Watertown Fire Rescue 2011 Year End Report WFR Downtown Station Remodel Concept "The mission of Watertown Fire Rescue is to protect lives and property within the City of Watertown and surrounding communities from the effects of fire, medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, and both natural and man-made disasters."
Table of Contents Message from the Chief Page 1 Budget... Page 4 Revenues.. Page 8 Overtime... Page 8 Emergency Call Volume... Page 9 Unit Utilization Chart. Page 10 Dispatch Complaint Chart Page 11 Age/Sex Demographics Chart.... Page 12 Pat Smith Tribute... Page 15 Organizational Chart. Page 16 Operations Overview Page 17 EMS Summary.......... Page 18 Inspection and Prevention.. Page 19 The People of WFR Page 20 West Station Photos. Page 23
Message from the Chief Mayor, City Council, and Citizens of Watertown: It is my pleasure to present our 2011 annual report on fire department operations. I have been employed by Watertown Fire Rescue since1988. In my 23 years experience as a firefighter, I have had many accomplishments. I have been certified as a paramedic since 1994 and have been promoted through the ranks starting in 2000. I was promoted to Captain of C shift. The duties included second in command on my shift, fire prevention, commanding officer of the shift in the absence of the Assistant Chief, and commanding officer of all country firefighting operations. I enjoyed working in this position for five years. I was then promoted to Assistant Chief of A shift. I served in this role of 1 year. After reorganizing the department, I was appointed Assistant Chief of Operations. I served in this capacity from 2006 to 2011. I was appointed to Fire Chief in June of 2011. I have taken much training over my career for this position including four National Fire Academy leadership courses. I enjoy coming to work every day and I want my legacy to reflect my goals for Watertown Fire Rescue. The next few pages reflect just some of the accomplishments of WFR as well as to outline some of my goals for Watertown Fire Rescue. Sincerely, Doug Kranz Fire Chief Watertown Fire Rescue wfd@watertownsd.us http://www.watertownfirerescue.com Page 1
Message from the Chief cont. 2011 accomplishments: In 2011, there were many changes. We started the year out with Chief Swinhart and were busy with two major projects. The delivery of our new rescue pumper in July and the construction of our first official fire substation in the history of Watertown. The City of Watertown had much planning and thought in the development of the west fire station (Station 2). This station is a combination city fire/ ems response, airport fire station, state regional hazmat response station, department training center, and a possible future regional training center. This was a proposed 3.7 Million Dollar facility with 1.7 Million Dollars in grants consisting mostly of FFA funds. This is a great accomplishment for our community. Here are a few of our department accomplishments for 2011. These accomplishments were due to the hard work and involvement of our whole department. Construction of Station 2 Engine 3 (new rescue pumper) received in June Resignation of Chief Swinhart Appointment of Chief Kranz Operational policies for two fire stations Mike Oletzke promoted to Assistant Chief of Operations Tyler McElhany promoted to Battalion Chief of C Shift Opening of Station 2 Gary Langerock promoted to Lieutenant of B shift 3 additional Lieutenant Promotions to operate Station 2 Greg Hall promoted to Lieutenant of A shift Chris Noeldner promoted to Lieutenant of B shift Chad Fischer promoted to Lieutenant of C shift Chris Premus assigned as Fire Prevention Officer Started planning for Station 1 new remodel Page 2
Message from the Chief cont. VFW firefighter of the year was Erick Wientjes VFW EMT/Paramedic of the year was Gavin Pollert Optimist Club firefighter of the year was Doug Kranz Physical fitness programs New phone system Received grants for Station 2 Received grants in EMS and Hazmat funding Received Assistance to Firefighters Grant for turnout gear My personal goal is to develop the department to meet the needs of the community into the future. Some things we are working on in 2012 will be as follows. Helping the department meet staffing needs Station 1 remodel project Officer development programs and leadership Strategic planning for the next several years Review current policies and procedures Improve monthly reports to the Mayor and Council Improved record keeping and data management systems Improve public education Begin the process of implementing an ISO rating audit to improve the City ISO rating Page 3
Budget Discussion Below is a three year budget comparison for Watertown Fire Rescue. The fire department operates two budgets, one for firefighting and the other for ambulance. Note that in 2010 some funds (mostly in personnel services) were moved from the firefighting budget to the ambulance budget to better reflect the primary utilization of services. This makes it appear that there was a significant cut in the firefighting budget in 2010, but in fact those funds were simply moved to the ambulance budget. Firefighting Budget: Personnel Services 2010 2011 2012 Supervision Salary 79,000 83,200 82,660 Clerical & Oper Salary 270,000 258,100 289,200 Overtime Pay 18,000 18,000 18,000 OASI - Employer Contrib. 4,400 4,500 4,800 Retirement & Pensions 29,500 28,800 31,200 Worker's Comp 12,000 17,000 17,000 Group Health Insurance 48,700 47,100 60,200 Retiree Health Insurance 14,100 14,000 13,000 Total 475,700 470,700 516,060 Page 4
Other Expenditures 2010 2011 2012 Insurance Premiums 17,500 17,500 17,500 Employee Physicals 3,150 3,150 3,150 Rent/Machinery & Equip 500 500 500 Hydrant Rental 143,000 144,500 146,300 Equip Maintenance 25,000 25,000 25,000 Bldg Maintenance 9,700 9,700 9,700 Siren Maintenance 9,500 9,500 9,500 Office Supplies 3,000 3,000 3,000 Cleaning Supplies 2,400 2,400 2,400 Fuel and Oils 12,000 12,000 12,000 Education & Rec Supplies 13,500 8,500 8,500 Clothing & Material 11,000 11,000 11,000 Cleaning Service 6,600 6,600 6,600 Postage 650 650 650 Other Supplies 16,100 15,100 15,100 Travel Exp Personnel 5,000 5,000 5,000 Subsc & Membership 4,000 4,000 4,900 Natural Gas 17,000 22,700 28,700 Electricity 11,300 15,800 22,800 Water 1,400 2,100 4,620 Phone - Monthly Service 9,450 10,400 11,400 Phone - Long Distance 400 400 400 Education & Outreach 4,500 450 450 Total 327,550 331,550 351,870 Page 5
Capital Outlay 2010 2011 2012 Machinery & Equip 0 0 0 Computer Equip & Software 0 0 0 Bunker Gear 0 0 0 Electronic Equip 0 0 11,000 Hoses & Nozzles 0 0 0 Protective Equip 78,750 60,000 0 Phone system 0 0 0 Vehicles 0 0 - Fire truck 0 0 0 Total 78,750 60,000 11,000 Total Firefighting 882,000 862,250 878,930 Ambulance Budget: Personnel Service 2010 2011 2012 Supervision 315,700 332,900 329,250 Clerical & Oper Salaries 1,122,800 1,073,200 1,206,650 Overtime Pay 50,000 50,000 50,000 OASI - Employer Contrib. 19,300 19,700 19,800 Retirement & Pensions 118,300 115,700 126,050 Worker's Comp Insurance 49,000 41,000 41,000 Group Health Insurance 202,600 197,000 246,500 Retiree Health Insurance 56,300 56,000 51,000 Total 1,934,000 1,885,500 2,070,250 Page 6
Other Expenditures 2010 2011 2012 Insurance Premiums 5,000 6,000 6,500 Consultant Services 7,200 7,200 10,800 Employee Physicals 14,500 7,500 14,500 Rent - Machinery & Equip 300 300 300 Equip Maintenance 11,000 11,000 11,000 Office Supplies 3,200 3,200 3,200 Fuel and Oil 25,000 20,000 20,000 Education & Rec Supplies 17,000 9,000 9,000 Clothing & Material 6,500 6,500 6,500 Postage 1,800 1,800 1,800 Other Supplies 18,100 19,000 18,500 Travel Exp Personnel 5,000 3,000 3,000 Subsc. & Memberships 1,000 1,000 4,000 Professional Workshops 2,500 2,500 2,500 Phone - Monthly Service 350 700 700 Total 118,450 98,700 112,300 Capital Outlay 2010 2011 2012 Computer Equip & Software 0 0 0 Ambulance Equip 0 117,200 7,500 Total 0 117,200 7,500 Total Ambulance 2,052,450 2,101,400 2,190,050 Page 7
Revenues: As in years past, the ambulance side of the fire department provided the largest single source of revenue. This is typical for most fire departments in the United States that provide ambulance service. While there are other smaller sources of revenue (and future sources we are exploring), they pale in comparison to ambulance billing. 2011 Ambulance Revenue (estimates) Total billed: $1,077,833.61 Total collected: $657,527.09 Note: Watertown Fire Rescue s net collected is 83% where-as the national average of net collected is 60%. Mandatory write-off: $293,828.59 Sent to collection: $96,166.45 Overtime: The overtime breakdown for 2011 was 2,555.25 total hours. The monthly average was 213 hours per month. This was up from 198 hours per month average in 2010. We were operating under a six man minimum in 2011. Our highest month was in October, this is due to fire prevention month and the grand opening of Station 2. Two plus ambulance calls were our highest overtime user at 37%. The following pages have some breakdowns of our overtime. 2011 Overtime Comparison 6% 2% 3% 5% 37% 13% 13% 17% 4% 2+ ambulances gone Interfacility Transfers Mandatory Training City Fires County Fires Airport Coverage Sick Time Public Events Public Education Page 8
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Emergency Call Volume: The following graphs show the comparison of emergency call volumes for the year for fire, EMS, and transfers. Ambulance calls overall were increased and transfers are included in the overall number. Transfers decreased by 37 in 2011 but emergency ambulance calls increased by 55. Fire calls were down by 7 in 2011. In the fall of 2011, we are tracking fire calls with more detail. This will be a better break down of the type of call. In 2012, we will also be tracking county fire and EMS calls by the month. From July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011, we had 52 fire calls in the county and 156 EMS calls. We are basically averaging close to one fire call and three EMS calls a week. This is any call outside of the city limits. Battalion Chief Don Rowland is going to be taking over the duties of records management. We will be able to track the areas we need to and find out if we have any short falls in our data entry and programs currently in place. EMS Run Volume 2010 vs 2011 January February March April May June July 2011 2010 August September October November December 0 50 100 150 200 250 Page 13
Fire Run Volume 2010 vs 2011 January February March April May June July 2011 2010 August September October November December 0 20 40 60 80 Transfer Run Volume 2010 vs 2011 January February March April May June July August September October November December 2011 2010 0 5 10 15 20 25 Page 14
Tribute to Pat Smith (1952 to 2011) Patrick A. Smith joined Watertown Fire Rescue August 12, 1979. Through his career, Pat rose through the ranks of the fire department and held the title of Assistant Chief/Fire Inspector at the time of his death. Pat was also a member of the Watertown Police Reserves and a SWAT team member. Pat was also a member of the Codington County Search and Rescue team. Pat died on August 19,2011, after a valiant battle with cancer. These are just a few photos of Pat through his career with WFR. Page 15
WFR Organizational Chart Page 16
Operations Overview For 2011, Watertown Fire Rescue experienced a number of significant changes with the opening of the West Fire Station coming into service, splitting crew operations for staffing two stations, putting into service a new front line pumper, along with getting the operation up to full staff due to employee changes from extended illness, job relocation, and the time it takes to fill these vacancies. Our Fire Prevention Division is again up and operating with a designated staff member that brings extensive experience with fire investigation, arson training, and public communication. The operational budget for the department was taxed due to wage transfers needing to be addressed due to a senior staff member passing; however, the operational budget for the department was still kept within the guidelines set by the Mayor and City Council. 2012 will bring new challenges with the construction and updating to the downtown station, however, with the guidance of Mayor Williams, Chief Kranz, and an internal review board, the design appears to be coming together well, with construction most likely starting this spring. Internally, the department has instituted an employee wellness program that promotes personal fitness for each member. The department has also added a Professional Standards Guideline for each employee. I encourage all of you to review the Personal Standard Guidelines set by WFR for its employees to embrace. In 2011, the Helmsley Grant system was used by WFR, which was provided by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The mission for this trust was to provide lifeline electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment to ambulance services in the state. WFR embraced this advanced technology by bringing the emergency services of the department together with Prairie Lake Hospital for telemetry operations. On the very first time this new technology was used, paramedics from the department utilized its capabilities which in turn saved the life of a man in the process of having a heart attack. The department was recognized by the Helmsley Group and received an Award of Excellence for rural EMS providers. It upheld the spirit of this grant system, along with WFR being one of the pioneers for how this type of technology works in our rural setting. It shows the true qualities of the staff this department has in place to embrace change as it occurs. Watertown Fire Rescue will continue to grow and develop with programs such as this, along with developing new programs to address the needs of our community. We have a great highly trained staff and look forward to the challenges of 2012. Mike Oletzke Assistant Chief Chief of Operations Page 17
EMS Summary Watertown Fire Rescue currently operates five Advanced Life Support Ambulances. These ambulances support the City of Watertown s residents, Codington County residents, and is the only advanced life support ambulance in the surrounding area. These vehicles are on a rotating basis that helps ensure over-the-road reliability, controls maintenance, and allows for ever-changing medical equipment advances. Watertown Fire Rescue personnel are cross trained in both firefighting and emergency medical skills. The current staff of 33 firefighters consists of 29 nationally certified EMT- Paramedics, 4 nationally certified EMT-Basics with 1 of those EMT-Basics studying to gain EMT-Paramedic status. Watertown Fire Rescue ambulances are equipped with the newest technology. Currently, three ambulances are equipped with Lifepak 15 monitors and two are equipped with Lifepak 12 monitors with all having 12-lead capabilities. After receiving a grant from the Helmsley Association, WFR has the capability to transmit cardiac rhythms to all South Dakota hospitals. This is extremely helpful to speed up the care for a patient experiencing a Myocardial Infarction. This new standard has drastically helped all patients that WFR comes in contact with. A ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is a life threatening emergency and with the ability to transmit 12 Lead EKG s, the time for treatment has been reduced from 45 minutes to 20 minutes. This is well below the national average. Current protocols are in effect with some changes being made. WFR s current Medical Control Physician is Dr. William Devine. Medical supplies are ordered from various sources with most coming from Boundtree Medical and Prairie Lakes Hospital s Central Supplies. Watertown Fire Rescue was honored at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida this year. We had the first confirmed STEMI save with equipment put in place by the Helmsley Association. Along with WFR personnel, the patient was in attendance. WFR received national attention from all American Heart Association s chairmen and donors. Watertown Fire Rescue s Paramedics and EMT s take great pride in their patient care. The professionalism and compassion provided in the performance of their duties is demonstrated by their dedication and good work ethics. Their medical skills are second to none. Tyler McElhany Battalion Chief EMS Operations Director Page 18
Inspections and Prevention Hello everyone, Fire Prevention Bureau I am newly appointed to the Fire Prevention Officer position this year. Fire inspection is the key to our community s fire reduction program. It is my responsibility as a fire inspector to discover, eliminate, and correct deficiencies that pose a threat to life and property. In addition to fire inspections, I have other responsibilities which include conducting fire investigations, provide public education, and working with the city office of planning and zoning on fire code issues. This office is responsible for investigating all fires to determine its cause and origin. When a fire is started deliberately, this department works hand and hand with the Watertown Police Department, Codington County Sheriff, Department of Criminal Investigation, and States Attorney and their assistance is appreciated. This good working relationship is crucial when building a case of arson set fires that can be prosecuted through the states attorney s office. Deliberately set fires cost tax payers billions of dollars each year. I use the National Fire Protection Association s regulations. The NFPA codes have been created often after catastrophic losses to a city. Through public education, it is my goal to help the businesses and citizens to better understand the current NFPA codes which will offer a safer environment for employees, employers, and citizens of our community. This year, I plan on reviewing all businesses and public buildings that have a high occupancy rate. Chris Premus Fire Inspector Page 19
The People of WFR Fire Chief Doug Kranz Inspector Chris Premus Administration Assistant Patty Lunde Assistant Chief Mike Oletzke A-Shift Battalion Chief Don Rowland B-Shift Battalion Chief Gregg Noeldner C-Shift Battalion Chief Tyler McElhany A-Shift Lieutenant Scott Jongbloed B-Shift Lieutenant Gary Langerock Page 20 C-Shift Lieutenant Troy Breitag
The People of WFR Lieutenant Greg Hall Lieutenant Chris Noeldner Lieutenant Chad Fischer Craig Kruse Henry Johnson Erick Wientjes Matt Schell Steve Meyerink Adam Heinrich Bryan Wientjes Justin Pietz Adam Bloom Page 21
The People of WFR Chris Robinson Chad Berg Gavin Pollert EMT-B/Firefighter Fred Strasser Jeremy Robertson Aaron Wiechmann Jake Jorgenson EMT-Basic/Firefighter Tony Aas Kyle Steffensen EMT-B/Firefighter Kyle Hollenbeck EMT-B/Firefighter Mike Sackmann EMT-B/Firefighter Zach Hagen Page 22
West Station Photos Page 23