Central Pierce Fire & Rescue 2009 ANNUAL REPORT. Pierce County Fire District No. 6 Central Pierce Fire & Rescue

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1 2009 ANNUAL REPORT Pierce County Fire District No nd Avenue East Tacoma, Washington (253) Fax (253)

2 About Us (also known as Pierce County Fire District 6) was formed in 1996, following a merger of Fire District 6 (Parkland/Midland), Fire District 7 (Spanaway) and Fire District 9 (Summit/South Hill). In 2009 Central Pierce grew to include the city of Puyallup through annexation and the community of North Puyallup through a merger. These mergers have provided for more efficient and effective service to the communities that now make up. operates twelve fire stations, all of which are staffed 24 hours a day by professional firefighters and paramedics. Eight of our stations house paramedic units which provide basic and advanced life support care and patient transport to area hospitals. In addition to fire suppression and emergency medical services, CPFR also provides hazardous materials response and technical rescue services. CPFR also provides training and information to the public on fire and injury prevention, CPR, first aid, fire extinguisher usage and other safety related topics. The District provides free smoke alarms (with installation) and low-cost bicycle and multi-sport helmets to the community. Our Vision Statement Providing Service and Solutions to Ever-Changing Community Needs Our Mission Statement The mission of is - quickly, skillfully and compassionately respond to the needs of our community by safely providing: Fire Suppression Prevention and Education Emergency Medical Services Hazardous Materials Mitigation Special Operations and Technical Rescue We, the members, proudly serve our community with honor, courage and commitment. This is the standard by which we live.

3 2009 Statistics Population 203,000 citizens Land area covered 84 square miles (serving the communities of Puyallup, South Hill, North Puyallup, Summit, Parkland, Midland, Spanaway, Frederickson & Elk Plain) Number of fire stations - 12 Uniformed personnel Non-uniformed personnel - 29 Support service volunteers 12 Emergency response volunteers - 5 Total number of emergency incidents 26,081 Total number of emergency medical service calls 19,081 Total number of patients transported to area hospitals 11,167 Significant Accomplishments City of Puyallup annexed into on January 1. Fire based BLS patient transport was expanded to include the city of Puyallup on January 1. A full time medic unit was placed in service at the Shaw Road Station 72 on July 27. The recruitment, application and hiring process for 12 new Firefighter/EMTs began on July 27. North Puyallup (PCFD 11) merged into CPFR on September 14. received Pro Board accreditation on October 13. purchased and began implementation of a patient-side pen-based reporting system that meets new required national EMS reporting standards. 1

4 Board of Commissioners The Board of Fire Commissioners is the oversight body of the fire district. The Board has the responsibility to: manage and conduct the business affairs of the fire district, make and execute all necessary contracts, employ any necessary services, and adopt reasonable rules to govern the district. The Board is comprised of five commissioners who are elected to six-year terms and represent the citizens of the district in at-large positions. The Board of Fire Commissioners meetings take place the second and fourth Monday of each month. Bob Willis, Chairperson Elected January 1, 2008 Larry Nelson, Commissioner Elected January 1, Bill Eckroth, Commissioner Elected January 1, 2004 (Re-elected January 1, 2010) Rich Coleman, Commissioner Elected January 1, 2006 Ron Morehouse, Commissioner Elected January 1, 2008 Rick Hansen, Ex-Officio (City of Puyallup Council Member) Appointed by the City of Puyallup Council 2

5 A Message from the Fire Chief On behalf of the men and women of, I would like to present the 2009 Annual Report. has a proud tradition of delivering outstanding customer service. Members of the department spend hundreds of hours every year learning the latest response technology and honing their skills in training sessions. Our first priority is to respond to the needs of our citizens in a professional and expeditious manner. Every member of this department is dedicated to service. Our department is an all-hazard response agency. Our firefighters are trained, equipped and dedicated to provide outstanding emergency medical services, fire response, hazardous materials response, technical rescue, natural and man-made disaster incident responses. The continued support of our citizens and the Board of Fire Commissioners enable our department to respond to all emergencies. On January 1, 2009, was honored to welcome the citizens of the City of Puyallup as part of our response and service area. The merging of Puyallup Fire & Rescue into Central Pierce Fire & Rescue was a huge undertaking. The citizens of the city and its leaders were promised that service levels would be enhanced. In July, the medic unit at Station 72, which is located on Shaw Road in Puyallup, was staffed 24/7. Our Fire Prevention Division expanded our elementary school prevention program into all the schools within the city limits. In cooperation with city officials, the commercial fire inspection program was refocused allowing us to double the number of inspections this year. The dedication of all members of produced a successful collaborative working environment, making the transition almost seamless. A no-borders partnership between the Tacoma Fire Department and has enhanced fire and life safety services to both jurisdictions. During 2009, over 1, calls were handled by the closest fire units, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries. The dispatch center using GPS devices mounted in every fire engine and medic unit determines the closest unit and dispatches them appropriately. has grown into one of the largest fire and emergency medical services agencies in the state serving more than 200,000 people and responding to over 26,000 emergency calls. As your Fire Chief, I am proud of all the communities we serve and it is our sense of community that enables us to respond to your needs with empathy and compassion. Thank you for allowing us to serve you! 3

6 A Message from the Deputy Chief of Operations Operations include emergency medical services, training and field operations. While every division supports our mission of responding to emergencies, these divisions are directly responsible for responding quickly and performing skillfully with compassion. In January 2009, the merging of Puyallup Fire & Rescue and Central Pierce provided efficiencies and a depth of service neither department could achieve individually. However it wasn t until April 1st that we truly began functioning as one organization operationally. This is when emergency units within the city of Puyallup moved from Puyallup City Communications to Tacoma Fire Communications. This move now insures the closest unit responds regardless of county or city lines. In mid January personnel from both Puyallup Fire and Central Pierce were integrated into one department. Steps were taken to encourage movement of personnel while ensuring some personnel remained at each station that where familiar with that specific area. The department s 800 MHz radio system is still a work in progress. Equipment on the Washington State Patrol tower ( ST E) was tested but did not provide adequate coverage in the south end of the district. Steps are currently being taken to install equipment on Graham Hill which will provide the necessary coverage to fully implement the 800 MHz radio system in A new station alerting system has been installed and will be functional shortly after the first of the year. This new system will process calls more quickly and alerts only those units that need to respond. Fire based basic life support (BLS) patient transport was expanded to include the city of Puyallup. This additional workload made adding another medic unit on South Hill a high priority. In July, Medic 72 was placed in-service at the Shaw Road station to better serve the South Hill area. The merger also doubled the number of personnel on both the Hazmat team and Special Operations team. These teams are also affiliated with other teams in the county to better serve the entire county. The year 2009 could be summed up as the year of change. I want to thank everyone in the field for their patience during this year of transition. 4

7 A Message from the Deputy Chief of Administration The year 2009 was a year of major organizational change due to the annexation of the city of Puyallup into the district, resulting in not only the inclusion of the entire city into our service area but also bringing all employees of Puyallup Fire and Rescue into our organization. This had significant impact on all administrative divisions. We began the year with a restructuring of the organization by adding a second deputy chief and grouping the district s divisions into Operations and Administration under the two respective deputy chiefs. Starting early in the year, the Human Resources Division added the former Puyallup employees records, added them to health care plans, conducted testing for lieutenant and captain, and recruited, selected and hired 12 new firefighter recruits to begin their employment in January The merging of the two departments required assistance from all Administrative Divisions. The Information Technology (IT) Division added Puyallup equipment to inventory, set up accounts for new personnel, and ran phone lines and expanded the network into Puyallup stations. The Logistics Division incorporated Puyallup-owned vehicles and apparatus into the CPFR fleet, including maintenance and testing schedules. The equipment replacement fund was updated and expanded to include Puyallup vehicles and apparatus. The Prevention & Education Division has expanded its services into Puyallup and actively participated in major public events such as the Western Washington Fair. Fire code enforcement inspections and fire investigations have also been continued in Puyallup through an agreement with the city. At the start of the year, CPFR assumed the city s contract for service to Fire District 11 (North Puyallup), but there was a mutual interest in actually merging the two districts. In August, District 11 voters approved the merger into Fire District 6 (CPFR), which took effect in September, thereby assuring the citizens of North Puyallup continuing fire and rescue services. It has been both challenging and rewarding to see the two departments come together and begin to forge their future together. 5

8 Field Operations The main work of the Fire Suppression Division concentrates on responding to calls. The Fire Suppression Division s mission is to provide resources in the extinguishment of all types of fires, as well as provide the supplemental resources for specialty teams, Emergency Medical Services operations and non-emergent incidents (service calls, alarm activations, gas leaks, electrical malfunctions, etc.) The retention of a highly skilled workforce, which operates under dynamic, hazardous situations, requires a focus on safety, wellness, system efficiency, and professional growth. Accomplishments in 2009 Successfully integrated the operations of Puyallup Fire & Rescue into CPFR. Developed Standard Operations Procedure 431, Command, Strategy and Tactical Guidelines. Researched and made recommendations to improve the efficiency of our Emergency Operations Center during high call volume events. Submitted the Performance Report per the requirements of RCW Developed the process to collect and enter pre-incident data on commercial occupancies. Developed and delivered the first phase of the District s Fire Incident Strategy and Tactics class. Worked with the City of Tacoma to expand the current 800 MHz communication system to include CPFR. Worked with Tacoma Fire Dispatch to develop a new station/personnel alerting system for incident responses. Became a partner with the Regional Aviation Program serving the counties of Pierce, King and Snohomish. Added aviation radios to the battalion chief and special operations apparatus for better air/ground communications. Participated with Pierce County Sheriff s department and Puyallup Police Department in conducting active shooter training and drill at the South Hill Mall. Actively participated on the Pierce County Haz-mat Incident Team in training sessions and committee work. Participated in multi-agency training exercises. Actively participated on Pierce County Special Operations Response Team in training sessions and committee work. Conducted basic helicopter training as members of the Regional Aviation Program. 6

9 The Faces of CPFR 7

10 Emergency Incidents Types of Incidents for ,081 Fire EMS/Rescue Haz Conditions Service Call Good Intent Others 1,955 2,170 1, Fire 893 EMS/Rescue 19,081 Hazardous Conditions 297 Service Calls 1,955 Good Intent 2,170 Others 1,685 Total Incidents 26,081 Responses by Station for * Station 70 is located at the Western Washington Fairgrounds in Puyallup. 8

11 Emergency Incidents Incidents by Engine, Ladder & Medic Unit for Medic Units Engine Ladder STATION Medic Unit *757 * Engine Ladder *M72 was staffed part-time January-June & full-time July-December. *M68 is staffed part-time. 9

12 Emergency Medical Services & Transport Emergency Medical Services The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division is responsible for providing emergency medical care to the citizens of the District as well as to others in need through mutual aid agreements. The District provides both advanced life support and basic life support. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics provide immediate medical assessment, evaluation, and treatment. Transport The Transport Division s function is to ensure efficient and effective delivery of emergency medical transport services based on the community s needs and expectations. Patients are transported to area receiving facilities as their condition warrants. The Transport Division has a split workforce of paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to meet a diversity of needs. In order to accomplish these functions, the District must provide highly trained, skilled personnel and adequate vehicles and equipment to do the job. In order to keep their certifications, paramedics and EMTs must continually train to maintain their skills and knowledge in any type of medical emergency. Additionally, through our EMS and Transport Divisions, Central Pierce has an EMS Transport Levy Program, by which residents of the fire district are not billed for emergency department transports beyond what their insurance will pay. The balance of transport costs not paid by insurance comes from the EMS Levy and is transferred as needed into the Transport Budget. Accomplishments in 2009 EMS and Transport Relocated EMS Lieutenant (F640) to Station 68. Staffed an eighth medic unit to provide greater coverage of the district. Two units are now within the city limits of Puyallup. Ensure successful integration of dispatch with Tacoma Fire Department. Researched and purchased a computer based reporting system that meets new required national EMS reporting standards. Goal for implementation is March 1, Developed a county wide plan for surveillance, patient care and occupational medicine for novel H1N1 influenza pandemic. Worked in partnership with Good Samaritan Hospital on a pilot study to improve quicker access to cardiac catheterization lab in patients with acute heart attacks. This resulted in a Healthcare Champion award from the Tacoma Business Examiner. Assisted in research and development with cost saving strategies related to EMS supplies while still retaining a quality product. 10

13 Emergency Medical Services & Transport Top 10 EMS Call Types for Transports by Medic Unit for ,167 Total Transports 98 Mutual Aid Transports M60 M61 M63 M65 M66 M67 M68* M72* M73 *M72 was staffed part-time January-June & full-time July-December. *M68 is staffed part-time. 11

14 Prevention & Education The Prevention & Education Division is responsible for public information, education, and relations. A variety of activities and responsibilities fall under each of these three categories. Public Information Keep the public informed about the District s activities, services, and the issues we face as an organization. Information is disseminated to the public regularly using a variety of communication channels. Public Education Provide fire and life safety programs to the public. Public Relations Developing relationships with our citizens and remaining actively involved in the community is important. This provides CPFR with information about what the community wants and needs from their fire department. Accomplishments in 2009 Conducted an information campaign to pass a merger with Fire District 11 in August of Updated the CPR class and CPR/First Aid classes to include a first aid class once a month at Station 71. Upgraded the District s public website to provide timely and relevant information to our citizens. Redesigned our internal website which enabled us to provide information to our employees in a timely manner. Provided Think Again presentations to all high schools addressing the topic of driving while impaired. Held safety fairs at Stations 61, 63, 65, 67 and 69 as well as a city of Puyallup event in November. Assisted Local 726, the local firefighter s union, at seven (7) fire station holiday events. Added eight (8) elementary schools, two (2) junior high schools, and three (3) high schools to our school program. Provided four (4) new Safe Sitter classes to our citizens in addition to the normal four (4) classes as well as developed a pilot program for the elementary schools. Continued the free life jacket loaner program at Spanaway Lake. 12

15 Prevention & Education 2009 Statistics Citizens attended CPR/First Aid/AED classes Bike helmets fitted Car seats inspected - 38 Elementary school students that participated in Fire Prevention programs 19,524 Students attended Safe Sitter classes Students attended Thinking Again classes at the junior & high school level 3,505 Citizens participated in Prevention & Education community events 69,903 Citizens that participated in taking a fire station tour 1,727 Smoke alarms installed Batteries installed in smoke alarms Citizens that participated in a senior safety class 912 Fire investigations performed in CPFR s district by Pierce County Fire Prevention Bureau 136 Fire investigations conducted by CPFR Deputy Fire Marshals within the city limits of Puyallup - 31 Juvenile fire setters interviewed 28 Hazardous material inspections performed within the city of Puyallup 89 Regular business inspections performed within the city of Puyallup 1,625 Re-inspections performed within the city of Puyallup 72 Business license inspections performed within the city of Puyallup 29 Fire alarm follow-up reviews performed within the city of Puyallup - 31 Fire sprinkler reviews performed within the city of Puyallup 27 Knox box services performed within the city of Puyallup

16 Training Division The Training Division is responsible for coordinating and scheduling the majority of department training. All suppression personnel must receive initial training and these skills must be continuously maintained. Initial firefighter training is accomplished through our 16 week Recruit Academy. The maintenance of firefighter skills is done through in-service training, which is accomplished in a variety of ways including: outside instructors, company level training, battalion level training, monthly reading assignments, online web-based computer training, monthly written tests and in-house academies. Personnel are also sent to conferences and classes outside the department for specialized training. Accomplishments in 2009 The Training Division applied to the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) and received accreditation for NFPA Firefighter I, Firefighter II, Hazardous Material Awareness and Hazardous Material Operations. Central Pierce is the first agency in Washington to receive Pro Board accreditation. Participated in a Homeland Security grant funded training exercise with local law enforcement. Firefighters had the opportunity to practice warm zone entry with law enforcement for wounded patient extrication. Provided officer development training opportunities for supervisory personnel. Several classes were offered in-house including Managing Company Tactical Operations, Tacoma Atlas Foundry Lessons learned, and Big Box Structure Fires. Updated the Firefighter III, II, and I qualifications workbooks and references. Updates included, but were not limited to, new on-line NIMS courses, new standard operating procedures, firefighter skill sheets, and references updated to align with the Delmar manual. Updated the Firefighter III mid-term and Firefighter III end-of-first-year practical examination. Hosted two metropolitan drills at the Training Center. The metropolitan training officers group meets once per year to discuss future training and classes. Conducted multiple live training burns for suppression personnel. Conducted Mass Casualty Drills for all three shifts. Drills were based on simulated school bus explosions utilizing two donated school buses. Built a Ground Ladder manual defining how Central Pierce utilizes ground ladders in training and emergency incidents. 45, , , , , , , , , Total Number of Training Hours , , , , A Shift B Shift C Shift Vols Total A Shift B Shift C Shift Vols Total 14

17 Training in Photos Photos that appear in the 2009 Annual Report were taken by Bruce Carpenter, Amber Davies, Sean Clayton, Stephanie Glass, Diane Hyatt, Matt Holm, Amy Jackson and Mary Merdian. 15

18 District Map 16

19 Station Locations Station nd Avenue East Tacoma, WA Station th Street South Tacoma, WA Station 62 (Information Technology Division offices) 1410 Brookdale Road East Tacoma, WA Station th Avenue East Tacoma, WA Station th Street East Spanaway, WA Station th Street South Tacoma, WA Station th Street East Puyallup, WA Station Canyon Road East Puyallup, WA Station th Street East Puyallup, WA Station th Avenue East Puyallup, WA Station 70 (staffed only during fairground events) Western Washington Fairgrounds Puyallup, WA Station th Street NW Puyallup, WA Station th Street SE Puyallup, WA Station West Pioneer Puyallup, WA