Fire Based EMS

HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT CFAI ACCREDITED AGENCY FIRE BASED EMSAVERAGE AND FRACTILE RESPONSE TIME REPORTING

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FIRE BASED EMS

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POLICE, FIRE, MEDICAL

Responder safety Closest, most appropriate unit Effective and efficient response Cost Effective Operation

Utilization of resources

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RESPONSE TIME REPORTING

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COMPONENTS OF RESPONSE TIMES Call Processing Time- Measured between

acknowledgement of the call at the HEC and the time the fire station is notified of the emergency.

Turnout Time- Measured from the time the fire station is notified until the first unit is en route.

Travel Time- Measured from the time the first unit leaves the fire station (en route) and arrives at the scene of the emergency.

All three components of the response time are combined to make up the Total Response Time.

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RESPONSE TIME REPORTING FORMATS

Average- Historically this method has been used by the fire service to report response times.

Fractile- Response times are reported at 90% fractile. This number will be higher than an average response time.

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WHAT IS FRACTILE RESPONSE TIME REPORTING? A requirement by CFAI* to maintain

agency accredited status. A term used to measure fractions of

data, when added together, create a whole.

*Commission on Fire Accreditation International – A Division of the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

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EXAMPLE OF AVERAGE VS. FRACTILE

HFD Response Times (mm:ss)Dec 2011

Average Time

1st Arriving Unit

Fractile Time1st Arriving

Unit

Call Processing Time

1:36 2:05

Turnout Time 0:54 1:34

Travel Time 4:34 7:15

Total Response Time

7:04 10:548

2011 HFD TOTAL RESPONSE TIMES(INCLUDES RESPONSE TIMES TO BOTH FIRE &

EMS EVENTS)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec0:00

2:24

4:48

7:12

9:36

12:00

14:24

7:42 7:46 7:40 7:40 7:37 7:42 7:367:04 7:11 7:05 7:07 7:04

12:03 12:10 12:03 12:08 12:07 12:13 12:04

10:22 11:05 10:52 10:55 10:54

Average Fractile

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time represented in mm:ss

2011 TOTAL RESPONSE TIMES FIRE EVENTS

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec0:00

2:24

4:48

7:12

9:36

12:00

14:24

7:09 7:14 7:14 7:16 7:18 7:17 7:13 7:187:48 7:23 7:23 7:14

11:18 11:19 11:11 11:25 11:32 11:3211:06

11:0012:09

11:33 11:20 11:26

time represented in mm:ss

Average Fractile

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2011 TOTAL RESPONSE TIMES EMS EVENTS

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec0:00

2:24

4:48

7:12

9:36

12:00

14:24

7:48 7:53 7:46 7:45 7:40 7:47 7:407:00 7:03 7:02 7:04 7:02

12:09 12:23 12:10 12:16 12:14 12:22 12:11

10:15 10:50 10:43 10:48 10:47

time represented in mm:ss

Average Fractile

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2011 HFD RESPONSE TIME IMPROVEMENTS(INCLUDES RESPONSE TIMES TO BOTH FIRE & EMS EVENTS)

Jan Feb Mar AprMay Jun Jul AugSep OctNovDec1:26

1:29

1:32

1:35

1:37

1:40

1:43

1:46

1:49

1:52

1:55

1:501:52

1:501:49

1:431:44

1:43

1:391:41

1:391:38

1:36

Average Call Processing Time

Jan Feb Mar AprMay Jun Jul AugSep Oct NovDec1:58

2:00

2:03

2:06

2:09

2:12

2:15

2:18

2:21

2:172:18

2:172:18

2:152:152:14

2:09

2:13

2:10

2:08

2:05

Fractile Call Process-ing Time

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2011 HFD RESPONSE TIME IMPROVEMENTS (INCLUDES RESPONSE TIMES TO BOTH FIRE & EMS EVENTS)

Jan Feb Mar AprMay Jun Jul AugSep OctNovDec4:12

4:19

4:26

4:33

4:40

4:48

4:55

5:02

5:09

4:595:02

4:594:585:02

5:06

5:01

4:334:384:34

4:364:34

Average First Unit Travel Time

Jan Feb Mar AprMay Jun Jul AugSep Oct NovDec6:28

6:43

6:57

7:12

7:26

7:40

7:55

8:09

8:24

8:38

8:128:188:158:178:21

8:268:18

7:127:20

7:117:147:15

Fractile First Unit Travel Time

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: CFAI ACCREDITATION

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WHAT IS CFAI ACCREDITATION?a comprehensive self-assessment and

evaluation model that enables fire and emergency service organizations to:◦ examine past, current, and future service

levels and performance and compare them to industry best practices.

◦ improve service delivery by helping fire departments: determine community risk and safety needs. evaluate the performance of the department. establish a method for achieving continuous

organizational improvement.

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WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCREDITATION? Complete a rigorous self-assessment

◦ Address 253 performance indicators ranging from operations to health and safety to facility maintenance

Develop a Strategic Plan◦ Forecasting how the department plans to meet its

goals for the future Develop a Standard of Cover

◦ Indicating the department has assessed fire and non-fire community risks and developed baseline and benchmark service level objectives to meet those risks.

◦ Service level performance is documented and validated for at least three years prior.

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CFAI ACCREDITATION HFD began the self-assessment process

in 1998 and received its first Accreditation in March 2001.

In March 2006, HFD was re-Accredited. In March 2011, HFD was re-Accredited

again.

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WHAT DOES BEING AN ACCREDITED AGENCY MEAN? The fire protection agency has identified

community risk and safety needs. Emergency service performance has

been evaluated and meets the need of the community.

A method for achieving continuous organizational improvement has been established.

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THE CFAI SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS PROMOTES EXCELLENCE AND ENCOURAGES QUALITY IMPROVEMENT BY ENABLING FIRE AND EMS AGENCIES TO: Assure colleagues and the public that they have definite missions

and objectives that are appropriate for the jurisdictions they serve Provide a detailed evaluation of the services they provide to the

community Identify areas of strength and weakness within the department Create methods or systems for addressing deficiencies while

building organizational success Encourage professional growth for both the department and its

personnel Provide a forum for the communication of organizational priorities Foster national recognition by colleagues and the public Create a mechanism for developing strategic and program action

plans

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HOW HOUSTON COMPARES TO OTHER NATIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS:Houston is the largest accredited

municipal fire department in the world.The United States has 2,162 paid career

fire departments. 93 of those departments are

accredited.Three of those departments serve

populations over 1 million:◦ Houston Fire Department◦ Miami-Dade Fire Rescue◦ Orange County Fire Authority

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HOW HOUSTON COMPARES TO OTHER LARGE ACCREDITED FIRE DEPARTMENTS:

Department

Square Miles

Populationserved

Fire Stations

UniformedPersonnel

Operating Budget

Calgary Fire Department

305 1.3 million

38 1,350 153 million (FY09)

Houston Fire Department

601 2.1 million

92 3,851 419 million(FY12)

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue

1,883 1.7 million

65 2,100 404 million(FY10)

Orange County Fire Authority*

553 1.4 million

61(10 reserve)

1,091(390 reserve)

405 million

* Paid/Reserve combination department

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CFAI ACCREDITATION:

http://www.publicsafetyexcellence.org/agency-accreditation/about-accreditation-cfai.aspx

HFD Staff Services Division: 832-394-6743

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