HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 13642
City of Palo Alto (ID # 13642)
City Council Staff Report
Meeting Date: 11/8/2021
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Title: Palo Alto Fire Department Semiannual Performance Report for the
Second Half of Fiscal Year 2021
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Fire
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council review the Second Palo Alto Fire Department Semi-
Annual Performance Report for Fiscal Year 2021.
Background and Discussion
In Fiscal Year 2015 the Palo Alto Fire Department (PAFD) identified performance
reporting as a key initiative and began reporting on key performance measures
quarterly. In Fiscal Year 2018 the Department began submitting reports twice each
year.
The report provides overall calls for service information, as well as more detailed
information on the key service areas, including Emergency Medical Services, Fire
Suppression, Rescue and Hazardous Materials Response, and Fire Prevention. The
report also provides information on mutual and automatic aid with our regional public
safety partners and internal workforce planning efforts.
Performance measures include the following:
• Calls for Service: This data provides information on the final outcome of all
emergency response calls. The data is tracked in the Fire Department’s Record
Management System, and uses standardized call type codes, which are defined
by the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). The report includes
overall call volume by primary category, and a detailed listing of call type in the
service type sections.
• Response Times: The time that an alert is received from the emergency
dispatchers to the arrival of the fire resources at the scene of the emergency.
This information is tracked in the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System, and
the performance goals, or service levels, are set by Council in accordance with
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county and national standards.
• Ambulance Transports: The report provides the number of ambulatory transports
to hospitals or other medical care facilities, and the proportion of Emergency
Medical Calls that included transports. This information is tracked in the Fire
Department’s Emergency Medical Record Management System.
• Fire Containment: This measures the proportion of building and structure fires
that are contained to the area or room of origin within Palo Alto and Stanford
Campus.
• Mutual and Automatic Aid: This includes the number and proportion of all
incidents that the PAFD provided aid to neighboring communities, as well as the
aid received from neighboring Fire Departments. This information is tracked in
the CAD System.
• Permits: This provides the total count of facility, electric vehicle, and solar
permits issued by the Fire Prevention Bureau. This information is currently
tracked in the Development Center’s Records Management System.
• Inspections: A count of the total number of Hazardous Materials and State
Mandated inspections is provided. In addition, an estimated number of
inspections to be completed for the year is also provided to assess overall
workload performance to date.
• Fire and Life Safety Plans Reviewed: This provides a total count of all plans
reviewed, as well as the proportion of plans that were reviewed within the time
guidelines.
• Vacancies and Off-Line Employees: This section provides the total number of
budgeted full-time equivalent shift personnel, current vacancies, and employees
that are off-line due to workers compensation or light duty. This information is
obtained from the Fire Department’s Staffing and Scheduling System (TeleStaff),
as well as the City’s Personnel Management System.
• Succession Planning Metrics: This provides the number and proportion of shift
personnel that are eligible to retire, or will be eligible within the next five years.
This information is tracked in the City’s Personnel Management System. This
report also provides the total number of hours that shift personnel spent in an
acting capacity. Personnel serving in an acting capacity are a key component of
the Department’s overall succession planning efforts. Acting capacity allows
firefighters to learn the responsibilities of higher ranks with guidance from senior
officers. This information is tracked in TeleStaff.
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• Training hours: The total number of training hours completed by all shift
personnel is provided, as well as the average number of hours per each shift
personnel on staff. This information is tracked in the Fire Department’s Record
Management System. Local, State and Federal mandates require fire personnel
to train a minimum of 20 hours per month.
Attachments:
• Attachment16.a: ATTACHMENT A_Coverletter
• Attachment16.b: ATTACHMENT B_Semi Annual Performance Report FY20.2 FINAL
• Attachment16.c: ATTACHMENT C_EMS Customer Report FY21P2_
• Attachment16.d: ATTACHMENT C_Kudos
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City of Palo Alto
Fire Department
Honorable Councilmembers,
Enclosed is the performance report for the second half of Fiscal Year 2021, and we have continued to
see the change in our service demands from the Coronavirus pandemic persist.
The fiscal crisis caused by the Coronavirus Pandemic required the department to eliminate eight sworn
Firefighter positions in Operations and Fire Prevention. With a collaborative effort from the City and
Council, we were able to create these eliminations through attrition. Seven of those positions were
vacated in the previous reporting period, and the last remaining position was vacated in April 2021.
The Fire Department browned out Fire Station 2 as a result of these resource reductions and positions
eliminations, during this report period Fire Station 2 was closed ninety-four percent (94%) of the time.
The Department is currently testing an innovative alternative deployment model that includes a two-
position squad that enables the Department to have an active unit at every station with reduced
staffing.
This time period also involved one of the largest hazardous materials incidents in the City: on May 6th, a
failed sensor in the generator plant pump at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System's Palo
Alto campus caused a diesel fuel spill contaminating a 600-foot section of Matadero creek. The
Department continues to work with Veteran’s Affairs Office to inspect the site and ensure clean up and
restoration requirements have been met.
Sincerely,
Geo Blackshire
Fire Chief
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Palo Alto Fire Department Second
Semi-Annual Performance Report
Fiscal Year 2021
Highlights
➢ Reduction in call volume from previous year due to Coronavirus Pandemic Shelter in Place
persisted
➢ EMS Incidents accounted for 62% of all calls, totaling 2180
➢ Response time goals for EMS and Fire calls were met
➢ Fire containment goals were not met
➢ 4% increase in fire incidents
➢ 13% increase in service calls
➢ The Fire Prevention Bureau completed zero State Mandated inspections and, on time reviews
fell to 67% due to reduced staffing
Fire Station 2 Brown Out
In response to the economic recession brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic, 5.0 FTE Line
Firefighter positions were frozen, and Fire Station 2 (College Terrace) was browned-out. A brown-out
is when a fire station is temporarily shut down. When fire suppression personnel take leave from a
shift, i.e., sick leave, vacation, etc. the engine/ambulance is temporarily taken out of service to
compensate for budget shortfalls instead of filling that vacancy with overtime personnel. Fire Station 2
is browned-out every weekday from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM and on weekends. The table below shows the
number of days in each month that Station 2 was shut down for this reporting period.
Month Count of Days Percentage
January 30 97%
February 27.5 98%
March 27 87%
April 26 87%
May 29.5 95%
June 29.5 98%
6 Month Total 169.5 94%
When Fire Station 2 is browned-out, response times into this district are increased as fire engines and
ambulances from other districts are the first-due responding units for emergencies in Station 2’s
response area.
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PAFD FY21 Bi-Annual Performance Report
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Calls for Service
The Palo Alto Fire Department (PAFD) responded to a total of 3,531 calls for service in the second six-
month period of Fiscal Year 2021. The calls include responses within Palo Alto, Stanford, and
neighboring cities to provide Auto and Mutual Aid. Approximately eighty-seven percent (87%) of calls
are generated from Palo Alto, eleven percent (11%) from Stanford, and the remainder from
neighboring cities or requests for regional fire deployment.
The majority of calls were for Rescue and Emergency Medical Services, making up sixty-two percent
(62%) of the responses. Table 1 below shows the main categories of the calls to which PAFD
responded. Calls are classified based on the actual event occurred, rather than the initial call request.
Call Type FY20
JAN-JUN
FY21
JAN-JUN
Rescue and Emergency Medical Services Incidents 2,237 2,180
Good Intent 561 512
False Alarm and False Call 405 406
Service Call 267 301
Fire 69 72
Hazardous Condition, No Fire 64 57
Grand Total 3,603 3,531
Good Intent and False Alarm calls make up the second largest types of responses. Most calls for service
that may be a true threat of fire, gas or other emergency hazard are actually found to be something
else after Firefighters investigate the situation. These calls are coded as Good Intent calls. As well,
many fire alarm activations are from causes other than fire or emergency hazard. These situations are
categorized as False Alarm calls.
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PAFD FY21 Bi-Annual Performance Report
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Emergency Medical Services and Rescue
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is the primary service that the Palo Alto Fire Department provides to
Palo Alto and Stanford. The Palo Alto Fire Department is the only Fire Department in the County that
runs its own ambulance and transport services.
Of the 2,237 Emergency Medical Service calls the PAFD responded to in the second period of Fiscal
Year 2021, the overwhelming majority were for medical, trauma and cardiac emergencies that did not
involve a vehicle accident.
Rescue and EMS Performance Measures FY20
JAN-JUN
FY21
JAN-JUN
Emergency Medical Service Incident 2,201 2,148
Extrication, Rescue 26 22
Rescue or EMS Standby 10 4
Lock-In 0 6
Water and Ice-Related Rescue 0
Total 2,237 2,180
Transports
Number of Transports 1,530 1,617
Percent of EMS Calls resulting in transport 68% 74%
Response Times
Percent of first responder arriving on scene to EMS calls
within 8 minutes
92% 93%
Percent of paramedic responder arriving on scene to
EMS calls within 12 minutes
99%
99%
Average response time for first responder arriving on
scene to EMS calls
5:25 5:19
This period reflects a decrease to the number of Rescue and EMS Incident calls. The number of
transports increased, thus the proportion of calls resulting in a transport increased at seventy-four
percent (74%) of all Rescue and EMS calls.
Response Time Goal Met: At least 90% of first responder arriving on scene to EMS calls within
eight minutes.
This period the PAFD first responder arrived on scene to EMS calls within eight minutes, ninety-three
percent (93%) of the time.
Response Time Goal Met: At least 99% of paramedic responder arriving on scene to EMS calls
within 12 minutes.
This period, the PAFD paramedic responders arrived on scene to EMS calls within 12 minutes ninety-
nine percent (99%) of the time.
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PAFD FY21 Bi-Annual Performance Report
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Fire Suppression
Very few of the potential fire calls coming into dispatch turn out to be a real fire once PAFD
investigates the scene and cause of the concerning elements. The total of calls this period was seventy-
two (72) whereas fifty-eight (58) calls where fire was present originated from Palo Alto. Nine (9),
occurred in Stanford. There were nine (9) building fires that the Department responded to in Palo Alto
and the fire was contained to the room of origin in three of those fires. Here are the descriptions of the
significant fires for this period:
1/5/21: 400 block of Bryant Ave. Garage fire in Sublevel A, possible homeless encampment.
2/18/21: 100 Block of Seal Ave. Structure Fire in Garage, fire was contained to Garage area.
3/3/21: 3500 Block of Deer Creek. Battery Fire and subsequent Hazardous Materials Event
3/26/21: 300 Block of Everett. Structure Fire House Fire in Carport with minimal extension into other areas.
4/16/21: Foothills Expressway. Vehicle Rollover with patient extrication required.
5/6/21: 3800 Block of Miranda. Diesel spill, clean up and investigation ongoing.
5/14/21: 3300 Block of Hillview. Hazardous Materials incident with Chemical smell. Multiple entries in full
hazardous materials protective equipment. No contamination found.
6/5/21: 3100 Block of Flowers. Structure Fire. Fire isolated to room of origin.
Fire Suppression Measures
FY20
JAN-JUN
FY21
JAN-JUN
Structure Fire 17 29
Outside rubbish fire 21 17
Natural vegetation on fire 14 11
Fire, Other 10 9
Mobile property (vehicle) fire 3 4
Special outside fire 4 2
Total 69 72
Response Times
Percent of first responder arriving on scene to Fire
calls within 8 minutes 87% 90%
Average response time for first responder arriving on
scene to Fire calls 5:43 5:37
Fire Containment
Percent of building and structure fires contained to
the room or area of origin 50% 33%
Response Time Goal Met: At least 90% of first responder arriving on scene to Fire calls within
eight minutes.
This period the PAFD first responder arrived on scene to Fire calls within eight minutes was ninety
(90%) of the time.
Fire Containment Goal Not Met: At least 90% of building and structure fires contained to the
room or area of origin.
This period there were five building or structure fires within Palo Alto or Stanford, of which thirty-three
percent (33%) were contained to the room or area of origin. Crews arrived on scene in under 8 minutes
for all but two incidents. The maximum response time was 8 minutes and 32 seconds.
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PAFD FY21 Bi-Annual Performance Report
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Hazardous Materials
The Fire Department responded to a total of sixty-four (64) emergencies related to hazardous
materials. The two primary categories of calls continue to be for Spills and Leaks or Electrical Problems,
making up sixty-four percent (64%) of all Hazardous Materials calls this period.
Hazardous Materials Response Measures FY20
JAN-JUN
FY21
JAN-JUN
Combustible/Flammable spills and leaks 24 22
Electrical wiring/Equipment problem 17 16
Hazardous Condition, Other 10 5
Chemical release, reaction, or toxic condition 8 5
Accident, potential accident 3 4
Biological hazard 1 5
Attempted burning, illegal action 1 0
Total 64 57
Response Times
Average response time for first responder arriving on
scene to Rescue & Hazardous Materials calls 7:03 6:07
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Mutual and Automatic Aid
The Fire Department previously held automatic aid agreements with five regional Fire Departments,
including Mountain View, Menlo Park, Woodside, Cal Fire, and Santa Clara County Fire. At the request
of the City of Mountain View, the automatic aid agreement was modified at the beginning of January
2018 resulting in a significant decrease in the number of calls compared to the prior fiscal year. The
Palo Alto Fire Department continues to advocate for the closest unit response and collects objective
data to support improved services to all of our communities under the previous automatic aid
agreement.
Santa Clara County Fire received the highest amount of aid from the Department this period
accounting for fifty-eight percent (58%) of all mutual and auto aid provided. The Department required
thirty-one percent (31%) more Aid from other jurisdictions this period compared to the prior year, with
the majority received from Mountain View with a total of thirty-six (36) incidents.
Mutual Aid Performances FY20
JAN-JUN
FY21
JAN-JUN
Mutual and Auto Aid Provided
Agency
Santa Clara County Fire 33 51
Mountain View Fire 15 16
Menlo Park Fire 4 3
San Jose 0 1
San Mateo City 1 -
San Mateo County 2 -
Morgan Hill 1 -
Gilroy 1 -
All Mutual and Auto Aid
Provided 57 71
Mutual and Auto Aid Received
Agency
Mountain View Fire 36 13
Menlo Park Fire 16 5
Woodside Fire 10 5
Santa Clara County Fire 1 2
All Mutual and Auto Aid Received 63 25
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PAFD FY21 Bi-Annual Performance Report
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Fire Prevention
The Fire Prevention Bureau ensures compliance with the local and State Fire Codes for the safety of
occupants and protection of property. Fire Inspectors perform fire sprinkler and fire alarm plan checks,
permitting, and field inspections with the goal of ensuring all construction complies with local and
national codes.
This period saw a significant decrease in the number of permits, inspections and plans reviewed on
time due to staffing reductions and vacancies. One-third of Fire Inspectors were eliminated as part of
the budget reductions resulting from the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic in Fiscal Year
2021. With reduced resources, the Bureau has seen a sharp decrease in the number of fire and life
safety plan reviews completed on time – almost one-third of plans are being reviewed late.
In addition to delays in plan reviews, the Bureau has not been able to conduct any annual State
Mandate or State Regulated Inspections this year. All State Mandated inspections reported have been
completed by engine crews on shift.
Prevention Bureau Performance Measures FY20
JAN-JUN
FY21
JAN-JUN
Permits
Fire Permits Issued 160 98
Sprinkler Permits Issued 103 92
Solar Permits Issued 62 130
Electric Vehicle Permits Issued* - -
Inspections
Fire Inspections 3,758 3,511
Hazardous Material (HazMat) Inspections Completed 44 51
Number of HazMat Facilities Inspections for the year 716 716
Percent of Hazardous Material Facilities Inspections Complete 6% 7%
State Mandated Inspections Completed 41 153
Number of State Mandated Inspections for the year 535 532
Percent of State Mandated Facilities Inspections Complete 8% 29%
Fire and Life Safety Plan Review
Plans Reviewed 716 813
Percent of Reviews Completed On-Time 97% 67%
*The data collection system is currently malfunctioning and not capturing Electric Vehicle Permit statistics, when
this is resolved the Department will update reports retroactively.
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PAFD FY21 Bi-Annual Performance Report
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Workforce Planning
The Department operated daily emergency response operations with a total of 78.00 FTE suppression
personnel for the second period of FY21. This includes three battalions of crews that staff six fire
stations in the City and Stanford 24 hours each day. Over the last period, the Department has operated
with 2 positions vacant due to separations and retirements. The Department continues to struggle with
rising injury rates with 8 personnel out on lightduty or leave. This creates a total of 10.0 FTE positions
that required backfill with overtime.
The Training Division shows an increase in training hours, however, this is due to a change in
methodology for capturing training hours. Crews conducted wildland fire drills, rope rescue, required
EMS trainings, and specialized trainings on COVID procedures during this period.
Vacancies and Off-Line Employees FY21 JAN-JUN
Classification Budgeted
FTE Vacancies
Off-Line Employees
(Workers
Comp/Light Duty)
Personnel
On Line
Percent of
Personnel
On Line
Battalion Chief 3.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 100%
Fire Captain 20.0 0.0 3.0 17.0 85%
Fire Apparatus
Operator
& Fire Fighters
55.0 2.0 5.0 48.0 87%
TOTAL 78.0 2.0 8.0 68.0 87%
Succession Planning FY20
JAN-JUN
FY21
JAN-JUN
Personnel
Number of Shift Staff Currently Eligible to Retire 23 17
Number of Shift Staff Eligible to Retire in Five Years 15 15
Percent of all Shift Staff Eligible to Retire within Five Years 44% 41%
Number of Acting Battalion Chief Hours 0 324
Number of Acting Captain Hours 2,451 1,890
Number of Acting Apparatus Operator Hours 12,992 9,273
Training
Hours of Training Completed 10,960 17,706
Average Hours Per Line Personnel 132 227
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