Using the above as a reference, and given the fire department’s estimate of inspectable occupancies,
ESCI concludes that the current existing occupancy inspection practices at CHFD are appropriate and can
be further developed in the future to seek to achieve the inspection frequency listed.
Fire and Life Safety Public Education
Providing fire safety education to the public to minimize the occurrence of fire and train the community
in appropriate actions to take when faced with an emergency is a particularly important fire protection
strategy. Life and fire safety education provides the best chance for minimizing the effects of hostile fire.
100
Figure 74: Survey Table – Fire Safety and Public Education
Survey Components
Observations
Fire Safety and Public Education
Establish a dedicated public
A. Public education/information
Fire marshal, as an additional
education position, possibly as a
officer in place
assigned duty.
collaborative initiative.
B. Feedback instrument used
C. Public education in the following
areas:
i) Calling 911
Yes
ii) EDITH (exit drills in the home)
Yes
iii) Smoke alarm program
Yes
iv) Fire safety (heating equipment,
chimney, electrical equipment,
Yes
kitchen/cooking, etc.)
v) Injury prevention (falls,
burns/scalding, bike helmets,
Limited
drowning, etc.)
vi) Fire extinguisher use
Limited classes
vii) Fire brigade training
None
viii) Elderly care and safety
To some extent.
NFPA materials and internally
ix) Curriculum used in schools
developed curriculum.
x) Baby-sitting classes offered
No
xi) CPR courses, blood pressure
Blood pressure checks routinely.
checks offered
CPR classes not normally provided.
Available in stations and taken to
D. Publications available to public
public events.
E. Bilingual information available
Yes
Not formally, is currently a limited
F. Annual report distributed to
report as part of CHFD annual
community
report.
G. Juvenile fire setter program
Certified intervention personnel
offered
are on staff. Program is in place.
Based on risk exposure, increase
efforts to provide public education
H. Wildland interface education
Limited wildland public education
regarding wildland/urban interface
offered
outreach.
concerns. Utilize the NFPA Firewise
Community and Ready, Set, Go
programs.
Key Recommendation:

Establish a dedicated public education position, possibly as a collaborative initiative.

Based on risk exposure increase efforts to provide public education regarding wildland/urban interface
concerns. Utilize the NFPA Firewise Community and Ready, Set, Go programs.
101
Discussion
Public education outreach is performed by the fire marshal as an additional assigned duty, in the
absence of a dedicated public education officer. As a result, public education efforts compete with other
priorities and may be limited in their scope and effectives. ESCI encourages the designation of a public
education officer which may be from within existing line staffing or, optimally, may be created as a part
of a cooperative undertaking with neighboring agencies.
Given the limitation above, the fire marshal and his staff are able to complete a number of public
education initiatives annually. They include the establishment of “LAFS” Team (Life and Fire Safety
Team) that routinely visits area schools, delivering content based on identified needs relative to local
and regional incident occurrences. Multiple school outreach efforts are enhanced by annual Fire
Prevention Week activities and an annual open house that is hosted by the fire department.
The City of Cedar Hill is located in an area that poses a significant wildland fire risk that could result in a
catastrophic fire. While there are significant protections in the adopted building and fire code to protect
structures during a wildland fire, there are additional comprehensive efforts that should be pursued.
The National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Firewise Communities program encourages local
solutions for wildfire safety by involving homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers,
firefighters, and others in the effort to protect people and property from the risk of wildfire. An added
element to the Firewise program is the Ready, Set, Go (RSG) program:
•
•
•
Ready – Be ready, be Firewise. Take personal responsibility and prepare long before the threat
of a wildland fire so homes are ready in case of a fire. Create defensible space by clearing brush
away from homes. Use fire-resistant landscaping and harden with fire-safe construction
measures. Assemble emergency supplies and belongings in a safe place. Plan escape routes and
make sure all those residing within the home know the plan of action.12
Set – Situational awareness. Pack emergency items. Stay aware of the latest news and
information on the fire from local media, local fire department, and public safety. Go – Act early! Follow an established personal wildland fire action plan. Doing so will not only
support safety, but will allow firefighters to best maneuver resources to combat the fire.
The RSG! Program works in complimentary and collaborative fashion with Firewise and other existing
wildland fire public education efforts. It amplifies their preparedness messages to individuals to better
achieve the common goal we all share of fire-adapted communities.
The efforts overall are appropriate and CHFD is encouraged to continue to prioritize and build upon
public education outreach. Included in future efforts should be increased emphasis on public education
regarding wildland/urban interface concerns given the exposure observed.
12
National Fire Protection Association, Firewise Community Program, Ready Set Go Program, 2014.
102
Fire Cause and Origin Investigation
It is important that a fire department is able to accurately determine the cause of a fire as an element of
a complete fire prevention program. The results of fire investigations, if used accordingly, directly reflect
public education focus areas, the need for code modifications and changes, and modification of fire
department deployment and training emphasis. Definition of the community’s fire problem can be
achieved via effective fire cause determination.
When fires are set intentionally, identification and/or prosecution of the responsible offender is critical
if additional fires are to be prevented. Further, if the cause of fires is accidental, it is also to identify the
source of the problem because knowing and understanding how accidental fires start is the most
effective way to identify fire prevention and public education requirements.
Survey Components
Figure 75: Survey Table – Fire Investigation
Observations
Comments and
Recommendations
Fire Investigation
A. Fire origin and cause
determination
B. Arson investigation and
prosecution
i) Arson investigation training
provided
C. Person responsible for
investigations
D. Local FIT membership (fire
investigation team)
E. Process for handling juvenile
suspects
F. Liaison with law enforcement
G. Scene control practices in place
H. Photographer available
I. Adequate and appropriate
equipment issued/supplied
J. Evidence collection process in
place
K. Reports and records of all
incidents made
L. File, record, and evidence
security
Line officer initially. Determines
need for additional investigation
services.
Fire Marshal is a certified peace
officer and conducts investigations
in coordination with the Police
Department.
Fire Marshal, inspector, and one
captain are certified in arson
investigation.
Fire Marshal
No structured team, agreements
are in place for investigation
related mutual aid.
Consider the establishment of a
regional fire investigation team.
Via Juvenile Court
Fire marshal
Yes
Investigator
Yes
Yes, collected by Fire Marshal and
staff.
Yes
Reporting via City police
department. Secured field
reporting system.
Pre Incident Planning
A. Pre-plans completed
Yes, limited.
B. Frequency of review
Poorly defined.
Increase pre-incident planning
efforts.
Schedule regular review of
pre-incident plans.
103
Survey Components
C. Accessibility of plans
Statistical Collection and Analysis
A. Records kept by computer
i) Type of operating platform
ii) Software used
B. Information collected in the
following areas:
i) Fire incidents
ii) Time of day and day of week
iii) Method of alarm (how
received)
iv) Dispatch times
v) Response times
C. Information analyzed & used for
planning
D. Reports made & distributed
E. FTE’s used in data collection &
analysis
Observations
In BC vehicle only in hard copy. In
RMS but not accessible in the
field.
Comments and
Recommendations
Make pre-incident plans readily
available in the field via electronic
means.
Yes
Windows
Firehouse incident reporting
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Only in the fire department annual
report.
Fire marshal and fire prevention
staff only.

Consider the establishment of a regional fire investigation team.

Make pre-incident plans readily available in the field via electronic means.
Discussion
Fire cause and origin determination at CHFD is initiated by the company officer on the scene of a fire. At
a small incident, it may be a company officer that determines whether a fire is accidental or warrants
further assessment. If questionable, company personnel will call for the fire marshal, inspector, or the
captain on staff that carries investigation capabilities. Accidental fires will be processed by the CHFD Fire
Marshal. Suspicious fires will be handled by the Fire Marshal in cooperation with the City Police
Department and other agencies as appropriate. The Fire Marshal is also certified as a peace officer.
A Fire Investigation Team (FIT) is not in place in the area. FIT teams are regional groups that pool
resources and training for fire cause and origin determination purposes and are found to be highly
beneficial in exposing investigators to more and varied types of fire incidents. CHFD has access to
neighboring investigators via mutual aid agreements. However, development of a FIT would prove to be
more beneficial.
Pre Incident Planning
A pre-incident (or pre-fire) plan is a simple document that is developed for commercial occupancies and
target hazard buildings for the purpose of providing firefighters with information about a building
104
should a fire occur there. Information is typically gathered regarding building’s configuration, exiting,
protection systems and hazards that may present to a firefighter in the event of an incident.
Pre-incident plans help to make firefighting more effective and to provide for increased firefighter
safety. CHFD has established a pre-incident planning process, but its use and development is limited.
ESCI recommends the department develop a more robust pre-incident planning program and establish a
means by which to make plans readily available in the field. Tablet-based systems are currently
available, along with other options.
CAPITAL ASSETS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS
Aside from personnel, capital assets can be a department’s most critical expense. Without proper
upkeep and replacement planning, facilities and apparatus can fall into disrepair and fail at a critical
time. This section evaluates the capital assets of CHFD and provides recommendations as necessary.
Facilities
Fire stations play an integral role in the delivery of emergency services for a number of reasons. A
station’s location will dictate, to a large degree, response times to emergencies. A poorly located station
can mean the difference between confining a fire to a single room and losing the structure. Fire stations
also need to be designed to adequately house equipment and apparatus, as well as meet the needs of
the organization, its workers, and/or its members. It is important to research need based on call volume,
response time, types of emergencies, and projected growth prior to making a station placement
commitment. The following figures summarize ESCI’s non-engineering/non-architectural review of each
facility within the study area.
Figure 76: Survey Table – Capital Assets and Capital Improvement Planning
Survey Components
Observations
Fire Stations/Structures
A. Replacement Plan maintained
No plan.
B. Construction or improvement
2012 – $170,000 fire station
plans
renovation.
i) 2013
N/A
ii) 2014
N/A
iii) 2015
N/A
iv) 2016
N/A
Apparatus
Implement, adopt, and fund
Capital replacement schedule in
A. Replacement plan maintained
apparatus equipment replacement
place, intermittent contributions.
schedule.
$550,000 bonds for engine in 2013,
i) Period of plan (from – to)
purchase occurred in 2012.
ii) Funding mechanism
B. Purchase or refurbishment
Not funded due to economic
schedule
downturn.
i) 2013, planned
N/A
ii) 2014, planned
N/A
iii) 2015, planned
N/A
105
Survey Components
Observations
Support Equipment
A. Replacement Plan maintained
i) Period of plan (from – to)
Methods of Financing
A. General revenue
B. Reserve fund(s)
C. Revenue fund(s)
D. General obligation bond
E. Lease-Purchase
Capital replacement schedule in
place, intermittent contributions.
Estimated life of equipment.
Update, adopt, implement, and
fund support equipment schedule.
Equipment fund
N/A
N/A
N/A
In-house lease program

106
Implement, adopt, and fund apparatus equipment replacement schedule.
Figure 77: CHFD Station 211
Station 211 is a facility of approximately 12,800
square feet in space, which houses an engine/aerial
(quint) apparatus along with a reserve engine, a brush
vehicle, an MICU, a hose tender, and a number of
command staff vehicles. The facility consists of four,
double-depth apparatus bays of a drive through
configuration.
Accommodations are present in the station for up to
nine personnel. However, sleeping rooms are not dual
gender appropriate.
The station does not present any significant long
range maintenance concerns and no storage tanks or
other potential liabilities were observed.
Structure
Construction type
Date Built
Masonry and steel frame roof structure.
1986
Seismic protection/energy audits
Yes
Auxiliary power
Yes
Condition
Special considerations (American with Disabilities Act
of 1990 (ADA), mixed gender appropriate, storage,
etc.)
Square Footage
Good
Facility is ADA compliant and is not mixed gender
appropriate. Storage is limited.
12,800
Facilities Available
Lockers/showers
A good-sized exercise room is provided, but is lacking
in cardio equipment.
A large kitchen is equipped with commercial grade
appliances. Sleeping is in seven-bed dorm room, plus
a captain’s office and quarters. Battalion chief
sleeping quarters.
Three individual shower rooms are available.
Training/meetings
A good-sized classroom seats 40.
Exercise/workout
Kitchen/dormitory
Washer/dryer
Available
Protection Systems
Sprinkler system
None
Smoke detection
Alarm system is throughout.
Security
Apparatus exhaust system
Key-lock exterior doors.
Yes
107
Built in 1979, Station 212 is CHFD’s oldest facility.
There are three, single-depth, drive-through apparatus
bays housing a quint apparatus, an MICU, a brush
vehicle and a reserve MICU.
The station, while in fair condition, is aging and likely to
present future maintenance challenges. Storage space
is maximized, as are crew facilities and the facility was
not designed for dual gender use.
Although no significant maintenance concerns were
articulated by fire department personnel, the station is
likely to present future maintenance challenges. No
storage tanks or other potential liabilities were
observed.
Structure
Construction type
Date Built
Masonry with a wood frame, flat roof with metal
rafters.
1979
When remodeled in 2008.
Auxiliary power
Yes
Condition
Fair
Special considerations (American with Disabilities Act of
1990 (ADA), mixed gender appropriate, storage, etc.)
Square Footage
Facility is ADA compliant and is not mixed gender
appropriate. Space and storage is maximized with no
room for future expansion.
6,700
Exercise/workout
A small exercise room is fairly equipped, needs cardio
equipment.
Kitchen/dormitory
A small kitchen is equipped with commercial grade
appliances and a small day room is present. Sleeping
accommodations are in a shared, six-bed dorm room,
plus a captain’s office and quarters.
Lockers/showers
Two individual shower rooms are available.
Training/meetings
Kitchen table only.
Washer/dryer
Available
Protection Systems
Sprinkler system
None
Smoke detection
Smoke detectors in the living areas only.
Security
108
Yes
The smallest of CHFD’s facilities, at 5,800 square
feet Station 213 was originally constructed in 1987
and extensively remodeled in 2010. It houses three
pieces of apparatus in two bays that are of a drivethrough configuration. Quarters for the emergency
responders are provided and well appointed, but
are not designed for dual gender use.
The station does not present any significant
maintenance concerns and no storage tanks or
other potential liabilities were observed.
Structure
Construction type
Date Built
Auxiliary power
Condition
Special considerations (American with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (ADA), mixed gender appropriate,
storage, etc.)
Square Footage
Concrete block construction on concrete slab with a
steel frame, flat roof.
1987, remodeled in 2010.
When remodeled in 2010.
Yes
Good
Facility is compliant with ADA and related building
codes. It is not mixed gender appropriate and the
available space for storage and expansion is
maximized.
5,800
Exercise/workout
An exercise room is fairly equipped. Need cardio
equipment.
Kitchen/dormitory
A kitchen and day room area are available and well
equipped. Sleeping accommodations are provided
in a common, six-bed dorm room which is not dual
gender suited, plus a captain’s office and quarters.
Lockers/showers
Training/meetings
Washer/dryer
Protection Systems
Sprinkler system
Smoke detection
Security
Three individual shower rooms are available.
Kitchen table only.
Available
None
Alarm system protects the building throughout.
Yes
109
CHFD’s Station 214 was constructed as a
collaborative effort with the neighboring City of
Grand Prairie. Construction costs were shared and
an ongoing agreement for partial sharing of
operating costs is in place.
The facility is good sized, consisting of 10,330
square feet and two, double-depth bays of a drive
through configuration along with one, single, backin bay. Accommodations are in place to house six
response personnel plus a station captain, which are
well designed and appointed. The quarters are dual
gender designed. The station is in excellent
condition and nearly new, having been constructed
in 2008. Significant maintenance concerns around
soil movement were reported.
Structure
Construction type
Date Built
Auxiliary power
Condition
Special considerations (American with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (ADA), mixed gender appropriate,
storage, etc.)
Square Footage
Exercise/workout
Kitchen/dormitory
Lockers/showers
Training/meetings
Washer/dryer
Protection Systems
Sprinkler system
Smoke detection
Security
110
Concrete block construction on concrete slab with
metal framed, pitched, roof.
2008
When designed.
Yes
Excellent
Facility is compliant with ADA and related building
codes. It is mixed gender appropriate and has
adequate storage capacity for its current use.
10,300
An exercise room is large and well equipped.
A large kitchen and day room area is provided.
Sleeping accommodations are in place for six in
separate bedrooms, plus a captain’s office and
quarters.
Four individual toilet/shower rooms are available.
Kitchen table only.
Available
None
Alarm system protects the building throughout.
Electronic card lock exterior doors.
Yes
Apparatus
Along with fixed facilities, the City of Cedar Hill has made substantial investments in fire engines, ladder
trucks, medic units, brush vehicles, and other rolling stock commonly referred to as “apparatus.” Other
than the emergency responders, response vehicles are the next most important tool in the emergency
response system. If emergency personnel cannot arrive quickly due to unreliable transportation, or if
the equipment does not function properly, then the delivery of emergency service is likely
compromised.
Fire apparatus are unique and specialized pieces of equipment, customized to operate efficiently for a
narrowly defined mission. For this reason, fire apparatus are very expensive and offer little flexibility in
use and reassignment. As a result, communities always seek to achieve the longest life span possible for
these vehicles. The following figures provide an overview of CHFD’s apparatus fleet.
Figure 81: CHFD Station 211 Major Apparatus
Type
Year
Make/Model
Condition
Seating
Capacity
Pump
Capacity
Tank
Capacity
Medic 211
MICU
Ambulance
2010
Frazer Type I
Fair
2
N/A
N/A
Quint 211
Quint
2000
Fair
4
1500
424
Engine 219
Type I
Pumper
1999
Good
4
1500
500
Command
2011
Excellent
2
N/A
N/A
Good
5
N/A
N/A
Apparatus Designation
BC 210
Hose Tender 211
Brush 211
Squad 211
Hose
Tender
Brush
Truck
Command
/Squad
1997
Pierce Dash 75’
Aerial
Pierce Dash
Top Mount
Chevrolet
Suburban
Ford F-350
Crew Cab
2004
Ford F-350
Fair
2
150
250
2001
Ford Excursion
Fair
5
N/A
N/A
Type
Year
Make/Model
Condition
Seating
Capacity
Pump
Capacity
Tank
Capacity
Medic 212
MICU
Ambulance
2010
Frazer Type I
Fair
2
N/A
N/A
Quint 212
Quint
2006
Fair
6
1500
500
Brush 212
Brush
Truck
1999
Fair
5
150
250
Medic 219
MICU
2008
Fair
2
N/A
N/A
Pierce Dash 75’
Aerial
Ford F-350 4X4
Crew Cab
Frazer Type 1
14’ Box
111
Type
Year
Medic 213
MICU Amb.
2013
Engine 213
Type I
Pumper
2012
Rescue 213
Utility
2013
Make/Model
Condition
Seating
Capacity
Pump
Capacity
Tank
Capacity
Frazer Type I
12’ Box
Pierce Dash CF
PUC
Ford F-350
Air/Light
Excellent/
New
2
N/A
N/A
Excellent
5
1500
500
Excellent
2
N/A
N/A
Engine 214
E3-64 (B214)
Ambus 214
Type
Type I
Pumper
Type VI
Engine
Multi
Patient Bus
Year
Make/Model
Condition
Seating
Capacity
Pump
Capacity
Tank
Capacity
2008
Pierce Velocity
Good
6
1500
500
2011
Ford F550
Skeeter
Excellent
2
300
400
2012
Sartain
Excellent
6
N/A
N/A
Front line vehicles are in fair to excellent condition; one critical issue was identified with quint 211
having significant frame damage. ESCI was impressed with what we found to be a very high level of
cleanliness and organization in all of the district‘s apparatus—well above what we typically observe.
Apparatus Maintenance and Repair
Fire apparatus, by its very nature, is expensive and complex to operate and maintain. The more
specialized a piece of equipment is, the higher its maintenance costs can be expected. A prime example
is an aerial ladder or quint apparatus as compared to more standard fire engines. For this reason, the
deployment of quint apparatus should be carefully reviewed for necessity in regard to risk exposure that
necessitates elevated (ladder) devices and insurance rating effects of changing current deployment. The
subject is discussed in further detail elsewhere in this report.
Maintenance of fire department vehicles in Cedar Hill is largely performed by external repair shops.
CHFD does not have its own apparatus maintenance facilities or personnel. An analysis of ongoing repair
and maintenance costs and effectiveness is beyond the scope of this project. However, ESCI was
informed that the cost of contracted services is high.
A key component of an adequate apparatus and equipment maintenance program, in addition to the
technicians that perform the work, is the availability of needed supplies and the logistics associated with
managing a repair and maintenance operation. These functions are not well developed in the City, or in
the neighboring region and indications are that other fire departments in the area share similar needs.
Recognizing a common need in Cedar Hill and the neighboring areas, ESCI recommends that a
regionalized approach to apparatus repair and maintenance be explored. Multiple advantages can be
realized by combining efforts to meet the need including reduced costs, the ability to share reserve
apparatus for back-fill and increased maintenance effectiveness, potentially leading to reduced long
term expenses.
112
Capital Replacement Planning
Unfortunately, no piece of mechanical equipment can be expected to last forever. As a vehicle ages,
repairs tend to become more frequent, parts are more difficult to obtain, and downtime for repair
increases. Given the emergency mission that is so critical to the community, downtime is one of the
most frequently identified reasons for apparatus replacement.
Because of the expense of fire apparatus, most communities develop replacement plans. To enable
such planning, communities often turn to the accepted practice of establishing a life cycle for the
apparatus that results in an anticipated replacement date for each vehicle. The communities then set
aside incremental funds during the life of the vehicle so cash is available when needed. This decision is
influenced by many factors:
•
•
•
Actual hours of use of any specific piece of equipment can vary significantly in comparison to
other similar apparatus, even within the same fire department. Attempts to shuffle like
apparatus among busy and slower fire stations to distribute hours of use more evenly have
proven difficult. Frequent changes in apparatus create familiarity and training challenges. In
addition, certain response areas may have equipment and tool requirements that are not
common to others.
Actual hours of use, even if evenly distributed, do not necessarily equate to intensity of use. For
example, a pumper making mostly emergency medical responses will not age as rapidly as a
pumper with a high volume of working fire incidents that require intense use of the pump or
hydraulics. However, for every hour you idle an engine it is equivalent to driving 33 to 35 miles
of wear and tear. Likewise, road mileage can also be a poor indicator of deterioration and wear.
Technology, which is increasingly a factor in fire equipment design, becomes outdated even if
the apparatus wear is not as significant. In some departments, crews at different fire stations
deal with widely different technology on pumpers simply because of the age of the equipment.
These differences can be significant, affecting everything from safety and lighting systems to
automated digital pump pressure controls and injection foam generation.
NFPA 1901: Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus is a nationally recognized standard for the design,
maintenance, and operation of fire suppression apparatus.13 The issue of replacement cycles for various
types of apparatus has been discussed in the committee that develops the standard for many years.
In developing its latest edition, the NFPA Fire Department Apparatus Committee called for a life
cycle of 15 years for front-line service and five years in reserve status for engines; 15 years in
front-line service and five years in reserve status for ladder trucks.
Does this mean that a fire engine cannot be effective as a front-line pumper beyond 15 years? A visit at
many departments in the United States might prove otherwise. Small, volunteer fire departments with
only a hundred or so calls per year often get up to 25 years from a pumper, though the technology is
admittedly not up to date. Likewise, busy downtown fire stations in some urban communities move
their engines out of front-line status in as little as eight years.
13
NFPA 1901: Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, 2009 edition.
113
The reality is that it may be best to establish a life cycle for use in the development of replacement
funding for various types of apparatus; yet, apply a different method (such as a maintenance and
performance review) for actually determining the replacement date in real life, thereby achieving
greater cost efficiency when possible.
CHFD has developed a well thought out approach to vehicle replacement scheduling. First, service lives
have been established as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
Engines/quints
Ambulances
Type VI (brush) engines
Specialty vehicle (Ambus)
Staff vehicles
12 years
5 years
15 years
15 years
8 years
Further, the department has recognized that service time is not the only factor that should be
considered in deciding when a vehicle needs to be replaced. Planning is also based on a scoring system;
assigning points relative to observations that are revisited annually as a part of the budget process. The
criterions evaluated are:
•
•
•
Reliability
Maintenance Cost
Condition
ESCI reviewed the vehicle replacement planning documentation provided and finds that CHFD has
established a fully adequate and well developed strategy. We offer the following as a general discussion
only to provide some additional input on vehicle replacement approaches.
A conceptual model that may be used when a replacement cycle is considered is the Economic Theory of
Vehicle Replacement. The theory states that, as a vehicle ages, the cost of capital diminishes and its
operating cost increases. The combination of these two costs produces a total cost curve. The model
suggests the optimal time to replace any piece of apparatus is when the operating cost begins to exceed
the capital costs. This optimal time may not be a fixed point, but rather a range of time. The flat spot at
the bottom of the total curve in the following figure represents the replacement window.
114
Figure 85: Economic Theory of Vehicle Replacement
Cost
Operating
Capital
Total
Time/Usage
Shortening the replacement cycle to this window allows an apparatus to be replaced at optimal savings
to the department. If an agency does not routinely, replace equipment in a timely manner, the overall
reduction in replacement spending can result in a quick increase of maintenance and repair
expenditures. Officials who assume that deferring replacement purchases is a good tactic for balancing
the budget need to understand two possible outcomes that may happen because of that decision:
1) Costs are transferred from the capital budget to the operating budget.
2) Such deferral may increase overall fleet costs.
Regardless of its net effect on current apparatus costs, the deferral of replacement purchases
unquestionably increases future replacement spending need.
As stated above, CHFD has developed an appropriate vehicle replacement schedule and ESCI commends
the department for its thoughtful approach in doing so. Purely as a point of comparison, the following
replacement schedule was developed for reference.
The schedule is based on the following service life estimates:
Figure 86: Apparatus Life Expectancies
Vehicle Type
Life Expectancy
Replacement Cost
Ambulance
5
$155,000
Light Rescue Truck
10
$140,000
Med Rescue Truck
15
$350,000
Custom Pumper
12
$550,000
Ladder
15
$1,200,000
Wildland
15
$140,000
Using the above, the following replacement schedule was developed.
115
Figure 87: Apparatus Replacement Schedule
Unit
Year
Current
Age
Life
Expectancy
Engine 219
Brush 212
Engine 213
Brush 214
Quint 212
Medic 211
Medic 212
Brush 211
Medic 213
Medic 219
Quint 211
TOTALS
1999
1999
2012
2011
2006
2010
2010
2004
2013
2008
2000
15
15
2
3
8
4
4
10
0
6
14
12
15
12
15
12
5
5
15
5
5
12
Replacement
Year
Reserve
OVERDUE
2024
2026
2018
2015
2015
2019
2019
Reserve
2012
Replacement
Cost
$550,000
$140,000
$550,000
$140,000
$1,200,000
$155,000
$155,000
$140,000
$155,000
$155,000
$1,200,000
Annual Fund
Contributions
Current Cash
Requirements
$9,333
$45,833
$9,333
$100,000
$31,000
$31,000
$9,333
$31,000
$140,000
$91,666
$28,000
$800,000
$124,000
$124,000
$93,333
$31,000
$100,000
$366,832
$1,200,000
$2,631,999
Based on the above example, were the City of Cedar Hill to fully fund their apparatus replacement
planning, a current cash replacement fund balance of $2,631,999 would be needed, with an additional
annual contribution planned in the amount of $366,832.
116
Future System Demand Projections
In this section, ESCI projects and analyzes future system demand in the CHFD service area. Future
demand is largely dependent on changes over time to population, demographics, economics, and the
local infrastructure. This analysis utilizes data from the US Census Bureau, the Texas State Data Center,
the Texas Water Development Board, the Cedar Hill Planning Department, and local demographic data.
POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS
Population History
The US Census Bureau estimates the population of Cedar Hill as 46,556 as of January 2013 (the latest
estimate available). The following figure illustrates historical population change from 1980 to 2010.
Figure 88: Cedar Hill Historical Population Change, US Census Bureau Data
50,000
45,000
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Population
250%
200%
150%
100%
50%
1980
1990
2000
2010
6,849
19,976
32,093
45,028
Percent Change
0
191.66%
60.66%
40.30%
Average Annual
Growth
0
19.17%
6.07%
4.03%
0%
The previous figure demonstrates the rapid growth in Cedar Hill and the surrounding area from 1980 to
2010. The city nearly tripled in population between 1980 and 1990. Although the rate of growth has
slowed; the population of Cedar Hill has more than doubled between 1990 and 2010. A review of census
data reveals that the average annual growth rate from the 2010 census to January 2013 is 1.7 percent.
117
Population Projection
In the following figure, ESCI presents a projection of population growth in Cedar Hill through 2040. The
projection was prepared by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB); and uses historical data, the
latest Texas State Data Center population projection, and local development data.
Figure 89: TWDB Population Projection for Cedar Hill, 2010-2040
90,000
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
2010
2013
2020
2030
2040
45,028
46,556
53,200
65,119
77,038
Percent Change
0
3.39%
18.15%
22.40%
18.30%
Average Annual
Growth
0
1.70%
1.81%
2.24%
1.83%
Population
0%
The TWDB prepares population projections for communities and regions throughout Texas to predict
future water use and needs. The previous figure illustrates the population of Cedar Hill growing to
approximately 77,000 by 2040. The average annual growth rate varies from 1.7 percent to 2.24 percent
and is never negative in the time period displayed. Note that the 2008 Cedar Hill Comprehensive Plan
projects a total population within Cedar Hill of 80,000 to 85,000 at build out (based on the vacant land
available for development in Cedar Hill).
118
SERVICE DEMAND PROJECTION
In evaluating the deployment of facilities, resources, and staffing, it is imperative consideration be given
to potential changes, such as population growth, that can directly affect emergency workload. Changes
in service demand may require changes and adjustments in the deployment of staffing and capital assets
in order to maintain acceptable levels of performance. For the purposes of this study, ESCI uses the
TWDB population projection for Cedar Hill and multiples this by a per capita incident rate derived from
historical service demand. This analysis provides a picture of potential service demand through 2040,
based on population growth in Cedar Hill. The results are shown in the following figure.
Figure 90: CHFD Projected Service Demand by Incident Category, 2010-2040
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
9,126
7,714
6,009
6,302
5,221
2010
2013
2020
2030
2040
EMS
3,645
4,147
4,367
5,345
6,323
Other
1,369
1,663
1,699
2,079
2,460
207
199
237
290
343
Fire
In this figure, ESCI includes historical data from 2010 and 2013. The projected population growth is
applied to the historical data to calculate projected service demand for 2020 through 2040. Fires
(includes all types of fires) demonstrate the lowest rate of increase. This reflects a national trend and
can be attributed to improvements in building codes and fire prevention over the last several decades.
EMS is expected to continue to be the predominant factor affecting service demand. Other emergency
service calls not involving actual fires are predicted to increase in part due to the use of automatic alarm
systems; which decrease the number of actual fires, but increase service demand.
It is not the intent of this study to be a definitive authority for the projection of future population in the
service area but rather to base recommendations for future fire protection needs on a reasonable
association with projected service demand. Since human activity is a primary driver of emergency
service demand, it is important to have a population-based projection of the future size of the
community. Although population projections can vary, and may change over time, it is clear that CHFD
will continue to be an emergency service provider to a growing population, likely reaching over 77,000
by 2040 (by some estimates by 2030); and responding to over 9,100 calls for service. Planning should
begin now to maintain the resources needed to meet the continuing demand for services.
119
COMMUNITY RISK ANALYSIS
Community risk is assessed based on a number of factors: the service area population and population
density, the demographics of the population served, and local land use and development. In the
following figure, ESCI re-examines the population density map used earlier in the distribution study to
display population density in the CHFD service area.
Figure 91: CHFD 2010 Census Data Population Density Map
120
Population density varies throughout Cedar Hill. Population tends to be clustered in suburban
neighborhoods, with undeveloped or more sparsely populated areas separating higher density
populations. A review of census data reveals that approximately 60 percent of Cedar Hill residents reside
east of Highway 67, with the remaining 40 percent living west of the highway. The median age is
approximately 32, similar to the median age of Dallas County. Census data shows that over 11 percent of
the population of Cedar Hill is over the age of 60. This population group tends to be frequent users of
EMS services. Perhaps even more significant than the current population over 60 is the approximately
21 percent of the CHFD population in the 45 to 59 age group that be more likely to require emergency
services in the next 10 to 15 years.
ESCI uses GIS software and current zoning classifications in the City of Cedar Hill to examine current land
use. Risk is assigned to the zoning classifications to present a view of relative community fire and life
risk.
•
•
•
Low Risk – Areas zoned and used for agricultural purposes, open space, low-density residential
and other low intensity uses.
Moderate Risk – Areas zoned for medium-density single family properties, small commercial
and office uses, low-intensity retail sales, and equivalently sized business activities.
High Risk – Higher-intensity business districts, mixed use areas, high-density residential,
industrial, warehousing, and large mercantile centers.
The following map displays community risk within Cedar Hill using the criteria listed above.
121
Figure 92: Cedar Hill Relative Community Risk
Cedar Hill is zoned predominantly for single-family dwellings. For the purposes of this analysis, singlefamily dwellings are classified as a low level of relative risk. Note that some of the clustered
neighborhoods in Cedar Hill could be regarded as moderate risk residential areas due to population
density and the density of homes in these neighborhoods. Areas of moderate risk are concentrated
along the major transportation routes through Cedar Hill and the retail area around Highway 67 and FM
1382 interchange. The Old Town area east of Station 211 is classified as high risk primarily due to newer
122
high density residential and retail development. There is also an industrial area east of Highway 67 and
the railroad tracks that is classified high risk.
No doubt, the distribution of community risk in Cedar Hill will change as the community grows. A review
of the 2008 Comprehensive Plan shows that Cedar Hill intends to focus on developing a primarily
residential community with similar land use to that currently in place. Cedar Hill is surrounded by
incorporated cities; therefore, population and development density will increase within Cedar Hill. It is
clear that future development and population growth will change the nature and demand for CHFD
services.
123
Conclusion
Future Delivery System Models
Although the foregoing sections of this report focused primarily on the conditions that currently exist
within the CHFD, the intent of this study is to combine that evaluation with a look into the future and
provide policy makers with information necessary to carry the system forward over the next 10 to 20
years. This portion of the report provides recommendations related to the deployment of facilities,
apparatus, and personnel with a focus on future service delivery and an improvement in overall
efficiency within the system.
DEVELOPMENT OF RESPONSE STANDARDS AND TARGETS
Throughout this report, ESCI has emphasized the importance of the establishment of response
performance metrics by the CHFD. Once established, these standards establish measurable goals for
service delivery which then form the baseline upon which planning for deployment of resources is
based. Absent these processes, the organization is not able to determine where it needs to go, nor is it
able to know when it is achieving its goals and meeting its community’s expectations.
Response standards must be developed by the individual community, based on the expectations of
elected officials and citizens, balanced against the financial aspect of what a community is able and
willing to afford. For this reason, ESCI cannot establish these standards for CHFD, but rather will provide
guidance and examples of what we consider to be acceptable metrics.
Critical Tasks, Risk, and Staffing Performance
As explained earlier, tasks that must be performed at a fire can be broken down into two key
components: life safety and fire flow. Life safety tasks are based on the number of building occupants,
and their location, status, and ability to take self-preservation actions. Life safety-related tasks involve
search, rescue, and evacuation of victims. The fire flow component involves delivering sufficient water
to extinguish the fire and create an environment within the building that allows entry by firefighters.
The number and types of tasks needing simultaneous action will dictate the minimum number of
firefighters required to combat different types of fires. In the absence of adequate personnel to perform
concurrent actions, the command officer must prioritize the tasks and complete some in chronological
order, rather than concurrently. These tasks include:
•
Command
•
Water supply
•
Scene safety
•
Pump operation
•
Search and rescue
•
Ventilation
•
Fire attack
•
Back-up/rapid intervention
The fire service assesses the relative risk of properties and occurrences based on a number of factors.
Properties with high fire risk often require greater numbers of personnel and apparatus to effectively
mitigate the fire emergency. Staffing and deployment decisions should be made with consideration of
125
Conclusion
the level of risk involved. The level of risk categories used by Commission for Public Safety Excellence
(CPSE) relate as follows (See Figure 85: Cedar Hill Relative Community Risk Map):
•
•
•
Low Risk – Areas and properties used for agricultural purposes, open space, low-density
residential and other low intensity uses.
Moderate Risk – Areas and properties used for medium density single-family residences, small
commercial and offices uses, low intensity retail sales and equivalently sized business activities.
High Risk – Higher density business districts and structures, mixed use areas, high density
residential, industrial, warehousing, and large mercantile structures.
The CPSE has a sample critical tasking analysis for the number of personnel required on scene for
various levels of risk. This information is illustrated in the following figure as an example of critical
tasking only and is not intended to conclusively define the actual personnel necessary based on risk.14
Figure 93: Sample of Critical Task Staffing by Risk
Sample Critical Tasking Analysis
Firefighter Personnel Needed Based On Level of Risk
Structural
Maximum
Risk
Structure
Significant
Risk
Structure
Moderate
Risk
Attack line
4
4
2
2
Back-up line
4
2
2
(2)
Support for hose lines
4
3
2
Search and rescue
4
4
2
Ventilation
4
2
2
Rapid intervention team
4
4
2
Pump Operator
2
1
1
2nd apparatus/ladder operator
1
1
(1)
Command
2
1
1
Safety
2
1
1#
Salvage
4
Rehabilitation
2
23
14-16
Division/group supervisors
Total
NonStructure
Low Risk
1
1#
(2)
37-39
3-6
() indicates tasks may not be required at all such incident.
# indicates task may, at times, be completed concurrently with other position.
The first 15 minutes is the most crucial period in the suppression of a fire. How effectively and efficiently
firefighters perform during this period has a significant impact on the overall outcome of the event. This
general concept is applicable to fire, rescue, and medical situations.
14
Note: Based on examples provided in the publication Commission on Fire Accreditation International, Inc. (now
Center for Public Safety Excellence), Creating and Evaluating Standards of Response Coverage for Fire
Departments, 4th edition.
126
Conclusion
Critical tasks must be conducted in a timely manner to control a fire or to treat a patient. Three
scenarios of commonly encountered emergencies are routinely utilized by fire departments when
conducting field validation and critical tasking: a moderate risk structure fire, a traffic collision with a
trapped victim, and a cardiac arrest. Each scenario is conducted using standard operating procedures
and realistic response times based on actual system performance. Each scenario is normally run multiple
times with a variety of fire companies to validate and verify observations and times.
To further validate the analysis process, results are compared with records from actual working fires and
similar incidents from previous years. Overall results are reviewed to determine if the actions taken
within the early minutes of an incident resulted in a stop loss or not, and if additional resources were
required. The critical task analysis process demonstrates the rate in which the current deployment plan
results in stopping loss a high percentage of time within initial critical time goals.
Again, critical tasks are those activities that must be conducted in a timely manner by firefighters at
emergency incidents in order to control the situation, stop loss, and to perform necessary tasks required
for a medical emergency. CHFD is responsible for assuring that responding companies are capable of
performing all of the described tasks in a prompt, efficient, and safe manner.
All Risk Critical Resource Tasking
Fire departments respond to many incidents other than structure fires, including hazardous materials
(dangerous goods) releases, motor vehicle collisions, basic and advanced life support medical
emergencies, and non-structural fires. Personnel responding to these types of incidents should be
assigned tasks similar to structure fires.
The following figures are provided as an example for these types of incidents, although ESCI
recommends CHFD conduct field validation exercises with its crews to verify the critical tasking analysis
provided. After field validation is complete, the department may find that the critical tasking can be
adjusted appropriately upward or downward for each incident type.
Figure 94: Non-Structure Fire Critical Tasking
Task
Personnel
Command
1
Pump Operator
1
Primary Attack Line
2
Total
4
Figure 95: Hazardous Materials Incident Critical Tasking
Task
Personnel
Command
1
Pump Operator
1
Primary Attack Line
2
Back-Up Line
2
Support Personnel
7
Total
13
127
Conclusion
Figure 96: Motor Vehicle Collision with Entrapment Critical Tasking
Task
Personnel
Command
1
Pump Operator
1
Primary Attack Line
2
Extrication
3
Patient Care
2
Total
9
Figure 97: Emergency Medical Incident Critical Tasking
Task
Personnel
Ambulance Transport
2
First Responder
4
Total
6
The aforementioned minimum staffing criteria should be used in setting specific service level objectives
for each of the incident types.
Response Time Performance Objectives
The process of setting response time performance objectives will include two sets of questions:
•
•
What are the expectations of the community and elected officials in regard to initial response
times of the fire department to an emergency incident? What is the public’s perception of
quality emergency services where response time is concerned?
What response time performance would be reasonable and effective in containing fire, stopping
the loss, and saving lives when considering the common types of incidents and fire risks faced by
CHFD?
To initiate the process of considering the expectations of the customer, the historical travel time and
loss history needs to be examined from the data that was submitted by CHFD. Then, historical service
levels are compared to known and anticipated service demand and community growth projections.
Considering these projections, suggested response time standards are created to ensure CHFD is
meeting local service demand expectations in accordance with relevant industry standards and best
practices.
Cedar Hill is a fully career department and therefore references the industry standard for the Center of
Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) and the NFPA 1710 performance measures. These response time
measures are displayed in the following table:
128
Conclusion
Figure 98: NFPA Performance Measurement Recommendations
Response Element
NFPA Recommendation
Call Processing15
0:60 @ 95th%
0:60 @ 90th % for Medical
Turnout
1:20 @ 90th % for Fire
Response
4:00 @ 90th %
8:00 @ 90th %
NFPA 1720 provides direction for variable density response performance measures that are intended for
volunteer or combination fire departments, but can be used as guidelines for career departments that
provide services to a wide range of population densities and geographic areas.
Figure 99: Additional NFPA Response Performance Objectives by Population Density Categories
Response Element
Response Performance Objective
Call Processing
0:60 @ 95th Percentile
0:60 @ 90th Percentile for Medical
Turnout
1:20 @ 90th Percentile for Fire
Urban Zone
Suburban Zone
Rural Zone
Although NFPA performance recommendations are considered an industry standard, departments
working with their governing bodies have the authority to implement performance measures that are
better suited to their communities. This is known as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). The CHFD
90th percentile for call processing is two minutes, turnout time is one minute 20 seconds and travel time
is six minutes 21 seconds resulting in a nine minute and four seconds overall response time. Given the
current response time performance, ESCI recommends that Cedar Hill adopt performance measures
that, for the most part, adhere to NFPA 1710/1720 standards methodology although some of the
adopted measures deviate from those standards as illustrated below.
To most accurately reflect system performance in accordance with identified risk, ESCI recommends
tiered response performance objectives for the City based on population density. This methodology will
effectively segregate the service area into three distinct response zones: urban, suburban, and rural
(Figure 84: CHFD 2010 Census Data Population Density Map).
The first example is the “first due” response of a single utilizing standard reflex time from dispatch to
arrival 90 percent of the time:
Figure 100: First Due Response Standard Example
First Due, Single Unit Response
Urban (> 1000 per square mile)
7 minutes to 90 percent of incidents
Suburban (500-1000 per square mile)
Rural (<500 per square mile)
The next example represents a first alarm response to a moderate risk structure fire, utilizing standard
reflex time from dispatch to arrival 90 percent of the time:
15
NFPA 1221: Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems.
129
Conclusion
Figure 101: First Alarm Response Standard Example
First Alarm, Response of 3 Engines, 1 Truck and 1 Battalion Chief
Urban (> 1000 per square mile)
Suburban (500-1000 per square mile)
Rural (<500 per square mile)
The above discussion is intended to provide the CHFD with the information necessary to begin the
process of establishing response standards and targets. The department is encouraged to begin the
process as soon as possible, especially in light of the potential for the addition of a fire station and
personnel in the future.
SHORT- AND MID-TERM STRATEGIES
The previous sections of this report detail a considerable volume of observations and recommendations
relating to CHFD current conditions relating to management and operations. The process of
understanding, prioritizing and implementing the recommended enhancements can be daunting simply
due to the amount of work that may be involved. To help the organization navigate through the process,
the following discussion further defines the short- and mid-term priorities that ESCI has identified.
Response Deployment
Growth projections for the City of Cedar Hill continue to be strong and current activity supports that
picture. ESCI concludes that while the projected growth and expected service demand will likely justify
an increase in response resources in the future, there is not an urgent need for new resources or an
additional fire station today. Response times are tracking within acceptable ranges and incident
outcomes are generally acceptable. The following are recommendations that will enhance current
response and service delivery levels and efficiencies until additional resources are deemed necessary by
increased risk and service demand.
•
•
•
130
In the joint response area served by the shared fire station with Grand Prairie, the first company
is arriving in a timely manner. However, the challenge can be traced to travel times for next due
companies. Specifically, delays in notification and dispatching of resources between Grand
Prairie and Cedar Hill are present based on extended call processing time, separate dispatch
centers, and separate computer aided CAD systems that are not integrated. All information
exchanges between the centers are being relayed by phone. It is recommended that a CAD
interface be pursued to eliminate delays and duplication of information flow to and from
responding units.
It is recommended that the CHFD pursue a continued shared station/resource agreement with
the Grand Prairie Fire Department to coordinate and provide services to the established shared
Station 214 service area. If this agreement can be sustained as is or in a new configuration, it will
allow for shared or alternative staffing of Station 214 so existing resources can be redeployed to
provide quick response vehicle (QRV) coverage to high demand areas and or staffing of the
proposed additional fire station in the future.
There is opportunity to enhance automatic aid by implementing complete boundary drops
between Desoto and Duncanville to provide increased unit concentration and reliability in the
•
•
Conclusion
north and eastern portions of the city, which have the highest level of service demand.
Currently, unit requests are based on CAD recommendation utilizing geographic coordinates and
run cards. The technology does exist to utilize GIS based CAD recommendations for the closest
unit to respond. This technology should be accessed and complete boundary drops
implemented as soon as possible. These response assignments can be further improved through
expanded use of a traffic signal preemption system that will work for all responding units
regardless of the jurisdiction. This is especially important for companies that must travel
congested arterials and significant traffic volume.
The CHFD currently runs two quint apparatus (apparatus with a pump, aerial ladder, hose, and
tank), which have extensive equipment, training, and maintenance needs. ESCI has concluded
maintaining one quint as a “truck company” at the centrally located station (Station 211) will
result in the best truck coverage, optimum performance, and significant cost savings. It is
recommended the second quint be replaced with an “engine” and an engine apparatus be
located with the designated truck company to meet ISO criteria. This configuration will allow for
more effective vehicle utilization, reduced purchase and maintenance costs, and maintain the
current excellent Cedar Hill ISO rating of two.
Current dispatch call-processing time exceeds the 60-second industry standard goal by a full
minute at the 90th percentile. Most modern dispatch centers are regional multi-agency, multidisciplinary (law enforcement, Fire, EMS) agencies; and call-processing time is generally not
under the direct control of the fire department. Fire department leaders need to be aware of
call processing time and work cooperatively with the dispatch agency to meet standards.
Fire Prevention
Consistent with its general mission, the CHFD is responsible to manage a significant portion of public
safety risk within its service area. In managing the risk, a well-designed and properly managed fire
prevention program has consistently served communities well and measurably reduced risk.
As has been discussed in detail in the Fire Prevention and Public Education section, the CHFD fire
prevention program will need to adapt to the ever increasing work load and future anticipated growth.
ESCI recommends that CHFD undertake a comprehensive planning process that will:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify and assess pertinent risks.
Prepare and enable the Fire Prevention Division the ability to manage the additional workload
that will come with adoption of recommended fire codes.
Incorporate a blended strategy of education, engineering and enforcement to mitigate as much
of the risk as practical.
Seek to achieve an inspection frequency of at least annual completion and more frequently for
higher risk occupancies.
Integrate local fire code adoption and amendments with the established wildfire management
plan and fire wise community elements.
Provide strong direction for the program; and
131
•
Conclusion
Appropriately staff the program to maintain the existing 88 percent inspection compliance rate
and continue to work toward the 100 percent goal.
Within the fire prevention program, ESCI recommends CHFD specifically explore cooperative services
initiatives in the areas of public education and fire/arson investigation.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Advanced life support (ALS) emergency medical transportation is provided by CHFD. The Cedar Hill
system includes three ALS ambulances staffed by two credentialed paramedics under medical
supervision, strategically stationed throughout the city. In addition to the ALS ambulances, there are
four first responder ALS engine companies that respond within their service areas to provide rescue and
clinical care.
CHFD is the primary provider of EMS within its service area; and there is one dedicated battalion chief
dedicated to the planning, delivery, evaluation, and overall effectiveness of CHFD resources. The EMS
delivery system overall within the city is very well integrated and provides a high level of EMS. CHFD has
not established identified outcome based EMS system performance benchmarks which could serve as a
measure of efficiency and effectiveness.
EMS response constitutes a very significant portion of CHFD’s response activity and is also a critically
important service. ESCI recommends CHFD enhance the current EMS program and planning process that
will:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
132
Identify and assess system performance benchmarks, training requirements, equipment
requirements, and skills gaps.
Incorporate a blended strategy of system integration, outcome based performance measures,
training, and skills development and assessment.
Prioritize implementation of a Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS) and an appropriate
tiered response to medical calls for service (right resource, right patient, right time).
Incorporate first responder Peak Activity Units (PAUs) to include BLS or ALS Quick Response
Units to maintain adopted response time standards.
In coordination with local health care providers and related stakeholders, conduct a community
needs assessment to identify future community paramedicine and health care services that can
and should be provided by the CHFD.
Conduct a transportation billing “rate study” to increase revenue and pursue a cost neutral
ambulance transportation service. CHFD should ensure the rate study is in compliance with
Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures Manual (TMPPM) that utilizes the Texas Medicaid
Healthcare Partnership (TMHP) claim system. This rate study should be conducted in accordance
with the Federal Register, 2 CFR 200 cost determination, billing rates, and billing requirements.
Work with the Tri-Cities cooperative partners to fully integrate, training, equipment/supplies,
quality assurance, and EMS administrative functions.
•
Conclusion
Appropriately staff the program with the establishment of shift EMS supervisors or lead
personnel to ensure adequate oversight and supervision are present for current and future EMS
delivery needs.
With EMS services representing 69 percent of the calls for service, it is imperative that the CHFD
adequately staff and manage this vital community service.
Emergency Management
CHFD is responsible to manage a significant portion of public safety risk within its service area that
results from disaster preparedness. In managing the risks resulting from both natural and human-caused
disasters, a well-designed and properly managed emergency management program has consistently
served communities well and measurably mitigated risks and improved public preparedness.
Currently, the CHFD emergency management program lacks planning, design, and staffing. ESCI
recommends that CHFD undertake a comprehensive planning process that will:
•
•
•
•
Identify and assess pertinent disaster risks;
Incorporate a blended strategy of planning, mitigation, response and recovery initiatives such as
NFPA “Firewise Community, Ready-Set-Go” and Federal Emergency Management Agency “Map
Your Neighborhood” as well as other appropriate programs to the address the identified risks;
Appropriately staff the program with, minimally, a program manager or coordinator.
Within the context of the emergency management program, ESCI recommends CHFD aggressively
explore cooperative services initiatives with neighboring Tri-City jurisdictions to ensure area-wide
planning, interoperable plans and equipment, common public messages, and distributed program cost.
Comprehensive Tri-Cities Cooperative Service Agreement
ESCI is concerned CHFD lacks some critical support resources necessary to effectively support and
facilitate consistent fire protection and EMS delivery as the department experiences steady growth and
increased service demand. We strongly recommend CHFD take the opportunity now to bolster and
solidify these programs and resources even as they prepare to strengthen their response resources in
the future.
Several of these key programs can be significantly improved and fortified through building upon the
existing Tri-Cities cooperative services initiatives with CHFD’s adjacent jurisdictions and service partners.
ESCI encourages CHFD to develop a “formal” multi-faceted cooperative services agreement that will
equitably serve CHFD and their partners alike; and will produce consistent and defined support
programs and services at a reduced cost for all partners the address at a minimum:
•
•
Regional EMS administration, quality assurance/medical direction, training, supplies, and
supervision in the field.
Vehicle maintenance and repair services at an identified location with mobile capabilities to
meet the needs of department vehicles in the field.
133
•
•
•
•
Conclusion
Fire Investigation to ensure trained, certified fire investigators available 24/7/365 days a year.
Emergency management functions to address preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery
plans, and services to all participating agencies.
Joint training staff and facility services to meet the training mandates and needs of all
participating agencies.
A regional purchasing cooperative that ensures competitive bidding and purchasing
requirements are in place resulting in economies of scale and timely purchase and delivery of
goods and services.
Training
CHFD has devoted significant focus and attention to the enhancement of training programs and
standards within the organization. The program staffing, however, lacks the depth necessary to handle
the significant mandated training standards and mandates and steady influx of new response personnel
due to turnover and growth. ESCI believes the existing training staff model will rapidly exceed its
capabilities based on anticipated growth over the next 10 years combined with the need to handle the
ongoing training, skills maintenance and recertification, and the expectations for professional
development within a growing organization.
Successful fire and EMS training programs typically incorporate a leadership/managerial component and
also a delivery and evaluation specialist. ESCI recommends CHFD work to ensure effective incorporation
of both components within their training program.
ESCI recommends that CHFD undertake a comprehensive planning process that will:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify and assess training requirements, developmental needs, and skills gaps.
Establish, implement, and manage a comprehensive training and professional development
program for all CHFD employees.
Incorporate a blended strategy of education, training, and practical skills development and
assessment.
Provide strong leadership for the program.
Provide effective training delivery and skills assessment; and
Appropriately staff the program with the addition of at least one FTE training position.
Within the training program, ESCI recommends CHFD specifically explore Tri-Cities cooperative services
initiatives in the areas of recruit training, Multi-Company Tactical Operations (MCTO), technical rescue
programs, incident command system (NIMS) training, and special operations training e.g. hazardous
materials, technical rescue, etc.
Administrative Support Staff
The roles of administrative support personnel include the critical functions of:
•
•
134
Planning
Data and information analysis
•
•
•
Conclusion
Documentation and reporting
Logistical support
Process guidance and support
As noted, the present roster of support staff represents eight percent of the CHFD total staffing and ESCI
regards this as a minimal amount. Successful organizations more typically use a roster totaling 12
percent to 15 percent of agency total staffing.
Currently, CHFD office/administrative staffing functions are carried out by three FTE safety positions
with operational and policy level responsibilities and an administrative assistant. ESCI notes that, while
these employees are flexible and capable in multiple areas, they are frequently stretched to accomplish
the range of tasks and duties before them. In such circumstances, the functions of data/information
analysis and reporting are most frequently short-changed; we believe this is also true at CHFD.
ESCI also notes a majority of fire and EMS agencies focus training, educational and development
resources on operational response personnel, often to the exclusion of key support staff personnel. It is
not uncommon for capable administrative support personnel to enlarge skill sets and improve
efficiencies, given agency support for their development. CHFD is encouraged to look for opportunities
to further develop incumbent support personnel.
It is further recommended CHFD undertake a comprehensive planning process that will:
•
•
•
•
Identify and assess administrative support functional requirements, developmental needs, and
skills gaps.
Incorporate a blended strategy of education, training, and practical skills development and
assessment.
Provide strong leadership for the program.
Appropriately staff the program; and specifically consider adding one FTE with primary
responsibility as an assigned CHFD administrative analyst and liaison to City Management.
Organizational Development
CHFD is in a state-of-transition, in part due to the vision and leadership of a new executive team. As a
result, the membership is in the process of navigating its way through a set of new priorities and
paradigms, which is often a difficult process.
To assist in the transition, ESCI recommends internal communications be enhanced in an effort to
increase ownership in decisions and appreciation for organizational changes. The establishment of
internal advisory committees is recommended in areas such as:
•
•
•
•
•
Safety Committee
Training Advisory Committee
Operations/Special Operations Committee
Apparatus Committee
EMS Committee
135
Conclusion
Committees should include the participation and oversight of a departmental chief officer as well as
labor representation.
Another identified area of concern by City leadership, CHFD management, labor representatives, and
the community is the issue of high turnover at an average of four-to-five personnel or seven percent of
operational staff annually. This is universally believed to be in response to a base pay schedule that
ranks in the lower third of comparable departments within the Dallas Metroplex region. It is ESCI’s
observation that the benefit package and spending on equipment and infrastructure not normally seen
in fire departments operational budgets is contributing to the per capita spending level. While CHFD
personnel tend to focus on earnings and take home pay as the dominant measurement of funding, work
place desirability, and appropriate employee satisfaction.
•
ESCI recommends the City and CHFD explore a realignment of spending priorities as well as the
pursuit of new revenue and efficiencies as recommended in this report. It is recommended the
City establish a pay policy that maintains pay scales in the “median” or “average” of the
established North Texas comparison jurisdictions. ESCI has observed that departments that
develop pay policies that keep pay rates in the medium or average for the comparable areas and
agencies tend to not have excessive turn over based on pay scales and wages.
RECOMMENDED LONG-TERM STRATEGIES
CHFD Station 212 Relocation
Station 212’s current service area represents some of Cedar Hill’s most dense population and highest
service demand areas. Due to the lack of street network connectivity, Station 212 resources cannot
serve much of the first due area within an industry best practice “four-minute” travel time. A
comparison of coverage of 2013 emergency incidents shows that current station is capable of reaching
29.6 percent of 2013 emergency incidents in four minutes. However, if the station were to be relocated
to the proposed station location in the general area of E. Beltline and Joe Wilson Road, Station 212
resources would reach 56.6 percent of 2013 emergency incidents within a four-minute travel time.
The proposed relocated Station 212 will serve a much larger portion of the current station response area
within a four-minute travel time. The proposed relocation area of E. Beltline and Joe Wilson Road is an
intersection of major east-west and north-south routes through Cedar Hill. This location will not only
increase service levels to the Station 212 area, but will also allow good access to west side of the city. As
was discussed in Distribution analysis, apparatus responding from all current Cedar Hill stations can
reach 68.9 percent of 2013 emergencies in four minutes travel time. Moving Station 212 to proposed
location increases the department wide coverage of four minutes to 79.4 percent
136
Conclusion
Figure 102: CHFD Station 212 Relocation
137
Conclusion
Figure 103: CHFD 4 Minutes Travel and Emergency Service Demand with Relocated Station 212
New Joint Cedar Hill/Midlothian Fire Station 215 Development and Staffing
ESCI recommends CHFD develop a phased or staged implementation approach that allows for a
systematic and well-organized growth in personnel in order to begin full operation of new company or
station as the service level and risk demands presents themselves.
In this following figure, ESCI has geo-referenced the “Future Thoroughfare Map” from the Cedar Hill Fire
Department 2008 Comprehensive Plan to the GIS data to provide a picture of the future road network in
Cedar Hill and the surrounding area. Regional growth and development will no doubt affect future
138
Conclusion
growth in Cedar Hill. The Loop Nine Project is a limited access toll way that will run east west roughly
along the southern border of Cedar Hill. According to the 2008 Comprehensive Plan, this project is
targeted for implementation in the next 10 years. Along with the Loop Nine Project, the thoroughfare
plan shows Lake Ridge Parkway extending to the east side of Highway 67 and connecting to several
north south arterials in Cedar Hill.
The extension of Lake Ridge Parkway to the east and the extension of Clark Road south greatly enhance
the connectivity of the road network in Cedar Hill. Additionally, examination of the Cedar Hill
comprehensive plan reveals future land use goals of mixed-use areas for areas between the Lake Ridge
extension and Loop Nine. In general, this sort of land use brings increased activity and service demand
for emergency services. ESCI recommends that CHFD consider a long-range goal of placing a fifth fire
station in the area of the future intersection of Clark Road and Lake Ridge Parkway.
ESCI has observed a number of jurisdictions open new fire stations in newly developed areas by
partnering with developers. These partnerships have utilized development agreements to secure land,
construction, equipment, and incremental operational costs. In some cases these development
agreements have resulted in securing land at a designated location in accordance with established
master and service delivery plans. They also covered construction and equipment costs. Stations have
been built to fire department specifications with the construction managed by the department or
jurisdiction having authority. In cases where stations have a geographic need and risk requiring opening
of a new fire station before tax or assessment revenue covers the cost, developers have covered the gap
for a period of time until dedicated revenues are realized. ESCI recommends Cedar Hill consider a similar
type of arrangement or agreement to ensure timely and efficient implementation of Station 215.
The proposed new fire station and location lends itself well to a shared station and service area
arrangement with the Midlothian Fire Department. ESCI has identified that the growth patterns and
timing of development in Cedar Hill’s southern areas and the Midlothian northern areas will create
significant opportunity to share resources in the form of a shared service delivery area and fire station.
139
Conclusion
Figure 104: CHFD Future Fifth Station Location
As the city grows in population and service demand, tax revenue increases incrementally and may even
lag behind. ESCI recommends CHFD’s deployment strategy be based upon adding one-third of company
staffing personnel annually, i.e. a new company is fully staffed and ready for deployment at the end of a
three-year effort. This will allow time for revenue to match personnel expense, allow time for CHFD
support staff to recruit, select, train, equip, and prepare new personnel for deployment, minimize the
impact of deploying a large contingent of new personnel at one time, and ensure facilities and apparatus
are prepared for the deployment.
140
Conclusion
As new personnel come on line, they can be rotated into existing companies to gain critical experience;
while incumbent personnel may be shifted to an interim strategy using Quick Response Units (QRUs) or
Transitional Response Vehicles (TRVs) to maintain target response times and customer service.16 As full
companies become ready for deployment, CHFD may choose to stop staffing the EMS response units
and deploy a full company in the planned response area.
The following figure illustrates one example of the chronology for a phased hiring and deployment
process. By using this approach, the City budget is less stressed compared with full company hiring
process. The support staff, especially the training program, is less stressed than with full company
numbers; and the process allows time for new firefighters to gain important experience before moving
into primary company deployment.
FY 01
Company A
CHFD Hire
4 FTE
Figure 105: Example Incremental Staffing Concept
FY 02
FY 03
FY 04
FY 05
Midlothian
CHFD Hire
Hire 4 FTE
2 FTE and
Deploy
and
Midlothian
Company
Deploy
Hire 2 FTE
QRV/TRV
4 FTE
FY 06
FY 07
-
-
NOTE: ESCI recommends hiring approximately four FTE for each company position, i.e. three FTEs per
shift plus one additional FTE to account for coverage of accrued leave.
The following two figures provide a breakdown of the cost to construct a 9,900 square foot fire station.
The example is a cost projection for a fire station located in the market area of central Texas. While the
City may choose different design, materials, square footage, and amenities, the illustration provides an
idea of the costs to construct a modern fire station.
Figure 106: Illustration Project Information
9,900
Projected Size – Square Feet
217,800
Site Size
$223.51
Square Foot Cost
$758,091
Non-Building Costs
TX - Houston
Project Location
June 2014
Project Date
CON
Foundation
MAS
Exterior Wall
MAS
Interior Wall
MET
Roof Type
CON
Floor Type
16
"Last Word: The Ups and Downs of EMS," JEMS, April 2012.
141
Figure 107: Fire Station Construction Cost Illustration
Targeted Building Costs
Name
Percent
$/ft^2
Bidding Requirements
0.78%
$1.73
General Requirements
6.22%
$13.90
Concrete
11.60%
$25.93
Masonry
11.55%
$25.82
Metals
6.29%
$14.06
Wood & Plastics
15.45%
$34.52
Thermal & Moisture Protection
4.49%
$10.04
Doors & Windows
5.39%
$12.04
Finishes
14.18%
$31.69
Specialties
3.36%
$7.51
Equipment
0.00%
$0.00
Furnishings
0.16%
$0.35
Special Construction
0.00%
$0.00
Conveying Systems
0.00%
$0.00
Mechanical
10.50%
$23.46
Electrical
10.04%
$22.44
Total Building Costs
100.00%
$223.51
Conclusion
Cost
$17,171
$137,758
$256,969
$255,895
$139,362
$342,102
$99,522
$119,267
$314,020
$74,367
$0
$3,491
$0
$0
$232,502
$222,347
$2,214,774
Construction costs vary widely with property acquisition, materials, and labor often being unknown until
the time of a bid announcement. Over the last two-years building costs have decreased significantly in
Texas as with much of the rest of the country. However, as the market recovers costs are likely to return
to their pre-recession levels.
Training Facility Development
ESCI learned that hands-on training facilities are limited in the area. As a result, most training has to be
completed using available buildings and parking lots. Consideration is recommended for the long-term
development of a training site when funding and space becomes available.
Classroom instruction is an essential component of preparing emergency responders with knowledge
and skills. A training facility or drill ground is a second indispensable element. Training facilities provide a
controlled and safe environment to simulate emergencies and develop and test the skills of emergency
workers.
NFPA 1402: Guide to Building Fire Service Training Centers is a standard that addresses the design and
construction of facilities for fire training.17 The document covers the features that should be considered
when planning a fire training facility. Absent the availability of suitable training facilities, some fire
departments may forego essential training.
17
National Fire Protection Association, Standard 1402: Guide to Building Fire Service Training Centers, 2002
Edition.
142
Conclusion
Proficient emergency responders have confidence in their own abilities to handle the emergencies they
encounter. Best practices suggest that emergency workers have regular access to training grounds for
repetitive drills and to develop new skills. An effective and continuous training program results in safer,
more efficient, and effective emergency operations.
Constructing a modern training facility to comply with industry standards concerning classrooms,
practice grounds, training tower, live-fire building, and training props is a significant investment of
capital. In addition, the on-going cost of operating and maintaining a training facility further advances
the case for joint ownership.
CHFD has a clear need, but will be challenged to finance the full build-out of the training facility on its
own. The following alternatives are available: First, entering into a cooperative partnership with regional
perspective, including not only fire agencies, but also law enforcement, emergency management, and
other neighboring agencies can be valuable by sharing costs. Secondly, grants and private funding
combined with in-kind donations can be pursued. The likelihood of success in receiving grants is
dramatically increased when an effort is cooperative and inclusive of regional partners.
Examples of recently constructed basic fire training facilities illustrated in the following figure show that
these facilities need not be complicated or ornate to be quite functional.
Figure 108: Sample Training Grounds
With in-kind donations and grant funding, these fire departments were able to construct the basic
buildings with very limited agency expense.
Industry Best Practices and Standards
As the CHFD continues to move toward a high performing agency that meets or exceeds system best
practices, ESCI recommends the following programs and accreditations be implemented and
maintained. These programs will ensure the CHFD is at the forefront of industry innovation and
efficiencies. In addition, these best practices will position the department to minimize risk while
143
Conclusion
maximizing opportunities for partnerships and grant programs as well as maintaining and/or increasing
ISO ratings, supplement funding, resources, and services provided.
•
•
•
•
144
Texas Fire Chiefs Association Best Practices recognition:
An accreditation process that provides a well-defined, Texas Fire Chiefs Association recognized
benchmark system for measuring the delivery of fire and emergency services in relation to Texas
best practices.
Commission on Fire Accreditation recognition of accreditation:
An accreditation process that provides well-defined, internationally-recognized benchmark
system for measuring the delivery of fire and emergency services in relation to industry best
practices.
International Academies of Emergency Dispatch Accreditation (ACE Accreditation):
An established high standard of excellence for emergency dispatch, by providing the tools to
achieve this high standard at both the dispatcher level through certification, and at the
communication center level through the accreditation program.
Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS Accreditation):
CAAS accreditation signifies that your service has met the "gold standard" determined by the
ambulance industry to be essential in a modern emergency medical services provider. These
standards often exceed those established by state or local regulation. The CAAS standards are
designed to increase operational efficiency and clinical quality, while decreasing risk and liability
to the organization.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This document provides an enormous amount of technical data, much of which was provided by the
department, and allows the reader to gain a clear understanding of the services provided by CHFD as
well as an indication of how well those services are being provided. The intent of this document is not
intended to be a critical evaluation of the organization but rather provide fire department personnel and
City policymakers’ information from which to make informed decisions about the future of the
department.
Based on information obtained throughout this process, CHFD is functioning at a level commensurate
with community expectations and are providing services to the city in line with adopted objectives.
While response performance analysis indicates that the department could improve, it is possible that
the adoption of the tiered performance recommendations will show that the department is performing
much better than presented here based on a single objective. Given the method of funding the fire
department, the organization is well resourced and should be commended for undertaking this project
to initiate a formal plan for future service delivery.
ESCI began collecting data and information for this project in March 2014 and the analysis presented in
this report is comprised of months of data review and evaluation including one-on-one interviews with
department and City personnel, evaluation of internal documents, policies, rules and regulations,
assessment of current service delivery, and the creation of projected service demand and alternative
service delivery models. It is ESCI’s sincere hope that the information contained within this document is
found to be useful and provides policymakers with the information necessary to meet the emergency
services needs of the citizens of Cedar Hill.
145
Conclusion
Appendices
APPENDIX A: TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Service Area Map ......................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 2: Citizen Service Priorities............................................................................................................... 14
Figure 3: Citizen Ranking of Staffing Levels ................................................................................................ 15
Figure 4: Citizen Ranking of Response Levels ............................................................................................. 15
Figure 5: Citizen Ranking of Cost of Services .............................................................................................. 16
Figure 6: Survey Table – Governance ......................................................................................................... 18
Figure 7: Survey Table – Organizational Design .......................................................................................... 20
Figure 8: Organizational Chart .................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 9: Survey Table – Service Area and Infrastructure........................................................................... 22
Figure 10: Survey Table – Operating Budget and Financial Resources ....................................................... 23
Figure 11: Historical Budget ........................................................................................................................ 24
Figure 12: Budget Distribution – FY 13/14 .................................................................................................. 25
Figure 13: City Budget Distribution – FY 13/14........................................................................................... 26
Figure 14: Public Safety Subdivision Distribution ....................................................................................... 26
Figure 15: Comparison of Cost per Capita – FY 13/14 ................................................................................ 27
Figure 16: Public Safety Revenues – FY 13/14 ............................................................................................ 27
Figure 17: Survey Table – Emergency Response Type and Frequency ....................................................... 28
Figure 18: Five-Year Call History ................................................................................................................. 29
Figure 19: Total Percent Change – 2009-2013............................................................................................ 29
Figure 20: Total Incidents per 1,000 Population ......................................................................................... 30
Figure 21: Fires per 1,000 Population ......................................................................................................... 30
Figure 22: Fire Loss per Capita .................................................................................................................... 31
Figure 23: Survey Table – Mission, Vision, Strategic Planning, Goals, and Objectives ............................... 32
Figure 24: Survey Table – Foundational Documents and Processes .......................................................... 33
Figure 25: Survey Table – Record Keeping and Documentation ................................................................ 37
Figure 26: Survey Table – Administrative and Support Staffing ................................................................. 39
Figure 27: Survey Table – Emergency Response Staffing ........................................................................... 42
Figure 28: Firefighters per 1,000 Population .............................................................................................. 45
Figure 29: Survey Table – Personnel and Staffing Management ................................................................ 45
Figure 30: Survey Table – EMS Medical Control and Quality Assurance .................................................... 49
Figure 31: Survey Table – EMS System Integrity and Logistical Support Services ...................................... 52
Figure 32: Survey Table – Emergency Management Planning ................................................................... 54
Figure 33: Survey Table – Emergency Management Resources ................................................................. 55
Figure 34: Survey Table – Service Delivery and Performance .................................................................... 56
Figure 35: CHFD Historical Service Demand, 2009 through 2013 .............................................................. 58
Figure 36: CHFD Percent Change by Incident Category, 2009 through 2013 ............................................. 59
Figure 37: CHFD Service Demand by Incident Category, 2013 ................................................................... 59
Figure 38: CHFD Service Demand by Month, 2013 ..................................................................................... 60
Figure 39: CHFD Service Demand by Day of the Week ............................................................................... 60
Figure 40: CHFD Service Demand by Hour of the Day ................................................................................ 61
Figure 41: CHFD Incident Density, 2013 ..................................................................................................... 62
Figure 42: CHFD Fire Incidents, 2013 .......................................................................................................... 63
Figure 43: CHFD Service Area and Station Response Districts .................................................................... 64
147
Appendices
Figure 44: Cedar Hill Population Density .................................................................................................... 65
Figure 45: CHFD Engine Company Distribution-ISO Criteria ....................................................................... 67
Figure 46: CHFD Aerial Company Distribution-ISO Criteria ........................................................................ 68
Figure 47: CHFD Travel Time Capability-Current Station Locations............................................................ 70
Figure 48: CHFD Travel Time and Emergency Service Demand, 2013 ........................................................ 71
Figure 49: CHFD Station Concentration-Current Station Locations ............................................................ 73
Figure 50: CHFD and Mutual Aid Station Concentration ............................................................................ 74
Figure 51: CHFD Personnel Concentration-Minimum Staffing 17 .............................................................. 75
Figure 52: CHFD Unit Hour Utilization, 2013 .............................................................................................. 76
Figure 53: CHFD Transport Medic Unit Hour Utilization, 2013 ................................................................... 77
Figure 54: Apparatus Average Time and Total Time Committed by Incident Category, 2013 ................... 77
Figure 55: CHFD Concurrent Incidents, 2013 .............................................................................................. 77
Figure 56: CHFD Apparatus Drawdown, 2013 ............................................................................................ 78
Figure 57: Station Reliability ....................................................................................................................... 78
Figure 58: CHFD Workload by Station Area, 2013 ...................................................................................... 79
Figure 59: CHFD Response Frequency, 2013 Priority Incidents .................................................................. 80
Figure 60: CHFD Overall Response Performance, 2013 Priority Incidents ................................................. 81
Figure 61: NFPA Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 81
Figure 62: CHFD 90th Percentile Turnout Time, 2013 ................................................................................ 81
Figure 63: CHFD 90th Percentile Travel Time and Total Response Time by Station, 2013......................... 82
Figure 64: CHFD 90th Percentile Response Performance by Hour of the Day, 2013 Priority Incidents ..... 83
Figure 65: CHFD Mutual or Automatic Aid-8 Minutes Travel ..................................................................... 85
Figure 66: Survey Table – General Training Competencies ........................................................................ 87
Figure 67: Survey Table – Training Program Administration and Management ........................................ 90
Figure 68: Survey Table – Training Resources, Scheduling and Methodology ........................................... 92
Figure 69: Fire Prevention Program Components ...................................................................................... 96
Figure 70: Survey Table – Fire Prevention Code Enforcement ................................................................... 97
Figure 71: Survey Table – New Construction Plan Review and Inspection................................................. 98
Figure 72: Survey Table – Existing Occupancy Inspection Program ........................................................... 99
Figure 73: Recommended Fire Inspection Frequencies............................................................................ 100
Figure 74: Survey Table – Fire Safety and Public Education ..................................................................... 101
Figure 75: Survey Table – Fire Investigation ............................................................................................. 103
Figure 76: Survey Table – Capital Assets and Capital Improvement Planning.......................................... 105
Figure 77: CHFD Station 211 ..................................................................................................................... 107
Figure 81: CHFD Station 211 Major Apparatus ......................................................................................... 111
Figure 85: Economic Theory of Vehicle Replacement .............................................................................. 115
Figure 86: Apparatus Life Expectancies .................................................................................................... 115
Figure 87: Apparatus Replacement Schedule ........................................................................................... 116
Figure 88: Cedar Hill Historical Population Change, US Census Bureau Data........................................... 117
Figure 89: TWDB Population Projection for Cedar Hill, 2010-2040 .......................................................... 118
Figure 90: CHFD Projected Service Demand by Incident Category, 2010-2040 ....................................... 119
Figure 91: CHFD 2010 Census Data Population Density Map ................................................................... 120
148
Conclusion
Figure 92: Cedar Hill Relative Community Risk ......................................................................................... 122
Figure 93: Sample of Critical Task Staffing by Risk .................................................................................... 126
Figure 94: Non-Structure Fire Critical Tasking .......................................................................................... 127
Figure 95: Hazardous Materials Incident Critical Tasking ......................................................................... 127
Figure 96: Motor Vehicle Collision with Entrapment Critical Tasking ...................................................... 128
Figure 97: Emergency Medical Incident Critical Tasking .......................................................................... 128
Figure 98: NFPA Performance Measurement Recommendations ............................................................ 129
Figure 99: Additional NFPA Response Performance Objectives by Population Density Categories ........ 129
Figure 100: First Due Response Standard Example .................................................................................. 129
Figure 101: First Alarm Response Standard Example ............................................................................... 130
Figure 102: CHFD Station 212 Relocation ................................................................................................. 137
Figure 103: CHFD 4 Minutes Travel and Emergency Service Demand with Relocated Station 212 ......... 138
Figure 104: CHFD Future Fifth Station Location ....................................................................................... 140
Figure 105: Example Incremental Staffing Concept.................................................................................. 141
Figure 106: Illustration Project Information ............................................................................................. 141
Figure 107: Fire Station Construction Cost Illustration............................................................................. 142
Figure 108: Sample Training Grounds ....................................................................................................... 143
149
Appendices
APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY OF TERMS
CHFD – Cedar Hill Fire Department
Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) – A national fire and emergency services consulting,
recruitment, and management services firm.
Neighborhood Door – A Cedar Hill police distribution system for neighborhood watch leaders and
program participants.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) – A national fire service standard setting body which
utilizes a broad committee system of industry stakeholders to set standards and recommendation for
fire service providers.
Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) – A national agency setting standards and criteria for
volunteer and professional fire departments to achieve best practice criteria.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) – Responses by the Cedar Hill Fire Department and other entities for
the purpose of providing care and treatment of the sick and injured.
Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) – An emergency response ambulance that provides a full range of
advanced life support equipment and capabilities.
Advanced Life Support (ALS) – Equipment and protocols utilized by paramedics and advanced EMTs that
include drug therapy, Electrocardiogram, and advanced airway and other patient care management
techniques.
Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) – A Texas based water and natural resource organization
tasked with providing population and natural resource utilization for the State of Texas.
Geographic Information Services (GIS) – Computer aided mapping and information analysis systems
utilized to produce maps, projections, and recommendations.
Fractile Response Time – Response time performance reporting utilizing percentile measurement to
ensure accurate performance measurements.
150
Glossary of Terms
Tri-City Cooperative – The existing regional fire service cooperative between the Texas cities of Cedar
Hill, Duncanville, and Desoto.
Texas State Data Center – The Texas agency charged with collection analysis and participation with the
U.S. Census Bureau regarding Texas census data and demographic information.
Key Recommendations – Recommendations identified in the agency evaluation to assist CHFD in
meeting or exceeding regional and industry best practices that should be addressed within twelve
months.
Mid-Term Recommendations – Recommendations with complexity and significant resource allocation
that should be accomplished in 12-24 months.
Long-Term Recommendations – Recommendations with significant resource, policy, and service level
implications that may be accomplished in excess of two years.
Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) – A national commission that establishes
standards, conducts evaluations, and recognizes volunteer and career fire service providers meeting
accreditation standards.
Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) – A national commission that establishes
standards, conducts evaluations, and recognizes public and private ambulance providers meeting
accreditation standards.
Texas Fire Chiefs Best Practices – A series of best practices recognized by the Texas Fire Chiefs
Association.
International Academies of Emergency Dispatch Accreditation (Authorized Center of Excellence ACE
Accreditation) – Established standards of excellence for dispatch services including call triaging and pre
arrival instructions standards.
Engine – A fire apparatus which has water, hose, and pumping capabilities and carries a variety of
equipment to address an all-risk response capability.
Quint – A fire apparatus which has water, hose, pumping capabilities, and aerial ladder capabilities as
well as carrying a variety of equipment to address an all risk-response capability.
151
Appendices
Truck – A fire apparatus that has aerial ladder capabilities and a minimum standard set of two hundred
and sixteen feet of ground ladders as well as carrying a variety of equipment to address an all-risk
response capability.
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) – A computerized system of mapping and dispatch data to provide
response recommendations, maintain and monitor unit status, and store and report response data.
U.S. Fire Administration – The United States government fire agency responsible for data collection,
monitoring, training and recommendations to the US Fire Service and citizens on behalf of the Executive
Branch.
Texas Health and Human Services Ambulance Supplemental Payment Program (ASSPP) – A Texas
statutory supplemental payment system available to public ambulance providers for indigent and
medicaid patients transported by the public agency.
Texas Medicaid Healthcare Partnership Claim System (TMHP) – The regulatory framework and
standards for billing and collecting under the ASSPP.
Standard Operating Procedures – Procedures adopted and enforced by the CHFD.
Emergency Vehicle Technicians (EVT) – Mechanics trained and certified to work on fire apparatus and
fire suppression vehicle pumps and system.
Full Time Equivalent – The equivalent of one full time position working two thousand and eighty hours
on a forty hour work week, or two thousand nine hundred and twelve hours on a fifty six hour work
week.
Emergency Management (EM) – Citywide coordination and management of mitigation measures,
preparedness initiatives, response plans, and recovery protocols from disasters.
Participation and Decision Making Process – A process which utilizes committee, labor, and
organizations input in the development and implementation of policies and procedures.
Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) – A nationally vetted physical ability test seen as a best practice
that was jointly developed between the Internationals Association of Fire Chiefs and the International
Association of Fire Fighters.
152
Glossary of Terms
NFPA Standard 1582 – A national standard for medical and fitness for duty requirements for firefighting
personnel.
National Incident Management System (NIMS) – A nationally adopted standard requiring and
prescribing training and utilization of the incident command system by local, regional, state, and
national agencies in response to emergencies and disasters.
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) – Local community teams receiving between 16 and 20
hours of basic training to become resources during or after a disaster at the local, state, or national
level.
National Fire Incident Records System (NFIRS) – A national fire service data set submitted by local fire
agencies for the purpose of establishing a national data stream and trending capability.
Mobile Data Computer (MDC) – A mobile computer terminal located in all fire department responding
apparatus and vehicles for the purpose of receiving and sending incident data and information to the
dispatch center.
Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) – Computer and graphic positioning technology that collects and
displays real time data of vehicle location, travel routes, and status.
Insurance Service Organization (ISO) – A national insurance rating agency that rates fire protection
services based on staffing, training, water, and other capabilities from one (the highest) to ten (the
lowest). ISO ratings are used in determining commercial and residential insurance rates.
National Fire Protection Association Standards 1710 and 1720 – Standards that specify staffing levels
and response requirements for fire and EMS calls by professional and volunteer fire departments.
Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) – A Texas fire service commission that determines training
and certification standards for Texas fire service agencies and personnel.
Firewise Communities/Ready Set Go – Nationally adopted standards and a comprehensive urban
interface and community preparedness and response standard to prevent and combat wildfires.
Life and Fire Safety Team (LAFS) – A team of fire safety professionals that routinely visit schools and
community forums to increase fire and life safety education and preparedness.
153
Appendices
Fire Investigation Team (FIT) – A team of fire investigation professionals from a number of jurisdictions
that converge to assist with the cause and origin determination of fires.
Just Culture and Crew Resource Management (CRM) – Industry best practice training and risk
management programs intended to create a culture of safety that encourages and rewards due process,
self-reporting, and teamwork.
154
Corporate Offices
25030 SW Parkway Avenue, Suite 330
Wilsonville, Oregon 97070
800.757.3724
Eastern Region Office
111 Kilson Drive, Suite 208
Mooresville, North Carolina 28117
704.660.8027
© Copyright 2014. Emergency Services Consulting International. All Rights Reserved.
National Capital Region Office
4025 Fair Ridge Drive
Fairfax, Virginia 22033
703.273.0911

Plan - Cedar Hill, TX

Transcription

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