FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 15, 2022
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: City Council
FROM: City Manager
Prepared by: Fire Chief
SUBJECT: PRESENTATION — SANTA MARIA FIRE DEPARTMENT'S STRATEGIC PLAN
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive a presentation on the Santa Maria Fire Department's multi- year strategic plan.
BACKGROUND:
In August of 2021, the Santa Maria Fire Department contracted with Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI) to complete a Strategic Plan. The multi -year plan consists of five strategic initiatives that include enhancing the organization's ability to meet its mission, build community risk reduction capabilities, refine training program, professional development, and successio fanning.
TODD TUGGL E
Fire Chief
ATTACHMENT: Santa Maria Fire Department Strategic Plan
Santa Maria
Fire Department
Strategic Plan
November 2021
ESCJ
Emergency Services
Consulting International
v
Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2
ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND 2
MISSION 3
VISION 4
VALUES 5
STRENGTHS 6
OPPORTUNITIES 8
THREATS 9
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 10
Goal 1— Develop an effective organization responsive to the needs of its members and the community it serves. 11
Goal 2 — Effectively manage the organization's financial and capital resources. 16 Goal 3 — Deliver effective and efficient emergency services to the community. 19 Goal 4 — Develop a safe community through proactive fire prevention, public safety education and risk mitigation. 23
Goal 5 — Provide comprehensive training and professional development to ensure personnel are fully prepared to effectively perform their duties and responsibilities. 26 PERFORMANCE GOALS 28
APPENDIX A — COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL INPUT 29
1 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This strategic plan was developed by the leadership of Santa Maria Fire Department through a collaborative process. The time spent by each person to provide input and insight into the department's future was very valuable. Special thanks go to Chief Tuggle and each of the strategic plan development participants for their leadership and commitment to the process.
Santa Maria Fire Department
Strategic Planning Team
Chris Rehs — Fire Captain
Kyle Fetrow — Firefighter
Jim Clayton — Battalion Chief
Brett Smith — Fire Captain
Jay Wilkins — Fire Engineer
Roy Dugger — Emergency Services Specialist
Francisco Santos — Fire Inspector
Jim Austin — Fire Marshal
Todd Tuggle — Fire Chief
Tracy Aris — Management Analyst
Chris Furtado — Fire Engineer
Orlando Viera — Fire Engineer
Jeremy Mace — Fire Engineer
Matt Chircop — Fire Captain
Derek McLeod — Fire Captain
Anthony Clayburg — Battalion Chief
Seth Wells — Fire Captain
Kyle Dodds — Fire Captain
2 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
Incorporated in 1905, the City of Santa Maria is in Santa Barbara County in what is known as California's "Central Coast" Santa Maria, with a population of 107,263 and an area of 23.2 square miles, is the largest city by population and geographic area in the county.
The City of Santa Maria was founded in 1874, incorporated in 1905, and became a chartered city in 2000.
Agriculture and oil exploration were important to the city's growth.
In 1913, the Santa Maria Board of Trustees took formal action to establish the Santa Maria Fire Department (SMFD). Since its original formation over 100 years ago, SMFD has grown into a professional organization providing all-risk emergency services. Operating from six fire stations, SMFD provides emergency services, which include pre -hospital emergency medical services at the Emergency Medical Technician I (EMT -1) level; response to structural, vehicular, and vegetation fires; hazardous materials response, technical rescue, trench rescue, public assistance, and other emergencies. These services support SMFD's mission of effectively preserving lives and protecting property. i
1110 SMFD stations
(^) Other stations
�- Railroad
n Airport
— Freeway
Highway
Streets
City of Santa Mans
2 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
MISSION
An organization's mission statement is intended to describe, in succinct terms, the purpose for the organization's existence. It articulates the principal reason for the organization's presence within the community.
Santa Maria Fire Department has developed the following mission statement.
Santa Maria Fire Department
Mission Statement
We are committed to enhanced public safety through risk prevention, disaster preparedness and emergency services.
3 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
VISION
In addition to understanding its purpose and reason for existence, all successful organizations need to define where they expect to be in the future. After having established the organization's mission, the next step is to establish a vision for what Santa Maria Fire Department should be and achieve in the future.
Vision statements provide targets of excellence that the organization will strive towards and provide a basis for their goals and objectives. The following vision statements were developed for Santa Maria Fire Department.
Santa Maria Fire Department
Vision
We are an organization that:
• is a regional leader in all-risk services provided to our community, our stakeholders, and our peers.
• collaborates effectively with internal and external partners. • achieves excellence and professional growth within our workforce. • provides resources that serve the diverse nature of our community. • is a trusted and compassionate partner.
4 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
VALUES
Establishing values embraced by all members of an organization is extremely important. They recognize those attitudes and behaviors that make up the personality of the organization. The leadership of Santa Maria Fire Department declared the following statement of values for the organization.
Santa Maria Fire Department
Values
We:
• put others first with pride, honor, and integrity.
• believe in the value of teamwork.
• recognize that each person in the department is a vital member of a family that values honesty, fairness, respect, and openness.
• believe our members are our most valuable resource. We are committed to providing the best wellness programs for our members health and operational readiness. • support continued excellence in recruitment, training, and career development. • believe in being future focused through continuous improvement and innovation. • are committed to being prudent stewards of the resources provided. 5 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
STRENGTHS
It is important for any organization to identify their strengths to ensure they are capable of providing the services requested by customers. Often, identification of organizational strengths leads to the channeling of efforts toward primary community needs that match those strengths. Through a consensus process, the strengths of Santa Maria Fire Department were identified.
Strengths of Santa Maria Fire Department
• Many improvements are in progress.
• Emphasis on innovation and progress.
• Committed, dedicated and eager workforce.
• Recognize the need to collaborate across the department. • Labor/management relations have improved.
• Providing effective service to our community.
• Collaborates effectively with other departments, community partners and cooperating agencies. • Identified effective replacement schedules for PPE, equipment, and apparatus. • Established effective recruitment and training program ...well rounded, qualified instructor corps.
• City has a stable water source.
• Diversified professional background of department members. • Established Measure U funding stream (grant writing et al). • More modernized training standards and operations.
6 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
WEAKNESSES
Performance or lack of performance within an organization depends greatly on the identification of weaknesses and how they are confronted. For any organization to either begin or to continue to move progressively forward, it must not only be able to identify its strengths, but also those areas where it does not function well or not at all.
Weaknesses of Santa Maria Fire Department
• Need for better Aircraft Rescue and Fire staffing.
• Lack of a training facility.
• Lack of a reserve ladder truck.
• Insufficient support and overhead staff.
• Insufficient specialized equipment and apparatus.
• Lack of a dedicated fire mechanic and facility.
• Inadequate communication equipment and dispatch service. • Insufficient water supply in outlying areas.
• Lack of a recruitment outreach program.
• Inadequate facilities maintenance.
• Need to do more public education and outreach.
• Minimal engagement with land use planning.
• Need for improved fire department facilities.
• Inadequate resources to support quality department training. • Reliance on grants for important needs.
• Need for Advanced Life Support response units and trained personnel. • Need to improve assignment and coordination of committees and workgroups. • Social media opportunities not well -used for community outreach. • Outdated city/department policies, and standard operating guidelines. • Human Resources does not provide quality employee support. • Lack of leadership development results in a lack of consistency. 7 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
OPPORTUNITIES
Manythings exist as unrealized opportunities for the organization. The focus of opportunities is not solely on existing service, but on expanding and developing new possibilities both inside and beyond the traditional service area. Many opportunities exist for the Santa Maria Fire Department.
Opportunities for Santa Maria Fire Department
• Create an effective social media presence.
• Take advantage of financial resources (grants, feds, etc.). • Identifying thresholds for increases in staffing, stations, response units. • Maximizing master mutual aid/OES involvement.
• Leveraging development/user fees on increased service. • Regional dispatch streamlining our responses.
• Use emerging technology for data collection and data driven decision making. • Take advantage of increasing support of firefighter wellness. • Utilize our radio communications platform as a sustainable revenue stream. • Partner with city administration to streamline professional development. • Direct excess funding toward one-time costs.
• Streamline training evolutions with more realistic skills. • Create Advanced Life Support continuity throughout the county/community. • Acquire a new skillset for department paramedicine and community paramedicine. • Increase outreach to, and presence in the community.
• Restore the intern program.
• Increase the number of Spanish speakers in the department. • Participate in the "Walk and Talk".
• Succession planning to promote growth.
8 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
THREATS
There are conditions in the internal and external environment not under the organization's control.
However, by being aware of them, the organization can develop plans and programs to either mitigate these threats or respond effectively when a threat becomes reality. By recognizing possible threats, an organization can greatly reduce the potential for loss.
Threats to Santa Maria Fire Department
• Loss of funding due to economic downturn that impacts service delivery. • Impending leadership and experience void — short and long term. • Sudden and/or systematic loss of public trust.
• Increasing water scarcity.
• Natural and manmade disasters with significant impact on infrastructure. • Significant event leading to line of duty death or significant injury. • Events leading to psychological injuries and disorders. • Loss of good morale within the department.
• Community growth outpacing department infrastructure or service delivery capability. • Legislation that limits or impacts our ability to provide services. • Loss of communications technology.
• Loss of mutual aid agreements.
• Technological failure affecting 9-1-1 communications and data. 9 Santa Maria Fire Department — Strategic Plan
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
To achieve Santa Maria Fire Department's mission and vision, realistic goals and objectives must be established. Goals and objectives are necessary to provide the individual members with clear direction.
As goals and objectives are management tools, they should be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis to identify what has been accomplished and to note changes within the organization and the community.
The attainment of a performance target should be recognized and celebrated to provide a sense of organizational accomplishment.
The strategic planning team set priorities for the accomplishment of its objectives. Those that carried higher priorities are scheduled for completion first and lower priority objectives scheduled later. Overall, these goals and objectives provide very specific timelines for the next several years and more general timelines beyond that.
10 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Goal 1— Develop an effective organization responsive to the needs of its members and the community it serves.
Strategic Initiatives
• Review and revise policies and SOGs.
• Increase administration and support staffing.
• Improve and expand firefighter health and wellness programs. • Improve collaboration and communications with other city departments. • Improve collaboration and communication with outside agencies and partners. • Review and revise the internal committee and program management process to improve communication, coordination, and outcomes.
• Manage and communicate the strategic plan roll -out and implementation. • Develop clear and measurable performance measures for all department services and programs. • Refine the personnel recruitment program to ensure that new hires can serve the diverse nature of the community.
Objective 1-A Effectively present the Strategic Plan and its implementation.
Timelines February 2021
Responsibility Chief Tuggle
Critical Tasks:
• Identify the internal and external customers to engage. • Develop and organize a concise presentation.
• Develop a Strategic Plan feedback process.
• Decide how that presentation will be tailored to different customers. • Present Strategic Plan to customers.
• Collect and analyze feedback.
• Implement changes to the Strategic Plan based on feedback. • Present final Strategic Plan to City Council for adoption.
Outcome: Unanimous support for and adoption of the Strategic Plan.
Objective 1-B Evaluate policies and update to address the department's current and expected needs.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Battalion Chief Scott
Critical Tasks:
• Assess current departmental policies.
• Remove outdated and or irrelevant policies.
• Update and/or create policies to reflect our current and expected needs. • Evaluate document management programs to assist with policy updates. • Continue to use labor/management collaboration when updating policies. • Publish and provide training to personnel on the updated policies. • Establish a standard review schedule for policies.
Outcome: We will hove clear, concise, and relevant policies that provide consistent expectations and continuity throughout the department.
11 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 1-C Create standard operational guidelines (SOGs) for realistic and relevant events.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Battalion Chief Clayburg
Critical Tasks:
• Research other agencies' SOGs.
• Review current policies and separate those that are really guidelines from the policy index. • Build on guidelines to create stand-alone department SOGs. • Publish and provide training to personnel on the new SOGs. • Establish a standard review of SOGs.
Outcome: We will have clear, concise, and relevant operational guidelines that will provide our members clear and concise direction.
Objective 1-D Conduct an administration and support staff workload needs assessment.
Timelines July 2021
Responsibility Business Program Leader
Critical Tasks:
• Assess current staff workload and identify unmet needs. • Identify staff resources needed to achieve those commitments. • Identify facility and equipment that might improve productivity. • Develop a plan to update the needs assessment every budget cycle.
Outcome: Administration and support staff necessary to support the organization are identified.
Objective 1-E Based on staff needs assessment, identify new positions and funding needed to support and sustain the plan.
Timelines March 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Business Program Leader
Critical Tasks:
• Identify new positions, job descriptions, skills, certifications, and associated workloads. • Develop budget plan for continued funding to support identified needs. • Identify hiring plan and create job descriptions for additional services. • Acquire equipment and facilities needed to support staff and programs. • Identify realistic performance standards to measure and improve internal and external customer service.
Outcome: Administration and support staffing are sufficient to serve the organization. 12 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 1-F Improve the health and wellness of all department members through equipment, training, and wellness programs.
Timelines December 2023
Responsibility Wellness Committee
Critical Tasks:
• Create a physical fitness standard and consider adopting applicable NFPA standards. • Provide annual physicals for all department members.
• Complete a survey for all department members on health and wellness needs. • Research and implement effective exhaust removal systems for all apparatus. • Research, develop and implement cancer prevention policy and practices. • Establish and implement regular fitness equipment maintenance and inspection intervals. • Identify and secure funding for the programs.
Outcome: Improve operational readiness, long-term health, and physical capabilities of all members.
Objective 1-G Reduce work related injuries and lost time.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Wellness and Safety Committees
Critical Tasks:
• Evaluate SMFD's work related injury experience.
• Identify standards that define an appropriate level of fitness. • Collaborate with Risk Management to develop an injury reduction program. • Develop a plan to evaluate all member's level of physical fitness. • Conduct periodic physical fitness evaluations.
• Develop options to support employee fitness.
• Fund and implement the selected program elements.
Outcome: Decreased time off and better physical wellness.
Objective 1-H Improve collaboration and communications with internal and external partners and cooperators, both public and private.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Emergency Services Specialist Critical Tasks:
• Compile a list of interested parties of internal and external partners. • Identify mutually beneficial opportunities for engagement. • Assign fire department representatives to internal and external workgroups and committees as needed.
• Seek opportunities for service that exemplifies organization values.
Outcome: The fire department is viewed as a trusted partner. 13 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 1-1 Seek and employ opportunities for better community engagement and partnerships.
Timelines July 2025
Responsibility Chief Tuggle and all Battalion Chiefs (assisted by other department directors) Critical Tasks:
• Educate employees about the importance of community outreach. • Identify a core group of interested and motivated employees. • Identify time and resources needed to conduct outreach programs. • Contact community groups, schools, historical contacts to inquire about their needs.
Outcome: Improved community engagement and increased public presence enhances the public's opinion of the fire department.
Objective 1-J Clearly identify department committees' roles, responsibilities, and scope.
Timelines December 2022
Responsibility Chief Tuggle
Critical Tasks:
• Identify and assess current committees and their relevance. • Identify department needs and the necessity for new committees. • Establish criteria for committee member selection.
• Develop a succession plan for extracurricular committees and working groups. • Develop a standard format (charters) to define the roles, responsibilities, authorities, timelines, etc. for committees and work groups.
• Develop charters for all committees and groups.
• Create a consistent path for communicating and accomplishing the project specific expectations, needs, budget, and accomplishments.
• Create an organizational chart to ensure coordinated efforts between all committees and groups.
Outcome: Improved employee engagement and communication that streamlines efforts to satisfy department goals and objectives.
Objective 1-K Improve support for mental wellness.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Peer Support Team
Critical Tasks:
• Assess available resources to support mental wellness. • Research and develop a plan to implement holistic approaches to improve employee mental health.
• Train additional peer support members.
• Develop a mental wellness plan that incorporates all available resources and sources of support.
Outcome: Improved mental wellness for our members.
14 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 1-L Develop methods to measure department services.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Chief Tuggle
Critical Tasks:
• Identify all services to be measured.
• For each service, identify what aspects of each provided service needs to be measured. • Identify the data points necessary to measure those services. • Explore options for data collection and analysis systems. • Select preferred option.
• Secure funding, as necessary, to implement preferred option. • Provide training to pertinent personnel on data capture system. • Develop desired report formats and reporting schedule.
Outcome: Quality improvement is facilitated by the ability to measure performance.
Objective 1-M Evaluate and revise the current recruitment process.
Timelines July 2026
Responsibility Recruitment Team
Critical Tasks:
• Research other agencies personnel recruitment program. • Identify the ideal characteristics of SMFD personnel for use in recruiting and hiring. • Identify aspects of community diversity and the department where the needs are not being met. • Ensure that our hiring requirements are known, defined, and easily accessible. • Create a web page that outlines "how to become a firefighter" on the City's department page. • Disseminate hiring information through social media, hiring platforms, and public outreach (job fairs, internships, station visits).
• Utilize the established hiring committee to revise the recruitment program to better retain personnel possessing the desired qualifications.
Outcome: Personnel are hired that provide outstanding service to our community. 15 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Goal 2 — Effectively manage the organization's financial and capital resources.
Strategic Initiatives
• Improve apparatus acquisition and maintenance.
• Improve the maintenance of facilities to include planning for new, replacement, or relocated facilities.
• Create and implement a better development impact fee structure. • Update the existing growth mitigation fees.
• Seek opportunities for additional and more diversified funding and revenue.
Objective 2-A
Timelines
Responsibility
Critical Tasks:
• Evaluate the current fleet and determine if it meets the city's needs. • Collaborate with Fleet and Finance to develop a long-term apparatus acquisition and replacement plan.
• Encourage adequate funding of the apparatus replacement fund. • Utilize existing manufacturer warranty coverages in place of city provided repairs as appropriate to prevent loss of revenue.
• Evaluate the feasibility of hiring a full-time fire department fleet mechanic. • Develop a plan for additional ladder truck acquisition.
Outcome: Apparatus used by the department are modern, capable, and reliable.
Conduct a needs assessment and create a plan for apparatus acquisition & maintenance.
December 2023
Apparatus Committee
Objective 2-8 Conduct a detailed condition and function assessment of each fire department facility.
Timelines December 2023
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Battalion Chief Clayburg (with assistance from Facilities) Critical Tasks:
• Establish a committee of department representatives from each facility to serve as single points -of -contact along with Public Works, and Prevention representatives. • Identify each facility's inadequacies, repairs, maintenance, and replacement needs, including seismic retrofitting at Station 2 and Station 6 (see SOC 2021). • Identify remodeling needs for future expansion of staffing within each fire station • Prioritize those needs identified.
• Differentiate between capital improvement projects vs. ongoing maintenance for budget purposes.
• Establish preventative maintenance and replacement schedules for FD facilities.
Outcome: A thorough and prioritized report of facility needs, and ongoing facility maintenance schedules is created.
16 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 2-C Perform the necessary work that addresses the facility needs report.
Timelines June 2026
Responsibility Battalion Chief Clayburg (with assistance from Facilities) Critical Tasks:
• Determine who will perform ongoing facility maintenance identified by facility needs report:
Public Works vs. outside contractor.
• Establish a line -item budget for that ongoing facility maintenance. • Secure funding through the budget process.
• Determine who will perform capital improvements identified by facility needs report: Public Works vs. outside contractor.
• Determine costs of capital improvements within Public Works' scope. • Use RFP process to determine costs of capital improvements to be performed by outside contractors.
• Secure funding through CMEP budget process.
• Schedule and execute work to be performed.
• Establish ongoing quality control measures.
Outcome: All capital improvement projects identified have been complete or scheduled and funded and an ongoing facility maintenance plan has been adopted and funded.
Objective 2-D Reorganize and streamline how facility needs are documented, prioritized, and communicated.
Timelines June 2023
Responsibility Battalions Chiefs Clayburg and Clayton
Critical Tasks:
• Explore software options that assist in documentation, prioritization, and communication of facility needs —consider those options that also track fleet, equipment, and PPE needs. • Acquire new software as appropriate.
• Install new software and migrate data from existing systems. • Clarify policies and procedures that address reporting of facility needs. • Provide training to personnel on new system, and new policies and procedures.
Outcome: A centralized, user friendly, and accurate record keeping system is in place.
Objective 2-E Assess current and justify future fire department facility locations.
Timelines December 2023
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Fire Marshal Austin
Critical Tasks:
• Add fire department representation to the Planning Committee and its sub -committees. • Improve communication between city planning and fire department regarding future development.
• Analyze and evaluate response trends using available data, current and future SOC, and GIS assets.
• Evaluate the future impact of population growth and other development on response trends. • Identify locations for future new facilities or relocated facilities along with the staffing and apparatus needs for each location.
• Develop anticipated costs for each change and present to the budget process.
Outcome: Fire Department facilities are located to support achievement of community response performance goals.
17 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 2-F Create and propose development fees to ensure the department can keep pace with community growth.
Timelines March 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Fire Marshal Austin
Critical Tasks:
• Research other jurisdictions' fee ordinances within the Tri-Counties. • Review development fee options available within statute. • Obtain data for current and proposed developments within the city. • Perform an impact study for Operations.
• Perform an impact study for Prevention.
• Create a draft development fee ordinance and propose to City Council for adoption.
Outcome: New revenue is available for Future Department growth based on impacts to the Department and City.
Objective 2-G Obtain additional funding through diversified sources.
Timelines January 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle
Critical Tasks:
• Assess current funding and revenue sources.
• Research available funding alternatives at the local, regional, state, and federal levels, i.e., fee schedules, tax measures, grants, etc.
• Select preferred funding alternative(s).
• Meet necessary requirements for securing selected alternative(s). • Secure funding and revenue through selected source(s). • Establish and ensure ongoing compliance with funding requirements. • Identify and implement ongoing review schedule.
Outcome: Alternative funding sources improve the department's service capabilities. 18 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Goal 3 — Deliver effective and efficient emergency services to the community.
Strategic Initiatives
• Using data, develop clear benchmarks to identify when and where community growth drives the need for additional resources.
• Improve the quality of dispatch service and wireless communications infrastructure. • Improve the quality of pre -incident planning.
• Improve collaboration and communications with outside agencies and partners. • Establish and implement annual performance measures for emergency management operations.
Objective 3-A Develop tools to measure the impact of new development on fire department workload and service levels.
Timelines December 2022
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Fire Marshal Austin
Critical Tasks:
• Develop a list of performance measures that will quantify the impact of community growth on fire department services, i.e.:
o Incident and unit response concurrency.
o Incident response times by sub -region.
o Unit hour utilization.
o Queuing analysis.
o Number of inspectable occupancies.
o Population growth by sub -region.
• Develop the capability to capture data needed to conduct performance analysis and report results.
• Establish performance benchmarks to use to identify when growth is negatively affecting service. • Include relevant measures and benchmarks in the city General Plan as appropriate.
Outcome: The fire department can more readily identify how growth is affecting service and propose appropriate resource adjustments.
Objective 3-B Install traffic signal pre-emption equipment at all signal -controlled intersections.
Timelines January 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Battalion Chief Clayton (with assistance from Public Works) Critical Tasks:
• Identify all signal -controlled intersections that do not have pre-emption equipment. • Identify potential partners.
• Identify the cost to install pre-emption equipment at signals that are not so equipped. • Identify who will do the installation when funding is available. • Submit a budget proposal to implement the installation.
Outcome: Motorist safety and fire department travel time performance improves. 19 Santa Maria Fire Department — Strategic Plan
Objective 3-C Upgrade emergency medical service capability to EMT -Paramedic level.
Timelines October 2023
Responsibility ChiefTuggle/IAFF Local 2020 (with assistance from city management) Critical Tasks:
• Determine the value to the community of moving to ALS first response. • Identify the number of EMT -Paramedics needed to staff all apparatus with at least one. • Seek approval from the LEMSA to upgrade service levels. • Develop an implementation plan that will increase the number of EMT -Paramedics in SMFD. o Training existing staff
o Hiring EMT -Paramedics
o Budget requirements to cover cost of training
• Seek funding approval to implement the upgrade.
Outcome: Patient outcomes improve because of delivering a higher level of service.
Objective 3-D Determine the current dispatch system's performance and assist with making improvements.
January 2024
Battalion Chief Clayton
Timelines
Responsibility
Critical Tasks:
• Conduct a quantitative assessment of data, evaluated against performance metrics for the dispatch center. Periodically review this assessment.
• Assemble an interagency work group to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative assessment. • Develop options to improve dispatch center performance. • Implement recommended options.
Outcome: To produce a report that identifies how the system is performing and recognizes areas for improvement.
Objective 3-E Develop and implement an interoperable radio communications plan.
Timelines January 2024
Responsibility Battalion Chief Clayton
Critical Tasks:
• Conduct a survey of all stakeholders and system users, internal and external. • Assess the current system's interoperability and develop a report with recommendations. • Review, present, and adopt recommendations from interagency workgroup report. • Identify radio system improvements needed to ensure reliability and coverage. • Ensure agreed upon performance standards can be or are met. • Ensure that NIMS compliance can be met.
• Develop a budget plan to support identified needs, future system upgrades, maintenance, and training.
Outcome: Effective and reliable communications system, including hardware, software, policies and training, that satisfies the needs of stakeholders and system users, internal and external, that is resilient and sustainable.
20 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 3-F Develop a pre -incident planning program.
Timelines January 2024
Responsibility Battalion Chief Scott/Fire Marshal Austin (with assistance from city GIS) Critical Tasks:
• Evaluate current pre -incident plans and processes.
• Work with regional partners to establish site plan document and symbology standards. • Identify and prioritize target hazard sites.
• Work with Fire Prevention to update site plans already possessed. • Engage GIS department for capturing and creating missing plans. • Make pre -plans digitally accessible to line personnel within CAD. • Develop a process to regularly update pre -incident plans.
Outcome: Accurate and user-friendly pre -plan system is readily accessible to fire department personnel on an incident.
Objective 3-G Identify and implement requirements for emergency operations center (EOC) activation.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Emergency Services Specialist Dugger
Critical Tasks:
• Identify city staff needed to manage and operate EOC. • Implement training standards for EOC operations and function. • Host and conduct classes relevant to EOC operations to maintain employee competency. • Allocate funding to maintain critical infrastructure and staffing to ensure continued operability. • Update and maintain an Emergency Response Plan that meets local, state, and federal requirements.
Outcome: Maintain a robust and competent emergency management operations center and team.
Objective 3-H Work with high EMS use facilities to reduce over utilization of fire department resources.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Fire Marshal Austin (with assistance from the Planning Division) Critical Tasks:
• Identify the high use facilities within the SMFD service area. • Quantify the call types to which SMFD was dispatched for each facility. • Meet with facility managers to discuss the results.
• Work with facility managers to evaluate options for care of their residents that provides for appropriate resident care without the need for a fire department response. • Develop a system to monitor incident activity at these facilities to see if incident activity has decreased without compromise to resident health.
Outcome: Fire unit reliability increases because only necessary resources are sent to incidents at high use facilities.
21 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 3-1 Implement dispatch "pre -alert" to reduce the time between receipt of call at the dispatch center and notification of response personnel.
Timelines January 2024
Responsibility Battalion Chief Clayton
Critical Tasks:
• Meet with SMPD dispatch managers to determine if pre -alert is an option. • Identify the procedures needed to implement pre -alert. • Work with SMPD dispatch staff to assist with training dispatchers in pre -alert procedures. • Develop a way to monitor call processing times to determine if pre -alert is reducing call processing times.
Outcome: Total response time to incidents is reduced.
22 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Goal 4 — Develop a safe community through proactive fire prevention, public safety education and risk mitigation.
Strategic Initiatives
• Actively engage in the city's General Plan update.
• Improve resources in the Prevention Bureau to provide a full range of services in accordance with recognized standards.
• Increase the quality and quantity of community outreach and presence in the community.
Objective 4-A Identify opportunities to have the fire department represented at city General Plan update meetings.
Timelines July 2022
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Fire Marshal Austin
Critical Tasks:
• Identify additional personnel (operations, prevention, administration) needed to participate in city General Plan update working groups.
• Encourage the involvement of fire department representation at the city Technical Advisory Committee meetings.
Outcome: Fire Department representation ensures active engagement in the city's General Plan and safeguards public safety within our community.
Objective 4-B Increase Prevention staffing to ensure state and national standards can be met.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Fire Marshal Austin
Critical Tasks:
• Identify scope of inspectable occupancies according to State and national standards. • Quantify staffing needed to conduct required inspections within the city. • Determine the number of qualified fire investigators needed by the department based on prior incident activities.
• Create a standby investigator program.
• Propose a plan to improve Fire Prevention Bureau staffing to City Council.
Outcome: Fire Prevention Bureau staffing is adequate to meet the community's needs resulting in a decrease in community risk.
Objective 4-C Research and implement data software for fire Investigations and inspections.
Timelines January 2023
Responsibility Fire Marshal Austin
Critical Tasks:
• Identify all information to be captured on computer system. • Evaluate software to be utilized.
• Complete cost analysis for software and implementation. • Develop and present proposal for software implementation. • Implement the selected solution.
Outcome: Improved data collection and presentation capabilities for investigations and inspections. 23 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 4-D Improve the current public education program.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Public Education Committee/Emergency Services Specialist Dugger Critical Tasks:
• Evaluate and catalog community risk using prior studies, incident data, and other information. • Re -initiate the Public Education Committee.
• Create a Public Education and Community Outreach Plan to address these risks. • Research and purchase education materials and props.
• Continue and improve the Fire Camp Programs.
• Create and implement hands only CPR Curriculum.
• Research and adopt NFPA and other recognized organizations public education standards. • Based on the desired level of program, identify the necessary resources to deliver it.
Outcome: Community safety is improved due t0 the department's public education efforts.
Objective 4-E Improve the department's community outreach activities.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Public Education Committee/Emergency Services Specialist Dugger Critical Tasks:
• Collaborate with other city departments for community outreach functions. • Identify and participate in Job Fairs.
• Conduct fire department open house and Fire Prevention week programs. • Identify and collaborate with local non -profits for fire department involvement.
Outcome: Improved community relationships.
Objective 4-F Increase involvement with CERT and LISTOS programs.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Emergency Services Specialist Dugger
Critical Tasks:
• Collaborate with Emergency Services Coordinator to identify level of fire department involvement to support these programs.
• Identify available personnel and Spanish speaking members for instruction. • Identify funding needed to support staff involvement.
Outcome: The CERT and LISTOS programs provide more capable service to the community. 24 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 4-G Create and implement a public information program.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Chief Tuggle
Critical Tasks:
• Develop the SMFD "brand" and messaging plan.
• Determine the need for a dedicated PIO position.
• Develop a job description for, and identify the training and qualifications needed for a P10. • Coordinate with the city for PIO authorization and roles. • Determine social media platforms that would have value to the department. • Develop policies for the use of social media.
• Obtain approval for social media platform use.
• Develop approved safety messages to publish on social media. • Create and implement a PIO program for department.
Outcome: A better informed community through effective public education and safety information. 25 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Goal 5 — Provide comprehensive training and professional development to ensure personnel are fully prepared to effectively perform their duties and responsibilities.
Strategic Initiatives
• Improve resources available to deliver quality training programs. • Develop comprehensive succession and leadership development programs.
Objective 5-A Conduct and implement findings from a needs assessment to improve training programs.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Training Committee
Critical Tasks:
• Evaluate the current training program (SWOT).
• Develop realistic and relevant training curriculum.
• Create an annual training calendar that matches the needs of our department and annual state/county requirements.
• Evaluate the opportunity and requirements to host other courses (CSMF, NWCG, etc.). • Identify and secure funding necessary to accomplish the objective.
Outcome: Our staff will perform operational tasks proficiently and safely.
Objective 5-B Develop a staffing plan to deliver effective training.
Timelines January 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle/Training Committee
Critical Tasks:
• Identify the types and frequency of training that should be available in-house delivered by department staff.
• Identify staffing needs and costs associated with additional staff. • Create a plan for providing a training cadre and a succession plan. • Identify department personnel who can become subject matter experts to conduct in-house training.
• Identify and secure funding necessary to accomplish the objective.
Outcome: Having adequate personnel in place will help provide effective training.
Objective 5-C Develop a plan for a training facility and other resources.
Timelines July 2024
Responsibility Chief Tuggle
Critical Tasks:
• Develop a training center plan that provides props and facilities needed for now and expected growth.
o Fire suppression
o Rescue
o Company drills
o Others
• Identify an appropriate location, facility needs, and other resources required to effectively conduct training.
• Identify collaborative benefits with potential partners. • Identify and secure funding necessary to accomplish the objective.
Outcome: The department has a training facility that delivers the expected and necessary training. 26 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Objective 5-D Develop a plan and pathway for career advancement.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Labor Management Committee
Critical Tasks:
• Assess the needs of the department and the current succession plan. • Research other agencies' succession plan programs.
• Create a professional certification track outlining the required courses and certifications recommended and required for each position.
Outcome: Personnel have clear direction and a pathway for upward mobility and promotional opportunities.
Objective 5-E Develop systems to support the pathway for succession.
Timelines July 2023
Responsibility Labor Management Committee
Critical Tasks:
• Develop a schedule of offerings to provide training required for succession. • Create curricula for all ranks that ensures positions are instilled with common practices and consistency.
• Develop and propose an incentive -based succession plan/program.
Outcome: More qualified personnel seek promotional opportunities. 27 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
PERFORMANCE GOALS
No program or service can be improved unless the ability exists to measure the effectiveness of those programs and services. Outcome based measures are critically important to any effective organization so that it can evaluate whether its efforts and expenditures are making a difference.
The Santa Maria Fire Department has, or will, establish the following performance goals to evaluate the success of its programs.
1) Dispatch Call Processing Time
i. 9-1-1 calls will be answered at the primary PSAP within 15 seconds, 95 percent of the time.
ii. Response resources shall be notified of a priority incident within 60 seconds from receipt of the call at the dispatch center 90 percent of the time. 2) Turnout Time
i. Response personnel shall initiate response of a unit capable of mitigating an incident to a priority fire and special operations incident within 80 seconds from notification 90 percent of the time.
ii. Response personnel shall initiate response to a priority emergency medical incident within 60 seconds from notification 90 percent of the time. 3) Response time for arrival of the first response unit at a priority fire or special operations incident The first response unit capable of initiating effective incident intervention shall arrive at a priority fire or special operations incident within five minutes 20 seconds from notification of response personnel 90 percent of the time.
4) Response time of the first arriving response unit at all other priority incidents The first response unit capable of initiating effective incident intervention shall arrive at all other priority incidents within five minutes from notification of response personnel 90 percent of the time.
5) Response time for arrival of the effective response force at a moderate risk structure fire The full effective response force shall arrive at a moderate risk structure fire within nine minutes 20 seconds from notification of response personnel 90 percent of the time. 6) X percent of viable cardiac arrest victims will be successfully resuscitated. 7) X percentage of serious trauma patients will have transport was initiated within Y minutes of receipt of call
8) The number of lives lost to fire per 100,000 population should not exceed X based on an average of the post five years.
9) X percentage of hazardous materials releases caused little or no environmental damage. 10) Property loss due to building fires shall not exceed $X per $1,000 involved.
Residential $X per $1000
Commercial $X per $1000
11) The number of building fire incidents shall not exceed "X" per 1,000 buildings.
Residential To be determined
Commercial To be determined
12) The percentage of inspectable occupancies that experience a fire within one year of an inspection should not exceed X.
13) X percent of citizens faced with a fire or life safety emergency reacted appropriately. 14) The cause of X percent of fires shall be determined 15) No more than X percent of fires will be determined to be preventable. 16) X percent of citizens surveyed rate SMFD's performance satisfactory or better. 28 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
APPENDIX A— COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL INPUT
Santa Maria Fire Department exists to serve the community. As such it is critically important that it understands the community's expectations and concerns and use that information to craft its path forward. The following is community and council input gathered during the 2019 Community Risk Analysis/Standards of Coverage project.
Citizens and business leaders
Describe your expectations of the Fire Department.
• Well trained and prepared responders.
• Have best equipment based on its budget.
• Fire Department should respond in a timely manner once dispatched. • Be sensitive to customer's expectations, i.e., inspections and prevention. • Current relationship with the Fire Chief is great and the Fire Inspector is "spot on." • Provide competent patient care on -scene and work collaboratively with AMR and Marian Regional Medical Center.
• Respond with the appropriate equipment, trained personnel, utilize the right number of resources, Firefighters and staff be highly competent.
Which of these expectations is not being met to your satisfaction? • Fire Department to participate in annual emergency evacuation exercises at care facilities. • Improve community outreach.
• Does sending a fire engine to every call make sense?
• Engine company inspection program.
What do you think the Fire Department is doing particularly well? • Arrives at the scene prior to the ambulance's arrival. • Adequate response time.
• The Fire Department is responsive.
• Participate at events when they are invited to attend. • Response patterns and times have improved.
• Fire Chief attending service club meetings and public events.
Are there services that you think the department should be providing that they are not providing now? • The process of in -take and out -go of permit applications and plans could be improved. • Haz-Mat response capabilities.
• Annual Business Inspections.
• Could improve their marketing of Disaster Planning and Fire Prevention. • Pre -plan for fires.
• Increase communication between the medical center, AMR, and Fire Department, i.e., create a "frequent utilizer list" and share the information.
• Provide Advanced Life Support.
29 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
Are there services that the Department is providing that you think should be discontinued or done differently?
• The current process for Business Licenses is not an easy or smooth process; it could be more user- friendly and easier.
• Business inspections are somewhat convoluted and inconsistent. • Emergency response apparatus should match the anticipated need for effectiveness. • Improve Community Outreach.
• Over -response to medical calls; too many Firefighters responding. • Focus on preventing fires rather than responding to them. • Consider triaging calls.
• Fire Station personnel should educate and train the community —COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
Initiate a partnership (between City and Fire Department?) regarding permitting matters.
When you dial 9-1-1 to report an emergency, how long should it take for help to arrive? • Responses varied from 1 minute to 5 minutes.
• If broken down between fire and EMS, less than 2 minutes for responding to a fire. • Expect it to be right now but believe it to be 4 to 5 minutes maximum.
Does that expectation change depending on where in the community you are located? • Yes
• It would have to depend on where you live in relation to closet staffed station. • It should not.
Do you believe the first arriving response units should be staffed and equipped to take appropriate actions given the emergency?
• Yes/absolutely
• It all begins with the Dispatcher getting enough of the correct information. • Yes, if not, why are they there then?
Do you believe the Measure U funds are being used as the votes intended? • Absolutely/yes
• Don't believe the Fire Department wastes money; believe the Department to be frugal.
Citv Council — Citv Administration
Describe your expectations of the Fire Department.
• Response time should be under 8 minutes if possible.
• Proficient in performing EMS.
• Be courteous.
• Be well trained.
• The Fire Department should be out in the community; very visible to the public. 30 Santa Maria Fire Department —Strategic Plan
• Consistently professional at all times.
• Respond efficiently and quickly to requests for services. • Continue to be service -wise.
Be more aggressive in fighting fires.
Which of these expectations is not being met to your satisfaction? • Due to call -volume, there are instances when response units are not available. • Responding with the medic unit to assist with heavy lifting. • City and Labor unit relations
What strengths contribute to the success of the Fire Department? • The Fire Department has assets that include staff, dependable equipment, strategically assigned to match the demand for response and equipped to meet the need. • Financial stability, due to Measure U, the financial challenges still exist, but nothing when compared to other cities.
What do you think the Fire department is doing particularly well? • Pleased with their community outreach.
• Listos Program is a great emergency preparedness training program. • The Fire Department currently has a Fire Station/Community outreach program for the public. • The community supports the Fire Department.
• Have healthy assets; the equipment is in good condition, location, and how they are outfitted is appropriate.
Are there services that you think the Fire Department should be providing that they are not now? • Would like to see the Department have more bi-lingual capabilities.
Focus on diversity.
• Serve on Boards and/or Commissions
• Attend Board and Commission meetings.
• Fire Department needs a "headquarters" to accommodate current and future needs. • The Prevention Bureau is vastly understaffed.
Are there services the Fire Department is providing that you think should be discontinued or done differently?
• The Fire Department should be engaging more in training. • Increase participation in the Downtown Friday Night Out. • In general, increase Community Outreach.
What do you see as the critical issues faced by the Fire Department today? • Culture
• Branding: Image development
• Labor relations
31 Santa Maria Fire Department — Strategic Plan
When you dial 9-1-1 to report an emergency, how long should it take for help to arrive? • 8 to 9 minutes
• 5 minutes
• Not more than 3 or 4 minutes
Does that expectation change depending on where in the system's service area you are located? • Yes
• It should not change due to where you are in the City.
Should resources be located to provide as equal a level of service across the city or to provide the best level of service to the next most likely incident that occurs? • Delivery of service should be equal to everyone in every area. • Continue to build stations recognizing that demographics are changing. • Demand for services has increased in the northwest portion of the city. Include this area in their community outreach efforts.
• All the [service area] should receive generally the same level of service.
Do you believe the first arriving response units should be staffed and equipped to take appropriate actions given the emergency?
• Yes, definitely.
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