Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 1
Table of Contents Introduction from the Board Message from the Chief About Us
3 4 5
MCFD at a Glance Mission Statement Values
6 8 10
Workload Metrics Contract for Services Overarching Goals
11 15 16
Recent Accomplishments Acknowledgements
19 20
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 2
Introduction from the Board One of the most important duties of an elected official is to lead an organization that is responsive and effective in the delivery of services to the community. The County’s Strategic Planning process has given the Marin County Fire Department the opportunity to gather stakeholders together, evaluate recent trend data and make plans to improve public safety over the next three years. The plan provides focus for our employees to effectively respond to emergency incidents of all types, including wildland fire impacts from climate change, coastal visitor impacts and staffing challenges - all within a fiscally prudent framework. We recognize that this plan does not provide all the answers, but it does identify very important initiatives that the Marin County Fire Department will prioritize over the next three years. This plan creates the foundation for excellent services and accountability that will benefit our residents and our community for years to come. That foundation will rely on our talented and dedicated workforce who helped create the plan and will be called upon to implement it. Sincerely,
Supervisor Judy Arnold Board President
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 3
Message from the Fire Chief I’m pleased to introduce the Marin County Fire Department’s Strategic Plan. It is both a road map for the Marin County Fire Department and a guide for identifying priorities so we can safeguard the delivery of excellent fire, rescue, prevention, and emergency medical services into the future. This three-year plan represents our commitment to good stewardship of the department resources funded by Marin County residents and other resources that results in lower net costs. The department had to answer three fundamental questions during the planning process: where are we now, where are we going and how will we get there? The answers helped in developing a framework for the plan that will: Promote department policy, operational and budget decisions. Maintain a highly trained work force. Provide a structure to ensure oversight and management of department programs. Increase fire department personnel safety and community education. We are committed to revisiting our strategic plan at least every three years to ensure the plan accomplishes what it set out to do. This assessment process will help to support continual participation in the document and a consistent process for making adjustments to any aspects of the plan that may be necessary. Our goal is to have a flexible organization that can anticipate and adapt to change. In closing, thank you to all Marin County Fire Department employees who shared their thoughts and ideas through surveys and outreach meetings. Your honest feedback has been invaluable. Thank you also to the residents, elected officials and other key county and community partners who helped shape our planning process. Your support helped guide us and is critical to the success of this plan. I invite all members of the communities we serve, along with our partner agencies, to join us in supporting this vision for the future of the Marin County Fire Department.
Sincerely,
Jason P. Weber Fire Chief
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 4
About Us
1917 Formation of the Tamalpais Forest Fire Distirct
1965 Introduction of EMS
1941 Formation of the Marin County Fire Department
2005 Tamalpais Fire Crew Introduced
1977 Paramedics Hired
1974 Introduction to A, B, and C shifts for coverage
2017 100 Year Anniversary TFFD 75 Year Annerversary MCFD
1995 USAR Team Introduced
2015 Coastal Incident Responce Plan
The Marin County Fire Department was born from the need to protect timber. Between 1904 and 1909 the Stockman’s Protective Association and the Redwood Fire and Protective Associations were organized. These Associations were created to prevent and suppress wildfire on Mt Tamalpais. The associations were funded by the timber industry to protect the timber value of the watershed. Around 1917 the Associations were dissolved in favor of a broader and more organized Tamalpais Forest Fire District (TFFD). The TFFD was the first organized fire district in the State of California. In 1941, the TFFD evolved into the Marin County Fire Department (MCFD) as the fire problem moved from the forest to the homes, the MCFD has strived to be a leader in all-risk emergency response, including Advanced Life Support services, the first Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, members on Incident Management Teams, the creation of the Tamalpais Fire Crew, and lastly, increasing our water rescue capabilities to a “state of art” program. The Department is proud of where we came from and that this foundation has made it possible for the Department to forge a strong and sustainable future. importantly where we are going.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 5
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 6
Vision Statement
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 7
Mission Statement In partnership with our community, we will: Be Prepared, Respond Quickly, Solve Problems, Be Nice and Get Home Safely. Be Prepared Being well trained and mentally prepared are the most important forms of preparation. This is accomplished through employee health and wellness which has become a department wide priority. With over 67,000 hrs of training annually our team can react to the most dynamic of situations. Respond Quickly The only priority that trumps a quick response is a safe response. Our quick response is a byproduct of our driver training programs, vehicle maintenance and vehicle replacement programs. It is also a result of assessing the situation and deploying the best resource to the emergency in a timely manner. Solve Problems Responding to emergencies is an exercise in problem solving. Be it a fire burning between concrete subfloors or an oil tanker losing product into the Pacific Ocean threatening the Marin Coastline, Marin County Firefighters are problem solvers. Be Nice Public service is customer service and the Marin County Fire Department believes in customer service. Being nice is helping people on what is sometime the worst day of their lives with compassion, empathy and skill. Get Home Safely Returning from an emergency is just as important as arriving to one. Returning is often more difficult due to fatigue or a lack of adrenalin that helped a firefighter prepare for what lie ahead. Shifts of 24 hours are the norm on wildland fires the standard schedule of 48 hours often creates a fatigue few other professions ever see. To return home safely, firefighters rely on training, maintaining their equipment and their knowledge, skills and abilities
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 8
Values Service Exceed the expectations of our communities, co-workers and partners; exhibiting a positive attitude, we are self-motivated and driven.
Teamwork Together, we are committed to our mission and guided by our principles to be loyal to our legacy, engaged in our communities, and responsible for MACO’s future.
Operational Readiness Train with conviction, maintain equipment and facilities with pride, plan for action and respond with courage.
Professionalism With integrity, character, and humility, we are committed to working hard.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 9
Workload Metrics
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 10
Workload Metrics-North Stations
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 11
Workload Metrics-South Stations
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 12
Workload Metrics-Training/Tam Fire Crew Training firefighters to respond to emergencies requires the commitment of a significant amount of resources. With the evolution of the firefighting profession, firefighters are expected to know more about every situation they could face. Medical emergencies, structure fires, vegetation fires, hazardous materials, water rescues, emergencies take a rapid response that demands teamwork often in extreme conditions. This can only be safely accomplished through dedicated training. After a training exercise, documentation must occur for legal mandates, continuing education requirements and to ensure safety. During 2016, over 67,000 hours of documented training occurred. Almost 4,880 hours were reimbursed by the Joint Apprenticeship Committee to offset training cost by $15,500. 12,574 of the total hours of training were completed by our seasonal firefighters. The Tamalpais Fire Crew has become one of the busiest hand crews in Northern California. In 2016, they were dispatched to 44 wildland fires. They were put to work on 22 fires and spent 55 days on fire assignments. These fires burned over 145,000 acres throughout the State of California. The Crew also was held on duty for another 18 days under a staffing pattern that is cost covered through emergency funding as part of our contract with CAL FIRE. Besides fire response, the Tam Crew works tirelessly on vegetation management projects throughout Marin County. By partnering with stakeholders, they were able to invoice over $100,000 for project reimbursement to help offset the cost of the program. In 2016, they worked 10,920 hours on vegetation management and fire fuel reduction work throughout Marin County and burned 857 brush piles.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 13
Contract for Services CAL FIRE-California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection CAL FIRE Contracts Marin County Fire Department for fire protection services including wages of suppression crews, heavy fire equipment, pre-fire management positions, dispatch, and administrative services. CAL FIRE's budget also provides for infrastructure improvements, and expanded firefighting needs when fires grow beyond initial attack. Marin County is responsible for providing initial response to fires on State Responsibility Areas (SRA). When a wildland fire escapes this initial attack, CAL FIRE responds with firefighting resources to augment the resources Marin County Fire has deployed.
RVPA-Ross Valley Paramedic Authority The Marin County Fire Department has been under contract with the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority (RVPA) for paramedic services since 1984. Medic 18, is staffed with MCFD paramedics, responds to emergencies in Fairfax, Sleepy Hollow, San Anselmo, Ross, Kentfield, Larkspur and unincorporated areas of Marin County. Medic 18 responded to over 1,900 emergencies in 2016 providing advance life support and all-risk emergency services. A component to this contract is also to provide oversight for quality assurance, training, and management of the program.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 14
Focus Area 1 Strategy: Ensure operational readiness and effectiveness.
☐
Action Reduce reflex time through education and engineering. Metric Design new fire stations to reduce reflex times. Publish reflex times quarterly to educate employees.
☐
Action Reduce on-scene time for trauma patients by 3 minutes and reduce on-scene time with medical patients by 60 seconds through FY 2017-18 Metric Reduce time from 15.33 minutes to 12.33 minutes. Industry Standard is 15 minutes for medical patient and 10 minutes for trauma.
☐
Action Improve cardiac arrest survival rates countywide. Metric Train at least 2,500 people in hands only CPR each year.
☐
Action Finalize long term plan for Fire Dispatch services and begin implementation. Metric Implement the plan to enhance fire dispatch services.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 15
Focus Area 1 Strategy: Ensure operational readiness and effectiveness.
�
Action Address facility and capital needs as outlined in our facility vision plan Metrics Provide final plan and begin construction of Tomales fire station, creating a model for fiscally prudent and community acceptable emergency service facility Acquisition and updating of Tamalpais Fire Crew Quarters.
�
Action Improve staffing levels, ensuring our ability to meet objectives outlined in our Standards of Cover and eliminate any single person staffed equipment/stations. Metrics Undertake a study to analyze current and future staffing needs of our stations and fire crew in FY17-18. Eliminate any potential single person staffed stations or equipment.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 16
Focus Area 2 Strategy: Reduce the potential for wildfires and community disaster, while enhancing fire prevention and community education.
�
Action Ensure our community is prepared for wildfire. Metrics 90% of violations for residential defensible space inspections are brought into compliance. Work with Communities in the SRA to achieve one certified FIREWISE USA Community each fiscal year. Provide on-going fire hazard reduction and defensible space information through mailers, workshops and public service announcements, promotion of READY, SET, GO program annually in coordination with cooperating agencies and FIRESafe Marin.
�
Action Continue to implement an annual defensible space inspection program utilizing seasonal inspectors, MCFD engine companies and volunteers. Metrics Inspect 4000 homes annually.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 17
Focus Area 2 Strategy: Reduce the potential for wildfires and community disaster, while enhancing fire prevention and community education.
�
Action Work with county and local entities to support green waste disposal efforts for residents completing defensible space work. Metrics Provide four days of free green waste disposal.
�
Action Collaborate with fire departments, land management agencies and private land owners to prioritize fire hazard reduction work based on goals from the Marin County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Metrics Conduct an annual stakeholder meeting with land management and fire agencies.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 18
Focus Area 3 Strategy: Ensure strong internal and external communication and business practices:
☐
Action Support department members in obtaining quality leadership training. Metrics Support one participant in Marin’s leadership Academy each year. All personnel in new or CICCS (California Incident Command Certification System) positions will complete the job specific task book within first year.
☐
Action
All employees receive a meaningful yearly performance evaluation. Metrics Complete 100% of annual employee evaluations and provide every employee a career ladder. ☐
Action Maintain a sustainable, contemporary Emergency Medical Services program.
Metrics Adjust ambulance fees and billing practices to ensure long term solvency and changes secondary to Federal policy shifts.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 19
Focus Area 3 Strategy: Ensure strong internal and external communication and business practices:
�
Action: Funding for our current training officer position will expire December 31, 2018. Develop a long term plan and funding solution to maintain the Fire Training Officer Position who manages over 67,000 hours of annual training. Metric Develop and fund a long term sustainable plan.
�
Action: Ensure an inclusive diverse employee base representing the community we serve. Metrics Deliver cultural competency training for all employees Participate in three career fairs annually Visit at least 4 community colleges to recruit seasonal firefighters. Establish a formal internship program focused on underserved youth.
�
Action:
In partnership with Labor develop a plan to improve and maintain long term mental and physical health of our employees. Metrics: Train three firefighters as peer fitness trainers. Train three firefighters in peer support roles.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 20
Recent Accomplishments
Developed, refined, trained and implemented a Water Rescue Program that has saved lives. Insurance Service Office rating (ISO) improved from a 4-9 to a 3-3X. Completion of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Secured funding for contemporary 911 phone system to enhance the Emergency Command Center and improve level of service. Awarded FEMA grant funding for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) equipment saving the Department $757,281. Assisted the Marin County Sheriff Office with implementation of a new Computer Automated Dispatch system. With approval of the California State Budget in July, secured $500,000 annually to enhance dispatch services. Cost recovery billing and receiving over $6.2 million dollars in 15-16 fiscal year, reducing our net county cost and offsetting costs of equipment and personnel. Fire Prevention is meeting 10 business day turn-around on plan checks. Adopted 2016 California Fire Code with Marin County amendments, including updating Fire Prevention permit fee schedule. Awarded $166,000 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant for our health and wellness program. Partnered with Marin County Health and Human Services to implement the 911 First Responder Referral Program. Partnership training with Marin County Sheriff Office to implement countywide standardization for Unified Response to Violent Incidents. Partnered with Marin County Sheriff Office to help first responders recognize the signs of Human Trafficking. Implemented the Department of Homeland Security’s First Responder Awareness program and implemented training with Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Human Trafficking: Identity & Respond program. Remodeled the Emergency Command Center and chief officer’s office including technology and furniture upgrades. Delivered recruitment presentations at 6 colleges and 3 career expos to increase employee diversity.
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 21
Acknowledgements Acknowledgements The MCFD gratefully acknowledges the contributions to our strategic planning process.
Marin County Board of Supervisors Supervisor Damon Connolly Supervisor Katie Rice Supervisor Kathrin Sears Supervisor Dennis Rodoni Supervisor Judy Arnold Fire Chief Jason Weber Project Manager Fire Crew Superintendent Tim Walsh Photographers Robert Tong, Marin Independent Journal Stephen Lam, Associated Press Noah Berger, Associated Press
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 22
Marin County Fire Department Strategic Plan
Page 23