Blog of Aaron J.: fire department budget

The purpose of NFPA 1710 is to provide minimum criteria to address “the effectiveness and efficiency of career” fire department personnel and operations. This standard outlines seven objectives that must be met. Fire department staffing levels should be based on the ability to meet these objectives and to deploy firefighting resources as outlined in the standard. This task analysis should account for, life hazards to the public, safety of the firefighters, property loss potential, types of occupancies and properties to be protected, and fireground tactics, apparatus, and expected results.

Sunset with burning building by Petteri Sulonen

NFPA 1710 defines the following types of incidents and deployment criteria.

Single-family dwelling, defined as 2,000sq.ft., two-story, single family dwelling (no basement, no exposures)
Strip shopping center, defined as an open-air shopping area of 13,000sq.ft. - 196,000sq.ft.
Apartments, defined as a 1,200sq.ft. unit inside three-story, garden-style building
High-rise buildings, defined as structures with the highest floor greater than 75’ above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.

Minimum staffing for full alarm assignments to single-family dwelling fires require a total of fourteen personnel, divided as follows:

(1) individual dedicated to incident command
(1) personnel to establish and maintain water supply
(4) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of two handlines required
(2) handline support members, (1) per attack and backup line
(2) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue team
(2) personnel to raise ground ladders and assist with ventilation
(2) personnel assigned to the initial rapid intervention crew (IRIC)

Minimum staffing for full alarm assignment to an open-air strip shopping center fire incident requires a total of twenty-seven personnel, divided as follows:

(2) personnel assigned to incident command
(2) personnel to establish and maintain water supply, (1) per supply, minimum two required
(6) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of three handlines required
(3) handline support members, (1) per attack, backup, exposure line
(4) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue, (2) teams of two personnel
(4) personnel to raise ground ladders and assist with ventilation, (2) teams of two personnel
(4) personnel assigned to RIC, (1) officer (3) members
(2) personnel to provide initial medical care

Minimum staffing for full alarm assignment to an apartment fire incident requires a total of twenty-seven personnel, divided as follows:

(2) personnel assigned to incident command
(2) personnel to establish and maintain water supply, (1) per supply, minimum two required
(6) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of three handlines required
(3) handline support members, (1) per attack, backup, exposure line
(4) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue, (2) teams of two personnel
(4) personnel to raise ground ladders and assist with ventilation, (2) teams of two personnel
(4) personnel assigned to RIC, (1) officer (3) members
(2) personnel to provide initial medical care

Minimum staffing for full alarm assignment to a high-rise fire incident requires a total of forty-one personnel, divided as follows:

(2) personnel assigned to incident command, (1) officer with (1) aid
(2) personnel assigned incident command at fire floor, (1) officer with (1) aid
(1) incident safety officer
(1) officer, at interior staging area two floors below fire floor
(1) officer, building lobby operations
(1) officer, external base operations
(1) individual assigned to establish and maintain water supply to the standpipe system
(1) individual assigned to monitor and maintain building fire pump operations
(4) personnel to operate handlines, (2) per line, minimum of two handlines required at the fire floor
(2) personnel to operate handline, (2) per line, minimum of one handline required at floor above fire floor
(4) personnel assigned to RIC
(4) personnel assigned to victim search and rescue, (2) teams of two personnel
(4) personnel assigned to evacuation management, (2) teams of two personnel
(1) individual to manage and monitor elevator operations
(2) personnel assigned to firefighter rehab, (1) ALS trained
(4) personnel assigned to vertical ventilation, (1) officer (3) members
(2) personnel for equipment transport
(4) emergency medical personnel, (2) teams of two personnel

These numbers represent only the minimum requirements for the initial alarm. As the incident escalates, it is understood that additional personnel and apparatus may be needed.

To provide effective and efficient staffing levels, a thorough knowledge of the community must be had. This is why the conduct and maintenance of a community risk assessment is critical to, not just fire prevention, fire department operations as a whole.

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A recent survey has shown that the biggest challenges faced by fire prevention organizations is budget and personnel retention. Money and people. More specifically, it would seem, lack of money to hire, train, and retain personnel needed to carry out fire prevention functions.

NFPA 1730, Standard on Organization and Deployment of Fire Prevention Inspection and Code Enforcement, Plan Review, Investigation, and Public Education Operations, is a new standard that provides a method to determine, and justify, personnel and staffing needs. The stated purpose of the standard is "to specify the minimum criteria addressing the effectiveness and efficiency of the fire prevention organization". This standard outlines basic fire prevention functions, and how to determine services that should be offered. Annex C, of NFPA 1730, provides a 5 step system to determine minimum staffing levels needed for these functions and fire prevention services.

Step 1: Outline all services provided by the fire prevention organization.

Start the staff needs analysis process by listing all services provided, functions performed, and activities conducted. This should be an exhaustive and comprehensive list. The list should include all activities, no matter how many times they are performed or how much time they take.

Step 2: Determine time demand for each task.

Determine the amount of time it takes to complete each task, function, and activity listed in step 1, above. This should include all components such as, preparation time, scheduling, research, conducting the activity, report writing, and any follow-up. You will need to determine the time each of these take on an annual basis.

Step 3: Determine total personnel hours required to complete activities.

Add up the total amount of hours required for all tasks and activities. If your organization has many different tasks, programs, and functions, these can be divided into groups to simplify, or further analyze the total hours required.

Step 4: Calculate personnel total availability.

This formula will determine the amount of hours that each employee will have available. This must account for holidays, vacation, sick, training, and other times that the employee will not be available for work.

Step 5: Calculate total number of personnel required to perform tasks.

To determine the total amount of full-time employees that are needed to perform all fire prevention functions and tasks, divide the total task hours by the total available work hours.

Total task hours / total available work hours = total personnel required

Fractional values can be rounded up or down. If the number is rounded up it can provide reserve capacity and provide some ‘cushion’. If the number is rounded down, this could result in overtime or increased workload for personnel.

For an example of what this completed process and spreadsheet looks like, click on the image below: