Translate[Archived] Question #11: Provide a memo to City Council regarding four person staffing of Fire Engine and Truck Companies and the Heavy Rescue Company.
Question:
Provide a memo to City Council regarding four person staffing of Fire Engine and Truck Companies and the Heavy Rescue Company.
Response:
The recent advocacy advertisement in the Alexandria Gazette by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) raised issues related to fire safety in our community. There are several claims contained in the advertisement which are addressed below. Here are the facts on the daily staffing numbers:
1. Fire Station 208 (N. Paxton St.) operates an Engine Company, Truck Company and Medic unit. Each of the fire apparatus (Engine and Truck) is staffed continually with three members, the Medic unit is staffed with two.
2. Fire Station 206 (Seminary Rd.) operates an Engine Company, Heavy Rescue Company, Medic unit and houses the west side Battalion Chief. The Engine is staffed with four members who cross-staff the Heavy/Tactical Rescue unit (all four members respond on either the Engine or Heavy Rescue depending on the incident). The Medic unit is staffed with two and the Battalion Chief is one person.
3. Fire Station 209 (Potomac Yard) operates an Engine Company, Truck Company, Hazardous Materials unit and the east side EMS Captain (supervisor). Each of the fire apparatus (Engine and Truck) is staffed continually with three members and the Hazardous Materials unit responds with either members of the Engine Company or Truck Company depending on which one is in quarters. This cross-staffing is similar to what occurs in FS 206.
4. Fire Station 205 (Cameron St.) operates an Engine Company, Truck Company and Medic unit. The Engine is staffed continually with four members, the Truck with three and the Medic unit is staffed with two.
5. All remaining Engine Companies are staffed with four members (E201, 203, 204, 207, 210).
6. In the last decade the City has opened two new Fire Stations (209 and 210) which have improved fire services in the City.
7. The City’s ISO rating which is used by some insurance companies to set fire insurance premiums was raised recently from “3” to a “2”.
As you recall, one element of the Fire Chief’s staffing plan for dual role personnel would allow for all the Engines, Trucks and the Heavy Rescue which to eventually be staffed with four personnel. This four-person staffing derives from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1710 which in 2001 established new non-binding standards for deployment in fire suppression. While there are a number of ways to meet this 1710 standard, most jurisdictions, (including Alexandria) have decided to meet the standard with four-person staffing of engine and truck companies. The NFPA’s 1710 standard represents a professional “best practices” recommendation and is not legally binding. NFPA 1710 standard when implemented improves the ground safety at fire scenes, but the absence of four-person staffing does not mean the public is not well protected.
When the City completes its transition to four-person staffing, we will then be in line with our mutual aid partners in the region who have completed their transition to four-person staffing. The City’s dual role transition process is in the fourth year and has allowed the City to staff Engine 210 without adding additional FTE’s as well as add Advanced Life Support (ALS) capabilities to Engine 205 and Engine 207 (Duke St.). As more of the dual role providers are trained and/or hired, we will eventually be able to staff the Heavy Rescue with four-persons, as well as, fill in most of the remaining three-person crews.
Because the transition fully to a dual role the Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) is taking longer than originally expected, there is a federal SAFER grant application that will be up for your consideration on April 10, 2018. This grant will allow the AFD to have all Truck Companies staffed to four after they are hired and trained. This grant is a multi-year grant which will be (if funded) gradually phased out by the Federal government with our City gradually phasing in local funding. The AFD has projected cost savings over the next few years to fund most, if not all, of the City’s grant match obligation. More details on the SAFER grant will be included in the Council documents for the April 10 meeting and can also be discussed at the Safe, Secure and Just Community Budget Work Session on April 4, 2018.
The bottom line is that our community is safe under the current Fire Department staffing, but could be made safer with the addition of a fourth person to Fire Engine and Truck Companies, as well as the Heavy Rescue Company.
Attachment 1: Response to the IAFF ad for the City Manager 3/22/18