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Sample Geographic Information System (GIS) Staffing and Response Time Report

Virtual County

Fire Department

GIS Analysis

Executive Summary This study examines predicted response times and geographic coverage areas for existing Virtual County Fire Department units deployed from existing fire stations in Virtual County. Upon analysis of resource deployment and the geographic areas expected to receive coverage from Fire Department units responding to an incident, it was revealed that the Virtual County Fire Department currently maintains insufficient personnel to staff fire suppression apparatus in accordance with existing industry standards. Current staffing insufficiencies within the Department translate into substantial areas of Virtual County under-served for structural fire suppression and forestry responses. A deficiency in the number of engines staffed with fire fighters trained and certified as paramedics also results in substantial areas of the County that will not receive adequate Advanced Life Support (ALS) services within critical time frames. It is the opinion of this study that additional fire suppression and emergency medical resources are necessary to better comply with established Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) industry standards. This report recommends the following increases in fire department deployment and staffing: • All existing engine companies should increase minimum staffing on said

apparatus by one (1) fire fighter, to four (4) personnel, to ensure compliance with existing industry standards;

• All existing ladder companies should increase the minimum staffing on said

apparatus by one (1) fire fighter, to four (4) personnel, to ensure compliance with existing industry standards;

• All existing quint apparatus, capable of responding as and performing the

functions of either an engine or a ladder company, should increase minimum staffing on said apparatus by one (1) fire fighter, to four (4) personnel, to ensure compliance with existing industry standards;

• To enhance overall ALS engine coverage, it is recommended that Virtual County

Fire Department deploy ALS engines from Stations 69, 70, and 76 in an effort to improve coverage in the northwestern section of the County. It is further recommended that ALS engines be deployed from Stations 54, 83, 87, and 88 in an effort to improve coverage in the northeastern urban areas of the County.

These measures will work to ensure that the Virtual County Fire Department evolves into compliance with established OSHA regulations and existing NFPA industry standards. Moreover, it promotes safer and more effective fire suppression and disaster incident mitigation, while expediting the delivery of fire suppression, disaster incident mitigation, and essential emergency medical services to the citizens of Virtual County.

GIS Analysis

Using ArcView 3.2a and Network Analyst Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, which analyzes a computer model of the street network, several plots were generated predicting which county and city roads could be covered by the Virtual County Fire Department within two time frames, using different combinations of apparatus and personnel. Input information including station locations, apparatus deployment, and staffing minimums, were provided by the Virtual County Fire Department. Response time is generally defined as the time that begins when units are notified and ends with the arrival at the scene of an emergency incident. However, at least one industry standard defines response time beginning “when units are en-route to the emergency incident and [ending] when units arrive at the scene”, travel time.1 In this analysis response times were plotted based on 4- and 8-minute travel times. It should be noted that dispatch time and turnout time are not considered as part of this analysis. Travel speed is based on reasonable and prudent road speeds (see chart below). Colored polygons enclose areas where roads can be traveled within the stated response time criteria. Similarly colored lines indicate those road segments predicted to be covered within each response time criteria. Percentages of roads predicted to receive coverage within the aforementioned response time criteria are based on software-calculated road lengths. The report that follows is a “best estimate” response time model of those roads expected to receive coverage by the Virtual County Fire Department. Travel speeds were assigned based on road type. Assigned Road Speeds: Primary roads with limited access, interstates, unseparated 45 mph Primary roads with limited access, interstates, unseparated, overpassing 45 mph Primary roads with limited access, interstates, separated 45 mph Primary roads without limited access, interstates, unseparated 45 mph Primary roads without limited access, interstates, separated 45 mph Secondary or connecting roads, county highways, unseparated 30 mph Secondary or connecting roads, county highways, separated 30 mph Local, rural roads or city streets, unseparated 15 mph All other smaller roads, routes, or trails, including freeway access ramps 10 mph

1 NFPA Standard 1710, Section 3.1.41.4

Map 1

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Mountain Areas$Z Summit Areas

Road Network# Station Locations

Virtual CountyFire Station Locations

Map 1

Map 1 shows the general layout of the County, including station locations and land use areas. Virtual County has a population of more than 916,000 served by 19 cities, 201 special districts and the County of Virtual.2

2 Virtual County internet site (www.co.virtual.st.us/about.html).

Overview of Fire Department Operations This report summarizes the results of a station location, staffing, and emergency vehicle response time analysis for the Virtual County Fire Department. Fire Suppression: Fire suppression and rescue services are provided by the Fire Department deploying apparatus from stations located throughout the County. 3 Typically, three (3) fire fighters are assigned to each engine with three (3) fire fighters assigned to each ladder truck. A full structural response includes three (3) engines and one (1) ladder truck, with a total of twelve (12) personnel responding from at least three (3) different stations. The Fire Department also respond to urban-wildland fires with Type I (structural) apparatus, Type III (forestry) apparatus, and water tenders, as required. In many stations, forestry or water tender apparatus are cross-staffed by the on-duty crew of three (3) from the engine. Once the crew responds with the specialty apparatus, secondary apparatus from another location must cover the responding station’s immediate response area. This arrangement creates the potential for a response delay, should additional alarms sound. A full forestry response, which includes one (1) Type I and two (2) Type III engines, as well as one (1) water tender, requires on-duty crews from at least three (3) stations to respond with the appropriate apparatus from their station and converge on the scene. Emergency Medical Services: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are provided by both the Fire Department and a private ambulance service. Fire Department apparatus responding to medical emergencies are staffed with either Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Paramedic level providers, providing either Basic Life Support (BLS) or Advanced Life Support (ALS) care for patients initially, while the private ambulance service provides additional ALS care and transport. Selected Fire Department apparatus are staffed with at least one (1) Paramedic from a limited number of stations.4 Typically, one engine and a transport ambulance respond to a medical emergency with ALS engines responding to life threatening emergencies.

3 See Map 1 - "Virtual County Fire Station Locations". 4 See Map 4 - "8-Minute ALS Engine Areas".

Hazardous Materials Response: The Virtual County Fire Department also provides “Hazardous Materials Incident Response.” All HazMat designated units function as regular Fire Department companies when not assigned to a hazardous materials incident. All members are trained and certified as HazMat Technicians.5 Specialized Rescue: The Virtual County Fire Department also has personnel trained for special rescue situations. All members assigned to the special rescue team are certified as Technical Rescue Technicians, which includes training in High Angle and Swift Water Rescue. Automatic Assistance: Standing automatic aid agreements with surrounding municipalities supplement Virtual County Fire Department resources in the event of call volume related resource depletion or on major fires and disaster incidents requiring additional resources. This study examines predicted response times based on geographic coverage areas as predictors for adequate mobile resource and staff deployment for Virtual County Fire Department units deployed from existing fire stations in Virtual County based upon information provided by the Virtual County Fire Department.

5 Certification to OSHA Level III Technician follows compliance with OSHA standard 1919.120.

Map 2

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Mountain AreasRoads not covered within 4 minutes38.2% of all roads covered within 4 minutes

# Station Locations

Map 2

Virtual CountyFire Department 4-Minute Response Areas

Map 2 shows roads covered within 4 minutes based on typical fire department deployment and staffing. Currently, fire department apparatus cover 38.2% of all County roads within 4 minutes.

Map 3

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# Station Locations

Map 3

Virtual CountyFire Department 8-Minute Response Areas

In this map, response times are extended to 8 minutes for fire department apparatus from each station with 67.5% of all roads covered within 8 minutes. There is considerable overlap of fire department coverage areas in urban areas allowing for redundant coverage in those areas within 8 minutes.

Map 4

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Mountain AreasRoads not covered within 8 minutes24% of all roads covered within 8 minutes

# Station Locations

Virtual County8-Minute ALS Engine Areas

Map 4

Map 4 focuses on ALS engine response capabilities. ALS engines are estimated to cover 24% of all County roads within 8 minutes from those stations to which a fire fighter/paramedic is assigned. Map 4 indicates a lack of availability of Fire Department-based ALS engine companies in the western, eastern, and southern portions of the County.

Map 5

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# Station Locations

Map 5

*Areas covered by a minimum of two engines,each with a minimum crew of three, supporting the "2 In / 2 Out" standard. Engines from Stations 54,57, and 58 staffed with two.

Virtual CountyTwo Engine 8-Minute Coverage Areas*

Estimated response area calculations are also of value to fire suppression planners. Minimally, a crew of four is desired to make a safe initial attack on a fire, with a crew of two working inside the burning structure and a backup crew of two standing by to assist as necessary. This is known as the "2 In/2 Out" regulation6, and is codified as OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. Virtual County Fire Department staffs each engine with a maximum of three (3) fire fighters. On the scene of a fire the driver/operator of an engine must remain with the apparatus to operate the pump. This leaves only a crew of two (2) remaining to fight the fire. As such, a fire attack initiated under these conditions would not be in compliance with the "2 In/2 Out" regulation. Only with the arrival of a second fire suppression company would sufficient personnel be on the scene to allow for the initiation of safe and effective fire suppression operations in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. The gray polygon on Map 5 shows those areas where two engines can both be at the same location within 8 minutes. This shared response area constitutes 49.8% of all County roads. In other areas of the County, it will likely take more than 8 minutes to make a safe initial attack.

6 Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.134 and National Fire Protection Association, Standard 1500.

Map 6

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Mountain AreasRoads not covered within 8 minutes28% of all roads covered within 8 minutes

# Station Locations

Map 6

*Areas covered by Ladders or Quints if staffed.

Virtual County8-Minute Ladder/Quint Coverage*

Many fire responses require ladder apparatus to provide safe access, ventilation, search and rescue, and overhaul actions on the scene within 8 minutes. The gray polygon on Map 6 shows those areas where roads are covered within 8 minutes by ladder trucks, or quint7 apparatus operating as ladder trucks and responding from various stations. Those areas that can expect to receive a ladder apparatus on the scene of an incident within 8 minutes totals 28% of all County roads. For the purposes of this analysis, this percentage assumes that quint apparatus can respond primarily as ladder companies, as required. Because each quint is staffed with only three (3) fire fighters, it can only respond in the capacity of an engine or a ladder company at any given time. If a quint is responding as an engine company, ladder company activities on the fire ground will likely be performed by the next due ladder or quint company, with a potential delay.

7 Combination Engine-Ladder apparatus.

Map 7

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# Stations with at least 1 Type I, Type III and Water Tender not available% Stations able to cross-staff 1 Type III, other apparatus O.O.S.& Stations able to cross-staff 1 Water Tender, other apparatus O.O.S.

Map 7

*1 Type I Engine, 2 Type III Engines, and at least oneWater Tender.

Virtual County10-Minute Forestry Response*

Map 7 shows that only 16% of all County roads can be covered by a full urban-wildland interface fire response within 10 minutes. A full response consists of one (1) Type I (structural) engine, two (2) Type III (forestry) units, and at least one (1) water tender. As with the quints above, on-duty personnel (typically 3 per station) can only deploy one type of apparatus at a time depending on what type of apparatus is required. For this map, it was assumed that stations with only Type I apparatus respond in that capacity as usual. It was also assumed that crews assigned to stations with Type III apparatus respond only with that type of apparatus. Finally, it was also assumed that crews assigned to stations with water tender apparatus respond with that unit only. While Type III apparatus are distributed throughout the County, they are "cross-staffed" by the three (3)-person crew assigned to a station. Once responding as a Type III crew, Type I support must come from a distance with a potential delay. Further limiting Fire Department response capabilities is the availability of water tender apparatus. As with the Type III units, crews cross-staffing the water tenders are not available to respond as Type I crews or Type III crews.

According to this analysis, the only area that can expect to receive all the apparatus required for a full urban-wildland interface fire response is in the central area of the County, shaded blue and outlined by a gray polygon.

Conclusion

This analysis reveals the extent of 4- and 8-minute coverage provided by responding units of the Virtual County Fire Department. Based on the output of the ArcView apparatus response model, the following conclusions can be reached:

• While 67.5% of the County's roads are capable of being covered by a single engine within 8 minutes only 49.8% of all roads are actually covered by adequate apparatus to support the "2 In/2 Out" regulation for a structural fire attack. Increasing apparatus staffing to at least four (4) personnel, per existing industry standards, will enhance overall "2 In/2 Out" compliance on the scene within 8 minutes.

• As with "2 In/2 Out" compliance, the ability to deploy Type I, Type III,

and additional urban-wildland fire fighting apparatus simultaneously will be enhanced by making additional personnel available at each station to which forestry units are assigned. Currently only 16% of the County's roads are capable of being covered by a full forestry response in 10 minutes.

While it is impossible to predict where most of a jurisdiction’s fire and medical emergencies will occur, the Virtual County Fire Department should examine where emergencies have typically occurred in the past and make efforts to ensure these areas continue to enjoy the same level of coverage, while adjusting resources and deployment in an effort to achieve complete compliance with NFPA Standard 1710. Areas with accelerated development and growth will require additional coverage in the future. Any projected increase in emergency response demands should also be considered before changes are implemented, focusing on associated hazard types and planned response assignments. Any proposed changes in staffing, deployment and station relocation should be made only after considering the historical location of calls, response times to specific target hazards, compliance with departmental Standard Operating Procedure’s, NFPA Standard 1710,8 and the citizens’ expectation of receiving an adequate number of qualified personnel on appropriate apparatus within acceptable time frames.

8 NFPA STANDARD 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments. As stated in the standard, the purpose of the standard is "to specify the minimum criteria addressing the effectiveness and efficiency of the career public fire suppression operations, emergency medical service, and special operations delivery in protecting the public of the jurisdiction and the occupational safety and health of fire department employees."

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