Clearcreek Fire District Operations Assessment

Transcription

1 Clearcreek Fire District Operations Assessment Project Report July 23, 2015

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3 July 23, 2015 Mr. Jack Cameron Township Administrator Clearcreek Township 7593 Bunnell Hill Road Springboro, OH Dear Mr. Cameron: We are pleased to provide you with an organizational assessment of the Clearcreek Fire District. This report includes observations and recommendations regarding the Fire District s current performance and activities, along with recommendations designed to help improve the District s service delivery. The recommendations contained in this report are based on the input and information provided by Fire District staff, identified industry standards, and best practices that are appropriate for Clearcreek Township and the City of Springboro, which is served by the District. The District is fortunate to have dedicated employees who are committed to providing excellent services to the community, and their participation in this process was open and constructive. We are confident that these recommendations can serve as a framework for improving operational and managerial performance. Thank you for the opportunity to work with Clearcreek Township and the Clearcreek Fire District. Sincerely, Julia D. Novak President

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5 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 District Summary... 2 Analysis and Recommendations... 8 Firefighter and Command level Staffing... 8 Staffing Factor and Coverage... 8 EMS Unit Utilization... 9 Command and Administrative Structure Wages and Turnover Training District Administration Strategic Planning and Performance Facilities Fleet Technology Implications for a New Levy Effort Conclusion Attachment A Salary/Step Comparison... 33

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7 Clearcreek Township Page 1 Introduction In April 2015, Clearcreek Township engaged (TNCG) to conduct an operations and management assessment of its Fire District. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure and operations of the Clearcreek Fire District (CCFD), including staffing levels, command structure and administrative responsibilities, space utilization in current facilities, and to identify operating and capital needs. The Township also requested that TNCG review compensation practices for District personnel. Field work for this engagement included interviews with the Fire Chief and Assistant Chiefs (A/Cs), Union representatives, shift staff (Captains, Lieutenants and Firefighters), administrative officers and support staff, and focus groups with front-line firefighters. These interviews provided valuable insights into the District s structure, organization, daily activities, rapport between staff members, and organizational priorities and concerns. TNCG staff also toured the District s facilities and service area to gain a better perspective on operations, service obligations, and territorial constraints. Significant data was provided by Fire District staff regarding incident volumes, operational procedures, annual reports, leave and overtime pay, and related metrics. The District s ability to share data enabled a thorough review and analysis. The recommendations that follow are designed to improve the District s overall organization and service levels, assess resource constraints and to address concerns regarding space needs.

8 Page 2 Clearcreek Township District Summary The Clearcreek Township Fire District provides full-service Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and reports to the Clearcreek Township Administrator. The District s service area includes both Clearcreek Township and the City of Springboro. According to the Ohio Department of Development, this service area represents a population of approximately 32,000 persons. 1 The District operates out of three fire stations: Station 21 is located at 925 South Main St., Springboro, OH and functions as the District s central hub and command center. This station houses the District s administrative offices as well as the majority of shift personnel and apparatus, including a shift Captain (Battalion Commander), ambulance, engine, ladder truck, mass casualty trailer, and a backup ambulance. Station 22 is located at 346 E. Lytle Five Points Rd., Springboro, OH and contains a transport ambulance, engine, and a brush truck. Station 23 is located at 3809 N. State Route 48, Lebanon, OH and contains an ambulance, an engine, and a reserve engine. Station 21 was constructed in 1991 to house the District s staff and equipment when it was a volunteer-based operation. Stations 22 and 23 were built in 2002 during a growth period for the Township. These latter stations are lightweight construction and were identical in their original appearance; however, some storage space in Station 22 has been converted to a day room. The District operates on a 24/48 hour schedule using three shifts. Under this arrangement, each shift works one 24-hour period and then goes off-duty for the following 48 hours. Each shift is staffed by a Captain, up to four Lieutenants, and 7-11 firefighters. Staff are assigned to units based on available personnel and the type of apparatus needed to respond to incidents. In 2014, the District issued General Order , establishing a regular deployment algorithm. This algorithm is reproduced in the table below: Table 1: Current Deployment Algorithm, 2015 Available Personnel Station 21 Staff Assignments Medic Engine Ladder 21/Medic Not Not Staffed Staffed Battalion Station 22 Staff Assignments Medic 22/Engine Ohio Department of Development Research Office Population Estimates by County, City, Village and Township. Report issued May A Medic unit will typically staff ambulance apparatus.

9 Clearcreek Township Page 3 Available Personnel Station 23 Staff Assignments Medic 23/Engine Assigned Personnel The shift Captain and two Lieutenants operate from Station 21 (District headquarters). These Lieutenants provide incident command support and serve as company officers for the engine and ladder truck units. The remaining two Lieutenants function as company officers at Stations 22 and 23, providing incident command and supervising line firefighters until the next shift arrives. Additionally, three of the District s shift Lieutenants perform administrative work relating to prevention, planning, and EMS activities, in conjunction with their regular duties. CCFD targets a minimum level of staffing of 13 total personnel per shift. According to the algorithm above, this means the District will absorb up to one Lieutenant and two firefighter absences per day at Station 21. In situations where a Lieutenant calls off and there are at least 14 personnel on shift, a firefighter will ride up and fill in for the Lieutenant for the duration of the shift. If only 13 personnel are available, the District will take the ladder truck out of service and utilize only one Lieutenant at Station 21. Stations 22 and 23 are consistently staffed by a Lieutenant and two firefighters on each shift. If scheduled staffing should fall below the shift minimum due to absences, the District will call in personnel from other shifts so that the minimum number of firefighters is deployed. Total District staffing consists of three command staff (the Fire Chief and two Assistant Chiefs), one administrative Captain of Training and Life Safety Services, 48 full-time firefighters on shift, and six part-time firefighters on shift, for a total of 58 Fire/EMS personnel. The District also employs three part-time Administrative Clerks to coordinate timesheets, payroll, and other administrative activities. The following chart depicts the District s current organizational structure: Fire Chief Administrative Clerks (3 Part-Time) Assistant Chief Administration Assistant Chief Logistics Assistant Chief Operations (Vacant) Medical Director/ Advisor Captain Fire/Rescue Shift Commanders (3 Full-Time) Captain Training and Life Safety Services Captain Planning (Vacant) Lieutenant Fire/Rescue Shift Officers (12 Full-Time) FT Firefighter/ Paramedics (33 Full-Time) PT Firefighter/ Paramedics/EMTs (6 Part-Time) Figure 1: Current Organizational Structure

10 Page 4 Clearcreek Township Two authorized administrative command positions are currently unfilled: an Assistant Chief of Operations and a Planning Captain. Functions for these positions have been reassigned to the Assistant Chiefs and the Training Captain in lieu of filling the positions. The Fire District is funded primarily through three permanent property tax levies totaling 7.35 mills. These levies were passed in 1980, 1987, and 2001, and generate an estimated $4,750,000 in combined annual revenue. 3 In 2013, the District sought an additional 4.5 mill operating levy to generate an estimated $4.4 million in annual funding; however, voters did not approve the levy. Gross receipts from EMS billing also contribute to District revenues. Over the past three fiscal periods, these collections have contributed an average of $520,000 annually. Consequently, estimated revenues for FY2015 total approximately $5.27 million. The District s expenditures are appropriated from both the Fire District Fund and the Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services Fund. Total appropriations between these funds amount to just over $7.5 million for FY2015. This leaves the District with a projected imbalance of $2.2 million for FY2015, as shown in the table below. Table 2: District Budget, FY2015 Expenditure Type Appropriation Amount Personnel Salaries $4,396,747 OPERS $13,401 Social Security $15,515 Medicare $63,752 OPF $989,659 Insurance Benefits $973,880 Workers' Compensation $66,211 Unemployment Compensation $5,000 Property Tax Collection Fee $75,000 Training Services $85,000 Professional Services $126,950 Repairs and Maintenance $200,000 Utilities $65,000 Payment to Other Pol Sub $5,000 Insurance & Bonding $40,000 Purchased Services $120,000 Small Tools $125,750 Other Supplies $149,100 Expenditures Total $7,515,965 Revenue Total $5,270,000 Operating Shortfall ($2,245,965) 3 Clearcreek Township Financial Report to the Community, July 2014.

11 Clearcreek Township Page 5 Carryover from FY2014 includes approximately $6.3 million in fund balance between the Fire District Fund and the Ambulance and Emergency Medical Service Fund. This may be used to absorb excess costs not funded by current revenue sources. However, the existing budgetary imbalance is structural in nature and unlikely to change without significant and rapid property tax growth in the District s taxing area. An analysis of anticipated budgetary performance in the next five fiscal years was conducted in order to contextualize and understand the District s existing operating imbalance. This analysis assumes a 3% growth in property tax revenue each year. However, because net EMS billing collections have fallen in recent years, revenues for this funding source are estimated to hold at their current 3-year average. This phenomenon is discussed in further detail in Recommendation 9. The forecast below also assumes a 3% annual rise in all expenditures commensurate with contractual wage increases, inflationary pressure, and cost of living adjustments. Additionally, health care costs are assumed to increase at 5% annually. These projections are reasonable and reflect a conservative outlook regarding the Township s growth potential and spending obligations. An annual forecast of the District s operating budget based on these assumptions is illustrated in the following. Table 3: Operating Budget Forecast, FY2015 FY2020 FY2015 FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 Expenditure Type Personnel Salaries $4,396,747 $4,528,649 $4,664,509 $4,804,444 $4,948,577 $5,097,035 OPERS $13,401 $13,803 $14,217 $14,644 $15,083 $15,535 Social Security $15,515 $15,980 $16,460 $16,954 $17,462 $17,986 Medicare $63,752 $65,665 $67,634 $69,664 $71,753 $73,906 OPF $989,659 $1,019,349 $1,049,929 $1,081,427 $1,113,870 $1,147,286 Insurance Benefits $973,880 $1,022,574 $1,073,703 $1,127,388 $1,183,757 $1,242,945 Workers' Compensation $66,211 $68,197 $70,243 $72,351 $74,521 $76,757 Unemployment Compensation $5,000 $5,150 $5,305 $5,464 $5,628 $5,796 Property Tax Collection Fee $75,000 $77,250 $79,568 $81,955 $84,413 $86,946 Training Services $85,000 $87,550 $90,177 $92,882 $95,668 $98,538 Professional Services $126,950 $130,759 $134,681 $138,722 $142,883 $147,170 Repairs and Maintenance $200,000 $206,000 $212,180 $218,545 $225,102 $231,855 Utilities $65,000 $66,950 $68,959 $71,027 $73,158 $75,353 Payment to Other Political $5,000 $5,150 $5,305 $5,464 $5,628 $5,796 Subdivision Insurance & Bonding $40,000 $41,200 $42,436 $43,709 $45,020 $46,371 Purchased Services $120,000 $123,600 $127,308 $131,127 $135,061 $139,113

12 Page 6 Clearcreek Township FY2015 FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 Small Tools $125,750 $129,523 $133,408 $137,410 $141,533 $145,779 Other Supplies $149,100 $153,573 $158,180 $162,926 $167,813 $172,848 Expenditures Total $7,515,965 $7,760,922 $8,014,201 $8,276,101 $8,546,932 $8,827,015 Revenue Total $5,270,000 $5,428,100 $5,590,943 $5,758,671 $5,931,431 $6,109,374 Operating Shortfall ($2,245,965) ($2,332,822) ($2,423,258) ($2,517,429) ($2,615,500) ($2,717,640) Fund Balance (Carryover) $6,316,892 $4,070,927 $1,738,105 ($685,152) ($3,202,582) ($5,818,082) This projection reveals that in FY2018, the District will effectively spend out its reserves. On average, expenditures amount to $2.4 million more than expected revenues each year. Personnel expenditures (such as salaries and benefits) are the chief cost driver in the District, accounting for approximately 87% of all annual expenditures. Hiring practices are a major factor behind these personnel costs. In 2011, the District received a federal Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant. SAFER grants are administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and provide funding for Fire services to help increase frontline firefighting positions and retain positions facing imminent layoffs. Because part-time firefighters frequently seek full-time firefighter positions, the District sought to increase retention by using SAFER proceeds to promote six part-time firefighters to full-time. The District also hired four additional full-time firefighters with SAFER funds in All of these personnel are still serving with the District. Because the SAFER grant funding has since expired, the District now bears the full cost of retaining these employees, including salaries and benefits. This extra influx of staffing, combined with inflationary pressures in healthcare benefits and salaries, has greatly contributed to the current District deficit. In FY2015, the District s operating shortfall is expected to amount to nearly 43% of anticipated revenue. By FY2020, shortfalls are expected to reach nearly 45% of annual revenue. It is not fiscally prudent or sustainable to continue funding operating expenses from the District s fund balance, and the District cannot continue to maintain this level of reliance on reserves. In the absence of additional revenue or a new property tax levy, the District will need to significantly reduce operating expenditures. With respect to capital expenditures, over the next five fiscal periods the District anticipates replacing two engines, four staff cars, and the ladder truck with new apparatus. The District does not maintain a separate capital budget, and has historically covered expected capital costs with operating revenue. These anticipated expenditures amount to $2.8 million, as shown in the table below. Table 4: Estimated Apparatus and Vehicle Replacement Costs, FY2016 FY2020 Quantity Unit Cost Total Cost FY2016 Engine 1 $500,000 $500,000 FY2017 Staff Car 2 $42,500 $85,000

13 Clearcreek Township Page 7 Quantity Unit Cost Total Cost FY2018 Engine 1 $550,000 $550,000 FY2019 Staff Car 2 $42,500 $85,000 FY2020 Ladder Truck 1 $1,600,000 $1,600,000 Total $2,820,000 Absent a separate capital fund, it is appropriate to use fund balance for capital expenses. However, the capital expenditures in Table 4 are not reflected in the budgetary forecast (Table 3) above, and if purchased, will erode the District s existing fund balance at a faster rate. This will exacerbate the District s current budgetary imbalance. In summary, the District relies on fund balance to pay for approximately 1/3 rd of its annual operating costs. This practice is not fiscally sustainable, and will result in a complete depletion of available fund balance sometime in FY2018. At that point, the District will no longer have adequate funding and no reserves to support its operations. Additional capital expenditures on top of projected operating expenditures will only shorten the lifespan of the District s existing reserves. This imbalance is not necessarily an indication of mismanagement. It does reflect, however, a desire to maintain service levels even though adequate funding for those service levels have not been supported by the taxpayers. While a recent levy effort failed to gain traction among voters, a new levy must be passed within the next two years in order to provide service at existing levels. Absent additional funding, the Township must adjust District service levels to match its existing revenue streams. This could involve closing one or more stations, reducing daily staffing levels, liquidating equipment and apparatus, and ultimately increasing response times in the District s service area. The District should rely on the outcome of a strategic planning process, as outlined in Recommendation 6, to help align service levels to expected revenues.

14 Page 8 Clearcreek Township Analysis and Recommendations The Clearcreek Fire District is well-managed and provides valuable services to the City of Springboro and Clearcreek Township. While the District currently faces financial and operational challenges, these also represent opportunities to adapt and refine current practices in order to better meet present and future service demands. utilized a wide array of quality information provided by the District to analyze its operations and practices. This analysis is divided into five sections below related to Firefighter and Command-level Staffing, Administration, Facilities Needs, Fleet, and Technology. Each section provides detailed information on the specific methodologies, findings, and recommendations pertaining to that service area. Firefighter and Command level Staffing As discussed previously, the Clearcreek Fire District typically staffs each shift with a minimum of 13 personnel. In an effort to understand whether the District is staffed appropriately based on existing coverage standards, TNCG conducted a staffing analysis based on leave usage and service call data. Staffing Factor and Coverage Evaluating staffing levels requires an analysis of coverage requirements and staffing availability. These factors are used to determine the appropriate number of personnel to assign to each shift. Because full-time staff are eligible for paid time off, additional staff are required to ensure that enough firefighters are available to meet minimum coverage standards. In order to ensure the minimum staffing of 13 firefighters is met each day, more than 13 firefighters must be assigned to work each shift. The goal of a staffing analysis is to determine the appropriate number of firefighters to assign given typical leave patterns. A staffing factor represents the number of employees needed to cover each position on a shift, after accounting for leave. Due to the District s shift schedule (24 hours on duty, 48 hours off) and the number of platoons deployed, firefighters currently work an average of 56 hours per week, or approximately 2,920 hours each calendar year. Of these, approximately hours are used for leave and scheduled time off. This means that on average, a CCFD shift firefighter is available on duty for 2,514 hours each calendar year. Dividing the number of scheduled hours by the number of hours available on duty yields a staffing factor: in this case, 1.16 firefighters are required to fill each position on a shift in order to provide adequate minimum coverage, given historical leave usage. The following table applies this staffing factor to the District s target minimum of 13 firefighters per shift: Table 5: Staffing Factor Calculation, person Minimum Staffing Shift Factor Shift Coverage Station 21 Shift Captain Shift Lieutenant Firefighter/Paramedic

15 Clearcreek Township Page 9 13-person Minimum Staffing Shift Factor Shift Coverage Station 22 Shift Lieutenant Firefighter/Paramedic Station 23 Shift Lieutenant Firefighter/Paramedic TOTAL Multiplying 15 firefighters per shift by three shifts yields a total staffing level of at least 45 personnel, including Captains and Lieutenants. The District currently employs 48 full-time shift personnel, and supplements shifts with six part-time firefighters. Based on this staffing factor, the District s current staffing level appropriately meets its coverage goals. Importantly, the Clearcreek Fire District can only staff the ladder truck consistently when 14 or more personnel are on shift. On days where shift staffing falls below this number, the ladder truck is staffed on an as-needed basis. As previously stated, a significant portion of the District s current full-time firefighters were hired or promoted to full-time status in As the tenure of these firefighters increases, their leave opportunities are also likely to increase. This will impact the District s staffing factor and may necessitate additional coverage in future years. EMS Unit Utilization A common measure for system capacity is called the unit hour utilization (UHU) rate, which is most applicable to EMS calls. These calls represent a majority of emergency service incidents throughout the year and thus place more strain on available resources. The Clearcreek Township Fire District responds to an average of 1,727 EMS calls per year, representing approximately 62% of all calls on an annual basis. However, over the past several years, the overall volume of EMS calls has increased. Data obtained from the District s records system indicates EMS call volume in 2014 was 19% higher than in 2010, as shown in the following figure.

16 Page 10 Clearcreek Township 1,950 1,900 1,850 1,800 1,750 1,700 1,650 1,600 1,550 1,500 1,450 1,900 1,774 1,720 1,637 1, Figure 3: EMS Calls Received, It is instructive to apply a UHU calculation both to the average volume of calls and to the volume of calls received in the most recent calendar year. The UHU calculation indicates the proportional amount of time an EMS unit spends responding to an incident. Incidents that take a longer time to address will pull a unit out of service for a longer period, which strains the District s ability to respond to new calls. According to industry best practices, a unit that spends 30% or more of its time responding to calls is in danger of being over-utilized. To calculate the unit hour utilization, the time a unit spends responding to incidents is divided by the total number of available service hours. Over the past five years, the Clearcreek Fire District has responded to an average of 1,727 EMS incidents annually. A conservative estimate of one hour spent responding to each incident indicates that EMS units spent approximately 1,727 hours responding to EMS incidents each year. Because Fire District services are provided around the clock, all year long, each EMS unit is available for approximately 8,760 hours per year. The Clearcreek Fire District deploys three EMS units each shift, meaning the total number of available hours for EMS units is 26,280 hours. Dividing hours spent in the field (1,727) by the number of available hours (26,280) yields an EMS unit utilization rate of 6.57%. Applying this same methodology to calls received in the last calendar year (2014) indicates an EMS UHU rate of 7.23%. Based solely on the UHU rate, the District s EMS units have some excess capacity, which indicates current staffing and scheduling are appropriate. It is important to note that excess capacity does not imply that the District is overstaffed. Rather, because a UHU calculation examines only time spent responding to calls in the field, it does not reflect other staff obligations that consume large blocks of time such as responding to non-ems emergency calls (such as fires), training, administrative paper work, safety inspections, inventory control, vehicle checks and maintenance, and other activities which enable the District to respond quickly and effectively. Beyond these activities, some excess capacity is desirable because it allows the District to respond concurrent calls and helps to reduce overall response times.

17 Clearcreek Township Page 11 Command and Administrative Structure The District relies on the Fire Chief, two Assistant Chiefs, a Training Captain, and three parttime administrative assistants to coordinate command and administrative activities. An Assistant Chief of Operations position and Planning Captain position are currently unfilled due to present budget constraints. The responsibilities of those positions have been assigned to the remaining Assistant Chiefs. The following table of organization depicts the District s current structure. Fire Chief Administrative Clerks (3 Part-Time) Assistant Chief Administration Assistant Chief Logistics Assistant Chief Operations (Vacant) Medical Director/ Advisor Captain Fire/Rescue Shift Commanders (3 Full-Time) Captain Training and Life Safety Services Captain Planning (Vacant) Lieutenant Fire/Rescue Shift Officers (12 Full-Time) FT Firefighter/ Paramedics (33 Full-Time) PT Firefighter/ Paramedics/EMTs (6 Part-Time) Figure 4: Current Organizational Structure Command staff requirements in the District are driven by specific responsibilities. The following table outlines the responsibilities of each position as noted in the position s most recent job description document: Table 6: Current Administrative Functional Responsibilities Current Title Fire Chief (Chief of District) Current Functional Responsibilities Directs training and instruction of personnel Prevention, detection, and suppression of fires Providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Evaluating and updating fire prevention, fire control, and EMS policies Overall performance of the District, including supervising, assigning, and evaluating personnel Coordinating mutual aid agreements Estimating need of the fire district Prepare & administer District budget and recommend policy changes, standard operating procedures, and general operating guidelines

18 Page 12 Clearcreek Township Current Title Current Functional Responsibilities Community relations Assistant Chief of Administration and Information Services Assistant Chief of Logistics Assist Fire Chief with inter-jurisdictional cooperation and serve as liaison to other fire/rescue departments Ensure that a comprehensive system of service quality assurance is in place and constantly monitored Act as the Public Information Officer for the fire district Schedule duty officers, career and part-time schedules Oversee the duties of the Fire District Administrative Clerk(s) Develop and prepare reports, employee manuals, general operating guidelines Develop and maintain sequence order, cleanliness and security of the file (records) room Assist in the payroll records of fire district employees Assist in and review all information related to the EMS Billing system and maintain a clear line of understanding with said billing agency. Acts as the EMS Billing / Recovery Compliance Officer Oversee and maintain fire stations Assist Fire Chief with inter-jurisdictional cooperation and serve as liaison to other fire/rescue departments Ensure that a comprehensive system of service quality assurance is in place and constantly monitored Develop, implements and oversees a comprehensive Fire / Rescue and EMS Contextual Training program Oversees the operation, maintenance, purchase, selling and specification of the entire apparatus fleet and monitors changing trends in industry apparatus and equipment Oversees the investigation efforts of the fire district Oversees the operations of Quarter Master for the entire fire district Conducts quarterly inspections of all uniforms and personal protective equipment Develops and ensures disaster preparedness for the communities of Springboro and Clearcreek Township Oversees all radio, telephone, teletype, microwave communications and authorization of said repairs Recommends personnel for hire, termination, discipline as outlined by the Clearcreek Fire District General Operating Guidelines (CCFD GOGL) In addition to these responsibilities, and in an effort to contain overtime costs, the Fire Chief and Assistant Chiefs provide coverage for shift Captains resulting from vacation, sick time, Earned Days Off (EDOs), and other leave. In exchange, the covering Chief s regular administrative workweek is reduced by one 8-hour day. Each year, this coverage requirement amounts to a total of 1,872 hours. Covering this time with an off-duty Captain will require the use of overtime, at an estimated cost of $89,000 to $93,000 annually. The following table compares overtime costs at various steps in a Captain s pay grade. Table 7: Estimated Overtime Costs for Captain Coverage Captain Step Hourly Rate Overtime Rate Hours to Cover Total Overtime Wages Pension & Medicare Total Cost

19 Clearcreek Township Page 13 Senior $26.33 $ $73, $18, $92, $25.83 $ $72, $18, $91, $25.34 $ $71, $18, $89, To avoid this cost, each Chief covers approximately 1/3 of the total time Captains take for leave. Based upon the estimated hours to be covered, each Chief needs to work approximately 22 tours as a shift commander. While on tour, the Chiefs work a 24-hour shift in the station and are still available to perform administrative functions throughout that time period. However, the actual amount of time the Chief can dedicate to administrative tasks is dependent on call volume and other interruptions resulting from serving as shift commander. After covering a tour, the Chiefs then receive a designated administrative 8-hour day off. The net effect is that Chiefs cover a Captain s shift and work one 24-hour day and eight 8-hour days in the pay period, instead of ten 8-hour days within a pay period. The result of this approach is a loss of committed time to administration of at least 8 hours, but a specific estimate of actual lost time is difficult to determine with complete accuracy. There are advantages to this structural arrangement, including the ability for top command staff to stay in touch with front-line staff, mentor future leaders, and maintain their operations and command skills. However, the Clearcreek Fire District makes extensive use of this practice, which ultimately detracts from the core responsibilities of administrative and executive staff. RECOMMENDATION 1: Eliminate the practice of utilizing the Fire Chief and Assistant Chiefs to cover shift Captain leave. The administrative obligations of command-level staff, particularly the Fire Chief, require consistent availability during a 40-hour workweek. The practice of covering for shift Captains negatively impacts the availability of the Fire Chief during normal business hours and can interfere with the fulfillment of everyday duties. The same applies to Assistant Chiefs as well. In lieu of utilizing command staff or hiring additional Captains, Lieutenants can be trained to take on the role of shift commander without incurring overtime costs. This approach will address the financial constraint that overtime causes and has the additional benefit of providing future leaders in the District with professional development and training opportunities. It is important to note that the District has already begun the process of training company officers and firefighters to meet this objective. The District currently utilizes a similar program which allows firefighters to ride up and provide coverage for Lieutenants. This program could be extended to provide Lieutenants the opportunity to ride up and cover for shift Captains. Firefighters could then cover for the Lieutenant in turn. In effect, by allowing junior officers and firefighters to assume these command positions on a temporary basis, the District will expand training and professional development opportunities for personnel on shift. Additionally, a program of this nature would preserve the District s practice of assigning a company officer to each engine unit. Changing shift Captain coverage away from the Chief and Assistant Chiefs will result in significant administrative time savings. The Chief and Assistant Chiefs will recoup over 1,240 regular administrative hours each year after the Lieutenant coverage program is fully implemented. While this time savings will not be immediate, due to the intensive time required to appropriately train Lieutenants to assume shift Captain duties, it presents an additional

20 Page 14 Clearcreek Township opportunity to rebalance the District s command structure by eliminating vacant positions and reorganizing responsibilities. It is important to note that the District has a relatively inexperienced pool of command officers. As a result, this recommendation must be implemented over time and must be largely driven by the Chief and command staff s assessment of each company command officers ability to take on more intensive management and administrative responsibilities. However, while such a program will take time to fully develop and implement, once matured, it will relieve the Fire Chief of the responsibility to cover for shift Captains, and reduce the amount of time Assistant Chiefs spend providing shift coverage. This in turn will help each Chief maximize available administrative and managerial time. RECOMMENDATION 2: Eliminate the Assistant Chief of Operations and reorganize command staff responsibilities. After Lieutenants are suitably capable of covering for shift Captains, the unfilled Assistant Chief of Operations position should be formally eliminated. Because the Assistant Chief of Operations position is currently unfunded, this will not result in direct cost savings to the District. However, eliminating this position presents an opportunity to rebalance and streamline the allocation of administrative functions between the existing Assistant Chiefs. The current division of responsibilities among the Assistant Chiefs is unusual in Fire service. Fire Districts often pair training and operations functions together in one position, and administration and logistics functions in another position. While the current allocation of responsibilities is not improper, the District may gain significant efficiencies by pairing similar responsibilities under one position, and reorganizing the existing command structure as indicated in the table below: Table 8: Proposed Assistant Chief Responsibilities Current Title Assistant Chief of Administration and Information Services Assistant Chief of Logistics Proposed Title Assistant Chief of Logistics and Administration Assistant Chief of Training and Operations Proposed Functional Responsibilities Logistics, Performance, Prevention, Human Resources, Information Technology Operations, Training, EMS This reorganization renames the Assistant Chief of Administration and Information Services to the Assistant Chief of Logistics and Administration. It is expected that this Chief will have capacity to absorb logistics duties based on increased Human Resources support as recommended in Recommendation 5, and with the support of additional Information Technology from the Township as outlined in Recommendation 15. Decreased obligations to cover Captain shifts will also contribute to the number of available hours to perform these functions. The Assistant Chief of Logistics will become the Assistant Chief of Training and Operations. This Chief will serve as a centralized administrative contact for the District s overall operations and training efforts, and coordinate EMS service activities.

21 Clearcreek Township Page 15 RECOMMENDATION 3: Maintain the Planning Captain position as an unfunded position. The Planning Captain position was intended to be primarily responsible for long-term District planning activities, such as accreditation. In lieu of a full-time person fulfilling these duties, the position has remained vacant and unbudgeted and its functions have been assigned to the Assistant Chiefs and the Training Captain. It is important to note that long-term planning and accreditation are valuable activities. In addition, the Planning Captain position would be tasked with detailed standards of coverage analysis which will aid the District in consistently assessing and improving its response. These considerations indicate that a Planning Captain position would be a valuable addition to the District should funding be available. However, given the current scarcity of budget resources, emphasis on these functions should be postponed until financial resources are sufficient to support a full-time position. The core functions of the Planning Captain position should be formally reallocated to existing command staff as part of the reorganization discussed in Recommendation 2. However, it is important to note, that the other equally pressing responsibilities of the District s Assistant Chiefs will leave little time to dedicate to these functions, which is the practical reality of adjusting service levels to reflect revenue shortfalls. Should the District gain additional revenue in future years (e.g. through a new levy), then establishing a permanent Planning Captain position will benefit the District as long as funds are sufficient and competing priorities are deemed less critical by the District, Township Administrator, and Board of Trustees. However, the current fiscal environment cannot support a dedicated position. RECOMMENDATION 4: Evaluate contracting for plan review services. Plan review activities are currently handled by two shift-based Lieutenants. These Lieutenants have received sufficient training to perform plan reviews and are currently able to handle the District s review workload. Barring a significant increase in development in Clearcreek Township, plan review activity in the near term is unlikely to represent a full administrative workload. However, given increased development activity near Clearcreek Township s northern border in recent years, there is a possibility that plan review workloads will increase in the future. Should development patterns in the District s service area accelerate, or if staff changes occur and the District identifies a need for additional plan review capacity, it should evaluate contracting for these services. A request for proposals (RFP) process will help the District determine whether contracting for plan review presents a cost savings over increasing staff. Although plan reviewers often perform building inspections, the Clearcreek Fire District performs company inspections in the field using shift personnel. This approach has several advantages, including maximizing staff efficiency and providing front-line firefighters with the ability to enter and observe buildings in the community first hand. These company inspections are commendable and should be continued in future years. RECOMMENDATION 5: Reorganize clerical staff into one full time and one part time administrative assistant. The District is authorized to employ up to four part-time staff to handle administrative functions, such as payroll, timekeeping, processing accounts payable, running reports, performing billing

22 Page 16 Clearcreek Township audits, and filing paperwork. Currently, three part-time personnel are responsible for these functions. While the administrative assistants are expected to be able to perform all duties if necessary, in practice, each assistant largely handles discrete activities. One advantage to employing part-time personnel for clerical and administrative work is that part-time employees are usually less expensive. In the Clearcreek Fire District, administrative assistants are limited to 24 hours per week and do not receive benefits. However, the number of administrative assistants also results in workload fragmentation and contributes to lapses in communication. Reorganizing part-time clerical staff into one, full-time administrative assistant and a part-time assistant presents several advantages. A full-time administrative professional will improve communication continuity, quality control, and internal efficiencies with respect to filing, timekeeping, and payroll. Additionally, a full-time person will be available during normal business hours to command staff and individual firefighters working on shift, providing improved consistency and support to all members of the District. The following table estimates cost differences between various clerical staffing options: Table 9: Administrative Assistant Reallocation, Estimated Costs Positions Hourly Rate Total Annual Annual Total Wages Wages Benefits & Benefits Authorized 4 Part-Time $14 $69,888 $0 $69,888 Current 3 Part-Time $14 $52,416 $0 $52,416 Proposed FT 1 Full-Time $15 $31,200 $10,920 $42,120 Proposed PT 1 Part-Time $14 $17,472 $0 $17,472 Proposed Total $48,672 $10,920 $59,592 This estimate assumes the Fire District raises the hourly rate of pay for the full-time position to account for extra workload. It also assumes the benefits rate for the proposed administrative assistant is comparable to other Township civilian staff, at 35% of wages. According to this estimate, reorganizing clerical staff will result in a cost savings of over $10,000 per year compared to authorized spending levels, and an increase of approximately $7,000 over current spending levels, with commensurate gains in service consistency and quality. Wages and Turnover As part of its operational analysis, the Township asked to examine the District s compensation practices and identify potential contributing factors to turnover among District staff. In 2014, the District conducted a wage study of comparable organizations prior to entering into renewed contract negotiations with the bargaining unit. This study examined data from 21 other jurisdictions, including: Anderson Township City of Blue Ash

23 Clearcreek Township Page 17 City of Dayton City of Fairborn City of Fairfield City of Forest Park City of Franklin City of Hamilton City of Huber Heights City of Kettering City of Lebanon City of Mason City of Middletown City of Monroe City of Moraine City of Sharonville City of Xenia Deerfield Township Miami Valley Fire District Union Township Washington Township According to this study, Clearcreek Township s front-line firefighters received comparable pay to personnel in other nearby Districts; however, Clearcreek Lieutenant and Captain compensation rates were between 3% and 16% lower than comparable jurisdictions. A copy of the full dataset is available in Attachment A at the end of this report. A table comparing Clearcreek s 2014 and 2015 top and bottom salaries to the average of 2014 salaries is below. Table 10: Compensation Comparables, Steps Firefighter 2014 Clearcreek 2014 Avg. Comparable % Difference 2015 Clearcreek 2014 Avg. Comparable % Difference Bottom $51, $49, % $52, $49, % Top $63, $67, % $64, $67, % Lieutenant Bottom $65, $68, % $65, $68, % Top $65, $72, % $68, $72, % Captain Bottom $69, $74, % $69, $74, % Top $69, $82, % $72, $82, % Although the table above compares Clearcreek s compensation to the average compensation of other jurisdictions in 2014, compensation rates for 71% of communities surveyed in 2014 were effective in 2015 or beyond. Given that fire District compensation rates are more likely to increase year-over-year than decrease, it is reasonable to assume that the 2014 average compensation rate is still accurate.

24 Page 18 Clearcreek Township In the bargaining agreement, CCFD sought to address pay inequities by adding step levels to Lieutenant and Captain positions. While Clearcreek still pays Lieutenants and Captains at a lower comparable salary, increasing pay for top-level steps has begun to close the existing wage gap. Although the District s wages are lower for Lieutenants and Captains, it is impossible to say with certainty that lower wages are the primary reason for employee turnover. In 2011, the District began identifying and tracking primary factors behind employee turnover rates. The following table summarizes the District s findings to date: Table 11: Turnover Reasons, Reason for Departure Departures % of Total Turnover Part-Time Distance/Commute 2 4% Full-Time Employment at Another Department 26 49% Full-Time Employment in Another Occupation 6 11% Performance/Qualifications 4 8% Schedule Conflict 6 11% Part-Time Subtotal 44 83% Full-Time Full-Time Employment at Another Department 5 9% Performance/Qualifications 1 2% Retirement 3 6% Full-Time Subtotal 9 17% Turnover Total % Part-time employee turnover constitutes the vast majority of departures in recent years. While it is not unusual for part-time firefighters to seek full-time status, the District has experienced a significant loss of part-time staff since Anecdotally, current employees mentioned several additional factors which likely contribute to turnover, including concerns about job security, increased pressure to downsize, the failure of the recent levy, and a lack of advancement opportunities within the District. Training Since 2012, the Clearcreek Fire District has placed an increasing emphasis on firefighter training due to the relative inexperience of the District s workforce. These trainings include both on-site training activity, virtual classroom sessions, and off-site training classes and workshops. The following table depicts off-site training hours by employee type over the past three years. Table 12: Off Site Training Hours, Hours Employees Average Hours/Employee Administrative Command

25 Clearcreek Township Page 19 Administrative Officers Shift Command Shift Supervisors Front-line Firefighters Total Hours Employees Average Hours/Employee Administrative Command Administrative Officers Shift Command Shift Supervisors Front-line Firefighters Total Hours Employees Average Hours/Employee Administrative Command Administrative Officers Shift Command Shift Supervisors Front-line Firefighters Total 1, Administrative Command employees consist of the Fire Chief and Assistant Chiefs. Administrative Officers are Captain and Lieutenant positions scheduled on 40-hour shifts, five days each week. Shift Command positions include Captains commanding normal shifts, and Shift Supervisors include Lieutenants serving on normal shifts. Front-line Firefighters are fulltime firefighters working normal duty shifts. Of those employees receiving off-site training, the average number of hours spent per employee varies depending on the employee s role in the Fire District. The following graph demonstrates that over the past three years, Administrative Command officers generally receive more off-site training per employee than other employees. This is a normal and expected pattern in fire service; training for shift personnel is usually more local and hands-on because it involves physical manipulation of fire equipment, apparatus, and tactics. The following figure displays training hours by employee type over the past three fiscal periods:

26 Page 20 Clearcreek Township Administrative Command Administrative Officers Shift Command Shift Supervisors Front line Firefighters Figure 5: Average Training Hours by Employee Type, In 2013, the District sent one shift Captain for 120 hours of off-site training. In 2012 and 2014, the District sent two shift Captains for a total of 88 hours and 123 hours of off-site training, respectively. This creates a spike in the graph, because 2012 and 2014 data is an average of two personnel, whereas 2013 hours represent only one Captain s off-site hours. It is important to remember that off-site training is only one component of a robust firefighter training program. Front-line firefighters may benefit more from on-scene and hands-on experience than from off-site training, depending on the subject matter to be learned. Strategic Planning and Performance District Administration The District s last strategic planning process was undertaken in In the past 15 years, the District has experienced tremendous growth and transition, from an all-volunteer staff to full-time administrative and shift staffing. Roles and responsibilities in the organization have also grown and changed during this period, and the service level provided by the District has evolved. In order to capture these changes and adequately position the District to meet future challenges, the strategic plan should be revised and updated. RECOMMENDATION 6: Update the District s strategic plan. In recent years, the District has relied on a Strategic Analysis and Proposed Master Plan document written in October 2000 with assistance from the MMA Consulting Group. This plan outlines the District s capabilities and specifies operating objectives with respect to response times, station locations, deployment and operational analysis. Given the age of this plan and the changes experienced by the District and the communities it serves, it is appropriate to engage in a renewed strategic planning process. A strategic planning process provides the Township and the District with an opportunity to reevaluate and refine the Fire District s mission, vision, and values. This should be