Keizer Fire District

Keizer Fire District 2006 Annual Report Committed to Excellence Dedicated to Service 661 Chemawa Road NE Keizer, Oregon 97303 www.keizerfire.com Mission Statement To protect lives, property and the environment through quality emergency response and community involvement. District History The Keizer Fire District was organized on May 4, 1948 with 27 volunteer firefighters. They started with a 1948 Ford Pumper, equipped with the latest type high pressure pump, at a cost of less than $10,000. The fire engine was housed under a lean to shed at the Keizer Food Lockers. The Fire District answered its first alarm during the month of February 1949, which involved McDermots Variety Store. That year they answered less than 30 calls, all of them fire calls. The first of April, 1949, the Fire Station was completed at its present location. This original building was built to house three pieces of equipment. The back part of this building consisted of a large multi-purpose room with kitchen facilities to be used by the Firefighters and various other local community groups. The Fire Station was first remodeled in 1961 when the apparatus bay was enlarged and again in 1970, when a new multi-purpose room, kitchen and offices were added. For many years the Sheriff s Department shared an office within the building as did the Keizer Water District. In 1996, the original Fire Station was demolished so that a new Fire Station could be built in the same location. The new Fire Station houses eight pieces of fire & medical apparatus, offices, sleeping quarters, fitness room, training rooms, two kitchens and a multi-purpose room. March 2007 KFD-1

About Your Fire District Fire Service Area: 10.5 square miles Property Value Protected: $1,570,668,153 Number of Personnel: Paid...22 Volunteers...40 Explorers...13 Stations: 1 Apparatus: Ambulances... (1 reserve) 3 Fire Engines... (1 reserve) 4 Ladder Truck...1 Rescue...1 Brush/Quick Response...1 2006 2007 Budget: Fire Operations...$2,711,435 Medical Operations...$1,008,746 From the Fire Chief The Keizer Fire District s 2006 annual report provides a variety of facts and figures about the year. The report also highlights career and volunteer members of the organization who serve and enable the Fire District to carry out its mission statement to Protect lives, property, and the environment through quality emergency response and community involvement. I am very proud of the continued individual achievements within the Fire District; there are so many individuals who exemplify that they are Committed to Excellence Dedicated to Service. I also have the utmost confidence in Keizer Fire District s career and volunteer members abilities to consistently fulfill the mission statement. However to accomplish this goal, Fire Chief Greg Frank members require valuable resources to perform their job safely and reliably. Risk factors rise as our firefighters and emergency crews use older and potentially dangerous equipment that need replacement. The Fire District Board of Directors will address many budget issues that will directly affect the future operations of Keizer Fire and its members. In 2008, the five-year operating levy which funds the Fire District s current services will expire. Those funds provide for current District operations and also financed the replacement of a fire engine and ambulance. What are the District s future financial plan and vision for the services it will provide? Renewing a levy is essential in providing optimum fire and emergency medical assistance to a growing community. I anticipate the Board of Directors will devise a detailed budget plan to acquire updated equipment that I will highlight in next year s report. The sky has not fallen and through everyone s valiant efforts, Keizer Fire District will continue to fulfill its mission. The lives that have been touched and events that we have shared with you in 2006 remain indelibly etched in our minds. My sincere thanks for all your continued trust and support! Outstanding Efforts Each year the Fire District recognizes individuals who have consistently performed in an exemplary fashion. During 2006 those individuals were: Dan Fisher Firefighter of the Year Tim Coburn Employee of the Year Scott Wildfang EMT of the Year Jim Simpson Recruit of the Year 2-KFD March 2007

Board of Directors As I look back at the last year there are some things that stand out and should be mentioned. Our overall response time goal was met 93.4 percent of the time in 2006. We have a response time goal of responding to alarms within six minutes 90 percent of the time. This statistic has gotten better each of the last three years even though the number of calls have increased. Congratulations to all of the Fire District staff who is Greg Ego, President dedicated to making this happen. In 2004, the District was awarded a $30,000 grant to be used to implement a kitchen fire safety program. Brochures were printed in English and Spanish and distributed throughout the District. As a result of focusing on this particular type of incident there were no kitchen fires in 2006 at any of the apartment complexes that were visited. This type of an educational program really works. Training and education ahead of time are the keys to prevent these types of fires. Through a grant received in 2006 we have purchased and installed new self-contained breathing apparatus and a new air filling station. This new equipment is state of the art and keeps our personnel well protected as they perform their duties on the fire ground or at accident scenes. Lastly, we have received a grant for $148,000 to be used over the next four years for volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention. The volunteers are a vital part of the Fire Districts ability to respond and this will help us to fulfill that mission. The citizens of the Keizer Fire District have a Department that they can be proud of and that they can count on in their time of need. Thank you for your continued support of the Keizer Fire District. 2,800 Annual Patient Contact Comparison 2,618 2,723 2006 Significant Events January March April May June July August September October Retiring Battalion Chief Dan Woolley is awarded for 38 years of service. Dogs & hamsters rescued from fire. Apartment blaze causes $25,000 in damage. Local Firefighter honored for rescue of neighbor. Lieutenant Dave Lapof receives Oregon Fire Chiefs Award of Excellence. Churchdale Avenue blaze chars buildings and cars. Keizertimes reports that some Keizer buildings are too tall for District Ladder Truck. Fire District receives thermal imaging camera from US Department of Homeland Security. Keizer homes with gold film quarantined. Fire District receives SAFER Grant in the amount of $148,000 for the volunteer firefighter recruitment. House fire claims one life. FIRE REPORT 2005 2006 Fire - Assembly 1 1 Fire - Commercial Business 2 0 Fire - Educational Facility 0 0 Fire - Multi Family 4 7 Fire Single Family Dwelling 17 8 Fire Structure Other 2 0 Cooking Fire 10 9 Chimney or Flue Fire 7 0 Fire Portable Building 1 0 Fire Mobile Home 4 1 2,400 2,039 2,151 2,293 Fire Vehicle 12 9 Natural Vegetation 5 0 2,000 1,600 1,443 1,684 1,594 1,685 1,719 1,861 Brush/Grass Fire 2 5 Outside Rubbish 1 1 Dumpster Fire 7 4 1,200 Outside Fire Other 12 5 Cultivated Vegetation 21 28 800 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total 108 78 March 2007 KFD-3

Keizer Fire District Training Kevin Wickman Deputy Chief Deputy Chief Kevin Wickman is responsible for the training and continued education of 62 Career and Volunteer members of the Fire District. A firefighter s training never ends and personnel require many hours and a wide variety of formal, on-going training in order to achieve and maintain the necessary Fire and Emergency Medical certifications. Personnel train weekly on Monday evenings as well as while on duty other evenings and weekends throughout the year. All members are trained to national standards in firefighter and apparatus operations and certified by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, DPSST. Additionally, Keizer Fire District has 43 members who are Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics who are licensed by the State of Oregon to administer emergency medical care. In 2006, more than 5,300 man hours of training was provided to District personnel. Training is broken down into four major areas, they are: Fire/Rescue, Medical, Hazardous Materials and Officer Development. In addition to the training delivered to Keizer Fire District personnel, we offer a wide variety of fire and life safety educational programs. CPR and fire extinguisher classes are available upon request, a six week baby sitters class is offered annually and Federally recognized CERT training is offered twice a year as well. Additionally we provide Seatbelt Diversion and Helmet Diversion classes in cooperation with the local courts. 2750 Emergency Medical Calls Year 2006-2,663 2618 2,663 2500 2293 2250 2099 1985 2000 1750 1500 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 125 Fire Responses Year 2006-78 118 108 96 95 100 75 50 25 0 775 700 625 550 475 400 325 250 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 489 499 Non-Fire Responses Year 2006-663 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 524 564 78 663 2006 Fire and Medical Operations Total Responses: 3,404 Fire Responses: 78 Non-Fire Responses: 663 Emergency Medical Aids: 2,663 Average Response Time: (minutes) 3:40 90% of the time responded to emergency medical calls in 6 minutes or less Total Responses: 3,404 Emergency Medical 2,663 Public Assist 203 Good Intent 266 False Alarm/Call 122 Fire 78 Hazardous Condition 65 Overheat (no fire) 0 Severe Weather 7 Major Fire Incidents 6000 Block Nicholas Loop N Residential $80,000 loss Cause: Electrical Equipment Failure 600 Block Lockhaven Drive NE Multi Family Dwelling $35,000 Cause: Unknown 500 Block Hornet Drive N Residential $175,000 loss Cause: Unknown 600 Block Bowden Lane N Storage $15,250 loss Cause: Unknown 4-KFD March 2007

2006 Operations and Emergency Medical Services Randy Jackson Deputy Chief Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provided during the year reflect a wide variety of responses, some life threatening that require a very emergent response and some of a less urgent nature. These responses include structure fires, a variety of medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, fire alarm activations, downed power lines, public service calls and everything in between. The Keizer Fire District provides these services with a combination of both career and volunteer personnel who respond from our single fire station, serving an area of approximately 10 square miles and a population of nearly 35,000 citizens. The Keizer Fire District also provides ambulance transport services with dual-role Firefighter/Paramedics staffed medic units. One unit is staffed 24-hour a day, seven days a week and the second unit is staffed 40-hours a week during higher call volume periods and then receives an ambulance response from the closest Marion County Fire District #1, Salem Fire Department or Rural Metro when all of our recourses are committed to other incidents. Career personnel staff the District s first-due fire and rescue units Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. From 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. weekdays and 24- hours on weekends and holidays these units are primarily staffed by volunteers who serve on a duty shift at the fire station. Working fires and multiple medical calls occurring simultaneously can require the response of off-duty career and volunteer personnel to respond from home to the fire station. The Keizer Fire District s current fleet includes four fire engines, one ladder truck, one rescue unit, one brush unit, one command vehicle, three ambulances, three support / staff vehicles and one rehabilitation trailer operated by the Fire District s Explorer Post program. Ambulance services are provided to the greater Keizer community through a franchise issued to the District under the Marion County Ambulance Service Area Plan. This Plan outlines a variety of rules and regulations that includes service performance criteria and response time requirements. The District s Supervising Physician is Dr. Robert Sloan, an Emergency Department Physician at Salem Hospital. Dr. Sloan provides medical direction and oversight through established standing orders and treatment protocols at each level of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He also participates in the District s EMS Quality Assurance and Improvement Committee and assists with providing the District s medical personnel with continuing medical education on a variety of topics. The District contracts with the City of Salem for ambulance billing and 9-1-1 services. The Keizer Fire District s EMS Program continues to face challenges in our ability to collect adequate funding that covers program costs due in large part to ongoing reductions in healthcare plan reimbursement rates while the demand for services continues to increase each year. 460 51 Age 71 & over 41% Female 57% Respiratory 13% 2006 Emergency Ambulance Response Patients 2,787 Total 161 ALS Patients Transfers Public Service 185 1,330 BLS Patients No Transports Ambulance Patients by Age Age 61-70 10% Ambulance Patients by Gender 600 Canceled Before Arrival Age 0-10 5% Age 11-20 7% Type of Medical Emergency Trauma 15% Age 51-60 11% Cardiac 15% Age 21-30 10% Age 41-50 9% Age 31-40 7% Male 43% Unresponsive 12% General Medical 45% March 2007 KFD-5

Fire Prevention Joel Stein Fire Marshal In 2006, Keizer Fire District Fire Prevention Division continued to work as an active partner in your community. Through the efforts of Public Education Specialist Jim Trett and the entire Keizer Fire District, 7,205 public education contacts were made. These contacts were made through venues such as Open Houses, Community Events and school class room visits just to name a few. Other Fire Prevention Services include; On-site visits to new construction areas including the 200-plus acre Keizer Station Project. Additionally, 306 Fire and Life Safety Evaluations of public buildings were conducted. These services were provided by the Fire Marshal, Deputy Fire Marshal, daytime staff, including crews from Medic 36. The Fire Prevention Division with strong support from the Keizer Fire District Board of Directors has crafted a resolution supporting statewide legislation to allow only fire-safe cigarette to be sold in Oregon. These cigarettes, if left unattended, will self extinguish in approximately five minutes. Another issue that is gaining support from fire service professionals statewide is a petition to move the residential fire sprinkler requirements decision making authority out of the hands of the Building Codes Division and place it under the authority of local government where it belongs. These are just a few of the statewide issues that we are monitoring closely. The statistical information included in the report shows that even though the total calls for service continues to increase every year, the overall responses to fire-related type calls is decreasing. With this decrease we were able to record a decrease in the total fire dollar losses from $488,400 Prevention Services: 2005 2006 Number of Fire Safety Inspection: 569 306 Number of Fire Hazards Identified: 1,179 1,075 Number of Fire Prevention Presentations: 221 193 Number of People Attending: 7,926 7,205 determined Causes of Fire 2005 2006 Discarded Hot Material (cigarettes for example) 16 21 Undetermined 26 19 Arson/Malicious Act 14 4 Unattended (cooking) 11 5 Other Ignition Factor 2 4 Electrical Failure 2 4 Failure to Clean (Chimney) 6 0 Illegal or Uncontrolled Burning 1 1 Heat Source to Close to Combustibles (candle) 3 0 Fireworks 2 2 Failure to Clean (Oven) 0 2 Fuel Release or Spilled 2 1 Short Circuit from Mechanical Damage 0 3 Heat Source to Close to Combustibles 6 5 Not Turned Off/Accidentally Turned On 0 0 Welding/Cutting to Close 0 1 Electrical Fan Fires 0 0 Radiant Heat 4 3 Failure to Clean 1 2 Spontaneous Combustion 9 0 Playing with Fire 3 3 in 2005 to $351,222 in 2006. Some other examples are; Eleven unattended cooking fires in 2005, and only five in 2006. Arson/Malicious Fires also went from 14 in 2005 down to 4 in 2006. One area that did actually increase was fires from improperly discarded cigarettes; in 2005 were recorded 16 incidents, compared to 21 in 2006. This statistic is a local example of why there is a desperate need to pass legislation requiring only fire-safe cigarettes to be sold in Oregon. We are anticipating great accomplishments in 2007 in the local as well as the statewide fire service. Our commitment is to continue providing a level of service that is among the best in the state. If there is anything we can do to serve your fire prevention needs, please don t hesitate to contact Fire Marshal Joel Stein at 503-390-9111 or via e-mail at jstein@ keizerfire.com. Did you know Keizer Fire District makes house calls to check smoke alarms? Did you know Keizer Fire District provides a free smoke alarm for homeowners in the Keizer Fire District? We do, just call us at 503-390-9111 or come visit us at the fire station! 6-KFD March 2007

Capital Fire Med The Keizer Fire District provides its citizens with the opportunity to subscribe to an ambulance membership program known as Capital Fire Med. This program is jointly operated by the Keizer Fire District, Marion County Fire District #1, Salem Fire Department and Rural Metro ambulance. A Capital Fire Med membership costs just $50.00 for twelve months and covers all permanent / full-time residence of the member s household, providing members with worry-free emergency ambulance service. Should emergency ambulance services be needed, the members unpaid balance that would normally remain the patient s financial responsibility after any applicable insurance has been billed for medically necessary ambulance transportation, which can at times be $700.00 or more is covered by the Capital Fire Med subscription membership program. An additional benefit to Capital Fire Med members is that should they require emergency ambulance transportation outside of the local Keizer/Salem area, other public agency Fire Med program providers will recognize our members as one of their own through a reciprocal agreement. This coverage Medic Unit Responses 2005 2006 Outside agency medic unit responses into Keizer: 199 227 Responses to Inland Shores Urgent Care Clinic: 189 203 Response to assist Keizer Police (medical): 102 183 Responses to Keizer Little League Complex: 0 1 Responses to Keizer Skate Park: 3 6 Transports to Hospitals other than Salem: 32 22 Advanced Life Support calls not transported: 44 47 Total Patient Transport Mileage: 12,119 12,343 TOP FIRE & MEDICAL EMERGENCY CALL GENERATORS 2006 Avamere Court Retirement (formerly Keizer Retirement) 299 Salem Clinic at Inland Shores 209 Sherwood Park Care Center 121 River Road Assisted Living 92 Willamette Lutheran Homes 75 McNary Oaks Mobile Home Park 35 4000 Block of Brooks Avenue NE 33 Rainbow Gardens Mobile Home Park 32 Keizer Fire Station Walk-Ins 30 Kennedy Meadows Mobile Home Park 30 Susan Court Apartments 30 Interstate 5 29 5000 Block of Tyler Lane NE 23 McNary High School 22 Wildwood Mobile Home Park 22 Laurel Park Apartments 19 Simonka Place 18 now extends throughout a large portion of Oregon. For an additional discounted fee, Capital Fire Med members also have the option of adding Life Flight helicopter subscription membership program coverage as well. The Keizer Fire District had 779 membership households enrolled in the Capital Fire Med program in 2006 and provided 308 covered transports that resulted in a cost savings of more than $31,763.00 to our members. For an application or for more information about the Capital Fire Med program, please call 503-588-6428. In 2006 the District s Ambulance Service payer mix was as follows: Medicare................. 54% Insurance/Private Pay........ 38% Oregon Health Plan......... 8% With an overall collection rate of 67% compared to the national average of 55.9% Capital Fire Med had 779 membership households in 2006 which covered approximately 1,335 individuals. For the first time in more than seven years the Capital Fire Med membership fee was increased to $50.00 effective July 1, 2006. In 2006, 308 transports were provided to Capital Fire Med members resulting in ambulance revenue utilization writeoffs of $31,763.51. March 2007 KFD-7

K E I Z E R F I R E D I S T R I C T 661 Chemawa Rd. NE Keizer, OR 97303 Tel: (503) 390-9111 Fax: (503) 390-8299 Committed to Excellence Dedicated to Service Volunteer Firefighter Program So long to 2006 and welcome 2007. The Keizer Volunteer Firefighter s Association looks forward to another busy year at the fire district. We currently have 40 volunteers and just welcomed six new recruits on board. Our training continues with Monday evening and weekend drills. Also, the duty shift program continues with participation from the majority of our members. This means quicker response times for emergency calls. Our annual and traditional fundraisers continue for 2007 such as: Mothers Day and Christmas breakfast, Iris Festival sausage booth and Octoberfest corn booth. We hope to meet you at one or all of these events and we thank you for your support. The enclosed numbers, facts and figures for 2006 are not a measurement of what we do or who we are. Commitment, dedication, enthusiasm, pride and respect for our community are not truly reflected in numbers, but in individuals such as volunteer firefighters Louie Priest and Joe Edgell, both of whom retired from the Fire District in 2006. Louie Priest served this Fire District for 38 years from 1968 to 2006. Louie served as lead instructor of the District s recruit academy and chaired all the District s fundraising committees at least once. Through his years of service Louie was honored as the District s Volunteer of the Year, served as President of the Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association and was recipient of the OVFA Lifetime Achievement Award. Joe Edgell served this District for 32 years from 1974 to 2006. Joe has been Volunteer Firefighter of the Year twice. Joe was also honored as Marion County Firefighter of the Year and received the Oregon Fire Service Award of Excellence. The exemplary service of both these individuals sets a standard by Dan Fisher Volunteer President which we can follow. Today s District volunteer must meet the challenge and example set by these individuals and I believe we will. For 2007, we will remember the enthusiasm and dedication of the Fire District members who came before us. On the cover of this mailing you will find our District mission statement, To protect lives, property and the environment through quality emergency response and community involvement. For 2007, we will strive to deliver on the words found in this mission statement everyday and at every hour. We will achieve this by continued training, continued education, looking at and building upon new ideas and involving our community. We will bring this all together in a functional manner by working together with every member of our Fire District from administration and paid staff to helping mentor our future firefighters through our explorer program. 8-KFD March 2007