Fire Protection Study #2

November 2015

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Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction: Impacts of Fragmentation on Fire and EMS Services .......................................... 5 Research Questions ..................................................................................................................... 6

Meeting National Standards ............................................................................................................ 6 Fire and EMS Operations............................................................................................................ 7

The Current State of Fire and EMS Service in the St. Louis Area ................................................. 7 Figure 1: Map of St. Louis Region Municipal Fire Department and Fire Protection District Boundaries .................................................................................................................................. 8 Figure 2: Map of St. Louis County Fire Districts and Departments ........................................... 9

Geographic Information Systems ................................................................................................. 10 Geographic Information Systems: Analysis ............................................................................. 10 Figure 3: Map of Current Firehouses and 4-Minute Response Times ...................................... 11 The Modern Day Firefighter ..................................................................................................... 12 Staffing, Equipment, and Special Operations ........................................................................... 13 Training and Fire Codes............................................................................................................ 13 Standard Operating Procedures................................................................................................. 14 Interoperability .......................................................................................................................... 14 Maintenance and Repair ........................................................................................................... 15 Dispatching ............................................................................................................................... 15 The Current State: Bottom Line ................................................................................................ 15

Bringing the Region into NFPA Compliance ....................................................................... 15 Review: Current 4-minute Response Time Coverage .............................................................. 16

Figure 4: Map of Current 4-Minute Coverage ...................................................................... 16 Filling the Coverage Gap .......................................................................................................... 17

Figure 5: Map of Current and Additional Firehouse and 4-Minute Response Times .......... 17 GIS Analysis: Bottom Line ....................................................................................................... 18

Figure 6: Map of Future Regional Fire District 4-Minute Response Time Coverage .......... 18 Regional Fire District .................................................................................................................... 19

Benefits of Meeting National Standards ................................................................................... 19 Training, Fire Codes and Interoperability ................................................................................. 20 Maintenance and Public Safety Garage .................................................................................... 20

Equipment ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Table 1: St. Louis County Equipment Requirements ............................................................... 21 Table 2: St. Louis City Equipment Requirements .................................................................... 21

Staffing .......................................................................................................................................... 22

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Table 3: Staffing Factor Calculation ......................................................................................... 22 Table 4: Required Equipment and Staffing to Comply with NFPA 1710 ................................ 22

Budget ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Current Budget Expenditures .................................................................................................... 23

Projected Budget Expenditures ..................................................................................................... 23 Table 5: Summary of Estimated New Hires for New Department ........................................... 23 Phasing in New Firehouses, Equipment, and Staff ................................................................... 24 Special Operations .................................................................................................................... 24 Civilian Personnel for Firehouses ............................................................................................. 25 Summary of All New Hires for New Department .................................................................... 25

Table 6: Summary of Salary and Fringe Benefit Costs for New Hires ................................ 25 One-Time New Firehouses, Capital Projects and Equipment Investment - Phase-in............... 25

Table 7: Total Projected Capital Projects and Equipment Investment ................................. 26 Cost Calculations For Converting Fire Districts To Proposed Salary Plan .......................... 26

Total Cost of New Hires, Capital Projects, and Pay Parity ...................................................... 27 Table 8: Total Cost at Year 9 of New Hires, Capital Projects, and Fully Phased-In Current Employees ............................................................................................................................. 27

Cost Savings and Positive Externalities ........................................................................................ 28 Cost Savings.............................................................................................................................. 28

Purchase of Apparatus, Equipment & Supplies .................................................................... 29 Apparatus & Equipment Maintenance .................................................................................. 30 Healthcare & Employee Benefit Savings ............................................................................. 30 Retirement Efficiencies ......................................................................................................... 30 Insurance Services Office Ratings ........................................................................................ 31

Table 9: Number of Communities in Missouri by ISO Classification...................................... 32 Table 10: Total Cost at Year 5 of New Hires, Capital Projects, Pay Parity for Current Employees, and Cost Savings ............................................................................................... 32 Positive Externalities ............................................................................................................ 33

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Executive Summary This report is the second of two examining the provision of fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS) in St. Louis City and St. Louis County.1 The first report provided a straightforward look at how fire protection and emergency medical services are delivered in the region. This report provides recommendations for service improvement based on National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.2 The recommendations within this report are the outcome of a yearlong dialogue with fire chiefs and firefighters, along with a variety of other experts. The data and qualitative evidence provided in this report demonstrate that substantial portions of the St. Louis region are not NFPA compliant and thereby fall short of the recognized national standard. One area for improvement is response-time capabilities. NFPA 1710 (5.2.4.1.1) establishes a response time of four minutes or less for the first arriving engine company for 90 percent of the region. This report demonstrates that this standard is not met in the St. Louis region. Anywhere you drive in the St. Louis area – to a Cardinals baseball game, to Lambert International Airport, or to a local park – requires you to pass through many different communities with widely varying emergency medical response times. The level of emergency medical service provision varies greatly throughout the region, placing every individual in the St. Louis area at significant risk. In addition to these concerns about response time, there are several other issues in this report warranting serious consideration and attention. It is the conclusion of the report committee that the best approach to improving emergency service delivery and meeting the national NFPA standards is through a regional fire district.3 The benefits of a single district include:

• Improved protection of life and property • Elimination of service inequities in parts of the county • Improvements to the command and control structure • Standardization of equipment and operating platforms • One standard operating procedure for the region • Improvements to disaster response due to one agency coordinating fire, special

operations, and EMS delivery • Maximizing of tax dollars through economies of scale • Elimination of inequities in response times that result from reliance on private

ambulances

1 Throughout this report the St. Louis region will be used in references to St. Louis City and St. Louis County. 2 http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=1710

3 Although a regional fire district is ideal, this recommendation is contingent on a proper funding mechanism. Otherwise, other forms of unification should be considered.

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Introduction This report summarizes the findings of a review of fire and emergency medical service (EMS) provision in St. Louis City and St. Louis County. The goal of this report was to explore ways to improve the quality of fire and EMS services in the St. Louis region – thereby saving lives and property. To accomplish this goal, we compared the delivery of fire and EMS services in the St. Louis region to the recommended standards provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Specifically, we focused on NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, to guide the design of the report. This report briefly examines the current state of service delivery in St. Louis City and St. Louis County, beginning with a Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis of response times for both of these areas. The preliminary GIS analysis revealed several areas, especially within St. Louis County, where service provision could be improved. This report finds that, in order to conform to NFPA 1710 standards, additional firehouses need to be constructed. This report also identifies where fire and EMS services can be improved in the areas of equipment, staffing, and capital upgrades. Methodology Better Together developed this report in consultation with fire chiefs, firefighters, and union leaders from both St. Louis County and St Louis City, with the goal of enhancing fire and EMS services in the region. Guided by National Fire Protection Association standards, especially those outlined in NFPA 1710, this advisory group met over the course of a year and identified important needs for fire and EMS services. Through consensus, this committee developed the criteria, approaches, and recommendations outlined in this report. Introduction: Impacts of Fragmentation on Fire and EMS Services The 1.3 million residents of the St. Louis region receive service from 43 different municipal fire departments and fire protection districts. This diverse and fragmented system of service provision creates several challenges for our firefighters and their ability to conform to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Fragmentation produces obstacles to training, specialization, career advancement opportunities, levels of service provision, distribution of specialized equipment, and service response boundaries, among many other challenges. The committee believes that the best way to address fragmentation is to establish NFPA standards as the foundation for fire services in the St. Louis region. Our region’s fragmentation raises questions regarding the sustainability of the current system and the ability to meet NFPA standards. Due to declining revenue, many departments are unable to afford recommended staffing levels. An exploration of the current system offers the potential for

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improving service provision, benefiting firefighters, taxpayers, and the regional economy, as well as providing a proactive pathway for the future of the region. Research Questions Given the fragmented nature of fire and EMS service in the region, and the challenges that fragmentation presents, the following questions were examined in preparing this report:

• Does fire and EMS service provision in the region conform to the standards outlined by the National Fire Protection Association, specifically those outlined in NFPA 1710?

• How would one design the ideal fire and EMS entity, which meets NFPA standards and serves the entire St. Louis region?

Meeting National Standards A fire agency must follow a well-researched national standard to ensure it is providing the optimal level of public safety to its residents. The committee looked to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for such guidance. The NFPA is the world's leading advocate of fire prevention and an authoritative source on public safety. In short, the NFPA is the “gold standard” by which fire and EMS services are judged nationally and internationally. Established in 1896, the international nonprofit organization’s mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life. The NFPA fulfills this mission by providing, and advocating for, consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. The NFPA has a membership of more than 70,000 individuals from nearly 100 nations. NFPA publishes 300 codes and standards designed to minimize the risk and effects of fire by establishing criteria for building, processing, design, service, and installation in the United States, as well as many other countries. Its more than 200 technical-code and standard-development committees consist of over 6,000 volunteers who vote on proposals and revisions in an accredited process. In 2001, the NFPA issued Standard 1710. It is the “Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments.” NFPA members representing consumers, management, labor, manufacturers, research/testing, special experts, and users developed the standard after several years of research and deliberations. The issuance of the standard was a “watershed event” for the fire services. In summary, NFPA 1710 establishes a quantifiable method of measuring the quality of a fire department and provides the guidelines for response times and staffing that would determine the number of firehouses, vehicles, and staff in a department.

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Fire and EMS Operations We began our report by locating all of the firehouses within St. Louis City and St. Louis County, to determine response times and the types of equipment needed. Fire station locations are pivotal for meeting the standards for NFPA mandated response times. NFPA 1710 (5.2.4) dictates that fire departments must be able to establish the following capabilities at each structural fire involving a 2,000 square foot single-family home:

● Incident command ● Water supply ● Attack lines ● Backup lines ● Search and rescue teams ● Ventilation teams ● Rapid intervention crew

NFPA 1710 establishes a response time of four minutes, or less, for the first arriving engine company and/or eight minutes, or less, for the deployment of the full first alarm assignment (4.1.2.1). For the purposes of evaluating our existing fire services, the committee focused its efforts on the four-minute response time of each firehouse, zeroing in on areas where there were holes in coverage. The Current State of Fire and EMS Service in the St. Louis Area The St. Louis region receives fire and EMS services from 43 different fire districts and municipal fire departments serving 1.3 million residents. Within St. Louis County, there are 19 municipal fire departments and 23 fire protection districts. Adding in the St. Louis City Fire Department brings the total to 43 different agencies in the St. Louis region. Figure 1 illustrates the St. Louis County fire protection and municipal fire department district boundaries. Figure 2 displays the fire protection districts within St. Louis County, which include Affton, Black Jack, Community, Creve Coeur, Eureka, Fenton, Florissant Valley, Kinloch, Lemay, Maryland Heights, Mehlville, Metro West, Mid-County, Metro North, Monarch, Northeast, Pattonville, Riverview, Robertson, Spanish Lake, Valley Park, West County EMS, and West Overland. For municipal fire departments, as seen in Figure 1, the list includes Berkeley, Brentwood, Clayton, Crestwood, Des Peres, Ferguson, Frontenac, Glendale, Hazelwood, Jennings (as of September 1, 2014, the City of Jennings is part of the Riverview Fire Protection District), Kirkwood, Ladue, Maplewood, Olivette, Pacific, Richmond Heights, Rock Hill, Shrewsbury, St. Louis City, University City, and Webster Groves.

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Figure 1: Map of St. Louis Region Municipal Fire Department and Fire Protection District Boundaries

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Figure 2: Map of St. Louis County Fire Districts and Departments

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Geographic Information Systems It was the consensus of the advisory group that an examination of fire services in the St. Louis region should begin with an analysis using geographic information systems. A brief explanation of geographic information systems analysis is as follows:

Geographic information systems are used by government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to describe and analyze the physical world. Simply put, a GIS combines layers of information about a geographic region to give you a better understanding of that region. Layers of information can be combined depending on the purpose of the report, forming a computer model of a jurisdiction on which many types of analysis can be made. In the public safety sector…GIS software uses geography and computer-generated maps as an interface for integrating and accessing location-based information. For example, the location of fire stations can be layered on a jurisdiction’s geography including the road network, water features, building footprints, or any other feature that has been digitized and assigned a location. In this manner, GIS allows public safety personnel to effectively plan for emergency response, determine mitigation priorities, analyze historical events, and predict future events. GIS can also be used to provide critical information to emergency responders upon dispatch or while en route to an incident to assist in tactical planning.4

The committee employed the services of Vertical GeoSolutions, Inc., a GIS mapping firm, to assist the group in assessing coverage in the St. Louis area and to help the group construct a map where response times would be pursuant to NFPA 1710 4-minute response times. Vertical GeoSolutions, Inc worked in close coordination with the advisory group, over several months, producing several iterations of the map before a final coverage map was finalized and agreed upon by the group. Geographic Information Systems: Analysis St. Louis County and St. Louis City are served by 118 firehouses providing aid to 1.3 million people. Figure 3 displays a map of current firehouses and 4-minute response time coverage.

4 Geographic Information System Emergency Service Response Capabilities Analysis, Wentzville Fire Protection District Missouri, August 29, 2012, report from the International Association of Fire Fighters., pg. 18. Retrieved from http://wentzvillefire.org/2014/06/wentzville-fire-protection-district-releases-study-about-population-growth-its-impact-on-response-times/

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Figure 3: Map of Current Firehouses and 4-Minute Response Times5

The blue dots within the map represent the current location of fire stations within St. Louis County, while the green dots represent the location of current St Louis City fire stations. The light red colored areas represent the current St. Louis County and St. Louis City 4-minute response time coverage.

5 Note: The green areas represent 4-minute coverage gaps that were filled in because of a lack of roads in the area such as the Spirit of St Louis Airport in Chesterfield and Lambert International Airport. We know that the Monarch Fire Department's fire station at 155 Long Road in Chesterfield can respond to a fire at the Spirit of St Louis airport, but because there are no roads on the airport the mapping software did not have any roads to calculate the 4-minute drive time on the airport from the fire station. Therefore, there is a gap in coverage for the 4-minute response time. For gaps like that, large parks, and rural areas, where there were not many roads, the gaps were filled with the green color to show where a 4-minute response time is achievable, if there was an adequate road network.

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As Figure 3 illustrates, St. Louis City meets the four-minute standard with its 30 firehouses in the city, but there are large areas of St. Louis County where the 88 firehouses, belonging to 43 municipal departments and districts, do not meet the standard. A closer examination reveals that only 70 percent of St. Louis County is covered under current 4-minute response times.6

The Modern Day Firefighter Over the past 50 years, firefighting has changed drastically. The roles of firefighters have evolved, as they are increasingly called upon to provide a variety of life-saving skills, including EMS services, hazardous material containment, heavy rescue, rope rescue, swift water rescue, and responses to acts of terrorism and natural disasters. Every emergency a firefighter responds to is unique and brings with it unknown dangers that require extensive training and coordination. Firefighters are often the first to respond to a medical emergency, and their ability to respond to an emergency quickly can often be the difference between life and death. The modern firefighter assumes a job that is more demanding than at any time in the past. The risk of serious injury in the line of service is an ever-present reality, as firefighters are increasingly asked to respond to complicated situations such as meth lab fires. An incident such as a meth fire requires not only an understanding of how to extinguish a chemical fire, composed of hazardous material, but also requires that firefighters be trained to recognize potential booby-traps common among those attempting to protect their illegal operations. As this scenario illustrates, a firefighter does not simply provide water to put out a fire; he or she must also possess the knowledge of hazardous chemical reactions and the risks associated with them. Firefighters operate an increasingly sophisticated array of equipment and are expected to administer life-saving care to victims in a variety of different dangerous situations. Firefighter-paramedics are tasked with responding to a whole host of situations ranging from heart attacks and strokes, to more everyday occurrences such as when someone suffers a laceration doing yard work, or smells gas in their home. Firefighter-paramedics need working knowledge of a variety of different drugs so they can administer care to a victim as quickly as possible to prevent the loss of life. They must also be adept at driving large and unwieldy vehicles quickly through congested traffic, down winding roads with no shoulder, or through subdivisions, whose designers paid little attention to the needs of emergency service providers. The firefighter’s role is changing as departments are providing fire protection services and requiring new skill sets, most commonly the administration of emergency medical care. This shift is taking place within the St. Louis region as two different systems of emergency medical service delivery are used. Within the St. Louis region, two models of the typical firefighter exist: firefighters working alongside for-profit ambulance services, and firefighter-paramedics. The first model has the firefighter, whose primarily role is to extinguish fires, remaining outside the periphery of providing EMS services. This model of firefighting relies on private, for-profit ambulance services to provide the EMS care. The firefighter arrives at a house fire to pull

6 Link to GIS map online: http://arcg.is/1zQmxlF

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victims from the scene, and to put out the blaze, while the for-profit ambulance service provides emergency medical care and transports victims to the hospital, if needed. The other model is the firefighter-paramedic who serves the dual role of fighting fires and providing emergency medical care. These individuals must be prepared to provide advanced life support, assist in rescue, or perform the expected duties of a firefighter such as fire suppression. This dual-certification system means each firefighter-paramedic possesses a greater set of skills when responding to emergencies and is more capable of providing the needed care to save a life when seconds matter most. It should come as no surprise that the firefighter-paramedic represents the ideal personnel type to respond to an emergency. The versatility of the firefighter-paramedic makes this model the future of firefighting around the world. Staffing, Equipment, and Special Operations There are approximately 2,500 individuals working for fire departments in St. Louis City and County. This includes all firefighters, emergency medical service providers, management, and clerical staff. The smallest departments in the region operate with as many as a dozen employees, while larger ones operate with staffs of over 100. The St. Louis region receives its emergency medical services from approximately 71 public ambulances. St. Louis County’s municipal fire departments and fire protection districts operate 58 ambulances. St. Louis City Fire Department operates 12 ambulances full-time, with approximately 13 ambulances in total. St. Louis City and St. Louis County also receive supplemental services from private ambulance services. St. Louis County currently has 86 fire apparatuses and the city has approximately 32 fire apparatuses. This does not include reserve apparatuses. Within St. Louis County, no agency operates a full time dedicated hazardous materials response unit or a dedicated technical rescue unit, which poses a significant risk to the region. Although no full time dedicated hazardous materials response unit or technical rescue unit exists, fire agencies in the region can accommodate an emergency. However, the current system is not ideal. Training and Fire Codes St. Louis City and St. Louis County operate their own fire academies.7 In order for an individual to become a firefighter in the county, he or she must go through the county academy, even if he or she has already gone through the city fire academy. The same is true for St. Louis City firefighters, who must graduate from the city fire academy in order to be employed as a firefighter in the city, even if they have already gone through the county fire academy. In short,

7 St. Louis County fire chiefs contract with Greater St. Louis County Fire Academy, Inc.

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the city and county operate two separate fire academies that do not have a reciprocal agreement that honors the validity of each area’s fire academy.8 In the county, each of the fire organizations conducts all continuing education and training programs in house with varying degrees of continuity between organizations. St. Louis City and St. Louis County also differ in the terms of their fire codes. While St. Louis City has a citywide fire code, there is no such countywide code for St. Louis County. The lack of a unified region-wide code, and the absence of a countywide fire codes, presents challenges in the region’s efforts to coordinate and better manage fire prevention efforts. Standard Operating Procedures Many municipal fire departments and fire protection districts approach emergencies differently, based on the standard operating procedures adopted by the department. Fire service provision in the region is not dictated by one set of standard operating procedures that all departments agree to follow. The lack of standard operating procedures presents challenges when one of the 43 different fire agencies comes to the aid of another. While the 43 departments within the region share automatic-aid or reciprocal agreements – each department assists the other in the event of an emergency – this does not mean that assistance is administered as efficiently and uniformly as possible. For instance, the first department to respond to an emergency takes charge of how the emergency is mitigated and determines how each incoming department would assist in how the emergency is addressed. This means the method, in which each emergency encountered, could feasibly be administered in 43 different manners. Without the benefit of singular standardized operating procedures that each firefighter, fire chief, and battalion chief knows and follows region-wide, we cannot guarantee that emergencies are addressed in the best manner possible. Interoperability The existence of 43 different municipal fire departments and fire protection districts within the region presents challenges for the interoperability of equipment. The absence of a common standard regarding equipment means that every fire truck or apparatus could conceivably be different. The manner in which equipment is stored on each truck can differ by department, which may lead to delays when time is of the essence.

8 The St. Louis City Fire Department does recognize the FF I & II certification that an individual receives at the St. Louis County Fire Academy, but they do require that those individuals go through a 5-week operations guideline, policy, and procedures training.

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Maintenance and Repair Each municipal fire department and fire protection district is responsible for arranging the repairs of their agencies equipment and vehicles. Departments often pay high costs for repairs by turning to out-of-state contractors or independent contractors.

Dispatching Two major dispatching centers – East Central Dispatch Center (6 service providers) and Central County Emergency 911 (34 service providers)9 – provide services for the majority of the region. There is a small group of communities that self-dispatch, where the city provides the infrastructure to receive calls for assistance and send resources where needed. Self-dispatching cities are Brentwood, Glendale, Kirkwood, Rock Hill, the City of St. Louis, and University City. The Current State: Bottom Line While the St. Louis region is very fortunate to have dedicated firefighters, paramedics, and support staff, multiple fire agencies in one region have led to inefficiencies and safety concerns. Many of the departments and districts are underfunded, understaffed, lack specialized services and, at times, struggle to adequately respond to certain emergencies. The St. Louis City Fire Department has not built a new firehouse in 39 years and many of the houses are over 100 years old. St. Louis City and St. Louis County are in need of capital improvements to their firehouse infrastructure and many require new equipment. In short, fire service provision has been afforded to the St. Louis region at the highest level possible despite being understaffed and underequipped. The contributions of the St. Louis City and St. Louis County firefighters, along with our EMS personnel, must not be understated. The findings of this report suggest that St. Louis area fire fighters are understaffed and that the typical firefighter is doing the work of two people. It may appear to the region’s citizens that the current state of fire service provision is sufficient. However, the findings of this report, further elaborated on in the next section, illustrate that there remain areas for improvement. Bringing the Region into NFPA Compliance The committee established NFPA 1710 as the best approach to improve the safety of residents and businesses. This set a goal of a 4-minute response time for 90 percent of the county. This allows for reasonable non-compliance for areas with little development. To correct areas that did not meet the 4-minute response time criteria, the committee developed the following maps (see Figure 4 and Figure 5) by placing 24 additional firehouses in the county to meet the standard. It should be noted that the new firehouses locations were not checked to determine if the parcel of

9 Better Together Fire Protection Study #1, page 18, accessed on 09/21/15 at http://www.bettertogetherstl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/BT-Fire-Protection-Study-1-FINAL1.pdf

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land was available or appropriate for a firehouse. Rather, this was an exercise to determine additional needs in the county, not to determine the exact location of any additional firehouses. Review: Current 4-minute Response Time Coverage Figure 4 displays the current 4-minute response time coverage, including the additional 24 houses represented by the purple dots. The orange dots represent the current location of fire stations within St. Louis County, while the green dots represent current St Louis City fire stations. Four-minute response times are represented in the orange-colored areas for St. Louis County and red-colored areas for St. Louis City. As the map illustrates, only 70 percent of St. Louis County is covered under current 4-minute response times.

Figure 4: Map of Current 4-Minute Coverage

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Filling the Coverage Gap To meet the goal of a 4-minute response time in 90 percent of the county, an additional 24 firehouses are required. Figure 5 displays how the 4-minute coverage time changes with the additional 24 houses. Existing fire stations are represented by green dots for St. Louis City fire stations and orange dots for St. Louis County fire stations; purple dots signify the locations of 24 future fire stations. Four-minute response time coverage is represented by light red areas in St. Louis City and blue areas in St. Louis County. After the 24 additional fire stations are added into the county, the goal of a 4-minute response time in 90 percent of the county is achieved.

Figure 5: Map of Current and Additional Firehouse and 4-Minute Response Times

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GIS Analysis: Bottom Line The GIS analysis revealed that the St. Louis area, mainly north and central St. Louis County, has serious gaps in its 4-minute response time coverage. Only about 70 percent of the region is currently covered. To meet the goal of NFPA 1710, and to ensure 90 percent 4-minute response time coverage, 24 additional fire stations would need to be constructed. Figure 6 displays how the regional fire district would be covered with the additional houses included.

Figure 6: Map of Future Regional Fire District 4-Minute Response Time Coverage

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Regional Fire District This report began with the following research questions: Does fire and EMS service provision in the region conform to the standards outlined by the National Fire Protection Association, specifically those outlined in NFPA 1710? How would one design the ideal fire and EMS entity, which meets NFPA standards and serves the entire St. Louis region? To answer these questions, and to bring the region into NFPA 1710 compliance, one approach would be to form a single regional fire district. A regional fire district could allow the region to meet more easily the NFPA 1710 requirement of a 4-minute response time for 90 percent of the region. A discussion of how a regional fire district could take shape, along with the benefits of such a district, follows. Benefits of Meeting National Standards The benefits of meeting the national standards outlined by the National Fire Protection Association would be to:

• Improve protection of life and property • Ensure a 4-minute response time for 90 percent of the region, providing an equal

response time for the majority of the region • Eliminate inequities in underserved areas of the county10 • Address inequities in response times, resulting from reliance on private ambulances • Provide improvements to the command and control structure • Standardize equipment and standard operating procedures throughout the region • Enhance disaster response with one agency supporting fire, rescue, hazmat, and EMS

response • Create benefits through economies of scale • Improve the regional economy

Creating a regional fire district to improve fire and EMS service delivery would not be a process unique to St. Louis County. Across the country, elected officials and fire departments use economies of scale to improve fire service provision, leading to a more efficient use of resources.

There are several reasons why a regional fire district could be a net-benefit to the region. First, it would help to enable a 4-minute response time for 90 percent of the region, providing an equal response time for the majority of the region. Second, it would provide improvements in the form

10 A January 2006 study by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, of fire protection in the St. Louis region, noted, “taxpayers pay different prices for fire protection” noting that “There is great disparity in what citizens pay for fire protection in communities across the region. General operating levies….range from $0.27 to $1.500 per $100 assessed value in…Missouri.” The report noted that this “inequality of funding directly affects the type of fire protection provided within the communities in our region.” A Guide to Financing Local Government Services: Fire Protection in the St. Louis Region, January 2006, pg. 9 accessed at http://www.ewgateway.org/pdffiles/library/fireprotection/FinancingLocalGov-FireProtection.pdf

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of a unified command and control structure and it would standardize equipment throughout the region. A regional fire district would also provide equipment and financial benefits through increased purchasing power. Rather than each municipal fire department or fire protection district buying equipment separately, a regional fire district could use its advantage as a large agency to purchase equipment at a discounted rate through bulk purchasing. For instance, larger departments often purchase more than one fire engine at a time, which results in discounted rates from vendors. A regional fire district would permit greater specialization and the expansion of fire services. As will be discussed in the following pages, St. Louis City operates the only dedicated special operation units in the region. A regional fire district would permit greater specialization and the formation of specialized units whose sole purpose would be to deal with the unique disasters that could strike the region. A regional fire district would permit the expansion of services as departments begin to pool their personnel and expertise. A regional fire district would also remove equipment redundancies as a unified command and organizational structure would dictate purchases that would serve the region as a whole, rather than the needs of specific departments. A regional fire district would be better equipped to plan for future department needs as well as identify areas where cost savings can be realized. Training, Fire Codes and Interoperability A regional fire district would ensure uniform training standards for all incoming firefighters. All firefighters would begin their service with the same training and learn the same operating procedures. Firefighters would receive the same levels of professional development throughout their career. Uniform training ensures all emergencies are approached in the same manner using the best practices available. This would protect residents’ life and property, and save firefighters’ lives. Interoperability of equipment should be a common component among the region’s fire departments. Agencies in the same region should purchase the same equipment, and store and utilize it in the same manner. A regional fire district would ensure that all equipment and vehicles are the same, guaranteeing that when multiple companies respond to an emergency, the companies can respond as a team with minimal and confusion.

Maintenance and Public Safety Garage Most large-scale departments in the country operate their own maintenance facilities, something that a regional fire district could easily emulate. The building of a centralized maintenance facility would generate significant cost savings and eliminate the reliance of the 43 departments on expensive, out-of-state contractors. A national automotive company or supplier could invest

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in the construction of a public safety garage, benefiting the company and the region. The public safety garage could be constructed close to the fire academy, which would allow firefighters to train while vehicles are serviced.

Equipment Utilizing the proposed number of firehouses needed to meet the NFPA 1710 standard of a 4-minute response time, the committee determined the recommended equipment needed to serve a regional fire district. The following tables outline the additional equipment needed. Table 1 displays the equipment needs for St. Louis County. It is the determination of the committee that St. Louis County requires an additional 24 fire engines, 2 additional ladder trucks, and 32 additional ambulances. As outlined in Table 2, the current situation in St. Louis County requires two additional ladder trucks be acquired along with 18 additional ambulances.

Table 1: St. Louis County Equipment Requirements

Type of Apparatus Current # Proposed # Engine 86 110 Ladder 29 31

Ambulance 58 90

Table 2: St. Louis City Equipment Requirements

Type of Apparatus

Current # Proposed #

Engine 32 32

Ladder 5 7

Ambulance 12 30

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Staffing Once the committee determined the number of firehouses needed to meet NFPA 1710, and the number and type of equipment needed, the next step was to continue following the standards in 1710 regarding staffing. In developing the 1710 standard, the NFPA reviewed studies and reports to determine the minimum on-duty fire suppression and EMS personnel necessary to efficiently and safely complete all on-scene developments. NFPA 1710 Chapter 5.2.3 establishes minimum staffing requirements of no less than four firefighters per engine or ladder. Chapter 5.3.3.3.4 establishes a minimum-staffing standard of two EMT-Paramedic and two EMT-Basic for an advanced life support (ALS) emergency response. For purposes of this exercise, we required two firefighter/EMT-paramedics per ambulance. The staffing factor determines the number of personnel required to staff one position 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Table 3 illustrates the assumptions to determine the staffing factor of 3.5. In addition, Table 4 outlines the required equipment and staffing to comply with NFPA 1710.

Table 3: Staffing Factor Calculation

Total Annual Hours of Work (365x24) 8,760 Number of shifts 3 Annual hours per shift 2,920 Work week hours 56 Average annual leave hours 400 Annual hours actually worked 2,520 Staffing Factor 3.48

Table 4: Required Equipment and Staffing to Comply with NFPA 1710

Type # of Apparatus

Minimum Staffing Levels

Staffing Factor

Total Personnel Required

Engine 142 4 3.5 1,988 Ladder 38 5 3.5 665 Ambulance 120 2 3.5 840 TOTAL 3,493

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Budget To make a regional fire district a reality, we also considered the budgetary parameters needed to build such a department. To begin, we examined the current budget for fire protection in the St. Louis region followed by an analysis of the projected budget of a unified department. Current Budget Expenditures Current budget expenditures for the 19 municipal fire departments and 23 protection districts within St. Louis County are $259 million. St. Louis City operates at $75 million annually. In total, the price tag for fire service provision in the St. Louis region, for the 43 departments, is approximately $334 million annually. However, in many areas, these expenditures represent a shoestring budget for fire service provision. The lapses in 4-minute response time coverage, which prohibit the region from achieving NFPA 1710 compliance, necessitate improvements in the budget allocations for fire service in the St. Louis region. Through the construction of additional firehouses, the purchasing of needed equipment and vehicles, capital improvements, and increases in the number of staff, our analysis has determined that a regional fire district could reach the NFPA 1710 mandated 90 percent 4-minute response time coverage. Achieving 90 percent would be a significant milestone for fire protection in the region and could be achieved through the following investments. Projected Budget Expenditures The following pages describe the need for an additional 1,255 staff for the new department. Most of these are related to the new firehouses needed to achieve compliance with NFPA 1710.

Table 5: Summary of Estimated New Hires for New Department

New Hires Firefighter/EMTs 1130 Clerical for firehouses 48 Mechanics 5 Specialized units 72

Total 1255

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Phasing in New Firehouses, Equipment, and Staff For St. Louis County and St. Louis City, we estimate that a regional fire district would need approximately 3,400 firefighters to protect the region (see Table 4). With approximately 2,270 firefighters currently protecting the region, an additional 1,130 firefighters would be needed.11 This is a large undertaking, and it would not be accomplished within a single year. Sufficient training capacity is needed, and it would take several years to construct all of the new firehouses. Over this time, implementation would provide many opportunities to design efficient logistical systems, provide uniform training, streamline purchasing and maintenance, consolidate dispatching, and more. A regional fire district would include a centralized and unified training academy. The establishment of a regional fire academy, and incumbent training division for the entire region, would ensure all firefighters receive the same training, begin their service with a unified training base, and maintain the same levels of education and professional development across the region throughout their tenure. Interoperability between fire departments should be a common component among the region’s fire departments, and a regional fire district would improve upon this practice. Most large-scale departments around the country operate their own maintenance facilities, which is something that a regional fire district within the region could easily emulate. The creation of a centralized maintenance facility would generate significant cost savings and eliminate the current reliance of the 43 departments on expensive out-of-state contractors. Using the assumptions above regarding the number of new firefighters/EMTs being hired each year, and basing salary assumptions on standard human resources practices with banded salaries, the initial 125 firefighters/EMTs in year one of the phase-in would cost $6 million. The cost of all of the new firefighter/EMTs staff in year nine is estimated at $91 million. Special Operations St. Louis City operates two special operations units. As mentioned, no St. Louis County agency operates a full-time dedicated hazardous materials response unit, which poses a significant risk to the region. To remedy this, the regional fire district would include six active and two reserve special operations unit. The special operations divisions would include Hazmat technical response, specialized heavy vehicle rescue, rope rescue, trench rescue, confined space rescue, structural building collapse rescue, and water/swift water/ice rescue including marine boat operations. In short, the new regional fire district would possess the capabilities to address disasters that require the deployment of specialized units. The specialty rescue units would also respond to major fire incidents as well.

11 All figures are approximate and are based on the assumption that staffing figures within departments/districts may change daily.

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The need for four new units, assuming a minimum of 18 staff per unit to run 24 hours per day, requires 72 staff. The composition of the staff provides an estimated baseline of cost and service, with the understanding that more study regarding the region’s emergency response needs is required. It is estimated that this unit would be paid higher salaries than typical firefighter-paramedics and administration. Civilian Personnel for Firehouses For each new firehouse, we estimate that one to two additional hires would be needed to serve in clerical and secretarial positions. In addition, we anticipate the hiring of one mechanic for every five fire stations. Not including current staff, we anticipate the hiring of approximately 50 clerical staff and 5 mechanics at an estimated cost of $2.8 million after 5 years. Summary of All New Hires for New Department The salary and fringe benefit costs for the estimated 1,255 new employees of the new department are as follows. Fully implemented salaries are estimated at $100 million. The cost of fringe benefits for those employees is estimated at $56 million. The grand total is $156 million. No inflationary salary increases are assumed. No new expense and equipment needs have been estimated for any of the new employees. Savings from cost efficiencies in training, bulk purchase, and the buying power of a much larger organization should accrue.

Table 6: Summary of Salary and Fringe Benefit Costs for New Hires

Need FTE Salaries Fringe benefits

Total salaries and benefits

New Hires for New Firehouses and Specialized Units Firefighter/Paramedics 1,130 $91,802,330 $51,547,008 143,349,338 Clerical for firehouses 48 $1,572,000 $882,678 $2,454,678 Mechanics 5 $230,000 $129,145 $359,145 Specialized units 72 $6,870,144 $3,587,586 $10,727,730 Total 1,255 $100,474,474 $56,146,417 $156,890,891

One-Time New Firehouses, Capital Projects and Equipment Investment - Phase-in As mentioned previously, to achieve the 90 percent 4-minute response time for the St. Louis region, the construction of 24 additional firehouses within St. Louis County would be required. These firehouses would be constructed over a 5-year period. These firehouses would cost approximately $5.5 million per house. This onetime cost for firehouse construction would be roughly $132 million.

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For fire and ladder trucks, fire engines, and ambulances, the onetime cost of this machinery is as follows. We estimate the unified department would need 24 additional fire engines at a cost of $750,000 per engine. This cost does not factor in bulk discounts, based on economies of scale, which would be achieved when the unified department purchases equipment as one entity. However, a conservative estimate of fire engine costs would be $18,000,000. The purchasing of additional 32 ambulances, at a cost of $300,000 per ambulance, would be $9,600,000. The addition of two hook and ladder trucks, at a cost of $1 million each, places the projected cost at $2 million. A rough estimate of eight special operations units is included at $750,000 per unit. Overall, the table below identifies the total projected investment needed for capital projects and equipment. The $169.1 million investment needs include the new firehouses, trucks, and other items.

Table 7: Total Projected Capital Projects and Equipment Investment

Capital Project/Equipment Number

Investment cost

Total investment

Additional firehouses 24 $5,500,000 $132,000,000 Engines 24 $750,000 $18,000,000 Ambulances 32 $300,000 $9,600,000 Fire and Ladder Trucks 2 $1,000,000 $2,000,000 Specialized units 8 $750,000 $6,000,000 Total $167,600,000

Assuming debt financing would be used, the annual debt service, at a 4 percent interest rate, would be $12.1 million at year 5. The State of Missouri issued bonds in November 2014 to construct the new Fulton State Hospital for the Department of Mental Health. Those bonds were financed at 3.4 percent.

Cost Calculations for Converting Fire Districts to Proposed Salary Plan This report examining the unification of the St. Louis County and St. Louis City fire districts and departments. The costs of hiring the new firefighter/EMTs that are necessary to meet the NFPA 1710 standards are estimated elsewhere. However, current firefighters across the region also would need to be converted to the new pay structure. No firefighters will see a reduction in their pay or benefits. This would ensure that firefighter morale does not suffer from inequities built into the new district at the beginning.

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Total Cost of New Hires, Capital Projects, and Pay Parity As mentioned previously, the cost of hiring an estimated 1,255 new employees for the new department, fully implemented, is $100 million. The cost of fringe benefits for those employees is $56 million. This brings the grand total to $156 million for the new hires (see Table 5).12 The estimated cost of pay parity for current employees is $23 million for the first year of the integration. This assumes pay would be frozen for firefighters making more than the estimated new salary structure. Additionally, the total projected investment needed for capital projects and equipment, which includes the new firehouses, trucks, and other items, is $169.1 million fully phased in (see Table 7). This brings the total cost of the newly integrated regional fire district, once fully phased-in at year 9, including the capital projects, new hires, and phased-in employees, to $191 million (see Table 8).

Table 8: Total Cost at Year 9 of New Hires, Capital Projects, and Fully Phased-In Current Employees

Budget Item Year 9 Cost

Additional firehouses $9,712,791

Engines $1,324,473

Ambulances $706,385

Fire and Ladder Trucks $147,163

Specialized Unit Equipment $183,955

New Hires for New Firehouses and Specialized Units

$156,890,891

Pay Parity for Current Employees $23,000,000

Total $191,965,658

For the 1,130 firefighter-paramedics who would help staff the new firehouses to ensure they meet the NFPA 1710 standards for service, the estimated first-year cost is $9,514,415. These numbers are taken from Table 6 and account for salary and fringe benefits for the hiring of the initial 125 firefighters in year one of the phase-in. For the new clerical staff and mechanics, the estimated first-year cost is $655,049. The cost for establishing the four specialized units would

12 No inflationary salary increases are assumed. No new expense and equipment needs have been estimated for any of the new employees.

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be spread over a five-year period, costing $2,145,546 in the first year (see Table 6). In total, the estimated first-year cost of the newly created regional fire district is $37 million. Cost Savings and Positive Externalities A January 2006 study of fire protection in the St. Louis region, by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments, found that “quality fire protection is essential to economic development” and that “firms would not locate in areas in which their operations, employees, and customers are at risk of injury and / or damage due to fire or other hazardous events.13” Simply put, fire protection is a factor considered by companies looking to locate to a region. Improving the level of fire service provision in a region fosters an environment that is ripe for economic growth. St. Louis County and City Fire/EMS services are composed of urban and suburban department and districts with a history of close cooperation. Fire/EMS services in the area regularly collaborate through shared training, dispatch, and mutual aid agreements (protocols for responding to emergency calls from neighboring districts based on contractual agreements among individual departments). These relationships demonstrate the benefits, financially and structurally, that collaboration and unification could bring to the region’s fire/EMS services. A commonly cited benefit of unification results from achieving cost savings from greater economies of scale. A frequently cited concern for unification or consolidation is that it could diminish the quality of fire/EMS services in the region. As this report has shown, the unification of fire/EMS services presents opportunities for cost savings – but its greatest benefit could be improved infrastructure and service delivery. Unification, or collaboration at a minimum, provides the St. Louis region with a unique opportunity for cost efficiency and improved service delivery. Cost Savings Costs often associated with unification include increased wages, staffing, and capital outlays for firehouses. A unified department could offset these costs by providing significant savings to the region. These cost savings would come from a variety of factors, such as greater purchasing power and leverage with vendors, healthcare savings, maintenance and repair efficiencies, and improved Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings. Unifying fire and EMS services could provide anywhere from 10 to 20 percent in cost savings. Pursuing full consolidation would offer greater cost savings and improve emergency services beyond the current structure. While some department and districts may not support full consolidation of emergency services at this time, benefits could be realized by taking steps toward consolidation through greater cooperation among fire and EMS service providers,

13 A Guide to Financing Local Government Service: Fire Protection in the St. Louis Region, January 2006, East West Gateway council of Governments, pg. 8, accessed at http://www.ewgateway.org/pdffiles/library/fireprotection/FinancingLocalGov-FireProtection.pdf

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building additional firehouses, establishing special operations teams, and/or hiring additional firefighters-paramedics. To determine the possible savings within the St. Louis region, we compiled the line item budgets for all 43 departments. We transferred all budget information into a database and then condensed the line item budget figures into a subset of categories such as salaries, capital costs, maintenance costs, healthcare, information technology, etc. Of the $351 million combined budgets14 of the 43 departments, $186 million represents salaries. Salary costs would increase as salaries are brought to parity. Cost savings in a unified district primarily would be found in the remaining $164 million budget items. Based on analysis of all of the 43 municipal department and fire protection district’s line item budgets, we estimate a cost savings of 10 to 20 percent resulting in $30 million in total savings, once the region is completely unified in year five. Table 20 displays the total at year 5 of all of the improvements, to meet NFPA 1710, mentioned in this report along with the $30 million in estimated cost savings. This brings the total cost, assuming financing over time, to $161 million in total additional costs to the region. We do not estimate any cost savings for year one. If the 43 departments were unified, without the additional firehouses, equipment, or personnel, the first year cost is estimated to be $23 million to achieve pay parity among firefighters. Based on our analysis, if all departments were unified and all salaries were brought to parity (at a cost of $23 million), the unification would be cost-neutral assuming $30 million in estimated cost savings by year five. Purchase of Apparatus, Equipment & Supplies The 43 departments and districts in this report have a minimum $25 million combined annual budget for purchasing goods and professional services and $8 million for communications and information technology. Unified purchasing for all fire services would result in significant savings. Procurement savings from consolidation typically comes from three sources:

• Districts discovering they have been paying different prices for the same products, equipment, and services;

• Reduced prices due to purchasing power from larger budget; and • Savings from strategic sourcing of products, equipment, and services.15

A unified district in St. Louis City and County would be one of the largest fire districts in the nation. It would have unparalleled purchasing power and the ability to tailor the design of apparatus and equipment to their specifications. Standardization of equipment would also

14 The budget figures described in this section refer to the most recent budgeted figures obtained for the 43 fire departments, not the actual expenditures. 15 Management Procurement Through a Merger: Capturing the Value of the Deal. Accessed at http://www.boozallen.com/media/file/87995.pdf

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improve deployment at emergency scenes, as firefighters would be familiar with all apparatus and equipment deployed, and communications would be interoperable. Apparatus & Equipment Maintenance St. Louis fire departments and districts spend a minimum of $5 million annually to maintain apparatus and equipment. Contractors provide much of this maintenance. Whenever a fire apparatus is in need of repair, departments must pay a high price to independent mechanics. A unified fire department has the potential to generate substantial cost savings through the formation of a centralized maintenance garage for apparatus. A unified department would eliminate the need for outside mechanics, as all vehicle maintenance could be conducted in-house. Reserve apparatus also would be readily available and the redundancy of reserve apparatus needed to back up the existing fleet would be eliminated. Healthcare & Employee Benefit Savings A unified fire department would also produce savings through economies of scale for purchasing healthcare and other employee benefits. With an estimated $37 million in health care costs among the departments and districts, the possibility of placing all fire department employees under one insurance plan has the potential to generate millions of dollars in savings. EducationPlus in St. Louis is a good example of the benefits of public sector entities collaborating for cost savings. “EducationPlus is a non-profit educational service agency that brings school districts together to share resources, information and ideas through exemplary, nationally-recognized services in educational technology, cooperative purchasing, staff development and more.”16 Members of EducationPlus are able to achieve cost savings through programs like PurchasePlus and the Insurance Trust. Retirement Efficiencies There are many retirement plans that cover employees in the departments and districts. The plans are a mixture of defined benefit and defined contribution. Several of the retirement plans have both components. The funded ratios of the plans also vary. This analysis does not address how, or if, the current plans would be carried forward into the new system in some fashion. But there would be efficiencies and administrative savings with having all employees in one plan. The Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System (LAGERS) is the state's largest retirement system providing benefits to firefighters, police, library employees, public works employees, and many others. LAGERS offers two defined benefit plans - one that requires employees to contribute four percent of their salary to the plan and one in which the district covers the entire cost.

16 Education Plus. Accessed at http://www.edplus.org/Administrative/fromthedirector.html

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Insurance Services Office Classification The Insurance Services Office (ISO) is “an independent and non-political organization that serves the insurance industry. This is the agency that actually inspects and rates a community’s fire defenses.17” ISO determines a Public Protection Classification (PPC) for each fire service community based on their level of fire response, water supply and emergency communication system.18 The classification is important given that “insurance companies use ratings information to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance — generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection.19” In short, “better fire protection results in lower and better insurance rates for the homeowner.20” Bringing the region into National Fire Protection Association 1710 compliance would improve the ISO classifications of communities in the area. An improved ISO classification would reduce insurance premiums for commercial properties, resulting in significant cost savings for area businesses. Insurance companies typically band ISO classes and assign a rate factor for each band to establish the insurance premium for the business. For example, businesses located in a Class 1 or 2 community would be assigned the same premium rate factor, as would businesses located in Class 3 to 5 communities, and so on. Residential insurance premiums are less affected by ISO classifications because insurance companies typically group rates on a larger range of ISO classes. For example, each homeowner within a Class 1 to 6 community would have the same premium rate factor.

17 Fire Consolidation Realities Report: A Review of the Facts, Sixth Edition, pg. 14-15, accessed at http://www.sancarlosfire.org/FireConsolidationRealitiesReport-SixthEdition.pdf 18 https://www.isomitigation.com/ppc/articles/PPC-Announcement-Brochure.pdf 19 Fire Consolidation Realities Report: A Review of the Facts, Sixth Edition, pg. 15, accessed at http://www.sancarlosfire.org/FireConsolidationRealitiesReport-SixthEdition.pdf 20 Ibid, pg. 2

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Table 9: Number of Communities in St. Louis by ISO Classification21

Table 10: Total Cost at Year 5 of New Hires, Capital Projects, Pay Parity for Current Employees, and Cost Savings

Budget Item Year 9 Cost

Additional firehouses $9,712,791

Engines $1,324,473

Ambulances $706,385

Fire and Ladder Trucks $147,163

Specialized Units $183,955

New Hires for New Firehouses and Specialized Units

$156,890,891

Pay Parity for Current Employees $23,000,000

Cost Savings ($30,000,000)

Total $161,965,658

21 ISO Mitigation Online. Missouri. Distribution of Communities by Public Protection Classification Class. Accessed at http://www.isomitigation.com/ppc/1000/graphs/MO.html. Note: “ISO collects information on municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes the relevant data using our Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS)…[they]…then assign a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area's fire-suppression program doesn't meet ISO’s minimum criteria.” Accessed at http://www.isomitigation.com/ppc/0000/ppc0001.html

03

15

23

20 0 0 0 0

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Number Per Class

ISO Classes

St. Louis City and County ISO/PPC Classes

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Positive Externalities Unification and collaboration would improve fire and EMS services beyond simple cost savings. Benefits associated with unification would include regional cooperation, standardized training and deployment, improved response times, and improved services resulting in reduced losses of life and property. Eliminating district and municipal boundaries for fire and EMS services would improve strategic regional planning and provide better services to the entire region. Fire districts already provide support to neighboring districts through mutual aid, where one district requests on-scene support from another district on a case-by-case basis. This illustrates the ability of fire districts to work well together, but it is not transparent to taxpayers. Most taxpayers do not realize that their tax dollars are supplementing services in other departments and districts. Unification provides the opportunity to spread fire service costs proportionally and fairly across the region and insure cost transparency for taxpayers. This cooperation or codependence also leaves the region at significant risk. If one department suffers within the region, whether from downsizing or economic hardships, other municipalities pay the consequences. For instance, if University City wants to downsize its force or the department is unable to purchase needed equipment, then all of the areas around it suffer the consequences. Ladue, Clayton, Richmond Heights, Mid-County, and Olivette, to name a few, are departments that may depend on the support of the University City Fire Department in times of crisis. The codependence of fire departments within the region means that the actions of one department have consequences for the entire region. As seen in this report, unified fire and EMS services have the potential to more efficiently respond to emergencies. Regional planning would decrease response times as a result of strategic placement of firehouses and the calculated positioning of apparatus appropriate to the community served. Regional planning would also eliminate the possibility of duplicative training between city and county firefighters required when a firefighter transfers between city and county. CONCLUSION This report is the result of over a year of work and dozens of meetings with fire chiefs, labor representatives, and Better Together staff. It represents the best efforts of the group to fashion an outline of an NFPA 1710 compliant department, the type of department the St. Louis area needs and deserves. The district proposed would be able to deliver improved services to residents of St. Louis City and County by addressing the issues that fragmentation has created. From the outset, the district could create and implement standard operating guidelines, fire codes, and standardized training. The district would be able to begin addressing compliance with NFPA 1710, including minimum staffing requirements, apparatus needs for the region, and four-minute response time coverage, thereby improving services and making for a safer St. Louis region.