city government - porterville, california government mayor milt stowe vice mayor cameron hamilton...

27

Upload: duongliem

Post on 04-Apr-2018

222 views

Category:

Documents


2 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte
Page 2: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

City Government

Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton

Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte Reyes

City Manager John Lollis

Page 3: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Chief’s Message

Throughout 2014, the Porterville Fire Department has focused on developing and strengthening our foundation, which embodies the men and women who comprise our personnel. As such, our personnel are preparing to assume greater levels of responsibility as we anticipate the completion of the Public Safety Facility in the coming year. Our investment in professional development will help in carrying the department through the next several years by providing future leaders the tools needed to solve tomorrow’s complex problems.

Personnel participated in 2,360 hours of professional development this year; they completed 27 California State Fire Training courses, and received 16 certifications through the Office of the State Fire Marshal. This commitment to professional development has led to: 1 member earning Chief Officer certification 7 members earning Fire Officer certification 2 members earning Fire Prevention Officer certification 3 members earning Firefighter II certification 3 members earning Firefighter 1 certification 5 members becoming qualified to drive emergency vehicles 3 members becoming qualified to operate fire pumps These firefighters are progressing and assuming greater responsibility within the organization, while gaining valuable experience as acting engineers and acting officers, in order to prepare themselves for future advancement. Porterville Fire Department invested further in the community by expanding its CPR training program and increasing the number of course offerings. Throughout the year, the department hosted 13 CPR training courses and certified 209 community members in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. These citizen-based first responders contribute toward our mission to save lives by initiating early resuscitation pending the arrival of fire and ambulance units. Upon re-evaluation, PFD has updated methods and procedures within the Fire Investigation and Code Enforcement units and has since witnessed consistently positive results. Increased effectiveness in the annual weed abatement program has resulted in dramatically fewer river bottom and grass fires during the year. The Fire investigation Unit has also contributed to a reduction in fire losses. This unit investigates all fires occurring within the City of Porterville, identifies suspects in cases of arson, submits cases to the Office of the District Attorney, and assists with the prosecution and conviction of arsonists. Advanced technology also works to improve the level of service we provide. State-of-the-art Automatic Electronic Defibrillators are now on all first response vehicles. In the hands of trained personnel, these devices improve patient survivability rates from sudden cardiac arrest. Front line fire engines have also been equipped with the latest in thermal imaging technology. The thermal imaging camera is a vital tool that helps firefighters see through the darkest smoke to quickly visualize their plan of attack, locate hot spots, and save lives. Upgrades to our radio communication system have increased its effective range by 75% - improving system reliability, and creating backup systems to ensure operational readiness in the event of a major disaster. The power of the internet and mobile networks are providing enhanced paging and emergency recall of off-duty and Reserve Firefighters, where our paging system is now capable of reaching fire personnel anywhere in the world within a matter of seconds. Graphic information systems which assist firefighters in quickly identifying the location of an emergency incident, the location of nearby fire hydrants, and the relevant jurisdictional boundaries, have been developed and put into use.

Chief Glenn Irish

Page 4: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

The department maintains a fleet of 18 emergency response vehicles. During the course of this year, we solicited bids for a new rescue truck and awarded a contract to Rosenbauer America for construction. The vehicle will soon be responding throughout the City of Porterville and the South Valley. A combination of local monies and grant funds provided by the Tule River Tribe and Eagle Mountain Casino made funding of this vehicle possible. Our response time to emergency incidents continues to improve and is largely due to the diligent efforts of our personnel. They effectively managed to meet our response time goals for emergency medical and fire incidents, at a rate greater than 82% and 83%, respectively. Even greater improvements to response time are anticipated when the Public Safety Facility, currently under construction, becomes operational. Much is changing in the community and within the Fire Department, but some things will remain invariable: our mission to protect the lives and property of the inhabitants of the City of Porterville, and our commitment to provide quality service. These tenets guide our personnel in their decisions and actions every day as they serve the community. Thank you,

Glenn S. Irish

Chief’s Message Continued

Page 5: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Porterville Fire Department

MISSION STATEMENT

The City of Porterville Fire Department is committed to providing quality service to the public. The primary

mission of the Porterville Fire Department is to provide a range of programs designed to protect the lives and

property of the inhabitants of the City of Porterville from the adverse effects of fires, sudden medical

emergencies or exposure to dangerous conditions created by either man or nature.

PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS

VALUE OF THE INDIVIDUAL: We will create an atmosphere of trust and respect that encourages individual

growth, participation, creativity and acknowledges achievement.

ORGANIZATION: We will create an organization built on a foundation of individual initiative and a collective

commitment to efficiency, consistency and results.

QUALITY SERVICE: We will place the highest value on meeting the needs of those we serve.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: We will plan for change and develop management strategies to meet the

challenges of the future.

REGIONAL COOPERATION: We will continue to promote, encourage, and participate in partnerships that

provide all communities with the highest level of service.

FIREFIGHTER CODE OF ETHICS

As a firefighter and member of the Porterville Fire Department, my fundamental duty is to serve the

community, safeguard and preserve life and property against the elements of fire and disaster; and maintain

proficiency in the art and science of fire engineering.

I will uphold the standards of my profession, continually search for new and improved methods and share my

knowledge and skills with my contemporaries and successors.

I will not allow personal feelings, nor danger to self, to deter me from my responsibilities as a firefighter.

I will, at all times, respect the property and rights of all men and women, the laws of my community and my

country, and the chosen way of life of my fellow citizens.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the fire service. I will never use my official position to obtain advantage or favor for myself, my friends or my family. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself to my chosen profession and to the saving of lives, fire prevention and fire suppression. As a member of the Porterville Fire Department, I accept this self-imposed and self-enforced obligation as my responsibility.

Page 6: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Organizational Structure

The Porterville Fire Department’s organizational structure includes Administration, the Operations Division,

and the Prevention Division.

The Operations Division is organized into three shifts, each on a rotating 24-hour schedule, and includes the

Training/Public Education Unit.

The Prevention Division includes the Battalion Chief/Fire Marshal, Fire Investigation Captain and the Code

Enforcement Officer.

Porterville Fire Department

Organizational Chart 2014

Staff

Shift

Part-time

Page 7: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

With the department mission statement of “Committed to Quality Service”, the operations division of the Porterville Fire Department provides a variety of services to its citizens as well as to those individuals visiting our community. Primary is the response to fires, emergency medical incidents and other situations that threaten life and property within the city. The division currently staffs two fire stations; however, construction of a third fire station is well underway and expected to be completed sometime in the summer of 2015. Station 3 is located on Jaye Street, south of State Route 190 and will greatly reduce response times to a large portion of the city.

Other activities of the division include conducting fire and life-safety inspections of local businesses, providing public fire education to schools and other local organizations, fire hydrant maintenance, training and the maintenance of our grounds and facilities.

Personnel: The division is comprised of 32 full-time personnel who are augmented by up to 30 reserve firefighters. The division is led by the Operations Battalion Chief and is organized into three 10-person shifts (A, B & C) that each consist of 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 3 engineers and 5 firefighters. The reserve firefighters provide additional staffing for emergency response and contribute numerous hours each month toward the achievement of department goals and objectives. The Training Unit within the Operations Division includes 1 captain who manages the department’s annual training program and coordinates emergency management response and preparedness activities with city staff.

Apparatus & Equipment: The Operations Division maintains a fleet of 18 vehicles outfitted with a

broad array of tools and equipment. Preventive maintenance is a vital function of the division to ensure

that vehicles and equipment can perform at a moment’s notice. During 2014, the division completed 6,733

hours of fleet and equipment preventive maintenance.

Facilities: The Operations Division maintains department facilities including two fire stations, the

fire prevention building, and the Regional Training Facility. The division performed 4,944 hours of facility

maintenance.

Fire Prevention Activities: The Operations Division conducted more than 1,336 prevention

inspections in 2014, correcting 1,187 fire and life-safety hazards in buildings throughout Porterville.

Reserve Firefighters: In August 2012 the Porterville Fire Department was successful in acquiring a

4 year Federal S.A.F.E.R. (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) recruitment and retention

grant. This grant allows us to recruit for Reserve Firefighters, fund training and outfit the new Reserves

with the proper uniforms and protective gear. Once these individuals are trained, it allows us to augment

staffing levels. This grant provides funding for up to 240 hours per month in stipend positions. Because

firefighters work a 24 hour shift, these stipend positions are in increments of either 12 or 24 hours. During

2014 we recorded 2,676 hours of stipend time. Many of these days the stipend employee enabled us to

staff an additional vehicle for emergency response.

Operations Division

Battalion Chief Glen Hall

Page 8: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Captain Randall Cline

Operations Division

A-Shift

Lieutenant Mike McGill Eng. David Smith Eng. Ruben Flores

Firefighter Chris Pisani Firefighter Shawn Serr Firefighter Mark Graves Firefighter Rene Zavala Firefighter Nick Sauceda

B-Shift

Captain Larry Newby Lieutenant Aaron Brunelle Eng. Anthony Alejandre Eng. Kirk Lowery

Eng. Shannon Skiles Firefighter Sabrina Barrios Firefighter Larry Segovia Firefighter Alex Rodriguez Firefighter Rhiannon Roulston

Page 9: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Operations Division

C-Shift

Captain Jeff Dodd Lieutenant Mike Hildreth Eng. Kevin Gray Eng. Allen DiViccaro

Eng. Jason Clark Firefighter Ray Figueroa Firefighter Derek Mathews Firefighter Tallen Speck Firefighter Coy Farnsworth

Secretary

Janice Celinder Part-time Secretary

Samantha Rafanan

Administrative Staff

Page 10: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Services provided by the Operations Division:

Fire suppression Emergency medical response Technical rescue Wild-land interface firefighting Emergency preparedness planning and coordination Hazardous Materials response Mutual aid response to neighboring jurisdictions Public education Fire prevention NIMS, EOC training and preparedness

Area Served:

Population Protected: 55,697 Population Density: 3102 per square mile Land Area: 17.679 square miles Career Firefighters per 1000: .62 ISO PPC Rating: Class 3

Operations Division Personnel:

Uniformed Personnel: 32 Reserve Firefighters: 30

Apparatus Profile:

Engines: 6 Ladder Trucks: 1 Patrols: 2 Rescue: 1 Mobile Command: 1

Staff / Utility: 7

Operations Division

Overview

Fire Station 1

40 W. Cleveland

Fire Station 2

500 N. Newcomb

Public Safety Facility

980 S. Jaye Street

Page 11: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Operations Division Training Unit

The Training Unit is staffed by Administrative Captain Rick Land and he is responsible for the development and maintenance of the training program to increase and enhance the response capabilities of the Fire Department, as mandated by State and Federal Standards. The Training Unit is also responsible for the City of Porterville’s National Incident Management System (NIMS) compliance program. During 2014 the Department was awarded State Homeland Security Grant funding for 5 A.E.D.’s (Automated External Defibrillator’s) and 4 Thermal Imaging Cameras.

Department Training

Fire Department personnel participated in 682 drills and classes which included structural firefighting, wild land firefighting, emergency medical technician, hazardous materials, technical rescue, and disaster management. In July the Department subscribed to 24/7 EMS; this online training program allows each member of the department to stay current with their continuing education requirements for Emergency Medical Technician certification.

Regional Training Facility

During 2014, the training facility hosted 15 courses providing more than 550 hours of instruction to 456 students from throughout the region. These courses ranged from State Fire Training Command and Management courses, Driver/Operator, Rope Rescue, Instructional Techniques, CPR, Police Officer courses, Basic Fire Firefighter, and Basic Wild Land Firefighting. During Fire Prevention week we certified 53 people in adult, child, and infant CPR.

Captain Rick Land

Page 12: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Operations Division Public Education Unit

The role of the public education officer is to offer fire prevention education and outreach to the citizens of Porterville. The public education officer works in the Operations Division under the supervision of the training captain.

The public education officer delivers programs to the public, ranging from educational presentations, fire station tours, outreach at public events, and fire-extinguisher training. Staff participates in many community events, often with the Chamber of Commerce as a fire department liaison to our business partners. In 2014 the Public Education Unit participated in 77 events serving 9,213 children and 7,068 adults.

The goal of the public education officer is to provide the public with an understanding of the inherent risks of fire, as well as how to best prepare themselves if a fire should occur. The public education officer also works with the training captain to coordinate CPR classes tailored to suit specific groups within the community. Fire Safety Education Fire safety education is based on E.D.I.T.H. (Exit Drills in the Home). Topics include, but are not limited to, Stop, Drop, and Roll, safety with matches, crawl low under smoke, calling 911, kitchen fire safety and testing/maintaining smoke detectors. Fire Station Tours We open our doors to interested groups and schools within the Porterville area that wish to tour our fire stations. An age-appropriate fire safety message is included in all fire station tours. Every visitor leaves with a better understanding of fire safety and fire department operations. Fire Extinguisher Training Our Fire Extinguisher Training Program is a digital, interactive, hands-on program that's fun, exciting and informative. The hands-on class is also offered to local businesses. Different types of fires are discussed, as well as how to choose the correct fire extinguisher. Using the P.A.S.S. technique (pull, aim, squeeze, sweep), participants are instructed on the proper and safe use of extinguishers. Our realistic, self-generating digital flames respond directly to the trainee’s actions. The self-contained system can be safely operated where live fire training is not possible.

Reserve

Allegra Fritz

Reserve

Reggie Calo

Reserve

Tommy Sayarath

Public Education Staff

Reserve Firefighters Fritz, Calo and Sayarath have each rotated through the Public Education Officer position during the year.

Page 13: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Porterville Fire Department dedicated a portion of 2014 to the design of a new rescue vehicle to replace the previous unit having been in operation over the past 12 years. Following the specification process, bids were submitted for proposals, with an accepted bid from Rosenbauer America of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The assemblage of the new rescue vehicle began at the end of the 2014 year and it was delivered on April 23 of 2015. Funding for the new vehicle is due in portion to the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund, Tule River Tribe, and Eagle Mountain Casino. This vehicle will serve the City of Porterville, and is available per request of our mutual aid partners for rescue incidents in South Eastern Tulare County.

Operation Division New Apparatus

Firefighters Sabrina Barrios and Rhiannon Roulston

Page 14: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

While most people think of firefighting as the primary role of any fire department, prevention is the first line of defense to reducing risks and hazards to people and property. The Prevention Division implements a wide variety of programs within the City of Porterville, including fire and life-safety inspections, community home care inspections, fire investigation and code enforcement. Prevention Division staff oversee and manage construction inspections and review plans for development projects within the city from start to date of completion. Additionally, during 2014 we have made significant revisions to our vegetation management program, cross-trained staff to provide more comprehensive service to the public and stepped up our efforts in the pursuit and conviction of arsonists. We have also responded to all code enforcement complaints in a timely manner utilizing the City’s Public Stuff / My Porterville App to track our progress and document the date of compliance. This concerted effort is reflected in this year’s arson convictions, the volume of code violations corrected and the number of fires that took place for 2014. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize all department staff for their commitment to our mission to provide for the protection of life and property. Stay safe,

Dave LaPere, Fire Marshall

Battalion Chief Dave LaPere

Fire Prevention Division

Henderson Village Apartments

180,868 Sq. feet of residential area

37,140 Sq. of garages / carports

168 units

Panera / Me and Ed’s Pizza

7,601 Sq. feet

Approximately 50 new jobs

Wendy’s

3,394 Sq. feet

Complete tear down and rebuild

Projects the Prevention Division has been involved in.

Page 15: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

The Fire Prevention Division focuses on providing a high level of fire and life safety to the citizens of Porterville. This has been accomplished by concentrating our efforts on the three basic elements of fire prevention: enforcement, education, and engineering. These elements are implemented by the Prevention Division through the following actions:

Enforcement: This element has been achieved by conducting 355 fire and life-safety inspections, with 442 violations resolved for the year of 2014. All code compliance issues have been mitigated with a comprehensive, business-friendly atmosphere, seeking the most efficient and cost-effective methods for compliance. Enforcement has also been carried out during abatement of hazards such as tire storage and excessive combustible vegetation. Further, the Division has conducted inspections of amusement rides and fireworks booths for compliance with City and State regulations.

Education: This element has been addressed by programs delivered by personnel through radio and printed media, and with daily contact with the general public. The division has also provided education regarding the new carbon monoxide detector requirements, Safe and Sane fireworks sales and use, and has sought to provide education as a means to gain compliance.

Engineering: Through review of plans for new buildings, in particular the fire and life safety systems, the engineering element is the first opportunity to provide input to a developer to ensure their projects are built in a fire safe manner. Through participation on the City’s Project Review Committee and consistent involvement in the plan review process, the Prevention Division has established a comprehensive commitment to be a team player with all parties involved. The Division has also provided code interpretations to architects, developers, and the general public in order to handle engineering issues before they hit the design phase of the project. In 2014, the plans review stage was followed by 167 on-site inspections of projects by Prevention Division personnel. As you can see the Prevention Division has been extremely busy this year.

Fire Prevention Division Activities

Foster Farms

Sierra View’s New Lab

Page 16: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Fire Prevention Division Fire Investigation Unit

Captain Mitch Sandoval, Engineer Jason Clark, Firefighters Chris Pisani and Michael Brodbeck

Captain Mitch Sandoval

Page 17: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

The Code Enforcement Unit coordinates with each department in the City of Porterville and with the community to achieve compliance with a variety of municipal codes. Cooperative participation from our community helps us achieve a high level of voluntary compliance.

Fire hazards have decreased significantly as the Code Enforcement Unit coordinates the annual vegetation management program with property owners. Thirty-one city-owned parcels were assigned to the vegetation management contractor for completion prior to the April 30th deadline. Forty-six properties were assigned to the vegetation management contractor for failure to comply, which is a slight increase from the previous year.

The Code Enforcement Unit received approximately 281 general nuisance complaints during 2014. Of these general complaints, 265 were corrected by the end of the year, with a large majority completed through voluntary compliance. Throughout 2014, the Code Enforcement Unit issued 160 notice of violation forms and 115 administrative citations for various code violations. With continued support, the Code Enforcement Unit can assist the citizens of Porterville to have a better understanding of the Porterville City Code, the role of code enforcement within our community and the benefits and services it provides. The Code Enforcement Unit continues to develop procedures to better serve our community. We are thankful for the wonderful support everyone has given us throughout the year and we look forward to your continued cooperation as we all strive to keep Porterville a beautiful “All-American City.”

Fire Prevention Division Code Enforcement Unit

CEO Clayton Dignam

Page 18: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

2014

Emergency Responses

Page 19: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

2014 Emergency Response Statistics

The Operations Division responded to 4,732 emergency incidents during 2014. The following graph

illustrates a breakdown of these incidents by type and percentage of total.

Incident Summary by Incident Type:

Date Range: 01/01/2014-12/31/2014

Page 20: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

The department had a reduction in fire calls from the previous year of 27%. The 2014 dollar loss was greater than 2011 and 2012 but lower than 2013. The dollar loss in 2013 was higher than previous years due mainly to the Porterville Hotel fire.

In 2014, 4 civilians and 2 firefighters were injured at fires. The civilians all suffered from smoke inhalation of varying degrees and the 2 firefighters suffered sprain / strain type injuries.

Emergency Medical incidents continue to be our greatest response percentage at nearly 73% of all calls for service. 2014 saw an increase in EMS responses of 8%.

2014 Emergency Response Statistics

Page 21: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

2014 Dollar Loss By Fixed Property Use

Dollar Loss by Property Use: Dollar loss from fire was contained to 78 of the 268 fires occurring in 2014. The loss total of $ 793,920 occurred in each of the specific types of property below. The number of fires occurring in each type of property is on the far right column. Of particular note is the dollar loss of $648,370 occurred in 1 and 2 family dwellings. This constitutes a 308% increase above the previous 4 year average.

Property Use, other Total Loss $77 Total Incidents: 1

Church, Mosque, Synagogue, Temple, Chapel Total Loss $1,000 Total Incidents: 1

Elementary school, including kindergarten Total Loss $200 Total Incidents: 1

High school/junior high/middle Total Loss $40 Total Incidents: 1

1 or 2 family dwelling Total Loss $648,370 Total Incidents: 25

Multifamily dwelling Total Loss 2,840 Total Incidents: 4

Motor vehicle or boat sales, service repair Total Loss $7,600 Total Incidents: 2

Business Office Total Loss $3,000 Total Incidents: 2

Manufacturing processing Total Loss $20,000 Total Incidents: 1

Outside material storage Total Loss $100 Total Incidents: 1

Outside storage tanks Total Loss $1,200 Total Incidents: 2

Parking garage, (detached residential garage) Total Loss $10,000 Total Incidents: 1

Outside or special property, other Total Loss $230 Total Incidents: 3

Graded and cared-for plots of land Total Loss $14,000 Total Incidents: 9

Lake, river, stream Total Loss $10,100 Total Incidents: 3

Highway or divided highway Total Loss $2,500 Total Incidents: 1

Residential street, road or residential driveway Total Loss $8,315 Total Incidents: 4

Street or road in commercial area Total Loss $38,000 Total Incidents: 5

Vehicle parking area Total Loss $26,350 Total Incidents: 11

Grand Totals: $793,9220 78

Page 22: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Response performance is a measure of how effectively and efficiently a fire department is able to respond

to, and arrive at, emergency incidents. Short response times significantly improve incident outcomes. With

structure fires, the greatest opportunity to save lives and property exists if firefighters arrive on scene prior

to “flashover”, which can occur just minutes after fire ignition. For medical emergencies, arrival of trained

and equipped medics within five minutes of cardiac arrest is essential to successful resuscitation. The

Porterville Fire Department response standard specifies criteria to effectively and efficiently deliver fire

suppression and emergency medical services. These standards protect the citizens of Porterville and the

occupational safety and health of Porterville Fire Department employees. They were developed in conformance

with the National Fire Protection Association, Standard 1710 - Standard for the Organization and Deployment of

Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career

Fire Departments.

Response time starts with receipt of dispatch at the fire station and ends with arrival of the first engine company at scene. The department standard in conformance with NFPA 1710 is to arrive at 90% of all fires within five minutes and thirty seconds, and at 90% of all EMS incidents within five (5) minutes. The charts below show the 2014 response performance to fires was 83.11%, and 82% for EMS. This constitutes an improvement over the previous year in which fire and EMS response performance was 79.30% and 78.29% respectively.

Response performance standards are set high as a challenging yet achievable goal. Improvements in

response performance over the past several years are attributed to the dedication and commitment of the

department’s firefighters to deliver the highest level of service to their community. The department

continues to identify and implement operational efficiencies to improve response times and is currently

collaborating with the Public Works Department and Transit Division on deployment of traffic preemption

systems. Additionally, the department looks forward to response time improvements made possible by

completion of the planned Public Safety Facility!

2014 Response Time Performance

The following two pages illustrate response performance to fire and emergency medical incidents in

geographic areas of the city. Each grid section, or Fire Management Zone, is approximately ¼ square mile.

The response performance is indicated by color code for each section. Fire Stations are also represented.

Page 23: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte
Page 24: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte
Page 25: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Chris Pisani was born and raised in Solvang, California. In 2008, he graduated from Cal Poly San Luis

Obispo with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Kinesiology. He began his career in the fire profession by

completing his Firefighter 1 certification at the Allan Hancock College Fire Academy in 2009.

Chris was hired as a firefighter with the City of Porterville in January of 2010. Since that time he has been

assigned to the Operations Division as a shift firefighter. Firefighter Pisani became a shift fire investigator in

March of 2013, and has the responsibility to investigate the cause and origin of fires occurring while he is on

duty. He has investigated fires ranging from commercial and residential structures, wild land, vehicles and

fire fatalities. His positive attitude and ability to function at a high level in a team environment make him a

valuable asset to the investigation unit. In addition to this, he is sometimes requested to come in off-duty to

assist in the investigation of other fires. Chris received his Firefighter 2 certification in 2012, became an

acting engineer in 2013 and completed his certification track for Fire Officer in 2014. He is presently training

to become an acting officer. During his free time, Chris enjoys camping, going to the lake, watching sports

and spending time with family and friends.

Chris recently married his bride Shannon on May 30th. Family members include his parents Angelo and Karen, and his twin sister Nina.

Firefighter of the Year

Chris Pisani

Page 26: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

2014 RECOGNITIONS

Promotions:

Jason Clark~ Engineer ~ January 1, 2014

Alex Rodriguez~ Firefighter~ May 1, 2014

Rene Zavala~ Firefighter~ May 1, 2014

Coy Farnsworth~ Firefighter~ April 16, 2014

New Reserve Firefighters:

David Avina~ Reserve~ March 1, 2014

Allegra Fritz~ Reserve~ March 1, 2014

Gerardo Hernandez~ Reserve~ March 1, 2014

Reggie Calo~ Reserve~ April 1, 2014

Patrick Jones~ Reserve~ April 1, 2014

Cliff Wiggins~ Reserve~ April 1, 2014

Gerald Emerson-Gamboa~ Reserve~ May 1, 2014

Farewell and Best Wishes:

Cody Clem~ Firefighter ~ June, 2006-October, 2014

Page 27: City Government - Porterville, California Government Mayor Milt Stowe Vice Mayor Cameron Hamilton Council Member Brian Ward Council Member Virginia Gurrola Council Member A. Monte

Porterville Fire Department would like to thank the community for its continued

support, and the City Manager and City Council for their encouragement and

support throughout the year.

Our efforts to improve fire and life safety are successful due to the many

partnerships we have in the community and we wish to thank all those whose

assistance has been invaluable:

Porterville Police/Fire Dispatchers

Porterville Police Department

Porterville College

Porterville Chamber of Commerce

County of Tulare, Office of the District Attorney

County of Tulare, Fire Department

County of Tulare, Office of Emergency Services

Sierra View Medical Center

Imperial Ambulance

American Medical Response

Porterville Unified School District, Law and Justice Education pathway

Porterville Unified School District, Academy of Health Sciences pathway

Office of the State Fire Marshal, State Fire Training

Tule River Tribe

Eagle Mountain Casino