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INTRODUCTION Clark County Fire District 6 was formed in 1954 to provide fire protection to the Hazel Dell, Lakeshore, Felida and Salmon Creek areas. Initially an all‐volunteer department, it has grown through the years in response to increasing calls for service. Today, the department has over sixty full‐time employees and over thirty volunteers. Fire District 6 provides fire protection/suppression and Advanced Life Support Paramedic services. The District is very active in the community, providing fire and injury prevention programs, station tours, school visits and other events. This Annual Report provides the community with information about the Districts services to the community during 2009. It includes information about the District, emergency response information, the annual Response Objective Compliance Report and a report on the District’s finances, training, volunteer program and public education program. Please visit the District’s web site at www.ccfd6.org for more information about your fire district and the programs provided. CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS Mission Statement, Vision Statement and Guiding Principles Areas Served Department Organization Board of Fire Commissioners Letter from the Chair Letter from the Fire Chief Administration Recognition Banquet Captain Appointments New Employees Public Information Officer / Public Education Coordinator Assistant Chief of Operations Profound Loss Financial Report Fire Levy Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Levy Total Revenue Expenditures Budget Unreserved Funds Reducing Community Risk through Education Fire Prevention Month Fire Prevention Poster Contest Annual Open House Legacy Healthy Kids Fair Clark County Take Your Child to Work Day Felida July 4th Children’s Parade Cooling Center during Heat Wave Clark County Fair Public Safety Complex Open House Memory Makers at the Clark County Fair Targeted Smoke Alarm Installations Bike Safety Rodeos Other Community Events Operations Summary of Emergency Responses Fire vs. EMS: 2009 Fire vs. EMS: 2002 – 2009 Property (Fire) Loss NFIRS Breakdown of Incident Types Emergency Medical Responses Responses by Station Area Incidents by Time of Day 2003 – 2009 Incidents by Day of Week – 2009 Simultaneous Emergencies Emergency Medical Services Division EMS response types EMS responses by station area EMS responses by time of day EMS response times 2009 Response Time Objective Compliance Report Introduction Response Time Compliance Page 2 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 16 18 18 19 20 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 24 24 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 29 30 30 31 32 33 33 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT Change in Reporting Response Time Compliance Report Turnout Time: Combined Fire/EMS Fire Suppression Incident: First Arriving Unit Fire Suppression Incident: Full First Alarm EMS Incident: First BLS Arriving Unit EMS Incident: First ALS Arriving Unit Technical Rescue: Operations and Technician Arrival Technical Rescue: Sufficient Technician Arrival Response Time: All Incidents Geographic Areas of Concern Predictable Consequences Ongoing Plans for Achieving Compliance Data Record Sets Training Safety Technical Rescue Team Volunteer Firefighter Program Training received Events attended Apparatus and Maintenance LIST OF CHARTS/MAPS 33 34 34 35 35 36 36 37 37 38 38 38 39 40 40 44 45 46 47 47 49 Areas Served Organization Chart Revenue – Emergency Medical and Fire Suppression Expenditures – Fire and Emergency Medical Services 2010 Total Revenue Estimate Contact with Our Community Fire vs. Emergency Medical Responses: 2009 Fire vs. Emergency Medical Responses: 2002 – 2009 Property Loss – Fire National Fire Incident Reporting System Breakdown (table) NFIRS Breakdown of Incident Type (chart) EMS Responses as a Percentage of Total Responses by Station Area: 2009 Responses by Station: 2002 – 2009 Incidents by Time of Day 2003 – 2009 Incidents by Day of Week – 2009 Simultaneous Emergencies EMS Responses by Type EMS Responses by Station Area EMS Responses by Time of Day EMS Response Time by Number of Incidents Construction of Response time Turnout Time: Fire & EMS Incidents Fire: First Engine Arrival Fire: Full First Alarm Assignment Arrival Emergency Medical: First BLS Unit Arrival Emergency Medical: First ALS Unit Arrival Technical Rescue: Operations Arrival Technical Rescue: Technicians Arrival Response Time: All Incidents 5 6 15 16 17 22 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 28 29 29 30 31 31 32 34 34 35 35 36 36 37 37 38 Page 3 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT MISSION, VISION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES The Board of Commissioners has adopted the following Mission Statement, Vision Statements and Guiding Principles. MISSION STATEMENT Dedicated to excellence in protecting and serving our community. VISION STATEMENTS  To be an organization that continually evaluates and is committed to the well‐being of our members and community.  To have the department be recognized positively by our community and other agencies.  To strive to continually exceed all of our customers’ expectations.  To be enthusiastically supported by our community, which views us with pride, respect and confidence.  To promote and encourage a creative, positive, and diverse environment.  To be an organization which anticipates, embraces, and supports positive change. GUIDING PRINCIPLES At Fire District 6, we value the following guiding principles: We will promote an atmosphere of courtesy, respect, integrity, and commitment in the pursuit of professional excellence. Therefore, we encourage innovation, teamwork, and open communication. Page 4 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT FIRE DISTRICT 6 ‐ AREAS SERVED All areas within the green‐shaded region on the map below are served by Clark County Fire District 6. The jurisdiction encompasses thirty‐seven square miles and includes Hazel Dell, Felida, Lakeshore, Salmon Creek, Mt. Vista, Sherwood and Fairgrounds areas Page 5 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION The Organization Chart below represents the structure of the department during 2009. Page 6 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS Clark County Fire District 6 is governed by the Board of Fire Commissioners. Your Board of Fire Commissioners is comprised of three elected Commissioners, each serving a six‐year term of office. The Board: Dean Bloemke, Chair Fire Commissioner
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Establishes the level of services provided. Establishes policies under which the district operates. Ensures the district operates within statutory requirements. Appoints the Fire Chief and delegates authority to manage day‐to‐day operations of the Fire District The Commissioners regular meetings are scheduled on the first and third Tuesday of every month at the main fire station located at 8800 NE Hazel Dell Avenue. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. in the meeting room at the northwest corner of the fire station. These meetings are open to the public. Meeting Agendas are posted on the District’s web site (www.ccfd6.org) the Thursday prior to each meeting. Casey Collins, Vice Chair Fire Commissioner Dick Spring, 2009 Chair Fire Commissioner
Richard Streissguth Board Secretary Page 7 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS Your Clark County Fire District 6 Board of Commissioners is elected by residents to provide oversight and to set policy for Fire District 6. The following is a summary of the actions taken by the Board in 2009. Beginning in the new year, the Board implemented its Administrative Succession Plan by appointing Jerry Green as Fire Chief and David Taylor as Administrative Chief. These two individuals took on the challenge of managing the fire district as well as the additional assignments of updating job descriptions and the hiring of vacant Public Education Coordinator and Assistant Chief of Operations positions during the course of the year. In January it was announced that our insurance carrier reversed its decision of not providing coverage for the department program in partnership with local civic groups to install smoke alarms and batteries for individuals in need. The program was then set to resume as soon as possible. In February five new recruit firefighters and firefighter/paramedics were introduced to the Board. This hiring filled two existing vacancies and three newly created positions to add to our response teams as recommended by the district Master Plan. They entered a joint training program comprised of the Vancouver and Camas Fire Departments and Fire District 6 which was a successful venture in saving costs to all three departments. March brought Board action to start the process to fill the vacant Public Education Coordinator position. Also in March the District lead a training drill to burn several houses which had been the topic of much community concern. This exercise provided community service along with great fire training. Roofing projects were proposed in April that would be completed in the summer season, realizing cost savings due to the weak construction industry activity. A May Board workshop was held to discuss the placement of an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) measure on the ballot in 2010. Revenue projections were reviewed for the years 2010‐2016. There was discussion on the process for a search for an Assistant Chief of Operations. At a regular Board meeting that month Dawn Johnson's appointment to the position of Public Education Coordinator was announced by Chief Green. The five personnel attending Recruit Academy were graduated and each assigned to a shift. In June bids were provided and a contract was accepted to participate in the Clark Public Utilities CLIP Energy Savings proposal to implement energy efficient lighting at the Station 61 complex. A joint Board meeting was held in July with Clark County Fire & Rescue and representatives of the Vancouver Fire Department to receive a presentation of the proposed Joint Training Consortium. Discussion and questions followed, with further talks planned on how to implement the best options for all departments. Page 8 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT A revised Records and Procedures Policy was considered by the Board in August and later adopted. The Ten Year Financial Forecast was presented in September and discussed by the Board and staff. The importance of a future EMS levy to continue Advanced Life Support in future years was discussed. In October the department was advised it had received a Federal grant for the acquisition of a heavy rescue hauler vehicle to transport personnel and equipment trailers used for mass casualty and technical rescue incidents. October being Fire Prevention Month saw 600 entries in the Districts annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest co‐
sponsored with the Hazel Dell/Salmon Creek Business Association. The contest winners, their parents, and their schools were honored at a luncheon at Station 61. The newly revised Discipline Policy was adopted in November. The Board and the Chief agreed to fill the vacant Assistant Chief position. Eric Quitslund was asked to start his duties on December 1. The Administrative, Special Services, and Support Staff employment contracts were reviewed and updated in December. A new District Asset Management Policy was adopted. Fire District 6 will face many challenges in 2010. I thank my fellow Board members, and all of our department members, for keeping an open mind and embracing our need to constantly find ways to maximize tax dollars so that we can continue to provide excellent emergency services to our citizens. For a more detailed account of Board actions, please view the minutes of Board meetings by visiting our website at www.ccfd6.org. We appreciate the confidence placed in us in representing you. We encourage citizen involvement. Please join us at any of our regularly scheduled Board of Commissioner meetings held on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at the headquarters station, 8800 NE Hazel Dell Avenue and begin at 7:30 p.m. If you have questions or concerns call us at (360) 576‐1195. Dean Bloemke Board Chair Page 9 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT LETTER FROM THE FIRE CHIEF Dear Neighbor, Clark County Fire District 6 wants to thank its taxpayers for making us one of the best emergency service providers in the area. Our top priority continues to be providing fast, professional fire and emergency medical service for our community. I am proud to report that – thanks to your support – we are doing an excellent job. In 2006 the Fire District 6 Board of Commissioners set a performance goal for personnel to arrive at an emergency within 6 minutes or less 90% of the time. For 2009 we exceeded that goal every month, and currently have an average response time of less than 4 minutes. The continued Jerry Green support of our taxpayers through approval of levies and our employees Fire Chief
make this possible – thank you! As the country and local community struggles in this difficult economy, we recognize that maximizing our citizens’ tax dollars is extremely important. Fire District 6 lives within its means by cutting expenses and using grants for improvement projects, like new energy‐efficient lighting to reduce utility bills with a return on investments within 3 years. We also have delayed purchasing new apparatus and equipment. Instead, we are using short‐term preventative maintenance programs to extend the lifetime of your investment. Finally, we are proud to report that Fire District 6 became debt free in December after making final payments on fire engines and equipment purchased three years ago. We also have increased our public safety efforts in our local schools. During the month of October, 2,000 elementary school children learned about fire prevention. The lessons learned are taken home to parents, guardians and siblings who also receive the benefit, which leads to a safer community through effective risk management. Our web site has been updated and provides an amazing amount of safety information as well. Visit us at www.ccfd6.org to learn more. Fire District 6 is a great place to live and work. The employees and volunteers remain here because of the encouragement and support they receive from the taxpayers of our district. They train daily to enhance their fire suppression and emergency medical skills and seek out continuing education opportunities for the benefit of the community. We are a united workforce with the goal of ensuring that every citizen receives the best fire and emergency medical service possible. My daily interactions with members of this district remind me how fortunate I am to be their symbolic leader and your fire chief. Fire District 6 is proud to serve our citizens and appreciate your continued support. Be Safe, Jerry Green Fire Chief P.S. Our biggest project for 2010 is renewing our Emergency Medical Services levy. Stay tuned for more information through our newsletter, the mail and on our web site. Page 10 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT ADMINISTRATION ANNUAL RECOGNITION BANQUET The District held its annual Recognition Banquet on February 6, 2010. At the Banquet the following awards and presentations for 2009 were made: Certificates Presented A Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Adrianne Crouse for her service to the department, to Doug Yager of Clark County Fire & Rescue for his assistance and leadership in two volunteer firefighter academies and to Volunteer Coordinator Merrill Thompson for his work with the volunteer program at Fire District 6. Awards Presented The 2009 Career Firefighter of the Year award was posthumously presented to Rick Streissguth. His wife Jen and niece Lisa Streissguth accepted the award. The 2009 Volunteer Firefighter of the Year award was presented to Steve Thornton Lisa and Jen Streissguth (center) after accepting the Career Firefighter of the Year award presented posthumously to Rick Streissguth. Standing with them are (left to right) are Commissioners Spring, Bloemke and Collins, and Chief Green. Page 11 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT Steve Thornton (center) after accepting the Volunteer Firefighter of the Year award. Standing with him are (left to right) are Commissioners Spring, Bloemke and Collins, and Chief Green. CAPTAIN APPOINTMENTS In 2009, the District converted three firefighter positions to Captain. This was done to ensure, as much as possible, an officer would be on fire engines staffed on a daily basis. Scott Johns, Shawn Newberry and Eric Simukka were appointed to the rank of Captain. Scott Johns Shawn Newberry
Eric Simukka Captain/Paramedic Captain/Paramedic Captain
Page 12 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT NEW EMPLOYEES FIREFIGHTERS & FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDICS In February, the District hired five new recruit firefighters and firefighter/paramedics. Two existing vacancies were filled and three new positions were created in accordance with staffing‐
level recommendations in the District’s 2008 Master Plan. The recruits participated in a twelve‐
week recruit training program which also included recruits from Vancouver Fire Department and Camas Fire Department. Just a month into 2010 the recruits, Jon Bacon, Scott Meucci, Nick McCarty, Jeff Peterson and Scott Squires, completed their one‐year probation period. PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER / PUBIC EDUCATION COORDINATOR. Dawn Johnson came to Fire District 6 in June of 2009 after almost ten years working in television news. Johnson currently serves as the District’s Public Information/Education Officer. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Electronic Media from the University of Oregon. Before coming to Fire District 6, Johnson was an Executive News Producer at the CBS affiliate in Portland. “I’ve learned that communications is all about connecting with people. I really want to hear their stories and if they have a problem I truly want to help them find a solution.” Johnson said. Page 13 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT ASSISTANT CHIEF OF OPERATIONS Chief Quitslund joined the District’s management team on December 1st as the Assistant Chief of Operations. He first entered the fire service in 1980 as a volunteer with Poulsbo Fire Department. He became a career firefighter in 1983 with the Sub Base Bangor Naval Fire Department. In 1985, he became Poulsbo's first mechanic/firefighter, until promoted to battalion chief in 1987 as the department's first career training chief. In 1994 he transferred to North Kitsap Fire & Rescue as the department's training chief. In 1999 he transferred to South Kitsap Fire & Rescue as the department's training and safety officer, where he also supervised the fire prevention bureau, facility maintenance division, grant programs, and served as a shift commander. Chief Quitslund has an ATA in Fire Command Administration and is about to complete a BS degree in Fire Service Administration, with a minor in Public Administration. He has served on several local, regional, and state organizations, credited with supporting the development of regional training programs, county‐wide incident management procedures, state certification, accreditation, and much more. A PROFOUND LOSS FOR THE DISTRICT IN 2009 On December 5, 2009, the District lost a long‐time firefighter and friend. Richard D. “Ricky” Streissguth was killed in an accident outside Bozeman, Montana while traveling with members of his family to take delivery of an antique fire engine. Also killed in the accident was his brother‐in‐law Doug Jacobson. Rick’s son was in the same vehicle and was severely injured. The loss of Ricky was a devastating blow to the department. He served as a career firefighter for more than twenty‐two years and as a volunteer firefighter from 1980 to 1987. He was well‐liked, respected and admired by members of the department. Rick’s professionalism, dedication, quick wit and vast knowledge of everything fire service is sorely missed and his absence will be heartfelt for years. Rick is the son of Richard T. Streissguth, one of the founding members of Fire District 6. Page 14 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT FINANCIAL REPORT Clark County Fire District 6 is funded primarily through property taxes. The revenue from two separate levies enables the District to provide emergency and non‐emergency fire suppression and emergency medical services. FIRE LEVY In 1995 the voters of the District approved a levy of $1.50 per $1,000 of Assessed Value (AV). Since the passage of I‐747 in 2001, the levy may increase by a maximum of one percent each year, plus new taxes on property added to the tax rolls. David Taylor Administrative Chief
In 2009, the District’s levy rate was $1.03562 per $1,000 AV. The levy rate adjusts with changes in the assessed value. As the AV rises, the rate decreases; when the AV falls there is a corresponding increase in the levy rate. An example of this change can be seen in the 2010 levy rate, which is at $1.2002 due to the significant (>12%) decrease in property values for the 2010 tax year. The District also receives revenue from interest on funds invested with Clark County, contracts for services, other taxes such as PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes), CPR and first aid training, grants and other taxes which in 2009 accounted for approximately 3.7 percent of all revenue. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES LEVY In 1980 the voters of the District approved an Emergency Medical Services levy enabling the District to provide Advanced Life Support Paramedic service. The levy has been renewed by the voters every six years since 1980. The current levy expires at the end of 2010 and will be placed on the ballot for renewal. The six‐year levy rate approved by voters in 2004 is $0.45 per $1,000 AV. The collection rate in 2009 was $0.34030 per $1,000 AV. In 2010 that rate is $0.39. TOTAL REVENUE The 2009 combined revenue of Fire and EMS Budgets is shown in the chart below. The total revenue for 2009 was $9,686,013. Of that revenue, 75.79% is from the Fire Suppression budget and 24.21% from the Emergency Medical Services budget. 2009 REVENUE
FIRE & EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES Other Taxes
Total: $9,686,013
$13,670
0.1%
Contracts
$125,735
1.3%
Property Taxes
Interest
$9,328,884
$96,180
96.3%
1.0%
Misc. Revenue Salvage Sales
$4,477
$117,067
0.004%
1.2%
Page 15 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT EXPENDITURES Fire District 6 expenditures are divided into six general categories: Salaries, Benefits, Supplies, Services, Intergovernmental/Debt Service and Capital Expenditures. In 2009, the District funded sixty‐one full‐time and two part‐time employees, including firefighters, firefighter/paramedics, officers, senior management and support/office staff. The District also funded the costs associated with maintaining the volunteer firefighter program. As of December 2009, the District is debt‐free. The combined actual expenditures for Fire Suppression and Emergency Medical totaled $8,990,510. The breakdown of expenditures is shown in the following chart. BUDGET Per Washington State law, the District’s Preliminary Budget must be delivered to Clark County no later than November 30th. The Fire Commissioners schedule and hold a public hearing each year, usually early in November, to consider revenue sources for the following budget year. The budget for both the current and prior year is available for review on the District’s website at www.ccfd6.org. UNRESERVED FUNDS The District has fund balances in both Fire Suppression and Emergency Medical Services budgets which are not specifically earmarked. They are shown in the budgets as the Beginning Fund Balance and the projected Ending Fund Balance. These are known as Unreserved Funds and serve two general purposes:  The District receives property tax revenue twice annually: after April 30th, when first‐half taxes are due and after October 31st, when second‐half taxes are due. During those periods of January ‐ April 30 and May ‐ October 31st, the District receives little revenue. The unreserved funds provide the capital to operate the District until tax revenue is received. Without the Page 16 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT unreserved funds, the District would need to borrow operating funds from Clark County and pay interest expenses.  In tax years where costs are unavoidably higher but there is little new revenue, a portion of the unreserved funds is used to fill the budget gap between revenues and expenditures. Although budgeted, no unreserved funds were used during the 2009 fiscal year. This is due in part to expenditure reductions during the year. The chart below shows the anticipated use of unreserved funds during 2010. This may be adjusted as the District continues to seek out areas where costs may be reduced. Page 17 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT REDUCING COMMUNITY RISK THROUGH EDUCATION FIRE PREVENTION MONTH October is National Fire Prevention Month. During the months of October and November Fire District 6 taught fire safety to over 2,000 children. That’s every public kindergarten and first grade class within the Fire District 6 boundaries as well as many daycares and preschools. During October and November students are taught five key fire safety Dawn Johnson messages: Public Information &
Education
 Stop, drop, and roll  What’s hot and what’s not  How to make a home fire escape plan  The importance of home smoke alarms  Crawl low in smoke. Fire District 6 also educates Cub, Boy, and Girl Scout groups that visit us throughout the year. It’s been proven that early education and intervention can lower the occurrence of youth set fires. FIRE PREVENTION POSTER CONTEST In partnership with the Hazel Dell/Salmon Creek Business Association, the annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest took place in October 2009. Third, fourth and fifth grade students living in Fire District 6 were invited to participate. More than 600 posters were submitted. Business Association members had the difficult task of judging the posters and selecting a grand prize winner as well as 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners from each grade level. The awards were presented during a luncheon at the Hazel Dell fire station. The poster contest winners were transported from school to the fire station in a fire engine. The top winners’ schools received a monitory donation from the Business Association towards their art programs. The grand prize winner’s poster was framed and is now hanging alongside previous winning posters in the Hazel Fire station. This annual program continues to be a successful public education tool for the District with more students taking part every year. Page 18 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE The Fire District 6 Annual Open House features fire and injury prevention information and education as well as demonstrations by firefighters and Sheriff’s deputies. A cast of agencies join Fire District 6 in providing hundreds of people with a fun, educational day. The participating agencies included the following:  Clark County Sheriff’s Office K‐9, Marine Patrol and Public Outreach  Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency  American Red Cross Disaster Services  Legacy Hospital Poison Prevention  Southwest Washington Hospital Trauma Services (bike helmets)  Clark Public Utilities (electrical safety)  Clark PUD water services  Clark Regional Wastewater District  Fire District 6 volunteer recruitment  Fire District 6 Emergency Medical Services  EDITH – Vancouver Fire Department’s fire safety house  Fire District 6 Technical Rescue display  Fire District 6 – Junior Firefighter Challenge  Fire District 6 – Extrication demonstration  Fire District 6 – fire extinguisher demonstration  Life Flight Helicopter  American Medical Response (car seat safety)  People’s Credit Union  Fire District 6 cadets  Fire District 6 Volunteer Firefighters Association  Hazel Dell/Salmon Creek Business Association  Streissguth Family ‐ antique fire apparatus  Fire District 6 antique fire engine & fire engine rides  Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) Page 19 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT LEGACY HEALTHY KIDS FAIR Fire District 6 taught over 1,200 kids how to escape a burning home during the 2009 Healthy Kids’ Fair at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital. Kids were shown a short safety video and then taken through a small home full of non‐toxic fake smoke. CLARK COUNTY TAKE YOUR CHILD TO WORK DAY Fire District 6 taught County employees and their children about the importance of maintaining a working smoke alarm as well as what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. The Fire District was also available to give tours of the fire engine. About 350 adults and 280 kids attended the Clark County take your child to work day. FELIDA JULY FOURTH CHILDREN’S PARADE Fire District 6 engines lead and end the July Fourth Children’s Parade in Felida. In 2009, thousands of kids and adults participated in this annual event. The Fire District also educated the public on fireworks safety and distributed information about the District’s ongoing CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training. COOLING CENTER DURING HEAT WAVE Fire District 6 opened a Cooling Center during the July 2009 heat wave where temperature climbed up to 104 degrees. The District partnered with CTRAN, and the Human Services Council of Southwest Washington to provide transportation to the cooling center. 24 adults and 2 kids sought shelter at the center during the heat wave. Page 20 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT CLARK COUNTY FAIR During the ten‐day Clark County Fair, firefighter/paramedics and volunteer firefighters provided 24/7 emergency response from a fire station on the fairgrounds. Fire District 6 also provided education on fire safety and injury prevention with our prize wheel that challenges participants to answer questions related to personal safety for a prize. Freddy the fire engine and Sparky the fire dog also provided children with important safety messages. Over 300,000 people visit the fair annually. PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX OPEN HOUSE Fire District 6 along with Clark County Fire & Rescue, the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office collaborated to hold the ninth Open House at the Public Safety Complex. The Open House was held in September and included demonstrations from all the participating public safety agencies. Open House attendees watch a demonstration of home fire sprinklers. In the above photo, a room without a sprinkler burns freely. MEMORY MAKERS AT THE CLARK COUNTY FAIR Fire District 6 partners with the International Association of Firefighters, Local 1805, the Clark County Fair, Butler Amusements, People’s Community Credit Union, American Medical Response (AMR), Providence Child Center and the Legacy Salmon Creek Children’s Hospital to provide a fun family outing for medically fragile children and their families. The only way these kids are able to attend the fair are with our firefighter/paramedics as escorts and the ambulance transport provided by AMR. This program is in its seventh year. Page 21 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT TARGETED SMOKE ALARM INSTALLATION Fire District 6, the Salmon Creek Lions Club and Juvenile Justice teamed up to provide free smoke alarm installations at a mobile home park in Hazel Dell. More than 50 smoke alarms were installed. In early 2010, there was a fire at a mobile home park and a smoke alarm installed through this program alerted the occupants to the fire and got them out safely. Fire District 6 installs smoke alarms year round for no cost. Firefighters also help those with physical limitations maintain their smoke alarms. BIKE SAFETY RODEOS Fire District 6 organized bicycle safety rodeos for several schools and scout troops in 2009. Every child who took part in the rodeos was required to have a good fitting helmet. If they did not have a helmet the District would provide them with one for a small donation if their family could afford it. Bicycle helmets are available at the Hazel Dell fire station year round. The helmet must be fit to the person who will be using it before they can be taken home. OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS Fire District 6 takes pride in our commitment to our community. What’s listed in this report is just a sampling of the District’s community participation. Fire District 6 has requests on a regular basis to attend community events in our area, such as, school carnivals, football games, graduation ceremonies, little league baseball events, neighborhood meetings, and Scout events. The District does its best to meet all requests. 2009 Contact with our Community Activity Children Adults Total Fire Safety Presentations Smoke Detector Campaign Home Safety Checks Bike Rodeos Cooling Center Public Events, Engine Visits Youth Fire Setting Intervention 2,961 11 13 92 2 16,788 5 691 121 9 77 26 25,217 3,652 132 22 169 28 42,005 5 Total Citizens Contacted: 19,872 26,141 46,013 FIRE DISTRICT 6 COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER Fire District 6 started offering an electronic version of its Community Newsletter in 2009. Going to a paperless newsletter makes sense economically and environmentally. It means less tax dollars being spent on printing and a less paper consumption which saves trees. The newsletter is now also being offered four times throughout the year instead of just two. The newsletter includes important information about services and finances as well as important events happening in your community. Page 22 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT SENIOR FALLS PREVENTION Fire District 6 provides an assessment of senior citizens homes and education at their request to determine action that can be taken to prevent falls. Risk reduction devices are then installed to prevent falls. SENIOR FIRE PREVENTION Groups may request a fire prevention presentation focusing on the special needs associated with senior citizens. FIRST AID/CPR CLASSES The District provides classes to the public as individuals in our monthly class or as groups at specific requested locations. Classes range from basic CPR to Healthcare Provider level training. First Aid and CPR classes are also taught at the four middle schools within our boundaries to 7th and 8th graders. FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING Basic fire extinguisher use is taught to groups by a qualified firefighter. Class location is at group’s request. CCOMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) CERT training teaches neighbors how to prepare for a disaster and what to do in the event a disaster occurs. The training is a 21.5 hour curriculum that is delivered in 2.5 hour sessions twice a year. Once certified, team members participate in monthly training sessions. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PRESENTATIONS For those who feel more comfortable preparing just for their own family, disaster preparedness presentations are available to neighborhood or other groups upon request. YOUTH FIRE SETTING INTERVENTION A trained individual provides education and support to children and their families in the effort to halt a child’s dangerous behavior of playing with fire. HOME SAFETY EVALUATION Firefighters visit homes, and using a checklist, evaluate the resident’s home fire escape plan (or help develop a plan) and provide suggestions for making their home a safer place. CLASSROOM FIRE PREVENTION / FIRST AID INSTRUCTION Fire District 6 provides classroom fire prevention and basic first aid presentations to a wide variety of age groups ‐ from preschool to senior citizens. We provide these services on a year‐
round basis. Page 23 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT OPERATIONS The department responded to 5,291 total emergency incidents during 2009. Compared to 2008, responses decreased by 44 incidents, or slightly less than one percent. Of those incidents, 85.08% were emergency medical responses; 14.92% fire‐related. The chart below demonstrates the number of fire‐related vs. emergency medical responses. Though the rate of growth of emergency responses has slowed over recent years, the District is still experiencing a steady increase in the numbers of emergency and non‐emergency incidents. Since 2002, combined responses have increased 23.68%. During that same time period, emergency medical responses increased 27.5%. Fire responses remained relatively flat, and at the end of 2008 were 5.62% above the total 2002 fire responses. The following chart shows an eight year history of fire and EMS responses. Page 24 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT FIRE RESPONSES Property Loss The total loss of property in the District from fire is estimated at $3,227,665. The value of the property at those fires is estimated at $19,561,385 which results in a “saved” rate of 83.5 percent. YEAR Fire loss for previous years is shown at right. 2009 $3,227,665
2008 $3,339,451
2007 $3,496,281
EST. FIRE LOSS
National Fire Incident Reporting System Breakdown The following all inclusive incident types are the main categories/codes used for National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) to capture annual statistical requirements across the nation. Included with the categories/codes is the number of incident responses in 2009. TYPE DESCRIPTION 2008 2009 100 Fire 199 202 200 Overpressure Rupture, Explosion, Overheat (no fire) 4 1 300 Rescue & Emergency Medical Service Incidents 2,914 3,607 400 Hazardous Condition (No Fire) 54 87 500 Service Call (water evacuation, smoke or odor removal, animal problem, assist invalid, assist law enforcement, defective elevator, unauthorized burning, assist other fire agency) 239 211 600 Good Intent Call (dispatched & cancelled, no incident found on arrival, authorized controlled burning, steam mistaken for smoke, smoke scare) 920 954 700 False Alarm & False Call (smoke detector or system malfunction, malfunction of sprinkler system, sprinkler activation due to malfunction) 247 224 800 Severe Weather & Natural Disaster 2 2 900 Special Incident Type 2 3 TOTAL 5,334 5,291 The data from the chart above is shown in a pie‐chart format on the following page and includes the percentage total for each category. Page 25 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT NATIONAL FIRE INCIDENT REPORTING SYSTEM (NFIRS)
2009 BREAKDOWN OF INCIDENT TYPES
Rescue & EMS Incidents
3,607 (68.19%)
Rupture, Explosion 1 (0.02%)
Fire 202 (3.82%)
Weather, 2 (0.04%)
Special Type 2 (0.04%)
False Alarm 224 (4.23%)
Good Intent Call 954 (18.03%)
EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSES Service Call 211 (3.99%)
Hazardous Condition 87 (1.64%)
Since 1981, Clark County Fire District 6 has been providing paramedic‐level advanced life support services to our community. Over the years, the number of EMS responses as a percentage of all responses has grown from approximately 60% EMS in 1981 to 85.75% in 2009. EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSES AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL
85.40%
86.20% 86.10%
85.90% 85.80% 85.75%
84.60%
82.50%
2002
2003
2004
Page 26 2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT RESPONSES BY FIRE STATION AREA Clark County Fire District 6 provides service from three fire stations.1 These stations are located in Hazel Dell, Felida and Salmon Creek. Station 61 (or Station 1) is the busiest fire station and consistently responds to 59% to 62% of the dispatched emergencies. 1,369
616
1,439
3,246
49
100
104
113
550
570
1,447
522
1,444
210
1,382
3,061
2,983
2,911
517
1,342
120
134
500
1,431
2,626
458
509
1000
500
1500
1,330
2000
102
2500
2,355
3000
2,904
3500
3,257
RESPONSES BY STATION: 2002 ‐ 2009
0
2002
2003
2004
Station 61
2005
Station 62
2006
Station 63
2007
2008
2009
Out of Area
1
Fire District 6 participates with Clark County Fire & Rescue in the joint operation of a fire station at the Clark County Fairgrounds. Staffed with resident volunteers, its response areas are included in the statistics above. Page 27 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT INCIDENTS BY TIME OF DAY In the chart below, the total number of incidents for each one‐hour time block in a twenty‐four hour period is plotted. The chart represents five years of data, with a different color line for each year. The center of the circle represents zero; the outer ring represents 350 incidents. There are fewer incidents during evening/night hours than daytime hours. Nearly 65% of all incidents occur between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Over a five year period, statistics show the same general plotting for incidents and time of day. INCIDENTS BY TIME OF DAY
2005 ‐ 2009
0:00
23:00
1:00
350
22:00
2:00
300
21:00
3:00
250
200
20:00
4:00
150
100
19:00
5:00
50
18:00
6:00
0
17:00
7:00
16:00
8:00
15:00
9:00
14:00
10:00
13:00
11:00
12:00
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
INCIDENTS BY DAY OF WEEK The chart on the following page shows the breakdown of incidents by day of week. Saturday is the busiest day for crews, followed closely by Tuesday. Sunday had the fewest emergency incidents. Page 28 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 2009 INCIDENTS BY DAY OF WEEK
850
800
750
700
650
600
550
500
NEW CAD (COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH) During 2009, preparations continued for implementing a new computer aided dispatch system at Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA), the 911 center. This new system replaces an aging dispatch system and will enhance emergency call dispatching to the many agencies which rely on the 911 center. County fire agencies will implement a closest‐unit dispatch strategy, regardless of jurisdiction, to ensure the most rapid response to emergencies. SIMULTANEOUS EMERGENCIES Over 22 percent of incidents occurred simultaneously (at least two incidents being responded to at the same time). The occurrence of simultaneous responses remains a concern as it has increased from 18% in 2002 to the 22.29% experienced in 2009. This will continue to stress response capabilities of the District. Simultaneous emergencies can create longer response times since an apparatus from another station location or station area must respond a greater distance to cover the incident in place of the original apparatus. Page 29 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES CALL TYPES (Actual Patients Contacted and Seen) The district responded and had contact with 3,107 actual patients in 2009. Although the total number of responses was much higher, this number reflects those calls where there was an EMS chart documented. The type of aid requested by the district remains relatively the same for the last several years, with “falls” leading the list. This call type has been steadily been increasing over the years, and in 2009, nudged ahead of “breathing problems”, “chest pain” and “sick” for the first time. This list is only a partial list of the emergencies to which the district responded. Mike Hollingsworth EMS Captain
NUMBER AND TYPE OF EMS RESPONSES
(partial list of types)
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
It is interesting to note that even though we have two major freeways traveling through our district, motor vehicle accidents are only the 6th most common call types, the same location for the last 4 years. STATION EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE VOLUMES (Actual Patients Contacted and Seen) It is, and remains no surprise that Station 1, located at 8800 NE Hazel Dell Ave, has the largest call volume of the three stations. Station 1 had just over 60% of the call load, with 1896 medical calls. This divided over the year equates to a little over 5.19 medical related calls per shift. Station 3 had 785 medical related calls for a yearly average of 2.15 medical calls per shift, while Station 2 came in with 406 calls, averaging 1.11 medical related calls per shift. Page 30 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 21
785
Out of District
Station 61 Area
1,896
406
Station 62 Area
Station 63 Area
Out of district calls were documented as 21, which reflect response into mutual aid areas to our north or south boundaries. EMS RESPONSES BY TIME OF DAY (Actual Patients Contacted and Seen) When the 3100+ medical calls are plotted on a 24 hour basis, the busiest time of the shift for receiving a medical call was 11:00hrs with 195. No surprise, the quietest time of the shift is the early morning hours of 05:00hrs, where only 44 calls were responded to where a patient was contacted and evaluated. The second busiest time of the shift is the dinner hour, at 18:00 hours with 187 calls. Number of Responses
250
200
150
100
50
23:00
22:00
21:00
20:00
19:00
18:00
17:00
16:00
15:00
14:00
13:00
12:00
11:00
10:00
9:00
8:00
7:00
6:00
5:00
4:00
3:00
2:00
1:00
0:00
0
Time of Day (beginning at midnight)
The average age of patients that were evaluated was 57, up from 55 in 2008. Page 31 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT EMS RESPONSE TIMES It is the department’s goal to place a crew next to the patient’s side within 6 minutes of being dispatched to the emergency. This was achieved 96.48% of the time where we actually saw and had contact with an actual patient. 900
800
Average response time 4:01 minutes
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
< 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
>9
NEW CARDIAC RESUSCITATION PRACTICES The American Heart Association introduced the new 2005 guidelines for cardiac resuscitation in late 2005 and these new guidelines were put into place in early 2006. So far these guidelines have seemed to produce exciting “save” rates for out of hospital cardiac arrests (OOHCA). The emphasis is placed on delivering high quality CPR, no longer delivering “stacked” defibrillation shocks and doing CPR prior to delivering any shocks. Early results are very impressing. Prior to these new protocols for cardiac resuscitation, Clark County had an OOHCA survival rate of 7%. Today that number is closer to 26% for patients found in ventricular fibrillation! The ROC study was a success and terminated in late 2009. This report compiled by Mike Hollingsworth, EMS Captain, using data collected from Firehouse reporting system software. Page 32 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT RESPONSE TIME OBJECTIVES COMPLIANCE – FISCAL YEAR 2009 INTRODUCTION On May 10, 2005, the Washington State Governor signed HB 1756 into law and required cities and fire protection districts to establish service‐delivery and response‐time objectives. Fire districts are required to evaluate their level of service, deployment delivery and response time objectives on an annual basis. Beginning in 2007, fire districts were required to issue an annual written report based on the annual evaluations. The annual report is to contain the predictable consequences of any deficiencies and address the steps necessary to achieve compliance with the District’s established objectives. On February 21, 2006, the Fire District 6 Board of Fire Commissioners adopted Resolution 2006‐03 which established certain policy statements and response time performance objectives as official policy for compliance with Washington State Law and for determining emergency medical, fire and rescue resource deployment. This is the fourth report of this type produced by Clark County Fire District 6. RESPONSE‐TIME COMPLIANCE Based on the performance policy and objectives outlined in House Bill 1756 as signed by the Governor of Washington State and identified elements deemed appropriate in the Department’s emergency services delivery, a statistical data analysis was conducted. This staff report has been prepared to meet the requirements of Board Resolution 2006‐03 adopted on February 21, 2006. The report is divided into eight areas and details the District’s compliance with its established response objectives. 1. Turnout Time (Fire and Emergency Medical) 2. Fire Suppression Incident – First Arriving Unit 3. Fire Suppression Incident – Full First Alarm Compliment 4. Emergency Medical – Basic Lift Support – First Arriving Unit 5. Emergency Medical – Advanced Lift Support Arriving 6. Technical Rescue – Operations and Technician Personnel Arrival 7. Technical Rescue – Technician‐Level Personnel Arrival Also included, for information only as it is not a specific objective: 8. Response Time – All Units CHANGE IN REPORTING OF RESPONSE TIME As stated above, this is the fourth such report issued by Clark County Fire District 6 regarding the status of achieving response‐time objectives. The two most critical measurements in the statistical analysis of response data are the Turnout Time and the Response Time. The Turnout Time is a measurement of the elapsed time from dispatch to an incident and the apparatus responding to the incident. The Response Time is a Page 33 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT measurement of the elapsed time beginning with when the apparatus is dispatched to the incident and ends upon the arrival on scene of the incident. For the 2008 compliance report, staff was able to calculate the Response Time to Arrival Time numbers to compare with the target response objective, however the process consumed a great deal of staff time. In 2009, at the recommendation of the Fire Chief, the Board adopted a revised calculation for Response Time, which is now calculated from Dispatch time to Arrival time. In the example shown below, the allotted time for the response was extended to six minutes, as the calculation now includes Turnout Time. COMPLIANCE REPORT 1. TURNOUT TIME – COMBINED FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL Fire District 6 adopted a Turnout Time objective of seventy‐five (75) seconds, which the department should meet ninety percent (90%) of the time. In 2009, the objective of seventy‐five (75) seconds was achieved 59.12% of the time. This represents a gain of nearly one percent in meeting the objective compared to the 58.15% in 2008. Page 34 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 2. RESPONSE TIME – FIRE SUPRESSION INCIDENT: FIRST ARRIVING UNIT Fire District 6 adopted a response/travel time objective of six (6) minutes for the arrival of the first unit to a fire suppression incident, which the department should meet ninety (90%) of the time. A Fire Suppression Incident includes all activities performed at the scene of a fire incident that expose personnel to the dangers of heat, flame, smoke, other products of combustion, explosion or structural collapse. Responses from other jurisdictions (mutual aid) are not included in the calculation of the District’s compliance with response time objectives. 257 responses met the criteria for compliance calculation. The objective of six (6) minutes was achieved 77.4 percent of the time. 3. RESPONSE TIME – FIRE SUPRESSION INCIDENT: FULL COMPLEMENT FIRST ALARM Fire District 6 adopted a response/travel time objective of nine (9) minutes for the arrival of the full complement of a 1st alarm response to a fire suppression incident, which the department should meet ninety percent (90%) of the time. A Fire Suppression Incident includes all activities performed at the scene of a fire incident that expose personnel to the dangers of heat, flame, smoke, other products of combustion, explosion or structural collapse. Responses from other jurisdictions (mutual aid) are not included in the calculation of the District’s compliance with response time objectives. 257 responses met the criteria for compliance calculation. The objective of nine (9) minutes was achieved 90.3% of the time. Page 35 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 4. RESPONSE TIME ‐ EMS INCIDENT: BASIC LIFE SUPPORT 1ST ARRIVING UNIT Fire District 6 adopted a response/travel time objective of six (6) minutes for the arrival of the first emergency medical unit with appropriately trained personnel on board to an emergency medical incident ninety (90%) of the time. The objective of six (6) minutes was achieved 92.5 percent of the time. 5. RESPONSE TIME – EMERGENCY MEDICAL INCIDENT: ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT ARRIVING Fire District 6 adopted a response/travel time objective of nine (9) minutes for the arrival of an advanced life support unit with appropriately trained personnel (paramedics) on board to an ALS emergency medical incident ninety percent (90%) of the time. The objective of nine (9) minutes was achieved 99.1% of the time. Page 36 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 6. RESPONSE TIME – TECHNICAL RESCUE: OPERATIONS AND TECHNICIAN ARRIVAL Fire District 6 adopted a response/travel time objective of nine (9) minutes for the arrival of the first unit with personnel trained at the Technical Rescue Operations level to a technical rescue incident ninety percent (90%) of the time. There were three responses made by the Technical Rescue Team in 2008. None were within the jurisdiction of FD6; therefore there is no statistical data for this report. 7. RESPONSE TIME – TECHNICAL RESCUE: TECHNICIAN‐LEVEL PERSONNEL ARRIVAL Fire District 6 adopted a response/travel time objective of thirty (30) minutes for the arrival of a sufficient number of appropriately trained and equipped Technical Rescue Technicians to perform operations at a technical rescue incident ninety percent (90%) of the time. Responses were made within the region, however, as there were no responses within Fire District 6, there is no statistical data for the report. Page 37 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 8. RESPONSE TIME – ALL INCIDENTS A response time for all incidents is not an objective or response standard, however it is included in this report as it is a valuable measurement tool for the overall response within Fire District 6. It can reflect a more complete picture for the level of service provided by Fire District 6 to its citizens, but too many factors can affect its viability and usefulness as an actual objective. The District, therefore, has not adopted an objective for overall response time. The following data is provided for information purposes only, as though Fire District 6 had adopted a response time objective of six (6) minutes for all incidents 90% of the time. In 2009, an objective of six (6) minutes would have been achieved 90.0% of the time. GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF CONCERN RESPONSE TIME – FIRE SUPPRESSION INCIDENT: FULL COMPLEMENT FIRST ALARM. All three station response areas are subject to deficiencies due to travel distance to the furthest reaches of the station’s response area. Beginning in 2007, a Vancouver Fire Department truck and engine are included in certain fire call types. Due to the distance of Vancouver’s fire stations, it is unlikely this objective can be met 90% of the time until those units are no longer needed to respond on a first‐out basis. RESPONSE TIME – EMS INCIDENT: ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT ARRIVING. This objective was met 99.1% of the time. Typically, the most significant area of deficiencies is located within the extreme northeast and northwest sections of the District. This requires the longest travel distance for Station 63 and Station 62 crews within in their response area. Additionally, with only a single career unit staffed at Station 63, simultaneous incidents can dramatically affect the objective being met as response would be required from Station 61. PREDICTABLE CONSEQUENCES Areas of the District will continue to see deficiencies in response times at locations farthest from stations. Transportation routes to the most rural areas often do not allow for quick access due to absence of a direct route, narrow lanes and other factors. Though offered by the District free of charge, address identification signs are often nonexistent which can delay the arrival of units. Page 38 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT As the District continues to grow, it is likely more incidents will be dispatched with a corresponding increase in the number of simultaneous (back to back) emergencies. The percentage of simultaneous emergencies has been steadily increasing, from 18% in 2002 to 22.29% in 2010. This means that in 2009, the District was dispatched to a second (or third) emergency 22.29% of the time when already on or responding to another emergency. Simultaneous incidents stress response capabilities of the District. Back‐to‐back incidents typically create longer overall response times since an apparatus from another station location or station area must respond a longer distance to cover the incident for the apparatus which is on another emergency. ONGOING PLANS FOR COMPLIANCE The District will consider the following steps to improve or maintain compliance:  New/Updated Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) System. Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA, the 911 Center) is in the process of implementing a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system which is expected to be placed into service in the second quarter of 2010. The new system will have more functionality for dispatching, providing detailed information and assurance in capturing time stamps with a higher accuracy percentage than the current system. The new CAD system will not have the ability to send “pre‐alerts.” Pre‐alerts tell crews a call is about to be dispatched and include the location. This provides up to ninety seconds to board the apparatus and respond to the incident prior to the actual dispatch taking place. Instead, the new system is expected to be able to receive notifications and dispatch units quicker than the old system. It is not clear what impact the lack of pre‐alerts will have on the District’s response statistics.  Software Enhancements/Improvements to our Incident Reporting System. The District will continue to make improvements in our Incident Reporting / Records Management System fields for “automatic requirements” of needed information to ensure necessary data is captured.  Track Specific Areas of Deficiency. The District will continue monitoring turnout and response times sorted by shift and station to determine where deficiencies exist and those will be addressed to ensure improvements when possible.  Monitor the Level of Back to Back (Simultaneous) Incidents. Continued monitoring of simultaneous (back‐to‐back incidents) for historical trends. As discussed in this report, the number of simultaneous or back‐to‐back incidents at 22.29% is slightly lower in 2009 than 2008, but over time the percentage is still trending upward. Revising the staffing and deployment of apparatus to reduce deficiencies may ultimately be necessary as the percentage of simultaneous incidents increases along with the overall increase in emergency incidents.  Monitor Environmental (Weather‐Related) Issues Impacting Responses. Capturing data and monitoring environmental issues affecting response times, such as snow, ice, etc through the use of the department’s emergency reporting program. Page 39 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 
Unit Staffing. The District will continue to examine the levels of available staffed units to determine if any solutions or enhancements need consideration for the future. In response to the District’s 2008 Master Plan and Strategic Plan, the District increased staffing on each shift by one additional position in 2009. At Station 15‐1 (the fairgrounds area fire station jointly operated by Fire District 6, and Clark County Fire & Rescue) a study was completed for consolidation of training divisions of three fire agencies (Fire District 6, Vancouver Fire and Clark County Fire & Rescue). How this may impact the staffing at the station has not been determined. The three departments continue studying the consolidation. During 2009 this station was staffed from 1900 – 0700 only 25 to 35 percent of the time by resident volunteer firefighters. It is becoming increasingly challenging to maintain staffing levels at that station. DATA RECORD SETS Data collected for the purpose of this analysis included only incidents that occurred within Fire District 6’s jurisdictional boundaries and were determined to need a Code 3 (lights/siren) emergency response by the department’s personnel as dispatched by CRESA (911 Emergency Center). Non‐emergency responses are not included in the calculation of the reported turnout/response times. The report excludes cancelled responses and out‐of‐jurisdiction responses, such as automatic aid and mutual aid. Raw support data is on file explaining the process used from within Firehouse (record management system) to complete this report. Page 40 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT TRAINING During 2009, the Training Division was overseen by Battalion Chief Scott Reamer. The Division’s primary focus is to develop and provide quality training and education to the members of Clark County Fire District 6 and the public they serve. The Training division is responsible for the initial and on‐going training of all volunteer and career staff members. With the numerous requirements placed upon the fire service today by the many regulatory agencies, (NFPA, ISO, OSHA Scott Reamer
and Regional EMS), the Training Division coordinates the training needed to Training Battalion Chief comply with established regulations. It is the mission of the Training Division to provide the highest quality training, Instruction and evaluation to our members. This is intended to prepare our department to serve our community in the most efficient and effective means possible, and to ensure personal safety as we deliver this service. This is accomplished by:  Encouraging individual and company training.  Keeping abreast of all training requirements.  Maintaining comprehensive training records.  Delivering the most meaningful and realistic training possible while ensuring the safety of our personnel. Page 41 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT Firefighters and officers train daily in a variety of topics, including:  General fire suppression training  Policies and procedures  Incident command system  Personnel accountability  Communication  Building construction  Rescue  Hazardous materials  Personal protective equipment  Self‐contained breathing apparatus  Hose  Nozzles, appliances and tools  Fire streams / water supply  Ladders  Ropes & knots  Emergency medical  Apparatus operator  Emergency vehicle accident prevention TRAINING CONSORTIUM Early 2009, the fire chiefs of Fire District 6, Clark County Fire & Rescue and the Vancouver Fire Department recognized the potential need to join training efforts for efficiency. All three agencies provide mutual aid/response and could benefit from efforts to centralize and standardize training. The Commissioners from Fire District 6 and Clark County Fire & Rescue and officials from Vancouver Fire Department authorized a study by Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCi). The largest share of the cost of that study was covered by Vancouver Fire Department as the other agencies had already had completed evaluations or master/strategic plans within the past year which included training. In June, the policy makers of each agency accepted the evaluation and recommendations from ESCi. In the ESCi report, a jointly operated training division or consortium was recommended. The three fire chiefs, following the plan as described by ESCi, set goals and objectives for the operations chiefs and training personnel who formed the Training Advisory Group or TAG. The initial priorities of the TAG were to establish a joint training calendar, a joint training manual, the consolidation of standard operating guidelines and merging training codes across the three agencies. Page 42 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT In March through early May, a joint recruit academy with new firefighter employees of Fire District 6, Vancouver Fire Department and another area fire agency was held as a pilot program. The academy was highly successful and used instructors drawn from all three agencies. During the remainder of 2009, representatives of the three agencies met to discuss and further plan the Consortium. The Fire Training Administrative Board (FTAB), consisting of the three fire chiefs, met monthly and conducted meetings with the presidents of the three firefighter labor union locals. At the conclusion of 2009, agencies were drafting an interlocal agreement to create the Training Consortium. It is anticipated this joint effort will conclude during 2010. Page 43 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT SAFETY The District’s safety program complies with requirements set forth in the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act, various state laws and codes and the District’s own policies in place to ensure the safety of our personnel. As firefighting is among the most dangerous occupations in the United States, the District aggressively pursues a safe working environment for our personnel. SAFETY OFFICER The District has an appointed Safety Officer whose responsibilities include: administering the department’s Accident Prevention and Health and Safety Programs, ensuring all accidents and injuries are investigated and preventive measures developed where appropriate, identifying and recommending correction of safety and health hazards and act on all matters relating to the operation and administration of the Accident Prevention Program. SAFETY COMMITTEE A Safety Committee, comprised of representatives of employees, volunteers and management personnel assists the Fire Chief by:  Reviewing accidents, injuries and other incidents,
 Recommending revisions to operations and policy,
 Reviews safety inspections of fire stations
 Reviews shift safety meeting reports to address specific concerns of personnel
 Recommends revisions to procedures and equipment.
SAFETY INFORMATION AND ACTIONS In February, the Safety Officer provided a refresher of all applicable laws and agencies impacting the District’s safety program, including Washington State Labor and Industries, the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act, OSHA and its relationship to WISHA, the Safety Committee and the Safety Officer. In June, the Safety Committee provided a report to the Fire Chief regarding air quality at Station 63. The report referenced the report received from Washington Labor & Industries following an on‐site visit. The Safety Committee recommended the installation of either a vehicle exhaust removal system in the truck bay or the installation of No‐Smoke Diesel Filters on each apparatus. Arrangements were made for installation of the filters on apparatus. The installations took place in early 2010. Concerns were expressed about the integrity of the second floor workout at Station 61. Personnel were concerned the weight of the fitness equipment may be greater than the designed weight‐bearing capacity of the floor. The Fire Chief had an engineering firm review the plans and perform an on‐site inspection. The firm recommended relocating the workout machines to better distribute the weight. Page 44 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM The Technical Rescue Team is comprised of members of both Clark County Fire District 6 and the Vancouver Fire Department to provide rescue and recovery services for unusual or high‐hazard emergencies, disasters and acts of terrorism. The Team responds to specialized rescue situations, such as confined space, high angle rescue and water rescue. The Team has dual leaders: one from Vancouver Fire and one from Fire District 6. Firefighter/Paramedic Bryan Baum serves as the FD6 Team Leader. Bryan Baum
TRT Team Leader The response area for the TRT includes Clark County through current mutual aid agreements, Washington Department of Homeland Security Region IV (Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Wahkiakum Counties and the Urban Area Security Initiative area (Clark, Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington Counties). The Team capabilities include rope rescue, water rescue, confined space rescue, urban search and rescue, trench rescue and a heavy rapid intervention team. The Technical Rescue Team participated in the following events:  Clark County Fire District 6 Open House  Public Safety Complex Open House and Safety Fair  CRESA (911 Center) Open House Page 45 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER PROGRAM INTRODUCTION Clark County Fire District 6 was formed in 1954 with two used fire engines, a mission to provide dedicated fire protection and sixty five (65) volunteers. We don’t buy used fire engines anymore and our mission statement has changed to “Dedicated to excellence in protecting and serving our community” but the volunteer firefighter program remains intact as an integral part of our daily emergency operations. Fire District 6 is a combination fire department meaning career and Merrill Thompson
volunteer personnel work to provide emergency services to the Volunteer Coordinator community. Our volunteers wear alpha pagers alerting them when the Fire District has been dispatched to an emergency scene. Depending on the size and type of incident, the volunteers are asked to respond back to their assigned station for coverage or dispatch to the scene. In 2009, the District introduced shift coverage requirements for our current and new volunteers. Volunteers “on shift” are staffing additional apparatus or being assigned seats on the career fire engines and working side by side with our career firefighters. Current volunteers are providing 12 hours per quarter and new volunteers 24 per month. This system enhances station coverage, increases personnel availability for incidents, provides additional staffing on our fire apparatus and contributes to our remarkable Class 3 rating with the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau. Fire District 6 is using your tax dollars wisely and enhancing services and staffing with volunteer personnel. Page 46 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT In addition to providing emergency services, our volunteers provide a number of other community activities equally important to the safety and awareness of our citizens. Throughout the year, volunteers teach public safety classes, attend public relations events and participate in extra‐curricular activities related to the Fire District. Examples are teaching CPR classes, attending parades, hosting open houses and providing fire engine stand‐by coverage for local high school sporting events. The volunteer firefighter program has been a long‐standing tradition at Fire District 6. Our citizens have always had the opportunity to volunteer their services and help their community. Sometimes the goal is to become a career firefighter and sometimes the goal is to be mentally or physically challenged while helping people. Whatever the goal, our program meets or exceeds these expectations and provides exceptional emergency services. Training Received by Volunteers in 2009 
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Air Management Asbestos Awareness Apparatus orientation Electrical Awareness Driver training Compressor/bottle filling operations – Air Unit Operating fire pumps Online medical training CPR recertification Spinal immobilization skills Emergency vehicle accident prevention – classroom and practical Self‐contained breathing apparatus Engine company drill Multi‐company drill Radio equipment Streets, jurisdictional boundaries High‐rise building drill Hazardous materials training Incident Command for railroad incidents Technical rescue awareness Wildland Awareness Types of Events Attended by Volunteer Firefighters 
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Read with Kids Night Health / Fun Night events CPR Classes Smoke detector installation program Fire Extinguisher Classes EMS standby coverage at various community events EMS standby at high school sporting events Antique fire engine rides EMS standby coverage at graduation ceremonies Fire District 6 Annual Open House Annual Hazel Dell Parade of Bands Page 47 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT 
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Special “Safety Day” events EMS coverage at Clark County Amphitheater events Felida children’s parade Fire / EMS Coverage during the Clark County Fair Fire Extinguisher Classes Bike Helmet / Fire Safety events School visits Santa’s Posse Gift / Food Delivery Page 48 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT APPARATUS AND MAINTENANCE The District currently has 12 apparatus available for response (excluding staff and command units). These apparatus, make and location are listed in the table below. In addition, the District has ten specialty, administrative and maintenance vehicles. Much of the maintenance is performed in‐house by an Equipment and Facilities Maintenance Specialist who was hired late in 2007. Those maintenance or repairs which cannot be completed at the District maintenance facility are outsourced to other facilities or companies. Arnie Kuchta
Equipment & Facilities In 2009, the District expended $95,299 for the maintenance and repair of Maintenance Specialist apparatus, excluding parts and tires. This is a reduction of 10.5% from the 2008 costs of $106,499. Apparatus Make/Model Current Status Type Engine 61 Pierce Station 61 Fire engine Engine 62 Pierce Station 62 Fire engine Engine 63 Pierce Station 63 Fire engine Engine 64 Pierce Station 61 Fire engine Engine 65 Pierce Station 62 Fire engine Fire engine Engine 66 Mack Station 63 Engine 67 Pierce Station 61 Fire engine Engine 68 Pierce Station 62 Fire engine Squad 61 Ford/Pierce Station 61 rescue squad/mini‐pumper Air 61 International Station 61 Air supply unit Rehab 61 GMC Bus Station 61 Rehabilitation during major incidents Brush firefighting unit Brush 62 Ford/Pierce Station 62 Page 49 CLARK COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 6 2009 ANNUAL REPORT FACILITIES MAINTENANCE In June, the District decided to participate in the Clark Public Utilities CLIP Energy Savings program. All light fixtures at Station 61 were replaced with energy efficient fixtures. The program provided funds matching from Clark Public Utilities. It’s estimated the District’s share of the investment will be recouped in three years. The roofing at Station 62 in Felida and the shop building at Station 61 were replaced in 2009. Page 50