fire and rescue operations and staffing study city of rio

Fire and Rescue

Operations and

Staffing Study

2250 East Bidwell St., Ste #100 Folsom, CA 95630

(916) 458-5100 Fax: (916) 983-2090

Management Consultants Folsom (Sacramento), CA

City of

Rio Rancho, NM

Volume 2 of 3 –

Technical Report

April 23, 2014

www.ci.pasadena.ca.us

This page was intentionally left blank

Table of Contents page i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

VOLUME 1 of 3 – Executive Summary (separately bound)

VOLUME 2 of 3 – Fire and Rescue Operations and Staffing Technical Report (this volume)

Section 1—Standards of Coverage Introduction and Rio Rancho Overview ..........................1

1.1 Background...................................................................................................... 1

1.1.1 Data and Operations Review Components .......................................... 1

1.1.2 Standards of Coverage Study Processes .............................................. 1

1.2 Operations and Data Study Scope ................................................................... 3

1.3 City of Rio Rancho Overview ......................................................................... 3

1.3.1 History Relating to Development of the City ...................................... 4

1.3.2 History of Fire Services in Rio Rancho ............................................... 5

1.3.3 Rio Rancho—Overall Description ...................................................... 5

1.4 Previous Studies of the Rio Rancho Fire Department ..................................... 6

Section 2—Rio Rancho Deployment Goals, Measures, and Risk Assessment .........................7

2.1 Community Outcome Expectations and Existing Response Performance

Measures—What is Expected of the Fire Department? .................................. 7

2.2 Community Risk Assessment .......................................................................... 8

2.2.1 Building Fire Risk ............................................................................. 10

2.2.2 Emergency Medical Services System ............................................... 13

2.2.3 Non-Fire Risk Assessment ................................................................ 14

2.2.4 Natural and Man-Made Disasters ...................................................... 15

2.3 Risk Assessment Result ................................................................................. 19

2.4 Existing City Deployment ............................................................................. 19

2.4.1 Existing Deployment Situation—What the City Has in Place

Currently ............................................................................................ 19

2.4.2 Emergency Unit Staffing ................................................................... 23

2.5 Critical Time Task Measures......................................................................... 26

Table of Contents page ii

2.5.1 Critical Task Analysis and Effective Response Force Size .............. 29

Section 3—Geo-Mapping Analysis .............................................................................................33

3.1 Distribution and Concentration Studies—How the Location of First-Due and

First Alarm Resources Affect the Outcome .................................................. 33

3.1.1 Community Deployment Baselines ................................................... 33

Section 4—Statistical Analysis ....................................................................................................43

4.1 Historical Effectiveness and Reliability of Response—What Statistics Say

About Existing System Performance............................................................. 43

4.1.1 Data Set Identification ....................................................................... 43

4.2 Analysis of Data by Time .............................................................................. 44

4.2.1 Yearly Incident Demand ................................................................... 44

4.3 Analysis of Data by Station ........................................................................... 48

4.3.1 Demand by Station Area ................................................................... 48

4.4 Analysis of Dollar Loss Incidents ................................................................. 49

4.5 Breakdown by Incident Type ........................................................................ 50

4.6 Analysis of Simultaneous Incidents ............................................................. 54

4.7 Aid Activity with Other Jurisdictions............................................................ 57

4.8 Analysis of Station Demand .......................................................................... 57

4.8.1 Station Demand Percentage ............................................................... 57

4.8.2 Unit Utilization .................................................................................. 58

4.9 Analysis of Performance ............................................................................... 59

4.9.1 Call Processing Time – Department-wide ......................................... 60

4.9.2 Turnout Time ..................................................................................... 61

4.9.3 Travel Time ....................................................................................... 62

4.9.4 Call to Arrival Performance .............................................................. 62

4.10 Effective Response Force .............................................................................. 65

Section 5—Call Processing, Training, and Financial Discussions ...........................................67

5.1 Call Processing Discussion............................................................................ 67

5.1.1 Technology ........................................................................................ 67

Table of Contents page iii

5.1.2 Call Processing Observations ............................................................ 67

5.2 Training Discussion ....................................................................................... 68

5.2.1 Training Observations ....................................................................... 69

5.3 Financial Discussion ...................................................................................... 70

5.3.1 Additional Employees ....................................................................... 71

5.3.2 Billing ................................................................................................ 73

Section 6—Overall Evaluation and Recommendations............................................................75

6.1 Overall Evaluation ......................................................................................... 75

6.2 Summary of Findings and Recommendations ............................................... 76

6.2.1 Comprehensive Plan Safety Element ................................................ 76

6.2.2 Recommended Response Time Benchmark Goals ........................... 77

6.2.3 Incident Statistics Tool ...................................................................... 77

6.2.4 Apparatus Staffing ............................................................................. 77

6.2.5 Four-minute Travel Time .................................................................. 78

6.2.6 Six-minute Travel Time .................................................................... 78

6.2.7 Command Officers ............................................................................ 79

6.2.8 Unit Hour Utilization ......................................................................... 80

6.2.9 Response Time Performance ............................................................. 80

6.2.10 Peak Period Demand ......................................................................... 80

6.2.11 Fire Crew Staffing Levels ................................................................. 81

6.2.12 Call Processing .................................................................................. 81

6.2.13 Training ............................................................................................. 81

6.2.14 Financial Analysis ............................................................................. 82

Table of Tables

Table 1—Probability and Consequence Matrix ............................................................................ 11

Table 2—Insurance Services Fire Flow ........................................................................................ 12

Table 3—Cardiac Arrest Survivability Rate ................................................................................. 14

Table of Contents page iv

Table 4—Potential Natural Hazard Risk Assessment .................................................................. 16

Table 5—Potential Technological Hazard Risk Assessment ........................................................ 17

Table 6—Potential Human Hazard Risk Assessment ................................................................... 18

Table 7—Example Deployment Guideline Based on Population Density ................................... 20

Table 8—Typical Resources Sent to Common Risk Types .......................................................... 21

Table 9—Rio Rancho Fire Department Stations and Apparatus .................................................. 24

Table 10—Daily Minimum Staffing per Unit for the City – 2014 ............................................... 25

Table 11—First Alarm Structure Fire – 13 Firefighters ............................................................... 27

Table 12—Traffic Collision with Extrication ............................................................................... 29

Table 13—Proposed Fire Station New and Overlap Road Miles ................................................. 41

Table 14—Number of Dollar Loss Incidents – Year by Station .................................................. 49

Table 15—Dollar Loss by Station ................................................................................................ 49

Table 16—Dollar Loss Incidents by Type Number of Incidents .................................................. 50

Table 17—Dollar Loss by Type in Dollars................................................................................... 50

Table 18—Number of Incidents by Incident Type ....................................................................... 51

Table 19—Total Staff Hours by Year by Incident Type .............................................................. 52

Table 20—Total Staff Hours by Year by Property Use ................................................................ 53

Table 21—Incidents Count – Year by Aid Type .......................................................................... 57

Table 22—Activity Percentage by Station ................................................................................... 58

Table 23—Unit-Hour Utilization .................................................................................................. 58

Table 24—Unit Hour Utilization Heat Graph .............................................................................. 59

Table 25—Call Processing Time Compliance at 90% ................................................................. 60

Table 26—Turnout Time 90% Compliance Department-wide .................................................... 61

Table 27—Turnout Time Compliance by Station ........................................................................ 61

Table 28—Travel Time Performance at 90% Department-wide .................................................. 62

Table 29—Travel Time Performance at 90% by Station Area ..................................................... 62

Table 30—Call to Arrival Performance Time – Department-wide .............................................. 63

Table of Contents page v

Table 31—Call to Arrival Performance Varies by Station and by Year ...................................... 63

Table 32—Fire Department Staffing Finance Assumptions ......................................................... 71

Table 33—New Staffing Costs by Position .................................................................................. 72

Table 34—New Staffing Costs; Post-Coverage 2 FF Peak Period Rescue Ambulance ............... 72

Table 35—New Staffing Costs; Post-Coverage 2 FF Engine, 2 FF Rescue Ambulance ............. 72

Table 36—New Staffing Costs; Post-Coverage 3 FF Engine, 2 FF Rescue Ambulance ............. 73

Table 37—Ambulance Billing ...................................................................................................... 73

Table 38—Alarm Billing .............................................................................................................. 74

Table of Figures

Figure 1—Risk Types Studied ........................................................................................................ 9

Figure 2—Products of Combustion per Minute (FLASHOVER) ................................................ 13

Figure 3—Number of Incidents by Year ...................................................................................... 44

Figure 4—Number of Incidents by Year by Incident Type .......................................................... 45

Figure 5—Number of Incidents by Month ................................................................................... 45

Figure 6—Number of Incidents by Month by Year ...................................................................... 46

Figure 7—Number of Incidents by Month by Incident Type ....................................................... 46

Figure 8—Number of Incidents by Hour of Day by Year ............................................................ 47

Figure 9—Number of Incidents by Day of Week by Year ........................................................... 47

Figure 10—Number of Incidents by Station ................................................................................. 48

Figure 11—Number of Incidents by Station by Year ................................................................... 48

Figure 12—Number of Incidents by Simultaneous Incident Count ............................................. 55

Figure 13—90% Call to Arrival by Simultaneous Incident Count ............................................... 55

Figure 14—Number of Simultaneous Incidents by Station .......................................................... 56

Figure 15—Number of Simultaneous Incidents by Station by Year ............................................ 57

VOLUME 3 of 3 – Map Atlas (separately bound)

Section 1—Standards of Coverage Introduction and Rio Rancho Overview page 1

VOLUME 2—FIRE AND RESCUE OPERATIONS AND STAFFING

TECHNICAL REPORT

SECTION 1—STANDARDS OF COVERAGE INTRODUCTION AND

RIO RANCHO OVERVIEW

1.1 BACKGROUND

Citygate Associates, LLC’s detailed work product for a Fire and Rescue Operations and Staffing

Study (including a Standards of Coverage analysis) for the City of Rio Rancho (City) is

presented in this volume. Citygate’s scope of work and corresponding Work Plan was developed

consistent with Citygate’s Project Team members’ experience in fire administration. Citygate

utilizes various National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publications as best practice

guidelines, along with the self-assessment criteria of the Commission on Fire Accreditation

International (CFAI) and the Insurance Services Office (ISO).

1.1.1 Data and Operations Review Components

The scope of this project included the following elements:

The study reviewed and updated the existing Rio Rancho Fire Department

Standard Operating Guidelines – Emergency Response Plan revised in 2011.

The study modeled the need and effects of the current fire station locations.

Although this is not a study of fire departments adjacent to the City, the study

considered the impacts of the City’s existing or potential automatic and mutual

aid agreements on the City’s needs.

The study tested performance against the goals consistent with national guidelines

from the NFPA, CFAI, and ISO.

Citygate used a geo-mapping software program for the updated mapping analysis

to analyze current fire station locations by driving time.

Citygate used an incident response time analysis program called StatsFD™

(formerly NFIRS 5 Alive) to review the statistics of prior historical performance

for the last 4 calendar years.

1.1.2 Standards of Coverage Study Processes

The core methodology used by Citygate in the scope of its deployment analysis work is the

“Standards of Response Coverage” 5th

Edition as published by the CFAI. This is a systems-based

approach to fire department deployment using local risk and demographics to determine the level

of protection best fitting the City’s needs.


The Standards of Response Coverage method evaluates deployment as part of the self-

assessment process of a fire agency. This approach uses risk and community expectations

regarding incident outcomes to assist elected officials make informed decisions on fire and EMS

deployment levels. Citygate has adopted this methodology as a comprehensive tool to evaluate

fire station locations and apparatus placement. Depending on the needs of the study, the depth of

the components may vary.

Such a systems approach to deployment, rather than a one-size-fits-all prescriptive formula,

allows for local determination. In this comprehensive approach, each agency can match local

needs (risks and expectations) with the costs of various levels of service. In an informed public

policy debate, a governing board “purchases” the fire and EMS service levels the community

needs and can afford.

While working with multiple components to conduct a deployment analysis is admittedly more

work, it yields a much better result than any singular component can. For instance, if only travel

time is considered, and frequency of multiple calls is not, the analysis could miss over-worked

companies. If a risk assessment for deployment is not considered, and deployment is based only

on travel time, a community could under-deploy to complex incidents.

The Standard of Response Coverage process consists of eight parts:

1. Existing Deployment – each agency has something in place today.

2. Community Outcome Expectations – what is expected of the response agency?

3. Community Risk Assessment – what assets are at risk in the community?

4. Critical Task Analysis and Time Study – what must be done over what timeframe

to achieve the stated outcome expectation of the Effective Response Force?

5. Distribution Study – the locating of first-due resources (typically engines).

6. Concentration Study – First Alarm assignment or the Effective Response Force.

7. Reliability and Historical Response Effectiveness Studies – using prior response

statistics to determine what percent of compliance the existing system delivers.

8. Overall Evaluation – proposed Standard of Cover statements by risk type.

Fire department deployment, simply stated, is about the speed and weight of the attack. Speed

calls for first-due, all-risk intervention units (engines, ladder trucks and/or rescue ambulances)

strategically located across a jurisdiction. These units are tasked with controlling moderate

emergencies and preventing them from escalating beyond a single alarm incident. Second alarm

incidents unnecessarily deplete department resources as multiple requests for service are

received. Weight is about multiple-unit responses for serious emergencies such as a room and

contents structure fire, a multiple-patient incident, a vehicle accident with extrication required, or


a heavy rescue incident. In these situations, enough firefighters must be assembled within a

reasonable time frame to safely control the emergency. This keeps many incidents from

escalating further, possibly requiring assistance from neighboring jurisdictions.

Thus, small fires and medical emergencies require a single- or two-unit response (engine and

rescue ambulance) with a quick response time. Larger incidents require more crews. In either

case, if the crews arrive too late or the total personnel sent to the emergency are too few for the

emergency type, they are drawn into a losing and more dangerous battle. The science of fire crew

deployment is to spread crews out across a community for quick response to keep emergencies

small with positive outcomes, without spreading the crews so far apart that they cannot amass

together quickly enough to be effective in major emergencies.

1.2 OPERATIONS AND DATA STUDY SCOPE

As the study progressed, it became apparent that there were particular aspects of the Department

that deserved more intense focus than others. Consequently, while every aspect of the Standards

of Coverage System was examined, this report focuses on those aspects that need the most

attention.

This study consisted of two parts: an operations analysis and a data analysis. Both of these are

considered throughout this report. The recommendations contained in this report are consistent

with the City’s desire to be cost effective and examine possible alternative strategies for meeting

Rio Rancho’s fire service needs.

1.3 CITY OF RIO RANCHO OVERVIEW

Rio Rancho is a charter city as allowed by the State of New Mexico. In 1981, Rio Rancho

incorporated. The Rio Rancho City Council governs the City. The City government is organized

under the City Council – City Manager form of Government. The City Council has six

Councilors and an elected Mayor. Councilors are elected by District. The Fire Chief oversees the

general operations of the Fire Department under the City Manager in accordance with the policy

direction prescribed by the City Council.

In 2014, the Fire Department employs 101 personnel in all program areas. The City maintains 6

fire stations strategically located throughout the City, and one administrative office. The

Department staffs sixteen front-line companies. These include six fire engines (two of which are

quints1), five ALS rescue ambulances, and one command vehicle.

1 Quint is a term used to describe a piece of fire apparatus that has both pumping capability and an aerial ladder; this

configuration gives it the capability of working as a pumper (most of the time) or as a ladder truck (less frequently).

This is a good choice for a suburban fire department because it allows the department to have aerial ladder service

without the expense of a single purpose ladder truck and crew.


The emergency medical system provided by the Department consists of five (5) Rescue

Ambulances staffed with at least one (1) Advanced Life Support Paramedics (EMT-P) and one

(1) Emergency Medical Technician (basic or intermediate). All members of the Department meet

at least the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) level of proficiency. All six of Rio Rancho

Fire Department’s engine companies are also staffed and equipped for a minimum of 2

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) responders per shift. In addition, many of the Captains

and Engineers assigned to the engines are also paramedics; the City encourages them to maintain

their licensure to create a more robust system. The Department’s EMS system provides 24-hour

emergency paramedic ambulance response, treatment, and transportation of ill and injured in Rio

Rancho. It also provides the planning and staffing of medical coverage for special events, and

related activities. As part of its fire service contract, the Department provides Sandoval County

with EMS and transport services.

The City’s service area encompasses approximately 104 square miles. Within the boundaries of

Rio Rancho are expansive undeveloped areas; most of the development is in the southern end of

the City. The remainder is on the perimeter of the City. The undeveloped area is in the center.

The developed area is primarily residential with a mix of single-family homes, multi-family

residential complexes, and convalescent/assisted living facilities. There are also light commercial

businesses of all types, including big box stores, a hotel, two regional hospitals, and state

highways. The City’s latest project is the Downtown City Centre development that includes a

City Hall building, two new college campuses, as well as the Santa Ana Star Center, a 6,500-seat

multi-purpose arena. Directly adjacent to the City’s southern edge is a large Intel chip

manufacturing facility. Although it is not in the City, the Rio Rancho Fire Department provides

services to the facility on a contract basis.

1.3.1 History Relating to Development of the City

In the early 1960s, the AMREP Corporation purchased 55,000 acres of land on the outskirts of

Albuquerque, originally called Rio Rancho Estates. This was the beginning of Rio Rancho.

AMREP marketed the area to residents in the Midwest and eastern states. When home building

began in 1962, many of the first residents were middle-income retirees. In 1966, the 100th family

moved to Rio Rancho, and by 1977 the population had grown to 5,000. In 1971, AMREP

purchased and platted the development of an additional 35,000 acres. Rio Rancho Estates

reached an area of 92,000 acres and was larger, geographically, than the City of Albuquerque.

In 1981, when Rio Rancho was incorporated, its population had reached 10,000. Several years

later a new financing program offering low interest home loans changed Rio Rancho from a

retirement community to a community attracting young families.


1.3.2 History of Fire Services in Rio Rancho

Originally established in 1965 as a volunteer fire department, the Rio Rancho Fire Rescue

Department (RRFRD) eventually evolved into a full-service career fire and rescue department.

After the incorporation of the City in 1981, the City established an integrated career-staffed

Department of Public Safety in 1985. In 2007 a standalone fire department was developed.

1.3.3 Rio Rancho—Overall Description

Topography

Rio Rancho is located in Sandoval County, with a small portion in Bernalillo County, directly

north of Albuquerque, and in the high desert of New Mexico. It lies in the Albuquerque Basin at

an elevation of about 5,679 feet. The Rio Grande River is on the northeast edge of the City. On

the north edge of the City is the Santa Ana Indian Reservation and the City of Bernalillo, and the

Village of Corrales is on the east side. To the west is unincorporated Sandoval County. The

City’s topography can best be described as rolling hills and valleys.

Climate

The climate is high desert and semi-arid. The average high temperature is 75o Fahrenheit

annually. The average low temperature is 47o F. The January average low is 30

o. The July

average high is 96o. The average yearly rainfall is 9.5 inches.

Planning Demographics

Rio Rancho covers approximately 103.7 square miles, with an average of 876 residents per

square mile or 1.4 persons per acre. However, this is somewhat misleading as large segments of

the City are undeveloped. Development has taken place on the perimeter of the City in a number

of small, disconnected developments.

According to the City’s Comprehensive Plan:

“Many cities in the United States find themselves challenged with the antiquated

platting they inherit during annexations. Antiquated platting, or premature

subdivisions, occurs when a property owner divides his land into lots for sale with

no intent to actually develop them or build them up. Rio Rancho is one such city

because of AMREP’s subdivision of Rio Rancho Estates.

These antiquated subdivisions are characterized by:

Single use designs (usually residential) with no commercial or non-residential

uses.

Designs that do not take into account environmental constraints such as flooding.


Lack of supporting infrastructure such as paved roadways, sidewalks, streetlights,

drainage, water and wastewater services or ancillary services such as sites for

schools, parks and police or fire substations. Not in conformance with local

government’s current comprehensive plan and land use ordinances.”

This development pattern has created serious challenges for response by the Fire Department.

There are an insufficient number of thoroughfares, especially north- and south-bound, for rapid

movement around a city of this geographic size. Currently the City has no program or special

funding to pave the unpaved streets. The street layout in the individual developments is primarily

dendritic, with many dead-ends and curvilinear configurations that make driving to responses

difficult. Some neighborhoods are gated, while others have traffic-calming devices, such as

speed bumps. Many streets bear the same name. This is difficult enough for personnel assigned

to a particular district; it is even more difficult for personnel who respond from outside a district.

Rio Rancho is the third largest city in New Mexico; the total population served by the City in

2012 is estimated by the Census Bureau to be 90,818. The projected population of the City by

2015 is 111,787. In 2012 there were 31,617 households in Rio Rancho.

Build-out Population Estimates

The complete build-out population of Rio Rancho is difficult to predict as so much of the area is

undeveloped, and much of it is unlikely to be developed in the near future. At four dwelling units

per acre, the population could approach one million eventually. The projected population by the

year 2025 is 165,800 with 61,410 dwelling units.

1.4 PREVIOUS STUDIES OF THE RIO RANCHO FIRE DEPARTMENT

The Department internally developed a strategic plan in 2008. It provided a starting point for the

discussions about the needs of the City for fire protection and rescue services. It was developed

at about the same time the City was developing its Comprehensive Plan.

Section 2—Rio Rancho Deployment Goals, Measures, and Risk Assessment page 7

SECTION 2—RIO RANCHO DEPLOYMENT GOALS, MEASURES, AND

RISK ASSESSMENT

2.1 COMMUNITY OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS AND EXISTING RESPONSE PERFORMANCE

MEASURES—WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT?

In November of 2010 the City of Rio Rancho adopted the current Comprehensive Plan. The

Comprehensive Plan is an effort by the City to facilitate long-term, sustainable growth.

Currently the Comprehensive Plan has no Safety Element. A Safety Element would address the

basic policy needs for fire protection and provide the starting point for discussion about the best

practices that the City wishes to incorporate as it develops.

Finding #1: The City does not have an overarching policy on Fire Protection,

as would be found in a Safety Element of a Comprehensive Plan.

A Safety Element would describe the long-term planning goals for

Fire Protection in Rio Rancho.

Recommendation #1: Consider Adoption of a Safety Element to the

Comprehensive Plan: A Safety Element added to the

City’s Comprehensive Plan would guide policymakers,

developers, planners, and other City staff as they

considered new projects going forward and their impacts

on the fire protection system.

Because there is no Safety Element in the Comprehensive Plan, and no prior adopted

Standard of Response Coverage policy statement by the City, the starting point for this

discussion are the current best practices as established by the National Fire Protection

Association. The National Fire Protection Association Standard 1710, Organization and

Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special

Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, is a national best practice and

recommends that the first-due fire unit should arrive within 6:20 minutes/seconds of 9-1-1

being answered. However, Citygate recommends a 7-minute compliance time. This includes

1 minute for dispatch processing, and to acknowledge turnout time can take up to 2 minutes

due to safety clothing compliance, and the design of some fire stations. A 7-minute goal

allows for some variance in either the dispatch and or turnout time steps. Thus, a complete

total response goal consists of:


1 minute dispatch processing + 2 minutes crew turnout + 4 minutes driving time = 7 minutes

Citygate has found that in urbanized areas this objective is generally achievable. For the

purposes of this study this best practice will be the starting point for discussions, observations,

findings, and recommendations. In this study, Citygate recommends response time objectives to

include all risks (fire, EMS, hazardous materials, and technical rescue responses). The objectives

will be consistent with the CFAI systems approach to response.

Citygate uses the Standards of Response Cover Process developed by CFAI as the process for

reviewing existing emergency services outcome expectations. This process essentially asks, “For

what purpose does the response system exist?”, and “Has the governing body adopted any

response performance measures?” If so, the performance measures used need to be understood,

and quality data must be collected.

Current national best practice is to measure the percentage of the time a goal is achieved (e.g.,

goals are met 90 percent of the time), and not the arithmetic mean. Mathematically this is called

a “fractile” measure.2 This is because the measure of “average” response time only identifies the

central or middle point of response time performance for all calls for service in the data set.

Using an average makes it impossible to know how many incidents had response times that were

far beyond the average, or just over it. For example, if a department has an average response time

of 5 minutes for 5,000 calls for service, it cannot be determined how many calls past the average

point of 5 minutes were answered in the 6th

minute, or the 10th

minute. It would be a significant

issue if hundreds or thousands of calls were answered far beyond the average point. Fractile

measures identify the percentage of incidents that are reached after specific measures of time

elapse.

Rio Rancho is in possession of data from its computer aided dispatch (CAD) system, and its

Records Management System (RMS) indicating its actual performance in the three areas of total

response time.

As stated previously, total response time is the sum of the fire dispatch time, crew turnout time,

and road travel. This is consistent with the recommendations of the CFAI.

2.2 COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk assessment is a major component of developing a Standards of Coverage document. Risk

assessment identifies the type of incidents the fire department will respond to, and what

resources and staffing they will need to mitigate the situation.

2 A fractile is the point below which a stated fraction of the values lie. The fraction is often given in percent; the

term percentile may then be used.


For risk assessment in a Standards of Coverage document, we typically look at low, moderate,

high/special, and maximum risk. Risk also can be classified by frequency and consequences.

Frequency is how often an incident can occur in a type of occupancy. The table below identifies

risks the Rio Rancho Fire Department studied to develop this Standards of Coverage document.

As an “All Risk” response agency, all of these types of incidents were studied.

Figure 1—Risk Types Studied

The Rio Rancho Fire Department used several types of demographic data to understand how to

deploy emergency response or prevention resources to mitigate the seriousness of an emergency.

The data are:

1. Population and socioeconomic data from City Planning and U.S. Census Bureau

data sets;

2. Building Fire Flow3 and type of construction data as collected by the Insurance

Service Office (ISO);

3. Building and construction data from the City of Rio Rancho;

3 The amount of water that would need to be applied if the building were seriously involved in fire. The measure of

fire flow is expressed in gallons per minute (gpm).


4. The Rio Rancho Fire Department’s Records Management System (RMS)

occupancy information;

5. The City’s Hazard Vulnerability Analysis.

2.2.1 Building Fire Risk

Citygate, with the help of Fire Department staff, obtained data from the Department’s Records

Management System (RMS) to conduct an in-depth risk analysis of the building stock in Rio

Rancho. The data included building height, type of building construction, fire protection systems

built into the building (detection and suppression), how it is being occupied, by whom, and

numerous other factors. Based on this information, and using nationally recognized criteria,

Citygate determined a risk factor for the structures. Risks are divided into the following four

classifications, further defined and described below:

Maximum Risk Occupancies

High/Special-Risk Occupancies

Moderate-Risk Occupancies

Low-Risk Occupancies

Maximum Risk Occupancies: Large computer chip manufacturers, call centers, large big box

stores, chemical hazard manufacturing processes, and high occupancy assisted living facilities

that are not protected by fire sprinklers with residents who are non-ambulatory. Rio Rancho has

five occupancies that are designated as maximum risk.

High/Special-Risk Occupancies: Schools, apartments, hospitals, nursing homes, low-rise

buildings, commercial structures, dwellings in water deficient areas, and other high-life hazard or

large fire potential occupancies. Rio Rancho has 32 educational facilities, 55 multi-family type

residences, including assisted living facilities, day care facilities, and several residential

properties where the residents have limited mobility or functionality.

Moderate-Risk Occupancies: One-, two-, or three-family dwellings, small commercial and

industrial occupancies. Approximately 85 percent of the occupancies within the City of Rio

Rancho fall into the Moderate-Risk category.

Low-Risk Occupancies: Outbuildings, park restrooms, sheds and very small drive-by/thru

service structures. They represent the remaining structures in Rio Rancho. A single fire company

usually handles fires in these structures.

The most common risk in any community like Rio Rancho is fire. Rio Rancho has a vast mix of

occupancy classifications, which help to determine risk level. For example the City of Rio

Rancho has over 700 occupancies classified as a business, or “B” Occupancies. Typically these

buildings are lower risks for ignition because they were constructed more recently. Newer


building codes are more definitive and comprehensive for construction and fire safety then in

years past. However, modern housing also consists of larger homes featuring open space designs

filled with petrochemical based fuels, large void spaces, building material changes, and new

technologies.4 The result is faster fire propagation, shorter time to flashover, rapid changes in fire

dynamics, shorter escape times, shorter times to collapse, and new/unknown hazards. Even

though the chance of ignition has dropped, and residential alerting and sprinkler systems make

the chance of escape more likely, fires are prone to be more destructive.

Table 1 illustrates the probability and consequences for each of the four fire risk types. The

Probability/Consequence Matrix represents the risk assessment factor that each community must

consider. The probability of an incident occurring ranges from high to low. There is also a

consequence when an incident occurs, also ranging from high to low. Both probability and

consequences are reviewed by the fire department to assure proper distribution (location) of fire

stations and concentration, the number of units needed to suppress the fire and limit the

consequences.

Table 1—Probability and Consequence Matrix

Low Consequence High Consequence

Hig

h P

rob

ab

ilit

y

Moderate Risk

(High Probability)

(Low Consequence)

Maximum Risk

(High Probability)

(High Consequence)

Lo

w P

rob

ab

ilit

y

Low Isolated Risk

(Low Probability)

(Low Consequence)

High/Special Risk

(Low Probability)

(High Consequence)

To further determine the appropriate response mix of fire units and staffing, Citygate reviewed

an extensive data file from the Insurance Service Office (ISO) of local properties that the ISO

reviewed on site for underwriting purposes. One of the measurements that ISO collects is called

“fire flow,” which is the amount of water that would need to be applied if the building were

seriously involved in fire. The measure of fire flow is expressed in gallons per minute (gpm).

Table 2 below lists the numbers of buildings by required fire flow in Rio Rancho. In total, there

were 319 buildings listed in the file. The table also identifies the number of firefighters and

4 According to, Research With the Fire Service to Understand the Changing Severity of Home Fires Underwriters

Laboratories, Steve Kerber, PE Fire Protection Engineer, Fire Research, December 11, 2012.


number of pumpers needed to produce these fire flows. Of the buildings in the ISO data set, 61

buildings have required fire flows of 2,500 gpm or higher. There are a total of 2 buildings with

fire flows in excess of 4,000 gpm, and 2 buildings at 5,000 gpm. To put this into perspective,

historical data collected after large building fires shows that each engine pumps about 500 gpm,

even though their individual pumping capacity is much higher than that.

A major fire at any one of these buildings would require more resources then Rio Rancho staffs.

The entire on-duty City firefighting force of 26 people would be overwhelmed. Using the

generally accepted figure of 50 gallons per minute per firefighter on large building fires, a fire in

a building requiring 2,500 gallons per minute would require 50 firefighters. Rio Rancho staffs 26

personnel daily as a minimum. Resources from neighboring jurisdictions would be required to

handle fires of this nature.

Table 2—Insurance Services Fire Flow

Number of Buildings

Required Fire Flow in Gallons per Minute (GPM)

Number of Firefighters @ 50 GPM

Number of Pumpers @ 500 GPM

2 5,000 100 10

2 4,500 90 9

15 3,500 70 7

22 3,000 60 6

20 2,500 50 5

23 2,250 45 5

14 2,000 40 4

19 1,750 35 4

29 1,500 30 3

29 1,250 25 3

95 <1,000 20 2

Deployment resources and response time are two critical components necessary for a good

outcome. As indicated in the following chart, response times of 7 minutes are ideal to stop the

fire before flashover. Flashover is the point at which the entire room erupts into fire after all

items in that room have reached their ignition temperature. If a person is in that room,

survivability diminishes significantly.

There are other passive systems that can be put in place to assist in the reduction of flashover

potential. Automatic smoke detectors are certainly a good start, and one mandated by all building

codes. Fire sprinklers in both residences and commercial occupancies reduce the risk of

flashover significantly. The following figure represents the time it takes for a flashover to occur.


The figure also illustrates how passive fire protection systems can help reduce the flashover

potential.

Figure 2—Products of Combustion per Minute (FLASHOVER)

Source: http://www.firesprinklerassoc.org

2.2.2 Emergency Medical Services System

Dispatch protocols determine the number of units and personnel that respond to incidents,

depending on the type of 9-1-1 call for medical assistance. The call may only receive the closest

available paramedic ambulance, or it may require the closest available paramedic ambulance and

a fire engine. In some cases only the ambulance is dispatched, but the engine responds as well to

assist loading the patient, among other tasks.

The most serious medical emergency would likely be a heart attack, or similar incident, whereby

there was an interruption or blockage of oxygen to the body. Table 3 indicates survivability rate

of a heart attack victim. Other factors can influence survivability as well, such as early

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) by citizens, early defibrillation, and advanced life support


intervention. Rio Rancho Fire Department has a structured EMS delivery system that delivers

these services. In addition, the Department provides a CPR training program to the public as part

of its early intervention protocols.

Table 3—Cardiac Arrest Survivability Rate

Source: www.suddencardiacarrest.org

2.2.3 Non-Fire Risk Assessment

Non-fire risk assessment takes into account technical rescues, hazardous materials, natural

hazard risks, technological hazard risks, and human factors. Rio Rancho has done an excellent

job in developing a matrix for all these hazards and rating the probability and risk to the

community.

Technical Rescue Risk Assessment

It is difficult to predict the location of technical rescue requests for service in a suburban city.

The potential types of technical rescues that might occur in Rio Rancho range from trench

collapses from water pipe installations, high angle rescue of window washers, structural collapse

after an earthquake, confined space rescues from tanks and underground vaults, and swift water


rescues from the Rio Grande river. Technical rescues can also come from industrial zones.

Personnel trapped in machinery, transportation accidents, aircraft crashes, and motor vehicle

accidents account for many technical rescues. Rio Rancho has prepared and trained for these

events and has established a response matrix for their communications center to send the

appropriate number of personnel and equipment to mitigate the situation. If additional resources

are required, the County Fire Mutual Aid System will be implemented.

Hazardous Materials Risk Assessment

Hazardous materials are present throughout Rio Rancho, in transportation as well as at fixed

facilities. The Fire Department needs to deliver services to mitigate these incidents. Before

service levels can be defined, the amounts and types of hazardous materials generally found in

Rio Rancho needs to be evaluated. This evaluation is based on the level of risk; not all materials

present a high level of risk or concern. These risks include a swimming pool supply facility,

large underground pipelines for natural gas, and 35 occupancies classified as Hazardous

Occupancy according to the building code.

Rio Rancho also has a contract to provide fire protection to the Intel facility just outside of the

City limits. Intel computer chip manufacturing plants use numerous hazardous materials in their

processes. The Fire Department has an excellent relationship with Intel’s Emergency Response

Team (ERT), and trains often with them on- and off-site.

2.2.4 Natural and Man-Made Disasters

The City completed a comprehensive Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) for the FEMA

Hazard Mitigation Program. The HVA identifies many risks associated with public safety

through three individual assessments. These consist of a Natural Hazards Analysis, a

Technological Hazard Analysis, and Human Hazard Analysis. The hazards identified by the

HVA can impact individuals in the City, and can disrupt essential services, such as hospitals or

electrical power supplies.

Upon completion of this assessment, the Department improved its Emergency Operations Plan

and conducted staff training and educational meetings for the community. In conjunction with

this HVA, the City also identified the community’s critical infrastructure and facilities.

Natural Hazards Analysis and Risk Potential

Natural hazards are best described as risks attributed to natural phenomena, such as floods or

hurricanes. There are 19 such hazards identified in Table 4.


Table 4—Potential Natural Hazard Risk Assessment

Event Probability Human Impact

Property Impact

Business Impact

Internal Response

External Response Risk

Likelihood this will occur

Possibility of death or injury

Physical losses and damages

Interruption of services

Time, effectiveness,

resources

Community/ Mutual Aid staff and supplies

Relative threat*

SCORING

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = High

2 = Moderate

3 = Low or none

0 = N/A

1 = High

2 = Moderate

3 = Low or none

0 - 100%

Blizzard 1 1 1 2 2 2 17%

Bosque Fire 2 1 2 1 1 1 26%

Dam Inundation

1 1 2 1 2 1 15%

Drought 3 2 1 1 1 1 39%

Earthquake 1 1 1 1 2 2 17%

Epidemic 2 2 1 2 1 1 30%

Flash Floods 3 2 2 1 1 1 44%

High Winds 3 1 2 1 1 1 39%

Ice Storm 1 2 1 2 2 2 19%

Landslide 1 1 2 2 1 1 17%

Large Fire (facilities, including HazMat)

2 2 2 2 1 1 33%

Lightening 2 2 1 1 1 1 26%

Severe Thunderstorm

2 2 1 1 1 1 26%

Snow Fall 2 2 1 2 2 2 37%

Temperature Extremes

2 2 1 1 1 1 26%

Tornados 1 3 3 3 2 2 28%

Urban Flood 1 1 3 2 2 2 20%

Volcanic Eruption

1 2 2 2 2 2 22%

Wildfire 1 1 2 2 2 1 19%

*Threat increases with percentage.

Technological Hazard Analysis and Risk Potential

Rio Rancho had the forethought to identify potential technological hazards, determine the risk

level, and prepare for response.


Table 5—Potential Technological Hazard Risk Assessment


Property Impact

Business Impact

Internal Response


Likelihood this will occur

Possibility of death or injury




resources


Relative threat*

SCORING

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = High

2 = Moderate

3 = Low or none

0 = N/A

1 = High

2 = Moderate

3 = Low or none

0 - 100%

Communications Failure

3 2 1 2 1 1 44%

Electrical Failure 2 2 1 2 1 1 30%

Information Systems Failure

2 1 1 2 1 1 26%

Power Outage 2 2 1 2 2 2 37%

Sewer Failure 2 1 2 2 2 1 33%

Supply Shortage 3 2 1 2 1 1 44%

Transportation System Failure

3 2 1 2 2 1 50%

Water Failure 2 2 1 2 1 1 30%


Human Hazard Risk Analysis and Risk Potential

Human hazards are best described as risks attributed to the action of individuals or groups,

generally malicious in intent. The City of Rio Rancho developed the following table:


Table 6—Potential Human Hazard Risk Assessment


Property Impact

Business Impact

Internal Response


Likelihood this

will occur Possibility of

death or injury




resources


Relative threat*

SCORING

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = Low

2 = Moderate

3 = High

0 = N/A

1 = High

2 = Moderate

3 = Low or none

0 = N/A

1 = High

2 = Moderate

3 = Low or none

0 - 100%

Aircraft Accident or Transportation Accidents Involving the NTSB

2 3 2 3 1 1 41%

Bomb Threat 3 1 1 2 1 0 33%

Civil Disturbance

3 2 2 1 1 1 44%

Cyber Attack 2 1 1 2 2 2 37%

Hostage Situation

2 2 0 2 1 1 26%

Infant Abduction

0 0 0 0 0 0 0%

Labor Action 1 1 1 2 2 3 20%

Mass Casualty Incident

3 3 1 2 1 1 50%

Security Breach at State/County Facility

1 2 1 1 1 1 13%

Special Event Accident

2 3 1 1 1 1 30%

Structural Collapse

2 2 2 2 1 2 37%

VIP Situation 2 2 1 1 1 1 30%

Workplace Violence

3 3 1 3 1 1 56%

SCORE 2 2 1 2 1 1 26%



2.3 RISK ASSESSMENT RESULT

Upon review of the risk assessment data, Rio Rancho has:

Suburban population densities in most of the developed areas; elsewhere,

densities are emerging suburban, rural, or undeveloped.

Building stock ranging from single-family detached homes to commercial

businesses.

Unique commercial and institutional buildings such as hospitals, colleges, and

research facilities.

A strong Fire Department mutual aid agreement and resources on three sides of

the City.

Based on the these factors, the City has staffed and designed its response system to field an

“Effective Response Force5” of 13 firefighters, including a command officer, to serious

incidents, and paramedic staffed rescue ambulances for emergency medical responses. The

Department’s multi-unit force (the First Alarm) is designed to stop the escalation of an

emergency and keep it from spreading to greater alarms.

2.4 EXISTING CITY DEPLOYMENT

2.4.1 Existing Deployment Situation—What the City Has in Place Currently

Guidelines

Given that the City Council has not adopted a response time policy, the response time

benchmarks used in this study are similar to those found in the Commission for Fire

Accreditation International (CFAI). Rio Rancho has been reporting performance to the National

Fire Protection Association (NFPA) consistent with the deployment guideline found in NFPA

Standard 1710. However, given the topography and road design in Rio Rancho, it will be

impossible to meet this recommended standard in all but the more intensely populated areas.

Citygate’s proposed benchmarks for Rio Rancho are based on the population density, and the

likelihood that a room and contents fire that is not immediately suppressed could become a large-

scale event. In a highly urbanized area, where the population is 5,000 people per square mile or

greater, an all-risk initial intervention unit (Engine Company or Ladder Truck Company) should

arrive at the scene of a critical emergency in 7 minutes or less from the time of call receipt in fire

dispatch, 90 percent of the time. All the companies that make up the Effective Response Force

5 An “Effective Response Force” (ERF) is a multi-unit force designed to stop the escalation of an emergency and

keep it from spreading to greater alarms.


should arrive at critical emergencies within 11 minutes, again from call receipt. In these two

measures, the travel time is 4 minutes for the first unit and 8 minutes for remainder of the

Effective Response Force (First Alarm) units. Rio Rancho has not reached this population

density yet, so this measure can be used in the future. Most of Rio Rancho is suburban and

emerging suburban density. For suburban areas with populations between 1,000 and 5,000

per square mile, a travel time of 6 minutes for the first arriving unit and a travel time of 9

minutes for the balance of the response are both adequate and achievable. However,

benchmarks are defined by what the community would like to see as an optimal response time.

Citygate has developed a deployment guideline that works well for developing communities:

Table 7—Example Deployment Guideline Based on Population Density

Travel Measures6 Urban<5,000

Suburban 1,000 – 5,000

Emerging Suburban

250 – 1,000 Rural<250 Undeveloped

1st Due Travel Time 4 Min. 6 Min. 8 Min. 10 Min. 15 Min.

1st Due Total Reflex 7 Min. 9 Min. 11 Min. 13 Min. 18 Min.

1st Alarm (ERF) Travel 8 Min. 9 Min. 12 Min. 15 Min. 20 Min.

1st Alarm (ERF) Total Reflex

11 Min. 12 Min. 15 Min. 18 Min. 23 Min.

This deployment guideline provides a logical sequence of response time goals as the City

develops. In a highly urbanized setting with high-density development and the potential for

catastrophic events unfolding very rapidly, a shorter response time is necessary. In a suburban

area where lots are larger and the population is more spread out, the likelihood of a rapidly

developing catastrophic event, such as a fire conflagration, is lower and a slight increase in the

response time is appropriate. As the density decreases and the buildings are more spread out,

further increases in response times are allowed. Maintaining a fire service infrastructure with

four-minute travel times is very costly, and the less dense areas simply do not generate the

funding to support it.

Critical emergencies are those immediately threatening to life, or likely to cause severe property

damage from fire. Crew turnout time is longer in critical emergencies because more protective

clothing must be donned before the fire apparatus can respond. Thus, the CFAI-recommended

total response time includes:

6 “1

st Due” refers to the closest available response resource (i.e., first due to arrive at the emergency). “1

st Alarm”

refers to the total force generally required to abate the emergency (i.e., all the response resources initially sent to an

emergency).


1. Sixty (60) seconds or less dispatcher processing time, when pre-arrival medical

directions are not given to the caller

2. Sixty (60) seconds or less fire crew turnout time to medical incidents, 80 seconds

for fire incidents

3. A travel (driving) time of 4 minutes for the first-due unit and 8 minutes for

multiple units to severe emergencies.

As indicated in the table above, these reflex times are appropriate for urban areas while more

generous times are appropriate for less densely populated areas. As areas develop and density

increases, a more robust response system is indicated.

Services Provided

The Rio Rancho Fire Department is an “all-risk” fire department providing the people it protects

with services that include structure fire, paramedic ambulance, technical rescue, hazardous

materials response, and many other services.

In all, the dispatching system uses 27 unique resource-dispatching groups to provide the

appropriate mix of resources to respond to the each risk situations. The City’s Police/Fire

Dispatch Center’s computer-aided-dispatch (CAD) system, which selects the closest and most

appropriate resource types for the risk, handles this function. The following table shows the

resources dispatched to common risk types:

Table 8—Typical Resources Sent to Common Risk Types

Risk Type Type of Resources Sent Total Firefighters

Sent

1-Patient EMS (A, B, O)7 1 Rescue Ambulance 2 FF

1-Patient EMS (C, D, E) 1 Engine and 1 Rescue Ambulance 4-5 FF

Automobile Fire 1 Engine and 1 Rescue Ambulance 4-5 FF

Structure Fire 3 Engines, 2 Rescue Ambulances, and 1 Battalion

Chief (additional Engines or Rescue Ambulances will be called to make 13 FF)

13 FF

Wildland Fire 1 Engine, 1 Brush Truck, and 1 Battalion Chief 6-7 FF

Traffic Collision with Entrapment

2 Engines, 1 Rescue Ambulance, and 1 Battalion Chief

7-9 FF

7 A, B, O and C, D, E refer to Clawson System EMS designation. Dispatch will determine deployment according to

the Clawson protocols.


Fire

The Department provides fire protection services utilizing six engine companies, of which two

are quints, and five rescue ambulances out of six stations. In addition, the Department has the

capability to handle wildland fires and vegetation fires with its engines and brush units. The

Department can also deploy a Wildland Strike Team—a team of wildland firefighters and

apparatus able to take on up to 2-week assignments outside of Rio Rancho. These deployments

are reimbursed in accordance with the Regional Mobilization Plan (RMP).

The Department has three reserve engines and one reserve ladder truck along with specialty

apparatus and trailers for other types of responses.

Rescue

The Department also provides technical rescue response, including structural collapse, confined

space rescue, swift-water rescue (advanced technician), trench rescue, and high-angle rope

rescue, all at the technician level except as noted.

The Department handles traffic collisions, including entrapments requiring extrication.

The hazardous materials response team is trained to technician-level, however, is only equipped

to handle responses at the operations level with level-B suits.

Medical

The Department provides single-tiered emergency medical services response. This service

includes first response, evaluation, treatment, and transport of the sick and injured by at least one

paramedic on scene. The Department operates five rescue ambulances, each staffed with a

paramedic and firefighter. The rescue ambulance crews are all trained as firefighters, which

enhances the City’s firefighting capability if they are available. In addition many of the

firefighters and company officers assigned to the engines have paramedic certification and

operate in that capacity when needed.

Finding #2: The City has not identified a deployment measure or set of

specialty response measures adopted by the Rio Rancho City

Council for all-risk emergency responses. Nor has it identified a

goal tied to risks and outcome expectations. The deployment

measure should identify a second measurement to define multiple-

unit response coverage for serious emergencies. The deployment

measure should vary according to population density and

associated risk. Making these deployment goal changes will meet

the best practice recommendations of the Commission on Fire

Accreditation International.


Recommendation #2: Adopt City Council Policy Deployment Measures:

The City should adopt performance measures to direct

fire crew planning and to monitor the operation of the

Department. The measures should take into account a

realistic company turnout time of 2 minutes and be

designed to deliver outcomes that will save patients

likely to recover upon arrival; and to keep small, but

serious, fires from becoming greater alarm fires. The

policies should be realistic, affordable, and not over-

promise positive outcomes to all neighborhoods, all of

the time. Adopt a blended response goal tiered to

population levels.

Finding #3: Once a policy is developed, the Fire Department must have the

capability of analyzing its performance and reporting to the

Council on its ability to comply.

Recommendation #3: Citygate recommends that the City obtain a fire

deployment incident statistics analysis tool such as

StatsFD.

2.4.2 Emergency Unit Staffing

Stations and Apparatus

The City’s stations and apparatus are sited in the following table:


Table 9—Rio Rancho Fire Department Stations and Apparatus

Assignment City I.D. Description

Station 1—2810 Southern Blvd.

Engine 1 907 2007 Pierce 2000 GPM Pump 75 foot Quint

Rescue 1 964 2013 Ford E40

Reserve Engine 1 925 1999 Pierce 1999 1500 GPM Pumper

Reserve Rescue 10 906 2006 Ford 350

Brush 1 919 2000 Ford 150 GPM Wildland Pumper

Battalion 1 952 2009 Ford Explorer

Reserve Ladder 1 912 1996 Pierce 1500 GPM Reserve Ladder

Station 2—1490 Cherry Road

Engine 2 957 2010 Pierce 1500 GPM Pumper

Rescue 2 961 2007 Ford 550

Brush 2 922 2007 GMC 300 GPM Wildland Pumper


Station 3—1650 Riverside Drive


Rescue 3 930 2008 Ford 350

Utility 1 918 1992 Ford 350

Boat 1

Station 4 (Apparatus Storage)—3309 19th

Avenue

Engine 4 925 2001 International 1250 GPM Pumper (Wildland)

Rescue 4 905 1997 Ford 350

Station 5—5301 Santa Fe Hills Blvd.

Engine 5 927 2007 Pierce 2000 GPM Pump 65 Foot Quint

Rescue 5 929 2008 Ford 350

Brush 5 920 2003 Ford 150 GPM Wildland Pumper


Station 6—3125 Mariposa Parkway


Rescue 6 960 2007 Ford 550

Tender Engine 6 914 1989 Pierce 2000 gal.

Reserve Engine 2 911 1996 Pierce 1500 GPM Pumper

Station 7—641 Rockaway Blvd.


Rescue 7 963 2012 Freightliner M2

Heavy Technical Rescue (HTR) 1 913 1993 International 500 GPM Pumper

HTR Trailer


Staffing

The Department’s current daily staffing plan is:

Table 10—Daily Minimum Staffing per Unit for the City – 2014

Per Unit Minimum Extended Minimum

3 Engines @ 3 Firefighters/day 9

3 Engines @ 2 Firefighters/day 6

5 Rescue Ambulances @ 2 Firefighter-Paramedics/day 10

Subtotal firefighters: 25

Battalion Chief 1 Per day for command 1

Total: 26

The firefighter-paramedics are fully trained as firefighters, increasing the number of firefighters

available for severe emergencies. The rescue ambulances are paired with the engine companies,

providing a staffing level of four or five firefighters from each of the stations, except Station 6,

which is currently staffed with a captain and an engineer.

The six engine companies are staffed on a daily basis with a minimum staffing of two or three

firefighters. Two of the engines are quints, a fire service term used to describe engines that are

equipped with aerial ladders; they have the same staffing requirements as the other engine

companies. The daily minimum shift staffing count is 25 firefighters plus one Battalion Chief.

Per NFPA 1710, 15 firefighters plus a command chief are required for a typical room and

contents fire in a suburban home. Rio Rancho considers 13 firefighters, including command, an

effective response force. For most single-patient EMS events, one engine company plus a rescue

ambulance is needed. For the simplest medical emergencies, one rescue ambulance is dispatched.

Given that, the daily staffing depth of the Department is adequate to handle one structure fire and

no more than two medical emergencies before relying on mutual aid.

The Department is a member of the Albuquerque Metro Area Mutual Aid Agreement. This

agreement provides for mutual aid response into Rio Rancho from the surrounding fire

departments. Under the agreement, each agency can send requested units into Rio Rancho, if Rio

Rancho’s units are committed to other emergencies or if there is a major fire or other emergency.

Finding #4: Apparatus staffing is appropriate for a City of this size and

population density because the ambulance crews are trained as

firefighters.


Recommendation #4: Citygate recommends that the Department continue this

practice of training ambulance crews as firefighters.

2.5 CRITICAL TIME TASK MEASURES

In order to understand the time it takes to complete all of the needed tasks on a moderate

residential fire and a modest emergency medical rescue, Department staff provided time-task

information using their standard operating procedures. These time-task evolutions8 were utilized

to demonstrate how much time the operations take. There are several important observations and

caveats regarding these results.

1. The evolution results were obtained under the best conditions. The day was sunny

and moderate in temperature. The structure fire response times are from the actual

time required to get to the simulated location and show how units arrive at

staggered intervals. There were no other incidents interfering with the arrival

times.

2. The tasks listed in the table require manpower to complete. The fewer the

firefighters, the longer they take to complete. Critical steps are highlighted in grey

in the table.

3. The time for task completion is usually a function of how many personnel are

simultaneously available so that firefighters can complete some tasks

simultaneously.

4. Some tasks must be assigned to a minimum of two firefighters to comply with

safety regulations. For example, two firefighters are required to search a smoke-

filled room for a victim. Many other tasks require more than one firefighter

working together to accomplish.

The following tables of unit and individual duties are required at a First Alarm fire scene for a

typical single-family dwelling fire. This set of duties is taken from the Department’s operational

procedures, which is entirely consistent with the customary findings of other agencies using the

Standards of Response Cover process. No conditions existed to override the OSHA 2-in/2-out

safety policy.

The response included three engines, two rescue ambulances, and one battalion chief for a total

of 13 personnel.

8 Evolution is a term used by the fire service to describe the discrete activities at an emergency that are necessary to

abate the emergency. For example, laddering a building, getting on the roof, and cutting a hole to allow hot gasses to

escape is an evolution.


Scenario: This was a simulated one-story residential structure fire with no rescue situation.

Responding companies received dispatch information as typical for witnessed fire. Upon arrival

they were told approximately 1,000 square feet of the home was involved in fire.

Table 11—First Alarm Structure Fire – 13 Firefighters

Task Description Task Clock

Time

Elapsed Time from

9-1-1 Notes

Time of call 00:00 00:00

Dispatch 02:54 02:54

Crew turnout 02:50 05:44

Travel to scene 06:46 12:30

First engine on scene 00:00 12:30 E7

Rescue Ambulance on scene 00:00 12:30 R3

First unit walk around size-up 01:21 13:51 E7 - Captain

Forcible entry 02:18 16:09 R3

Attack team entry pre-connect 01:26 E7 – Pipeman – done while

forcible entry in progress

Back-up fire attack line 00:39 E7 – Pipeman – done while


Positive pressure ventilation set-up 00:33 E7 – Pipeman – done while


2nd

Engine on scene/water supply 07:18 E2 – Assigned by IC

3rd

Unit on scene – actually a Rescue 07:18 R2 – Assigned Primary Search

Attack line advanced to interior 00:16 16:25 R3

Battalion Chief on scene/command 08:40 BC4

Ladder truck on scene/ventilation – actually an Engine

10:06 E1 – Assigned ventilation

Water supply to attack pumper 04:19 20:44 E2

Ladder to roof 01:26 22:10 E1

Primary Search 06:45 28:55 R2 – Completed

Secure utilities 01:10 30:05 E7 – Pipeman

Vertical ventilation complete in roof 04:59 35:04 E1

Fire under control 01:46 36:50 R3

Total Time to Control: 36:50

Total Personnel: 13

The above duties combine to form an Effective Response Force or First Alarm assignment.

Remember that the above discrete tasks must be performed simultaneously and effectively to


achieve the desired outcome; arriving on-scene does not stop the escalation of the emergency.

While firefighters accomplish the above tasks, the clock keeps running.

Fire spread in a structure can double in size during its free burn9 period. Many studies have

shown that a small fire can spread to engulf the entire room in less than four to five minutes after

free burning has started. Once the room is completely engulfed in flame (known as flashover),

the fire will spread quickly throughout the structure and into the attic and walls. For this reason,

it is imperative that fire attack and search commence before the flashover occurs, if the goal is to

keep the fire damage in or near the room of origin. In addition, flashover presents a serious

danger to both firefighters and any occupants of the building.

For comparison purposes, the critical task table below reviews the tasks needed on a typical

automobile accident rescue.

9 Free burn is when the supply of oxygen to the fire is unlimited and the fire is free to burn as rapidly as the fuel

available will allow.


Scenario: This was a simulated two-vehicle accident, with two patients, one of whom was

trapped. Extrication required total removal of the driver’s door.

Table 12—Traffic Collision with Extrication

Task Description Task Clock

Time

Elapsed Time from

9-1-1

Time of call 00:00 00:00

Dispatch 02:54 02:54

Crew turnout 02:50 05:44

Travel to scene 02:16 08:40

Battalion Chief on scene 08:40

First-due engine on scene / Rescue on scene 08:58 08:58

Ladder truck on scene/extrication of trapped patient 09:19

Size-up, 360-degree survey 00:54 09:52

Extrication need determined and assigned to truck 00:08 (during size-up)

Patient care assigned to PM crew 00:05 (during size-up)

Patient #1 contact 00:22 10:16

Protection hose line in place 01:35 10:21

Patient #2 contact 00:31 10:24

Extrication team with tools ready to begin 01:16 10:35

Door removed 01:09 11:44

Patient(s) stabilized 01:46 12:10

Patient #1 removed and in full c-spine 01:46 13:30

Patient #2 removed 02:05 14:15

Vehicle stabilized 00:52 14:22

Total Time to Control: 14:22

Total Personnel: 10

2.5.1 Critical Task Analysis and Effective Response Force Size

What does a deployment study derive from a response time and company task time analysis? The

total task completion times (as above) to stop the escalation of the emergency must be compared

to outcomes. We know from nationally-published fire service “time vs. temperature” tables that

after eight minutes of free burning, a room fire will flashover. At this point, the entire room is

engulfed, the structure’s integrity becomes threatened and human survival near or in the fire

room becomes impossible. Additionally, we know that brain death begins to occur within four to


six minutes of the heart having stopped. Thus, the Effective Response Force must arrive in time

to stop these catastrophic events from becoming worse.

The point of the tables above is that mitigating an emergency event is a team effort once the units

have arrived. This is what is called to the “weight” of response analogy. If too few personnel

arrive too slowly, then the emergency will become worse instead of improve.

In the City, the quantity of staffing, and the time frame it arrives in, can be critical in a serious

fire. Fires in multi-story buildings could well require the initial firefighters needing to rescue

trapped or immobile occupants. If a lightly staffed force arrives, it cannot simultaneously

conduct rescue and firefighting operations.

Previous critical task studies conducted by Citygate, the Standard of Response Coverage

documents reviewed from accredited fire departments, and NFPA 1710 recommendations all

arrive at the need for 15+ firefighters arriving within 11 minutes (from the time of call) at a room

and contents structure fire to be able to simultaneously and effectively perform the tasks of

rescue, fire attack, and ventilation. Given that the Department sends only 13 personnel to an

incident involving a working First Alarm building fire, the extent to which resources are

stretched thin Rio Rancho is apparent.

It begs the question, “If fewer firefighters arrive, what from the list of tasks mentioned would not

be done?” Most likely, the search team would be delayed, as would ventilation. The attack lines

would only have two firefighters, which does not allow for rapid movement above the first-floor

deployment. Rescue is done with only two-person teams; thus, when rescue is essential, other

tasks are not done in a simultaneous, timely manner. Effective deployment is about the speed

(travel time) and the weight (number of firefighters) of the attack.

The Department’s standard practice is that the duty Battalion Chief can modify the dispatch as

necessary to achieve results. By pairing the two or three firefighter-staffed engines with two

firefighter-staffed rescue ambulances, Rio Rancho has succeeded in staffing its companies at a

level that meets current NFPA 1710 recommended company strength of four firefighters.

In April 2010, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published a fire crew

staffing study titled “Report on Residential Fireground Field Experiments.”

The first of its kind, NIST study used multiple standardized actual fire scenarios to measure the

effectiveness of different fire crew per apparatus sizes. The NIST study found in summary:

“The four-person crews operating on a low-hazard structure fire completed all the

tasks on the fireground (on average) seven minutes faster—nearly 30%—than the

two-person crews. The four-person crews completed the same number of

fireground tasks (on average) 5.1 minutes faster—nearly 25%—than the three-

person crews.”


Thirteen initial firefighters (3 engines, 2 rescue ambulances, and 1 battalion chief) can handle a

moderate risk house fire; however, even an Effective Response Force of 26 (the entire Rio

Rancho on-duty force) will be seriously slowed if the fire is above the first floor of a building.

This is where the capability to add personnel to the standard response becomes important. In Rio

Rancho, this would be when the Albuquerque Metro Area Mutual Aid Agreement will come into

play.

Finding #5: The current configuration of two or three firefighters on an engine

paired with two firefighters on a rescue ambulance meets the intent

of NFPA 1710 company staffing standard.

Recommendation #5: Given the above risks-to-desired-outcome review, the

NFPA 1710 Standard recommendation of 4 persons on

an engine or truck, and Citygate’s analysis of the City’s

incident volume, density, and preponderance of

simultaneous incidents, Rio Rancho should retain a

staffing level of two or three firefighters on an engine

paired with two firefighters on a rescue ambulance.

Section 3—Geo-Mapping Analysis page 33

SECTION 3—GEO-MAPPING ANALYSIS

3.1 DISTRIBUTION AND CONCENTRATION STUDIES—HOW THE LOCATION OF FIRST-DUE

AND FIRST ALARM RESOURCES AFFECT THE OUTCOME

The City of Rio Rancho is served by six fire stations. It is appropriate to understand what the

existing stations do and do not cover, if there are any coverage gaps needing one or more

stations, and what, if anything, to do about them. Given this, it is critical for Rio Rancho to

consider how many fire stations will be needed in the future, and where they should be located,

in light of the 50-year investment in a building purchases or construction.

In brief, there are two geographic perspectives to fire station deployment:

1. Distribution – the spreading out or spacing of first-due fire units to stop routine

emergencies.

2. Concentration – the clustering of fire stations closely so that building fires can

receive sufficient resources from multiple fire stations quickly. This is known as

the Effective Response Force, or, more commonly, the “First Alarm

Assignment”—the collection of a sufficient number of firefighter’s on-scene

delivered within the concentration time goal to stop the escalation of the problem.

To analyze first-due fire unit travel time coverage for this study, Citygate used a geographic

mapping tool called FireView that can measure theoretical travel time over the street network.

Citygate and Department staff used actual street travel speeds calibrated from previous responses

to simulate real world coverage. Using these tools, Citygate ran several deployment tests and

measured their impact on various parts of the City. The travel time measure used was initially

four minutes over the road network, which is consistent with the “benchmark” recommendation

in NFPA 1710. When a minute is added for dispatch time and 2 minutes for crew turnout times,

then the maps effectively show the area covered within 7 minutes for first-due and 11 minutes

for a First Alarm assignment.

3.1.1 Community Deployment Baselines

Map #1 – General Geography and Station Locations

This view shows the existing City fire station locations with the City boundaries. This is a

reference map for the other map displays that follow.

Map #2 – Risk Assessment – ISO Surveyed Buildings and Zoning

Risk assessment is an effort by the Fire Department to classify properties by potential impact on

service demand levels. Building fire risk, in addition to the housing areas, was examined by

understanding the locations of the higher fire flow buildings as calculated by the Insurance

Service Office (ISO). These higher fire flow sites are the buildings that must receive a timely and


effective First Alarm force to serious fires, thus requiring more firefighters in fewer minutes.

Most of these higher fire flow buildings are along the major road corridors. Zoning is a reliable

indicator of the predominant occupancy risk. In Rio Rancho it is moderate for one-, two-, or

three-family dwellings. These are indicated by the gray color on the map. Small commercial and

industrial are indicated by the yellow color on the map. Approximately 90 percent of Rio Rancho

is moderate risk.

Map #3a – First-Due Unit Distribution – 4-Minute Engine Travel – Current Stations

This map shows, in green colored street segments, the distribution or first-due response time for

each station per a best-practice-recommended response goal of 4 minutes travel time. Therefore,

the limit of color per station area is the distance an engine could reach within 4 minutes,

assuming it is in-station and encounters no unusual traffic delays. In addition, the computer uses

mean fire company speed limits per roadway type. Thus, the projection is optimal or “perfect-

world.” When combined with 1 minute for dispatch reflex and 2 minutes for crew turnout, this

map illustrates the reach of the Rio Rancho Fire Department within the ideal but currently

unattainable 7-minute response time goal.

Real dispatch data shows response times in Rio Rancho to be a considerably slower. Most likely,

this is due to the effects of the non-grid street design layout, the lack of connectivity and the

stressing of the system during peak periods. The purpose of computer response mapping is to

determine and balance station locations. This geo-mapping design is then checked in the study

against actual dispatch time data. There also should be some overlap between station areas so

that a second-due unit can have a chance of an adequate response time when it covers a call in

another fire company’s first-due area. Currently in Rio Rancho this is not possible.

Finding #6: Using the current six fire station locations, much of the developed

area is not within four minutes travel time from a fire station.

Map #3b – Six Minute Engine Travel Times Current Stations

This map shows the coverage similar to Map #3a, but with a 6-minute travel time. Using the 6-

minute parameter for coverage, most of the developed areas of the City are covered. Six minutes

travel time covers Rio Rancho fairly equitably and has the advantage that, when the population

density reaches an urban level, stations can be placed roughly halfway between the existing

stations to achieve 4-minute travel coverage.

Finding #7: Using the current six fire station locations, almost the entire

suburban and emerging suburban density developed areas are

within six minutes travel time of a fire station. Where this does not

occur, the segments are small areas at the end of the street network.


Recommendation #7a: For suburban development density levels, utilize six

minutes as the response travel time criteria.

Recommendation #7b: Distribution of Fire Resources: To treat medical patients

and control small fires, the first-due unit should arrive

within 9 minutes, 90 percent of the time from the receipt

of the 9-1-1 call in the dispatch center. This equates to

1-minute dispatch time, 2 minutes company turnout

time, and 6 minutes drive time in the most populated

areas.

7b.1 Multiple-Unit Effective Response Force for

Serious Emergencies: To confine fires near the

room of origin, to stop wildland fires to under

three acres when noticed promptly, and to treat up

to five medical patients at once, a multiple-unit

response of at least 23 personnel should arrive

within 15 minutes from the time of 9-1-1 call

receipt in fire dispatch, 90 percent of the time.

This equates to 1-minute dispatch time, 2 minutes

company turnout time, and 12 minutes drive time

spacing for multiple units in the most populated

areas.

7b.2 Hazardous Materials Response: Provide

hazardous materials response designed to protect

the community from the hazards associated with

uncontrolled release of hazardous and toxic

materials. The fundamental mission of the Fire

Department response is to minimize or halt the

release of a hazardous substance so that it has

minimal impact on the community by achieving a

travel time in suburban areas for the first company

capable of investigating a hazardous materials

release at the operations level within 6 minutes

travel time or less, 90 percent of the time. After

size-up and scene evaluation is completed, a

determination will be made whether to request

additional resources.


7b.3 Technical Rescue: Respond to technical rescue

emergencies as efficiently and effectively as

possible with enough trained personnel to

facilitate a successful rescue. Achieve a travel

time for the first company in suburban areas for

size-up of the rescue within 6 minutes travel time

or less, 90 percent of the time. Assemble

additional resources for technical rescue capable

of initiating a rescue within a total response time

of 15 minutes, 90 percent of the time. Safely

complete rescue/extrication to ensure delivery of

patient to a definitive care facility.

7b.4 Urbanization: As the City develops and the core

becomes urbanized with a population density of

5,000 persons/square mile, adopt an urban

response performance level with four minutes

travel time by the first arriving unit on scene and a

First Alarm travel time of eight minutes.

7b.5 As infill occurs in the southern part of the City, as

densities increase to urban levels, and as further

development occurs in the northern part of the

City, 6 minutes may no longer be attainable as a

benchmark; then consideration should be given to

adding stations as growth demands.

Map #3c – 4 Minute Engine Travel Time Current Stations, Paved Roads

Rio Rancho has many unpaved roads. As can be seen by comparing Map #3c with Map #3a, this

appears to have minimal impact on coverage.

Map #4 – ISO Coverage Areas

This map exhibit displays the ISO requirement that stations cover a 1.5-mile distance response

area, but without the 4-minute travel time shown. This makes it easier to see what the traditional

1.5-mile measure covers. Depending on the road network in a department, the 1.5-mile measure

usually equates to a 3.5- to 4.5-minute travel time. However, a 1.5-mile measure is a reasonable

indicator of station spacing and overlap. As can be seen, the ISO coverage is similar but less

forgiving on the edges of the City than the 4-minute travel time measure. This is due to the fact

that a “distance” based measure cannot account for higher speeds on primary arterial streets that

feed out into the neighborhoods.


This map shows there is a similar gap as seen on Map #3a.

Maps #5 – Concentration (First Alarm) With One Quint (Ladder Truck) and One Battalion

Chief

This map exhibit shows the concentration, or massing, of fire crews for serious fire or rescue

calls. The area in green is where the City’s current fire deployment system could deliver the

initial Effective Response Force in time to meet current best practices.

Building fires, in particular, require 15+ firefighters (per NFPA 1710) arriving within a

reasonable time frame to stop the escalation of an emergency. If too few firefighters arrive, or

arrive too late in the fire’s progress, the result is a greater alarm fire which is more dangerous to

the public and firefighters. Rio Rancho uses an effective response force of 13. In place of truck

companies, Rio Rancho uses quints to provide truck service.

The concentration map exhibits look at the City’s ability to deploy three of its engine companies,

one quint (truck company), two rescue ambulance, and one chief officer to building fires within

8 minutes travel time (11 minutes total Fire Department response time). This measure ensures

that a minimum of 13 firefighters (2 or 3 firefighters per engine, 3 firefighters per quint (truck)

staffing, and two firefighter/medics per rescue ambulance) and one chief officer can arrive on-

scene to work simultaneously and effectively to stop the spread of a modest fire.

As can be seen, the only a small portion of the southern area of the City is within 8 minutes of

the entire Effective Response Force.

Map #6 – 3 Engines Only at 8-Minute Travel

This map shows a different view of concentration by only showing the 8-minute coverage of

engine companies. Here, the green color shows the areas receiving three engines in 8 minutes

travel time. This coverage is better than in Map #5 because the battalion chief, rescue ambulance,

and ladder truck (quint) are removed, and there are more engines than other apparatus in the

City. It should be noted that in Rio Rancho the quints operate both as engines and as trucks and

are designated engines for dispatching purposes. The important finding in this map is that less

that 50 percent of the City’s street segments receive 3-engine coverage. Given 2 or 3 firefighters

per unit, this means that any location can receive 7 or 8 firefighters even if the quints and/or

rescue ambulances are not immediately available.

Map #7 – Battalion Chief Travel

Battalion Chief (BC) coverage is important for command presence at developing and major

emergencies. The current configuration of one Battalion Chief on duty is adequate, operationally,

for the size of the Department and the frequency of incidents requiring BC command presence.


Citygate did not conduct a headquarters review to determine other workload assigned to staff and

its impact on the BCs. From an operations perspective the number of BCs and the reporting

relationship is what Citygate would expect to find in similar situations.

This map displays the battalion chief coverage from Station 1. At 8 minutes travel time, it is not

possible to cover the northern half of the City given the moderate risks and low call volumes. A

second on-duty Battalion Chief is not needed, at least not from a travel time perspective.

Finding #8: The current level of command officer presence is adequate given

the number of multi-company operations and the fact that the bulk

of the higher risk is within the 8-minute travel time from Station 1.

Recommendation #8a: An additional Battalion Chief position on each shift

should be considered in the north end of the City if

additional stations are developed and the span of control

exceeds the Incident Management System recommended

span of control of three to seven.

Recommendation #8b: Similarly, if there is a significant increase in the need for

command coverage, consider adding a second Battalion

Chief position.

Map #8 – Single Quint (Ladder Truck) Coverage

This map displays the 8-minute travel time coverage from either of the two quints located at

Stations 1 and 5. It shows that most of the built up area of the City is within reach of one quint,

providing ladder truck service at 8 minutes travel.

Map #9 – Rescue Ambulance Coverage

This map displays the coverage from any one rescue ambulance within 8 minutes travel, which is

consistent with most EMS requirements for ambulances. Given the 5 rescue ambulance

locations, virtually all of the built up areas of the City are within 8 minutes of a rescue

ambulance station, if the unit is available. However, when the closest unit is not available, there

is insufficient overlap at 8 minutes between the units to provide redundancy.

Map #10 – All Incident Locations

This map is an overlay of the exact location for all incident types using a 4-year data set. It is

apparent that there is a need for Fire Department services throughout the developed area of the


City. The greatest concentration of calls is also where the greatest concentration of Fire

Department resources is available.

Map #11 – EMS and Rescue Incident Locations

This map further breaks out only the emergency medical and rescue call locations. With the

majority of the calls for service being emergency medical, virtually all developed areas of the

City need emergency medical services.

Map #12 – All Fire Type Locations

This map identifies the location of all fires in the City over the previous 4 years. All fires include

any type of fire call. There are, obviously, fewer fires than medical or rescue calls. Even given

this, it is evident that all first-due engine districts experience fires; the fires are more

concentrated where the Fire Department resources are more concentrated. This also happens to

be the area where the building stock is older and less likely to be in compliance with current

codes. Also, the commercial and industrial areas generate more fire calls than do pure housing

areas.

Map #13 – Structure Fire Locations

This map is similar to the previous map, but only displays structure fires for the 4-year data set.

While the structure fire count is a smaller subset of the total fire count, there are two meaningful

findings from this map. There are still structure fires in every first-due fire company district

except Station 6, which is virtually new building stock. The location of many of the building

fires parallels the higher risk building type in commercial areas of the City where there are more

significant risk and the ISO-evaluated buildings. These areas and buildings are of significant fire

and life loss risk to the City. Fires in the more complicated building types must be controlled

quickly or the losses will be very large. Fortunately, concentration (First Alarm) coverage is

better in these areas of the City.

Map #14 – Hot Spots for EMS and Rescue Incidents

Using the 4-year data set, this map examines by mathematical density where clusters of EMS and

rescue incident activity occurred. In this set, the darker density color plots the highest

concentration of EMS and rescue incidents. This type of map makes the location of frequent

workload more meaningful than just mapping the dots of all locations as done in Map #11.

Map #15 – Fire Hotspots

This map shows the hot spot activity for all fires. In this case, the call for service density is

slightly more scattered, reflecting small fires, such as vehicle fires in areas where the population

density is lower than the urban core.

When this type of map is compared with the concentration of units Map #5, the best

concentration should be where the greatest density of calls for service occurs. For the City, this


occurs where development density is the greatest, which is where the current Effective Response

Force concentration is best.

Map #16 – Structure Fire Hotspots

This map shows only the building fire workload by density. The density is once again more

scattered than the EMS density, which follows the highest population per square mile. These

building fire densities indicate a structure fire workload throughout the developed area of the

City, although the core areas are still busier than the less populated edge areas.

Map Set #17 – Potential New Station Locations

Because Rio Rancho is a relatively rapidly growing city it is important that as part of this study,

future station locations be examined for their potential.

Station location is as much art as science. Among the many considerations to be made, the

following are important ones:

1. Identify an ideal location that gives the best coverage possible. One of the criteria

to consider is number of new road miles covered by the new station location. In

Rio Rancho there are currently 996 miles road of which 603 are covered by the 6-

minute response criteria (Map #3b). Another consideration is overlap miles

between the proposed station and existing stations. In most cases it would be most

desirable to add new miles of coverage while minimizing the amount of overlap.

2. Stations should be located away from edges such as bodies of water or major

highways, railroads or land formations that cannot be directly passed over.

Locations near the City’s legal boundaries also should be avoided. The idea is to

get 360 degrees of coverage.

3. Land availability is another consideration; once the ideal location has been

determined, then land of sufficient size, 2 acres for a sub-station and 4 to 5 acres

for a headquarters station is ideal, but often not available. Lot sizes that are much

smaller must be considered. (Due to the political ramifications, most jurisdictions

are reluctant to use condemnation and eminent domain to secure land for public

facilities.)

4. When choosing station sites, the access to the road system needs to be considered.

Being on a one-way street, for example, means that half the time the firefighters

must either drive against traffic or the wrong way.

The Fire Department has proposed five additional stations to be added to the system as demand

and funding indicate. The proposed sites have been geo-located on the following maps. These are

not necessarily exactly where they would be located if they were built; nevertheless, they are

indicative of potential locations and their advantages and shortcomings. It should be kept in mind


that these are all study sites and as development occurs the Fire Department will need to do more

in depth examination of potential sites using both 4-minute and 6-minute criteria.

Table 13—Proposed Fire Station New and Overlap Road Miles

Map Stations

Total Road Miles

(CFPD) Miles

Covered Miles

Added

Overlap Miles Between Proposed

Location(s) and Existing

Station(s)

3b Existing Deployment (without #4) 996 603 N/A N/A

17a Existing Stations plus Cleveland HS 996 641 38 103

17b Existing Stations plus Southern Rainbow 996 659 56 41

17c Existing Stations plus Station 4 996 603 0 110

17d Existing Stations plus Northern Meadows 996 662 59 86

17e Existing Stations plus Chayote and Lincoln 996 618 15 82

17f Existing Stations plus City Center 996 643 40 49

Map #17a – Cleveland High School Station

This location is well inside the City limits, located on a major thoroughfare and adds 38 new

miles of coverage and 103 miles of overlap if a 6-minute response zone is considered. If Stations

3 and 5, now only given 180 degrees of coverage, were moved more toward the center of the

City the number of new road miles at 6 minutes would be less. If a four-minute response zone

(Map #3a) were the criteria this location would be ideal. As the City urbanizes and densities

increase, four-minute travel needs to be a consideration.

Map #17b – Southern Rainbow Station

This location is near where the next station is most needed based on demand for service and

development. The shortcoming is that it is too close to the edge of the City. This station at its

current location adds 56 miles of road coverage with 103 miles of overlap. Moving it north on

Rainbow Blvd. should keep about the same number of road miles, put it further into the City.

This is another example of how the City’s current road system limits the response options for the

Fire Department.

Map #17c – Current Station 4

Currently Station 4 is used for storage and is unsuitable for habitation on a 24-hour basis, but

Citygate needed to be sure that it was not overlooked in the potential future fire station location

discussion. It would add no new miles of coverage at the 6-minute criteria. Moreover, it is

located on the edge of the City.


Map #17d – Northern Meadows

Northern Meadows is an area that has some demand for services that will probably grow in the

future. This site is located between current stations 2 and 6. When the major subdivision near

station 6 gets fully developed, this station would be ideal as second due to fill out the alarm

assignment as well as provide coverage for the area close by. This site would add 59 miles of

new road coverage (the most of any of the study sites) and 86 miles of overlap.

Map #17e – Chayote Station

Located in the vicinity of Chayote and Lincoln, this station adds only 15 miles of new road

coverage while overlapping with existing stations 82 miles. That might be different if stations 3

and or 5 were moved toward the center away from the edges of the City. The lack of roads in the

area contributes to this low number. Moving the site west on Paseo del Volcan might improve

the coverage when development occurs.

Map #17f – City Center

City Center Station would be very close to the City Hall and Santa Ana Star Center as well as the

planned commercial center for Rio Rancho. As this area develops a fire station will be needed

here. This location would add 40 miles of new road coverage and 49 miles of overlap. It would

cover much of the same already built up area as Northern Meadows.

Section 4—Statistical Analysis page 43

SECTION 4—STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

4.1 HISTORICAL EFFECTIVENESS AND RELIABILITY OF RESPONSE—WHAT STATISTICS SAY

ABOUT EXISTING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

The map sets described in Section 3 show the ideal situation for response times and how

responses might look under perfect conditions with no competing calls, light traffic conditions,

units all in place, and no simultaneous calls for service. Examination of the actual response time

data provides a picture of how response times are in the “real” world of simultaneous calls, rush

hour traffic conditions, units out of position, and delayed travel time for events such as periods of

severe weather.

4.1.1 Data Set Identification

Rio Rancho Fire Rescue provided NFIRS 5 incident and matching CAD apparatus response files

for the time period 1/1/2010 – 12/31/2013. This data was distilled to 35,526 incidents and 72,141

apparatus responses for the 4-year period. The year-to-year counts below may not exactly match

prior Rio Rancho Fire Department annual reports as this study only uses incidents with complete

time stamp records. Incomplete or test dispatch records are not counted.

Data Quality

Rio Rancho uses the current NFIRS 5 reporting standard.

Dataset strengths include the following:

1. Use of seconds in time fields.

2. Multiple years of data available. Four years of data and over 35,000 incidents

increases the reliability of the data.

3. Standardized incident numbers in NFIRS 5 & CAD data.

Dataset weaknesses include the following:

1. No tracking of shift in NFIRS 5 data, which makes it difficult to assign

responsibility for data.

2. No latitudes or longitudes in CAD data, which are helpful in geocoding locations.

3. No consistent use of NFIRS 5 District field. This field allows the tracking of

incidents to a particular station district regardless of the origin of the unit

responding to the incident. In Rio Rancho this would be particularly helpful in

understanding the impacts of the peak period activity.


4.2 ANALYSIS OF DATA BY TIME

The data examined is for calendar years 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. Demand trends were

tracked for this four-year period. Unless otherwise noted, response time performance

measurements were based on the latest 2013 data.

4.2.1 Yearly Incident Demand

Service demands are broken down into specific incident types and property types. Dollar losses

are also outlined in this section.

In 2013, the Rio Rancho Fire Rescue responded to 8,037 incidents for an average of 22.02

incidents per day. 1.99 percent of incident responses were to fire. 74.65 percent were to EMS and

23.36 percent were to other types of incidents.

The number of incidents peaked in 2011. There was a sharp decline in incidents in 2012 and

2013.

Figure 3—Number of Incidents by Year

While fire and EMS incidents remained fairly steady a big drop occurred in “Other” types of

incidents after 2011. That decline was the result in a change in the way that move ups and covers

were counted. Prior to 2012, move-up-and-cover assignments were counted as incidents; in

2012, that practice ceased.


Figure 4—Number of Incidents by Year by Incident Type

Monthly Incident Demand

Monthly variations in the number of incidents tend to be minimal with a slight increase in the

late spring into summer.

Figure 5—Number of Incidents by Month

Notice a spike in incidents in 2010 and 2011 appears to end in October 2011. This is most likely

a result of a change in the documentation of move-up incidents taking place in October 2011.


Figure 6—Number of Incidents by Month by Year

The graph below illustrates monthly trends by incident type. EMS and “other” incident types

tend to increase in the late spring. Fires reach a peak in July and August.

Figure 7—Number of Incidents by Month by Incident Type

Number of Incidents by Time of Day

This graph compares incident activity by hour of day. The graph follows traditional fire

department activity hours. Notice activity increases are tending to be greater in late morning

through early evening hours. The higher incident activity hours in 2011 and 2012 are probably

due to station move-ups, which took place mainly during daylight hours.


Figure 8—Number of Incidents by Hour of Day by Year

Number of Incidents by Day of the Week

Incident activity by day of week remains fairly consistent during the workweek with a slight

decline on the weekend.

Figure 9—Number of Incidents by Day of Week by Year


4.3 ANALYSIS OF DATA BY STATION

4.3.1 Demand by Station Area

From 1/1/2010 - 12/31/2013, Station 001 was by far the most active with Station 002 in a distant

second place. It is this high demand on Station 001 that results in the destabilization of the other

stations.

Figure 10—Number of Incidents by Station

The following graph illustrates annual trends by breaking down station activity by year. There

was station redeployment between Stations 006 and 007 beginning at the end of 2011.

Figure 11—Number of Incidents by Station by Year


4.4 ANALYSIS OF DOLLAR LOSS INCIDENTS

This is a breakdown of the number of dollar loss incidents10

by year from 2010 through 2013.

Station 001 and Station 002 have the highest counts of dollar loss incidents. There are 467

Incident records being analyzed.

Table 14—Number of Dollar Loss Incidents – Year by Station

Station 2010 2011 2012 2013 Totals

1 61 43 69 43 216

2 25 33 35 36 129

3 9 12 11 4 36

5 15 6 8 9 38

6 4 1 1 6

7 1 17 24 42

Totals 110 99 141 117 467

The following chart illustrates total dollar loss by station by year. Again, Stations 001 and 002

have the highest amount of dollar loss.

Table 15—Dollar Loss by Station

Station 2010 2011 2012 2013 Totals

1 $949,277 $303,690 $587,780 $684,100 $2,524,847

2 $137,075 $197,715 $481,600 $352,352 $1,168,742

3 $98,770 $255,837 $555,802 $7,357 $917,766

5 $79,099 $12,323 $122,769 $40,693 $254,884

6 $400,012 $20,000 $15 $420,027

7 $10 $550,230 $261,122 $811,362

Totals $1,264,221 $1,169,587 $2,318,181 $1,345,639 $6,097,628

10 Dollar loss incidents are incidents where money loss is recorded on the NFIRS report due to damage from fire or

smoke.


Using the same set of records the count of dollar loss incidents by incident type was as follows:

Table 16—Dollar Loss Incidents by Type Number of Incidents

Incident Type 2010 2011 2012 2013 Totals

Building fire 26 26 35 25 112

Passenger vehicle fire 18 11 19 18 66

Cooking fire, confined to container 19 13 17 11 60

Brush, or brush and grass mixture fire 12 10 18 7 47

Outside rubbish, trash or waste fire 9 10 11 16 46

Dumpster or other outside trash receptacle fire 2 4 5 3 14

Natural vegetation fire, other 5 4 4 2 15

All other categories were 10 or less incidents 19 21 32 35 107

Totals 110 99 141 117 467

Table 17 shows a breakdown of dollar loss by Incident Type. Not surprisingly, the highest loss

occurs in Building Fires.

Table 17—Dollar Loss by Type in Dollars


Building fire $1,044,992 $1,044,466 $2,091,345 $1,190,211 $5,371,014

Passenger vehicle fire $172,883 $85,412 $130,562 $77,092 $465,949

Self-propelled motor home or recreational vehicle

0 0 $60,000 0 $60,000

Fire in mobile home used as fixed residence

0 0 0 $40,010 $40,010

Cooking fire, confined to container $10,509 $4,609 $15,781 $3,931 $34,830

Vehicle accident with injuries $30,001 0 0 0 $30,001

Water vehicle fire 0 12,000 0 0 $12,000

Categories with loss of $10,000 or less over 5 years

$5,836 $23,100 $20,493 $34,395 $83,824

Totals $1,264,221 $1,169,587 $2,318,181 $1,345,639 $6,097,628

4.5 BREAKDOWN BY INCIDENT TYPE

Below is a list of the incident types occurring in Rio Rancho in the past 4 years. Notice the heavy

representation of EMS incidents; in this list “111 Building Fires” ranks 19th

by incident count.


The reason for the drop in incidents beginning in 2012 becomes apparent by examining “571

Cover assignment, standby, move up.” In the 2 years prior to 2012 there were 3,453 “move-up”

incidents. In 2012 and 2013 the total dropped to 6 “move-up” incidents. Generally move-up and

cover incidents would involve external aid. Without a high aid component incident counts in

2012 and 2013 are probably more indicative of incident activity.

The listing below is for the top twenty-five incident types:

Table 18—Number of Incidents by Incident Type


EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury 5,175 5,435 5,663 5,502 21,775

Cover assignment, standby (“move-up”) 1,803 1,650 5 1 3,459

Vehicle accident with injuries 455 401 345 343 1,544

Dispatched & canceled en route 150 262 357 391 1,160

Assist invalid 103 105 139 160 507

Public service assistance, other 142 211 74 79 506

Unauthorized burning 119 100 128 99 446

Vehicle accident, general cleanup 206 106 45 76 433

Public service 113 116 90 99 418

Smoke scare, odor of smoke 105 103 117 87 412

Motor vehicle accident no injuries 97 98 117 97 409

Smoke detector activation, no fire – unintentional 82 118 92 95 387

Alarm system sounded, no fire – unintentional 94 72 66 79 311

No incident found on arrival of incident address 49 83 98 62 292

Alarm system sounded due to malfunction 62 66 46 65 239

Gas leak (natural gas or LPG) 67 35 51 40 193

Smoke detector activation due to malfunction 39 37 48 58 182

Water or steam leak 17 76 19 35 147

Building fire 35 30 38 27 130

False alarm or false call, other 36 31 24 28 119

Person in distress, other 52 27 18 20 117

Authorized controlled burning 23 17 32 36 108

Detector activation, no fire - unintentional 25 27 25 30 107


Good intent call, other 25 32 19 18 94

All other call types 558 481 404 482 1,934

Totals 9,660 9,753 8,076 8,037 35,526


The following chart lists the same incident type breakdown but this time total staff hours are

displayed. Notice “Building Fires” jump from 19th

place to 4th place (3rd

in 2012 & 2013) when

ranked by staff hours. There are 143 incident types listed total. This table was consolidated to the

top 25 incident types.

Table 19—Total Staff Hours by Year by Incident Type


EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury 13,004 13,788 12,876 12,725 52,392

Vehicle accident with injuries 1,689 1,286 1,060 1,126 5,161

Cover assignment, standby, move up 1,860 1,634 6 27 3,527

Building fire 652 563 728 640 2,583

Vehicle accident, general cleanup 720 369 66 201 1356

Smoke detector activation, no fire - unintentional 193 265 219 259 936

Dispatched & canceled en route 105 188 264 313 871

Gas leak (natural gas or LPG) 317 105 179 213 814

Alarm system sounded due to malfunction 229 198 147 214 788

Smoke scare, odor of smoke 200 185 172 145 701

Public service assistance, other 177 289 111 104 681

Motor vehicle accident no injuries 157 154 195 160 666

Alarm system sounded, no fire - unintentional 203 144 115 175 637

Assist invalid 128 119 167 206 621

Smoke detector activation due to malfunction 136 110 156 195 597

Unauthorized burning 144 116 154 124 538

Public service 139 100 86 122 448

Cooking fire, confined to container 131 82 113 76 401

Passenger vehicle fire 101 75 82 113 371

No incident found on arrival of incident address 58 89 107 95 348

Water or steam leak 44 184 25 83 336


Brush, or brush and grass mixture fire 75 76 46 50 248

Detector activation, no fire - unintentional 67 65 55 59 247

Hazmat release investigation w/ no hazmat 52 92 75 13 232

All other incident types combined total 118 incident types

1,804 1,267 996 1,615 5,682

Totals 22,455 21,601 18,247 19,127 81,429


The following table lists the number of staff hours at incidents by property types. Here again the

top twenty-five are listed and the remainder consolidated as the individual impact is not

significant but the total impact represents many staff hours. Note here residential accounts for the

bulk of staff hours. Fire station indicates that the activity took place at one of the fire stations,

such as a walk-in medical emergency.

Table 20—Total Staff Hours by Year by Property Use

Property Use 2010 2011 2012 2013 Totals

1 or 2 family dwelling 9,911 10,410 9,703 10,030 40,055

Multifamily dwellings 1,225 1,344 1,588 1,393 5,550

Residential street, road or residential driveway 1,009 870 774 617 3271

Fire station 1,742 1,181 74 45 3,042

Clinics, Doctor’s offices, hemodialysis centers 833 725 630 723 2,911

Street, other 918 635 448 555 2,556

24-hour care Nursing homes, 4 or more persons 387 787 547 566 2,287

Street or road in commercial area 681 594 374 500 2,150

Highway or divided highway 698 306 423 499 1,927

Residential board and care 653 379 231 489 1,752

Vehicle parking area 366 339 266 411 1,382

Open land or field 344 342 225 260 1,172

High school/junior high school/middle school 369 291 241 210 1,111

Food and beverage sales, grocery store 251 247 152 264 914

Elementary school, including kindergarten 148 143 148 265 704

Boarding/rooming house, residential hotels 177 121 255 150 703

Hotel/motel, commercial 190 113 183 173 659

Hospital - medical or psychiatric 166 189 142 132 629

None 154 342 24 22 542

Police station 157 171 69 81 479

Stadium, arena 202 130 103 43 478

Manufacturing, processing 74 108 128 96 406

Church, mosque, synagogue, temple, chapel 62 94 81 109 345

Business office 142 70 48 81 342

Clinic, clinic-type infirmary 57 171 53 18 300

All other property types 1,538 1,500 1,333 1,394 5,764

Totals 22,455 21,601 18,247 19,127 81,429


4.6 ANALYSIS OF SIMULTANEOUS INCIDENTS

Simultaneous incidents occur when other incidents are underway at the time the incident occurs.

During 2013, 40.31 percent of incidents occurred while one or more other incidents were

underway. For many departments this is not an alarming number of simultaneous incidents.

However, due to Rio Rancho’s topography, the distances between stations, the lack of

connectivity, and the concentration of incidents I Station 1’s area, the perfect storm of

simultaneous incidents occurs almost daily, destabilizing the fire response system.

The following is the percentage of time that simultaneous incidents are occurring in Rio Rancho.

What this states is that 40.31 percent of the time, when one incident is occurring a second

incident is also occurring. A third incident is also occurring 11.13 percent of the time, etc.:

1 or more simultaneous incidents: 40.31%




This graph shows the number of department-wide simultaneous incidents in 2013. The column

“000” represents the majority of incidents, which took place without other incidents underway.

“001” represents the number of incidents when one other incident was underway, “002” for two

incidents, etc. Taken alone these numbers may or may not indicate a problem. In Rio Rancho the

vast majority of the incidents involve committing one engine and one rescue ambulance, so two

simultaneous incidents means that at least 2 engines and 2 rescue ambulances are committed to

emergencies leaving 4 engines and 3 rescue ambulances available for emergency dispatch. That

is not serious except for the fact that the travel distances in Rio Rancho are great and

simultaneous incidents mostly occur in Station 1’s area. Responding units from outside Station

1’s area take much longer to arrive.


Figure 12—Number of Incidents by Simultaneous Incident Count

The number of seconds to 90 percent Call to Arrival compliance is impacted by the number of

simultaneous incidents. The graph below illustrates this impact by the number of simultaneous

incidents underway. This figure illustrates the impact that simultaneous calls are having in Rio

Rancho. Even with a nine-minute call to arrival goal (six minutes travel time) Rio Rancho is out

of compliance without any simultaneous calls, it only gets worse with simultaneous calls.

Figure 13—90% Call to Arrival by Simultaneous Incident Count

Call to arrival of 9 minutes is equal to 540 seconds. When there is one simultaneous call the call

to arrival compliance goes to almost 14 minutes, during 2013, one simultaneous incident


occurred about 2300 times. That does not mean that every call took 14 minutes, what it means is

that 14 minutes elapsed before 90 percent of the calls were handled.

In a city, simultaneous incidents in different station areas have very little operational

consequence. However, when simultaneous incidents occur within a single station area there can

be significant delays in response times.

The graph below illustrates the number of single-station simultaneous incidents by station area in

2013. Here we see Station 1 is by far the most likely to have simultaneous incidents within its

operational territory.

Figure 14—Number of Simultaneous Incidents by Station

In the next graph we measure simultaneous incident trends by station. Station 1 shows a

decreasing number of simultaneous incidents again most likely owing to a new policy regarding

move-up incidents. By comparison, the number of simultaneous incidents in other station areas is

very low.


Figure 15—Number of Simultaneous Incidents by Station by Year

4.7 AID ACTIVITY WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS

The table below shows aid activity from 2010 – 2013. Aid incidents account for 2.4 percent of

incidents. This low level of aid is more likely to be given to other agencies than received from

other agencies.

The following is a breakdown by aid type by year:

Table 21—Incidents Count – Year by Aid Type

Aid Type 2010 2011 2012 2013 Totals

Aid Received 11 22 34 17 84

Aid Given 148 188 230 205 771

None 9,501 9,543 7,812 7,815 34,671

Totals 9,660 9,753 8,076 8,037 35,526

The preponderance of mutual aid was onto county land west of Rio Rancho under contract with

the county.

4.8 ANALYSIS OF STATION DEMAND

4.8.1 Station Demand Percentage

The following is a summary for overall activity percentage by Station for all incidents in 2012.

The percentage listed is the percentage likelihood a particular station is involved in an incident at


any given time. This number considers not only the number of incidents, but also the length of

incidents. The busiest stations are listed first.

Table 22—Activity Percentage by Station

Station Overall Incidents

1 18.11% 3,334

7 10.73% 1,765

2 8.31% 1,484

5 4.61% 779

3 3.66% 600

6 0.41% 73

4.8.2 Unit Utilization

The utilization percentage for apparatus is calculated by the same primary factors; number of

responses and duration of responses. The following is a Unit Utilization Summary for Rio

Rancho apparatus.

Table 23—Unit-Hour Utilization

Vehicle Overall Responses

R1 21.77% 2,658

R7 16.34% 1,936

E1 13.21% 2,973

R2 13.02% 1,543

E2 7.93% 1,683

R3 7.75% 869

E7 7.67% 1,911

R5 7.47% 785

E3 3.74% 832

E5 3.17% 735

E6 1.80% 324

BC2 1.21% 191

BC3 0.95% 173

BC1 0.84% 187

FC1 0.47% 92


The table below displays the unit hour utilization information in another way. As unit hour

utilization gets higher the color changes from green to red. Unit hour utilizations above 15

percent are considered high, and when they occasionally reach 33 percent (in Rescue 1’s case),

that is significant.

Table 24—Unit Hour Utilization Heat Graph

Finding #9: The unit hour utilization of the top four units, Rescue 1, Rescue 7,

Engine 1, and Rescue 2, is very high. Rescue 1 is the busiest.

Almost 22 percent of the unit’s time, or roughly 6 hours out of

every 24, is spent on incidents. Required training requires at least 2

hours per shift. Combine these with decontamination, restocking,

vehicle maintenance, physical training, meal times, and other

necessities, and it is obvious that this unit is very busy.

4.9 ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE

Fire department performance is measured as the amount of time it takes to reach 90 percent

compliance with three component tasks: (1) Call Handling; (2) Turnout; and (3) Travel. These

three components can be combined into a “Call to Arrival” measurement. The idea is to measure

what the “customers” perceive from the time they place a call for help until help arrives.

Call Handling Time (or Call Processing Time) measures the time from the initial request for

assistance (9-1-1 call by the “customer”) until the apparatus is dispatched. Best practices

establish 60 seconds as the goal for accomplishing Call Handling for 90 percent of emergency

incidents.

Turnout Time measures the performance of the company from the time the company is notified

of the emergency until the company begins “wheels-turning” to the scene. Again best practices

generally establish a 60 second goal for 90 percent of turnouts to emergency incidents.

Practically, however, fire departments adopt goals from 60 seconds to 120 seconds for this


component task. Station configuration, time it takes to don bunker gear and other factors play

into delaying this time goal.

Travel Time measures the performance of the company from the time it begins to move toward

the incident until the company arrives on the scene of the incident. National standards favor a 4-

minute (240 second) first company arrival to 90 percent of emergency incidents. Urbanized areas

generally can achieve this goal, but for suburban and emerging suburban area, developing

stations close enough together to achieve this goal is difficult.

Note: 90 percent compliance is not the same as an average. It is possible to have an average of 90

seconds for a particular task while it may be well over 3 minutes for the task to be accomplished

for 90 percent of emergency incidents. What causes a divergence between average and 90

percent compliance is consistency; for example:

If 1,000 incidents have a Call Handling Time between 85 and 90 seconds the Call Handling

operation can be characterized as “consistent.” In this case the Call Handling average and 90

percent compliance can be similar. However, if Call Handling Time varies from 25 seconds to

240 seconds then the average may still be near 90 seconds while 90 percent compliance takes

over 180 seconds (3 minutes). Consistency is a key element of contemporary performance

measurements.

All measurements have been based on fire and EMS responses to, as far as possible, eliminate

non-emergency incidents.

4.9.1 Call Processing Time – Department-wide

Call processing time performance in Rio Rancho is well below national standards but it is

improving:

Table 25—Call Processing Time Compliance at 90%

Year Minutes to 90% Compliance

2010 03:08

2011 03:04

2012 02:55

2013 02:53

Call Handling is a task that takes place in a controlled environment. Absent unusual factors there

can be an expectation of consistency in the performance of Call Processing tasks.

While many emergency incidents are handled within 90 seconds a very significant number of

incidents extend well beyond this norm. A few incidents have protracted Call Processing

durations, which may be caused by issues not immediately identifiable by analyzing available


data. Observations by a Citygate consultant during normal call processing are discussed in

Section 5.1.2.

4.9.2 Turnout Time

Turnout performance in Rio Rancho is well below national standards. The trend shows poorer

performance each year.

Table 26—Turnout Time 90% Compliance Department-wide

Year Minutes to 90% Compliance

2010 02:05

2011 02:18

2012 02:42

2013 02:55

The following table shows that the turnout time trend is deteriorating in every station.

Table 27—Turnout Time Compliance by Station

Year 001 002 003 005 006 007

2010 02:06 02:14 01:50 02:04 01:55

2011 02:20 02:17 02:07 02:26 01:59 02:57

2012 02:31 02:56 02:22 02:53 02:23 02:55

2013 02:49 02:57 02:57 02:51 02:55 03:07

Finding #10: Rio Rancho Dispatch and Turnout Times are excessive, especially

when then considering that the bulk of them do not require the

donning of bunker gear.

Recommendation #10: The Department needs to continue its focus on systems,

training, and feedback measures to keep dispatch and

crew turnout time reflex measures to national best

practices of 60 seconds for dispatch and 2 minutes for

fire crew turnout, 90 percent of the time.


4.9.3 Travel Time

Travel Time performance in Rio Rancho is also well below national standards. However, unlike

Turnout Time, Travel Time performance is mixed station-to-station and year-to-year. There is no

expectation of consistency in this time component.

Table 28—Travel Time Performance at 90% Department-wide

Year Minutes at 90%

2010 08:15

2011 08:49

2012 09:06

2013 08:43

Not only is the travel time trend well below best practices citywide it is also below best practices

in each station area. Also referring back to Map #3b geocoding indicates that most of the areas in

the City should be reachable with six minutes travel time. There is a significant discrepancy

between the actual performance from the statistical models and the simulated performance from

geocoding. Further analysis indicates that this is the result of the move-up and cover into Station

1’s response area.

Table 29—Travel Time Performance at 90% by Station Area

Year 001 002 003 005 006 007

2010 07:38 09:25 08:26 08:26 10:21 Not opened

2011 08:14 09:22 09:10 08:19 09:08 09:27

2012 08:16 10:05 09:16 09:20 08:58 08:57

2013 08:25 09:34 08:40 08:24 10:21 08:29

Travel Time performance is better in Station 1 & Station 5. Station 1 is where the bulk of the

incident activity occurs, so the resources from Station 1 rarely leave the area. It is worse in

Station 006s territory. Stations 6 is routinely pulled into Station 1s area on move up and cover, so

it is seldom in its home area to respond quickly to the few calls that occur there. Except in

Stations 001 & 006 travel time performances improved from 2012 to 2013.

4.9.4 Call to Arrival Performance

A Call to Arrival performance of 90 percent compliance in 7 minutes is considered adequate.

Additional time is expected when a fire department serves more rural and remote areas. In Rio

Rancho Call to Arrival performance is below expectations.


Table 30—Call to Arrival Performance Time – Department-wide

Year Call to arrival Performance Time

2010 11:34

2011 12:01

2012 12:35

2013 12:20

Table 31—Call to Arrival Performance Varies by Station and by Year

Year 001 002 003 005 006 007

2010 10:51 12:33 11:44 12:07 14:41

2011 11:23 12:50 12:12 11:37 13:13 12:51

2012 11:41 13:50 13;00 13; 35 11:13 12:13

2013 12:07 13:12 11:57 13:22 14:10 11:42

The Call to Arrival Performance trend is poor in each station area. Station 001 has the best

performance and Station 006 has the worst performance. Station 6 is the station most routinely

used in cover assignments because of the low call volume in its home district.

Finding #11: The current Rio Rancho Fire Department response time goal

performance, from receipt of call by the dispatch center to first unit

on-scene for fire/EMS incidents, is 7:00 minutes. Rio Rancho’s

actual performance at the 90th

percentile is 12:27 minutes/seconds,

which exceeds the national best practice recommendation by more

than five minutes. This response time is composed of three

measured segments, dispatch call processing time, turnout time,

and travel time.

11.1 Best practice calls for call processing time to be 60 seconds

or less 90 percent of the time. In Rio Rancho call

processing (dispatch reflex) is 2:58 minutes/seconds at the

90th

percentile.


11.2 Best practice calls for crew turnout time, the time from the

alert to the call from dispatch until wheels are rolling of 60

to 90 seconds. Citygate recognizes that correctly donning

current safety gear takes closer to 2 minutes. In Rio Rancho

crew turnout time is 2:56 minutes/seconds at the 90th

percentile.

11.3 Best practice recommends a travel time of 4 minutes. In

Rio Rancho travel time ranges from 8:25 minutes/seconds

at the 90th percentile to 10:21 with the Department’s 90th

percentile at 8:46 minutes/seconds.

11.4 The City’s time of day, day of week, and month of year

calls for service demands are focused around the period of

eight in the morning to about seven in the evening. This is

consistent with the patterns in most suburban communities,

the highest call volumes occur when people are awake and

at work or play. Peak activity units would be a cost-

effective way to handle these high call volumes that occur

with some regularity

Recommendation #11: Consider the following resource deployment measures

as the first step in stabilizing the Department and

reducing overall travel times:

11.1 On a trial basis using overtime, add a peak period

rescue ambulance deployed out of Station 1. If it

is successful, add enough firefighters and

paramedics to staff the Rescue Ambulance on a

peak period basis.

11.2 Redeploy Engine 6 to Station 1 on a planned

basis during peak period.

11.3 Consider adding a second peak period rescue

ambulance deployed out of Station 7.


4.10 EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE

An Effective Response Force is defined as a team of Engine, Rescue and Chief vehicles arriving

at the scene of a Building Fire. The number of firefighting personnel arriving at the scene can

also define it. The time is stamped when either the last vehicle or with the last firefighter arrivals

on the scene to complete the Effective Response Force team.

In Rio Rancho the ERF team is 3 engines, 2 rescues and a B/C or the arrival of 13 firefighters at

the scene of a building fire.

In 2013 there were 20 ERF building fires. 90 percent performance was achieved at 18:55 for

both vehicle arrivals as well as the arrival of 13 firefighters.

Finding #12: The Fire Department rescue ambulance crews are trained and

respond as firefighters. If they are not on an ambulance call, this

system increases staffing for fire companies to an appropriate

level for a City of this size.

Recommendation #12: Continue this practice of training ambulance crews as

firefighters.

Section 5—Call Processing, Training, and Financial Discussions page 67

SECTION 5—CALL PROCESSING, TRAINING, AND FINANCIAL

DISCUSSIONS

5.1 CALL PROCESSING DISCUSSION

The City receives fire dispatch from a City operated sub-regional center serving the City’s Police

and Fire Departments, Sandoval County Fire Agencies, and the Sandoval County Sheriff. Rio

Rancho Police Department is the City’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for all 9-1-1

emergency calls.

5.1.1 Technology

The computer-aided dispatch is a very old SunGard CAD system. Automated vehicle locator

(AVL) is not being used to find the closest unit to a call. Fire and Police are on the same server

for dispatches. This system includes very stringent security requirements for law enforcement

purposes; however, this aspect of the system hinders fire dispatch operations which do not have a

security requirement.

They use a GIS map in the center for call plotting and a second-generation cell phone technology

for locations. That mapping is not available in the fire response units. (Note: The fire response

units do not have a mapping system. With the numerous duplicate and similar street names found

in Rio Rancho, firefighters occasionally have a difficult time finding an address when assigned

to cover an area outside their home district.)

Units in the field have Mobile Data Computers (MDC’s) (Panasonic Toughbooks). The MDC’s

have the capability to show the field unit’s status, including responding, on scene, available, and

in quarters. The Fire Department does not use this feature; during emergencies, it communicates

on the radio for status and tactical assignments. This has two impacts: the dispatchers spend time

maintaining status that could be automated; and the time stamps for enroute, at scene, and

available, could be more accurate for tracking response statistics. According to the dispatchers,

the Battalion Chiefs want everything on the radio so to hear all that is occurring.

5.1.2 Call Processing Observations

The following observations were made by the Citygate consultant during a visit to the Rio

Rancho combined dispatch center. All the observations were made during normal call processing

while both directly observing the dispatchers and while working with the Center Supervisor on

gathering incident data for statistical analysis.

Requests to 9-1-1 for the Fire Department are processed as follows: There are two assigned call

takers on duty. If additional 9-1-1 calls are made and the two are busy, the system routes the

additional calls to the dispatchers. Consequently, a fire dispatcher could receive 9-1-1 calls

while simultaneously handling fire emergency dispatch issues. The Citygate consultant observed


the fire dispatcher answer a 9-1-1 call about every two minutes (work that should have been

handled by a call taker). Some of this occurred while the dispatcher was simultaneously

handling active fire calls. The dispatcher handled this situation and there were no observed

delays in the in processing fire calls. However, the results of this method of handling calls are

evidenced by the long call processing times. Best practices recommend a call processing time of

60 seconds or less 90 percent of the time. Rio Rancho’s dispatch reflex time is 2:58

minutes/seconds 90 percent of the time. Dispatchers can multi-task, but at some point there are

more telephone and radio demands can be handled without some errors or delays.

The Citygate consultant observed a dispatch time of about 1:20 minutes/seconds while in the

dispatch center. The staff acknowledged that there are delays; they can tell from their computer

screens.

Many of the lengthy dispatch times appear to be tied to police response times that subsequently

lead to a Fire Department dispatch. The call processing time for the Fire Department started

when CAD opened with a police call. In these cases, the time stamp for the start of the call was

at the time the police call came in not at the time of the subsequent fire dispatch as all were

considered part of the same call. The Fire Department did not know that this was happening.

Finding #13: There is a problem with dispatching delays. Determining the cause

of the problem is beyond the scope of this study. In all probability,

the problem is due to a combination of factors including

procedures, technology, and staffing.

Recommendation #13: In cooperation with the police department, conduct a

complete study of the dispatch center and follow those

recommendations.

5.2 TRAINING DISCUSSION

Verifiable, ongoing, and realistic training is the cornerstone of safe and efficient fire department

emergency operations. While a thorough analysis of the training program was beyond the scope

of this study, Citygate looked into the basic training program to measure its impact on

operational readiness.

Robust training programs teach and reinforce the safety practices of firefighters, and coupled

with vigorous safety and health programs, communities find many benefits including:

Lower injury rates followed on by lower workers compensation costs.


Reduced vicarious liability for injuries and property damage due to errors in

practice.

More efficient procedures, more effective use of resources, and reduced damage

to apparatus and equipment.

5.2.1 Training Observations

A Battalion Chief is responsible for the Training Program design and oversight.

The Training Battalion Chief reports to the Deputy Chief and has a Logistics

Captain who reports to him. The Training Battalion Chief is responsible for the

entire Department training program except emergency medical and fire

prevention. Training for these programs is the responsibility of the EMS Chief

and Fire Marshal, respectively. Organizationally this is typical of fire agencies of

this size.

There is a comprehensive annual schedule of required training. Each fire company

is required to participate in a minimum of 24 hours of Company Training per

quarter as outlined in the Department’s Quarterly Planning Process. The

Department has minimum Fire Company Performance Standards and shifts are

held accountable for that training.

The International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) provides the

primary certification standards for the Department. IFSAC is a peer-driven, self-

governing system that accredits both public fire service certification programs and

higher education fire-related degree programs. This is a widely used certification

system. Technical Rescue training and Hazardous Materials training is also

conducted by the Department in accordance with IFSAC standards

Multi-company training is provided for all crews and stations. In addition, the

training program includes training with mutual aid agencies and at the Intel

facility.

The training facility is a three-story prefab building and, while basic, it is

effective and allows for Class A live-fire-fueled training fires. There is also a roof

training prop for vertical ventilation training. The facility partially meets ISO

training facility requirements.

Training standards and curriculum are based on the Insurance Services Office

requirements of monthly, quarterly, and annual training as well as officer,

driver/operator hazardous material and recruit training. Record keeping is

consistent with ISO requirements.

The Department has an Officer Development Academy for all newly-promoted

and aspiring officers.


Each position through the rank of Battalion Chief has a task book that must be

completed by the employee in a one-year period. Employees are required to

complete task books for acting positions. This process promotes staff

development. Each member who is completing a task book is assigned a mentor

to assist him or her in the process. The training chief reviews all completed task

books.

Finding #14a: There is only one person staffing the training section. For a

department of this size, with this level of activity and growth

rate, Citygate finds that as long as the company officers and

Battalion Chiefs consistently fulfill their training oversight

responsibilities this will work; however, it is definitely

stretching the limits on a single training officer.

Finding #14b: While not state-of-the-art, the training facility is adequate

for the Department’s needs and should serve well until it can

be replaced.

Commendation #14: The fire chief is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer

(EFO) Program at the National Fire Academy. In

addition some of the chief officers are currently enrolled

in the program. Citygate routinely recommends the EFO

program to fire chiefs and fire departments and

commends Rio Rancho for embracing the program so

strongly.

Recommendation #14: When there is funding available Citygate recommends

that a second position of training officer at the captain

rank be funded. This should be done before any

additional stations are opened.

5.3 FINANCIAL DISCUSSION

While this study is not a financial study of the Rio Rancho Fire Department, its scope is limited

to Operations and Data Analysis, Citygate believed that a cursory investigation into the Fire


Department’s finances are warranted as any recommendations for upgrading services are costly.

Before recommending a particular action it is vital to know the financial impact of such an

action.

Second, Rio Rancho Fire Department has a process for billing for some services, as part of a

realistic appraisal of the financial costs of service this analysis also examined that aspect of

finances.

This analysis has two components: cost of additional employees, and ambulance and alarm

service billing.

5.3.1 Additional Employees

Citygate researched staffing costs. Data was obtained from the Rio Rancho Human Resources

Department. The following assumptions were used in this analysis.

Table 32—Fire Department Staffing Finance Assumptions

Item Assumption

Regular Pay Initially at Min Salary Range

Overtime 12% of Salary

Basic Life 1.3% of Salary

Basic Life (Dep) Dependent Coverage

Dental Employee and Family Plan

Medicare 1.4% of Salary

NMRHCA 2.5% of Salary

PERA (City) 21.65% of Salary

PERA (Employee) 12.15% of Salary

PRES-B EE Employee and Family Plan

Workers Comp (Premium) 1.62% of Salary

Workers Comp (Qtly) 0.02% of Salary

In the event that the City adopts any of the recommendations contained in this report the

financial impacts can be easily ascertained.


Table 33—New Staffing Costs by Position

New Staff Classification Regular Pay Overtime

Total Benefits

Total Expenses

1 Firefighter/EMT-B $38,951 $4,674 $28,935 $72,560

1 Firefighter/EMT-1 $40,899 $4,908 $29,765 $75,572

1 Fire Engineer $42,944 $5,153 $30,636 $78,734

1 Firefighter/EMT-P $45,091 $5,411 $31,551 $82,053

1 District Commander (Captain) $52,827 $6,339 $34,848 $94,015

Total $220,712 $26,485 $155,735 $402,933

A peak period ambulance, assuming staffing with 2 firefighters 12 hours per day, seven days a

week, would cost approximately $315,000. An alternative work schedule agreement would have

to be reached with the City’s firefighters.

Table 34—New Staffing Costs; Post-Coverage 2 FF Peak Period Rescue Ambulance

New Staff Classification Regular Pay Overtime Total Benefits Total Expenses

2 Firefighter/EMT-1 $81,798 $9,816 $59,530 $151,144


Total $171,980 $20,638 $122,632 $315,250

Rio Rancho currently has both two and three person engines paired with two firefighter rescue

ambulances, for an effective company staffing of four or five firefighters. The tables below show

the cost of both scenarios.

Table 35—New Staffing Costs; Post-Coverage 2 FF Engine, 2 FF Rescue Ambulance

New Staff Classification

Regular Pay Overtime

Total Benefits

Total Expenses

3 Firefighter/EMT-1 $122,697 $14,724 $89,295 $226,716

3 Fire Engineer $128,832 $15,459 $91,908 $236,202



Total $545,283 $65,433 $380,400 $991,122


Table 36—New Staffing Costs; Post-Coverage 3 FF Engine, 2 FF Rescue Ambulance

New Staff Classification

Regular Pay Overtime

Total Benefits

Total Expenses

3 Firefighter/EMT-B $116,853 $14,022 $86,805 $217,680

3 Firefighter/EMT-1 $122,697 $14,724 $89,295 $226,716

3 Fire Engineer $128,832 $15,459 $91,908 $236,202



Total $662,136 $79,455 $467,205 $1,208,802

Citygate projects increases due to inflation and other factors of CPI of 2 percent over the next 5

years and step increases of 5 percent over the first two years.

5.3.2 Billing

Rio Rancho also bills for services where possible to offset costs to the taxpayer. Ambulance

billing is done to the patient’s medical insurance carrier. In 2013, procedures were changed and

including more aggressive approach which resulted in an improved rate from 49.94 percent to

71.08 percent.

Table 37—Ambulance Billing

2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008

Billed $2,422,960 $2,656,391 $2,720,409 $2,630,506 $2,666,097 $2,590,275

Collected $1,722,253 $1,326,509 $1,234,453 $1,463,670 $1,617,805 $1,654,297

Collection Rate % 71.08% 49.94% 45.38% 55.64% 60.68% 63.87%

Revenue (GL) $1,452,468 $1,507,415 $1,383,226 $1,624,386 $1,625,835 $1,657,020

(Refunds) $(36,064) $(24,816) $(20,891) $(28,567) $(25,536) $(30,622)

Revenue, Net $1,416,404 $1,482,599 $1,362,335 $1,595,819 $1,600,299 $1,626,398

Rio Rancho bills for responses to false alarms where automated systems notify the Fire

Department of an alarm and there is no fire or other emergency. Users are billed for three or

more false alarms in a year.


Table 38—Alarm Billing

Year 2013 2012

Billed $134,375 $88,177

Collected $124,500 $86,502

Collection Rate % 92.65% 98.10%

Revenue (GL) $126,140 $137,037

Finding #15: There is little likelihood that additional services will generate

sufficient income to fully pay for the increased staffing and

operating expense.

Recommendation #15: Continue collecting as in the past; monitor the collection

rate to be certain that there is no slippage.

Section 6—Overall Evaluation and Recommendations page 75

SECTION 6—OVERALL EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 OVERALL EVALUATION

The Rio Rancho Fire Department serves a very unique land use and development pattern. Most

cities develop from a central core outward; Rio Rancho’s development has been around the

perimeter of the City with an essentially open center core area. This creates a challenge for

infrastructure development and emergency services response. Population drives service demand,

and development brings population. With development on the perimeter, demand for service is

also on the perimeter.

Nevertheless, Rio Rancho’s fire stations are located in the population clusters. A six-minute

travel time covers most of the populated area of the City. Yet travel times are significantly higher

than six minutes.

Citygate finds that the following contributes to lengthy travel times:

Density of growth is not contiguous; the high-density areas in the south part of the

City have a high demand for service. Stations 1, 2, and 7 experience the highest

call volumes.

Population clusters contain stations that are too far apart to successfully support

each other when additional resources are needed. Timely multi-unit response is

not possible.

When the three busy southern area stations experience simultaneous calls for

service, they draw in the remaining three stations. This causes long response times

citywide into all station areas during hours of the day with the highest demand for

services.

Two of the stations are located against edges of the City limits, creating a

situation where some of their response coverage is expended outside the City

limits. There are not enough 1st response units to cover the paved, populated road

miles.

Add to this the high call volumes during wake hours, which challenge a fire

department of this size.

Once many units are used, Rio Rancho’s response system is destabilized; all the units are off

base and response times suffer everywhere.

As a policy, if Rio Rancho wants to provide the three outcomes below, the City needs to modify

its current staffing model:

Provide equitable response times to all similar risk neighborhoods


Provide for depth of response when multiple incidents occur

Provide for a concentration of response forces in the core area.

The City needs to eventually add five fire stations across its geography.11

The first step is for Rio Rancho to adopt a Safety Element as part of its comprehensive plan. The

aim of the safety element is to reduce the potential risk of death, injuries, property damage and

economic and social dislocation resulting from fires, floods, earthquakes and other hazards. The

sections of the Safety Element relevant to Fire Protections should address relevant fire

prevention and fire response concepts. As with other parts of the Comprehensive Plan, the Safety

Element will guide policymakers, developers and City staff as they respond to specific planning

challenges as the community grows.

The next step for Rio Rancho in the near term is to adopt performance measures from which to

set forth service expectations and, on an annual basis, monitor Fire Department performance as

part of its annual budget considerations. Then the City has to provide for the needed resources to

meet the performance expectations as the City grows and demand increases.

For its current risks and desired outcomes, Rio Rancho has the correct quantity of fire engines

(pumpers and quints), and rescue ambulances. The staffing per unit and daily citywide is

appropriate and consummate with the risks in a suburban city and, in some areas, an emerging

suburban city.

6.2 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the technical analysis contained in this study, Citygate offers the following findings

and recommendations:

6.2.1 Comprehensive Plan Safety Element

Finding #1: The City does not have an overarching policy on Fire Protection, as would be

found in a Safety Element of a Comprehensive Plan. A Safety Element would

describe the long-term planning goals for Fire Protection in Rio Rancho.

Recommendation #1: Consider Adoption of a Safety Element to the Comprehensive

Plan: A Safety Element added to the City’s Comprehensive Plan

would guide policymakers, developers, planners, and other City staff

as they considered new projects going forward and their impacts on

the fire protection system.

11 In the long term, when Rio Rancho is fully developed it will need many more stations; however, at the current

growth rate, that is in the distant future.


6.2.2 Recommended Response Time Benchmark Goals

Finding #2: The City has not identified a deployment measure or set of specialty response

measures adopted by the Rio Rancho City Council for all-risk emergency

responses. Nor has it identified a goal tied to risks and outcome expectations. The

deployment measure should identify a second measurement to define multiple-

unit response coverage for serious emergencies. The deployment measure should

vary according to population density and associated risk. Making these

deployment goal changes will meet the best practice recommendations of the

Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

Recommendation #2: Adopt City Council Policy Deployment Measures: The City should

adopt performance measures to direct fire crew planning and to

monitor the operation of the Department. The measures should take

into account a realistic company turnout time of 2 minutes and be

designed to deliver outcomes that will save patients likely to recover

upon arrival; and to keep small, but serious, fires from becoming

greater alarm fires. The policies should be realistic, affordable, and

not over-promise positive outcomes to all neighborhoods, all of the

time. Adopt a blended response goal tiered to population levels.

6.2.3 Incident Statistics Tool

Finding #3: Once a policy is developed, the Fire Department must have the capability of

analyzing its performance and reporting to the Council on its ability to comply.

Recommendation #3: Citygate recommends that the City obtain a fire deployment incident

statistics analysis tool such as StatsFD.

6.2.4 Apparatus Staffing

Finding #4: Apparatus staffing is appropriate for a City of this size and population density

because the ambulance crews are trained as firefighters.

Recommendation #4: Citygate recommends that the Department continue this practice of

training ambulance crews as firefighters.

Finding #5: The current configuration of two or three firefighters on an engine paired with

two firefighters on a rescue ambulance meets the intent of NFPA 1710 company

staffing standard.

Recommendation #5: Given the above risks-to-desired-outcome review, the NFPA 1710

Standard recommendation of 4 persons on an engine or truck, and


Citygate’s analysis of the City’s incident volume, density, and

preponderance of simultaneous incidents, Rio Rancho should retain a

staffing level of two or three firefighters on an engine paired with two

firefighters on a rescue ambulance.

6.2.5 Four-minute Travel Time

Finding #6: Using the current six fire station locations, much of the developed area is not

within four minutes travel time from a fire station.

6.2.6 Six-minute Travel Time

Finding #7: Using the current six fire station locations, almost the entire suburban and

emerging suburban density developed areas are within six minutes travel time of a

fire station. Where this does not occur, the segments are small areas at the end of

the street network.

Recommendation #7a: For suburban development density levels, utilize six minutes as the

response travel time criteria.

Recommendation #7b: Distribution of Fire Resources: To treat medical patients and control

small fires, the first-due unit should arrive within 9 minutes, 90

percent of the time from the receipt of the 9-1-1 call in the dispatch

center. This equates to 1-minute dispatch time, 2 minutes company

turnout time, and 6 minutes drive time in the most populated areas.

7b.1 Multiple-Unit Effective Response Force for Serious

Emergencies: To confine fires near the room of origin, to stop

wildland fires to under three acres when noticed promptly, and

to treat up to five medical patients at once, a multiple-unit

response of at least 23 personnel should arrive within 15

minutes from the time of 9-1-1 call receipt in fire dispatch, 90

percent of the time. This equates to 1-minute dispatch time, 2

minutes company turnout time, and 12 minutes drive time

spacing for multiple units in the most populated areas.

7b.2 Hazardous Materials Response: Provide hazardous materials

response designed to protect the community from the hazards

associated with uncontrolled release of hazardous and toxic

materials. The fundamental mission of the Fire Department

response is to minimize or halt the release of a hazardous

substance so that it has minimal impact on the community by


achieving a travel time in suburban areas for the first company

capable of investigating a hazardous materials release at the

operations level within 6 minutes travel time or less, 90 percent

of the time. After size-up and scene evaluation is completed, a

determination will be made whether to request additional

resources.

7b.3 Technical Rescue: Respond to technical rescue emergencies as

efficiently and effectively as possible with enough trained

personnel to facilitate a successful rescue. Achieve a travel time

for the first company in suburban areas for size-up of the rescue

within 6 minutes travel time or less, 90 percent of the time.

Assemble additional resources for technical rescue capable of

initiating a rescue within a total response time of 15 minutes, 90

percent of the time. Safely complete rescue/extrication to ensure

delivery of patient to a definitive care facility.

7b.4 Urbanization: As the City develops and the core becomes

urbanized with a population density of 5,000 persons/square

mile, adopt an urban response performance level with four

minutes travel time by the first arriving unit on scene and a First

Alarm travel time of eight minutes.

7b.5 As infill occurs in the southern part of the City, as densities

increase to urban levels, and as further development occurs in

the northern part of the City, 6 minutes may no longer be

attainable as a benchmark; then consideration should be given

to adding stations as growth demands.

6.2.7 Command Officers

Finding #8: The current level of command officer presence is adequate given the number of

multi-company operations and the fact that the bulk of the higher risk is within the

8-minute travel time from Station 1.

Recommendation #8a: An additional Battalion Chief position on each shift should be

considered in the north end of the City if additional stations are

developed and the span of control exceeds the Incident Management

System recommended span of control of three to seven.

Recommendation #8b: Similarly, if there is a significant increase in the need for command

coverage, consider adding a second Battalion Chief position.


6.2.8 Unit Hour Utilization

Finding #9: The unit hour utilization of the top four units, Rescue 1, Rescue 7, Engine 1, and

Rescue 2, is very high. Rescue 1 is the busiest. Almost 22 percent of the unit’s

time, or roughly 6 hours out of every 24, is spent on incidents. Required training

requires at least 2 hours per shift. Combine these with decontamination,

restocking, vehicle maintenance, physical training, meal times, and other

necessities, and it is obvious that this unit is very busy.

6.2.9 Response Time Performance

Finding #10: Rio Rancho Dispatch and Turnout Times are excessive, especially when then

considering that the bulk of them do not require the donning of bunker gear.

Recommendation #10: The Department needs to continue its focus on systems, training, and

feedback measures to keep dispatch and crew turnout time reflex

measures to national best practices of 60 seconds for dispatch and 2

minutes for fire crew turnout, 90 percent of the time.

6.2.10 Peak Period Demand

Finding #11: The current Rio Rancho Fire Department response time goal performance, from

receipt of call by the dispatch center to first unit on-scene for fire/EMS incidents,

is 7:00 minutes. Rio Rancho’s actual performance at the 90th

percentile is 12:27

minutes/seconds, which exceeds the national best practice recommendation by

more than five minutes. This response time is composed of three measured

segments, dispatch call processing time, turnout time, and travel time.

11.1 Best practice calls for call processing time to be 60 seconds or less 90

percent of the time. In Rio Rancho call processing (dispatch reflex) is 2:58

minutes/seconds at the 90th

percentile.

11.2 Best practice calls for crew turnout time, the time from the alert to the call

from dispatch until wheels are rolling of 60 to 90 seconds. Citygate

recognizes that correctly donning current safety gear takes closer to 2

minutes. In Rio Rancho crew turnout time is 2:56 minutes/seconds at the

90th

percentile.

11.3 Best practice recommends a travel time of 4 minutes. In Rio Rancho travel

time ranges from 8:25 minutes/seconds at the 90th percentile to 10:21 with

the Department’s 90th percentile at 8:46 minutes/seconds.


11.4 The City’s time of day, day of week, and month of year calls for service

demands are focused around the period of eight in the morning to about

seven in the evening. This is consistent with the patterns in most suburban

communities, the highest call volumes occur when people are awake and

at work or play. Peak activity units would be a cost-effective way to

handle these high call volumes that occur with some regularity

Recommendation #11: Consider the following resource deployment measures as the first step

in stabilizing the Department and reducing overall travel times:

11.1 On a trial basis using overtime, add a peak period rescue

ambulance deployed out of Station 1. If it is successful, add

enough firefighters and paramedics to staff the Rescue

Ambulance on a peak period basis.

11.2 Redeploy Engine 6 to Station 1 on a planned basis during peak

period.

11.3 Consider adding a second peak period rescue ambulance

deployed out of Station 7.

6.2.11 Fire Crew Staffing Levels

Finding #12: The Fire Department rescue ambulance crews are trained and respond as

firefighters. If they are not on an ambulance call, this system increases staffing for

fire companies to an appropriate level for a City of this size.

Recommendation #12: Continue this practice of training ambulance crews as firefighters.

6.2.12 Call Processing

Finding #13: There is a problem with dispatching delays. Determining the cause of the problem

is beyond the scope of this study. In all probability, the problem is due to a

combination of factors including procedures, technology, and staffing.

Recommendation #13: In cooperation with the police department, conduct a complete study

of the dispatch center and follow those recommendations.

6.2.13 Training

Finding #14a: There is only one person staffing the training section. For a department of this

size, with this level of activity and growth rate, Citygate finds that as long as the

company officers and Battalion Chiefs consistently fulfill their training


oversight responsibilities this will work; however, it is definitely stretching the

limits on a single training officer.

Finding #14b: While not state-of-the-art, the training facility is adequate for the Department’s

needs and should serve well until it can be replaced.

Commendation #14: The fire chief is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer (EFO)

Program at the National Fire Academy. In addition some of the chief

officers are currently enrolled in the program. Citygate routinely

recommends the EFO program to fire chiefs and fire departments and

commends Rio Rancho for embracing the program so strongly.

Recommendation #14: When there is funding available Citygate recommends that a second

position of training officer at the captain rank be funded. This should

be done before any additional stations are opened.

6.2.14 Financial Analysis

Finding #15: There is little likelihood that additional services will generate sufficient income to

fully pay for the increased staffing and operating expense.

Recommendation #15: Continue collecting as in the past; monitor the collection rate to be

certain that there is no slippage.

fire and rescue operations and staffing study city of rio

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