May 27, 2025
Fire Department
DATE: May 27, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Aaron Osorio, Fire Chief
Rico Rincon, Deputy Fire Chief
Subject:
Adopt Response Time Standards for the Richmond Fire
Department During Emergency Incidents
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no immediate financial impact associated with this item. However, eligibility for grant funding from the Contra Costa County Health Services – Emergency
Medical Services Agreement is contingent upon
recipients having established response time performance standards.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
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STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Richmond Fire Department has a longstanding
policy establishing a target response time of six minutes or less. While this benchmark has guided operational
efforts, it has not been formally adopted as a standard.
Establishing this target within a nationally recognized framework, such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710, will provide consistency, improve service
delivery, and align with the industry’s best standards. In addition, formal adoption will also position the City of Richmond to meet eligibility requirements for grant
funding programs that require defined performance
metrics.
AGENDA
REPORT
May 27, 2025
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution establishing a Response Time
Standard for the Richmond Fire Department to guide
performance during emergency incidents – Fire
Department (Chief Aaron Osorio 510-307-8021/Rico
Rincon 510-307-8041).
DISCUSSION:
The Richmond Fire Department (“Department”) has historically operated with a six- minute target response time for all emergency incidents. However, formalizing this response time using nationally recognized standards will improve service delivery, enhance operational readiness, and ensure consistency in emergency response protocols. In addition, eligibility for grant funding such as through the Contra Costa County Health Services – Emergency Medical Services Agreement is contingent upon the Department having established response time performance standards.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1710 establishes standards for the organization and deployment of fire suppression operations, emergency medical services, and special operations to the public by career fire departments. Specifically, NFPA 1710 defines response time objectives ranging from four to six minutes for emergency incidents.
Following the standards set forth in NFPA 1710, the City of Richmond intends to adopt service delivery objectives that include specific time benchmarks and target percentages of compliance. The key performance benchmarks for fire and emergency medical incidents are:
Turnout Time: 60 seconds
Response Time: Arrival of the first engine/truck company within 6 minutes (360 seconds) for 90% of emergency incidents
By establishing these benchmarks, the City of Richmond will formalize the Department’s longstanding six-minute response time goal while aligning with nationally recognized standards. These efforts will also improve service delivery, enhance operational readiness, and support continuous improvement through measurable performance goals.
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
Adopting a resolution to establish a response time standard aligns with the City Council strategic goal of improving public safety. Key provisions of the proposed standard will guide deployment, turnout time, and response times to ensure effective incident
May 27, 2025
mitigation. The standard is recognized throughout the fire service industry as a benchmark for fire service performance.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – NFPA 1710