Fire & Emergency Medical Services Response within Montgomery County Emergency Services District #8

1. Fire & Emergency Medical Services Response within Montgomery County Emergency Services District #8 South Montgomery County Fire Department Montgomery County Emergency Services District #8

2. Who Provides Our Fire Protection? • Fire and first-response emergency medical services (EMS) are the responsibility of Montgomery County Emergency Services District #8. • The ESD is the parent organization of, and the financial umbrella over the South Montgomery County Fire Department.

3. ESD #8 Response District • A 50 square mile response district with an estimated service population of 53,000. • The District is currently covered from three career staffed fire stations.

4. What is an ESD? • A political subdivision of the State of Texas, similar to a school district. It is not a part of County government, but works closely in cooperation with the County.

5. Where do ESD’s get their funding? • ESD’s can levy a property tax not to exceed 10 cents per $100 of property value. • On a home taxed at $200,000 of value, the ESD receives a total tax of $200 per year- just more than $16.50 per month. • With this funding level, the ESD attempts to provide appropriate levels of trained, professional fire fighters and state-of-the-art emergency equipment to respond to your emergencies!

6. 2010-11 Budget • The 10 cent property tax will provide $3,354,670.89 if all tax is collected this fiscal year. • The Capital Improvement Plan funds building, land, and apparatus payments. Payments this year total $795,439.18. • ESD administrative accounts take $210,810.00. • This leaves $2,313,421.71 for fire department operations. Current personnel and benefit costs alone account for $1,627,567.00 of the budget.

7. Fire Administration • Fire Chief- #11 • Robert M. Hudson • Assistant Fire Chief- #1101 • Michael Johnson • Deputy Fire Chief- #1102 • Open Position • Training/Safety Deputy Chief- #1103 • Tommy Erickson

8. Current Department Staffing • Daily staffing of ten (10) line personnel. • At Station 11-1, on-duty staffing of 4, a Lieutenant and three firefighters. • Station 11-2, on-duty staffing of 4, a Captain and three firefighters. • Station 11-3, on-duty staffing of 2 firefighters.

9. District Population Growth • The Houston Chronicle had an article last week about growth in Montgomery County. • Our District covers areas in zip codes 77380, 77385, and 77386.

10. District Growth Stats • Between the 2000 and 2010 census, zip code 77380 grew by 19%, 77385 grew by 75%, and 77386 had 176% growth.

11. Two-In/Two-Out Rule • Firefighters cannot enter a Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) atmosphere unless there are at least two firefighters outside the building immediately capable to perform a rescue should the two firefighters inside the structure experience an emergency situation.

12. Exception to 2-In-2-Out • If there is reasonable suspicion that a person may be in the structure, and needs immediate life saving rescue, firefighters may enter the structure to perform that rescue before assembling the required two firefighters outside the structure. • This obviously puts their lives at significant risk!

13. NIST Fireground Study • An April 2010 National Institute of Standards and Technology investigated the effects of varying crew size and related issues on safety of the public and firefighters. • Four-person crews operating on a 2,000 square foot residential fire completed all tasks seven minutes faster, nearly 30% than the two-person crews.

14. NIST Study (cont.) • A four-person crew completed the tasks 5.1 minutes faster, nearly 25%, than did a three-person crew. • A primary victim search and rescue was completed 25% faster than a two-person crew. A 10% difference was equivalent to just over one minute.

15. NIST Study (cont.) • In time to water on fire, there was nearly a 10% difference between three-person and two-person crews. • Ground ladders and ventilation tasks with a four-person crew was 30% faster than a two-person crew, and 25% faster than a three-person crew.

16. Desired Staffing • Station 11-1, one Lieutenant and two firefighters assigned to Engine 11-1, three firefighters assigned to Ladder-11-1 that jump to Booster 11-1. • Station 11-2, A Captain and two firefighters assigned to Engine 11-2 and jump to Booster 11-2. • Station 11-3, A Lieutenant and three firefighters assigned to Engine 11-3 which jump to Booster 11-3.

17. Desired Staffing Station 4 & 5 • Station 11-4, Battalion Chief 11-1, a Lieutenant and two firefighters assigned to Engine 11-4 which will jump to a MR vehicle for medical responses. • Station 11-5, Tanker 11-2 would be shifted to Station 11-5 with two firefighters. • Total of 19 daily operations staffing.

18. Fire Inspection • Montgomery County had no locally adopted fire code until 2007. • As a result, we are finding structures that have serious life safety code issues, however, the staffing in the County Fire Marshal’s Office precludes dedicating personnel to our District. We need to hire a minimum of one Fire Inspector.

19. Fire Safety Education • Our District is growing rapidly, and fire safety education provided to the community residents reduces the potential of fires and injuries. • Our goal is to have a Fire Safety Educator on staff to work with businesses and citizens to enhance fire safety in the community. This person can have a dual-role to assist with fire inspections.

20. Costs to Outfit a Single Firefighter

21. Regulatory Budget Impacts • Texas regulations require that firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE) described above be replaced every 10 years. • This includes turnout coats, turnout pants, boots, gloves, hood and helmet. • Self Contained Breathing Apparatus must be serviced annually to maintain certification.

22. Regulatory Budget Impacts • Apparatus pumps must be tested and certified annually. • Aerial ladders must be tested and certified annually. • Ground ladders must be tested and certified annually. • Current annual communication fees for dispatching and radio user fees total almost $50k.

23. Chief 11 • 2009 Chevy Tahoe Special Service Edition 4x4 • Communication patching equipment VHF-UHF-800 radio spectrums. • Mobile data computer • Medical First Response equipment. • Cost $58,000

24. Chief 1102 • Mobile data computer • Medical First Response equipment. • 2010 Chevy ¾ ton 4x4 • Incident Management capability. • Tows a Montgomery County Special Operations Trailer. • Cost $55,000

25. Battalion 11-1 • 2005 Ford Excursion • Incident Command • VHF-UHF-800 Mhz. communications • Mobile computer • Medical First Response Equipment • Cost $65,000

26. Safety 1103 • 1999 Ford F-250 Utility • Assigned to Training/Safety Division • Cost $32,000

27. Shift Commanders • A- Shift • Captain Adam Moore • B-Shift • Captain Mike Butler • C-Shift • Captain Clinton Cooke

28. Headquarters Station 11-1 • Located at 335 Volunteer Lane, northeast of the intersection of Budde Road and Sawdust Road on the District’s west side. The station was built in the late 1970’s and is currently fire headquarters.

29. Engine 11-1 • 2006 Pierce Engine • 750 gallon water tank, 1,500 gpm water pump with foam capability, 1,500 feet of 5-inch supply hose and turbo-draft. Jaws of Life and EMS First response equipment. • Engine $650,000 and $50,000 in equipment.

30. Ladder 11-1 • 2008 Pierce 105’ Ladder with 500 gallon water tank, 2,000 gpm water pump with CAFS foam capability, and 1,000 feet of 5-inch supply hose. Jaws of Life and EMS First response equipment. Responds to commercial fires and freeway vehicle crashes. • Replacement cost $950,000 and $110,000 in equipment.

31. Booster 11-1 • 2010 Ford F-550 4x4 • 300 gallon water tank, with 112 gpm pump with CAFS foam. • Medical first response equipment. • Mobile computer • Cost $175,000 and $50,000 in equipment.

32. Station 11-2 • Located at 29240 Birnham Woods Drive. • Construction from June 2009 to September 2010. Dedicated in October 2010. • Two apparatus bays with crew quarters for four firefighters. Currently staffed by a Captain and three firefighters. • Designed for future growth. • Cost $3.6 million with 6 acres of property.

33. Engine 11-2 • 2010 Ferrara Engine • 1250 gallon water tank with 2,000 gpm pump with CAFS foam system. • Jaws extrication equipment. • 2,500 feet of 5-inch hose and turbo-draft. • Cost $690,000 and $90,000 in equipment.

34. Booster 11-2 • 2010 Ford F-550 4x4 • 300 gallon water tank, with 112 gpm pump with CAFS foam. • Joystick front nozzle. • Medical first response equipment. • Mobile computer • Cost $155,000 and $20,000 in equipment.

35. Tanker 11-2 • 2004 Freightliner 2-door pumper-tanker. Carries 1,500 gallons of water, has 1,500 gpm pump with CAFS foam. • Cost new $450,000.

36. Station 11-3 • Located at 27430 Robinson Road at the corner of Hanna Road. • Built in 1975 as the first fire station in the District. • Currently houses an Engine and Booster and is staffed by two firefighters. The facility physically cannot house additional firefighters.

37. Station 11-3 Interior • This station is a two-car pole barn with a small crew quarters consisting of a single bedroom, day room, and bathroom. The kitchen is in the apparatus bays.

38. Engine 11-3 • 2010 Ferrara Engine1250 gallon water tank with 2,000 gpm pump with CAFS foam system. • Jaws extrication equipment. • 2,500 feet of 5-inch hose and turbo-draft. • Cost $690,000 and $90,000 in equipment.

39. Booster 11-3 • 2010 Ford F-550 4x4 • 300 gallon water tank, with 112 gpm pump with CAFS foam. • Medical first response equipment. • Mobile computer • Cost $175,000 and $50,000 in equipment.

40. Reserve Engine 11-9 • 1995 Ferrara Engine • 1,250 gpm pump, 1,000 gallon water tank. 25 gallons Class A foam. • Value $100,000.

41. Replacement Station 11-3 • The District purchased 3.0 acres of land at 27900 Robinson Road for a future Headquarters Station with training area to replace existing Station 11-3. • Estimated cost $5.5 to $6 million.

42. Future Station 11-4 • 30900 block of Aldine Westfield between Imperial Oaks and the Estates of Legend Ranch. • Two to three apparatus bays with eventual crew of four. • Estimated $2.5 million plus $690,000 for apparatus and $90,000 to equip.

43. Future Station 11-5 • Proposed Station 11-5 at Rayford and Townsend Road in Bender’s Landing Estates. • Estimate $2.8 million • Will eliminate ISO Class 10 area to a Class 2. • Tanker 11-2 will relocate to this station when built.

44. Insurance Service Office • ISO grades a communities fire protection and provides the information to insurance companies. They give a Public Protection Classification which ranges from a Class 1 (best) to Class 10 (worst). • The previous grading of ESD #8 was a split class of 5-9-10.

45. Insurance Service Office • Those buildings within five miles of a fire station and within 1000 feet of a fire hydrant were graded a Class 5. • Those buildings within five miles of a fire station, but more than 1000 feet from a fire hydrant were graded a Class 9. • Those buildings further than five miles from a fire station were graded a Class 10.

46. Insurance Service Office • The ESD requested a re-grading survey from ISO which was completed in February 2010. • On October 1, 2010, we received notice from ISO that our ISO Public Protection Class had improved to a split class of Class 2/10. Any property within five driving miles of a SMCFD fire station is a Class 2.

47. Texas Department of Insurance • On November 11, 2010, we received notice from the Texas Department of Insurance that the new Class 2/10 grading class would take effect on April 1, 2011.

48. ISO Class 10 Area • ISO Class 10 area until a Station 11-5 is constructed.

49. ISO & Station Construction • While we have significantly improved the District ISO grading, the District will remain a Class 2/Class 10 as long as we have three fire stations and current staffing levels. • The construction of Station 11-4 and Station 11-5 along with the planned staffing improvements could move the District to an ISO Class 1 community.

50. In Closing • Service levels are linked to funding capability. • We have taken the department to the level that our current funding allows. • The vision of the departments future noted in this presentation is exactly that, only a vision without additional resources!