TO: PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, & FROM: Robert Sapien, Jr.
STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE
SUBJECT: FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY DATE: October 5, 2022
RESPONSE TIMES PERFORMANCE
ANNUAL REPORT
Approved Date
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the annual report on Fire Department emergency response times performance metrics and progress on response times performance improvement strategies through the end of Fiscal Year 2021-2022.
BACKGROUND
As specified in the Public Safety, Finance, and Strategic Support Committee (Committee) Work Plan, the Fire Department (Department) is to provide a written annual report regarding emergency response time performance and progress on response time performance improvement strategies contained in the Fire Department Response Time Work Plan. The previous report was accepted by the Committee on October 21, 20211.
Building upon the Response Time Work Plan presented to the Committee on June 19, 2014, the Department continues to advance strategies for maximizing response time performance. This report provides a status of the Department’s current response times, as well as updates on ongoing response time performance improvement projects and strategies. 1 https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=9890522&GUID=FA7EBFE8-387C-43C5-A695- 1C2F65A82471
PSFSS COMMITTEE: 10/20/22
ITEM: (d)2
10/11/2022
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
ANALYSIS
Response Times (City and County EMS):
Department response times are measured against two performance measures: the City of San José’s (City) adopted performance measures and the performance measures in the Santa Clara County (County) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agreement.
City of San José: In order to effectively respond to emergency calls for service (both fires and medical services) the City revised its response time performance standard in 2000 to arrival within eight minutes, 80 percent of the time for Priority 1 incidents; and arrival within 13 minutes, 80 percent of the time for Priority 2 incidents. Priority 1 incidents are emergency incidents that are determined to require immediate response with response vehicles using lights and sirens. Priority 2 incidents are emergency incidents that are determined to require immediate response without the use of lights and sirens. Under the City Standard, the time clock begins upon receipt of the 9-1-1 call and stops upon arrival at the incident address.
Santa Clara County EMS Contract Provision: The 9-1-1 Emergency Medical Services Provider Agreement between the City and the County establishes response time requirements for two emergency vehicle response modes: with red lights and sirens or without red lights and sirens. 9- 1-1 calls are triaged by Public Safety Radio Dispatchers utilizing the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). Resulting determinates (Omega, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo) inform field resources of the appropriate response mode. Lights and sirens responses require arrival on scene within eight minutes, 90 percent of the time, in all EMS calls in urban areas (commonly referred to as the County EMS Code 3 Standard). Lower-level EMS incidents require arrival on scene within 13 minutes, 90 percent of the time, in urban areas. Under the County EMS response time standard, the time clock begins upon dispatch of response resources and stops upon arrival at the incident address.
The agreement with the County includes response time performance “exceptions” for responses outside of the County’s defined Exclusive Operating Area (EOA) and designated “hard to serve areas” The County may also waive response time performance requirements when the response network is under unusual pressure, such as during periods of time when greater alarms are occurring or when the Department is providing mutual aid to other jurisdictions. During such exception periods, Department response times not meeting the County EMS Code 3 Standard are excluded from the County EMS Code 3 response time calculations, resulting in a readjusted compliance rate.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
Response Time (City and County EMS):
Chart 1 shows the Department's monthly response time performance for Fiscal Year 2020-2021:
Chart 1: Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Response Time Performance* *Compliance standard reflects performance reported to County EMS adjusted for allowable exemptions.
COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked in January 2021 resulting in delayed ambulance response times. Ambulance response delays adversely impacted Fire Department resource availability and response time performance. After further reconciliation with the County, applying qualifying exemptions, January 2021 adjusted performance was 90.53%.
During the Fiscal Year 2020-2021, the Department response times averaged:
• City Standard: 72.55 percent, or 7.45 basis points below the City Standard of 8 minutes, 80 percent of the time for Priority 1 calls.
• County Standard: 90.97 percent, or 0.97 basis points above the County EMS Code 3 Standard of 8 minutes, 90 percent of the time2.
2 Using the County’s reconciled data for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 the County Standard response time average was revised to 90.97 percent, or 0.97 basis points above the County EMS Code 3 Standard of 8 minutes, 90 percent of the time.
72.79% 72.26% 72.72% 72.02% 73.08% 71.51% 70.09% 72.96% 72.95% 73.21% 72.67% 74.35%
91.84% 91.53% 91.30% 90.74% 91.35% 90.25% 88.95% 90.60% 91.10% 90.15% 90.83% 91.48% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
July 20 Aug 20 Sep 20 Oct 20 Nov 20 Dec 20 Jan 21 Feb 21 Mar 21 Apr 21 May 21 Jun 21 Priority 1 Compliance
MonthYear
City Priority 1 Compliance (80% Standard) County EMS Code 3 Compliance* (90% Standard)
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
Chart 2 shows the Department's monthly response time performance for Fiscal Year 2021-2022:
Chart 2: Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Response Time Performance* *Compliance standard reflects performance reported to County EMS adjusted for allowable exemptions.
Ambulance response delays adversely impacted Fire Department resource availability and response time performance. After reconciliation with the County, the following adjustment were made: October 2021 - 92.14%, December 2021 - 91.81%, January 2022 - 92.04%, February 2022 - 91.96%, and June 2022 - 90.76%.
During the Fiscal Year 2021-2022, the Department response times averaged:
• City Standard: 70.79 percent, or 9.21 basis points below the City Standard of 8 minutes, 80 percent of the time for Priority 1 calls.
• County Standard: 91.08 percent, or 1.08 basis points above the County EMS Code 3 Standard of 8 minutes, 90 percent of the time3.
The Department has met the County EMS Code 3 response time requirement of 8 minutes, 90% of the time for 51 consecutive months since April 2018. 3 Using the County’s reconciled data for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 the County Standard response time average was revised to 91.08 percent, or 1.08 basis points above the County EMS Code 3 Standard of 8 minutes, 90 percent of the time.
71.38% 69.32% 70.23% 70.31% 72.87% 70.40% 70.38% 71.27% 72.74% 70.97% 70.50% 69.06%
91.25% 90.46% 90.37% 89.97% 90.15% 89.04% 89.72% 89.71% 91.09% 90.89% 90.04% 89.44% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Jul 21 Aug 21 Sep 21 Oct 21 Nov 21 Dec 21 Jan 22 Feb 22 Mar 22 Apr 22 May 22 Jun 22 Priority 1 Compliance
MonthYear
City Priority 1 Compliance (80% Standard) County EMS Code 3 Compliance* (90% Standard)
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
Response Time Segments
The Department’s response times are broken down into three segments: alarm processing time, turnout time, and travel time. The Priority 1 standard is 8 minutes, 80% of the time. The 8- minute target includes 2 minutes for alarm processing, 2 minutes for turnout, and 4 minutes for travel time. The Department meets alarm processing and turnout time standards more than 80% of the time, however, the 4-minute travel time target is met less than 50% of the time.
Alarm processing begins when a 9-1-1 call is received into the Fire Communications Center (FCC) and assigned to a call taker. Most calls are transferred to the FCC from Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) that include San José Police, Santa Clara County Communications, California Highway Patrol, and others. In Fiscal Year 2019-2020, the Department achieved four improvements that have had a positive impact on alarm processing time including an improved Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system to CAD link between the City and County Communications Centers, diversion of non-emergency calls from the FCC to San José 3-1-1, “off-hook” answering technology, and new fire station alerting systems. The CAD-to-CAD link improvement results in a reduction of tens of thousands of telephone calls between the Centers annually, while increasing dispatcher availability. Similarly, the diversion of non-emergency calls to San José 3-1-1 also increases 9-1-1 dispatcher availability. Off-hook answering automatically opens the line between the caller and an available 9-1-1 dispatcher, eliminating ring time and dispatcher reaction time. The new fire station alerting system utilizes a computerized voice and can reduce alarm processing time by simultaneously dispatching calls.
Prior to this implementation, dispatches had to occur in sequence to wait for dispatcher and radio channel availability. In Fiscal Year 2021-2022, the Department implemented use of the RapidDeploy RadiusPlus platform provided by California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) to integrate 9-1-1 caller cellular location information and external data sources. Text-to-9-1-1 service was also transitioned to the RapidDeploy platform in accordance with a CalOES contract award. These efforts improve efficiency during alarm processing by combining data previously accessed via disparate systems into a single platform.
Turnout time is measured from the point that a unit is notified of an incident to the time the unitinitiated response (travel). Turnout time entails the following: personnel stopping current activities, walking to the emergency vehicle, donning appropriate personal protective equipment based upon call type, mounting apparatus, and securing seat belts. Response time performance data is shared with companies during each 48-hour work tour, and shift-specific turnout time performance is shared twice per month with field supervisors.
As previously noted, travel time is the Department’s principal challenge to on-time response performance. Distance between fire stations, unit out-of-service time, traffic congestion, and high call volume each play a role in challenging travel time performance. As an ongoing effort to close the distance between fire stations and to increase resourcing, the City is continuing to advance new fire station building projects enabled by the 2018 Disaster Preparedness, Public Safety, and Infrastructure Bond Measure (Measure T). In March 2022, the newly relocated Fire Station 20 expanded the Fire Department's coverage from the San José Mineta Airport Fire Station 20 by deploying an advanced life support unit to better serve the surrounding residential
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
and business community. Additionally, in May 2022, the Department completed construction and fully operationalized Fire Station 37 to strengthen fire protection coverage and improve response time performance. The Department has worked to minimize unit out-of-service time by utilizing overtime to conduct training and other administrative details during scheduled off-duty time and/or to backfill resources that are out of service for training. Traffic congestion challenges were improved in 2018 with the implementation of Emergency Vehicle Pre-emption (EVP). The implementation of EVP resulted in 948 intersection traffic signal lights pre-empting to green when emergency vehicles are passing through. The result has been improved response time performance and safer roadways for responders and civilians.
Emergency Incident Volume
In Fiscal Year 2021-2022 the Department responded to 103,145 incidents, which is an 8.8% increase from the reported 94,784 incidents in Fiscal Year 2020-2021. Over the last 5 years, the Department experienced an 11.4% increase from the 92,587 incidents reported in Fiscal Year 2017-2018, as indicated in Table 1 below. In May 2022, the Department opened the new Fire Station 37 and is now operating at the same number of fire stations as Fiscal Year 2009-2010.
Table 1: Annual Incident Volume
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022
Total Incidents 92,587 91,901 91,595 94,784 103,145
Increased call volume results in more instances where the first due response resource is unavailable to respond. Second and third due resources require additional travel time to arrive on scene, and thus response times are longer. Peak call volume periods and large-scale incidents requiring multiple unit response stretch the Department’s resource network thinly and results in reduced response time performance. The continuation of COVID-19 cases in Fiscal Year 2021- 2022 has become an additional strain on the responses and performance times. Fire resources were committed for an extended period on scene while waiting for ambulances that were delayed due to longer ambulance patient offload times (APOT) at hospital emergency rooms that had limited intake space.
As noted above, COVID-19 has impacted response time performance through APOT delays, and other factors impacting ambulance availability. Shelter-in-place orders across the state slowed paramedic development as both classroom, clinical instruction, and internships were temporarily halted by many paramedic schools. This has resulted in paramedic staffing shortages across the state and locally. Presently, the County ambulance service is having to resort to fielding ambulances staffed with two emergency medical technicians (EMT) capable of basic life support (BLS) level care rather than the normal staffing of one EMT and one paramedic capable of advanced life support (ALS) level care. As a result, Department Rescue Medic Units are transporting more frequently, and paramedics are often riding in with patients on County
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
ambulances to emergency rooms to maintain ALS-level care, thus extending out-of-service time for Department ALS units and pressuring response time performance.
Chart 3 shows responses on a Heat Map where travel time was greater than 4-minutes. Red areas indicate the greatest number of late responses, and green areas indicate the lowest number of late responses. Although fire stations are closer together in the core of the city, the high number of incidents results in an increased number of late responses as previously explained. This data gathered has aided in the placement and prioritization of new fire stations.
Chart 3: Travel Time Performance (Greater than 4-Minutes) Leveraging funding from the Measure T bond will enable the construction of the new Fire Stations 32 and 36, as well as the relocation of Fire Stations 8 and 23. Fire Station 32 will be built in East San Jose, near McLaughlin Avenue and Story Road, while Fire Station 36 will be built near McLaughlin Avenue and Capitol Expressway. The site location for Fire Station 8 was secured in February 2021, while the site for Fire Station 23 is currently under evaluation. Both relocated fire stations are anticipated to improve the Department’s emergency response
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
performance. Measure T also provided funding for the improvement of the 911 Call Center Upgrade that houses the Police and Fire emergency communications, including the expansion to incorporate the Office of Emergency Management. Improvements to the physical space at the 911 Call Center are expected to result in expanded capacity and improved integration of modern technologies to meet volume demands and support emerging 9-1-1 features.
The Department has taken steps to moderate call volume through refinements in 9-1-1 calltaker protocols and through targeted mitigation of high call volume locations where Department resources are not the ideal or needed resource. An effective 9-1-1 calltaker protocol includes a division of “person down” calls distinguishing between a law enforcement-only response or a law enforcement and fire response to provide emergency medical services care. This action eliminated several hundred unnecessary Department responses per year. Mitigating targeted high call volume addresses, such as the Santa Clara County Main Jail Complex has involved collaboration with facilities to provide education, identify better options, and improve workflows to eliminate unnecessary and/or accidental triggering of a 9-1-1 system response. The Department will continue to pursue these opportunities as they arise.
Status of the Response Time Work Plan
The Department continues to advance multiple response time improvement strategies included in the Response Time Work Plan.
Table 2 provides an update on “in process” action items from the Fire Department’s Response Time Work Plan:
Table 2: Response Time Work Plan (In Process)
# Project Comments
2 Data Collection
Status: In Process
Timeline: Ongoing
Segment: Overall
This effort seeks to increase the storage and
scope of electronic data collection to enhance
analytical capabilities to improve response
times. Data informing on call processing,
turnout time, and travel time performance is
in production. Additional quantitative and
qualitative data is being identified for
incorporation into the data warehouse and
business intelligence tool.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
# Project Comments
3 Business Intelligence Tool
Status: In Process
Timeline: Ongoing
Segment: Overall
These tools provide reports and user
interfaces (“dashboards”) that direct
organizational focus on performance driven
by actionable data. These tools were
implemented in December 2018. The
Department is currently benefitting from
generated initial products and continues to
add and enhance reports.
8 Fire Communications Staffing
Status: In Process
Timeline: July 2023
Segment: Call Processing Time
At the end of Fiscal Year 2021-2022, there
were 9.48 vacancies within the dispatcher
classification series in Fire Communications
and 10.48 across all classifications.
Recruitment efforts and training academies
are ongoing. The 2019-2020 Adopted
Operating Budget added one-time funding to
conduct a staffing study. An agreement with a
consultant was executed in September 2020.
The consultant has delivered a draft report
which is under review by the Fire Department
and City Manager’s Office. An Analyst
position was also added to the 2019-2020
Adopted Operating Budget. That position was
filled in August 2022, and the Analyst will be
integral in ongoing recruitment efforts and
data analytics.
9 Response Area Mapping/ESZ Refinement
Status: In Process
Timeline: Ongoing
Segment: Call Processing Time
Ongoing refinement of Emergency Service
Zone (ESZ) assignments to ensure
appropriate resources (station/apparatus) are
dispatched. Refinements to align ESZ
coverage with jurisdictional boundaries are
currently underway. Preparation for the
addition of Fire Stations 32 and 36 and the
relocation of Fire Stations 8 and 23 will occur
as those projects draw near.
10 Base Map Update
Status: In Process
Timeline: Ongoing
Segment: Call Processing Time
Provide periodic updates to base map data for
integration (“map roll”) into CAD. The
Department is evaluating opportunities for a
countywide base map, which could support
multiple strategies.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
# Project Comments
14 CAD-to-CAD Dispatch Link(s)
Status: In Process
Timeline: TBD
Segment: Call Processing and Travel Time
Connect the Fire Department CAD system
with other County agencies to share unit and
event information. This includes redesign of
the CAD-to-CAD interface with Santa Clara
County Communications to include unit data.
Unit data is not exchanged via the current
interface. Funding for a redesigned interface
to coincide with Santa Clara County
Communications’ transition to the Hexagon
CAD system was approved in the 2021-2022
Annual Report and coordination with Santa
Clara County and Hexagon continues.
Anticipated timeline for that interface is
Spring 2023; a timeline for efforts with other
agencies remains to be determined. The
Department will continue to monitor the
status of the Silicon Valley Regional
Interoperability Authority’s Silicon Valley
Interoperability Project Data Exchange
(SVRIA-DX).
15 Border Drops
Status: On Hold
Timeline: TBD
Segment: Call Process and Travel Time
Enhance auto-aid agreements to create
borderless response areas. This project is
dependent on CAD-to-CAD links and agency
agreements and may require countywide
geographic information system (GIS)
coordination.
17 Resource Move-Ups
Status: In Process
Timeline: Ongoing
Segment: Travel Time
Resource move-ups continue as a manual
process at Fire Communications and by
request from Battalion Chiefs. As the
Department moves toward the closest unit
dispatch, automated resource deployment
software solutions will be evaluated.
18 Closest Unit Dispatch
Status: In Process
Timeline: Spring2023
Segment: Travel Time
This effort would dispatch resources based
upon apparatus proximity to the incident
rather than station location. The Department
is assessing time and support requirements
for the completion of policy work and
configuration of the Hexagon CAD system.
To increase the reliability of cellular
connectivity, the Department is working with
the Public Works Fleet Management Division
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
# Project Comments
for the installation of dual cellular network
routers in each apparatus. This will provide
system redundancy by leveraging both the
FirstNet and Verizon networks. CradlePoint
installation is estimated to be completed in
December 2022.
19 Navigation Technology
Status: In Process
Timeline: Ongoing
Segment: Call Processing and Travel Time
The Department continues to refine routing
effectiveness on new CAD and mobile data
computer (MDC) systems. iPads and updated
hard-copy maps continue to provide interim
improved routing capabilities. An updated
map was deployed on MDCs in February
2022 along with an upgrade of the Hexagon
Mobile for Public Safety Software.
21 Deployment Refinements
Status: In Process
Timeline: Ongoing
Segment: Travel Time
The Department continues to pursue
opportunities to address service gap areas
identified through the Organizational Review
process. This includes real-time move-ups,
backfill for training, augmented staffing
levels for high fire danger periods, mutual
aid, and special events. In the second half of
Fiscal Year 2021-2022, Engine 37 was
deployed out of newly constructed Fire
Station 37, and Rescue Medic 20 was
deployed out of the newly constructed Fire
Station 20.
22 Expand Omega Protocol
Status: In Process
Timeline: December 2023
Segment: Overall
The Department pursued opportunities to
reduce unnecessary responses as determined
by Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS)
triage (Omega determinant). Thus far,
enabling State and County EMS policies has
not materialized. As an alternative, the
Department has engaged County EMS to
resolve low-acuity EMS service requests at
high-call volume facilities.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
Table 3 provides an update on completed action items from the Fire Department’s Response Time Work Plan:
Table 3: Response Time Work Plan (Completed)
1 Analyze/Validate Response Time
Data/Determine Impact on
Response Performance
Status: Completed
Segment: Overall
The Department provided the San José Fire
Department Response Time Performance Initial
Analysis in April 2014 with third-party
methodology review and validation by Athena
Advanced Networks. This process is now ongoing
and is the source of data cited in this report. The
Department will monitor CAD upgrade impacts to
ensure continuity of data reporting procedures.
4 Data Warehouse
Status: Completed
Timeline: Ongoing4
Segment: Overall
This tool centralizes data from multiple sources
and would be the data source for reporting and
business intelligence tools. This item was
implemented in December 2018.
5 Enable Intergraph iTracker (“Halo”)
Status: Completed
Segment: Turnout and Travel Time
This feature records en-route and on-scene
information utilizing the Automatic Vehicle
Location (AVL) system. iTracker can provide
greater data reliability than manual entry via MDC
performed by response personnel. This item was
completed in January 2018.
6 Implement Early Dispatch
Status: Completed
Segment: Call Processing Time
In March 2014, the Department eliminated “station
pre-alerts” and adopted “early dispatch” procedures
for EMS responses to improve dispatch time. As a
result, all EMS dispatches became Code-3 until
completion of Emergency Medical Dispatch
(EMD) triage. This procedure results in
simultaneous dispatch of Rescue Medics, with the
appropriate resource continued upon completion of
triage. Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD) procedures
were also refined on August 1, 2016.
7 9-1-1 Phone System Upgrade
Status: Completed
Segment: Call Processing Time
New system hardware installation was completed
in June 2016 and system training (Power MIS) was
completed in September 2016. Installation of
system monitoring hardware in the control room
was completed in March 2018.
4 Although the project is completed, the Department is continuously refining and adjusting to new developments as they occur.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
11 EMS Quality Assurance Update
Status: Completed
Timeline: Ongoing5
Segment: Call Processing Time
Training was completed in July 2016 and software
and protocols upgraded on August 1, 2016. This
process recurs with software and protocol updates
and upgrades.
12 Organizational Review
Status: Completed
Segment: Overall
Report accepted, along with the Fire Department
Strategic Business Plan in June 2016.
13 Turnout Time
Status: Completed
Segment: Turnout Time
Performance data isolating turnout time
performance is provided to field personnel bimonthly. Daily turnout time performance reports have been deployed in the Business Intelligence
Tools.
16 Traffic Signal Preemption
(Emergency Vehicle Preemption,
EVP)
Status: Completed
Segment: Travel Time
This effort expands traffic signal preemption more
broadly across the City. The Department worked
with Police Department Communications,
Information Technology Department, and
Department of Transportation to leverage their
systems to significantly expand signal preemption.
The system was fully deployed in December 2018
with a total of 948 intersections.
20 Unit Availability
Status: Completed
Segment: Travel Time
The Department has implemented various
strategies to reduce unit out-of-service time
including adjusted training scheduling and
conducting administrative details on and off duty
on an overtime basis. Backfill resources to cover
staffing gaps created when companies are out-ofservice for training, enabled by 2016-2017 Adopted Operating Budget action.
23 Station Alerting System
Status: Completed
Segment: Call Processing and
Turnout Time
The 2016-2017 Adopted Operating Budget
approved $1.3 million to support the
implementation of an upgraded station alerting
system. The upgraded fire station alerting system
automates some dispatching steps, resulting in
reduced call processing times. In October 2017,
Council approved a funding increase for a total
$1.5 million. This project was completed in August
5 Although the project is completed, the Department is continuously refining and adjusting to new developments as they occur.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE October 5, 2022
Subject: Fire Department Emergency Response Times Performance Annual Report
2020 and the Department is in monitoring and
maintenance mode.
24 Response to County Jail and County
Facilities
Status: Completed
Timeline: Ongoing Monitoring
Segment: Travel Time
In December 2014, Santa Clara County released a
Limited Scope Management Audit of Emergency
Medical Services Response Times which
recommended that the County develop additional
policies limiting when the County Jail and Valley
Medical Center call 9-1-1 for assistance on medical
emergencies based on the existence of trained
medical personnel at those facilities. The County
has initiated actions to reduce unnecessary 9-1-1
calls, and the Department continues to monitor
County Jail facility call volume.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
The Department will return to the Committee in Fall 2023 with its next annual report regarding emergency response time performance and progress on response time performance improvement strategies contained in the Fire Department Response Time Work Plan.
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
ROBERT SAPIEN, JR.
Fire Chief, Fire Department
For questions, please contact Robert Sapien, Jr., Fire Chief, at (408) 794-6952.