West Metro Fire Rescue
Report to the
Community 2013 Year in Review
Mission Statement  The members of the West Metro Fire Protection District are committed to providing professional fire protection, emergency medical services, life safety, and community service with a vision that shapes the future.
Report to the
Community
Twenty-four hours a day, every day, West Metro Firefighters meet the challenges of responding to fires and injuries while working to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the first place. With 327 career firefighters, West Metro Fire Rescue provides fire and emergency medical services to over 247,000 people. Over 65% of West Metro Fire Rescue’s responses are medical calls, which is why more than 68% of West Metro Firefighters are also paramedics. With the diverse terrain in our District, our firefighters are also trained in a variety of rescue techniques. Whether it involves fire, injury, hazardous materials, wildfire, or specialized rescues, West Metro Fire is ready, willing and prepared to do whatever it takes.
westmetrofire.org
Letter to the Community West Metro Fire Rescue was exceptionally busy in 2013 providing our citizens with the highest quality Fire, Emergency Medical and Life Safety services possible. Despite the tough times, one thing remains constant - our dedication and service to you. West Metro Fire Rescue is committed to running a fiscally responsible organization while providing the highest quality fire, emergency medical and educational services. Fire Chief Don Lombardi
Like your personal budget, West Metro Fire Rescue is experiencing increased costs. With ongoing pressure on revenues, we continue to be challenged to contain costs and maintain the current level of emergency service delivery. Even though the District continues to reduce costs, revenue shortfalls in the 2013 budget required the Board of Directors to approve the use of District reserves to offset the projected revenue deficit. In the future, service level cuts may be proposed in order tomaintain a balanced budget. West Metro Fire Rescue takes great pride in the honor of being accredited by the Center for Public Safety Excellence. Originally accredited in 2012, West Metro Fire Rescue achieved another great accomplishment with the submittal and full acceptance of the 2013 Annual Compliance Report. In 2013, through a unique collaborative effort between West Metro Fire Rescue and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was initiated. West Metro Fire’s Assistant Chief Clint Fey was appointed to the position of Emergency Manager for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. This has brought together the power of incident command, resource allocation and all-hazards management to the County’s Emergency Management Division. During this past year we lost two people that will forever hold special places in our hearts. Todd Ingle, Engineer, was a dear friend and mentor to many. His time with us showed the importance of having close friendships and peer support systems. Learning tough lessons from this tragic loss, we will provide resilience training to our personnel as an integral component of our health and wellness program. George Goldbach served as the first Fire Chief of the newly formed West Metro Fire Protection District. George blessed us with years of experience, wisdom and guidance that helped meld the Lakewood and Bancroft Fire Departments into one common customer service based organization. His time with us may have been short but his impact was powerful and his memory will live on forever. 2014 will bring forth many challenges. In the face of these challenges, we remain committed to you, our citizens. We are humbled by your continued support and the level of trust you bestow upon us. I assure you we take this responsibility seriously and will continue to provide the highest level of service possible to our community. Please take care and be safe.
Fire Related Calls 7,762 Top three causes of fire: w Smoking Materials (matches, lighters, cigarettes, etc.) w Cooking w Electrical
Medical Calls 17,389 67% of West Metro’s responses are for medical emergencies: w 68% Medical/Illness w 32% Trauma/Injury
Additional Calls 701 Special Team Calls including: w Hazardous Materials w Wildfire w Dive w High and low angle rescue calls
WEST METRO FIRE RESCUE
2013 CALLS
Total Calls
25,852
Operations-Fire, Medical & Rescue Response In 2013, West Metro Fire Rescue responded to 25,852 emergencies. The majority (67%) of our 911 emergencies are for medical illness and injury. For many years, two of our nine ambulances (medic units) were responding to over 40% of all medical calls in the District. Because of this disparity in call volume, it was evident that an adjustment in response coverage was needed. To meet this need, three apparatus were relocated to different fire stations within District. These apparatus relocations have significantly lowered costs, increased operational efficiency and enhanced service delivery. This is but one example of how West Metro Fire Rescue continuously evaluates measurable operational functions including the EMS delivery system, for potential areas of improvement. West Metro Fire Rescue is now providing fire, EMS and rescue service for TrailMark and LochMoor Communities. In early 2013, the Littleton City Council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement between West Metro Fire and Littleton Fire Rescue for first responder fire and emergency medical services for the TrailMark and LochMoor subdivisions. In July of 2013 we completed our first Annual Compliance Report as a part of maintaining our status as an Accredited Agency under the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). Accreditation is a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation process that enables organizations to examine past, current, and future service levels. During this process, our performance is compared to industry best practices and national standards. West Metro Fire Rescue is strongly committed to the principles of the Accreditation process as we strive to provide the best possible service and value to our Photo credit Denver Post community.
Apparatus West Metro Fire Rescue operates an internal apparatus replacement fund that enables us to replace very expensive fire trucks and equipment when they have run their course without asking the taxpayers to fund new equipment. West Metro Fire Rescue replaced one fire engine and one ambulance in 2013. Replacement of fire engines generally occur every twenty years and ambulances are replaced every ten because of the high mileage they accrue. West Metro Fire Rescue Fleet Division worked with Stryker Medical on the coordination of the installations of the new Power Load systems for West Metro Fire Rescue ambulances as well as several other regional entities. The Power Load systems assist our firefighters by eliminating the lifting of patients when being loaded into ambulances. The system reduces the risk of lifting injuries to the firefighters. All of our ambulances now have the Stryker Power Load and Power Prams with bariatric capabilities. West Metro Fire Rescue’s Fleet is recognized by Stryker as the leading installer of these systems in the state and region.
Call Response by District This chart illustrates the number of calls by each district responded to in 2013. The total number is different from the total number of incidents (25,852) because multiple resources respond to the same incidents. Some station’s house more than one response vehicle, while others operate as a single resource.
Call Breakdown
Fire Breakdown
Structure Fires within the District Structure Fires Structure Fires 2013 2013
St. 5 St. 2
s I
St. 6
$ a " !
s I
St. 1 St. 3 St. 7
St. 4 St. 8
$ ` " !
÷ Z Y X W St. 9
St. 10
St. 11
K Á
St. 12
K Á St. 13 St. 14
÷ Z Y X W
K Á
§ I St. 15
2013 Calls vs. 2012 Calls
Lakewood Arson Fires A series of suspicious fires occurred in the area of W. Alameda Ave and S Estes St just prior to 6 a.m. on the morning of Tuesday October 22nd. Fifteen vehicles, one motorcycle and two residences were damaged or destroyed in the fires. Investigators from West Metro Fire Rescue have determined the fires were intentionally set and are being classified as arson. Damage to the parking structure, cars and motorcycle, as well as the homes and contents is estimated to be near $250,000. West Metro Fire Rescue, Lakewood Police, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigations are working cooperatively on the investigation. Anyone with additional information regarding this crime is urged to contact West Metro Fire Rescue Investigators at 303-989-4307.
Photo credit Denver Post
Photo credit Denver Post
West Metro Fire Special Teams Dive Team The Dive Team responded to 15 calls for help in 2013. There were ten ice rescues from partially frozen ponds and lakes as well as five swift water rescue. The Dive Team also responded to Boulder with six Type II swift water divers utilizing back-up equipment to assist with the flooding in the Fall of 2013.
Hazardous Materials Firefighters assigned to the West Metro Fire Rescue’s Hazardous Materials Team are cross-trained to readily respond to and properly handle hazardous materials incidents. In 2013, the West Metro Fire Rescue Hazardous Materials Team responded to 578 Hazardous Materials calls. West Metro Firefighters receive a minimum of eight hours of Hazardous Materials training while Hazardous Materials Technicians receive over 25 hours each year to help prepare to handle unexpected hazardous materials.
West Metro Fire Special Teams Technical Rescue The Technical Rescue team is responsible for responding to calls for victims injured or stranded while rock climbing or in remote wilderness areas of the district, buildings that have collapsed or have been weakened that require structural support, confined space rescues, and trench or excavation rescues. In 2013 West Metro’s Technical Rescue team responded to 19 calls for help. Nine of those calls were to rescue victims that were injured or stranded in the wilderness environment or on rocks; six calls to stabilize structures weakened to provide a safe situation, one call for assistance with a trench or excavation situation, and three other calls were for rescues from machinery.
Wildland Firefighting During the dry, summer months, West Metro Fire Rescue responded to grass and wildfires. Some of the more notable wildfires occurred outside of our District. West Metro Fire Rescue had 58 brush, vegetation and grass fires in District in 2013. Our wildland firefighters assisted to over 30 wildland fire outside of our District including the devastating Black Forest Fire near Colorado Springs, the Royal Gorge Fire, East Peak Fire and the West
West Metro Fire Special Teams Colorado Task Force One-Urban Search & Rescue The fall of 2013 brought a 100-year flood to our community. Up and down the front range, the raging flood waters damaged businesses, homes and farms. West Metro Fire Rescue once again proved to be a leader in the state and nation. West Metro Fire Rescue is the Sponsoring Agency for the Colorado Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (CO-TF1) through a grant provided by FEMA. CO-TF1 is one of the 28 National FEMA Urban Search and Rescue teams that respond to local, state and national disasters. CO-TF1 to respond to the floods in Boulder with a Type I Task Force which consisted of 84 members with four live find Search and two Human Remain Canine Teams. In the eight days the team was deployed, the team evacuated 546 people and 185 pets, and assessed over 3,000 homes and businesses in Lyons, CO.
Life Safety Division The Life Safety Division is committed to the preservation of life and property through the application of codes and standards. From the planning phase through the entire life of the structures in our District, Life Safety seeks to prevent the damage and injury caused by fire. Every effort is made to account for and mitigate fire and life safety dangers through inspection, code enforcement, investigation and education. We also work closely with engineers, developers, and architects to ensure that fire safe buildings are designed and constructed in West Metro Fire Rescue’s District. In 2013, a large variety of businesses were built and improved upon throughout the area. The Life Safety Division processed numerous permits for construction. Dozens of new fire hydrants were added to the water systems within West Metro Fire Rescue’s District including a re-installation of the entire fire hydrant system in Willow Brook. Over 1,000 plans were reviewed in 2013 to ensure fire codes were met at the design phase. Due to the increased construction activity in the District, the average time for reviewing plans increased from eight calendar days in 2012 to less than ten calendar days in 2013. More than 3,600 inspections were conducted to confirm that buildings were constructed and maintained in accordance with the approved plans and the fire code. 1,187 violations were discovered and corrected during the inspection process. Fire code enforcement is an opportune time for awareness and education. The education and enforcement process has directly led to a decrease in panel fire alarms even though we have increased the number of fire alarm systems in the District. When fires did occur, the Life Safety Division was responsible for conducting an investigation to determine fire origin and cause. West Metro Fire Rescue Investigators are certified peace officers and are highly trained in the science of fire cause determination. Hundreds of hours can be spent on processing the fire scene, collecting evidence, documenting witness statements, and following leads. In some instances this led to the discovery of a crime and the filing of a court case with the District Attorney. Information gained by the investigation of fire cause helps West Metro Fire Rescue develop and deliver effective fire safety programs. We continually watch for trends to further refine our approach to plan review, fire code enforcement, and the inspection of properties within the Photo credit Denver Post West Metro Fire Protection District.
Financials West Metro Fire Rescue has been challenged this year to contain costs with ongoing pressure on revenues. As such, the board of directors approved the 2013 budget with the projected deficit to be paid from District reserves. The District continues to work to reduce the cost of service delivery and minimize the impact on general fund balance. Revenues Since 2009, West Metro Fire Rescue has seen limited overall revenue growth. Property tax revenues have dropped by nearly 5%. Property tax revenue accounts for approximately 74% of revenue. During the this time, West Metro Fire Rescue was forced to use $4.5 million dollars of general fund reserves to meet operational needs. The financial revenues for 2013 were approximately $49 million dollars. Expenditures Although budgets have been cut, the District expenditures are projected to total $50.2 million, exceeding revenue by over a million dollars. District firefighter/personnel costs account for most of the spending, with costs for fuel, maintenance of fire engines and ambulances included in total expenditures each year. Unrestricted Fund Balance West Metro Fire Rescue, by law, must have reserves. This money is designated for obligations such as health care($4.4 million) and cash flow ($7.2 million) for expenditures. The current total fund balance, including amounts restricted by TABOR, equal $12.2 million. Therefore, the District currently has no additional reserves that have not been previously assigned or committed.
Emergency Medical Services In 2013, West Metro Fire Rescue responded to 17,389 EMS calls, and transported 13,811 patients to area hospitals. This represents an increase of approximately 3.5% in both call volume and patient transports. In addition, West Metro Fire Rescue Paramedics provided contract EMS staffing for 116 special events such as concerts, auto and motorcycle races, and community events. Two West Metro Apprentice Fire Medics completed the Swedish/HealthOne Paramedic Program early in 2013. These individuals and have successfully completed the West Metro Fire field training program and are now working independently in the field as paramedics. One half of the paramedic education cost was funded by a CREATE grant through the State of Colorado, which saved the District approximately $7,000. In 2013, the EMS Division applied for and was awarded a 50% matching grant through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for $167,000. The grant was utilized to purchase an ambulance and power cot systems. Additionally, West Metro Fire Rescue was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Foothills Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council for the purpose of equipping Lakewood Police Department patrol cars with automated external defibrillators (AEDs). This grant was pooled with a gift of $20,000 from the St. Anthony’s Health Foundation, and allowed us to purchase 16 AED’s. This program will provide Lakewood Police with the ability to provide early defibrillation to victims of sudden cardiac arrest, which has been proven to be an integral part of the chain of survival for these patients.
Training 2013 proved to be a very productive year for training at West Metro Fire Rescue. During this year, West Metro Firefighters received over 50,000 hours of training, an average of 151 hours per member. Red Rocks Community College and West Metro Fire Rescue graduated 65 college students in the Firefighter I Program. This ongoing partnership demonstrates a continual commitment to formal education and the emergency training needs of the community. With the opening of the West Light Rail Line through West Metro Fire Rescue’s District, West Metro Firefighters trained with RTD and the Lakewood Police Department on the safe methods of handling emergency operations related to light rail vehicles. Three major collaborative efforts were achieved with our response partners to reach common goals, increase efficiency and establish program consistency related to incident operations. First, Littleton Fire Rescue was included into the Training Center operations. This collaborative effort results in standardized training for West Metro and Littleton. Second, Incident Command (Blue Card Incident Command™) training was provided, through a joint initiative, to all Chiefs and Officers at Littleton Fire Rescue, South Metro Fire Rescue Authority and West Metro Fire Rescue. Simply put, the Blue Card certification process standardizes emergency incident terminology which increases operational efficiency and firefighter safety. Third, West Metro Fire Rescue spearheaded a joint Fire Officer Professional Development program with the Aurora, Colorado Springs and Denver Fire Departments and the Poudre (Fort Collins) Fire Authority. These professional development programs result in standardized and accredited certifications for officers in these organizations. It is the Mission of the West Metro Fire Rescue Training Division to enable all of our members to be consistently safe, competent and confident while providing emergency services and support services to our community.
Education and Information West Metro Firefighters delivered educational programs to 73,347 people, 43,651 adults and 29,696 children, in our community in 2013. These efforts are intended to help lower the incidence of fire and injuries in our community. Through classroom and community presentations, we aim to prevent losses resulting from fires and injuries.
Programs In Our Community
West Metro Firefighters are in the community with a variety of programs. Here are a few: • Family Fire Muster in September • Car Seat Checks • Kids Club • Apparatus Visits • Senior Citizen Programs & File of Life • Victim Assistance/Backpack Distribution
Family Fire Muster West Metro Fire Rescue’s Family Fire Muster is always a family favorite. Our focus is on preparedness. The theme “We’re Ready. Are You?” was a resounding success. Over 4,000 people attended the event. The Training Center is an excellent location for the event and one of the highlights was the Family Escape Drill. Families learned how to get out safely and what really happens when there is a home fire, including the West Metro Firefighters who extinguished the fire! West Metro Fire Rescue encourages families to practice their own home escape drills with two ways out and a designated meeting place.
Volunteers Volunteers make things happen. At West Metro Fire Rescue, our volunteers are vital to our success in reaching our community. Our volunteers worked over 3,350 hours that are valued at more than $74,150. West Metro Fire’s outreach volunteers assist with preparing educational materials; checking child safety seats, working events, and teaching classes.
Our volunteers are integral partners in helping us keep our community safe.
Community Involvement
West Metro Fire Rescue attended several events hosted by other agencies in our community. Our firefighters and staff joined in the celebration of light rail coming to Lakewood at the RTD West Line grand opening event in April. West Metro Fire and St. Anthony Hospital set up a safety station at the Federal Center stop and shared information regarding pedestrian and light rail safety, while we watched hundreds of kids dress up like firefighters and climb on fire apparatus. Our firefighters were happy to serve ice cream to hundreds of senior citizens at Lakewood’s annual Fire and Ice event in May. Seniors learned how to prevent fires and falls at home during their home safety class. Afterward, they were served ice cream and treated to a tour of a West Metro Fire Rescue fire engine and medic unit. We joined many community partners at the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Fair in August. This event attracts thousands of citizens and offers an opportunity to share emergency preparedness information with the attendees. We distributed over 2000 Files of Life and shared information regarding Smart911.comas a way to set up a family safety profile and prepare for emergencies in the home. One of our favorite days of the year comes in September when we help fit helmets on the kids at Fletcher Miller Special School at their annual Bike Day. Our firefighters and staff show parents and teachers how to properly fit helmets on the kids before they embark on a fun tour of the JeffCo Stadium on adaptive bicycles for people with disabilities. In October, our crews participated in several Walk To School Day events at local elementary schools. Kids met firefighters as they arrived at school safely. Lucky students at Peiffer Elementary were awarded with a healthy snack from Whole Foods Governor’s Ranch as well as a visit from their local fire crew.
Be involved & have a voice It’s easy to get involved with West Metro Fire Rescue and ensure your voice is heard. Contact your publicly elected Board of Directors to share your thoughts and opinions by calling 303-989-4307 or visiting westmetrofire.org. Board meetings are open to the public and are usually held the third Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m., at West Metro Fire Rescue’s Administration Building, 433 South Allison Parkway in Lakewood. Visit westmetrofire.org for upcoming Board meeting information.
James Kullhem District I
Randy McConnell Joseph Margotte District II District III
Pam Feely District IV
Mike Munden District V
Kristina Moeder District VI
Wendy Volmer District VII
West Metro Fire Rescue Administrative Offices-303-989-4307
Administration ........................................................................................................................ Public information, events, media information...................................................... School/educational presentations, and car seat information ........................ Station tours .............................................................................................................................. Fire Prevention/Inspection .............................................................................................. Fire Investigations .................................................................................................................. Juvenile Firesetter Information .............................................................................................. Ambulance Billing .................................................................................................................. Human Resources.................................................................................................................. Board of Directors.................................................................................................................. EMS Division ............................................................................................................................ Training Center ...................................................................................................................... Human Resources Job Line .............................................................................................. Non-Emergency Dispatch ................................................................................................ Non-Fire Fighter Volunteer Opportunities ............................................................
303-989-4307 ext. 510 720-963-6344 720-963-6330 720-963-6310 303-989-4307 ext. 510 303-989-4307 ext. 531 303-989-4307 ext. 531 303-989-4307 ext. 546 303-989-4307 ext. 550 303-989-4307 ext. 522 303-989-4307 ext. 557 720-963-6300 303-989-3968 303-969-0245 720-963-6330
For Emergencies-Dial 911 A very special to thank you to Rick Luebke - 5280Fire for the use of numerous photos.