CEDAR RAPIDS
DEPARTMENT
FY2024 ANNUAL REPORT
A
Fiscal Year 2024 produced and continued several initiatives that develop a solid foundation for change and growth for the future of the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. We secured our second accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence, in August of 2023. This accreditation is part of our continuous improvement model and has initiated several operational improvements in the Department, dating to our first accreditation cycle achieved in 2018.
In FY2023, we received the results of the Organizational Needs Assessment and Station Study conducted by Raftelis. We have already implemented several of those recommendations and are formulating plans for longer-term recommendations associated with the station study portion of the assessment. This fiscal year we conducted a much-needed space needs analysis and intend to act on several items over the coming years regarding station remodels, rebuilding, and relocations—including construction of new training facilities.
Our Departmental training continues to excel, including over 18,000 hours of instruction for shift personnel and our nine-week probationary training academy. We hired 10 firefighters in May, returning us to full strength following recent retirements. Constant, high-quality training helps our personnel provide excellent service to the citizens and visitors to Cedar Rapids.
We responded to more than 15,000 incidents in FY2024. We taught safety to hundreds of kids in local schools, made the City safer through public education, code enforcement, and community engagement activities.
As a highlight, thanks to the dedication of the City Manager and City Council, we placed a new Engine 1 into service in the Spring of 2024. Engine 1 is the busiest company in the City and the addition of this apparatus helps keep our fleet current and reliable. I want to thank the men and women of CRFD for their dedication and excellence in delivering on the Department’s mission of reducing risk in our community with credible prevention, preparation, and incident mitigation.
Greg smith Fire Chief
TOTAL SERVICE CALLS
A FOCUS ON THE FUTURE
CRFD STATION STUDY, ACCREDITATION & SPACE NEEDS ANALYSIS
The Cedar Rapids Fire Department stands at a pivotal juncture, marked by the culmination of extensive research into our department’s staff, facilities, equipment, training, policies and published guides, all focusing on our future capabilities and needs. Our “space needs analysis” released this year, is guided by City leadership directives and informed by recommendations from accreditation processes and third-party consultants. This is our shared collective future.
BACKGROUND
CRFD has reached considerable milestones, such as a second accreditation, and completion of the station study conducted by Raftelis in 2023. We are grateful to our Mayor, City Council and City Manager for their instrumental roles in steering the department to this critical point. The space needs
Studies & analysis
As an Accredited Organization, the Cedar Rapids Fire Department takes the continuous improvement model to heart. This includes the implementation of the Center for Public Safety Excellence Commission on Fire Accreditation International model on self-improvement. This process requires selfanalysis and comparison to approximately 250 best practices recognized as model operations for high-performing fire departments.
A group of qualified peer assessors from other fire departments came to Cedar Rapids to verify and validate the internal analysis the agency completed following our completion of the self-assessment manual, significant analysis, and creation of three documents:
Community Driven Strategic Plan
Cedar Rapids Fire Department Fire and Emergency Services Self-Assessment Manual
CRFD Standards of Cover
The peer teams found our assessment credible in both 2018 and 2023. They subsequently recommended accreditation by the Commission and made a series of recommendations. The department completed the first round of recommendations in 2022 and is working diligently on the 2023 recommendations. There were several facility recommendations from the 2023 peer team related to deployment and facilities.
Welcome, wally!
analysis charts a course for a successful shared future for CRFD and the city of Cedar Rapids. It will identify areas for enhancement and ensure the safety and efficiency of our firefighters and the citizens we serve.
The peer team recommended development of a replacement plan for our aging fire stations with buildings that meet the operational needs of fire station, and the health and well-being of the employees who work in the stations.
The department sought, the City Manager approved, and the City Council funded a station study by the Raftelis consulting firm. Raftelis performs in-depth analysis of governmental operations across the country. They obtained hundreds of pages of documents and information from CRFD and our partners, conducted geospatial analysis on fire station locations and calls for service, and conducted interviews with more than 50 employees of all ranks They also consulted with the City Manager, Finance Director, Dispatch Manager, Fleet Manager, and other city staff.
This report was published in May 2023, and shared with Council at the next public safety subcommittee meeting. The Raftelis group directed the department to conduct a space needs analysis and develop a funding plan to make necessary renovations and/or expansions and possible station relocations based on the geospatial analysis conducted on emergency response incidents. That Space Needs Analysis is almost complete, and the recommendations and findings will be shared with City Council and City Management soon.
In 2023, everyone’s favorite firefighter joined the CRFD team. “Wally” originally entered school to become a service dog, but his trainers came to understand he was better suited to work as a fire accelerant detection canine (arson dog).
He assisted his handler in over 20 fire investigations last year, resulting in many accelerant detections confirmed by lab results. When he’s not working at a fire scene, he can often be found making friends at public events throughout Cedar Rapids.
Community risk reduction In cedar rapids
Fire education in schools
In FY2024, CRFD visited nearly every Cedar Rapids public and private school in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. These visits to Kindergarten, 3rd, and 5th grade classrooms focus on a variety of fire safety and prevention topics such as smoke alarms, calling 911, common home hazards, and lithium-ion battery safety. CRFD connects with many middle school and high school classrooms throughout the year educating students on firefighting as a career.
Fire & life safety camps
A popular offering from CRFD continues to be summer camps for children. New in FY2024, CRFD teamed up with the Cedar Rapids Police Department to offer the new Hero Camp. This funfocused camp for children aged 5-6 allows them to see various emergency vehicles and meet the heroes in our community. CRFD hosts our popular Fire and Life Safety Camp for children aged 7-9—focusing on all things safety including bicycles, home escape planning, smoke alarms, first aid, and more.
Smoke alarm installations
National data shows that citizens older than 65 and those with disabilities are more likely to be injured or die in residential fires. For that reason, CRFD offers free home visits, smoke alarm installation, and maintenance to those at risk. In FY2024, CRFD installed over 350 smoke alarms, 175 batteries, and 30 carbon monoxide alarms in 140 Cedar Rapids homes. During these home visits, residents are also offered education on fire and fall prevention.
Pit crew CPR
Cedar Rapids First Responders recently implemented “Pit Crew CPR” as part of our continuous improvement process. Led by CRFD Medical Director, Dr. Josh Pruitt, we’ve trained CRFD, Area Ambulance and CRPD. Pit Crew CPR is used in other parts of the country to maximize chest compressions and prioritize defibrillation, two major factors affecting survivability of cardiac arrest. Crews work with the efficiency of a race car pit crew; every member knows their job and does it at a high level. Roles are based on order of arrival, first-arriving taking the highest priority tasks until all roles are covered. Priority one is continuous chest compression. The second arriving responder uses the automatic defibrillator. The third responder secures an airway. The fourth responder administers medication and the fifth begins documenting the incident and assumes the role of team leader. These roles are fluid depending on the order of arrival and the specific training levels of paramedics, EMTs and police officers. Successes and findings with Pit Crew CPR are constantly evaluated to improve our EMS services, assess our equipment, and track trends to discover areas of potential improvement as we move forward.
CRFD’s care team
CRFD’s Community Assistance, Resources, and Education (CARE) team was established to reduce 911 calls in our community. In partnership with Area Ambulance Service, Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC), Cedar Rapids Police Department, CRUSH of Iowa Recovery Community Center, Foundation 2, Heritage Agency on Aging, Mercy Medical Center, and Unity Point Health – St. Luke’s, the CARE team’s monthly meetings address resident needs and how CRFD might better serve these residents. The CARE team currently monitors just under 100 residents who account for 4–6% of CRFD calls for service.
Our fire marshal
Fire Marshal Steve Mast (appointed in 2024), and his team ensure buildings are safe for both public use and occupation, and the firefighters who may respond to these locations. They performed over 4000 fire inspections, alarm tests, and plan reviews in 2023. A new fire inspection schedule, implemented in 2024, provides annual, biennial, and triennial inspection schedules depending on risk hazards. Construction in Cedar Rapids continues to grow and to meet the associated demands, a new Captain position was added to the Fire Marshal’s office this year.
Cedar rapids fire department | FY2024 ANNUAL REPORT