Commission on Fire Accreditation International Accreditation Report Sixth Edition City of Charlottesville Fire Department 203 Ridge Street Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 USA This report was prepared on May 16, 2007 by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International for the Charlottesville Fire Department This report represents the findings of the peer assessment team that visited the Charlottesville Fire Department on May 13 17, 2007 Peer Assessment Team Joseph Clow, Team Leader Steve Olson, Peer Assessor Robert Meyer, Peer Assessor David Schramm, Peer Assessor (i)
TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE BACKGROUND ON CFAI...3 INTRODUCTION...5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...7 CONCLUSIONS... 11 RECOMMENDATIONS... 12 OBSERVATIONS and RATINGS... 14 Category I Governance and Administration... 14 Category II Assessment and Planning... 14 Category III Goals and Objectives... 15 Category IV Financial Resources 15 Category V Programs... 16 Category VI Physical Resources... 21 Category VII Human Resources..21 Category VIII Training and Competency... 22 Category IX Physical Resources... 23 Category X External Systems Relations... 23 EXHIBITS Charlottesville Fire Department Organizational Chart Summary Rating Sheet (For Commission Use Only) (ii)
3 PREFACE BACKGROUND ON CFAI The Commission on Fire Accreditation International is dedicated to assisting fire and emergency service agencies throughout the world in achieving excellence through self assessment and accreditation in order to provide continuous quality improvement and the enhancement of service delivery to their communities. The idea for fire service accreditation originated in the mid-1980s with a Memorandum of Understanding between the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). This MOU led the way for the creation of the National Fire Service Accreditation Program, the predecessor of the CFAI. In December 1996, the Agreement and Declaration of Trust for the CFAI was signed by the Board of Trustees and the new organization was created. That five member Board of Trustees is now the Board of Directors of the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc., and has financial oversight of the organization. The CPSE Board of Directors are: Chief Randy Bruegman, Fresno, California IAFC Representative Chief Cliff Jones, Tempe, Arizona IAFC Representative Mr. John J. Drago, City Administrator, City of Longwood, Florida ICMA City Representative Mr. Paul McIntosh, County Manager, Butte County, Oroville, California ICMA County Representative Mr. Michael Worthington, St. Charles, Illinois Member at Large The CFAI is made up of 11 representatives. The commission is responsible for the general governance of the organization and the decisions regarding agency accreditation, the self-assessment process and any other CFAI activities. The Commission Members are: Chief William F. Jenaway, King of Prussia Volunteer Fire Company, Pennsylvania IAFC Fire Agency Head Representative for a population of up to 24,999 Chief Robert L. Ridgeway, West Palm Beach Fire Rescue, Florida IAFC Fire Agency Head Representative for a population of 25,000 to 99,999
4 Assistant Chief Paul D. Brooks, Greensboro Fire Department, Greensboro, North Carolina IAFC Fire Agency Head Representative for a population of 100,000 to 249,999 Chief Robin Paulsgrove, Arlington Fire Department, Arlington, Texas IAFC Fire Agency Head Representative for a population of 250,000 and above Chief Ernst Piercy, USAFA Fire Department, USAF Academy, Colorado Federal Fire Service Representative Mr. Ralph Dorio, Insurance Services Office, Jersey City, New Jersey Insurance Industry Representative Mr. Frank Florence, National Fire Protection Association, Boston, Massachusetts Consensus Standards Representative Mr. Max H. Baker, County Manager, County of Los Alamos, Los Alamos, New Mexico ICMA CEO County Government Representative Mr. Jeffrey A. Pomeranz, City Manager, West Des Moines, West Des Moines, Iowa ICMA CEO City Representative Barry McKinnon, Office of the Fire Marshal, Ontario, Canada International Fire Service Representative Dr. Lori L. Moore, Assistant to the General President, Washington, D.C. IAFF, Labor Representative The headquarters office for the Commission on Fire Accreditation International is located at 4501 Singer Court, Suite 180, Chantilly, Virginia 20151-1734. The CPSE staff consists of Mr. Thomas Wieczorek, as Executive Director, Ms. Debbie Sobotka, Deputy Director, Mr. Rick Black, CFAI Program Manager, and Mr. Dino Ford, Staff Accountant. Contact information for the CPSE office: Toll Free: (866) 866-2324 Fax: (703) 961-0113 General email: info@publicsafetyexcellence.org
5 INTRODUCTION The Charlottesville Fire Department received accredited status August 31, 2001. The Charlottesville Fire Department recently requested re-accreditation candidate status. On February 8, 2006, the department asked the CFAI for a site visit to determine if they could be recommended for accreditation. On April 15, 2007, the CFAI appointed a Peer Assessment Team. The Peer Assessment Team conducted an on site visit of the Charlottesville Fire Department between May 13 17, 2007. In preparation for the on site visit, each team member was provided access and reviewed the Charlottesville Fire Department s Self-Assessment Manual on the CPSE SharePoint Site. This manual produced by the Charlottesville Fire Department represented a significant effort by the staff of the department and other community agencies. The City of Charlottesville is located in central Virginia approximately 100 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. and 70 miles northwest of Richmond. Charlottesville was established as a town in 1762 by the Virginia General Assembly. The town was incorporated as an independent city in 1888. As a result of gaining independent status and through annexation of property over the intervening years the city now encompasses a geographic area of 10.4 square miles. Charlottesville is home to the University of Virginia (UVA) with a student population of 20,400. The university is the largest employer in the region and accounts for a major influx of the city s daytime population. Composition The City of Charlottesville is located at the intersection of two major highways; Interstate 64 and State Route 29; the city is also bisected by a major railroad transportation route. Charlottesville serves as a regional transportation, education, research and cultural center by virtue of the intersecting transportation and shipping routes and the location of UVA within the city. Within the city s 10.4 square miles of land area is a mix of residential, light to medium industry, educational, medical, research and major historical properties. The city s motto and mission as a World Class City is exemplified by a vibrant vehicle restricted downtown dining and entertainment district and entertainment and sports venues making Charlottesville an A-List destination. Government Council/ Manager Five City Council members elected at large; the Mayor is elected by the City Council at their annual organizational meeting.
6 Fire Department 3 Fire Stations 90 uniformed and civilian personnel 5 engine companies 1 ladder companies 1 heavy rescue/hazardous materials unit
7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) has completed a comprehensive review and appraisal of the Charlottesville Fire Department based upon the 7 th Edition of the Fire and Emergency Services Self Assessment Manual. The Commission s goals are to promote organizational self-improvement and to award accreditation status in recognition of good performance. The assessment team s objectives were to validate the department s self study accreditation manual, identify and make recommendations for improvement, issue a report of findings and conclude if the department is eligible for an award of accreditation. The Charlottesville Fire Department is to be commended for its participation in this very comprehensive and detailed accreditation process. All members of the department and city staff were very open, responsive, and candid. This approach greatly aided the team in its limited five-day site visit. The benefits obtained will improve the quality of the fire service delivery system and the community s emergency services. The Charlottesville Fire Department is a very dynamic and progressive agency. Their emergency service area is somewhat static as the city boundaries are landlocked by surrounding communities and county areas. However the community by its nature as a historical landmark; and, the location of the University of Virginia presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities to the delivery and future planning of and for emergency services. The fire department responds to the challenges with a can do attitude and is very well respected throughout the community for the services provided and the professional, progressive attitude of fire department staff. The Charlottesville Fire Department s accreditation self study reflected a genuine appraisal of current performance and improvement needs. This study represents a very time consuming detailed analysis of the department and their personnel are to be commended for their efforts. The summaries of findings by the Peer Assessment Team are as follows: Governance and Administration The department met all core competencies. The department has been legally established through state statute and local municipal authority. There are excellent relationships established throughout the department and the administrative staff of the city that have developed into a true professional team atmosphere. The city s leadership team meets often to discuss and deal with challenges and opportunities relative to city government and planning, developing and implementing the people s work. The agency is organized in a hierarchical structure with well defined roles, responsibilities and reporting relationships throughout the department and the city government team. Assessment and Planning The department met all core competencies.
8 Through a series of planning activities, analysis of data and department activity the agency has a well defined and functional process for incorporating these elements into a comprehensive planning and management program. Goals and Objectives The department met all core competencies. The department develops an internal list of objectives based on the identified goals for each of their on-going programs: Administration, Fire Suppression & Rescue, Training, Fire Prevention, Buildings & Grounds, Apparatus & Equipment, and Volunteers. Progress is evaluated via bi-monthly meetings of the LEAD team. The recently revised strategic plan contains long-range goals that will be managed by the Fire Chief and senior staff. The department should consider synching their performance period of the agency-wide objectives from January through December to the city fiscal year of July through June. This would better enable specific objectives to be tied to the budgetary authority authorized by the City Council. Financial Resources The department met all core competencies. Financial planning, practices and resource allocation, as conducted by the governing body and department administration, conform to standard accounting principles and practices as embodied in the standards for governmental accounting. Financial resources are appropriately allocated to accomplish the mission of the department. Future revenue and costs forecasts are included into the planning process of the agency. Sufficient fiscal reserves are mandated by local policy and act to ensure the fiscal stability of the district. Programs The department met all core competencies. The department operates three stations with five engine companies and one ladder company. They maintain a staffing of three firefighters per vehicle with a total on-duty staffing of 19 firefighters each day. The Fire Prevention Bureau operates under the Commonwealth of Virginia adopted International Building Code with limited local amendments. Staff works closely with the Building Department to affect a unified approach in applying the building and fire prevention codes. The Fire Investigation Program is well organized and equipped to meet the challenges presented by the community. It works closely with the police department during cause and origin investigations. The department is licensed as a non-transport Basic Life Support EMS service through the State of Virginia. The department also holds a license for Advanced Life Support transport due to their plan to provide transport ambulance service in conjunction with service currently provided by the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad. The EMS division within the department has established minimum certification requirements of EMT-Basic for all department members and encourages the pursuit of advanced certification on a voluntary basis (several members are currently certified at the EMT-I99, IV-Tech and Paramedic levels). The EMS division also has developed a very
9 comprehensive and aggressive in-house continuing education program to insure that members stay current and competent in regard to EMS standards. The agency s emergency management is handled through a joint agreement between the University of Virginia, City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The City uses the County s Emergency Operations Center as its EOC. The City has an Emergency Operations Plan and supporting documents. The City Fire Department is trained in the National Incident Management System. The Technical Rescue Program is a support role to the Charlottesville Albemarle Volunteer Rescue Squad (CARS) who has primary responsibility for the technical rescue. The Department provides and staffs for adequate support to the CARS when necessary and some members of the Department are trained to the technician level to assist CARS when needed. All members of the Charlottesville Fire Department are trained to the awareness level for technical rescue. The City of Charlottesville Fire Department provides Hazardous Material response to the City. The department is staffed adequately to provide first response to petroleum spills and certain levels of hazardous materials response. When additional resources are needed mutual aid agreements are in place with Albemarle County and the State of Virginia. Physical Resources The department met all core competencies. All facilities are well maintained either by station personnel or contractors. The city has a six year capital improvement program and there are plans for some structural renovations. There is an active apparatus replacement and maintenance program. Five new fire engines have been purchased and specifications are being developed for a new ladder truck. The certification records for fire equipment mechanics and the down time for fire fighting apparatus should be reviewed. Human Resources The department met all core competencies. The department is supported by strong human resources with the City s Human Resources Department working collaboratively with the City Fire Department. The City and Fire Department have a full array of established policies and procedures; that along with the mission, goals and objectives, are communicated to all members. The City ensures that all job descriptions remain current and that the department and its members have participatory opportunities in the various aspects dealing with human resources. There is a position classification system that is current. Recruitment, selection and retention of department members are well established and compensation packages are competitive for the market. The established employment and promotional plans within the department ensure the hiring, retention, and promotion of qualified personnel.
10 Training and Competency The department met all core competencies. The training and educational programs for fire and EMS are consistent with the department s goals and follows national NFPA guidelines as well as state guidelines and curriculum. The departments training division identifies the training needs through after action reviews and internal companybased evolutions performed on an annual basis. These evolutions are comprised of identified basic practices that are consistent with the identified needs of the agency. Essential Resources The department met all core competencies. Water Supply The City of Charlottesville has a water system that is ISO rated at Class 2. The system can supply adequate water for fire protection as well as meeting maximum anticipated consumption for domestic purposes. In the event of a major disruption in the water supply for the city there exist agreements with outlying agencies for alternate water supply sources for firefighting purposes. Minimum fire flow calculations are completed by the Fire Prevention Division and new commercial construction is required to have automatic fire suppression systems in place. All water supply system components; water mains, hydrants, valves and pumps are mapped. Maps are located at all fire department facilities. Hydrants are tested twice annually by fire department personnel and maintained by the water utility on an as needed basis, upon report of the fire department. Communications System The department operates an 800 MHz trunked radio system under a county wide communications plan. The system was completely upgraded in 2003 with the assistance of a federal grant. The communications center is operated as a separate county entity providing dispatching services countywide for all fire, rescue and law enforcement agencies within the county. The communications center is adequately staffed, equipped and maintained to provide for the needs of all agencies served. Administrative Support Services Forms and documents are updated on a regular basis. Each SOP is reviewed periodically by the battalion chief and a committee of fire fighters appointed by the deputy fire chief. All forms used by the department can be downloaded from the internet. The pressing current needs for the department are in the area of technology. Some advances are underway in the area such as new computers that will be integrated into the city geographic information system and the forth coming records management system. External Systems Relations The department met all core competencies.
11 The working relationships within the city organization and with outside fire emergency agencies are strongly developed and functioning very well. This includes the water agencies as well as other fire and emergency services. The department s accreditation self-assessment manual reflected a genuine ability for appraising its current performance and determining its improvement needs. The on-site peer assessment team concurs in general with the department s descriptions, appraisals and plans. CONCLUSIONS The self-study manual produced by the Charlottesville Fire Department was of high quality. The manual represented a significant effort by the staff of the department to produce and present a quality document. The Charlottesville Fire Department has demonstrated that all core competencies have been met and received a credible rating. Core competencies not met include the following: The Charlottesville Fire Department has demonstrated that all applicable criteria have been met and received a credible rating. Criteria not receiving a credible rating include the following: The Peer Assessment Team recommends Accredited Agency Status for the Charlottesville Fire Department from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.
12 RECOMMENDATIONS The Peer Assessment Team conducted an exit interview with the agency consisting of the City Manager, the Fire Chief and most all the staff that participated in the self-assessment study. The purpose of the meeting was to review the team s findings and recommendations. The department was given an opportunity to respond to any errors in findings of fact. Strategic Recommendations Strategic recommendations were developed from information gathered from the on-site assessment visit and the evaluation of the criteria and core competencies. 1. It is recommended the department strategic plan become a part of the annual budget development process by providing guidance for the development of objectives that are included in the budget. This can become an effective tool in matching available funds with identified priorities. Further, the performance period for the annually-revised SOP 1-III-4 should be re-programmed to coincide with the performance period of the fiscal year. 2. It is recommended the department continue to evaluate the overall response time for all nonpublic service requests to insure they are meeting their Standard of Cover. This may require close cooperation with the E.C.C. to determine the specific process used in the center when entering information for an incident. 3. It is recommended the department consider strategies for increasing the daily staffing of the Fire Prevention Bureau to spread the workload and aid in succession planning. 4. It is recommended the department migrate from the Station Management program to the FIRE RMS suite for the purpose records management within the Fire Prevention Bureau. This would provide a unified source of information with respect to commercial, institutional and industrial properties within the city limits. 5. The department has established standards of cover for all types of emergency response and based upon the findings of an independent study of EMS capabilities it is recommended that the department proceed with plans to enhance ALS ambulance service to the citizens of the city. 6. It is recommended that the department continue to evaluate response time data to include partnering with the emergency communications center to insure the integrity of the information and to provide the department with the availability to verify data to comply with department response time standards. 7. It is recommended that the department review staff and shift assignments to insure the provision of adequate minimum staffing for the Hazardous Materials Team. Further, it is recommended that the department consider training additional personnel to the Hazmat Technician level. 8. It is recommended that the department develop a formal procedure for Post Incident Analysis of fire and significant emergency incidents.
13 9. It is recommended that the department establish an internal Safety Committee to review accidents, develop procedures and guidelines for departmental safe practices and to provide for the periodic inspection of department facilities for the purposes of identifying and correcting safety concerns. Specific Recommendations Specific recommendations were developed from the appraisal of performance indicators in each of the ten categories. Category II Assessment and Planning Criterion 2D Strategic or Long Term Master Plan Performance Indicator 2D.2: The master or strategic plan has been submitted to the governing body. The department should consider formalizing the submittal of strategic or master planning documents through the utilization of a Letter of Transmittal that would indicate that planning documents have been submitted to and received by City administrative staff. Category III Goals and Objectives Criterion 3D: Measurement of Organizational Progress Performance Indicator 3D.2: There is a method for assessing the achievement, quality and need of each goal and objective. It is recommended the department formally document the progress in completing the annual goals and objectives throughout the year. This information should be shared with the entire organization to provide department members with an understanding of what has been accomplished. The evaluation should solicit the input of all stakeholders by encouraging input from all involved. Category V Programs Criterion 5B: Fire Prevention / Life Safety Program Performance Indicator 5B.7: There is an information system in place to record activities and transactions and to determine the effectiveness of the fire prevention program.
14 It is recommended the department re-establish a pre-plan data collection program. There exists a departmental goal of completing 900 in-service company inspections annually. It is recommended that this information be entered in to the Fire RMS program to insure that data is available for measuring the effectiveness of these programs. Category VIII Training and Education Criterion 8A: Training and Education Program Requirements Performance Indicator 8A.5: A command and staff development program is in place. It is recommended that the department begin a process to identify courses that are consistent with the mission of the department and the responsibilities that department officers have for the leadership of the department. These courses would then form the base of a career development program the department can use to identify and mentor future leaders of the agency. OBSERVATIONS AND RATINGS Category I Governance and Administration The department met all core competencies. The department has been legally established through state statute and local municipal authority. There are excellent relationships established throughout the department and the administrative staff of the city that have developed into a true professional team atmosphere. The cities leadership team meets often to discuss and deal with challenges and opportunities relative to city government and planning, developing and implementing the people s work. The agency is organized in a hierarchical structure with well defined roles, responsibilities and reporting relationships throughout the department and the city government team. The team concurs with the Governance and Administration Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Governance and Administration Category is Credible. Category II Assessment and Planning The department met all core competencies in this category.
15 Through a series of planning activities, analysis of data and department activity the agency has a well defined and functional process for incorporating these elements into a comprehensive planning and management program. There is not currently a formal process for the submittal and approvals of strategic planning documents developed by the department but, these plans are considered as a part of the annual budget process. The department should develop a Letter of Transmittal type process to insure that planning documents are submitted, received and reviewed by city administrative staff. The team concurs with the Assessment and Planning Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Assessment and Planning Category is Credible. Category III Goals and Objectives The department met all core competencies in this category. The department develops an internal list of objectives based on the identified goals for each of their on-going programs: Administration, Fire Suppression & Rescue, Training, Fire Prevention, Buildings & Grounds, Apparatus & Equipment, and Volunteers. Progress is evaluated via bi-monthly meetings of the LEAD team. The recently revised strategic plan contains long-range goals that will be managed by the Fire Chief and senior staff. The department should consider synching their performance period of the agency-wide objectives from January through December to the city fiscal year of July through June. This would better enable specific objectives to be tied to the budgetary authority authorized by the City Council. The team concurs with the Goals and Objectives Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Goals and Objectives Category is Credible. Category IV -- Financial Resources The department met all core competencies in this category. The budget for the City of Charlottesville is a high quality, well-planned, organized and controlling document. The budgeting process involves the contributions from various members of the agency to ensure that all requests are given fair and equal input. Allocation of financial resources reflects the annual goals and objectives of the City and the agency. Financial reporting and budget preparation are well organized.
16 Inclusive within the budgeting process for the Fire Department is a program to include projected costs, costs for capital improvements, and a system of reserves and contingency funding that makes the City fiscally stable. The City has received the Government Financial Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Achievement Award. Direction and control of the financial aspect of the Department is governed by the City Council while the Finance Director works within the organizational chart as part of the agency. Budgeting is done by the concerted effort of the City Council, the City Management Team, and members of the Fire Department. The team concurs with the Financial Resources Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Financial Resource Category is Credible. Category V Programs Criterion 5A Fire Suppression The department met all core competencies in this criterion. The department has a well developed response program for fire suppression and the delivery of basic life support (BLS) efforts. The response is generated from three fire stations strategically located throughout the City. This has been confirmed by two independent studies conducted in the last ten years. The deployment of resources is determined by incident type with various resources assigned, depending on the anticipated scope or significance of the event. The department meets their standard of cover objective that states the first company will be on the scene of a structure within six minutes, 80% of the time. Overall, the Department is doing a good job in responding to fire incidents. Many apparatus are new and all are well maintained. The department has a replacement engine on order and expects delivery in the Fall of 2007. The deployment of the apparatus is well thought out and apparatus are positioned well for the anticipated hazards of the community. The department staffs five engines and one truck daily with a minimum manning of three personnel per vehicle for a total of 19 on-duty personnel daily. Supervision is extended through two on-duty Battalion Chiefs who establish on-scene incident command. The department is currently involved in seeking partnering opportunities with neighboring jurisdictions for automatic aid. This model has proven very successful in other areas of the country and its pursuit should be continued. Additional consideration should be given to further refinement of the deployment model based upon an on-going risk assessment of the community.
17 The team concurs with the Fire Suppression criterion report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Fire Suppression Criterion is Credible. Criterion 5B Fire Prevention / Life Safety Program The department met all core competencies in this criterion. The Fire Prevention Bureau operates under the Commonwealth of Virginia adopted International Building Code with limited local amendments. Staff works closely with the Building Department to affect a unified approach in applying the building and fire prevention codes. The department has an established fire prevention program that consists primarily of plan review, inspections of newly constructed structures or buildings undergoing renovation, and in-service company inspections. The program works closely with the Building Department to interpret, apply, and enforce the Fire Prevention and Building Codes. Under Article III of City Municipal Code; Charlottesville has adopted the current Virginia Fire Prevention Code pursuant to Title 27 of the Virginia Code. The IFPC is a state regulation promulgated by the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development in cooperation with the Virginia Fire Services Board for the purpose of establishing statewide standards to safeguard life and property from the hazards of fire or explosion arising from the improper maintenance of life safety and fire prevention and protection materials, devices, systems and structures and the unsafe storage handling and use of substances, materials and devices, including fireworks, explosives and blasting agents, wherever located. The provisions of the code are based on a nationally recognized model code, the International Fire Code (IFC), published by the International Code Council, Inc. and fire protection and prevention standards published by the National Fire Protection Association. The current staffing levels of the program do not allow for the inspection of most commercial properties on a regular basis. The department has set an objective of 900 in-service inspections for the coming fiscal year. At this time the inspections are entered into the Access-based Station Management system. Paper copies of the inspection report are kept on file in the Fire Marshals office. The Station Management software does not link with the Fire RMS program thus limiting its usefulness. The Occupancy module is available in the Fire RMS program and would provide expanded capabilities to the department if fully utilized. Presently, the department does not gather pre-plan information even though the in-service is an ideal way to do this. There is a good plan check and approval process in place for buildings undergoing construction or remodel. The Fire Prevention Bureau is responsible for both reviewing and approving fire protection systems, including both fire alarm and automatic fire sprinkler systems. In addition, there appears to be a good cooperative relationship between the Fire Prevention program and the Building Department.
18 The Charlottesville Standard Operating Procedures contains policies and procedures for fire prevention activities in the community. The team concurs with the Fire Prevention / Life Safety program criterion report of the selfstudy, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Fire Prevention / Life Safety Program Criterion is Credible. Criterion 5C Public Education Program The department met all core competencies in this criterion. The Charlottesville Fire Department aggressively meets the education needs of the citizens through a very active Public Education Program. The department s public education focus is on two major areas: elementary school students in grades K-5, and elderly senior citizens. Programs to educate the students include static engine demonstrations and displays, fire station tours that include the use of their interactive safety education displays in the dorm area, and the use of the fire safety trailer at large community events. In addition, the fire department has developed specific lesson plans for Stop, Drop & Roll, Home Fire Safety, and Living interactive displays in the fire station. The business community is targeted with fire extinguisher demonstrations, evacuation planning, fire drill exercises and a smoke detector program. Fire safety handouts, including brochures, coloring books, stickers and other printed materials are used to supplement their public education programs. The fire department has a fire education administrator who is responsible for developing and coordinating public education programs. She is assisted by other members of the department who are certified in public education. The team concurs with the Public Education Program criterion report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Public Education Program Criterion is Credible. Criterion 5D Fire Investigation Program The department met all core competencies in this criterion. The Fire Investigation Program is well defined through department standard operating procedures, local ordinance, and state law. The department has three state investigators who are certified to NFPA 1033. They are required to obtain 20 hours of continuing education each year to maintain their certification. Typically, an investigator responds to incidents with a significant loss, injury and fatalities. Company officers can request investigators to the scene as needed. The frequency of investigations varies from year to year. The Program works closely with the Charlottesville Police Department during the investigations. The Police Department will provide a forensic evidence technician as well as an investigator. The Fire
19 Department will do the initial investigation to determine to the extent possible, the origin and cause of the fire. The police personnel handle the criminal investigation part of the incident. The Program is well equipped having recently acquired a vehicle that carries the investigation equipment. The team concurs with the Fire Investigation Program criterion report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Fire Investigation Program Criterion is Credible. Criterion 5E Technical Rescue The department met all core competencies in this criterion. The Technical Rescue Program is a support role to the Charlottesville Albemarle Volunteer Rescue Squad (CARS) who has primary responsibility for the technical rescue. The Department provides and staffs for adequate support to the CARS when necessary and some members of the Department are trained to the technician level to assist CARS when needed. All members of the Charlottesville Fire Department are trained to the awareness level for technical rescue. The team concurs with the Technical Rescue criterion report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Technical Rescue Criterion is Credible. Criterion 5F Hazardous Materials The department met all core competencies in this criterion. The City of Charlottesville Fire Department provides Hazardous Material response to the City. The department is staffed adequately to provide first response to petroleum spills and certain levels of hazardous materials response. When additional resources are needed mutual aid agreements are in place with Albemarle County and the State of Virginia. The team concurs with the Hazardous Materials criterion report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Hazardous Materials Criterion is Credible. Criterion 5G Emergency Medical Services The department met all core competencies in this criterion.
20 The department is licensed as a non-transport Basic Life Support EMS service through the State of Virginia. The department also holds a license for Advanced Life Support transport due to their plan to provide transport ambulance service in conjunction with service currently provided by the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad. The EMS division within the department has established minimum certification requirements of EMT-Basic for all department members and encourages the pursuit of advanced certification on a voluntary basis (several members are currently certified at the EMT-I99, IV-Tech and Paramedic levels). The EMS division also has developed a very comprehensive and aggressive in-house continuing education program to insure that members stay current and competent in regard to EMS standards. The team concurs with the Emergency Medical Services criterion report of the self study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Emergency Medical Services Criterion is Credible. Criterion 5H Domestic Preparedness The department met all core competencies in this criterion. The agency s emergency management is handled through a joint agreement between the University of Virginia, City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The City uses the County s Emergency Operations Center as its EOC. The City has an Emergency Operations Plan and supporting documents. The City Fire Department is trained in the National Incident Management System. The Charlottesville Fire Department would dispatch a box alarm response to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or terrorist incident occurring within their response area. In the event of a major incident, their daily staffing assignments would be supplemented by members of the Charlottesville Volunteer Fire Company. A new specially designed Haz-Mat vehicle, stocked with tools, equipment, monitoring devices, and supplies has recently been delivered to the fire department. A new all-terrain emergency vehicle is available to transport Level A entry personnel over rough terrain. If a WMD is suspected or confirmed, the State Emergency Operations Center would be notified for assistance. A regional trunked 800 MHz radio system users group made up of representatives for each public safety agency is in place to create a unified communications system. The team concurs with the Domestic Preparedness criterion report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Domestic Preparedness Criterion is Credible.
21 Category VI Physical Resources The department met all the core competencies in this category. The fire department maintains three stations. All administrative offices are located in fire headquarters. A training building is located in the rear parking lot of headquarters, and a regional burn building and drafting facility is located nearby. In 2003 the department began a comprehensive review of current facilities and developed a needs assessment for future fire department facilities. In late 2006 an RFP for architectural and engineering design services for a fire service facilities study plan and facilities expansion design was completed. In early 2007, an architectural and design firm was selected to proceed with the project. The fire facilities study is now awaiting the approval of the city attorney so the contract can be awarded. Using Station Management Software, maintenance issues are documented and addressed by fire department personnel, city maintenance workers, and if appropriate, outside contractors. All buildings are showing some age at this time. These issues have been addressed in the fire facilities study. Safety equipment is provided for fire fighter protection in the performance of fire suppression and rescue services. All new SCBA s were purchased in 2003. The replacement of safety equipment is part of the department s budgetary process. There are members of the department who are qualified to perform tests, and maintenance on certain specified safety equipment. Maintenance or repairs on safety equipment for which qualified department personnel are not available are sent to an authorized repair facility. The team concurs with the Physical Resources Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Physical Resources Category is Credible. Category VII -- Human Resources The department met all core competencies in this category. The City of Charlottesville Human Resources Department conducts the human resources functions for the fire department. The City as well as the department has policies and procedures in place that meet all local, state and federal legal requirements All positions within the agency have a concurring job classification, which outlines all qualifications and minimum standards. Retention of current members is high with minimal turnover and retirement. The City has developed, with the departments input, a comprehensive hiring and promotional process. New employees are processed through a comprehensive hiring and orientation. The agency has established probationary period in which new and promoted members are evaluated. The City and Department has established policies and procedures governing personnel. All policies, procedures, goals and objectives of the City and the agency are available to all
22 members both in hard-copy form, and electronically on the Departments intranet system. Issues dealing with discipline, forms of harassment, appraisals, internal ethics, conflicts of interest, and grievance procedures are dealt with utilizing policies from the District and within the agency s guidelines. The agency utilizes many ways in order to recruit career members. Volunteers are recruited and all personnel records are handled by the Charlottesville Volunteer Fire Company. Compensation and benefits packages remain competitive and comprehensive. All salaries and benefits information is available to all members of the organization. The team concurs with the Human Resources Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Human Resource Category is Credible. Category VIII Training and Competency The department met all core competencies in this category. The training and educational programs for fire and EMS are consistent with the department s goals and follows national NFPA guidelines as well as state guidelines and curriculum. The departments training division identifies the training needs through after action reviews and internal company-based evolutions performed on an annual basis. These evolutions are comprised of identified basic practices that are consistent with the identified needs of the agency. There is a periodic review of the training needs and input encouraged throughout the ranks. The department has used different methods for training new employees. The recruits have alternately been sent to near-by programs operated by the host fire department or this has been handled in-house by department staff. A monthly training schedule is issued to the Captains to be used as a basis for training in the coming month. The Captains also have the ability to select other topics and conduct training. This has lead to a variety of instructional methods and a variance in the information and skills presented on each shift. The overall goal of the program is to provide 20 hours of training per month. The fire training facility, located near the County jail is comprised of a two story burn building and training props. The program would benefit with an onsite classroom at the training field to permit combined delivery methods of class room and hands on training. The County has indicated that at some point in the future it may expand the jail complex in to the area occupied by the burn facility. The training program has developed a concise performance based measuring tool. This is used as a part of the annual performance evaluation of each member and covers the fundamental knowledge, skills, and abilities expected of the firefighters.
23 The team concurs with the Training and Competency Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Training and Competency Category is Credible. Category IX Essential Resources The department met all the core competencies in this category. Water Supply The City of Charlottesville has a water system that is ISO rated at Class 2. The system can supply adequate water for fire protection as well as meeting maximum anticipated consumption for domestic purposes. In the event of a major disruption in the water supply for the city there exist agreements with outlying agencies for alternate water supply sources for firefighting purposes. Minimum fire flow calculations are completed by the Fire Prevention Division and new commercial construction is required to have automatic fire suppression systems in place. All water supply system components; water mains, hydrants, valves and pumps are mapped. Maps are located at all fire department facilities. Hydrants are tested twice annually by fire department personnel and maintained by the water utility on an as needed basis, upon report of the fire department. Communications System The department operates an 800 MHz trunked radio system under a county wide communications plan. The system was completely upgraded in 2003 with the assistance of a federal grant. The communications center is operated as a separate county entity providing dispatching services county-wide for all fire, rescue and law enforcement agencies within the county. The communications center is adequately staffed, equipped and maintained to provide for the needs of all agencies served. Administrative Support Services Forms and documents are updated on a regular basis. Each SOP is reviewed periodically by the battalion chief and a committee of fire fighters appointed by the deputy fire chief. All forms used by the department can be downloaded from the internet. The pressing current needs for the department are in the area of technology. Some advances are underway in the area such as new computers that will be integrated into the city geographic information system and the forth coming records management system. The team concurs with the Essential Resources Category report of the self-study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the Essential Resources Category is Credible. Category X External Systems Relations The department met all core competencies in this category.
24 The working relationships within the city organization and with outside fire emergency agencies are strongly developed and functioning very well. There are written agreements with the county fire, rescue, law enforcement and EMS agencies; the University of Virginia; and within a statewide mutual aid system. The department takes a very professional and cooperative approach to provide for the needs of citizens throughout the community and the region. The team concurs with the External Systems Relations Category report of the self study, its appraisal and action plan. The overall performance rating for the External Systems Relations Category is Credible.