CC 2017-05-23_12a FCFA Strategic Plan Presentation
MEMORANDUM
TO: ARROYO GRANDE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: STEPHEN C. LIEBERMAN / FIRE CHIEF
SUBJECT: PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FIVE CITIES FIRE
AUTHORITY DRAFT FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
DATE: MAY 23, 2017
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the City Council receive, discuss, and file the draft Five Cities Fire
Authority draft strategic plan.
.
BACKGROUND:
The Fire Chief was tasked with preparing a five-year strategic plan by the Board of
Directors of the Five Cities Fire Authority. The document remains in draft form pending
the results of a commissioned compensation study. Once updated with compensation
data, the Board of Directors will consider adoption of the document.
Attachments:
1. Five Cities Fire Authority Staff Report – March 17, 2017
2. Draft Strategic Plan
.
Item 12.a. - Page 1
STAFF REPORT___________________________________________________
TO: Chair and Board Members MEETING DATE: March 17, 2017
FROM: Stephen C. Lieberman, Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Consideration of Draft Five-Year Strategic Plan
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Review the draft document and provide additional comments or direction to staff. Staff will return with the
final draft document for Board adoption pending any directed revisions.
___________________________________________________________________________________
BACKGROUND
The Board directed the Fire Chief to prepare a strategic plan in the FY 2016/2017 budget work program.
The initial foundation of the strategic planning document was based on a 2015 “Strengths, Weakness,
Opportunities and Threats” (SWOT) analysis prepared by the Fire Chief. The findings of the SWOT
analysis validated known funding shortfalls for apparatus, capital equipment, and needed staffing for the
organization. Estimates for long-term vehicle and capital replacement funding are included in the report,
as is a proposed organizational chart.
Virtual CEO, a professional firm with experience in supporting both the public and private sectors was
retained to assist the Fire Chief and provided a Quad Strategic Assessment survey that was tailored for
fire suppression, administrative, and management employees in the Fire Authority, as well as the Board.
The results of this survey were used in the early phase of the two-day planning workshop held in April
2016. The workshop, facilitated by Virtual CEO was represented by Fire Authority employees, employees
from member communities, and the Board Chair. Additionally, members of the community were asked to
spend two hours with the assembled group to provide both additional input and validation of the defined
components of the planning framework.
During the April 2016 workshop, a framework was developed and accepted by the group. The
components are as follows:
I. Organizational Effectiveness
1) Develop IT Master Plan
2) Develop Master Training Plan
3) Improve Internal Communication Plan
4) Develop Firefighter Wellness Program
II.Financial Sustainability
1) Determine Capital Needs
2) Create Stakeholder Outreach Plan
3) Arrive at "End Game" after 5 Years
Each component has defined objectives (and related tasks), along with timelines. While much work has
been completed by Five Cities Fire Authority (FCFA) employees, a number of identified objectives are
ATTACHMENT 1
Item 12.a. - Page 2
Staff Report: Consideration of Draft Five-Year Strategic Plan Page 2
March 17, 2017
considered “work in progress.” Some of these items are reliant on future studies (FCFA/City of Arroyo
Grande Compensation Study), or are either political in nature or require additional resources.
The recommendations included in the draft report include consideration of validating the findings and
building upon them by retaining a professional consultant with experience in both the fire service and
local government financing.
FISCAL IMPACT
$5,000 was included in the current budget to retain the services of Virtual CEO. Those funds have been
expended. Future cost considerations would include retaining outside professionals to assist with
marketing/branding plans, a Standard of Cover / Operational Audit and financial analysis.
ALTERNATIVES
The following alternatives are provided for the Board’s consideration:
1. Provide additional direction to staff related to content of draft strategic plan.
2. Direct staff to publish and distribute draft document.
3. Provide other direction.
ATTACHMENTS
Strategic Plan
PREPARED BY
Stephen C. Lieberman, Fire Chief
___________________________________________________________________________________
Item 12.a. - Page 3
FIVE CITIES FIRE
AUTHORITY
FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
prepare.
plan.
deliver. DRAFT VERSION March, 2017
ATTACHMENT 2
Item 12.a. - Page 4
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1
INTRODUCTION 2
BACKGROUND 5
COMMUNITY RISK 9
DEPARTMENT RESOURCES 12
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 22
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE I – ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS 23
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE II – FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY 27
FINDING AND RECOMMENDATIONS 31
SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS 32
SCHEDULE A – SWOT ASSESSMENT 33
SCHEDULE B – FCFA PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL CHART 34
SCHEDULE C – COMPARATIVE SUMMARY ANALYSIS 35
SCHEDULE D – VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FUNDING SCHEDULE 36
SCHEDULE E – CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUNDING SCHEDULE 37
SCHEDULE F – SUMMARY OF IDENTIFIED COST CATEGORIES 38
Item 12.a. - Page 5
Mission Statement
“The Mission of the Five Cities Fire Authority is to provide the highest level of service possible
by mitigating threats to life, property and the environment while meeting the growing needs of
our communities.”
Vision Statement
“The Five Cities Fire Authority is committed to serving our communities by providing emergency
response, fire prevention and public education. We strive to accomplish this vision by ensuring
that we will provide for all Fire Authority needs and professional development through a stable
revenue source. We honor the respect we hold within our communities and are committed to
maintaining that trust.”
Core Values
Serve with pride, professionalism and integrity;
Treat all people with respect and honor;
Maximize community service through efficient resource management; and
Strive for constant improvement.
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Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the Five Cities Fire Authority Board of Directors, Staff, Employees and
Community Members who generously gave their time and support to help create the Strategic
Plan.
Board Members
Karen White, Chair
Barbara Harmon, Vice Chair
John Shoals, Board Member
Community Representatives
Dave Anderson
Glenn Hoving
Marlene Jeung
Chad Robertson
Consultant and Facilitator
Guy Greco, Partner, Virtual CEO
Staff
David Hale, General Counsel
Riki Heath, Battalion Chief
Patrick Ferguson, Captain
Jeff Lane, Firefighter
Stephen Lieberman, Fire Chief
Michael LoPresti, Firefighter
Debbie Malicoat, JPA Treasurer
Sean McMahon, Engineer
Tricia Meyers, Administrative Assistant
Brian Salce, Engineer
Joe Silva, Engineer
Randy Steffan, Acting Battalion Chief
Erin Wighton, Office Assistant
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Introduction
What is and what is not a Strategic Plan
The strategic planning process typically begins with a “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats (SWOT)” exercise. The SWOT is a process that identifies these four components of
impact to the organization at a very topical level. The strategic planning process digs deeper
into the identified issues from the SWOT analysis, identifying work programs, timelines for
completion and cost impacts. The use of the word “strategic” is interesting in this process, as it
can be debated that the strategic planning process is really a budgeting tool. According to the
Harvard Business Review, “Virtually every time the word “strategy” is used, it is paired with
some form of the word “plan,” as in the process of “strategic planning” or the resulting
“strategic plan.”... This exercise arguably makes for more thoughtful and thorough budgets.
However, it must not be confused with strategy. Planning typically isn’t explicit about what the
organization chooses not to do and why. It does not question assumptions.” This document
shares organizational information, identifies known risks, defines work programs, and offers
forward looking resource needs along with cost estimates when available.
The Need for a Strategic Plan
With the support of the Board of the Five Cities Fire Authority, the Fire Chief embarked upon a
collaborative and methodical process to develop a 5-year Strategic Plan. The information
contained in this document would not have been possible without the assistance of outside
professionals, community members, and staff from both the Five Cities Fire Authority and
member communities.
The Board of Directors and staff of the Fire Authority acknowledge the shifting expectations of
the public, and accept the responsibility to provide information and data that is honest, open,
and clear of confusing "industry speak." This Strategic Plan is intended to serve as a planning
document for policy makers, and executive management on operational, management and
fiscal decisions pertaining to the Five Cities Fire Authority.
The Strategic Plan is reasonable and cost-effective. The plan attempts to present the major cost
components and organizational needs for a fire department serving a community of 37,000
people, and includes asset replacement schedules and staffing levels of similarly sized
organizations.
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The Process
An initial Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis was completed by
the Fire Chief in 2015, and has served as a platform document to assist with the definition of
components of this Strategic Plan. Virtual CEO, a professional firm with experience in
supporting both the public and private sectors was retained to assist in this planning process.
Virtual CEO provided a Quad Strategic Assessment survey that was tailored for fire suppression,
administrative, and management employees in the Fire Authority, as well as the Board. The
Summary Assessment from the SWOT analysis is included as Schedule A in supporting
documents. The results of this survey were used in the early phase of the two-day planning
workshop held in April 2016. The workshop, facilitated by Virtual CEO was represented by Fire
Authority employees, employees from member communities, and the Board Chair. Additionally,
members of the community were asked to spend two hours with the assembled group to
provide both additional input and validation of the defined components of the planning
framework.
When performing forward planning, assumptions must be utilized to assist with the process.
This document reviews the "current state" of staffing, the fleet, equipment and facilities to
identify both current and future needs in a five year planning window. Staffing, apparatus,
equipment and facilities are essential to both execute the mission of the Five Cities Fire
Authority and to provide a level of service that is acceptable to our communities.
The Framework
During the April 2016 workshop, a framework was developed and accepted by the group. The
foundation of this framework was based on both the results of the Quad Strat Assessment, and
open and honest dialogue during the workshop. The components are as follow:
Organizational Effectiveness
1) Develop IT Master Plan
2) Develop Master Training Plan
3) Improve Internal Communication Plan
4) Develop Firefighter Wellness Program
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Financial Sustainability
1) Determine Capital Needs
2) Create Stakeholder Outreach Plan
3) Arrive at "End Game" after 5 Years
Each component has defined objectives (and related tasks). By working through each
component, the strategic planning process will better define the needed next steps to continue
the evolution of the Five Cities Fire Authority using a methodical process.
The Life of the Strategic Plan
While this document provides a high level view of the balance between service levels and
resource needs of the Five Cities Fire Authority, it will need to be reviewed and updated during
the next five years. The Strategic Plan can be considered a "living document" that will continue
to support policy decisions, fiscal planning, and additional analysis of the Fire Authority. At the
conclusion of the five year span of this document (2021), another process will be needed to
assess the "current state" in 2021 and measure that status to the "current needs" of the
communities served by the Fire Authority.
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Background
The Five Cities Fire Authority at a Glance
In 2004, the cities of Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach
collaboratively entered an agreement to share one fire
chief and training officer. This agreement was expanded
over the next several years to include equipment sharing,
a consolidation of the reserve firefighter program and
the introduction of "boundary drops," meaning that the
closest fire resource would be dispatched to a 9-1-1 call
without consideration of community boundary. In 2009,
the Oceano Community Services District joined the other
communities and on July 9 2010, a complete fire department consolidation took place, resulting
in the creation of the Five Cities Fire Authority. The Five Cities Fire Authority was created to
increase service levels to citizens and visitors, to ensure consistent and professional training
standards, and to increase operational efficiencies.
Area Served: 10 square miles, encompassing the communities of Arroyo Grande,
Grover Beach and Oceano
Population Served: 37,000
Number of Stations: 3
Call Volume (2016): 3,497 (excludes 216 Automatic Aid responses outside of service area)
Fire: 83 2.4%
Emergency Medical Services: 2,361 67.5%
Hazardous Conditions: 109 3.1%
Service and Good Intent: 813 23.2%
False Alarm: 122 3.5%
Other: 9 0.3%
Average Response Time: 6 minutes
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Vehicles:
Type I (Structural) Engines: 4 Type II USAR/BSU: 1
Type III (Wildland) Engines: 1 Staff/Fleet Vehicles: 4
Truck (100' Platform): 1 Command Vehicles: 2
Type VI Patrol: 1 State OES Engine: 1
Organizational Structure
The Authority is administered by the Board of Directors, comprised of one Councilmember or
alternate from the City of Arroyo Grande, one Councilmember or alternate from the City of
Grover Beach, and one Boardmember or alternate from the Oceano Community Services
District. Individuals serving as alternates must be elected officials from the participating
communities.
The Fire Chief reports to the Board of Directors and also serves as the Executive Officer for the
Five Cities Fire Authority. The Administrative Services Director for the City of Arroyo Grande
serves in the capacity of Treasurer to the Authority, and the Administrative Assistant for the
Five Cities Fire Authority serves as Secretary/Clerk to the Board.
The Fire Chief may consult with the Executive Team, comprised of the managers from Arroyo
Grande, Grover Beach and Oceano in order to discuss matters relevant to the communities or
the Authority, and the managers may make recommendations to their boardmembers, based
on matters discussed.
The following organizational charts are effective for calendar year 2017.
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Total Budgeted Headcount
Full Time 19
Part Time 1
Reserve Firefighters 18
Total 38
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The Communities
Arroyo Grande
Residents enjoy a unique combination of rural and urban qualities -
agriculturally productive farmlands, quality neighborhoods, a variety
of shopping experiences, excellent parks and sports facilities, a
performing arts center, and a local hospital. Incorporated in 1911,
the City comprises 5.45 square miles and serves 17,252 residents.
Arroyo Grande is a full-service city.
Grover Beach
Incorporated in 1959, the City is located right on the beautiful coast. A
beach community with a population of 13,067, Grover Beach is also a
full-service city. Residents in the small-town community of 2.2 square
miles enjoy opportunities for year-round recreational activities on land
and sea, including horseback riding, surfing, kayaking, off-road access
to the sand dunes, or a leisurely stroll along the Beach Boardwalk.
Oceano
Also located on the beautiful coast, Oceano is best known as the
gateway to the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation area where
camping and four-wheeling activities are a major attraction. The
Oceano Community Services District serves a population of 7,600
residents. The district provides its citizens with cost-effective
services including fire protection, water, sewer, and street lighting.
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Community Risk
The geographic setting of each of the communities present unique risks that must be
considered for emergency planning and response. Within each identified risk are defined
requirements for planning, mitigation, training, response and recovery operations. This means
that the Five Cities Fire Authority must be properly trained and equipped to respond as an "All
Hazards Fire Department."
The FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation Plan includes the following major
risk categories:
Earthquake
Dam Failure/ Inundation
Tsunami / Coastal Flooding
Wildfire
Additional risk considerations unique to the service area:
Oil and natural gas pipelines
Highways 1 and 101
Southern Pacific Railroad
Diablo Canyon Power Plant
Oceano Airport
South County Sanitation District
Agricultural processing facilities
Manufacturing facilities
Frequent risk response:
Emergency medical
Vehicle accidents and extrication
Wildland fire
Structure fire
Hazardous materials
The Fire Authority is tasked with being the initial responding agency to these broad types of
potential incidents. Specialized training for heavy rescue, hazardous materials, confined space
rescue, mass casualty, and active shooter incidents are required in addition to more routine
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training requirements for emergency medical, vehicle extrication and both structural and
wildland firefighting.
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency medical services (EMS) calls for
service represent nearly 70% of total response
activity for the Fire Authority, and the volume is
consistent with national trends. Personnel with
the Five Cities Fire Authority are licensed
Emergency Medical Technicians (Basic Life
Support). In San Luis Obispo County, there are a
maximum of 14 ambulances serving the entire
county on a daily basis; requiring a well-trained
and continued fire department response. The
private ambulance contract is managed by the County of San Luis Obispo, and, requires that
each ambulance is staffed with at least one Paramedic (Advanced Life Support). With the
exception of Pismo Beach (contracted with CAL FIRE), the Five Cities Fire Authority is the only
municipal fire department in San Luis Obispo County that does not provide advanced life
support services to the community. The Advanced Life Support scope of practice includes:
• Administration of intravenous/interosseous fluids and medications
• Advanced cardiac monitoring including Cardioversion
• Advanced airway management (intubation)
Wildland and Structure Fires
Each of the member communities has differing degrees
of threat from wildland/vegetation fires. The interface
between densely vegetated open space and residential
development continues to present a threat to the
communities served by the Fire Authority. Designated
open space serves as a natural buffer between adjoining
development and transportation corridors. This same
vegetated land also presents a threat to residential and
commercial development, with the risk dependent on
fuel type, topography, weather, and structure proximity
to the fuel load (vegetation).
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A structure fire while infrequent, presents a significant
risk to the people inside of the structure, those in the
adjoining homes, personal property and the
environment. Recent live burn studies have focused on
the changing scientific dynamics of residential fire
behavior (Fire Department of New York, National Institute
of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Underwriters
Laboratories (UL), 2012.) The contents and construction
of furnishings in American homes have changed
significantly in the past few years, with plastics and other
synthetic materials replacing the natural materials that
once made up the bulk of these items. Modern living
spaces tend to be more open in design and less
compartmentalized. Finally, construction materials are
more lightweight in design and manufacture. Synthetic
materials burn at a higher temperature and the open
space layout allows for more rapid fire spread.
A typical structure fire in a single family residence requires 15 firefighters arriving within eight
minutes to extinguish the fire (National Fire Protection Agency/NFPA 1710).
Additionally, federal requirements (Office of Safety and Health Administration/OSHA), mandate
that fire personnel will not enter a working structure fire until a backup team of additional
personnel is available (unless there exists a credible report of a rescue situation). With a daily
staffing pattern of 10 personnel (including two Battalion Chiefs), the Fire Authority relies on
automatic and mutual
aid agreements with
surrounding agencies.
The risk of this reliance
is that there is no
guarantee that
additional assistance will
be available to assist on
a timely basis.
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Department Resources
Fleet
When the organization was formed in 2010, each member agency contributed the existing
vehicles they had employed as a stand-alone fire department. A vehicle replacement funding
program was discussed during the formation process, but never implemented. With the
exception of the replacement purchase of Truck 5 (purchased with a federal grant and matching
funds from the member communities), the fleet is aged and several vehicles remain in service
although their age exceeds industry standards for service life. Thankfully, the member
communities have funded two replacement fire engines, with the first due for delivery in March
2017. A long term strategy remains to be defined, and as the equipment continues to age,
maintenance costs increase at a significant level.
Fire Engine (Type I)
A fire engine is configured to transport firefighters to emergency incidents. This vehicle carries
a water tank, a high capacity pump, fire hose and ground ladders. Additionally, the fire engine
carries standard emergency medical equipment, forcible entry tools, and extrication
equipment. The primary mission of a fire engine at a structure fire is to pump water to the hose
lines and support an interior attack of the fire. Upon delivery of the new fire engines, there will
exist a single reserve engine in the fleet.
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Fire Truck (Aerial)
A truck can come in several configurations.
FCFA Truck 5 is similar to a fire engine in that is
carries a water tank, pump and fire hose. The
truck is designed with a focus on search and
rescue, rooftop ventilation in the case of a fire,
and extrication of victims entrapped in vehicle
collisions. The truck is one of five in San Luis
Obispo County, with the next nearest truck
companies located in San Luis Obispo and Santa
Maria. The extended ladder on the truck is a
needed asset to access multistory residential,
medical/office, hotel and “big-box” structures.
While the 100 foot ladder length appears to be
very large in comparison to existing and planned
building heights, truck operations and ladder
length are more about “reach” than “height.” The
100 foot ladder allows the truck to be positioned
adjacent to a building with parked cars along the
curb, or in the case of a heavily involved large
structure fire, the truck must be positioned
outside of a potential building collapse zone.
There exists no reserve truck to maintain this
capability in the event that Truck 5 is out of
service for maintenance or repair.
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Wildland Engine (Type III)
A wildland engine’s design configuration is
based on the need for the vehicle to be able
to access a fire in a vegetated area. The
vehicle is designed with a shorter wheel-base
to allow for maneuverability, has four-wheel
drive, and also carries a limited amount of
water, foam and hose. The Type III engine
has the ability to “pump and roll,” meaning
that a firefighter is able to apply water to the
fire while the engine follows them. This type
of vehicle provides fire suppression capabilities to the open space areas of Arroyo Grande,
Grover Beach, and Oceano. There exists no reserve Type III engine in the event that Brush 1 is
out of service for maintenance or repair.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)
The USAR carries specialized equipment that
supports capabilities to respond to building
collapse/stabilization, rope rescue, trench
collapse, confined space rescue, mass
casualty events and vehicle extrication.
Associated with the USAR is a shoring trailer
loaded with lumber. There is not another
vehicle like the FCFA USAR in the southern
portion of San Luis Obispo County. There
exists no reserve USAR vehicle in the event
that USAR 2 is out of service for maintenance
or repair.
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Command Vehicles
The Battalion Chiefs are assigned command vehicles. They are designed to provide enhanced
communications capabilities, and carry needed reference material to effectively manage an
incident where it is occurring.
Support Vehicles
Sedans are assigned to the Fire Chief and Arson Investigator. FCFA also operates two utility
pick-up trucks.
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Future Needs
The Five Cities Fire Authority has several in-house committees, including an Apparatus
Specification Committee. As part of the strategic planning process, committee members
identified specific types of vehicles that would be needed in the future. This process was not
based on what was contributed by the member agencies at the formation of the fire authority,
but rather specific vehicle needs based on the service area and risk assessment. Based on the
committee’s analysis, listed below are the future vehicle needs for the organization:
The industry standard related to useful life of a fire engine is 15-years front line service, and
another 5 years in reserve status. At the end of 20 years, the apparatus should be sold as
surplus.
Fire Station #1 Fire Station #2 Fire Station #3
Frontline Apparatus Arroyo Grande Grover Beach Oceano
Truck Type I Engine Type I Engine
Wildland Engine USAR
Reserve Apparatus*Type I Engine
Type III Engine
Truck
Support Vehicles (2) Pick-Up Trucks (4x4 Crew Cab)
1-Ton Stake Side truck with lift gate
Command Vehicles (3) Command Vehicles
Arson Investigator Pick-Up with Shell
Staff Fi re Chief
* Assumes that front-line capabilities are maintained with redundant apparatus.
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Capital Equipment
A group of employees were convened to identify specific needs for capital equipment with a
replacement value of $3,000 or more. Examples of this type of equipment include:
• Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
• Rope Rescue Systems
• Thermal Imaging Cameras
• Gas Monitors
• Extrication Systems (“Jaws of Life”)
• Heavy Duty Airbags
Human Capital
When the Five Cities Fire Authority was formed in
2010, the existing staffing model was adopted. This
action did not take into account several factors
including:
• Increasing call volume
• Aging population
• Socio-economic impacts
• First Responder safety
• Aging housing stock
• Development related impacts on fire prevention program
Since 2010, call volume had an average year over year growth of approximately 3%. In 2016,
call volume increased by 6%. San Luis Obispo’s geographic location and Mediterranean climate
make it an ideal retirement and vacation destination. With an aging population, the fire
department responds to both emergency medical and good intention requests (lift assistance,
smoke/carbon monoxide detector alarms) for service on a frequent basis.
Emergency Response Staffing
In 2015, San Luis Obispo County adopted “High Performance CPR” as a cardiac arrest protocol.
This method of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation has clinically proven an increased survival rate
in patients who suffer a heart attack. To provide this life-saving technique effectively, fire
department personnel, along with ambulance staff perform up to 20 minutes of rapid CPR
compressions before transporting a patient to the hospital. When the patient is transported by
ambulance, a firefighter (or two) accompanies the patient to the hospital in order to continue
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CPR. Ideal staffing requirements would be three fire department personnel along with the
ambulance staff. The Oceano Fire Station is currently staffed with a Fire Captain and Reserve
Firefighter. When engaged in a CPR call, the Oceano crew will often request a second engine
from either Grover Beach or Arroyo Grande to provide the needed staffing to care for the
patient.
When responding to a structure fire, an engine company should have a minimum of three
personnel. This allows the Engineer to remain at the fire engine to operate the pump panel and
pull additional hose lines. The Captain and Firefighter will prepare to perform a rescue or
primary search of the structure before attacking the fire. With a two person engine company,
the Captain and Firefighter will be forced to leave the engine unattended, or wait for additional
resources to arrive before attempting a rescue. A truck company should have a minimum of
four personnel. This allows for the Engineer to operate the truck, and the Captain and two
Firefighters to perform needed rooftop ventilation or rescue. Three Fire Engineers should be
implemented at the Oceano Fire Station.
The Battalion Chief (BC) position provides several purposes. At the scene of a larger scale
incident, the BC becomes the Incident Commander; providing global direction to the various
fire personnel responding to the emergency. The Battalion Chief is also considered a “mid-
level” management position, and is tasked with employee management and an administrative
workload. The BC is on-call 24 hours per day, and the current positions are exempt, which
means the employees are not compensated for after-hours response. A third Battalion Chief
should be created to share the administrative workload, separate the Operations and Training
programs, and split the management span of control to match the three shifts of engine
company personnel.
The Firefighter role in the Five Cities Fire Authority is currently staffed by part-time employees.
Recruitment and retention for the Reserve Firefighter position is extremely challenging with
employees moving on to full-time/career firefighter positions. This position is extremely vital
during a response to emergency medical situations, rescues and fire. Within the County of San
Luis Obispo, there remain three fire departments with reserve firefighter programs. Atascadero
Fire recently eliminated the program and hired full-time firefighters, and discussions are on-
going with the City of Pismo Beach to do the same. The Reserve Firefighter program is non-
sustainable. As stated earlier in this document, the majority of current call volume for this
organization (and a national trend) is in response to a medical emergency. The hire of
permanent full-time Firefighters would present an opportunity to expand into an Advanced Life
Support level of care to the community with the recruitment of Firefighter-Paramedic
personnel.
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Fire Prevention Staffing
A Fire Prevention Bureau performs a variety of inspection and code enforcement duties to
ensure compliance with fire and life safety codes including:
• Development plan checks
• Fire Safety Inspections of businesses, multifamily dwellings, and weed abatement
• Public Education and Prevention
• Fire/Arson Investigation
• Hazardous Materials Management
• Fireworks sales administration and inspections
Currently, the fire prevention program is managed with a Battalion Chief, a shift-based Fire
Captain and the assistance of the administrative staff. To effectively insure compliance with
required inspection activities, additional positions must be considered to support the
requirements of the program. A Prevention Bureau is managed by a Fire Marshall, and is
supported with non-sworn fire prevention specialists, sworn fire inspectors, and administrative
support. Based on the volume of current activity, planned development, and the potential
expansion of fire prevention inspection volume in Oceano and Arroyo Grande, consideration
should be given for the creation of the Fire Marshall, Fire Prevention Specialist and Investigator
positions.
The cost of a fire prevention program can be partially offset by the collection of fees. There
exists an opportunity for the organization to work with the three member communities to
standardize fire prevention activity and fee collection.
Administrative Staffing
During early discussions surrounding the “intention” of this document, the interest in “fiscal
and operational independence” surfaced. When the organization was formed in 2010, the cities
of Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach made the decision to provide administrative overhead
support to the new fire department. Six years later, there is interest in exploring the needed
administrative resources required to support a “stand-alone” fire department.
Current administrative support is provided by 1.5 employees. The Administrative
Assistant/Clerk to the Board position should be reclassified to a “Business Manager” or
“Administrative Manager” position, similar in rank and responsibility to a Battalion Chief. Two
additional administrative support staff could support the expanded workflow resulting from a
prevention bureau, along with operations, training activity, and administrative functions such
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as Accounts Payable. Human Resources and Payroll could be considered for out-
sourcing/contractual relationships.
IT Staffing
IT support remains critical to the organization. Public Safety organizations are required to
document incident information, must have remote access to mapping and fire pre-plan
information, and the backbone of the organization’s IT infrastructure must be supported,
upgraded and managed. Telecommunications; both radio networks and telephone systems
would also be supported by this position. IT services could be initially contracted, but future
consideration of an IT Specialist position will be warranted.
Based on the working group’s analysis, listed below is a summary:
A proposed organizational chart (Schedule B), as well as a comparative summary analysis
(Schedule C) are included in the supporting documents section of the report.
Title Current State End State Variance
Fire Chief 1 1 -
Battalion Chief 2 3 1
Fire Captain 9 9 -
Fire Engineer 6 9 3
Reserve Firefighter 18 0 (18)
Firefighter Paramedic 0 12 12
Fire Marshall 0 1 1
Fire Prevention Specialist 0 2 2
Fire Investigator *0 1 1
Administrative Assistant/Clerk 1 0 (1)
Administrative Manager / Clerk 0 1 1
Office Assistant 0.5 2 1.5
Total 37.5 41 3.5
Strategic Plan - Headcount Summary
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Item 12.a. - Page 26
Dispatch Services
When a 911 call is placed, the calling party is routed to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
The Five Cities Fire Authority is dispatched to calls for service through a contractual agreement
between the three communities and the Grover Beach Police Department (GBPD), a PSAP.
GBPD works closely with the fire department to support specific dispatch needs, and provides
staffing at levels that correspond to call volume trends, time of day / day of week, and known
special or weather events.
There exist multiple PSAP’s within San Luis Obispo county including:
• Atascadero Police Department – includes Atascadero Fire
• California Highway Patrol
• CAL FIRE / County Fire – also provides dispatch for Morro Bay, Cambria, Cayucos, San
Miguel , Templeton and Santa Margarita
• Grover Beach Police Department – includes Five Cities Fire
• Paso Robles Police Department – includes Paso Robles Fire
• San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department – additionally dispatches for Morro Bay
Police and private ambulances
• San Luis Obispo Police Department – includes San Luis Obispo Fire
A dispatch center is highly dependent on skilled Dispatchers and technology. As radio network
components, dispatch software systems, and other related resources age and reach
technological obsolescence, the FCFA will likely be impacted with the financial investment
needed to maintain reliable dispatch services.
With the vast majority of 911 calls now originating from cellular phones, “Call Routing” delays
are an issue that has risen to both State and Federal levels. When cellular phone technology
initially launched, cellular sites were primarily located only along major highway corridors; and
it made sense to have the California Highway Patrol handle the 911 calls and route them to the
appropriate local agencies as needed. With many households using cellular technology as their
primary means of communications, the existing cellular network design limitations still only
allow 911 call routing on a very limited basis. The challenge to this network technology is that
depending on where the 911 call for service originates will determine which cellular network
antenna receives the cell phone call and where which pre-designated PSAP will take the callers
information. This can create a situation where a cellular call for service is transferred from one
PSAP to another, creating a delay in the dispatch of appropriate resources and a prolonged
response time for units sent to assist the public. The Five Cities Fire Authority has been
impacted by this technological challenge.
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Item 12.a. - Page 27
Strategic Initiatives
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Item 12.a. - Page 28
Strategic Initiative I - Organizational Effectiveness
Enhance organizational performance through improved technology, staff development, internal
communications and employee injury reduction through health and fitness.
Goal 1 - Develop Technology Master Plan
1.a) Improve Information Technology (IT) connectivity at fire stations
1.b) Initiate design and plan for capacity/redundancy connectivity requirements at all
locations
- Leverage Grover Beach municipal broadband network
- Install air-fiber link to all fire stations
- Plan and implement independent server
- Install Wi-Fi at all stations
1.c) Improve FCFA communications
- Enhance radio network (coverage and multiband)
- Improve existing telephone system
- Consider Bluetooth technology to integrate equipment
- Participate in future Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) replacement with
Grover Beach Police Department
1.d) Explore IT Upgrades
- Obtain GIS support for preplanning and mapping
- Install next generation / cloud based reporting system (Image Trend)
- Identify and evaluate relevant software applications (i.e. CrewSense)
Status, timelines and b enchmarks
The existing IT environment is substandard in capacity, and reliant on administrative
management and network connectivity through the City of Arroyo Grande. Master planning
discussions with industry professionals and staff identified the following action items:
• Increase network bandwidth/speed and implement network switching – July 2017
• Migrate to cloud based reporting and staff scheduling solutions – July 2017
• Replace antiquated telephone system – July 2018
• Implement Wi-Fi at all station – July 2018
• Participate in future CAD replacement – Dependent on Grover Beach Police Department
timing
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Item 12.a. - Page 29
• Enhance Radio Network – There remain areas within the service area in each of the
communities that do not have adequate radio coverage. This presents a safety issue to
both FCFA personnel and the public. Planned implementation – Fiscal Year 2018/2020
Goal 2 - Develop Training Plan
2.a) Update/Organize Standard Operating Guidelines (SOG)
- Ensure SOG and lesson plan binders are current and located at each
station
- Provide electronic format for SOG's and lesson plans
2.b) Provide increased outside training at all levels and ranks
- Identify appropriate course opportunities by rank (Firefighter to Chief
Officer)
2.c) Implement FCFA succession planning program
- Implement task books for each rank
- Create "acting position" program
- Implement FCFA "red card" system
2.d) Research/Develop Training Grounds
- Explore partnering opportunities (Law Enforcement, Public Works)
- If inter-agency interest exists, establish taskforce to determine:
- parcel size
- potential for city owned parcels
- facility needs (i.e. modular classroom)
- training props
- Design facility
Status, timeline and b enchmarks
A comprehensive training plan will require coordination with state and federal training
curriculum, staff time, and additional funding. Given the current multi-generational
demographics in the workforce, a succession planning program that clearly identifies required
training for each position/rank would serve as a basis for a training budget. The Five Cities Fire
Authority has no training facility; ladder training is performed at commercial business locations,
roof ventilation training takes place in a small corporate yard, and required rope rescue training
takes place at a fire station. A training facility that includes a training tower would allow for live
fire training, rope rescue, ventilation, and search and rescue training. Additionally, a training
facility with a modular classroom could provide an opportunity to host outside training and
generate revenue for the organization.
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Item 12.a. - Page 30
• Update/Organize Standard Operating Guidelines – July 2018
• Adopt a Succession Planning program (collaboration with management and labor) – July
2018
• Identify and fund required internal/external training – Fiscal Year 2018/2020
• Identify potential training ground sites – Ongoing/Long Term
Goal 3 - Develop Staff Information/Communication Program
3.a) Establish secure FCFA YouTube channel for monthly staff updates
3.b) Attach video links to Target Solutions training solution
Status, timeline and benchmarks
Effective communications among an employee base situated at different physical locations and
employed on a shift schedule presents a challenge. In the past two years, staff has instituted
“Shift Change” conference calls that take place every 48 hours. While this is an effective
platform to share 48 hour shift-specific information, it does not provide a forum for
comprehensive meetings. “All Hands” meetings occur a few times during the year, but are
difficult to schedule and expensive to conduct (overtime expenditures for bringing off-duty
employees in for the meeting). Additionally, communication with a multi-generational
workforce is a known issue across the country (each generation has a preferred method of
receiving information).
• Establish secure FCFA YouTube channel for monthly staff updates – December 2017
• Attach video links to Target Solutions training solution – Nexus with IT capacity
improvements, December 2017.
Goal 4 - Develop Health/Fitness Plan
4.a) Budget and implement NFPA 1582 firefighter physical examinations
4.b) Review the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) fitness program and
implement as needed
4.c) Updating staffing plan to ensure adequate fitness program to support out of
county assignments
- All employees must be fit for strenuous activity
- Ensure that physical fitness time allocations are used for physical fitness
(develop fixed schedule for public education events)
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Status, timeline and benchmarks
Beginning with the culture of three different fire departments becoming the Five Cities Fire
Authority, firefighter wellness has not been an elevated priority for the past six years. The
profession in itself subjects employees to high levels of stress, and requires them to be
physically fit in order to serve the community. The United States Fire Administration reported
(Firefighter Fatalities in the United States – October 2016), that over a 10-year period, 54.89%
of reported firefighter deaths were attributed to stress/over-exertion. In 2015, out of a total of
90 line of duty deaths, 60 died due to a heart attack or stroke (67%). A comprehensive wellness
program that ultimately holds the employee accountable for their fitness is a vital need. The
current budget includes the “re-introduction” (eliminated in previous budgets) of NFPA 1582
physical examinations for nine personnel.
• Budget and implement NFPA 1582 firefighter physical examinations – nine exams are
included in both the current and proposed budgets - ongoing
• Investigate options for contracting with a professional firm to develop the
fitness/wellness program (developed for multi-generational workforce) – July 2018
• Develop fixed schedule for public education events (allowing fitness time allocations) -
completed
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Item 12.a. - Page 32
Strategic Initiative II - Financial Sustainability
Develop a plan to achieve FCFA financial independence.
Goal 1 - Determine capital needs
1.a) Identify equipment needs
- Prioritize equipment needs with life cycle
- Establish depreciation schedule/replacement cost report
- Include fleet and equipment with replacement cost of $3,000 or higher
1.b) Identify staffing needs
- Prioritize staffing needs (Engineers, Firefighters, Admin, Prevention)
- Determine staffing costs
1.c) Identify infrastructure needs
- Prioritize facility needs (IT, telecomm, stations, training grounds)
- Determine infrastructure costs
1.d) Submit consolidated schedules for equipment, fleet, staffing and infrastructure
to key stakeholders (Finance, Executive Team, Board)
Status, timeline and benchmarks
Within this goal, there is mention of “FCFA financial independence.” This phrase is related to an
interest in eliminating the current administrative support documented in the JPA agreement
and provided by the Cities of Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach. These services include:
• Financial Services
o Budget & Financial Planning
o Payroll
o Accounts Payable
• Human Resources
• Information Technology (IT)
• Legal Counsel (currently funded and paid by FCFA)
Based on interest in this concept of “financial independence,” a proposed organizational chart
is included with this study.
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Item 12.a. - Page 33
The Five Cities Fire Authority recently “piggy-backed” onto a compensation study with the City
of Arroyo Grande. Additional job classification information will be incorporated into the scope
of the compensation study.
The FCFA Joint Powers Authority agreement assigns ownership and responsibility for
maintenance of the existing fire stations to each member community. This document does not
focus on the fire stations due to this provision of the agreement.
• Identify equipment needs – completed.
o Vehicles - Due to the age of the existing fleet, vehicle replacement funds will be
more substantial in the short term. Based on a five-year average, approximately
$800,000 would need to be set aside on an annual basis (see Schedule D in the
supporting documents section of this report.) There exist several options to this
issue including:
Partial Replacement funding (e.g. 50%)
Joint Purchases on an “as needed basis”
o Capital Equipment - Due to the age of existing capital equipment (Self Contained
Breathing Apparatus and Extrication Equipment), replacement funds will be
more substantial in the short term. Based on a five-year average, approximately
$146,000 would need to be set aside on an annual basis (see Schedule E in the
supporting documents section of this report). There exist several options to this
issue including:
Partial Replacement funding (e.g. 50%)
Joint Purchases on an “as needed basis”
• Identify staffing needs – Cost estimates available by July 2018
Status, timeline and benchmarks
• Identify infrastructure needs – The need for a training facility is identified in this plan. A
cost estimate is unknown at this time. Based on the projects identified in the technology
master plan (Strategic Initiative 1), listed below are the estimated cost components:
Increase network bandwidth/speed and switching – $7,000
Migrate to cloud based reporting solutions – partially grant funded; Year
2 and following annual cost - $14,000 (partially offset by current system)
Replace antiquated telephone system – $30,000
Implement Wi-Fi at all station – $15,000
Participate in future CAD replacement – Unknown
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Item 12.a. - Page 34
Enhance Radio Network – $20,000
• Submit consolidated schedules to stakeholders – July 2017
Goal 2 - Create stakeholder outreach plan
2.a) Development framework of education and awareness plan
- Public education lesson plans / consistency
2.b) Develop content of "community message" related to Fire Authority
- Solicit advice from marketing/communication professional
- Establish service level expectations based on "customer" feedback
(focus groups)
- Finalize message and the method for community education
2.c) Disseminate information (message) to public and county officials
- Identify community groups, businesses, property owners
- Educate dispatch
- Educate public regarding safety issues
2.d) Identify political advocates
- Develop plan to leverage support of influential political advocates
Status, timeline and benchmarks
This goal is more strategic (rather than tactical) in nature, and will take time and resources to
develop. The effort to develop consistent public education teaching documents is complete.
Staff will work with the Board to determine a scope of work for a marketing/communications
professional in Spring of 2017. It should be noted that a community support group was formed
in 2016. “Friends of Five Cities Fire Authority,” is an IRS designated 501c(3) non-profit
organization, created to raise funds, solicit grants and assist with public education in support of
Five Cities Fire.
Goal 3 - Arrive at "End Game" (3-5 year plan)
3.a) Identify financing options for appropriately equipped Fire Authority
- increased community contribution
- revenue measure
- independent fire district
3b.) Determine implementation plan/timing with key milestones
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Item 12.a. - Page 35
Status, timeline and benchmarks
During the strategic planning process, there was much discussion about the desired ending
result “end game” of this document. FCFA staff does not have the professional expertise or
resources to develop an analysis that would provide various funding options to the Board. Staff
will look to the Board for additional discussion and direction related to this section.
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Item 12.a. - Page 36
Findings and Recommendations
The work plan elements identified in the strategic plan reflect a young organization that is in
need of capital investment. When the Five Cities Fire Authority was formed in 2010, the
City/District Managers and board members acknowledged that long term funding strategies for
operational sustainability and capital equipment/fleet replacement would need to be identified
in the future. While the member communities have made significant investment in the past two
years to replace two obsolete fire engines and hire a second Battalion Chief, a plan for fiscal
sustainability must be developed. A summary of this report’s finding can be found in the
supporting documents section of this report under Schedule F.
The majority of the work plan elements identified in the planning process are task oriented and
have been assigned completion dates. These dates are operationally feasible but will ultimately
be driven by available funding from the member communities.
There also exist work plan elements that are both strategic and political in nature. Staff will look
to the Board for additional discussion and direction related community engagement and a
detailed financial analysis.
Lastly, this process and resulting document was created by Five Cities Fire staff; it must be
acknowledged that while every effort was made to produce an unbiased document, the Board
should strongly consider retaining a qualified professional firm to validate the findings, and
complete both a “Standard of Cover” study and operational/financial analysis. This process
would likely produce the detailed information needed to satisfy the “End Game” goal included
in this report.
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Supplemental Documents
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Schedule A
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Schedule B
Total Budgeted Headcount
Full Time 41
Part Time 0
Reserve Firefighters 0
Total 41
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Schedule C
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Schedule D 36Item 12.a. - Page 42
Schedule E 37Item 12.a. - Page 43
Schedule F
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