Regional Emergency Services Master Plan & Cooperative Services Feasibility Study Hernando County, FL. Table of Contents

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1 Table of Contents Table of Figures...iii Executive Summary... 1 Section 1 Emergency Services Agency Evaluations Objective One Organizational Overview Objective Two Management Component Objective Three Personnel Management Objective Four Staffing Objective Five Capital Improvement and Replacement Programs Objective Six Emergency Services Delivery Objective Seven Training Program Objective Eight Fire Prevention Program Section 2 System Demand Projections Community Growth Potential Community Risk Analysis Service Demand Projections Section 3 Future Delivery System Models Fire and EMS Service Delivery Planning Zones Facilities and Fire Apparatus Deployment Strategies Emergency Medical Services Deployment Strategies Additional Service Improvements Staffing Deployment Strategies Summary Section 4 Concepts for Shared Emergency Service Delivery Processes for Collaboration Discussion and Analysis of Opportunities Summary Table of Partnership Strategies Partnering Strategies A Consolidate All Hernando County Fire and EMS Agencies B Consolidate Spring Hill and Hernando County Fire Rescue C Consolidate Brooksville Fire Department and Hernando County Fire Rescue D Develop Standard Operating Guidelines i

2 E Shared Specialty Teams F Develop a Joint Support and Logistics Services Division G Establish a Hernando County Fire Investigation Team H Develop a Hernando County Fire Safety Education Coalition I Develop a Hernando County Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Network J Create a Unified Occupational Medicine Program K Contract with Hernando County Emergency Communications Center L Create a Unified Wellness and Fitness Program M Implement a Computerized Training Records Management System N Develop and Adopt Common Training Standards O Create a Hernando County Training Manual P Implement and Cooperatively Use a Video Conferencing System Q Develop an Annual Hernando County Training Plan R Consolidate Training into a Hernando County Training Division S Develop a Hernando County Fire and EMS Training Facility T Develop Mutual Training Strategies U Develop Uniform Fees for Service V Purchase Uniform Emergency Apparatus W Develop a Model Labor Agreement for Hernando County Fire Departments X Acquire AVL and MDC or MDT Capabilities Y Develop Uniform Pre-Incident Plans Z Provide for Joint Staffing of Stations and Apparatus AA Provide Hernando County IC and Operations Supervision AB Purchase and Implement an Electronic Staffing Program Findings and Recommendations Statement of Conditions Findings, Recommendations, and Moving Forward Appendix A Index of Recommendations ii

3 Table of Figures Figure 1: BFD Resource Allocation Comparison...14 Figure 2: HBVFD Resource Allocation Comparison...16 Figure 3: HCFR Resource Allocation Comparison...18 Figure 4: HPVFD Resource Allocation Comparison...20 Figure 5: SHFR Resource Allocation Comparison...22 Figure 6: Brooksville Fire Department Organizational Structure...61 Figure 7: Hernando County FR Organizational Structure...62 Figure 8: High Point VFD Organizational Structure...63 Figure 9: Spring Hill FR Organizational Structure...64 Figure 10: Tri-County VFD Organizational Structure...65 Figure 11: Annual Salary by Rank HCFR, SHFR, and BFD...66 Figure 12: Additional Compensation Comparison...67 Figure 13: Cost of Benefits above Wages Percentage...68 Figure 14: Summary Table of Safety Committees...79 Figure 15: BFD Administrative and Support Personnel...82 Figure 16: HBVFD Administrative and Support Personnel...83 Figure 17: HCFR Administrative and Support Personnel...84 Figure 18: HPVFD Administrative and Support Personnel...84 Figure 19: SHFR Administrative and Support Personnel...85 Figure 20: TCVFD Administrative and Support Personnel...86 Figure 21: Summary Table of Administrative and Support Personnel...87 Figure 22: Emergency Services Summary Table...88 Figure 23: Number of BFD Emergency Response Personnel by Rank...89 Figure 24: Number of HBVFD Emergency Response Personnel by Rank...89 Figure 25: Number of HCFR Emergency Response Personnel by Rank...90 Figure 26: Number of HPVFD Emergency Response Personnel by Rank...90 Figure 27: Number of SHFR Emergency Response Personnel by Rank...91 Figure 28: Number of TCVFD Emergency Response Personnel by Rank...91 Figure 29: Average Volunteer Firefighters Responding Mid-day...93 Figure 30: Summary Table of Operational Personnel...94 Figure 31: Comparison of Combined HCFR and SHFR Firefighters per 1,000 Population...95 Figure 32: Brooksville Apparatus Replacement Funding Figure 33: HBVFD Apparatus Replacement Funding Figure 34: HCFR Apparatus Replacement Funding Figure 35: HPVFD Apparatus Replacement Funding Figure 36: SHFR Apparatus Replacement Funding Figure 37: TCVFD Apparatus Replacement Funding Figure 38: Hernando County Fire Departments Equipment Testing Services Figure 39: Population History Figure 40: Housing by Occupancy iii

4 Figure 41: Brooksville Population by Age Figure 42: Brooksville Area 2007 Estimated Population Density Figure 43: Hernando Beach VFD Population by Age Figure 44: Housing by Occupancy Figure 45: Hernando Beach VFD 2000 Population Density Figure 46: Hernando Beach Area by CBG Estimates for Figure 47: Population History Figure 48: Population by Age Figure 49: Housing by Occupancy Figure 50: HCFR Estimated 2007 Population Density Figure 51: High Point Population by Age Figure 52: Housing by Occupancy Figure 53: High Point 2007 Estimated Population Density Figure 54: Population History Figure 55: Spring Hill Population by Age Figure 56: Housing by Occupancy Figure 57: Spring Hill 2007 Estimated Population Density Figure 58: Tri-County 2000 Population Density Figure 59: BFD Workload Historical Data Figure 60: BFD Monthly Workload Figure 61: BFD Medical Workload by Day of Week Figure 62: BFD Fire Call Workload by Day of Week Figure 63: BFD Calls Other than Fire or Medical Workload by Day of Week Figure 64: BFD Medical Workload by Hour of Day Figure 65: BFD Fire Calls Workload by Hour of Day Figure 66: BFD Calls Other than Fire & Medical Workload by Hour of Day Figure 67: Service Demand - BFD Incident Density Figure 68: Service Demand - BFD Fire Call Density Figure 69: HBVFD Workload by Call Type Figure 70: HBVFD Monthly Workload Figure 71: HBVFD Workload by Day of Week Figure 72: HBVFD Medical Workload by Hour of Day Figure 73: Service Demand - HBVFD Incident Density Figure 74: Service Demand - HBVFD Fire Call Density Figure 75: HCFR Workload Historical Data Figure 76: HCFR Workload by Call Type Figure 77: HCFR Monthly Workload Figure 78: HCFR Medical Workload by Day of Week Figure 79: HCFR Fire Call Workload by Day of Week Figure 80: HCFR Calls Other than Fire or Medical Workload by Day of Week Figure 81: HCFR Medical Workload by Hour of Day Figure 82: HCFR Fire Calls Workload by Hour of Day Figure 83: HCFR Calls Other than Fire & Medical Workload by Hour of Day Figure 84: Service Demand - HCFR Incident Density iv

5 Figure 85: Service Demand - HCFR Fire Call Density Figure 86: HPVFD Workload by Call Type Figure 87: HPVFD Monthly Workload Figure 88: HPVFD Workload by Day of Week Figure 89: HPVFD Workload by Hour of Day Figure 90: Service Demand - HPVFD Incident Density Figure 91: Service Demand - HPVFD Structure Fire Calls Figure 92: SHFR Workload Historical Data Figure 93: SHFR Workload by Call Type Figure 94: SHFR Monthly Workload Figure 95: SHFR Medical Workload by Day of Week Figure 96: SHFR Fire Call Workload by Day of Week Figure 97: SHFR Calls Other than Fire or Medical Workload by Day of Week Figure 98: SHFR Medical Workload by Hour of Day Figure 99: SHFR Fire Calls Workload by Hour of Day Figure 100: SHFR Calls Other than Fire & Medical Workload by Hour of Day Figure 101: Service Demand - SHFR Incident Density Figure 102: Service Demand - SHFR Fire Call Density Figure 103: TCVFD Workload by Call Type Figure 104: TCVFD Monthly Workload Figure 105: TCVFD Workload by Day of Week Figure 106: TCVFD Workload by Hour of Day Figure 107: Service Demand - TCVFD Incident Density Figure 108: Brooksville Fire Station Deployment Figure 109: Current Response Time Capability of BFD Station Figure 110: BFD 1.5 Mile Engine Coverage (ISO) Figure 111: BFD 2.5 Mile Ladder Truck Coverage (ISO) Figure 112: Hernando Beach Fire Station Deployment Figure 113: Current Response Time Capability of HBVFD Station Figure 114: HBVFD 1.5 Mile Engine Coverage (ISO) Figure 115: HBVFD 2.5 Mile Ladder Truck Coverage (ISO) Figure 116: Hernando County Fire Rescue Station Deployment Figure 117: Current Response Time Capability of HCFR Station Figure 118: HCFR Current EMS Response Area Capability Figure 119: HCFR 1.5 Mile Engine Coverage (ISO) Figure 120: High Point Fire Station Deployment Figure 121: Current Response Time Capability of HPFD Station Figure 122: Spring Hill Fire Station Deployment Figure 123: Current Response Time Capability of SHFR Figure 124: SHFR 1.5 Mile Engine Coverage (ISO) Figure 125: SHFR 2.5 Mile Ladder Truck Coverage (ISO) Figure 126: Tri-County Fire Station Deployment Figure 127: Current Response Time Capability of TCVFD Station Figure 128: TCVFD 1.5 Mile Engine Coverage (ISO) v

6 Figure 129: HCFR Residential Effective Firefighting Force Figure 130: SHFR Residential Effective Firefighting Force Figure 131: SHFR Commercial Effective Firefighting Force Figure 132: BFD Unit Hour Utilization Figure 133: BFD Call Concurrency Table Figure 134: HBVFD Unit Hour Utilization Figure 135: HBVFD Station Reliability Rates Figure 136: HCFR Unit Hour Utilization Figure 137: HCFR Call Concurrency Table Figure 138: HCFR Station Reliability Rate Figure 139: HPVFD Unit Hour Utilization Figure 140: HPVFD Station Reliability Rate Figure 141: SHFR Unit Hour Utilization Figure 142: SHFR Call Concurrency Table Figure 143: SHFR Station Reliability Rate Figure 144: TCVFD Unit Hour Utilization Figure 145: TCVFD Station Reliability Rate Figure 146: BFD Response Time Performance History Figure 147: BFD Average Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 148: BFD 90th Percentile Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 149: BFD Response Performance Figure 150: HBVFD Response Time Performance History Figure 151: HBVFD Average Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 152: HBVFD 80th Percentile Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 153: HBVFD Turnout Time Figure 154: HBVFD Response Performance Figure 155: HCFR Response Time Performance History Figure 156: HCFR Average Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 157: HCFR 90th Percentile Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 158: HCFR 80th Percentile Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 159: HCFR Turnout Time Performance Figure 160: HCFR Response Performance Figure 161: HPVFD Response Time Performance History Figure 162: HPVFD Average Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 163: HPVFD 90th Percentile Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 164: HPVFD Turnout Time Performance Figure 165: HPVFD Response Performance Figure 166: SHFR Response Time Performance History Figure 167: SHFR Average Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 168: SHFR 90th Percentile Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 169: SHFR Turnout Time Performance Figure 170: SHFR Response Performance Figure 171: TCVFD Response Time Performance History Figure 172: TCVFD Average Response Time by Hour of Day vi

7 Figure 173: TCVFD 80 th Percentile Response Time by Hour of Day Figure 174: Turnout Time Performance Figure 175: HCFR Ambulance Charges Figure 176: SHFR Ambulance Charges Figure 177: Recommended Frequency of Fire Safety Inspection Based on Hazard Figure 178: Population History Figure 179: Hernando County 2007 Census Block Group Estimated Population Density Figure 180: Hernando County Population by Age & Gender (2005) Figure 181: Pediatric Population Density Figure 182: Senior Citizen Population Figure 183: Hernando Housing by Occupancy Figure 184: Renter Occupancy Density Figure 185: Vacant Housing Density Figure 186: Residential & Commercial Growth Figure 187: Projected Growth in Age Group Populations Figure 188: Population Projections Figure 189: Community Risk Assessment Figure 190: Target Hazards Figure 191: Workload Projection by Type and Year Figure 192: Projected Service Demand Figure 193: Table of Fire and EMS Service Delivery Zones Figure 194: Fire and EMS Service Delivery Zone Areas Figure 195: Proposed Urban Zone Coverage Figure 196: Projected Urban Zone Performance Figure 197: Truck Apparatus Response Capability Figure 198: Apparatus Table for Urban Fire & EMS Service Zone Stations Figure 199: Suburban Response Capability from Current Station Locations Figure 200: Redundant Coverage Figure : Proposed Suburban Zone Coverage Figure 202: Projected Suburban Zone Performance Figure 203: Apparatus Needs for Suburban Fire & EMS Service Zone Stations Figure 204: Proposed Rural Zone Coverage Figure 205: Projected Rural Zone Performance Figure 206: Apparatus Needs for Rural Fire & EMS Service Zone Stations Figure 207: Proposed Tanker Coverage Figure 208: Proposed Brush Truck Coverage Figure 209: Total Medical UHU Figure 210: Peak Load Apparatus Needs Figure 211: Peak Load Apparatus Deployment Figure 212: Hourly Concurrency Figure 213: Alternative EMS Transport Unit Response Time Objectives Figure 214: Projected EMS Transport Unit Performance Figure 215: Recommended Daytime Rescue Deployment Figure 216: Overall Inter-facility Workload vii

8 Figure 217: Inter-facility Hourly Workload Figure 218: Inter-facility Concurrence Figure 219: Inter-facility Workload by Day of Week Figure 220: Inter-facility Demand on Weekend Days by Hour for Figure 221: Rescue Unit Deployment Figure 222: ISO Five-Mile Coverage Analysis Figure 223: ISO Five-Mile Coverage Analysis with Additional Stations Figure 224: Optional Extended Suburban Zone Coverage Figure 225: Projected Optional Suburban Zone Performance Figure 226: Optional Extended Rural Zone Coverage Figure 227: Projected Optional Rural Zone Performance Figure 228: Redeployment Staffing Model Figure 229: Full Deployment Operational Staffing Model Figure 230: Full Deployment Unit Staffing Breakdown Figure 231: Full Deployment Operational Staffing Model Figure 232: Full Deployment Administration and Support Staffing by Department Figure 233: Anticipated Impact on Property Tax Base and Millage Rates in Hernando County Figure 234: Consolidated, Modeled Baseline Cost of Fire Protection Figure 235: Modeled Consolidated Staffing Plan Figure 236: Consolidated Cost of Fire and EMS Figure 237: Annual Administrative and Support Costs at Full Deployment as Separate Agencies Figure 238: Full Deployment Administration and Support Staffing Model, Consolidated Figure 239: Administrative and Support Costs at Full Deployment, Consolidated Agency Figure 240: Consolidated Comparison of Firefighters per 1,000 Population Figure 241: Consolidated On-Duty Firefighters in Similar Communities Figure 242: Consolidated Comparison of Resource per 1,000 Population Figure 243: Comparison of Incidents per 1,000 Population Figure 244: Comparison of Fires per 1,000 Population Figure 245: HCFR and SHFR Taxable Value, Figure 246: HCFR & SHFR, Modeled Baseline Cost of Fire Protection Figure 247: HCFR & SHFR, Modeled Staffing Plan Figure 248: Consolidated HCFR & SHFR, Modeled 2007 Operating Costs Figure 249: Consolidated HCFR & SHFR, Comparison of Firefighters per 1,000 Population Figure 250: On-Duty Firefighters in Similar Communities Figure 251: Consolidated HCFR & SHFR, Comparison of Resources per 1,000 Population Figure 252: Consolidated HCFR & SHFR, Comparison of Incidents per 1,000 Population Figure 253: Consolidated HCFR & SHFR, Comparison of Fires per 1,000 Population Figure 254: Consolidated Brooksville & HCFR, Baseline Cost of Fire Protection Figure 255: Consolidated Brooksville & HCFR, Staffing Plan Figure 256: Brooksville & HCFR, Cost of Consolidated Fire and EMS Figure 257: Consolidated Brooksville & HCFR, Comparison of Firefighters per 1,000 Population Figure 258: Consolidated Brooksville & HCFR, On-Duty Firefighters in Similar Communities Figure 259: Consolidated Brooksville & HCFR, Comparison of Resources per 1,000 Population Figure 260: Consolidated Brooksville & HCFR, Comparison of Incidents per 1,000 Population viii

9 Figure 261: Consolidated Brooksville & HCFR, Comparison of Fires per 1,000 Population Figure 262: Frontline Pumper Comparison Figure 263: Impact from Apparatus Differences Figure 264: Pumper Fleet by County Fire Department Figure 265: Annual and Projected 15-year Cost Avoidance, Custom vs. Stock Pumpers Figure 266: Comparison of Features MDT vs. MDC ix

10 Section 1 Emergency Services Agency Evaluations Objective One Organizational Overview Brooksville Fire Department The Brooksville Fire Department (BFD) is the operating department of the City of Brooksville designated to provide fire protection and emergency medical first responder service. The department s jurisdiction encompasses the municipal limits of the city. The response area includes densely populated urban areas as well as suburban residential areas of Hernando County (County) and is situated in the center of the County, about ten miles east of the coast. BFD provides emergency services to a population of 7,637 2 in an area of roughly 12.3 square miles. These services are provided from one facility located within the jurisdiction. The department maintains a fleet of vehicles including one fire engine, one aerial truck, one tanker, one rescue truck, one wildland firefighting vehicle, a fast attack unit, and two staff vehicles. One vehicle is available in a reserve fleet, not typically used for front-line service. There are 30 individuals 3 involved in delivering these services to the jurisdiction. The department has a Fire Chief and Administrative Assistant. The Administrative Assistant provides most of the clerical support services. Primary staffing coverage for emergency response is primarily through the use of career and part-time firefighters operating on scheduled duty shifts. The following figure provides an overview of the Brooksville Fire Department s fire suppression resources and compares these with the average rate of resource allocation in other communities of similar size within the same region of the United States. 4 2 U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 Population Estimates data. 3 Current number at time of field research. 4 Comparison data from the National Fire Protection Association Fire Department Profiles

11 Figure 1: BFD Resource Allocation Comparison Comparison of Resources per 1,000 Population Stations Pumpers Aerials National Median Brooksville The chart demonstrates that BFD has a slightly lower than median allocation of stations, approximately 68 percent of the typical deployment for communities of its population. The department has a lower than median number of pumpers, and a higher than median ratio of aerial devices. However, the department operates an aerial device commonly known as a quint, which is fully capable of operating as a pumper as well as an aerial. The pumper capability or dual function of this unit is not accounted for in the statistical comparison shown in the chart. The department provides a variety of services including fire suppression, victim rescue, emergency medical first responder, technician-level hazardous materials (hazmat) response, and public fire safety education. The Brooksville Police Department Dispatch Center provides emergency call receipt and dispatch service 5. Enhanced-911 telephone service, computer-aided dispatch, and a multichannel radio system are in place. Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department The Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (HBVFD) provides fire response services to a portion of the County through a contractual agreement with the Hernando County Fire 5 Scheduled for consolidation with Hernando County Emergency Communications Center in

12 Rescue MSBU. The response area includes medium-density suburban areas, as well as beachfront development, and is situated in the extreme southwest portion of the County on the gulf coast. HBVFD provides emergency services to a population of 2,648 6 in an area of roughly 18.4 square miles. Approximately 6,000 acres of this area are owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Services are provided from one facility located within the jurisdiction. The department maintains a fleet of vehicles including two fire engines, one rescue truck, and two specialty/utility vehicles. There are 50 individuals 7 involved in delivering these services to the jurisdiction. The department has a Fire Chief and Assistant Chief. Primary staffing coverage for emergency response is through the use of volunteer, on-call response. The following figure provides an overview of the Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department s fire suppression resources and compares these with the average rate of resource allocation in other communities of similar size within the same region of the United States. 8 6 U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census data. 7 Current number at time of field research. 8 Comparison data from the National Fire Protection Association Fire Department Profiles

13 Figure 2: HBVFD Resource Allocation Comparison Comparison of Resources per 1,000 Population Stations Pumpers Aerials National Median HBVFD The chart demonstrates that HBVFD has a lower than median allocation of stations. However, due to the small population of the comparable dataset (under 2,500), it is likely to include rural communities whose geographic size would necessitate more than one station. The department has a relatively normal number of pumpers. The department provides a basic fire suppression response for Hernando County, along with occasional victim rescue and emergency medical first response. The Hernando County Emergency Communications Center provides emergency call receipt and dispatch service. Hernando County Fire Rescue Hernando County Fire Rescue (HCFR) is the operating department of Hernando County designated to provide fire protection and emergency medical response and transport. The department s fire response jurisdiction encompasses all areas of Hernando County outside of the City of Brooksville and the Spring Hill Fire District, while its EMS response jurisdiction includes the City of Brooksville. The response area includes a mix of suburban commercial and residential areas and undeveloped rural land of Hernando County. It is situated on the Gulf Coast of Florida, about 30 miles north of Tampa. 16

14 HCFR provides primary fire protection and emergency medical transport services to a population of 64,458, and also provides emergency medical transport services to an additional population of 13,687 in Brooksville, Hernando Beach, High Point, and Tri-County s fire response areas. 9 HCFR s service area is spread widely over an area of roughly square miles. These services are provided from nine facilities located within the jurisdiction. The department maintains a fleet of vehicles including eight fire engines, two tankers, five ambulances, six wildland firefighting vehicles, one non-transport advanced life support (ALS) unit, a hazmat truck, and an aircraft crash unit. Six vehicles are available in a reserve fleet, not typically used for front-line service. There are 121 individuals involved in delivering these services to the jurisdiction. The department has a Fire Chief, Assistant Chief of Operations, Assistant Chief of Administration, Logistics Chief, and the Shift Deputy Chief. 10 A Logistics Technician, Quality Assurance Officer, Training Chief, Financial Coordinator, and three Executive Secretaries provide additional support services. Staffing coverage for emergency response is primarily through the use of career firefighters operating on 24-hour shifts. The following figure provides an overview of the Hernando County Fire Rescue s fire suppression resources and compares these with the average rate of resource allocation in other communities of similar size within the same region of the United States Hernando County Planning Department CBG estimates. 10 Number of personnel current at time of field work. HCFR has eliminated one assistant fire chief position during the current fiscal year. 11 Comparison data from the National Fire Protection Association Fire Department Profiles

15 Figure 3: HCFR Resource Allocation Comparison Comparison of Resources per 1,000 Population Stations Pumpers Aerials National Median HCFR The chart demonstrates that HCFR has a higher than median allocation of stations, but the comparison data available is of limited use here. Most departments within this population dataset serve an incorporated municipality with much greater population density than HCFR. Due to the fact that HCFR serves some of the most rural areas of the County, with low population densities, a higher ratio of stations is expected to accommodate reasonable response times. Likewise, the department has a higher than median number of pumpers, and a lower than median ratio of aerial devices (the department does not operate an aerial). The department provides a variety of services including fire suppression, victim rescue, emergency medical response and transport, technician-level hazardous material response, fire code enforcement, and public fire safety education. The Hernando County Emergency Communications Center provides emergency call receipt and dispatch service. Enhanced-911 telephone service, computer-aided dispatch, and a multichannel radio system are in place. 18

16 High Point Volunteer Fire Department The Hernando High Point Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (HPVFD) operates under traditional agreement with Hernando County and provides fire protection and basic emergency medical first responder services. The department s jurisdiction duplicates the boundaries of the High Point 55 and Older Golf Community Association. The response area includes a senior golf community with approximately 1,628 single-family manufactured homes and is situated northeast of Spring Hill and west of Brooksville. At the state level, this department is known as the Hernando High Point Volunteer Fire Department to differentiate it from another High Point Fire Department in the state, but locally it is more commonly known simply as High Point VFD. The department began providing services in 1975, initially using a mobile home as a fire station with a metal awning for apparatus parking. HPVFD provides emergency services to a population of as many as 2, in an area of roughly one square mile. The area served by the department is experiencing very limited growth. The department s services are provided from one facility located within the community. The department maintains a fleet of vehicles including two fire engines, one tanker, and one utility vehicle. There are 38 individuals 13 involved in delivering these services to the jurisdiction. The department s primary management team includes a Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, two Captains, and one Lieutenant. A President, Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer provide additional support services. Primary staffing coverage for emergency response is through the use of oncall personnel. For immediate response, at least between 10 and 15 personnel are typically available and carrying pagers to receive radio calls for emergency response. The following figure provides an overview of the High Point Volunteer Fire Department s fire suppression resources and compares these with the average rate of resource allocation in other communities of similar size within the same region of the United States U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census data. 13 Current number at time of field research. 14 Comparison data from the National Fire Protection Association Fire Department Profiles

17 Figure 4: HPVFD Resource Allocation Comparison Comparison of Resources per 1,000 Population Stations Pumpers Aerials National Median HPVFD The chart demonstrates that HPVFD has a similar allocation of stations and pumpers to communities of comparable size. The department provides primary fire suppression response, along with occasional victim rescue and emergency medical first response. The Hernando County Emergency Communications Center provides emergency call receipt and dispatch service. Spring Hill Fire Rescue Spring Hill Fire Rescue (SHFR) is the operating department of the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District, a dependent special service district of Hernando County, providing fire protection and emergency medical response and transport. The response area includes regional and community commercial areas, as well as densely populated suburban residential areas of Hernando County and is situated in the southwest portion of the County just west of the Suncoast Parkway. The Spring Hill Fire Rescue District was formed by County Ordinance in This ordinance required that a referendum be held to determine if the district should be created with 20

18 taxing authority. In early 1974, the referendum approved the creation of the district, including the power to set rates for taxes, fees, and other charges. Problems arose in 1989 when the Florida State Legislature enacted the Uniform Special District Accountability Act of This Act put into question whether the tax rate of the district would be added into the County s rate, to be applied toward a ten-mill rate cap. As a result, the Florida Department of Community Affairs in 1990 classified the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District as a dependent district. In response, the County adopted Ordinance 90-31, creating a Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) that could levy the taxes for the district outside the County s 10- mill cap. In 1991, the County adopted Ordinance 91-26, which would convert the district from a dependent district to a completely independent district, subject to a referendum of approval from the voters. During this time period, the County also appealed the State s finding of the district s dependent status through the court system. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld all lower court decisions, confirming the status. On November 3, 1992, the district s electors voted against the referendum to change the district to an independent district. In 1993, the County adopted Ordinance 93-02, which made the dependent Spring Hill Fire Rescue District a Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU). As a MSBU, the district s budget control would remain with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) through its separate MSTU. Under this arrangement, the BOCC would levy the taxes to fund SHFR through the MSTU, but would then contract with the MSBU (the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District Board) to operate the department using those funds. Additional ordinances were passed in 1996, 2004, and 2005 to clarify the relationship between the BOCC and Spring Hill District, including budget processes and County administration over human resource matters. SHFR provides emergency services to a population of 90, in an area of roughly 49.6 square miles. These services are provided from four facilities located within the jurisdiction. The department maintains a fleet of vehicles including four fire engines, one aerial truck, four ambulances, one wildland firefighting vehicles, and one hazmat truck. Four vehicles are available in a reserve fleet, not typically used for front-line service. 15 Hernando County Planning Department CBG estimates. 21

19 There are 111 individuals 16 involved in delivering these services to the jurisdiction. The department has a Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, Administrative Office Supervisor, an on-duty District Chief, and Communications Supervisor. Four Office Assistants, a Mechanic/Firefighter, two Maintenance Technicians, two Training Officers, an Information Technician, and a Supply Clerk provide additional support services. Staffing coverage for emergency response is primarily through the use of career firefighters operating on 24-hour shifts. The following figure provides an overview of the SHFR s fire suppression resources and compares these with the average rate of resource allocation in other communities of similar size within the same region of the United States. 17 Figure 5: SHFR Resource Allocation Comparison Comparison of Resources per 1,000 Population Stations Pumpers Aerials National Median SHFR The chart demonstrates that SHFR has a lower than median allocation of stations, 71 percent of the typical deployment for communities of its population. The department has a lower than median number of pumpers and a typical ratio of aerial devices. 16 Current number at time of field research. 17 Comparison data from the National Fire Protection Association Fire Department Profiles

20 The department provides a variety of services including fire suppression, victim rescue, emergency medical response and transport, technician-level hazardous materials response, fire code enforcement, and public fire safety education. The Spring Hill Fire Rescue Dispatch provides emergency call receipt and dispatch service. Enhanced-911 telephone service, computer-aided dispatch, and a multi-channel radio system are in place. Tri County Volunteer Fire Department The Tri-County Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (TCVFD) provides fire response services to a portion of Hernando County through a contractual agreement with the Hernando County Fire Rescue MSBU. The department s jurisdiction encompasses a small rural area designated within this contract. The response area includes very lightly populated rural areas of Hernando County and is situated in the extreme northeast corner of the County near the Sumter County line. TCVFD provides emergency services to a population of in an area of roughly 4.4 square miles. These services are provided from two locations - one in Hernando County and one in Sumter County. The department maintains a fleet of vehicles including two fire engines, one tanker, and one rescue truck. There are 12 individuals 19 involved in delivering these services to the jurisdiction. The department has a Fire Chief and Assistant Chief. A Captain and Lieutenant provide additional support services. Primary staffing coverage for emergency response is through the use of volunteer, on-call response. The department does have on-duty staff at its Sumter County station that typically responds on calls in Hernando County as well. Due to the small geographic size and population of the area protected by TCVFD, benchmark comparison data regarding resource allocation is unavailable. However, any fire protection capability would require a minimum of one station and one pumper, regardless of how small a population or area is served and this is, generally, the location available in TCVFD for the Hernando County station. 18 U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census data. 19 Current number at time of field research. 23

21 The department provides a basic fire suppression response for Hernando County, along with occasional victim rescue and emergency medical first response. The Hernando County Emergency Communications Center provides emergency call receipt and dispatch service in coordination with Sumter County Dispatch. Responsibilities and Lines of Authority Brooksville Fire Department The City of Brooksville is a municipal corporation, formed under the laws of the State of Florida, and operates as a Charter City that is provided the authority to levy taxes for operating a fire protection system. The city operates under a council-manager form of government, and the council is provided with broad power and authority to govern the provision of fire protection and emergency services within the city including organizing a fire protection system, appointing officers and members, purchasing land and equipment, entering into contracts, issuance of bonds, and levying of taxes. The role and authority of the council and the City Manager is reasonably clarified within city charter, ordinances, and written policy documents describing their function and tasks. The council maintains strictly policy-level involvement, avoiding direct management and hands-on task assignment, an arrangement established within written policy. The Fire Chief is an at-will employee and is not provided with a formal personal services contract. The City Manager provides an annual formal written evaluation of the Chief s services as a means of documenting performance and establishing personal objectives. Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department The Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department is a private corporation, formed by citizens and originally funded primarily by donations as a community fire protection group. HBVFD operates under a private corporation form of governance, and has a service contract with the Hernando County MSBU. Through its contract, HBVFD receives funding support from the Hernando MSBU and works directly with Hernando County Fire Rescue, who has primary responsibility for the service area and oversees the HBVFD contract. 24

22 The role and authority of the department s Executive Board and the Fire Chief is clarified within the Constitution and Bylaws describing their function and tasks. The Fire Chief is an elected volunteer officer and is not provided with a formal personal services contract. The Fire Chief is not provided any formal written evaluation of services as a means of documenting performance and establishing personal objectives. Hernando County Fire Rescue Under Florida state statutes, Hernando County is provided the authority to levy taxes for operating a fire protection system. The County operates under a commission form of government, and the Board of County Commissioners is provided with broad power and authority to govern the provision of fire protection and emergency services within the unincorporated County including organizing a fire protection system, appointing officers and members, purchasing land and equipment, entering into contracts, issuance of bonds, and levying of taxes. The role and authority of the Board of County Commissioners and the County Administrator is further clarified within County ordinances and written policy documents describing their function and tasks. The commissioners maintain strictly policy-level involvement, avoiding direct management and hands-on task assignment, an arrangement established within written policy. The Fire Chief is an at-will employee and is not provided with a formal personal services contract. The County Administrator provides an annual formal written evaluation of the Chief s services as a means of documenting performance and establishing personal objectives. High Point Volunteer Fire Department HPVFD is a private, member-governed corporation, formed under the laws of the State of Florida, and operates as a non-profit IRS 501(c3) that is chartered for the purpose of providing emergency service to the community. The private, member-governed corporation operates under a Board of Directors form of governance, and Hernando County Board of Commissioners provides the department with the authority to govern the provision of fire protection in the designated jurisdiction. The 25

23 Commissioners have chosen to exclude the High Point community from the MSBU that funds Hernando County Fire Rescue and allow the HPVFD to operate as an independent fire territory that depends on voluntary donations and service subscriptions for local funding. The role and authority of the membership and the officers is further clarified within By-Laws and written policy documents describing their function and tasks. The Fire Chief is an appointed officer position, selected by the Board of Directors, with a three-year term limit. Spring Hill Fire Rescue As indicated earlier, the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District is a Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU), formed under the laws of the State of Florida, and operates as a dependent district that is provided no statutory authority to levy taxes for operating a fire protection system. The MSBU contracts with the County s Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) for funding, with the MSTU operating under direct authority of the Board of County Commissioners. The district operates under a Special District form of government, and the Fire District Board is provided with only limited power and authority to govern the provision of fire protection and emergency services within the district including organizing a fire protection system, appointing officers and members, purchasing land and equipment, and entering into contracts. The role and authority of the Fire District Board and the County Board of Commissioners is further clarified within ordinances of Hernando County establishing the District. This distribution of authority has been a source of contention for some time and continues to affect relationships between the Fire District Board and the Board of County Commissioners. Depending on whose interpretations of these ordinances one chooses to follow, there quickly appear areas of redundancy and overlap in authority and responsibility. Efforts to further clarify authority over the Spring Hill Fire Rescue District are ongoing at the time of this study. What appears apparent to the outsider is that supreme authority and responsibility over district matters, including tax authority, could have been transferred fully to the Fire District Board by voter approval of a referendum making the district an independent special district under Florida law. This action would have left the issues of authority and responsibility quite clear. However, this referendum was placed on the ballot and was not approved by the voters. 26

24 In the absence of such action, the district remains a dependent district, that is - dependent to the County Board of Commissioners for tax authority and governance. However, the history of its formation leads to a general feeling that a final decision by voter referendum should decide, once and for all, what the status of this district should be. Unfortunately, conflict in this situation, where two distinctively different methods of governance overlap, is almost inevitable. The Fire Chief is reported to be a civil service-style employee, whose position is protected within the applicable rules and is provided with a personal services contract. The Fire District Board Chairman provides an annual formal written evaluation of the Chief s services as a means of documenting performance and establishing personal objectives. Tri County Volunteer Fire Department The Tri-County Volunteer Fire Department is a private corporation, formed by citizens and originally funded primarily by donations as a community fire protection group. Their primary, and most heavily-populated, response area lies within Sumter County. In recent years, the department has consolidated with, and is now a division of, the Sumter County Fire Rescue Department. As such, the Tri County Fire Chief is now an appointed district chief within Sumter County Fire Rescue. However, in the contract that stipulated consolidation conditions, Tri County Volunteer Fire Department retained the Hernando County station, as well as its rights and abilities to contract for service with Hernando County in the area it has been serving for many years. This agreement with Sumter County is relatively generous, permitting Tri County to use all of its available resources, whether owned by Sumter County or not, to service its contract with Hernando County. In doing so, the paid staffing resources available in its Sumter County station have also, on occasion, benefited the Hernando County contract as well. In servicing the Hernando County contract, the TCVFD operates under a private corporation form of governance. Through its contract, TCVFD receives funding support from the Hernando MSBU and works directly with Hernando County Fire Rescue, who has primary responsibility for the service area and oversees the TCVFD contract. 27

25 The Fire Chief is an elected officer and is not provided with a personal services contract, though his position is also considered an appointed district chief with Sumter County. Sumter County provides a biennial written evaluation of the Chief s services as a means of documenting performance and establishing personal objectives. Foundational Policy Organizations that operate efficiently are typically governed by clear policies that lay the foundation for effective organizational culture. These policies set the boundaries for both expected and acceptable behavior, while not discouraging creativity and self-motivation. A comprehensive set of departmental operating rules and guidelines should contain at least two primary sections. The following format is suggested. 1. Administrative Rules This section would contain all of the rules that personnel in the organization are required to comply with at all times. Administrative rules, by definition, require certain actions or behaviors in all situations. The department s board should adopt or approve the administrative rules since the fire chief is also subject to them. However, the board should delegate authority to the fire chief for their enforcement on department personnel. The administrative rules should govern all members of the department - paid, volunteer, and civilian. Where rules and policies, by their nature, require different application or provisions for different classifications of members, these differences should be clearly indicated and explained in writing. Specifically the administrative rules should contain sections which address: Public records access and retention Contracting and purchasing authority Safety and loss prevention Respiratory protection program Hazard communication program Harassment and discrimination Personnel appointment and promotion Disciplinary and grievance procedures Uniforms and personal appearance Other personnel management issues 2. Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) This section should contain street-level operational standards of practice for personnel of the department. SOGs are different from 28

26 administrative rules in that variances are allowed in unique or unusual circumstances where strict application of the SOG would be less effective. The document should provide for a program of regular, systematic updating to assure it remains current, practical, and relevant. SOGs should be developed, approved, and enforced under the direction of the fire chief. Brooksville Fire Department Brooksville Fire Department maintains three primary policy manuals - the City Administrative Policies, SOGs, and Safety Manual. The administrative documents are fairly well organized, and it appears that a great deal of time went into writing the various policies and procedures in a professional and clear manner. The manuals include the appropriate policies either required by law or focused on reducing the risk of civil liability. These include a sexual harassment policy, family medical leave, and disciplinary policy. The SOGs are minimal and do not necessarily reflect current industry standards and best practices in all areas of fire and rescue operations. The procedures are reported to be somewhat out-of-date, with no prescribed system in place to review and update the procedures on a periodic basis. An SOG update is said to be underway at this time. The procedures do contain sections on emergency scene operations, but these sections are not very extensive and can provide field personnel with only partial guidance on fireground operations such as ladder placement, fire stream management, standard operating pressures, ventilation procedures and so forth. The department has recently adopted the National Incident Management System (NIMS) into its SOGs, providing clear guidance on incident management and command. Hernando Beach Volunteer Fire Department HBVFD maintains a set of Bylaws as its primary administrative policy manual. In addition, it maintains SOGs. The HBVFD Bylaws were very basic, typical of those which govern most small volunteer fire departments. The SOG manual was not made available for review. Hernando County Fire Rescue HCFR maintains two primary policy manuals - the Hernando County Employee Policy Manual and the HCFR Standard Operating Guidelines. The documents are fairly well organized. The manual includes the appropriate policies either required by law or focused on reducing the risk 29