BACKGROUND:
As part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 biennial budget process and timeline, this is the opportunity to brief City Council and our constituents on the roles and responsibilities of the Fire Department.
DISCUSSION:
The Fire Department currently includes the following divisions:
1. Administration
2. Fire Prevention
3. Emergency Services
4. Emergency Management
STAFFING FY13-14 FY20-21
COVID
FY22-23
Adopted
Change from
FY 13-14
Administrative staff 3.5 4 4 + .5
Safety personnel 21 42 39 + 18
Ambulance Operators 0 0 9 + 9
Total Fire Personnel 24.5 48 52 + 27.5
112% Increase
In 2012, the City experienced fiscal challenges. To address the challenges, the fire department paused hiring to backfill retirements and staffing shortfalls. The decision to reduce minimum daily staffing is reflected in the FY13/14 staffing levels. In subsequent years, the department restored minimum staffing levels to bring the department closer to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, thus increasing firefighter safety and increasing effectiveness in emergency response.
Administration
Administration includes the following staff positions:
•Fire Chief
•Administrative Assistant II (confidential)
•Administrative Assistant II (AFSCME)
In FY 2023/2024 and FY 2024/2025, the department’s administrative staffing levels remain the same. This division of the department provides the following services to the community:
•Financial management, including cost recovery.
•Department planning.
•Records management and request fulfillment
•Facilities and equipment maintenance
•Personnel management
•Oversight of all department divisions
Addition of a Deputy Fire Chief (FY24/25)
Under general direction of the Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief.
•Assists Fire Chief in managing and directing the department as acting Fire Chief in the absence of the Fire Chief.
•Will participate and represent the Fire Department in county and regional fire meetings and committees.
•Develops and oversees the departments professional standards and organizational development program.
•Allows the Fire Chief to build a long-term succession plan for the department. •Assists the Fire Chief in the strategic planning and goal setting for departmental long-range needs with respect to administration, operations, equipment, apparatus, facilities, and personnel; supervises the implementation of such plans.
•Assists the Fire Chief in the establishment of policies and procedures for the department to implement directives from the City Manager and City Council.
Coordinates with contiguous fire departments and develops mutual aid assistance programs.
•Assists the Fire Chief in the development and implementation of department goals, objectives, guidelines, and mentoring programs.
•Directs, manages, coordinates, and supervises personnel and activities of the Operations, Training, and Administrative Divisions.
•Commands and coordinates emergency incidents including fire suppression, rescue, emergency medical services, and hazardous material response.
Addition of a Staff Battalion Chief (FY23/24)
Add 1 Staff Battalion Chief for up to four months or 960 hours to assist the Fire Chief with the establishment of a professional standards unit and assist with the completion of CPSE Accreditation. This temporary assignment will not require an addition to the budget but will be funded through salary lapse.
Fire Prevention
The Fire Prevention Division is staffed with one fire inspector, and administrative support is provided by the Administrative Assistant II (confidential).
With the absence of a Fire Marshal, plan review is largely outsourced to a contract vendor (CSG). CUP plan review, outsourced plan review processing, billing, project scheduling and enforcement documentation are completed by an administrative assistant. Inspections are completed by the Fire Inspector on an as-needed basis.
Engine company business inspections were restricted during the pandemic, and will resume in spring 2023, bringing the Division’s inspection program back to a more pro- active role.
Addition of a part-time Fire Marshal (FY23/24 and FY24/25) Adding a part-time Fire Marshal affords the department with much needed expertise.
The Fire Marshal will provide oversight of the department’s inspection program and provide code training to safety personnel, mentorship, and training to the fire inspector, and will assume responsibility for plan review and for the fire department’s role in community development. This position will free the Fire Chief’s Administrative Assistant of fire prevention duties, bring plan review in-house, and increase levels of services to both our internal and external customers. The fire marshal will create and support a predictable and timely plan review approval process and address fire prevention/life safety issues in an efficient, effective, and timely manner. •Investigates complaints and follows-up on complex fire crew inspections. •Reviews findings of inspection(s) with owner/occupants and explains requirements for meeting compliance with codes and regulations. •Conducts follow-up inspections for violation abatements and establishes alternate means and methods with developers and business owners. •Maintains records of findings and prepares reports.
•Performs fire safety permit inspections for issuance of special permits. •Conducts building plan reviews and assists with final building inspections; consults with building trades as required.
•Inspects and supervises public displays or gatherings.
Emergency and Ambulance Services
Emergency Services includes the following staff positions:
•(3) Battalion Chiefs
•(9) Fire Captains
•(9) Engineers
•(18) Firefighters
•(9) AO’s
Emergency Services provides the following services to the community:
•Emergency response
•Non-emergency response
•Patient assessment
•Patient treatment (non-transport)
•Patient transport
An 8% increase in 9-1-1 calls for service drove the department’s need for a third full- time ambulance to be placed in service in March 2023. An increase in staffing to accommodate the community’s demand led the department to implement an Ambulance Operator (AO) Program, largely staffed with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s).
AO’s are not safety personnel, and free up firefighters to perform rescue and firefighting operations while ensuring Emergency Medical Services (EMS) services to the community.
Emergency Management
Emergency Management is managed by a Battalion Chief, and disaster response operations are initiated by the BC on duty.
In FY 2023/2024 and FY 2024/2025, this Division will provide the following services to the community:
•Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) training (adult and teen) •Emergency Operations Center readiness
•Staff training in the Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS) and the National Information Management System (NIMS).
•Updating of the City’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) •Updating of the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) FISCAL IMPACT:
The original published budget for the Fire Department (all divisions) for FY 22/23 was $14,781,044.
Total personal increase requests (all divisions):
•Addition of a part-time Fire Marshal (FY23/24 and FY24/25) - .5 FTE •Addition of a Staff Battalion Chief (FY23/24) – no FTE required •Addition of a Deputy Fire Chief (FY24/25) – 1.0 FTE
Total operating budget increase requests (all divisions):
•FY 2023/2024 $249,500
•FY 2024/2025 $241,500