South Metro Fire Rescue Authority 2009 Annual Report

South Metro Fire Rescue Authority 2009 Annual Report

Message from the Fire Chief Daniel Qualman Vision, one of the tasks a Fire Chief must accomplish is to set a vision for the fire d e p a r t m e n t. In the new Authority, I have been aided by a great p r o f e s s i o n a l work force in setting the course for the department. In 2009, we adopted a mission, vision, and values statement, which on paper is easy to do; now we have the job of living our values and mission every day. Protecting lives and property remains our number one priority, but how does that get done? Having the right amount and types of equipment and the right personnel trained to the best possible level is obvious, but with that is a great deal of planning. Just how can we do the best with the money entrusted to us? Chief modification of our methods. Our personnel are continuously training. Last year our firefighters received over 45,000 person-hours of training. This is necessary to make sure we are fresh with new techniques and those practices that we may not often use. This means that whether it is fighting a fire, handling a hazardous material spill, or treating a possible heart attack we are prepared to do an excellent job. The Authority responded to nearly 14,000 calls for service in 2009. Based on the overwhelming amount of satisfied customers, I would say that we are accomplishing our goals most of the time. Additionally, we provide other services that many of you either use directly or may be a recipient of them without even knowing it. For instance, the building that you work or shop in has been evaluated for fire and life safety design even before it is built and then inspected for ongoing safety throughout its lifetime. This is to assure your safety and that business continuity of operations. The Authority offers cutting-edge life safety education for our children, seniors, and businesses. We offer information about the emergency services we provide so that our citizens can make well informed decisions. You have told us that quick response time and competent and well-trained personnel are important. We also know that many of the other services we perform are also important to you and these are offered as well. We are developing a standard of cover which sets our response time goals. These goals are monitored to see how well we are accomplishing them and you will see some of those performance figures in this report. We look for ways to continually improve our response times evaluation and Our value statement states that : We are committed to the highest level of professionalism always striving to do what is right in a fair, honest, compassionate, courageous, and humble manner. This is our commitment to you. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you well.

There when you need Us The South Metro Fire Rescue Authority serves an area of 176 square miles in southeast Denver. SMFRA protects 196,000 people living and working in the cities of Castle Pines, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Foxfield, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Parker and unincorporated portions of Arapahoe and Douglas counties. These communities encompass a varied geographic area that includes numerous commercial structures in highly populated sections as well as rural property and wildland. 2009 is a hallmark year for the authority because it is the first year that the Parker Fire District and South Metro Fire Rescue operated as a unified agency following consolidation in 2008. SMFRA takes its mission of protecting its citizens very seriously and takes pride in remaining accredited by the Commission of Public Safety Excellence. A spirit of dedication, integrity, and compassion lives within the Authority and is embodied by the men and women who exemplify a servant s heart, facing each day not knowing what events might unfold. Coverage for our citizens is provided from 17 stations placed strategically throughout the Authority for a quick response time. Stations are staffed by three different crews working 24 hours shifts. The Authority has 40 different apparatus, including 14 front line engines, four aerial apparatus, and nine front line medic units. Personnel includes 393 firefighters, 100 of whom are paramedics. In addition these same firefighters and paramedics train to be part of special teams including; Technical Rescue, HazMat, Aircraft Rescue, Dive/Water Rescue, Wildland Firefighting, SWAT Medic and Urban Search & Rescue. Great emphasis is placed on training with many of our own staff holding qualifications and certifications necessary to teach our staff and members of other agencies. The Authority maintains its own training facility including a burn building, tower, search and rescue maze, drill ground, indoor classrooms and an auditorium. Dispatch is provided by the Metropolitan Communications Center, or MetCom as it is commonly known. MetCom is located with the SMFRA headquarters building in Centennial and the close alliance between Metcom and the Authority s operations staff has proven valuable in providing comprehensive coverage throughout the Authority.

Board of Directors The SMFRA is governed by a seven-member board of directors. Three are from the Parker Fire District and three are from South Metro Fire Rescue. A seventh board member is appointed by the first six. The directors of both fire districts are publicly elected during regular elections which occur in May of even-numbered years. Ken Molcsan, Chairperson, Parker Laura Simon, Treasurer (South Metro) Linda Ganz, Secretary (Parker) Peter Webb, Vice Chairperson (South Metro) Gary Culig, Director (Parker) Hank Eng, Director (South Metro) The SMFRA Board was honored with the 2009 District of the Year Award from the Special District Association of Colorado. Pat Mulhern, Director

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2009 Highlights acts of terrorism and other emergency situations. New mission, vision and value statements were created with input from various workgroups and the board of directors. The new statements reflect the Authority s continued focus of providing the best service while remaining fiscally responsible. The line staff of Parker Fire and South Metro Fire Rescue were fully integrated in January. Apparatus and personnel were assigned to their stations. The process to determine the new Standards of Cover began (Standards of Cover are policies and procedures that determine placement of stations and medic units, the concentration of stations and medical resources as well as special resource units such as the dive team and technical rescue). A new station was opened in January to better serve citizens living in rural areas east of Parker. Station 47 is equipped with an engine and a full time staff of four, including an officer, two firefighters and one firefighter/paramedic. SMFRA received $252,396 in grant money and matching funds from the 2009 budget to enhance our interoperability infrastructure. The grant was from the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program to improve South Metro s ability to communicate with other agencies when responding to natural disasters, A new tow vehicle and snowcat trailer were purchased and put into service. Both vehicles are multi-use and have the capacity to tow almost any apparatus owned by the SMFRA. Two new pumper tenders were also introduced to increase fire suppression activities in rural areas of the Authority. These trucks carry 1500 hundred gallons of water and 30 gallons of foam. A new, board-approved, fee schedule for building plans and permits was developed. Input was provided by a governmental consulting group, contractors, developers and others. Firemans Fund Insurance provided funds to purchase the trailer.

The Authority developed a 5-year strategic plan with the participation of staff members, an outside consulting agency, and various stakeholder groups. The Strategic Plan helps the Authority set priorities. During the development of the Strategic Plan, we asked the community what their top priorities were for the fire department and this is how they ranked the services in order of priority. Services Emergency Medical Services 1 Fire Suppression 2 A Douglas Countywide wildland fire/ interface drill took Technical Rescue Hazardous Materials 3 4 place to train our Fire Prevention 5 firefighters and command staff Domestic Preparedness Planning & Response 6 to become better equipped to handle Public Fire/EMS Safety Education 7 the ever increasing Aviation Rescue and Firefighting 8 threat of a significant wildfire event in our district or the counties we serve. Significant Fire Investigation 9 gain was made toward the creation of an organized task force/strike team to mobilize resources in an organized, rapid fashion on a continued basis to combat wildfire and other emergency situations. The Pyxis machine which is used by medic personnel to dispense controlled substances was purchased. All transactions are maintained on a detailed log. Paper maps were replaced with digital versions. Mobile Data Terminals installed on all apparatus are equipped to provide line staff with detailed geographical information to shorten response time.

More 2009 Highlights The Authority completed a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. A risk assessment of our wildland interface areas was performed with assistance from a consulting group, internal and external stakeholders. The assessment allowed for a prioritization of mitigation efforts and provides a starting point for communities to develop their own plan with minimal effort. Established a quality assurance committee and implemented a quality Assurance Plan for Emergency Medical Services. Performed an audit of all phone systems including land lines and cell phones that resulted in a savings of $40,000 per year. Call History Total Total 2007 2008 2009 In District Out of District Total In District Out of District Total In District Out of District Total 42,365 14,424 13,346 1,078 14,055 12,705 1,350 13,886 12,849 1,037 Fires 1,172 369 309 60 456 365 91 347 297 50 Alarms 6,993 2,597 2,555 42 2,249 2,198 51 2,147 2,109 38 EMS 22,658 7,430 6,950 480 7,602 6,939 663 7,625 7,124 502 Other 11,542 4,028 3,532 496 3,748 3,203 545 3,766 3,319 447 Includes all Parker and SMFR calls In Authority calls where both Parker and SMFR responded count as one call.

Plan reviewers reviewed 2,741 building plans. Inspectors did more than 12,400 inspections on new construction, businesses, follow-up and responding to requests for safety inspections. Existing buildings are inspected for code compliance including the maintenance of fire protection systems, means of egress, storage arrangements, and hazardous materials and processes. Every year, the department tries to inspect 50 percent of buildings that are considered low risk and 100 percent of buildings that are high risk. Fire investigators investigated 141 fires. A Web site was developed to provide information, medical bill payment options, and easy access to station tours and other services. A standardization of rapid entry systems into commercial buildings throughout the Authority was completed. Grant money allowed for replacing lock box cylinders to allow quick, damage-free entry upon emergency response using a master key system. The Authority s budget received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2009 budget from the Government Finance Officers Association. The award represents a significant achievement by the Authority, especially after the complicated process of combining budgets from two different districts. The Board approved conversion of an existing aerial to a quint in order to provide backup to other aerial apparatus in the consolidated district. The conversion was completed at $13,000 under budget. The Authority participated in the 2009 MDA campaign, raising more than $86,000 in donations. Another charity event, Hot Times Kool Cars raised in funds for the burn center at Childrens Hospital in Denver. Top Seven EMS Calls

Financial Matters The annual budget serves as the foundation for the Authority s financial planning and control. Bureaus are required to submit requests to the Finance Division each year. These requests along with revenues are used to develop a proposed budget for the following year. The budget is then presented to the board of directors which is required by law to hold a public hearing on the proposed budget. Adoption of the final budget is required by no later than December 31 each year. The mill levy must be certified to the county commissioners by December 15 each calendar year. 2009 Revenue Property taxes 54,683,422 Specific ownership taxes 3,870,310 Charges for services 456,146 Net investment earnings 307,367 EMS transport fees 5,223,436 Life Safety permit fees 512,279 Wildland 5,244 Other income 488,716 Total Revenue $63,546,940 $456,146 Charges for Services $307,367 Net Investment Earnings EMS Transport Fees $5,223,436 Specific Ownership 8% Tax 6 % $512,279 Life Safety Permit Fees $488,716 Other Income $5,244 Wildland Property Taxes $52,683,442 83% 2009 Revenue

As a service agency, the largest amount of our budget obviously goes to salaries. South Metro Fire Rescue Authority does annual salary surveys of surrounding fire agencies for firefighter and paramedic salaries, and uses Mountain States Employers Council and Colorado Municipal League data to determine staff salaries. The compensation model is adopted by the Board of Directors. 2009 Expenditures Salaries 31,835,797 Benefits 9,444,841 Insurance 1,144,910 Supplies 12,717,236 Debt 4,195,379 Capital Purchases 1,854,793 Total Expenditures $61,192,956 In 2009, total revenues exceeded total expenditures. What does this mean and where does the excess money go? The Authority is dedicated to paying for improvements like building maintenance, new fire apparatus, and new fire stations without incurring new debt for as long as this is possible. However, with the anticipated reduction in property values with the commensurate shortage in revenues, the Authority is also holding onto any excess revenues to meet future operating expenses in 2012 and 2013. 2009 Expenditures Debt $4,195,379 7 % Capital Purchases $1,854,793 3 % Supplies $12,717,236 21 % Salaries $31,835,797 52 % Insurance $1,144,910 2 % Benefits $9,444,841 15 %

Promoting Safety awareness South Metro provides quality education through a diverse program of classes in business locations, schools, and community groups. There are 45 public and private elementary schools, 12 middle schools, and eight high schools within the boundaries of SMFRA presenting educators with endless opportunities to deliver fire and injury prevention messages to a variety of audiences. Proper car seat installation is a priority of the Authority and to achieve the goal of reaching as many families as possible, many staff members have been certified as technicians. SMFRA remains People our most valuable resource active in the Life Safety Educators of Colorado organization which brings together professionals from throughout the state to share ideas and promote fire and injury prevention. Participation in community events, fairs, expos, and festivals allow educators to meet face to face with families, special populations, law enforcement and local government officials to promote safe practices. SMFRA continues its commitment to hire the most qualified individuals for employment in both line and staff positions. Our dedicated professionals must pass a rigorous interviewing and testing process before an offer of employment is made. Line personnel are required to complete an oral board interview process to assess various aspects of personality and temperament since working with the public is so crucial to emergency service. 15 individuals graduating in December. Nine of those were hired on in permanent positions. In staff positions, two human resources professionals were hired, and one mechanic was added to the Fleet Services Bureau bringing the total number of employees to 336 uniformed personnel and 55 staff members. During 2009, an academy was held with

Connected to our community The Authority is committed to teaching children about being safe and one of the ways we do that is through television. Programming highlighting crossing the road safely and getting out if your house is on fire was produced for Douglas County Channel 8 and Greenwood Village TV. Safety is a partnership that the fire department shares with its citizens. Every year, we honor residents who have answered the call and saved a life or made their community safer. The South Metro Safety Foundation is dedicated to providing life safety education as well as the tools needed to save a life. In 2009, the Foundation raised $20,600 to put Automatic External Defibrillators in schools along the front range. In late 2008, South Metro lost one of its own in a tragic avalanche accident in Grand County. To remember Brian Kopp and help his family, firefighters put on the first annual Brian Kopp Memorial Golf Tournament and raised $49,000. Ask a Firefighter is a popular section of the Web site. Lt. Netzel answers dozens of questions each year.

Mission Our Mission: To partner with our communities to provide the best protection of lives and property while wisely managing resources. Our Vision: We desire a culture that inspires competence, encourages progressive thought and ensures that we efficiently meet the changing needs of the communities we serve. We will accomplish this collectively through: Treating people with dignity and respect. Being open to different ideas. Providing opportunities for growth and empowering individuals to use their talents and realize their potential. Promoting responsibility and accountability. Using appropriate and innovative technology enabling us to be more efficient and effective in our service. Building regional cooperation by being connected with other agencies. Our Values: We are committed to the highest level of professionalism, always striving to do what is right in a fair, honest, compassionate, courageous, and humble manner. South Metro Fire Rescue Authority 9195 E. Mineral Avenue Centennial, Colorado 80112 720-989-2000 www.southmetro.org