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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-77-0609P IEA : bk 7/8/77 RESOLUTION NO. 77-609 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE MIAMI FIRE PROTECTION, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES MASTER PLAN 1977- 1987 IN PRINCIPLE, AS AN ANCILLARY STUDY TO, BUT NOT A PART OF, THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBOR- HOOD PLAN, SPECIFICALLY APPROVING THE 12 POLICY STATEMENTS, 54 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS AND IMPLE- MENTATION SCHEDULE CONTAINED IN THE PLAN SUMMARY; FURTHER DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENER- GETICALLY STRIVE TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID PLAN SUMMARY, DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO RETURN TO THE COMMISSION ANNUALLY WITH A PRO- GRESS REPORT AND WITH APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS TO UPDATE AND MODIFY SAID PLAN SUMMARY; AND REQUESTING THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO EXTRACT APPROPRIATE POLICY STATEMENTS FOR SUBSEOUENT CONSIDERATION FOR INCLUSION IN THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN DURING THE PERIODIC REVIEW AND AMENDMENT PROCESS. WHEREAS, the Miami Planning Advisory Board, at meeting of July 6, 1977, Item No. 2, following an advertised Hearing, adopted Resolution No. PAB 39-77 by a 6 to 0 vote approving, in principle, the Miami Fire Protection and Rescue Services Master Plan, as hereinafter set forth; and WHEREAS, the City Commission deems it advisable and in the best interests of the general welfare of the City of Miami and its inhabitants to approve in principle the Miami Fire Pro- tection and Rescue Services Master Plan, as hereinafter set forth; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The Miami Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plan 1977-1978, be and the same is hereby approved, in principle, as an ancillary study to, but not a part of, the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan. Section 2. The 12 policy statements, 54 recommended actions and implementation schedule contained in the plan summary, be and the same are hereby approved. Section 3. The administration be and it is hereby directed to (1) energetically strive towards the implementation of said plan summary and (2) to return to the Commission annually with a progress report and with appropriate recommended amendments to update and modify said plan summary. EIN M- Section 4. The Planning Department be, and it is hereby tegtested to extract appropriate policy statements for subsequent consideration for inclusion in the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan during the periodic review and amendment process. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21 day of DULY 1977. MAURICE A FERRE ATTEST: -- —' City Clerk PREPARED AND APPROVED BY: _k..-•mac t_...,-) MICHEL E. ANDERSON Assistant City Attorney APPROV'' AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: G ORGE F4 KNOX, City Att ney MAYOR Citu of$4.iatai, July Vonorable City Commission Attention: mr. Joseph R. Grassie City of Miami, Florida 1977 MIAMI FIRE PROTECTION, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES MASTER PLAN 1977-19R7 RECOMMENDED An ancillary study to The Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan Gentlemen: The Miami Planning Advisory Board, at its meeting of July 6, 1977, Item 42, following an advertised Hearing, adopted Resolution No. PAB 39-77 by i 6 Lo 0 vote (2 members absent)recommending to the City Commission the approval, in principle, of thr' Miami Fire Protection and Rescue Servict:.s Mastc,r Pin, as* an ancillary study to the Miami Comprehensive Noigh.l'orhood Plan, to provid,: guidelines for City agencies, boards and departments. A RESOLUTION to provide for the above has been prepared by the City Attorney's office and submitted for consideration of the City Commission • ' • cm cc: 'Law Department Planning Department Tentative City Commission date: July Sincerely, Rober,4:104- DireC6r ( ( Department of Administration Planning and Zoning Boards 21, 1977. . . MIMI FIRE ' PROTECTION. St; E AND EMERGENCY SErNICES , MASTER PLAN I1977-1987 phiAihtI\ ,„,,, MEA : bk 7/8/77 RESOLUTION NO. %7-6093 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE MIAMI FIRE PROTECTION, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES MASTER PLAN 1977- 1987 IN PRINCIPLE, AS AN ANCILLARY STUDY TO, BUT NOT A PART OF, THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBOR- HOOD PLAN, SPECIFICALLY APPROVING THE 12 POLICY STATEMENTS, 54 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS AND IMPLE- MENTATION SCHEDULE CONTAINED IN THE PLAN SUMMARY; FURTHER DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENER- GETICALLY STRIVE TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID PLAN SUMMARY, DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO RETURN TO THE COMMISSION ANNUALLY WITH A PRO- GRESS REPORT AND WITH APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS TO UPDATE AND MODIFY SAID PLAN SUMMARY; AND REQUESTING THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO EXTRACT APPROPRIATE POLICY STATEMENTS FOR SUBSEOUENT CONSIDERATION FOR INCLUSION IN THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN DURING THE PERIODIC REVIEW AND AMENDMENT PROCESS. WHEREAS, the Miami Planning Advisory Board, at its meeting of July 6, 1977, Item No. 2, following an advertised Hearing, adopted Resolution No. PAB 39-77 by a 6 to 0 vote approving, in principle, the Miami Fire Protection and Rescue Services Master Plan, as hereinafter set forth; and WHEREAS, the City Commission deems it advisable and in the best interests of the general welfare of the City of Miami and its inhabitants to approve in principle the Miami Fire Pro- tection and Rescue Services Master Plan, as hereinafter set forth; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The Miami Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plan 1977-1978, be and the same is hereby approved, in principle, as an ancillary study to, but not a part of, the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan. Section 2. The 12 policy statements, 54 recommended actions and implementation schedule contained in the plan summary, be and the same are hereby approved. Section 3. The administration be and it is hereby directed to (1) energetically strive towards the implementation of said plan summary and (2) to return to the Commission annually with a progress report and with appropriate recommended amendments to update and modify said plan summary. f 111111 1111 NEN Section 4. The Planning Department be, and it is hereby requested to extract appropriate policy statements for subsequent consideration for inclusion in the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan during the periodic review and amendment process. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21 day of JULY 1977. ATTEST: City Clerk PREPARED AND APPROVED BY: MICHEL E. ANDERSON Assistant City Attorney APPROV AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: G ORGE FKNOX, JR. City Att• ney MAURICR A. FERRE MAYOR - 2 0? )7-60 ti (Cifu I1onor.able City Commission Attention: Mt, Joseph R. Grassie City of Miami, Florida liami4 Gentlemen t The Miami planning Advisory Hoard, at its meeting of July 6, 1977, Item #2, following an advertised Hearing, adopted Resolution No. P1B 39-77 by a 6 to 0 vote (2 members absent)recommendiny to the City Commission t}1e at;t,.roval , in principle, of the Miami Fire Protection and Rescue Services Master Plan, as an ancillary :study to the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan, to providt: guidelines for City agencies, boards and departments. A RES0LU'1'ION to provide for the above has been prepared by the City Attorney's office and submitted for consideration of the City Commission:. Sincerely, j1/ ,( Rober A ./ is . Director Department of Administration Planning and Zoning Dad rds ti1y 7:b977. MIAMI . FIRE PROTECTION, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES MASTER PLAN 1977-19h7 RECOMMENDED An ancillary study to The Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan CM cc: Law Department Planning Department Tentative City Commission do 1-1 1 1. I3onor. able City Commission Attention: Mk, Joseph R. Cra,sie City of Miami, Florida MIAMI WIRE PROTECTION, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES MASTER PLAN 1977-1967 .RECOMMENDED An ancillary study to The Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood plan Gentlemen: The Miami Planning Advisory Board, at its meeting of July 6, 1977, Item 42, following an advertised Ik aring, adopted Resolution No. PAB 39-77 by a 6 to 0 vote (2 members absent) recommend my to the City Commission the at)r,roval, in principle, of the Miami FiiF' Protection and Rescue Mastur Plan, as an ancillary study to *he Miami Comprehensive NoinlrlUorhoori Plan, to provide guidelines for City «gencies, boards and departments. A RESOLUTION to provide for the above has been prepared by the City Attorney's office and submitted for consideration of the City Commission:. cm cc: Law Department Planning Department Tentative City Commission date: tt Sincerely, � � a RoberA. , irectOr Department of Administration .Planning and Zoning Boards 7q-609 MI PARE PROTECTION, L E AND EMERGENCY DICES MASTER PLAN 1977-19E17 • • • • • a • • • 0 • r CRb ITS CITY COMMISSIONERS Maurice A. Ferre, Mayor Theodore R. Gibson, Vice'Mayct Rose Gordon J. L. Plummer, Jr. Manolo Reboso CITY MANAGER Joseph R. Grassie Robert Homan, Assistant to the City Manager PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD Grace Rockafellar, Chairperson Selma Alexander, Vice Chairperson Isidro C. Borja Waldo V. Silva Ofelia T. Fernandez Mary Lichtenstein Cyril Smith William R. Rolle Richard L. Fosmoen, Executive Secretary CITIZENS TASK FORCE Reverend T. Engbers Warren Fox Dr. James J. Guthrie Edward Kelly William M. Klein Edward Rivas Reverend William Walker Don Petit Tony Fontana Tanny Dean Josephine Argudin Jack Greco Tony Paterna Luis Sabines Charles Hadley II This Plan was prepated by: CITY OF MIAMI FIRE DEPARTMENT Chief Don Hickman, Director Chief Herman Brice, Deputy Director Chief Edward Proli, Deputy Director Capt. Richard Farren, Research Officer Capt. Robert Rehr, Research Officer Chief Kenneth McCullough, Fire Marshal Chief Douglas Hewson, Chief of Training Capt. Louis Dechime, Safety Officer Lt. Jack Fredrickson, Communications Officer Chief Arthur Corlazzoli, Chief of Rescue Chief Cecil Albury, Battalion "A" Chief Chief Harry Herbert, Battalion "B" Chief Chief Dan Heyder, Battalion "C" Chief Capt. Robert Levitan, Water Officer Al OI I ivett , Garage Superintendent Chief Ronald Coleman, District Chief Chief James Nelson, District Chief Capt. Lawrence Kilburn Capt. Lawrence Broadway Kenneth Bradley Lt. Floyd Jordan Stephen J. Di Giacomo, Photographer Justo L. Alfonso, Photographer's Assistant Olga Carmouze, Typist CITY OF MIAMI PLANNING DEPARTMENT Edward Lynch, Project Manager Pierce Eichelberger, Planner Eunice Martin, Planning Intern Theodore Baida, Graphics Richard Butler, Graphics 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i1 A. INTRODUCTION The principal objective of this plan is to provide direction for the continued improvement of Miami's fire and rescue services over the next decade and to identify the framework and resources necessary for this improvement. Changes in urban development patterns, fire protec Hon needs, fire and rescue service practices, public resource limitations and community expectations have required a reassessment of fire and rescue services and the reformulation of future policies.. In addition to serving as a useful management tool, the Plan should satisfy anticipated federal regulations pertaining to the adoption of a local fire protection plan as a prerequisite for receiving federal grants. The Florida Local Government cmml975 befo ealso mandates that Miami cdopt a Comprehensive Development P1 n July, 1979, including optional Public Services, Public Facilities and Safety Elements. Although the recently adopted Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plcn (MCNP) does not specifically reiterate the recommenda— tions contained in this document, the Micmi Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plcn is consistent with MCNP policy statements. Moreover, in future upactes cf the MCNP, this document will be cross- referenced cs a special supplementary study supporting tv1CNP Public Safety, Public Service and Facility Policies. The Plan is the result of a joint effort during the entire 1976 calendar year between the Miami Fire Deportment . nd the Planning Department. Input was solicited from the local fire fighter's union (I.A,F.F. Local 587) and a citizens fire prevention committee appointed by the Fire Chief. Once approved by the City Manager, the Plcn will be submitted to the Micmi Planning Advisory Board and the City Commission for consideration. It is anticipated that this Plan will be re-evaluated and updated annually. Recommendations contained in the Micmi Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plcn are aerived from a careful analysis of Fire Department resources, programs and procedures. The operations and inter— relationships cf Fire Department divisions have been evaluated in terms of 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 t Ai INTRODUCTION The principal objective of this plan is to provide direction for the continued improvement of Miami's fire and rescue services over the next decade and to identify the framework and resources necessary for this improvement. Changes in urban development patterns, fire protec- tion needs, fire and rescue service prcctices, public resource limitations and community expectations have required a reassessment of fire and rescue services and the reformulation of future policies.. In addition to serving as a useful management tool, the Plan should satisfy anticipated federal regulations pertcining to the adoption of a local fire protection plan as a prerequisite for receiving federal grants. The Florida Local Government Comprehensive Planning Act of 1975 also mandates that Miami adopt a Comprehensive Development Plan before July, 1979, including optional Public Services, Public Facilities and Safety Elements. Although the recently adopted Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plcn (MCNP) does not specifically reiterate the recommenda- tions contained in this document, the Micmi Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plan is consistent with MCNP policy statements. Moreover, in future uctes cf the MCNP, this document will be cross- referenced as a special supplementary study supporting MCNP Public Safety, Public Service and Facility Policies. The Plan is the result of a joint effort during the entire 1976 calendar year between the Miami Fire Deportment cnd the Planning Department. Input was solicited from the local fire fighter's union (I.A.F.F. Local 587) cnd a citizens fire prevention committee appointed by the Fire Chief. Once approved by the City Manager, the Plan will be submitted to the Miami Planning Advisory Board and the City Commission for consideration. It is anticipated that this Plan will be re-evaluated cnd updated annually. Recommendations contained in the Micmi Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Pion are aerived from accreful analysis of Fire Deparrment resources, programs cnd procedures. The operations and inter- relationships cf Fire Department divisions nave been evaluated in terms of 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 1 1 Major emphasis in fire service practices should be placed oti irteteasing fire prevention -code enforcement activities to ptevent fires before they occur. Local legislation and enforcement of legislation pertaining to fire safety standards in single family and duplex horses should be made more restrictive, since most fire injuries and deaths occur in this occupancy. In addition to expended fire prevention, rescue, training and fire safety education programs, it will be necessary to maintain a well-equipped cnd adequately mcnned firefighting division to minimize fire -related human or property losses. Where possible, fire companies should be consolidated with the construction of future stations to enhance the task -force firefighting concept, to reduce operating costs, and to permit greater flexi- bility in manpower allocations. 10. Manpower resources should be orgcnized by functions to be perforrned, and greater responsibility for achieving fire and rescue service gocls should be delegated to staff ct all levels. 11. More minorities, including women, should be hired by the Fire Deportment. The Fire Department should move expeditiously in implementing the 1976 Fire Suppression, Fire Prevention and Fire Rescue Facilities Bond. C. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS A great wealth of information was cvailable to Department staff to analyze existing conditions problems cnd opportunities. In perticular, the Reporting System provided detailed information incidents that have occurred in Micrni over the enable Fire and Plcnning and trends and to identify Uniform Fire Incident cn all fire and rescue past four years. It also 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (t SUM_ Aa INTRODUCTION V A cRY The principal objective of this pireandesue servces ove a ftocirthe the continued improvement of Miami's next decade and to identify the framework and resources necessary for this improvement. Changes in urban development patterns, fire protec- tion needs, fire and rescue service practices, public resource limitations and community expectations have required a reassessment of fire and rescue services and the reformulation of future policies. In addition to serving as a useful management tool, the Pion should satisfy anticipated federal regulations pertcining to the adoption of a local fire protection plan as a prerequisite for receiving federal grants. The Florida Local Government Comprehensive Planning Act of 1975 also mandates that Miami adopt a Comprehensive Development Plan before July, 1979, including optional Public Services, Public Facilities and Safety Elements. Although the recently cdopted Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plcn (MCNP) does not specifically reiterate the recommenda- tions contained in this document, the Micmi Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plcn is consistent with MCNP policy statements. Moreover, in future updates cf the MCNP, this document will be cross- referenced cs a special supplementary study supporting 1v1CNP Public Safety, Pubic Service cnd Facility Policies. The Plan is the result of o joint effort during the entire 1976 calendar year between the Miami Fire Department cnd the Planning Department. Input was solicited from the local fire fighter's union (I.A.F.F. Local 587) cnd a citizens fire prevention committee appointed by the Fire Chief. Once approved by the City Manager, the Plcn will be submitted to the Micmi Planning Advisory Board and the City Commission for consideration. It is anticipated that this Pion will be re-evaluated cnd updated annually. Recommendations contained in the Micmi Fire Protection, Rescue cnd Emergency Services Master Plan are aerived from a caretul analysis of Fire Department resources, programs cnd procedures. The operations and inter- relationships cf Fire Department divisions hove been evaluated in terms of i1 Vetoll Department goals. As a result, it can be said that the Plat, is ttuly comprehensive and pragmatic. Although tore than 50 specific recommendations have been formulated to guide future fire and rescue service improvements, these recommendations are based to a large extent upon the following general policy recommendations: B. GENERAL POLICIES 1. The Miami Fire Department should modernize and continue to be self-sufficient in the future, depending as much as possible on its own firefighting, rescue, fire prevention and training resources to maintain a first class service for ,Miami residents. . Miami should maintain control of cnd modernize its communica- tions and dispatch functions, resisting centralized County--Nide dispatch of City fire cnd rescue companies. The Miami Fire Department should strive to become more community service oriented in terms of rescue and fire functions by stepping up fire safety education programs, by expanding the blood pressure testing program, and by initiating an energetic CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) public education program. As much as possible, this increased activity should be accomplished by increasing non -emergency time productivity. 4. Rescue services should be expanded to maintain a maximum 4-minute response time to all parts of Micmi, and all fire fighters should be better prepared to provide emergency medical assistance. 5. The Miami Fire Departmert should anticipate Federal and State safety standards cnd continue to provide reasonable safety clothing cnd equipment to its fire fighters . Major emphasis in fire service practices should be ptaaed an increasing fire prevention -code enforcement activities to ptevent fires before they occur. Local legislation and enforcement of legislation pertaining to fire safety standards in single family cnd duplex homes should be made more restrictive, since most fire injuries and deaths occur in this occupancy. g. In addition to expended fire prevention, rescue, training and fire safety education progrcros, it will be necessary to maintain a well-equipped cnd adequately manned firefighting division to minimize fire -related human or property losses. ted the 9. Where possible, fire companies ationsto enhance the taslculd be aforce firefighting concept, construction of future t concept, to reduce operating costs, cnd to permit greater flexi- bility in manpower allocations. 10. Manpower resources should be orgcnized by functions to be performed, and greater responsibility for achieving fire and rescue service gocls should be delegated to staff at all levels. 11. More minorities, including women, should be hired by the Fire Deportment. 12. The Fire Department should move expeditiously in implementing the 1976 Fire Suppression, Fire Prevention and Fire Rescue Facilities Bond. C. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS A great wealth of information was available to Department staff to analyze existing conditions problems and opportunities. In particular, the Reporting System provided detailed information incidents that have occurred in Micmi over the 11 enable Fire and Planning and trends and to identify Uniform Fire Incident on ell fire and rescue past four years. It also r^ 1 e it FM:dided data on non, -emergency activities, such as traihing and inspections. The Planning Department's Urban Information System offered recent informai. Lion on the use and physical characteristics of buildings and land throughout the City. In addition, several Fire Department Divisions maintain detailed manual files on fire inspection activity, emergency medical programs and other activities, which were analyzed in the planning effort. Recommendations contained in the recently prepared Micmi Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan pertaining to future land use, the density and intensity of future development and proposed public improvements were also considered in terms of projected fire and rescue needs. Therefore, it can be said that the Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plan addresses itself to both present and future physical conditions, although many of the recommendations should be accomplished within the next one to three years. To take advantage of recent analytical tools that have appeared on the market, a sophisticated computer model was purchased from the RAND Corporation to assist in evaluating proposals for future fire station locations and resource allocations. More than 90 different alternatives were analyzed by the computer before a recommendation for the consolidation and relocation of fire stations was developed. The following list of recommendations summarizes the major points of improvement. and development that are needed during the next decade. Recommendations cre organized by function and an ample justification for each recommendation is contained in the Technical Report in the chapter describing that function. Therefore, the Technical Report should be considered an integrcl, supplementary document that supports this Plan Summary. Each recommendation has a time frcme and priority for implementation. I. Fire Prevention *** 1. Establish within the Fire Prevention Bureau an cdecuctely staffed unit of construction/plans examining teams to review new construc- 1-2 tion, building additions and major renovations from the time of Yrs. permit application to final approval for certificate of occupancy and inspect new buildings at least four times during the construc- tion phase. *** High Priority 1-4 Maintain within the Fire Prevention Bureau an adequately staffed and trained unit of inspectors to inspect special hazard occupancies at least four times a year. Establish within the Fire Department adequately staffed and trained teams to routinely inspect, in c systematic block -by - block way, all low -hazard occupancies approximately once a year (allowing specific exemptions like single family or duplex units). 4. Utilize automated data processing technology to improve the data management capabilities of the Fire Prevention Bureau and to assist in programming inspection activities. 5. Establish within the Fire Department cnd the Fire Prevention Bureau adequately staffed, research and development units to regularly analyze data from the Fire Incident Reporting System, to correlate fire incident reports with building inspection and home and apartment safety programs, and to do cost -benefit analyses of special fire prevention programs. 6. Establish an ongoing, affirmative public safety education program to reduce fires caused by public ignorance and apathy by at least 2 percent per year for the next 10 years. 7. Attempt to clarify and more accurately define in the City Code the responsibility of the Fire Department '.vith regard to other City or County Departments involved in plan review or building inspections and attempt to improve communications between these Departments. 8. Increase the City's ability to obtain compliance with Fire Code requirements in the courts. ** High Priority w* Medium Priority Low Priority It .1 Imptove the investigative capabilities of the arson Section in the Fire Prevention Bureau and encourage tS. in terjurisdictional cooperation between the City's arson section and other municipal or County arson sections. 10. Amend the South Florida Building Code to require that early warning detection devices be required in all new single-family, duplex, multi -family and mobile home units in Dade County. 11. Encourage more cooperation of public entities currently exempt from complying with local fire codes so that local inspections can be conducted and violations corrected as soon as possible. 12. Modify the Fire Code to require the routine testing of all alarm systems, standby emergency power systems, emergency lighting and standpipe systems for specific occupancies. 13. Support and help implement in Micmi the several fire prevention recommendations contained in the proposed -5 Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master ' Plan for the Miami -Dade County area, as identified in ib-Trfechnical Report. II. Fire Suppression 1. Consolidate and relocate fire stations to provide equal or better fire protection coverage with available resources to satisfy present and future fire demand needs. *** High Priority ** Medium Priority * Low Priority Mate fully implement the task force concept of firefighting tactics in conjunction with the creation of more multi - company stations. Maintain equipment manning at present levels (five men for engine and hose companies and six men for aerial ladder companies). Gradually increase non -emergency activities and responsi- bilities of fire suppression forces, particularly by increasing all phases of Fire Prevention inspections, in-service training, physical fitness programs and community services (fire safety education, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, blood pressure testing). Carefully re-evaluate the components of fire demand annually with respect to manpower resource allocations. Request that Dade County give higher priority to the implementation of the Metro Computer Traffic Control System cnd the Dodge Island Fire Station in its Capital Improvement Program. Establish a comprehensive, in-house EMS Training Program with necessary training aids and staff to provide continuing education and improvement in the level of emergency medical skills, to regularly monitor the level of skills, and to initiate new procedures. Utilizing specially trained rescue cnd suppression manpower, establish an aggressive public education program to instruct Miami residents in CPR techniques and expand the hyper- tension screening program. Upgrade the level of medical rescue services at emergencies and at fires by improving the paramedical skills of all combat 3 Yttand rescue personnel, eventually requiring valid EMT -I certification of all fire fighters and providing incentives for advanced EMT-I1 certification. ** 1.4 ** 3-5 4. Make more effective use of fire apparatus and fire fighter's advanced paramedical skills to respond to rescue emergencies. 5. Expand rescue services as population and the demand for rescue assistance increases, cnd achieve a maximum 4-minute rescue response time vital to lifesaving operations in all areas of Miami. b. Establish a medical equipment research and resource program to evaluate cnd order special equipment, test and maintain existing special equipment, requisition stock and supply all Fire Department medical supply needs. 7. Establish an exchcnge program for on -site training of advanced paramedical personnel from Miami with other outstanding rescue services or professional, medical and paramedical organizations. 8. Develop the in-house capability tc more rapidly retrieve rescue information from company reports and develop a medical emergency information system. IV. Training cnd Safety 1. Bring together the functions of the safety program and the training division in creating one training and safety division with expanded objectives and with the necessary resources to meet those objectives. *** High Priority ** Medium Priority * Low Priority 1 1 1 1 1 *** Built! a hew ttdtriinig facility within an acceptable ttaveling disttnce to all companies, large enough to accommodate 1ttt. expansion for additional regional training facilities and buffered adequately from any non -compatible land uses. 3• Develop c closed circuit television capability to improve and increase the training of fire fighters, and develop a comprehensive, on -going video training program to better prepare fire fighters, rescue parcmedics, fire prevention inspectors and others to more effectively accomplish their functions. 4. Develop, administer cnd monitor a health services program for all uniformed personnel consisting of a) physical fitness and nutrition program and, b) periodic comprehensive medical examinations. 5. Develop cnd administer a comprehensive occident investiga- tion program to provide data for accident prevention within the Fire Deportment. 6. Comply with existing safety and health regulations, and anticipate future federal and state legislation in providing safer equipment and scfe environments for fire fighters. Communications . In supporting the "911" emergency -information telephone system, the City should continue to insist that all City - initiated calls terminate at a City Communications Center. 2. Develop a computer -aided emergency dispatch/field support system to more efficiently dispatch fire and rescue units and to transmit appropriate tactical or medical data to mobile units. High Priority Medium Priority Low Priority .4 Yrs. *. 2-5 Piring the Alarm Office personnel under the direct dorrttol of the Fire Departrneht in the near future (1 '2 year). VI. Water Supply and Apparatus Maintenance 1. The City of Miami should request that the Miami -Dade Water and Sewer Authority prepare a long-term capitol improvement program for the City of Miami water supply system, including an implementation schedule in compliance with Dade County's Fire Flow Ordinance. 2. The City of Miami should request that the Water and Sewer Authority provide the City with a detailed annual report of the expenditures cnd revenues entered in Account No. 185, which identifies revenues pcid by the City water consumers for fire service use as well as expenditures made for improve- ments to the fire supply system. 3. Identify alternative methods for reducing the use of fire apparatus for non -emergency activities. VII. • Organization, Administration and Management 1. Institute a systems organizational approach towards fire service operations, strengthening individual and divisional functions cnd interrelationships to better achieve Department goals. 2. Delegate to uniformed personnel, particularly District Chiefs and station officers, the responsibility for making more efficient use of human and material resources. 3. Develop the necessary computer capabilities to satisfy current and future Department needs in terms of manage- ment information and emergency information systems. ` x** High Pricrity ** Medium Priority * Low Priority 5 Yrs . =10 Obtain additional technical assistance from other City Departments and hire non -uniformed staff with professional or technical skills currently not available in the Department to help modernize Fire Departrnent operations. 5. Regularly evaluate progress made towards achieving Depart- ment objectives cnd the implementation of the Master Plan, and formally institutionalize cnd develop the research and planning functions within Fire Administration. 6. Establish a special committee, composed of representatives from fire administration, labor relations, cnd the fire fighters' union together with management specialists to study the advantages and disadvantages of changing work schedules from the current 24-hour schedule to some other variable schedule. /1II. Human Resources 1. Aggressively seek to hire additional qualified minority group members, including women, to better represent and serve the City's multi -racial and multi-lingual communities. . Require thct all future entrants into fire ccmoct service obtain EMT -I Certification and pass a minimum number of course credits towaras the Association of Science degree in Fire Science in order to obtain permanent status. 3. Require that cll uniformec individuals entering fire service after a specified future dare maintain on active EMT -I -10 Certification, pass a periodic medical exam based on job classification and, if applying for a job classification promotion, obtain additional course credits towards the Associates Degree. *** High Priority ** Medium Priority * Low Priority Pride additional opportunities for continued jobrelated education beyond the minimum level required by job 'ttclassification and continue to encourage local institutions of higher learning to establish special curricula for fire fighters, particularly programs leading to a Bachelor's Degree in Fire Protection Engineering or the equivalent. Institute an aggressive program of conversational Spanish focusing on the development of working vocabularies needed to more effectively perform rescue, fire safety education and other fire service activities in Spanish-speaking communities of Miami. IX. Capital Improvements ** 1. Move expeditiously in implementing Firefighting, Fire Prevention cnd Rescue Facilities Bond Program, particularly 1-5 in encumbering the $5 million sold in the Spring of 1977. ** 2. Seek grants from Federal, State and other agencies for 1-10 capital projects. *** 3. ' Update the Capital Program of the Fire Deportment annually 1-10 and re-evaluate it in terms of Operating Budget requirements. *** 4. Include the following twelve projects in future Capital Programs and implement them within the time frame of the 1-10 Master Plan: 1) Station 49; 2) Station 44; 3) Station 414; 4) Station 410 modifications; 5) Fire Administration Building; 6) Computer -Aided Dispatch System; 7) Fire Apparatus Modifications and Breathing Apparatus; 8) Fire Apparatus Replacement; 9) Illuminating Apparatus; 10) Rescue Service Apparatus cnd Equipment; 11) Training Facility; 12) Fire Boat cnd Facilities. *** High Priority ** Medium Priority * Low Priority De IMPLEMENTATION 8eiause the study methodology for this Plan involved a comprehensive CI lid detailed analysis of Fire Department operations, resources and objectives, the Plan is considered to be realistic and achievable. However, it must be recognized that the successful implementation of many recommendations will depend on external conditions over which the Fire Department may not exercise control, such as the sale of bonds, the scheduling of improvements within City limits by other jurisdictions and the generation of future revenues to support Fire and other City of Miami operatons. Two of the more important elements required in implementing a plan of this scope are a clear identification of responsibility For implementation and the provision of resources to coordinate and advance the recommendations. Obviously, the City Manager has overall responsibility for carrying out City Commission policy, and the Fire Chief has interest in realizing the Plan. However, neither of them can work full time on all the necessary correspondence between jurisdictions and between departments to implement recommendations. Someone will need to coordinate divisional efforts, to evaluate progress in achieving goals, to develop strategies for specific actions and to assure that the Plan does not lose its viability and visibility within the multitude of municipal government activities. For this reason, it is recommended thct c Fire Deparrnent staff person be assigned full time responsibility to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the Plan. The Fire Protection, Rescue and Emergency Services Master Plan, 1977- 1987 should not be considered inflexible and absolutely definitive. As stated initicily, the objective cf the P!an is to provide direction for the continued improvement of Miami's fire and rescue services, based on existing conditions, organizational objectives end community values. These conditions, objectives and values are subject to change rapidly, and the Fire Department should be prepared to modify the Plan to reflect these changes and to compre- hensively update it at least once c yecr. A typical question of policy makers and of the public in considering a plan of this type is this: How much will it cost? These costs are primarily capital costs for physical improvements and operational costs for human resources, equipment, supplies and other incidentials. Oftentimes these capital and operation costs are interdependent, since a new facility May require additional staffing or it may reduce previous repair and Maintenance costs. 1 Capital Costs The principal source of funds to accomplish almost all of the physical improvements recommended in the Plan is the $10 million Fire Suppression, Fire Prevention and Fire Rescue Facilities Bond approved by Micmi voters in 1976. The following fire and rescue capital program itemized the various projects proposed to be undertaken in the future. This program should be considered tentative, since there is no way of knowing what future changes might occur in terms of inflationary costs, priorities, and technological innovations. 1 r r 1 1 FIRE AND RESCUE CAPITAL PROGRAM Total Estimated No. pr6lect Cost i Station #5 2) Preliminary Bond Expenses & Contingencies 3) 1 4) t t 1 1 1 1 Air Mask and Breathing Apparatus Rescue Vehicle Replacements 1977 Station #10 Modifications 6) New Station 49 7) New Station # 4 3) Medical Equip- ment Progrcm 1977 9) Medical Equip- ment Progrcm 77/78 Budget Appropriation to Date 5/1/7 $519,481 $412,013 1970 Fire Bond $90, 140 1976 Fire Bond 517,328 Capital Improve- ment Funds 56,060 51,520 1976 Fire Bond 152,000 $27,000 Budget 90,000 100,000 600,000 750,000 MMIF- Future Bstirncted Budget Appropriation Required 0 $54,540 1976 Fire Bond $60,000 1976 Fire Bond $65,000 Federal Revenue Sharing $90,000 1976 Fire Bond $100,000 1976 Fire Bond $600,000 1976 Fire Bond $750,000 1976 Fire Bond $2 9, 400 1976 Fire Bord $39, 400 1976 Fire Bond Anticipated Fiscal Yeor for Appropriation 76-77 76-77 77.78 76-77 77-78 77-78 77-78 76-77 7478 • • 120,000 0 Nary' Project 10) Fire Apparatus Replacements 1977 11) New Station #14 12) Computer Aided Dispatch, Phase 1 13) Fire Administra- tion Building #1 -13 SUB -TOTAL 1976 FIRE BOND APPROPRIATIONS FIRt AND. RE5 UE ,.CAPITAL PROGRAM Tdtdi Estimated Cost $1,115,000 Budget Appropriation to Date 5/1/77 0 $18,744 1976 Fire Bond 14) Computer Aided Dispatch Phase II 15) Illumination Truck 16) 6th Rescue Vehicle 750,000 450,000 870,000 482,300 62,700 55,000 0 0 #14 -16 SUB -TOTAL 1976 FIRE BOND APPROPRIATIONS 17) Rescue Vehicle Replacements 79/80 18) Medical Equip- ment Program 78/79 Future Estimated Budget Appropriation Required $1,115,000 1976 Fire Bond $750,000 1976 Fire Bond $431,256 $870,000 1976 Fire Bond $5,000,000 $482,300 1976 Fire Bond $62, 700 1976 Fire Bond $55,000 1976 Fire Bond $600, 000 $120,C00 1976 Fire Bond $25,000 1976 Fire Bond Anticipated Fiscal Year for Appropriation 76-77 77-78 7677 77-78 77-78 77-78 77-78 79-80 78-79 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 No. Project IR AND RESCUE CAPITAL PROGRAM„ Future Estimated Total Budget Budget Anticipated Estimated Appropriation Appropriation Fiscal Yecr for Cost to Date 5/1/77 Required Appropriation 19) Medical Equip- $ 25,000 ment Program 79/80 20) Fire Apparatus 805,000 Replacements 79/80 21) Fire Apparatus 170,000 Replacements 80/81 22) Vehicle Modifica- 37,400 tions for Air Equipment 23) Rescue Vehicle 30,000 Replacements 24) Computer Aided 567,700 Dispatch, Phase I11 • 25) Fire Boat and 870,000 Facilities 26) Fire Training 1,430,000 Facility, Closed Circuit TV System 27) Contingency 319,900 0 $25,000 1976 Fire Bond $805,000 1976 Fire Bond $170,000 1976 Fire Bond 79-80 79-80 80 -81 $37, 400 79-80 1976 Fire Bond $30,000 80-81 1976 Fire Bond 5567,700 78-79 1976 Fire Bond $870,000 79-80 1976 Fire Bond $1,430,000 79-80 1976 Fire Bond $319, 900 1976 Fire Bond 417 - 27 SUB -TOTAL 1976 FIRE BOND APPROPRIATIONS $4,400,000 TOTAL 1976 Fire Bond $10, 000, 000 OperationaI Costs The previously listed capital projects will obviously affect the lire Department's operating budget. Some costs will be reduced through the replacement and modernization of facilities and equipment, such as the costs of repair, maintenance and operation of inadequate, antiquated fire stations, fire apparatus and other facilities. The consolidation of fire stations in particular should result in significant cost savings. On the other hand, some capital items will 'result in additional costs presently not incurred by the Fire Department, such as the software elements associated with a computer -aided dispatch and field support system. However, the net impact is not expected to be substantial; the cost savings will probably be cancelled out by any additional costs resulting from these physical improvements. The recommended sixth Rescue may appear to be an exception, since additional personnel will be needed to operate it. However, at the time a sixth Rescue is prcposed to be funded (probably ir. Fiscal Year 77-78) existing personnel would be transferred from another division. Generally specking, the Fire Department expects to accomplish all the programs and activities recommended in the Plan through the re— organization and better utilization of the total manpower resources which are presently available. This accomplishment is contingent upon the use of electronic data processing, the application of modern management techniques, the timely internal reallocation of resources and the filling of scme vacancies created through normal processes of attrition with specialized personnel. The Fire Department recognizes that it will probably be necessary to cut one or more firefighting companies in the future to provide for increased growth cnd specialization in rescue, fire prevention, administrative and other functions. However, these actions will be predicated upon the fire protection needs of Miami at that future date, which cannot be identified with any great precision ct this time. If additional budget cuts are required in 1=isaal Year 1977-78 or ir1 future years, which have the impact of significantly reducing marl= power resources or curtailing fire and rescue services, some of the recommended programs and activities contained in this Plan obviously will not be implemented. Priorities and recommended actions would have to be modified in future updates of this Plan. E. CITY COMMISSION RESOLUTION The following concepts should be embraced in the resolution prepared by the Law Department for City Commission action in adopting this Plan Summary: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVING IN PRINCIPLE THE FIRE PROTECTION, RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES MASTER PLAN SUMMARY, 1977-i987; SPECIFICALLY APPROVING THE 12 POLICY STATEMENTS, 54 RECOMMENDED ACTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE CON- TAINED IN SAID PLAN SUMMARY; FURTHER DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO ENERGETICALLY STRIVE .TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAID PLAN SUMMARY, STATED POLICIES AND RECOMMENDED ACTIONS; AND DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO RETURN TO THE COMMISSION ANNUALLY WITH A PROGRESS REPORT AND WITH APPROPRIATE RECOM- MENDED AMENDMENTS TO UPDATE AND MODIFY SAID PLAN SUMMARY. • 1.2 1.2 2.1 2.2 2.2 .4 titt of to tES NUNR OP STRUCTURES OR ESIABUUSfMENfiTS t t tRE CITY BV OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION . .. . . . • , • MIAMI FIRES RESULTING IN LOSSES OF S1000 OR MORE • • MIAMI FIRES RESULTING IN LOSSES OF $ 1000 OR MORE • POPULATION AND HOUSINiG CHARACTERISTICS . . . • , LAND USE CHARACTERISTICS • • • . , FIRE INCIDENCE CHARACTERISTICS CURRENT TRAVEL TflIES AND TRAVEL DISTANCES • ▪ •,. , CURRENT VERSUS PROPOSED FIRE SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS FOR FIRE DEMAND REGIONS . 2.6 TASK FORCE LEVELS 3.1 3.2 TEN LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN DADE COUNTY - 1975 • i •` RESCUE ACTIVITY FOR 1975 . . • . . ► • .'.�" Page 16 27 29 60 60 61 61 73 • 76 rgue 1.1 tertniNG PtaBS - 1971 . . . Iaf8t Or FtGt'RES 4 BUII,DII'G FIRES • 1974 , . . , , s i 2 BUILDING FIRES - 1975 , . . , , . . • . 4 1975 BUILDING FIRES IN ONE AND .i.JO FAMILY DWEIt.INGE CITY OF MIAMI FnIE SUPPRESSION DIVISION ORGANIZATIONAL CHART 2 2 TRENDS IN TOTAL ALARMS 268 BUILDING FIRE ALARMS . . . . . . . . . . , . 4 CITY OF MIAMI FIRE INCIDENTS AS A PERCENT OF COUNTY -WIDE FIRE INCIDENTS IN 1975 27 HANDLING AND ENROUTE TINE OF MIA„MI FIRE INCIDENTS - 1975 CURRENT FIRE STATIONS & ASSIGNED APPARATUS HOW THE "RAND" MODEL CALCULATES TRAVEL DISTANCES 8. THE COMPONENTS OF RESPONSE TIME 9 THE RELATIONSHI? BETWEEN TRAVEL TINE AND TRAVEL DISTANCE 18 19 20 22 2 10 CITY OF MIAMI FIRE DEMAND REGIONS 5g 2.11 PROPOSED TEN YEAR PLN FOR FIRE STATION RELOCATION 68 2.12 TRAVEL TIME FOR CLOSEST ENGINE FROM CURRENT FIRE STATIONS 2.13 TRAVEL TIME FOR CLOSEST ENGINE FROM PROPOSED FIRE STATIONS 3.1 RESCUE SQUAD ALARMS 3.2 RESCUE INCIDE:TTS - 1975 . . . . .3 CASUALTY REPORT - RESCUE SUMMARY FORMS ttST OF VIGURES (Continued) 2 Pigute Page 41. ACCIDENTAL WORK DEATHS PER 100,000 WORKERS rg 1975 , 104 462 FIRE FIGHTER AIM POLICE DEATHS IN LINE OF DUTY PER 100,000 EMPLOYEES - 1966-1975 PROPOSED TRAINING FACILITY SITE PLAN OP 6 106 • 115 44 PERCENTAGE OF FIRE FIGHTER INJURIES REPORTED IN 121 U.S. AND FLORIDA, 1975 _5,1 CITY OF MIAMI FIRE RESCUE EMERGENCY 6.1 7.1 FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION COMMUNICATIONS 130 , • e CITY OF MIAMI ANNEXATIONS AND DISANNEXATIONS . 6 140 158 .4 _.i .../ .4 ../ __4 J J .r/ .r/ .ram • C HAPTE R 1 FIRE PREVENTION 1I1,1IIIVf011, 111RM. IIRE PREVENTION OVERVIEW wet the last decade, progressive fire service policy has increasingly emphasized fire prevention activities, since the most effective method of limiting fire -related human or material losses is by preventing the fire from occurring in the first place. The blue ribbon panel that prepared America Burning, The Report of the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control in 1973 went so far as to recommend that local governments make fire prevention at least equal to suppression in the planning of fire service priorities. I Nationwide, fire prevention traditionally has been a neglected and under -budgeted fire service function. Some of the reasons for the lack of emphasis on fire prevention and the greater emphasis on fire suppression in the past are as follows: 1. Builders, architects and the public at large generally have an indifferent attitude towards the need for fire prevention, supposing that fire is a remote danger that would never affect them. 2. The public often conceives of fire service as consisting of a proficient battalion of people rescuers and fire fighters rather than a professional corps of fire preventers. Too often, their limited contact with fire prevention activities in the past has been negative, resulting in citations for Fire Code Violations. . The Insurance Services Office, which establishes fire insurance rates nationally, gives greater weight to fire suppression than to fire prevention activities. . Fires that were prevented through fire prevention cctivities are impossible to identify. Therefore, there is no way of accurately measuring fire prevention's cost-effectiveness. Because of these reasons, it is understandable why support for fire prevention cctivities by the public and within the fire service itself has been inadequate. In spite of some of these obstacles, the Miami Fire Department has made some substantial efforts. 1 National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, America Burning (Washington, 1973) p. 18 =117- PAST EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The Miami Fire Prevention Bureau came into existence ih 1923, with the assignment of a fire fighter to fire inspection work. Two years later, a 13-page code of laws was drafted, although it had few enforcement provisions. The rapid growth of Miami during the 30's and 40's created the need for additional fire inspectors. By 1950, the Fire Prevention Bureau consisted of ten inspectors, one clerk, one photographer and one Chief. Inspectors worked a 44-hour week which included four hours on Saturday in inspecting local movie theaters, and checking for locked exits or smoking violations. Arson investigation also became a responsibility of the Fire Prevention Bureau about this time. In 1958, the Notional Board of Fire Underwriters (predecessor to the Insurance Services Office) downgraded the Fire Prevention Bureau for an inadequate fire code. The Board recommended the adoption of a compre- hensive code, with specific provisions for enforcement. They believed that lack of enforcement was similar to having no fire protection requirements. Subsequently, several fire codes were drafted by the Fire Prevention Bureau and submitted to City cdministrction. However, no action was token in adopting a fire .code until 1966, after ten persons died in a residenticl fire involving an overturned portable kerosene hecter in c building with an cpen interior stairway. On July 25, 1966, Ordinance 7431, Fire Protection, was passed and included cs c chapter in the City Ccde. During the lest decade, the number of people in the Fire Prevention Bureau increased from about 12 to 30 people. Two years cgo, 27 combat companies, representing almost 600 fire fighters, began inspecting dwelling units, apartments, dormctories, hotels and selected businesses throughout the City in on innovative program that has gained rational attention. On March 15, 1976, twelve Inspectors from the Bureau were assigned district inspection work an the same 50-hour week as fire suppression forces. They are charged with the responsibility for routine building inspections, preliminary fire investigation, photography at fire scenes, code enforcement and special night inspections. The Fire Prevention Bureau is toted IV an a scale from I (best) to X (worst) by the Insurance Services Offices. Residents of the City of Miami can be proud that their Fire Prevention Bureau is one of the most active and best informed in Dade County. However, there is much room for improvement and modernization, as would exist in any organization responding to the dynamic conditions of change in Miami. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The responsibility for fire prevention functions in Miami is shared by the Fire Prevention Bureau and the Fire Suppression Division. Although fire prevention work is a full time job for the Fire Prevention Bureau's staff, a few hours of daily fire prevention work by 27 firefighting companies contributes considerably to the strength of local fire prevention programs. Five types of fire prevention activities are presently undertaken, as follows: 1. Building and Site Plan Review of New Developments 2. Routine Inspections, Requested Inspections and Special Hazard Inspections 3. Investigation and Documentation of Suspected Fires 4. Home and Apartment Safety Inspections 5. Fire Safety Education 1. Building and Site Plan Review of New Developments Section 17-35 of the Miami City Code gives the Fire Department the authority to check building plans and to require that certain fire scfety improvements be mode, prior to a building receiving a certificate of occupancy permit. The Fire Prevention Bureau's two plans examiners review all plans submitted to the Building Department, with the exception of buildings involving less than S5000 in new construction, single family and duplex construction. Federal, State and County buildings are also exempt from local building or fire codes. occupancies which are legally exempted may be inspected, however, if the owner or builder requests a Fire Department's evaluation. In the site and building plan review process, plans examiners check for compliance with three major codes: the South Florida Building Code, the Miami Fire Ccde and the Dade County Fire Flow Ordinance. a. The South Florida Building Code The City of Miami has adopted the South Florida Building Code as its building ccde. Its provisions control new construction, alterations, repairs, and conventional demolition of buildings. Although the City of Miami Building Department enforces the provisions of the Code through its various Divisions, (Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical, Building, Zoning, etc.) typically, two thirds to three quarters of the Building Code deals with matters of fire and life safety. Such elements as vertical seperation, means of egress, corridors, fire equipment, and combustibility of materials are addressed in the South Florida Building Code. b. The Micmi Fire Code (Chapter 17 - Fire Protection) Once c building is constructed, the Fire Code is intended to maintain level of safety from fire and explosion throughout the life of the building. Its safety provisions can be grouped into four categories: - - - Those relating to the physical characteristics of existing buildings. Those relating to hazardous materials, processes, and machinery in buildings. - - - Those relating to conditions hazardous to life or property in the ▪ OM OM use or occupancy of the building or premises. Those regarding general precautions against fire, such as bonfires, smoking prohibitions, accumulation of waste materials, open flames or lights, etc. At Hie tutldtfig Code tegulotes new conttftottotlj the Fite Code pretettbet tegulattotls to maintain fire safety features fidOtp6ttlted tnto the building emit therefore, is considered a maintenance code. c. Fire Flow Ordinance The Dade County Fire Flow Ordinance, passed and adopted by the County Commission in 1974, attempts to assure an adequate water supply for fire suppression purposes by establishing minimum water flow rates needed to extinguish fires that may occur within certain zoning districts. The ordi- nance establishes standards for the location, number and size of fire hydrants water main sizes and water pressure in new construction. After a building permit is issued and construction begins, Fire Prevention Bureau staff attempt to make periodic inspections of construction in progress to insure that the fire prevention requirements are being cdhered to as identified in the above -mentioned Ccdes and to guarantee that hydrants or standpipes are operational (in case a fire breaks out while the building is under construction). However, the great amount of new construction in Miami over the last decode has made it difficult for the Fire Prevention Bureau to provide adequate surveillance of en -going construction activities. 2. Routine Inspections, Special Hazcrd Inspections and Requested Inspections In addition to plans review and inspection of new buildings under construc- tion, the Fire Prevention Bureau and the Suppression Division attempt to inspect existing buildings on a regular basis for compliance with Ccdes, cs further explained: e. Routine Inspections Routine inspections of rooming houses, hotels or motels of Tess than four floors, apartment buildings cnd selected businesses are done by combat forces. Other Icw hazard occupancies are inspected by the Fire Prevention Bureau's staff, as resources are available. The routine i-:spection process is generally a time-consuming activity, accomplished by a walk-thru of the premises, recording all changes of use, Fire Code violations and corrective actions required. f • Violotiorts are explained verbally and in writing to the manager or owner of the building, or their agent. An "Order Letter" is sent to the owner via registered mail, documenting all violations found and setting a time frame for necessary corrections to be made. At the end of the time limit established, a re -inspection is made. All corrections are noted as well as uncorrected violations. At this time, all uncorrected violations require a "Citation to Court" (Dade County Court). A court appearance is mandatory, even if compliance is accomplished befcre the court date. Scheduling routine inspections is best done in a systematic block -by -block method or through selective enforcement. The block -by -block approach is better, in that travel time and ccsts are reduced. Selective enforcement requires greater preparaticn cnd travel time between similar occupancies (for example: all laundries in the City). It is important to be systematic and objective in the selection of buildings to be inspected. If not, the position of the inspecting agency can be weakened by having it subject to allegations of harassment by property owners, who believe they have been singled out arbitrarily. b. Special Hazard Inspections Special Hazard Inspections are ccnducted more frequently by specially trained Fire Prevention Bureau staff. Special hazards include such activi- ties and occupancies as hazardous plastics or chemicals, lumber yards, explosives, combustible fibers or liquids and dry cleaning establishments. These occupancies have a nigh potential for human and material loss. Local Codes and national fire prevention codes adopted in the Miami City Code contain abundant literature and standards for these high hazard occupancies, with which fire inspectors must be familiar to maintain a high level of fire protection and to identify violations, if they exist. c. Requested Inspections Requested inspections are also the responsibility of Fire Prevention Bureau staff. Citizens may call the Fire Prevention Bureau with a complaint about what they think might be a Fire Code violation or City officials may request a special inspection of a specific occupancy. The Fire. Prevention Bureau will interrupt its routine inspection progrcm to satisfy these requests. • rff An overall lack of resources has ptohibited the Fite Deportment From inspecting existing buildings as frequently as it believes necessary. Also, an enormous data management problem exists in recording information on buildings,on the status of inspections and on the corrective actions that have occurred, since manual records are kept. 3. Investigation and Documentation of Suspected Fires Arson Squad Investigators in the Fire Prevention Bureau are specially trained to identify the cause of suspicious fires. Together with the Police Department, they attempt to bring to prosecution those persons responsible for intentionally setting fires. On an average, hrventy to thirty percent of all building, vehicle and boat fires are intentionally set. For ecch of these fires, arson investigators must document, research and analyze evidence - oftentimes utilizing outmoded, inadequate equipment. Com- pared with property damage from accidental fires, the material losses from intentionally set fires are usually substantial, since arsonists are often intent on destroying both the property and any evidence of illegal activity. Although many motives exist for arson, one of the most common is to ex- tort fire insurance payments for material losses. 4. Home and Apartment Safety Inspections More than ten yecrs cgo, the Fire Suppression Division initiated a program of home safety inspections to reduce the high incidence of fires in dwell- ing units (residenticl fires traditionally account for more than 60 percent of all fires). The program involves voluntary inspection and compliance, since the Fire Deportment has little or no authority in occupied dwelling units, particularly single fcrnily homes. Virtually every Saturday morning during the year, 27 combat companies canvass residential communities end offer to inspect dwellings ct no cost to the occupants. Even if occupants decline entry to fire fighters, an attempt is mcde to discuss fire hazards and provide literature on the subject. In 1975, 12,400hcme safety visits were conducted, although only about seventy percent of these involved an inspection of the premises. In addition, 9,300 apart- ment safety visits were mode, sixty percent cf which successfully resulted in a complete inspection of the premises. 1 6 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Imptoving fire safety in the home is o particularly itnpottant gaol of the Fite Department. In 1975, fire injured 76 persors and killed seven persons in Miami home fires. In order of magnitude, these residential fires were doused by cooking accidents, smoking and discarded matches, electrical failures, children playing with matches and arson. In 1975, most fires occurred in the kitchen. Of these, 110 fires were caused by food left unattended on the stove. The next most dangerous room was the bedroom, with the majority of fires caused by smoking in bed and children playing with matches. The third most dangerous room was the family room, where electrical fires and smoking -related fires were the prime cause. Although the Home and Apartment Scfety Inspection Program 'nos gained national attention and is being imitated by other fire departments, improve- ments in the program are needed to obtain more voluntary compliance and to increase the number of inspections (there are clmost 50,000 one and two family dwelling units in Miami). 5. Fire Safety Education In addition to conducting home and apartment safety inspections and distributing literature on fire hazards, fire fighters lecture civic groups and school children on fire safety and participate in the fire prevention activities during National Fire Prevention Week (October 3 - 9). To prepare people to react effectively to fire emergencies, the Fire Department also conducts fire evacuation programs, school fire drills and develops fire brigades. Of all the fire prevention programs that contribute to lowering the incidence of fire in Miami, fire safety education is probably one of the most effective. People, and the wcy they misuse their living environment, cause fires. Fire investigators continually find evidence of human failure. They discover coins in fuse boxes and 30 ampere fuses where 15 ampere fuses ought to be. They see the tragic corseauerces of trash cr flammable materials stored near heaters. They locate faulty electric appliances with frayed cords. They find curtains that have absorbed 'coking fats too close to stoves. They find security bars that not only prevent burglars from entering, but prohibit fire victims from exiting through windows. They discover flammable liquids in unmarked cans and paint cans stored rear heaters. r Although fire safety education offers potentially large payoffs in terms of reducing fires, there has not been enough emphasis or manpower directed to this type of program. The following are the recommendations that have been developed for Fire prevention: 1. Establish within the Fire Prevention Bureau an adequately staffed unit of construction/plans examining teams to review new construc- tion, building additions and major renovations from the time of permit application to final approval for certificate of occupancy and inspect new buildings at least four times during the construction phase, The teams would review plans, complete comment sheets, check plans and comment sheets against actual construction, evaluate fire flow and analyze accessibility to fire apparatus and portable equipment. They would also recommend changes to the Building and Fire Codes and establish a better liaison with other City -County Departments involved with planning and construction. Specialized fire protection engineers may be required, Inspections of new construction should be done a minimum of four times during the construction phase cs follows: a) When exterior walls are up and window and door openings are evident to check on materials, construction and the availability of standpipes. b) When framing is completed to check tenant separation, vertical openings, travel distances and widths of corridors and exits. c) When windows and doors are installed and building service (cir conditioning) is installed to check exits, access and obstructions. When the building is complete and a final inspection for a Certificate of Occupancy permit is required. Reasons: a) Construction activities during the next decade will involve more complex designs and more hi -rise construction than have been experienced in previous years. The Miami Comprehensive &ighbOthadd Plan, 176=1987, projects a net ihdtease of Eton 17;000 tc 27,000 new dwelling units by 1986. Of this amount, 83 percent are projected to be multi -family units, many of which will be in hi -rise structures. b) Although the rate in housing construction For the next decade is projected to continue at a level of 2.5 to 5 percent per year (as compared to a 2.5 to 10 percent rate for the last 10 years), the type of new construction will represent a greeter workload for the plans examiners. Significantly fewer one and two family homes will be built in Micmi in the future, because of increcsing land and construc- tion costs. More plans for apartment complexes, office buildings, commercial and industrial structures will be submitted to the City for review and approval. Many of these buildings will involve new building technology, innovative and complex building designs and unusual mechanical or electrical systems that will have to be care- fully checked from the point of view of fire safety. c) The increased densificction in high development cress will represent a greater potential for mcjor life and property loss, especially if horizontal and vertical separations are net maintained, if improper materials are utilized, and if builders cre cllowed to cover --over building deficiencies during the process of construction. The increased dersificction may also contribute to a potentially greeter fire spread than would occur in Icw density development. Because of the widespread use of pre -fabricated building components in larger structures, faulty elements are more likely to be repected. 2. Maintain within the Fire Prevention Burecu an cdepuctely staffed cnd trained unit of inspectors to inspect special hazard occupancies at least four times c year. This unit would rcutineiy inspect approximately s,CCO special hazard occupancies currently existing in Micmi, including the following: 1 Repair garages and tire rebuilding plants b) Combustible fibers a) Explosives, ammunition, blasting agents, and fireworks d) Hazardous dusts e) Hazardous plastics, including cellulose nitrate f) Hazardous chemicals g) Lumber yards and woodworking plants h) Metal working processes i) Radioactive materials j) Spraying of flammable finishes k) Dry cleaning plants m) Compressed gas n) Flammable liquids o) Flammcble liquids tank installation and removal p) Auto reupholstery and repair establishments q) Boat yards r) Furniture manufacturers This unit should be specially trained. It should receive continuing education concerning special hazard occupancies to guarantee optimal safety conditions and prevent future fires. This unit should 1 1 f3 work very closely with itidu.try to keep obteost of the r to,ntly okargiti methods of dohtt011itv hczordous Materiels, processes, dtid occupancies. Reasons a) The cost of maintaining an adequately staffed unit of special hazard occupancy inspectors and expanding their inspection duties is well worth the cost, especially if one considers the high material and life losses that could result from preventing fires in these highly flammable occupancies. b) In implementing this recommendation, the City would satisfy the Insurance Services Office's request to increase inspections cf high hazard occupancies and thus be in a better position to maintain its excellent fire insurance rotes. The ISO's 1975 report states that the frequency of inspection by the Miami Fire Department of special hazcrd occupancies needs to be increased, and they note poor conditions found in some special hazard occupancies. This deficiency resulted in a less cf 116 of 229 points for fire safety control in the 1975 survey. Establish within the Fire Department cdequctely staffed and trained teams to routinely inspect, in a sysrernetic block -by -block way, all low-nazard occupancies approximately once c year (allowing specific exemptions like single family or duplex units). This work would eventually be the responsibility of combat forces with cn-going training and assistance ir, Fire Code interpretation provided by the Fire Bureau's core professional staff. This recommendation woulc take severe' years to cccomp(ish, since cn accurate and complete data base needs to be developed crd combat forces will need additional training in code enforcement inspections. Mcreover, better systems for rncncging data will be required, parti- cularly in recording and correcting violations. During the interim, selective enforcement of specific occupancies would be continued, utilizing existing, speciclly trained fire inspectors. The systematic, routine inspection of properties could invalidate charges of discrimination made by property owners, who may claim that they have been singled out for harassment. b) More inspections could be accomplished with Tess wear and tear on vehicles or time lost in traveling from widely dispersed sites. c) Systematic inspections minimize the chance that occupancies will be bypassed and facilitate the pre -planning of itineraries and the pre- notification of property owners of pending inspections. d) Fire fighters will become more familiar with building layouts and sites in their response district. This information will enable them to plan strategies for fire suppression before a fire occurs. e) A stepped -up, systematic inspection pregrcm can serve to more widely disseminate information cbout fire safety, hypertension screening and proposed CPR programs. 4. Utilize automated data processing technolocy to improve the data management capabilities at tie Fire Prevention Burecu cnd to assist in programming inspection activities. The current data storage and retrieval methods of the Fire Department are antiquated and unable to support effective fire prevention or fire inspection efforts. Action should be token as soon as possible to convert from manual to electronic processes and to develop an auto- matic data base of physical properties that can be utilized in the computer aided dispatch -field suppert system that is included in the 1976 Fire Facilities Bond. Reasons a) Excluding cbout 50,C00 one cnd two family structures in the City, the Fire Prevention Burecu is responsible for maintaining c detailed file on almost 18,000 multi -family resiaentiel, commercial, industrial, structures, which represents an extremely difficult data management task, using existing manual methods. See Tcble 1.1. a R Otoupanoy Classification Public Assembly Education Institution Apartments -Rooming Houses Hotels -Motels Stores Offices Basic Industry Manufacturing Storage Special Properties Total Ai i— Number of Sttuetots of Esttbl ithments in the City 165 225 50 8,531 202 6,305 1,423 1,157 17,878 (E) (E) (E) From Miami Plcnning Department 1975 Land Use Survey (E) Estimate By taking cdvcntcge of computer science and route algorithmic techniques, c considerable cmcunt of fire inspector's time can be saved. This time is currently consumed in mcnucl record -keeping, filing, updcting information, planning inspection itinercries, notifying property owners and monitoring the status of violations. The time saved through electronic data processing would enable fire inspectors to dedicate themselves to the tcsk for which they are uniquely trained - identifying fire hczcrds and preventing fires from occurring. Automated record -keeping will grectly cssist in providing summary reports for statistical cnclysis, which in turn can contribute to more cost-effective inspection programs in terms of minimizing fire less. A punched card format could be used to record violations found and other pertinent infcrmction. Moteovet, scheduling of: ittpections atd re.insitectiOnt could be done automatically, and occupants could be notified in advance of Mending inspections through the use of computer technology. Establish within the Fire Department and the Fire Prevention Bureau_ adequately staffed, research and development units to regularly analyze data from the Fire Incident and Reporting System, to correlate fire incidence reports with building inspection and home safety programs and to do cost -benefit anc lys is of special fire prevention programs. The research and development unit in the Fire Chief's Office should be familiar with the operations of all divisions and prepare periodic, easily understood statistical reports to assist the Fire Chiefs and Division Heads in making better management decisions. It would help identify capital improvement or manpower needs. This unit would also attempt to obtain cnd disseminate pertinent information about grants, technological or management innovations, special training programs and conferences. The research and development unit in the Fire Prevention Burecu would correlate fire incident data with prevention activities, suggest changes to the Fire Code, and do special studies as needed. It would.also do research for litigation and develop programs for more comprehensive inspection activities. Reasor.s a) Trends in fire incidents can be identified by geogrcphic areas, and resources can be allocated accordingly. The following maps (Figures 1.1, 1 .2 and 1 .3) show the incidents of building fires in 1973, 1974, and 1975 cnd point up problem areas. For each of the three years, there were more than 21 fires annually in three particular geographic areas, i.e., in Central Grove, Model Cities, cnd Overtown. In addition to these areas, there 'nos consis- tently been a high incidence of building fires north cnd west of down- town Miami, particulat v in the Wynwood, Garment District and iorvr,lo+I iul7 rt 1,0111,1'I'II" 111 IIII 11111 p 111 B111, III'Ili'19!1I I1,1E101111gll SOURCE:191S AaJc t' ty Fate ha taunt Itcport5 g1lli ±n` il1i [IE 111,1iN011If 11A6111 SI IN ST • • 5 6-10 11-15 P2 16-20 44 x z 21+ N 4 a AII►0.1 11- MIAMI •Ivt• 21 SI 14 S► CORM WAT 26 III. BIND AVI 1 DIAI1 NWT 1001111 AVI MAIN HWY C.GAlIIs wAIIIWAT 144M jI711 /11II'1111'111PIII1#II I !'l11110�IPIl4�Imp oiliim 11111 I iil Ii 1���i �ilu I III L II 11 I �I I I� I I I 4 r, E1 i I II II 1 I I II I I I li I �i II I � I 1 III �I I1�� ICI II RR� SI Il I I' I 4 4 4 Iv JI St • f 7. � i 4 w SF /uuA IIIIIIICSwT 20 St VINIIIAN CAUSI Y 2 _ /1C •I N•IIC I(I• CAUSEWAY Figure I.1 BUILDING FIRES - 1973 l i I , II a �. ,�I LI I I I R!1 r �� P� I 11 II II I III I II III I I I CI Illl,lul 111111111 I I 1� I i I� I 111' n 1 111■■...."1. 1111i IIIII!!III111Illl111111 11111111 • `s > • • - • Z i NW ASt N W S SI NW♦ SI NW 1 SI Nw2 S1 NW 1 S1 f/AGAR SI W 1 SI SlI / S1 SW 2 SI SW 1 SI CENTRAL BUSINESS DIS.rRICr �EF r► ►�� 1 11lI!III!I! II11,1111! I111 III I,I IIIII „I II "1! I„ I I. � A111. �I III 1s �I 1 II UI III 1•111INFTI !III III pi UM' MI NNW 11111111111 �1 - I111111116 M1 _. 111111111 _l .SOURCE: 197S Dade Comity 1.111: 1nt 1 I.:nt Reports 11A011. 1I > i > 4 4 4 vs MIAMI .IVI. 21 $1 16 SI (01AI WAY 26 1111 •110 Avg S UISI/ IIwY 10DUA/ Avg MAIN NWT (.GAMS WAtI.WAY 21 SI 62 SI 14 SI 10. 1.4 4 4 4 EMI _1 mil mil Mill '" Mil 4 '= i a 2u SI Sr ST JTSF JUIIA ►UTIIS CSWY v[NETIAN CAUSE . Y 122 AICAINIAC111 i C AUSI WAT Figure 1,2 z CENTRAL BUSINESS, D1S1R1C1' BUILDING FIRES - 1974 I (ita 1 PINF !!iih,.sI!!!���I�#101! . 1) . _' I\/IIt Et, SJUIIIai: 192S Uacic County tire In1111etit Reports WWI lit SI „` 4 4 1-5. 6-10. 11-15 16-20 21+ Il a :4 AISPOII ■ N114M1 Ilvl1 21 SI (OIA/ WAY •110 AVI S 011111 14141 IOOUAl Ave MAIN HW Y C.GA11lf WAIIIWAY ,I S1 •2 SI S• SI 4 i 4 MIAMI •VE 22 lUl1A_`IUYIIf CSwr v[N111AN CADS 4111tNIIAC1tl _— CAUSIWAV ti. NW 4- NW S SI NW • S I ,.,.,4i . NW l SI NW2 S1 r a N W I S1 ilAGlf! Si Sw 1 S1 SW 2 S1 SW 1 SI Sw •, S1 Figure 1.3 BUILDING FIRES - 1975 cRri2 CENTRAL BUSINESS, DISTRICT I10$10111>IIIIIemi g1'I 1ors1lm1 ?e„goo 1111Mill 111 nr 0 IIN ECM Kittle River cireds. Not until 1fl did building fire incidents in Little Havana surpass 20 fires per zone. In 197S, however, two areas between Flagler and S. W. Sth Streets recorded a high number of fires. With the exception of the Garment District, most of the areas having a high number of building fires are residential. It is these areas where home safety inspection and fire prevention programs should be increased. Almost 60 percent of all fires resulting in material losses of $1,000 or more occur in residential occupancies. Unfortunately, the greatest human loss also is attributed to this occupancy. b) Data on the preventable causes of past fires con be analyzed to help inspectors focus on fire hczards for specific occupancies. For instance, portable heaters, Christmas decorctions, and fireplaces contribute significantly to residential property fires during the winter months. The influx of transients to Micmi is thr: early spring, who may utilize portcble stoves, barbeques, and who smoke in bed pre— cipitate fires in hotels, rooming houses, end ether transient quarters. c) Loss prevention analysis would help establish logical criteria for fire inspection priorities and minimize future loss. Since Fire Department resources For fire prevention end fire safety education are limited, priorities for inspections will hove to be established. Analysis of data derived from the Fire Incident cnd Reporting System should cssist in establishing these priorities. 6. Establish cn ongoing, affirmative public safety education program to reduce fires caused by public ignorance ana apathy by at least two percent per year for the next ten years. This program might be the joint responsibility of the Fire Prevention Bureau and the Fire Suppression Division. It would involve increasing fire drills and high rise evacuction preparation, distributing literature tailored to meet specific group reeds with regcrd to fire hazards, stepping up the home safety inspections and regularly speaking to the following groups: 1 SOURCE: 19/S Dade County File Incident Reports 1166tt1 11 1w61• 11fi11111 f 71 St 6211 14 11 4 AI■►OIL >t 091 MIAMI 11Vt■ 2111 j .4 i c f .4 f I. 2 i w 4 16 SI r. 1-2 ....^ 3-6 t 11 7-10 11-14 Biel 15+ C01A1 WAY 76116E 11111) AVI 1 DI t1I NWT tOuu6i Avt MAIN NWT C.GAEIIS WAItUWAf r 4 4 - h Q s 22 •7 SI JUI 1A fUtllt Cfwy 20 1i VINIIIAN CAUSE . r 1.1(11lNEAC111 C AUS*WAr Figure I.f 1975 BUILDING FIRES IN nNE TWO G ^MIL" '-AWE' 'NG.c NW 611 N W 1 11 NW • SI NW ) 11 S W I f 1 .44 0201 018 OTT+ 016 011' 013 012 006 00? 008 003 009 1 00? 001 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT lElI1F1111pfdl!"II1'I"1111','I1ylq III''1 III IIII!I1!II111lirII! 11II,111111llgplllli11111!III�III@9p111, ii�l�fi QI�'l�l�il� I�il'�III i °11P�1 IIII qr ll 11; 11 P 19111 l ull, 1111 111 II 11 !1I I I� I II IiM IfI, TITF TIP 111 rf �I LI 717771101 1111 I, 111logiI119d 1 III (IIII IIIII, IJ III II lily II I III!�RglpJl I II R Ill 1R',I 11 1141 441111111I1911II a) Patent Teachers Associations b) Employees of restaurants, hotels and places of public assembly a) Elderly apartment dwellers d) Hospital staffs e) Rest home and institutional personnel f) Governmental agencies g) Civic groups h) Neighborhood associations i) Businessmen's groups j) Special interest groups (such cs builders, architects, insurance organizations, homemakers' organizations), etc, k) Schools Miami's program of affirmative public safety education could compliment the progrcm proposed by the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. In its 1973 Report, the National Commission stated that an overall reduction of at lecst two percent per year in life loss, properly loss and injuries is a realistic and conservative goal for a fire safety education program, particularly if the program fccuses on the following areas: MOOR Multimedia public service education, similar to the Smokey Bear Campaign. Intensive local education in areas with the highest fire incidents (like the Model Cities, downtown and Coconut Grove areas) and selective home safety education (particularly one and two family dwellings north of 36th Street). See Figure 1 .4. -- Continuous education of children in schools, particularly of elementary school age. Such progrcms should be designed to provide information feedback on the program's effectiveness. The effectiveness of the Home Safety Program could be greatly increased with advanced publicity concerning time of inspections and greater ditt2eti dwotehess of the ptogtatti, ?hit oould be ace mplished via increased usage of the comehuhiaritiohs media; especially T. V., radio and newspapers. keelsons a) This program would increase citizen awareness of fire hazards and prepare citizens to more effectively handle emergencies, thereby aiding in minimizing human and material losses caused by fire. An attempt should be made to train people to spot faulty equipment and hazardous conditions leading to fires. They should also know how to react to a fire, whatever its cause. b) Alerting Miami residents about the destructiveness and universality of fire can help destory the "It can't happen to me" myth and develop a community consciousness For fire safety equal to public concern for pollution, insecticides and other environmental issues. Unfortunately, extensive public apathy presently exists with regard to the threat of fire. c) The National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control has identified fire scfety education as the single fire service activity with the greatest potential for reducing fire losses. It estimates that 75 percent of cll building fires nationwide can be attributed to the careless act of people.2 2For 30 years public service advertising has urged Americans to prevent forest fires. During these years, man -caused forest fires have been reduced from about 200,000 annually to about 105,000 in 1971. This reduction was achieved even though the land area for which statistics are kept has doubled and the number of days of recreational use has increased about tenfold. A doubling of the acreage alone would be expected to have resulted in 400,000 fires annually, but, as indicated, only 105,000 occurred. This overall reduction by 75 percent in the number of fires which would other- wise be expected to occur (assuming that the increased exposure to people leads in equal measure to chance of fire and the chance of early detection) has helped save $17 billion in natural resources over the 30-year ;.,‘ericd. (Continued) Attempt to clarify and more accurately define in the City Code the responsibility of the Fire Department with regard to other City or County Departments involved in plan review or building inspections, and attempt to improve communications between these departments. Communications between City operating departments and the Fire Department should be improved, in terms of site plan reviews of contemplated major projects, the establishment of setbacks and fire lanes for Fire Department accessibility and the closure of streets. Reasons a) A clarification of Fire Department responsibility vis a vis the responsibilities of other City or County departments involved in development plan reviews, building inspections and ccde enforce- ment practices will reduce the potential for duplicative or counter productive efforts and speed up official review processes. With a clarification of responsibility and cuthority, conditions would exist for more cggressive Iecdership. It would also be ecsier to justify resource needs to accomplish departmental goals. The participation of Fire Department inspectors in pre -construction meetings with developers could avoid the need for subsequent costly modifications to satisfy fire code requirements or to improve the fire safety characteristics of a new development. 2The cost of this program to Federal and State agencies is cbout S488,000 per year, with approximately S40 million in service donated by the nation's radio and television stations, newspcpers, magazines, and the Advertising Council. The Smokey Bear campaign effort has been described as the country's most successful program of environmental protection. See National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, America Burning (Washington, 1973) pp. 105-107. It is also preferable to work directly with the Building and Planning Departments to obtain fire lanes in future major developments and to allow fire apparatus sufficient area to hook up and turn around at siamese connections (unless the South Florida Building Code is modified to incorporate these requirements). Ramps separating principal buildings from parking areas should also be able to support fire apparatus. Increase the City's ability to obtain compliance with Fire Code requirements in the courts. Better preparation and presentation of City complaints will be needed, requiring increased assistance of the Law Department and the expertise of a fire safety engineer. A complete, uniformly documented history of each building having Code violations should be maintained within the Fire Prevention Bureau, along with records of other court decisions for similar violations. Reasons a) Better preparation and defense of charges for Fire Code violations will improve the City's success rate in court and thus reduce the confidence of property owners that charges will not be upheld. As a result, there may be more voluntary compliance with local Codes. It will also become increcsingly necesscry to utilize expert court witnesses in the City's defense to support the validity of the Fire Codes, particularly with the advent of larger, more complex build— ing systems, new fire alarm devices and the multitude of modern synthetic materials that are coming on the market. Priorities based on the cost-effectiveness cf correcting fire code violations will help the Fire Prevention Bureau to determine how resources should be utilized to minimize the unnecessary waste of City time and money far prosecuting minor violations. Ii ptcve the investigative capabilities of the arson section in the Fite Prevention Bureau and encourage interjurisdictioncl cooperation between the Ciiy's arson section and other municipal or County arson sections. The team concept should be instituted to provide continuity in investigations and to improve the effectiveness of fire investigators at fire scenes. One investigator would seek to find out the cause of a fire by talking with witnesses while another investigator would record fire Toss and inspect the property for evidence of arson. Better arson investigative equipment will be required. Reasons a) The more accurately that fire investigators establish that arson is the cause of fires and identify clues to the person's character and motives, the more rapid may be the ccpture of the arsonist. The thrill —seeker type of arsonist should be caught quickly, since this type of person may have a tendency to set other fires. Also, the "insurance exploiter" type is potentially dangerous, and City—wide insurance rotes could be affected (if insurance companies are forced to pay the cost of damages). b) If arsonists think that they will not be caught for setting fires, more crson attempts may occur in the future. From 1973 to 1975, 29 per— cent of all Miami fires resulting in major building losses were suspected to be caused by crson or suspicious acts, as seen in Table 1.2. TABLE 1.2 MIAMI FIRES RESULTING IN LOSSES OF S 1000 OR MORE Cause 1973 1974 1975 Total 1. Incendiary cr Suspicious Act 43 56 42 141 2. Total Fires 136 173 182 491 (1) as a percent of (2) 32% 32% 23% 29% The sharing of information and expertise between arson investigating seotions of local fire departments can help in the identification and ocpture of arsonists, who are not restricted in their arson attempts by jurisdictional boundaries. 10. Amend the South Florida Building Ccde to require that early warning detection devices be required in all new single-family, duplex, multi -family and mobile home units in Dcde County. A minimum of one early warning detection device should protect access to sleeping areas (two, if sleeping areas are separated into two areas) cnd possibly one additional device should be required to protect access from hczardous areas (kitchen, oil furnace, garage, etc.). A fire safety survey should be conducted by Fire Department inspectors to place these devices properly. If it is not possible to amend the South Florida Building Code, the City should require early warning detection devices by City ordinance. Reasons a) The occupancy type with the highest number of major fires is also the occupancy with the highest potential life loss, i.e., residential. Three out of five major fires between 1973 and 1975 were in one or two family and apartment or rooming house occupcncies, where life and material loss could have been considerably reduced with early warning detection devices. Between 1973 and 1975, there was a 26% increase in major fires for one and two fcmily occupancies and a 97% increase for fires in apartments and rooming houses. Also, during the same period, 291 of 491 major fires were for one and two fcmily, apartment and rooming house occupancies. See the following Table 1.3. 1 MW- TABLE 1.3 MIAMI FIRES RESULTING IN LOSSES OF _sloop OR MORE Octupdncy 1973 1974 1975 3-Year % of 1973 to 1975 Total Total % increase Public Assembly Education Institution One & Two. Family Apartments & Rooming Houses Hotel -Motel Dormitories & Other Res. Stores Offices Basic Industry Manufacturing Storage Special Properties TOTALS 1973 to 1975 = % increase 10 11 1 3 3 29 8 5 5 3 7 21 8 136 173 182 173 118 491 1975 - # 1973 x 100 1973 35 24 100 Early detection of fires will result in rapid suppression of fires, and the saving of more lives and property, Although human beings dre effective fire detectors during the day, their abilities are reduced while they sleep, which is when many major residential fires occur with tragic results. d) It is smoke, toxic gases cr lack of oxygen - not fire itself - that kills most residential fire victims, whose lives might have been saved had the presence of a fire in its early stages been detected. Of approximately 19,000 people who died nationwide in residential fires from 1973 to 1975, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of them might have been scved, if early warning detection devices were required. One of the causes of the Avondale Hotel fire's great human loss was the late detection of fire and the suffocation by smoke of sleeping victims. 11, Encourage more cooperation of public entities currently exempt from complying with local fire codes so that local inspections can be conducted and violations corrected as soon as possible. Miami's Fire Department should go on record as attempting to inspect public buildings and obtain compliance with loco! fire codes. In cddition, the City should use all available administrative or political channels to gain the cooperation of jurisdictions not complying with local codes. Reasons a) The compliance by other public entities with Miami's more restrictive codes will serve to better protect local children, employees cnd residents who use these public facilities and are unaware of fire dangers that exist. b) Heavy life and material Icsses could be prevented at these auditoriums, .-7- schools, hospitals and public offices which large numbers of people frequently utilize. Moreover, the hardships created through the temporary or permanent closure of these facilities in terrns of service delivery Icsses could also be avoided. ,-- -i- __ The costs of repairing or replacing these fireidamaged public r]Cilitles is borne in part by local taxpayers. 12. Modify the Fire Code to require the routine testing of all alarm systems, standby emergency power systems, emergency lighting and standpipe systems for specific occupancies. A schedule of fees to offset public costs in checking this equipment may be needed. Reasons a) Unless fire alarms and fire safety features are periodically tested, their effectiveness is in doubt. Moreover, unless such equipment is properly maintained, the objective for requiring the installation of alarms and fire safety features is defeated. b) The failure of alarms to sound in the presence of fire or smoke due to its improper instclletion or power source could precipitate public opposition towards continued installation of fire alarm systems. 13. Support and help implement in Miami the several fire prevention recommendetiens contained in the proposed Fire Protection and Rescue Services Master Plan for the Miami -Cade County Area identified in the Technical Report. a) Fire prevention crd building codes should be reviewed annually to determine if they should be amended, revised or updated. b) The building and fire protection codes should be updated, amended and revised on a scheduled basis in order to better regulate the use, storage and transportation of hazardous materials. c) All public schools in Code County should be required to comply with the building and fire protection codes of the jurisdiction in which the particular school is located. 1 Leta) governments should encourage the installation of an effective edgy warning fire detection alarm system in every occupancy in Dade County. The above recommendations were developed with the participation of the Miami Fire Department and other local fire departments in Dade County. Since these recommendations are included in the Dade County Fire Protection and Rescue Services Master Plan and supported by the Miami Fire Department, they are not repeated in any detail in this report. Of these recommerdctions (b), (c), and (d) would involve the initiative of Dade County, but the City of Miami should actively support these actions. Recommendation (a) should be undertaken routinely by the Miami Fire Prevention Bureau to improve and modernize the City's Fire Code. • CHAPTER I I FIRE SUPPRESSION toVsleow.,4444, MMV— MEW Ma kW ter_ EIMER SIRE SUPPRESSICON The traditional responsibility of fire service is to ptoteet lives &Id' property at fires and other emergencies. How this is done efficiently and effectively depends on many factors. However, two of the most important are these: 1. How soon an adequate number of fire fighters arrive at the fire, 2. What they and their equipment can do when they arrive. Quick response requires that fire stations and fire apparatus are well located near the people and property they are to protect. It also requires that fire companies are prepared to respond immediately with adequate manpower, that the apparatus with which they respond are suitable and well equipped for the emergency and that the movement of fire apparatus to the scene of the fire involves the least resistance possible. (i.e., movement along major arterial streets, synchronization of lights, avoidance of opened bridges, blocked railroad crossings or other man-made barriers). What fire fighters con do at the scene of a fire will depend to a great extent on adequately manned companies and on the condition of their equipment. For almost 15 years, the Micmi Fire Department has prided itself on its ability to satisfy all of the above requirements in an outstanding manner. Of the 1,950 deficiency points that the Insurance Services Office can deduct for Fire Suppression inadequacies, the Miami Fire Department lost only 127 points in the 1975 survey. Excellent scores for the Fire Suppression Division established its rating•as Class I as far back as 1962, which in turn substantially contributed to the City receiving an overall Class II rating in the 1975 survey. It is this Class II City rating that determines insurance rates on private property. No other City in Dade County has been able to offer its property owners the same low rates for fire insurance. In fact, only five other cities in the United States, with populations between 250,000 and 500,000, have a Class II City rating. 1No City in the nation has a higher rating. Atlanta, Ga.; Long Beach, Ca.; Louisville, Ky.; Oakland, Ca.; Portland, Or. Fire Suppression's manpower and material resources result in more benefits than simply low insurance rates. Of greater importance is that Miami residents have the security of knowing that if they need assistance in an emergency, their Fire Department is among the best trained, manned and equipped in the world to save lives and to minimize property losses. With a few exceptions, stations are fairly well distributed throughout the City. On an average, apparatus have been able to respond in less than 3-1/2 minutes to building fires. In addition, the Fire Suppression Division provides citizens with a broad range of services, which shall be described in subsequent sections. Another benefit from having a Fire Suppression Division second to none is high morale among fire fighters, which contributes to greater personnel initiative, energy and motivation. However, recent budget cuts in the name of greater municipal government efficiency have begun to weaken Fire Suppression's strength. If such cuts continue to be required and the Suppression Division is more seriously weakened (since it represents more then 80% of the Department's budget), then citizens can anticipate the reduction of the City's firefighting abilities and the Toss of personnel morcle. In America Burning: The Report of the Notional Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, the Commission empncsized that saving lives, reducing property losses and preventing fire fighter injuries should be of equal or grecter concern than reducing government expenditures. "The Internatiencl Association of Fire Fighters, among others, is concerned that cuts in manpower, made in the name of economy, may be exposing fire fighters to greater risks of injuries. Fire Chiefs wcrry because layoffs of younger men are robbing their departments of future leaders. The fire insurance industry is concerned that manpower cuts mcy lead to an increase of large - loss fires. Citizens, too, worry about reduced fire protection and the effect of undermanning on their insurance rotes." t • firike most other city services, whose budget cuts might legitimately tepteseht a savings to taxpayers, substantially cutting the cost of fire terVioe would result in an increase in insurance rates to property owners in the City. The extent to which property owners are willing to support payments towards public fire service cost will depend on the value they place on the superior lifesaving abilities of an cdcquately budgeted Fire Department. A good fire insurance policy provides security that material damages caused by fire will be repaid to the property owner, but higher rates have nothing to do with greater property coverage. A good Fire Department provides security, not only that material damages might be minimized, but that lives (which have no replacement value assigned to them) might be saved and that other services mcy be provided by fire- fighting forces. Economy -minded governments should be concerned with getting more services end greeter productivity from their Fire Depertments, not just with saving dollcrs which could be to the possible detriment of their , citizens' safety.2 A thrust towards providing more services and greater productivity should be one of the principal fire suppression goals for the next decade. The extent to which it is acknowledged crd supported in the ranks es well cs in the administration will determine if that gocl con be successfully cchieved and the Fire Suppression Division will continue to be ranked ' 1. PAST EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Three years after Miami was incorporated as a municipality, the Fire Department was organized as a volunteer organization to save lives and property and to reduce insurcnce rotes. The forerunner of today's Department wos established in 1899 with a volunteer Chief and about 125 volunteers. 2America Burning: (Washington, 1973) pp. 33. By 1904, the Department progressed from a iwa wheel, hose cart pulled by volunteers to a horse-drawn pumper and one paid fireman, Henry Chase, who later became Chief of the Department. Five years later, three additional paid members were hired. Three new pieces of horse-drawn equipment were also added and a new station was built. Just after 1910, the Department officially entered the 20th Century with its first motorized fire apparatus. A high pressure water system, consisting of mains and hydrants was installed in Miami's downtown area to provide water for extinguishing fires. The system was later converted to serve both fire and domestic uses. One of the most notable and nostalgically remembered divisions in the Fire Department in those years was the First Aid Committee, which had the duty of furnishing a barrel of beer at each fire. As Micmi expanded, annexing Wynwocd, Edgewater and the Roads in 1913 and then the entire area ncrth of 36th Street and west of 12th Avenue in 1927, the Fire Department also grew. When Chief Chcse retired in 1953, the Department had 14 stations cnd 24 front line apparatus. Since 1953, three individuals have served as Fire Chief and witnessed continued improvements of the Fire Department, namely Chief Wheeler (1953-1963), Chief Kenney (1963-1974), and Chief Hickman (1974- ). Memorable dates during this pericd include 1962 cnd 1974. In 1962, the Department received a Class 1 rating by the National Beard of Fire Under- writers, (predecessor to the Insurance Services Office). Miami became the first and only City east of the Rocky Mountains and South of Washington, D.C. to achieve this rating. In 1974, the City was re-evaluated cnd the overall rating improved from a Class III to a Class 11, and the Fire Depart- ment maintained a Class 1 rating. Also, in 1974, the Fire Suppression Division initiated a routine home safety inspection program and an innovative Fire Code enforcement program, which gained national attention. It is through continuing improvements cnd the desire for achievement by all fire fighters that the Fire Suppression Division has attained its present L 9 °fi ll level of efficiency and effectiveness, However, this dould hot hove been occornplished without the active support of the City Administration) City Commissioners and the community at large. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES As Figure 2.1 indicates, the Fire Suppression Division is organized into three Battalions, headed by a Battalion Chief responsible to the Deputy Chief of Operations and the Fire Chief. (A Battalion is essentially a shift of Fire Fighters who are on duty 24 hours and then cre replaced by another 24-hour shift. The City is presently divided into four districts. A District Chief is responsible for three to five stations located within his district. Each station has a commanding officer (a Captain), and each apparatus has a Company Officer (a Ccptain or Lieutenant) in charge of c crew of five or six Fire Fighters. There are three types of firefighting apparatus utilized in Miami, as follows: 1. Pumpers: The basic firefighting unit in fire departments is the pumper or engine company. Miami Fire Department pumpers carry hose, a pump of 750 GPM to 1250 GPM, a water tank, cnd various pieces of firefighting equipment. The main purpose of the pumper is to provide adequate water pressure for fire strecms. The water it pumps may come from its water tanks, a fire hydrant or drafting source. 2. Aerial Ladders: The aerial ladder is a mechanically operated unit which is mounted upon a special truck chassis for firefighting purposes. Lcdder apparatus provide access to upper stories and roofs of buildings to make rescues and to facilitate firefighting operations. Miami Fire Department aerial ladders rcnge in size from 65 feet to 100 feet. i !i�l11101'II4pl'I li'"q 1 1 . '' 1111r II II CHIEF 5 1 STATION 1 Engine Hose Foam Snork1u Rescue Air Truck i11111i "1 DISTRICT CHIEF I STATION 2 Engine Hose Ladder Rescue 111111111111111111 STATION 3 Engine DEPUTY CHIEF, OPERATIONS FIRE SUPPRESSION DIVISION BATTALION CHIEFS DISTRICT CHIEF 2 STATION 9 Engine Ladder Rescue 1 STATION 4 Engine Lodder STATION 12 Engine DISTRICT CHIEF 3 STATION 8 Engine Hose Ladder Rescue DISTRICT CHIEF 4 SW I Nz G OFFICERS STATION 15 Engine } STATION 10 STATION II STATION 14 STATIONI6 Engine Engine Engine Engine Ladder Ladder Rescue STATION 13 Engine Figure 2.1 CITY OF MIAMI FIRE SUPPRESSION DIVISION ORGANIZATION CHART ipIII IIII!'i1IllulliU�'I�Il!II'�I!1!;N116�g11!h�II��iEIi� Iql it 411111 • r INT elevating PIctform Apperatus: the elevating platform, also known as d Snorkel, has similar uses cs the aerial ladder; i.e., it provides access to upper stories and roofs of buildings to make rescues and facilitate firefighting operations. While aerial ladders simply provide a continuous path from the ground to a single elevated point, an elevating platfcnnn serves as a portable elevator, capable of making any number of successive round trips to multiple locations. The Miami Fire Department has two elevating platforms. A 150-foot Firebird is located at Fire Station 41 in the high value district. An 85-foot Snorkel is located at Fire Station 46 in the Northwest section of the City. Routine Activities Local surveys conducted by the Planning Department and the Fire Depart- ment indicate that the average lay person in Micmi has very little knowl- edge of the activities and responsibilities of the fire fighter. The popular concept is that he waits around the fire station for the alarm bell to sound. In reality, there is c great decl more work that takes place, requiring a high level of proficiency and professionalism. The activities that Fire Suppression performs can be grouped into five general categories: a. b. c. Emergency response Fire prevention Training and planning Equipment maintenance and testing Administration and record -keeping On an average, the Fire Department responded to about 60 alarms each day during 1975. In addition to responding to fire emergencies in build.. ings, cars, boats, open fields and elsewhere, fire fighters responded to alarms for gas Teaks, flammable liquid spills on City streets, elevator emergencies, drowninas, and other medical emergencies. They provided first -aid and assisted the Rescue Division in emergency medical care. They also responded to legitimate citizens' requests for service, such as to extricate people from accidentally locked rooms, to shut off major water leaks and to prevent access to fallen power lines or washed out road beds. Statistics show that since 1973, the actual number of alarms hcs increased significantly. In fact, there has been cn overage increase of about 1500 alarms per year since 1967, from Tess than 9,000 in 1967 to more than 21,000 in 1975, cs seen in Figure 2.2. On the other hand, there has been a decrease in building fire alarms since 1973. Figure 2.3 shows this decrease and points up that one period of great demand on combat forces is in December, apparently due to fires related to the use of portable electric heaters, Christmas decorations, fireplaces and other holiday activities. For 1973, 1974 and 1975, there was a significant increase in building fire alarms during December. In 1973 and 1975, there were also significant increases in building fires during the month of April. Figure 2.4 compares the City of Miami's population cnd fire incidents by property c ossification with County -wide fire incidents in 1975. Although Miami represents 24 percent cf the total Dade County population, it is estimated that nearly 35 percent of all jobs in Dade County are located within the City of Miami, resulting in more people, more commercial, industrial and irstitutional buildings and a greater fire potential. The high percent of building fires in Miami (2690) cs compared with County- wide building fires in 1975 can probably be attributed in part to the higher number of older, wood frcme structures and the higher number of vacant or abandoned buildings in Miami. 2400 -CC occ' :cocc C 0000, _ Occoocc rr O r I8000 ..0000000000VO0000C CCCOOCOCCOCCCOCCC. CCCCOCOCOCCC0^OCCC ..00CCCC 0000CCCCOCOC, CCOOOJCOOGOCCCCGO000 jJ�� CCCOCOOCOCCOC .000000` 1500V __,'_,,ti y,� ; COCC:OCCCCC':CC 0 ^OOCC �crv�,�,`,'isa";" OCCCCCSOCCOC^ �CO0000. =- SCOC:CCCCOCCJCCCSCOCCC .cCCcc^c:cc:cCCC^:cccccCOC :cOCOCCCCC:CCOOC OOOOJCCOCOC 2 cc ccccocccccocccccccccccCOOt occcc oo :c0000000000CCcocescccce :CCOOCOC000 CCOCC00000:occ000c:CCO, 4 occCCCCCccOCcccoCCoco:cc0000cc0CCOCCC 12000 O Q ocO J 0o00 00 : CO000 a 00000COC 00 0Oo0000O0 000 CCG Q 0000coococcoc000ccoccoc0c000cccoo0cocoococeo. 000000CCCCC00000000=CCCCCOCO000000C0OCCCC0000C COCCCOcOCCCcoc0CoC0C00CCCCOCOCCOCCOCCOCCCC0C000' �y 000CCCCCC0CCCOCCOJC000000CCOOOCCOOCC00000COCCOOOC O 'OCCCCC0`CGOOCO:OCCGCOCOCCCCCCOCCCOOOOCCCCOOCCCCCCCOCCO' CoccOOCcOoCC0CcccccccoccocccOCCc000CC000000OCOCCOCocco00C0 9000 .JCCOOOCC0000CCOCCOOCCOCOC�JCCOOCCCOOCCCCCCCCOCCOCCCCCCO000000CI + JCCCOCCOCCOCC0GCCOJCJ00000OCOo0000C00CCCJCOOCCC000000^_OCOCCOOCOC JOOOOGoo000000COCC00CCCCOCOOOCr_00000000C0000000000000C0000CCOCCC' {y� o0o00000CCCOOJCOCCOCOCCCCCCCCJCOCCCCCOOCCC00000000CCOCOOOOCCOSOOC 00000000COOOGCCCOCCCCCCOCCOCC000OCCCC00O00CCCO0CCOCJOCCOCCCOOCJC, :c00000000CCO30000O00000000000COCCOCCOCCOCOOOOOCOJCCOOOCOOCCOOCOC 2 000000OCOOCCO00CCCCO000CJC:OCOCOCO'J00CC00000OOOCOCCCOOCOCCCOCCJO' :C0000000OCOOOOCOo0C000000000000C0000000000000000000000000000CC00 • 6000 Zo00000coo000ccoccc00000ccocccoccccocoocccoocooc000cceocccoccocco. ' OOO000Cc0000000CCCOCCGCCCOCCOCCC000000e0OCo0CCccococoOCC00000CC 0co000000oo00000000GGcco:coccoeecoocc3OCOco0GC0C0000000cco0Gc000f : 00C000000COCCCO0C00C0000oC0CCC0::o000C0000000C000CCo0CCCC0CJCOCOC Occ00000c00c0OCCGCCCOCC00:.0cccc0CCcc0CCC0000O000CCCC000cc0000000. O 0C000000C0000CCOOCCC0000000CC000c0003COCOCOOCC000000CCOCGC00000c :0000000000000CCOOCO00000O000000000CCOCCOOOo0C:COCC0000c00000000, :Cco0o0000CC0C000OCc000CCCCCCCOCOCCO0000C:0000CCOCO000C0c00CCC00C 3000 occoocoo0cocc0ccc000000ccooccoocoococooccoc000000ccccccococc0oc0, 70000o0CCC0000CCOCCCCOCOCOCOCCOCoccccoocccoccCOCO000C00�GccCCCOoc OOCOOCOOCCO0000000CCOCcccc000000COCCOCCC000CCCo00C000c00C00C00001 0000000000O00000CCOc00OCOCC00000000000CCJOC000CCCCOOC0000CCCOCOOC 00000000GCCOOJ000ccC000ccccOCCO0CCo00ccCcCO:COOGC0000000000C0occ. O 000000000000000000COCCCOCO0000C:CO0CC000000COCCCC00000CC0000ocOC o000000000CCOC000o0CCCO00C0c000C00c00CCOCC0000CCO00JOOc00Oc000OC, 00000000000OOOGOCCCGOCOCOCCCCCOOCOCCCOCO000CCOOe00CCOOCCOO:CC000C 1c000000CCCCOOCCCIJ0CCCOCCAC000JCc.0OCCCCCFCCCC 000f000CC0CCC00C0^_CI f cc ff 1967° 1968° 1969° 1970b 1971b 1972c 1973c 1974` 1975d Figure 2.2. TRENDS IN TOTAL ALARMS 'a• a. Consolidated Monthly Reports b. Fiscal Year Reports c. Calendar Year Reports d. Fire Incident Reports 130 120 i* c 100• • ? i W 2 90 80 . lei . . left an \ . \ im OR es ea MI MI lie am WI le • x. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec • - Yearly Total 1975 1,148 1974 1,193 1973 1,237 Figure 2.3 iuuuuuuuuhsuuilfsr at1-1 NIB 1Ell /r BUILDING FIRE ALARMS 43 SIAN- EIK MEW DADE COUNTY 1,442,000 CITY OF MIAMI FIRE INCIDENTS AS A► PERCENT OF COUNTYWIDE FIRE INCIDENTS IN 1975 -MIAMI 354,000 DADE COUNTY 18,872 POPULATION FIRE INCIDENTS TYPES OF FIRE EMERGENCIES BUILDING ROAD VEHICLE MARINE 4% BRUSH a GRASS RUBBISH a TRASH DUMP Figure 2.4 AIRCRAFT OTHER RAILROAD VEHI_L NOT REPORTEE �e good rhedsure of o Fire Depattrnent's performance is its response time, (Response time is the time required from first receiving an alarm in a fire station to the time of arrival at the emergency. It includes turnout time and travel time .) The lower the response time, the quicker combat forces become available on the firegrcund to initiate rescue and firefighting operations. The response time for the Miami Fire Department for many years has averaged Tess than four minutes, although response times have been even lower some years. In 1975, for instance, the average response time for all fire incidents was 3.2 minutes. The highest average response time in 1975 was for marine -related fires, because of the difficulty of access to the waterfront. Figure 2.5 shows the average response (en route) time and the average hand ing time in minutes for various types of alarms. Marine -related fires account for the greatest handling time, because fires often spread quickly, due to the combustibility of materials and the inability of fire apparatus to get to the fire quickly. Road vehicles, brush, grass, rubbish and dump fires all have short handling times, because these fires are usually small and localized. In the case of building fires, the response time of the first arriving unit is not the only critical factor in good fire suppression. Another important consideration is the number and type of apparatus that appear after the first unit arrives. Presently, engine and ladder companies may arrive from two or more fire stations. Usually, the engine company arrives first and initiates attack as a single unit. Once the ladder company arrives, it tckes up a firefighting role in support of the engine company, but not always positioned in such a manner as to make the best use of both pieces of equipment and available manpower. Because of some of these shortcomings, the Miami Fire Department has been gradually moving in the direction of implementing a Task Force firefighting concept in areas with multi -company stations. The Task Force concept involves accurately matching the expected fire emergency with the proper mix of equipment to satisfactorily handle the situation without resorting to additional alarms or requests for additional emergency vehicles. Each Task Force is adequately manned, so further alarms are normally unnecessary to bring additional manpower to the fire scene. 1.111'111 l`11' Iplpll 11111 I11111'I511111 11'1 IIII I II I1! 11R I119111I111!II I II NIIII11111111!111111 � II ul il"-r lf11llli1,41lilll(1,1„„,1,1l'II AVERAGE HANDLING TIME (In minutes) AVERAGE ENROUTE TIME (in minutes ) 11 IIII 1,11 111 'IIII 50 — 40 — 30 20 — 10 1 hIIIIIIq�'!I11;1II 4 111I�� 111 BUILDING ROAD MARINE AIRCRAFT RAIL BRUSH- RUBBISH- DUMP OTHER UN- TOTAL VEHICLE TRANS. GRASS TRASH REPORTED VEHICLES 1111171011111111110111 111111111101r1 II Figure 2.5 HANDLING AND ENROUTE TIME OF MIAMI FIRE INCIDENTS-1975 ," R e. r� }I �i�I11� �IL� liI � ICI 11 II�I,I! ,w I a. I � I I I,I I I I ( it � , I II � III il�i IIII III 1 i I Il�pl �AI �I�I � I . �I I � �I� If � I�I III!' I I I. �,I 1 I 11111111111111 111111111 1,,1011 .111 I �II�II 711, 1 i I 111111 1 1 1 • The Task Force concept is integrally related to the availability of fire apparatus to respond together and arrive on the fire scene at approxi.. mately the same time so a maximum degree of coordination is immediately possible between units. Figure 2.6 shows the existing locations of fire stations. Presently, there are 15 stations, since Station #7 does not exist. New Station #5 at N,W, 20th Street and 12th Avenue should begin operating in summer of 1977, and it will replace the old Station #5. Nine of the existing stations have at least two companies. Three stations have three companies, which contribute towards the Task Force concept. b. Fire Prevention As mentioned in the chapter on Fire Prevention, the Fire Suppression Division has been actively engaged in several fire prevention programs for almost a decade in an effort to minimize the possibility of fire and to prepare people to respond effectively to a fire emergency, should one occur. 1. Home and Apartment Safety Inspections For at least two hours every Saturday, fire fighters canvass residential communities, offering to inspect homes and apart- ments, at no charge to occupants. In 1975, 21,700 homes and apartment safety visits were made to distribute literature on fire safet . For more than 14,000 of these units, a complete inspection was made of the premises in an effort to identify fire hazards. 2. Fire Code Safety Program In addition, fire fighters have been receiving in-service training to accomplish fire code enforcement inspections of the public area of apartment buildings, dormitories, hotels of Tess than four stories, motels, rooming houses and office buildings. The Fire Prevention Bureau staff have been educat- ing combat forces to recognize Fire Code violations in these i =-= OCeupanties and to refer tes the Correct see -Hams 6f the Fire Code in citations or notices of violations. For very complicated or questionable circumstances, the Fire Prevention Bureau's professional staff provides on -site support to the suppression forces. Fifty (50) Hour Inspectors In March 1976, twelve fire inspectors from the Fire Prevention Bureau were assigned to work 24-hour shifts on each of three platoons. They are responsible for inspecting occupancies that are not the responsibility of the Fire Suppression Division. Because of their more intimate knowledge of the Fire Code and their greater experience in Fire Code enforcement work, these inspectors also do the following: Make night inspections of places of assembly to check occupancy load. - - Respond to all calls for a fire inspector by the firefighting companies in their district. - - Conduct school on the provisions of the Fire Code for fire fighters in their district. . Fire Drills Fire fighters are responsible for supervising school fire drills in their district. c. In -Service Training and Planning All fire fighters receive several weeks of intensive training at the Miami Fire College and at local universities prior to obtaining permanent status. Moreover, so as to maintain and improve fire fighters' skills, in-service training and planning have been incorporated as part of their weekly schedule. They conduct tactical surveys of target hazards and plan the logistics of entering a building, ventilating it, setting up hoses and I 1 III' I I ! IIII 111 41111r- ,._-_ 110-- II.-- V ,.r — — MN/ ANINI °WE ... 771 inllli CURRENT FIRE STATIONS a ASSIGNED APPARATUS tr w cu 2 z z 0 d U) I EHL 2 E H L 3 E 4 E L 5 E H 6 E L 8 EHL 9 E L 10 E 11 E 12 E 13 E 14 E 15 E 16 E E•ENGINE Fi • HOSE L•LADDER New Station 5 Opens Summer 1977 PEE 13w Y [1'00' N00' Moor / . CITY O/ MIAMI Pt.ANmJ1NU OaPASITMANT !III II I�I!IIII!�!II�IRII�I'llUIiIIIIIiV'II !'! UI III' I� 11111111M ' I19I q l'I II@,I 1 ladders, transporting equipment and containing fires. As fire fighters become more familiar with a building's hazardous content and physical layout through inspections and tactical planning, their firefighting effectiveness is increased in the event a fire occurs. Special drills are conducted at the Fire College to simulate fire environ- ments and to train fire fighters in the use of new equipment or in fire— fighting practices. It is not desirable to remove firefighting companies from their districts for significant periods of time, since fire protection capabilities are weakened. Therefore, most training occurs around the station under the supervision of company officers. Department policy requires a minimum of four hours of school and four hours of drill each month. Department policy also requires that a detailed record of this time be maintained on non —emergency reports. d. Equipment Maintenance and Testing The only way of assuring that the equipment fire fighters depend upon in emergencies will function properly is to regularly maintain and test it. In the station, this includes testing hose, radiological survey instruments, emergency generators, pumps and brecthing apparatus. A routine check of all fire apparatus is mode by each battalion within the first hour of duty. The field support equipment that fire fighters depend upon must also be periodically tested cnd maintained. This includes all call boxes and fire hydrants within the response district. Standpipes and sprinklers on private property are also periodically inspected, on request by the property owners. The routine maintenance of stations also consumes a fair amount of fire fighter's non —emergency time. e. Administration and Record —Keeping As in every organization, a certain amount of administrative and clerical work is required daily. A station diary cnd journal must be maintained. Daily attendance records must be kept. For every alarm to which a fire apparatus responds, a detailed report must be completed, which is 111 e sultequently key putiched and electronically processed as part of the County -wide Uniform Fire Incident Reporting System. Inventory reports of supplies and equipment must be updated regularly. For any on -duty injuries or personnel problems, a personnel file is required. As part of the inspection and tactical survey program, each station maintains an extensive filing system. A great amount of the fire fighter's non -emergency time is consumed in notifying property owners and managers of pending inspections, in maintaining records on violations found and corrected, in researching Fire Codes and in planning itineraries. Although this work needs to be done, the great amount of paper work and time associated with these activities often restrict the fire fighter from doing more productive and necessary fire prevention, training and testing activities. Hopefully, the computer -assisted Management Information System proposed in a later chapter will eventually reduce the time devoted to paper work and that time saved will be converted to more productive programs. The Rand Model As part of its Master Planning effort, the Miami Fire Department acquired a computer model to help evaluate changes in the deployment of emergency fire units. This model, developed by the Rand Institute, is called the "Firehouse Site Evaluation Model." 3 a. Modelling Fire Suppression Deployment The complexity of the Miami Fire Department with respect to fire unit locations and the location of the Department's emergency activities necessitates a computer model to adequately evaluate various deployment 3The model is completely described in Firehouse Site Evaluation Model; Description and User's Manual, written by Dormont, Walker and Hausner, published by the Rand Institute in June of 1975. Other valuable Rand publications which helped in the computer mode!ling of fire deployment changes are: An Analysis of the Deployment of Firefighting Resources in Trenton, New Jersey, by Hausner and Walker, February 1975 ana Deployment Methodology for Fire Departments by Chalken, Ignall and Walker published in September of 1975. aerifigutatiordi A Model provides an inexpensive, quick and acurate Means to replicate the itripaqt on service levels caused by deployment ahanges. Using a computer model to test various configurations of station locations or of fire company deployment is a quick and inexpensive method of evaluating fire service requirements. A model is also much safer, since the Department can test changes without requiring fire engines to race along City streets. Modelling also provides an actual representation of reality and can highlight irregularities that might co unnoticed. For example, the impact of a unit change on an adjacent fire unit might result in an overall change that would be unacceptable. b. How the Rand Model Helps Decision -Makers The Site Evaluation Model evaluates the impact of proposed unit confi- guration changes. The model is descriptive rather than prescriptive. That is, it does not identify the optimum locations for fire emergency units. The results from the model are estimates of what would happen, given a specific configuration of fire units. The model output should be regarded as an aid to analysis, rather than as a substitute for it. As stated in the Rand publication, "In the final analysis, it is a matter of managerial and analytic judgment to choose from among several alternative configura- tions the one thct best meets the fire protection needs of the city while remaining within budgetary limits." The model calculates several variables which directly impact firefighting effectiveness. These variables fall into three categories: 1. Travel times to specific locations 2. Average travel distances 3. Company workload These variables are calculated and reported for the various fire demand regions of Micmi as well as for Miami as a whole. Asturnptions of the Rand Model Five basic assumptions are incorporated in the Site Evaluation Model. Each is discussed and its relation to existing conditions is also described, 1. Units are always available in their stations to respond to an incoming alarm. During 1975, the City's busiest fire apparatus (not a rescue unit) was involved in emergency work for merely 300 hours, or a little over three percent of the total 12-month period. This does not include time out of the station on drills, Code enforcement work, hydrant or call box inspections or other non -emergency activities. Therefore, it is assumed that for more than 85 percent of the time, Miami's fire apparatus are in their stations, ready to respond to an alarm. The first assumption then, is acceptable. 2. The closest units are always dispctched to an incident. Generally, the Fire Department's policy has been to dispatch the closest unit to a first alarm emergency. In some cases, this policy is modified for the second -arriving units, due to the presence of rivers, railroad tracks and other physical barriers. The model calculates travel distances by using the vertical and horizontal (X-Y) coordinates of various geographic points. Although the model might assign apparatus to respond to a particular point, the next closest unit may actually be dispatched. The second assumption is still acceptable, but it should be re- membered that travel times across a physical barrier may be underestimated by the Rand Model. 3. Calculations are performed separately for each type of fire- fighting apparatus. This assumption is clearly a strength of the Rand Model. In 1975, the Miami Fire Department had 19 engine and hose trucks and eight aerial ladder trucks. Since every fire station does not have a !adder truck, the response areas for engines and ladders are different. It is important that the computer model differentiates between types of apparatus, since fire station locations affect the service areas of engines cnd ladders differently. am— Nye! distance betweeh two locations can be estimated accurately by the Model. The model uses a computer readable map of Miami, which has ecch point of interest associated with an X and Y value. Given two points with unique X and Y values, the distance as well as the orientation of each point to the other can be calculated by the computer. Since most of the streets in the City of Micmi follow a grid orientation based on Township and Range lines, most streets intersect at right angles to other streets or run parallel to them. Essentially, the model calculates the length of the two "legs" of a right triangle to identify travel distance. See Figure 2.7. Although Tess valid in such places as the Roads area and Coconut Grove, this assumption is still applicable. Streets in those two areas generally follow a regular grid pattern, even though the axis orientation is not North -South. Travel time is the time intervcl between departure of a fire company from its fire station and its arrival at the incident site. The average travel time by Fire Demand Region calculated by the Rand Model is relatively consistent with the actual response times reported on the Incident Report. Difference between the values may be attributed to the differences between travel time and response time. The Rand Model calculates actual travel time (the interval the apparatus is in motion) while the Incident Report enumerates response time (intervcl from when the unit is notified of the alarm to the time the unit reports its arrival on the scene). The difference between these two is due to turnout time as shown in Figure 2.8. A forty -Five second to ore minute turnout time may occur before the apparatus starts to roll. This time is fairly constant and unrelated to the station's geographic location. The empirically determined function equating travel distance with travel time was tested in many cities at all times of the day, and in all areas of each city. Up to some threshold distance, there is a square root relationship between time and distance. After the threshold distance has been reached, there is a linear relationship between travel time and travel distance. i 1 i J • BM- • TRAVEL DISTANCE = A+B FIRE STATION FIRE ZONE • = c. l= = = = = i=o = = = CI = = = • by) -� distance A distance B Figure 2.7 HOW THE "RAND" MODEL CALCULATES TRAVEL DISTANCES Fire starts Fire reported Unit notified Unit leaves firehouse Unit arrives at scene Unit begins fire -fighting activi ties Dispatching ' Turnout Travel Setup time time time time --->i l I l I Response time -->4 (as identified on Incident Reports ) Figure 2.8 THE COMPONENTS OF RESPONSE TIME This relationship is illustrated in Figure 2.9. The curved portion of the graph represents the greater impact of acceleration and deceleration upon average travel speed for short distance runs. t!, Setting up the Model The major tasks necessary to get the Model operational were: 1. Preparing a digitized map of Miami, showing fire apparatus locations and focal points for each of 138 Fire Demand Zones. 2. Collecting historical data on fire incidentsby geographic subareas of the City. 3. Installing the programs on a computer and supplying the necessary control information. (1) A digitized map of the City of Miami was constructed, supplying X-Y coordinates to all of the Fire Demand Zones. Once X-Y coordinates were identified, a computer "readable" map of Micmi was created. Subsequently, focal points for each Zone were established by fire fighters from all three shifts. These focal points were based on non -rescue emer- gencies identified in the Incident Report and high hazard areas based on detailed land -use information. While the focal points were not usually the Geographic center of each zone, they were hardly ever skewed seriously to one corner of the Fire Demand Zone. (2) Historical data was readily available for each Fire Demand Zone from the Fire Incident Reports. The Incident Reports that were analyzes included only non -rescue emergency activities, which resulted in some type of in -the -fie d work effort. False alarms, needless alarms and other non -emer- gency service calls were excluded in the analysis. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAVEL TIME AND TRAVEL DISTANCE iftEMbi (3) Once the data base is constructed and the map digitized, an initial computer program creates a data base for a second program to operate. Both computer programs were written in a computer language called FORTRAN. The Site Evaluation Model can be "run" with a minimum of effort. Once the computer models are on the computer system, the data base is created and all control informa- tion is provided. In evaluating alternate locations for future fire stations, the Fire Department and the Planning Department requested more than 90 different "runs". Before the results of the computer model analysis is reported in terms of recommended actions, the City's six Fire Demand Regions will be analyzed and Miami's current fire response capabilities and fire incident occurrences will be described. e. Miami's Fire Demand Regions Miami was divided into six Fire Demand Regions as an aid to analyzing the results of the Site Evaluation Mode. The regions were delineated in terms of homogeneous land -use, population density, housing stock, natural barriers and fire incidence rates. See Figure 2.10 showing the Fire Demand Regions. Fire Demand Region 1 Coconut Grove - Shenandoah Fire Demand Region 1 is defined as the portion of Miami south of Coral Way (S.W. 22nd St.). The region is predominately residential. About 54 percent of the net area is in single-family land -use. Since 1960, significant land -use changes have occurred, which have an affect on fire demand. Many duplexes have been built in the area north of U.S. 1 and west of 27th Avenue. Also significant, has been the addition of many apartment units in Central Coconut Grove, north of Grand Avenue, south of U.S. 1 and west of 27th Avenue. Nearly one- third of all 1975 emergencies requiring an incident Report in Region 1 were in the Central Grove area (FDZ-044). i 9r, 1'1IIII'IPIII plll f^Ilil q01 Ili II 11.111 HI III111'; nilII HI 1,)1111110 lil l} 111 1 IIIIIP', ` I�IIIIIIi 9 s� MN__ ,M — s will s s — 1111111i- CITY OF MIAMI FIRE DEMAND REGIONS COCONUT GROVE—SHENANDOAH FLAGAMI LITTLE HAVANA HIGH VALUE— CBD ALLAPATTAH — CULMER — WYNWOOD MODEL CITIES — NORTHEAST CITY OP MIAMI PLANNING UCCIPIIARTMUNT p,Illq�lI' III l111}!III�III'IIII I AIIP11I ln1}Ip1i11pI1.11111! 11111h11N II1I • • e rNrr111 01•11 ��I II IIu , III1I1 I�I 1I ItI l �' IIR I� I,� 111171 I II II_I I I- II I111'�III � I II�I � I � It100Ii" � Rll� �PI1111 J�IliNEilp 11'I I I 7.)1111 ��II II1110' 1 1 1 Ilia 1R !II, III l�l fIII I I I pFlplllllli 11II111111III IIPI W 2 3 4 5 6 2 3 4 5 6 CITY OF MIAMI FIRE DEMAND REGIONS POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS Table 2.1 REGION 1970 POPULATION 1975 ESTIMATED POPULATION EST. POPULATION DENSITY (PER RES.ACRE) DWELLING UNITS HOTEL -MOTEL ROOMS COCONUT GROVE SHENANOOAH 34,654 37,929 20.10 14,796 199 FLAGAMI 32,548 39,377 27.31 15,466 1,114 LITTLE HAVANA 112,382 127,031 39.46 47,130 449 HIGH VALUE DISTRICT 11,119 8,507 62.73 5,062 5,414 ALLAPATTAH CULMER WYNW000 69,414 66,909 50.15 25,831 729 MODEL CITIES NORTHEAST 74,t56 74,327 31.30 27,192 821 CITY OF MIAMI 334,353 354,306 34.07 135,669 8,726 LAND USE CHARACTERISTICS Table 2.2 1975 REGION 1 OFFICE -RETAIL 'WHOLESALE AND SERVICE-AMUSEM NTI MANUFACTURING FLOOR AREAS(SQ.FT.IFLO0R AREAS(SQ.FT) EDUCATIONAL- HOSPITAL ACREAGES TOTAL NET ACR E AG ES (LESS STREETS) COCONUT GROVE SHENANDOAH 2,017,000 669,000 1 00 . 35 2,648.92 FLAGAMI 2,535,000 251,000 34.80 2,224.04 LITTLE HAVANA 6,899,000 1,168,000 113.62 5,057. 57 HIGH VALUE DISTRICT 11, 734,000 2,815,000 13.93 1 , 234.06 ALL APATTAH CULMER WYNWOOD 6,625,000 7,993,000 156.87 3,136.33 MODEL CITIES NORTHEAST 5,436,000 4,394,000 144.43 3,692.56 CITY OF MIAMI 36,536,000 17,292,000 564.00 17,993.48 SOURCEt CITY OF MIAMI URBAN PLANNING INFORMATION SYSTEM CITY OF MIAMI FIRE DEMAND REGIONS r 1 1 1 1 1 4 2 1 3 14 15 I6 1 1 FIRE INCIDENCE CHARACTERISTICS Tcble 2.3 I97d REGION NO. OF FIRE INCIDENCES NO. OF ACTUAL BUILDING FIRES ACTUAL BLDG. FIRES AS %OF TOT. INCIDENCES INCIDENCES PER 10,000 EST. POPULATION INCIDENCES PER TOTAL NET I000 ACRES COCONUT GROVE SHENANDOAH 271 85 31.4% 71.24 103.56 FLAGAMI 183 57 31 . 2% 46.47 81.89 LITTLE HAVANA 629 146 23.2% 49.47 123.92 HIGH VALUE OISTR ICT 364 75 20.6% 427.88 294.96 ALLAPATTAH CULMER WYNW000 803 239 29.8% 120.01 255.75 MODEL CITIES NORTHEAST 639 233 36.5 , 86.17 173.05 CITY OF MIAMI 2,889 835 28.9% 81.54 160.56 CURRENT TRAVEL TIMES AND TRAVEL DISTANCES* Table 2.4 RE GION AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME OF FIRST ENGINE (MINI AVERAGE TRAVEL TIME OF FIRST LADDER (MIN.) AVERAGE AVERAGE TRAVEL DISTANCE TRAVEL DISTANCE OF FIRST 1 OF FIRST ENGINE(MILES) LADDER(MILES) COCONUT GROVE SHENANDOAH ! 2.69 2.84 1.20 1.29 FLAGAMI 1.90 5.34 0.74 2.76 LITTLE HAVANA 2.37 3.04 1.02 1.41 HIGH VALUE DISTRICT 1.46 1.46 0.49 0.49 ALLAPATTAH CULMER WYNWOOD 2.03 2.35 0.81 1.00 MODEL CITIES NORTHEAST ' 2.05 2.68 0.83 1.20 1 CITY OF MIAMI j i 2.05 2.68 0.83 1.20 * RAND MODEL CALCULAT!ON SOURCE: CITY OF MIAMI URBAN PLANNING INFORMATION SYSTEM 61 r- i r The 1975 estimated population of Region 1 is neatly 38,000 people, up ftor 34,600 in 1970. See Table 2 .1. The estimated population density is 20 persons per acre, the owest of any Fire Demand Region in Miami. The predominant residential character of the area is seen in the smallest amount of retail, service and office floor area of any region in the City (just over 2,000,000 square feet). Region 1 has the second fewest fire incidents (271) of any region. Thirty-one percent of those incidents were actual building fires during 1975. The Rand Model indicated a current average travel time for the first due engine of 2.69 minutes in Region 1. This average would be the trave times calculated for each Fire Demand Zone from the assigned first due engine divided by the number of zones in the region. Average travel time to building fires in the region is 2.23 minutes, because of the close proximity of Station 8 to Fire Demand Zone 044. The first due ladder average travel time for all zones within Region 1 is 2.84 minutes, compared to the city-wide first due ladder average time of 2.68 minutes. Fire Demand Region 2 Flagami The Flogami Fire Demand Region encompasses that portion of the City west of Douglas Road (37th Avenue). This Region's land -use is pre- dominantly single family (slightly over 50 percent of the 2,224 net acres). Major land -use changes have occurred since 1970 that affect fire protec- tion needs. North of N.W. 7th Street between 47th cnd 57th Avenues, hi -rise apartment construction has accounted for over 3,000 dwelling units since 1970. This represents nearly one-third of the City's total new dwelling units added during that period. Flagami's estimated 1975 population was 39,400, an increase of nearly 7,000 persons since 1970. The Fiagami region has an excellent fire safety record. During 1975, only 183 incidents occurred, of which 57 were actual building fires. Region 2 accounted for only six percent of all incidents in the City, although it eatktitit 11 pettent of MidMils population atd 12 percent of the City's tiet area. Fire incidents standardized per 10,000 population show that Flagatmii has the best ratio for any of Miami's Fire Demand Regions (46.47 incidents per 10,000 population). See Table 2.3. Fire service levels in Flagami show very good first due engine travel times aa 1.90 minutes, which is the second fastest, after the high value district. Average travel distance is also a very good - 0.74 miles for first due engines. However, ladder coverage is far below average coverage for other City regions. First due average ladder travel times are 5.34 minutes, which is more than two minutes longer than any other City region. This situation is all the more aggravated, because of the recent increase in hi -rise apartment buildings. Fire Demand Region 3 Little Havana Little Havana is the City's most populous region. During 1975, the estimated population was 112,382, or one-third of Miami's total. The predominant land -use by acreage is single family. However, multi -family land -use is heavily concentrated in the area north of S.W. 8th Street and east of 22nd Avenue. Little Havana is also an important commercial area. It has nearly 20 per- cent of the City's retail, service and office floor areas. Over 1,200 retail establishments cre concentrated along the region's major arterials. These retail establishments account for 20 percent of Miami's total. Little Havana hos experienced the most rapid growth of any of the City's Fire Demand Regions in terms cf land -use change since 1960. Single- family land -use acreages have decreased by nearly 500 acres since 1960, while duplex and multi -family acreages have increased proportionately. Duplex acreage since 1960 has more than doubled, and multi -family acreage has increased from 270 acres to 711 acres. Overall dwelling unit densities per residential acre have increased from 12.55 to 14.75 per acre for the region as a whole. e I Little Havana's fife incident history is good, if standardised rates are esarined. The region had 629 incidents (146 building fires). When this is standardized per 10,000 population, the region is second only to Flagomi in its good fire record. See Table 2.3. Fire protection levels are comparable to City-wide rates. First due engine travel time in Little Havana is 2.37 minutes versus 2.05 for the City. Average travel distance is 1.02 miles versus 0.83 miles for all of Miami. However, the average first due ladder travel time for Region 3 is 3.04 minutes, which represents the second longest time for any of the City's six Demand Regions. Fire Demand Region 4 High Value District Fire Demand Region 4 is Miami's high value district. It encompasses the central business district (CBD), the Brickell area, and the growing Omni area to the north. In its 1,200 net acres (6 percent of the City's total), are concentrated nearly 12,000,000 retail and office square feet. This excludes the Omni complex cs well as sizeable government and public buildings in the area. This region is also an important wholesaleing area, though this function is on the decline, especially north of the CBD. See Table 2.4. The permanent population of the region is estimated at 8,500, but over 34,000 people work in the smaller CBD area (north of the River, east of the FEC, south of 7th Street and west of Biscayne Boulevard). Also significant, is the transient population which lives in rooming houses or in transient hotels. In 1975, there were 5,414 hotel -motel rooms in this region, representing 62 percent of the City's total. Miami's transient and semi -permanent population in the high -value district requires a higher level of fire -rescue emergency services than the population at large. Region 4 has a very high level of fire service delivery, as would be expected. See Table 2.4. First due engine travel times average 1.46 minutes, fully a half -minute faster than the next fastest region, Flagami. • First due engine travel distance averages less than half a mile. Even second due engine travel times for the high value district (1.68 minutes) are faster than first due times elsewhere in Miami. Fire Demand Region 5 Allapattah - Culmer - Wynwood Miatiii's fifth Fire Demand Region is the most heterogeneous region in the City. The region has many diverse land -use types, extreme variability in fire incidents rates and a wide range of fire service requirements. Region 5 is Miami's third most populous, with an estimated 66,900 people in 1975. Region 5 and the high value district (Region 4) are the only two areas that show a slight population decline since 1970. This population decline is most evident in the area between 1-95 and the FEC Railroad. Except for the high value district, this region has the highest estimated 1975 population density (50.15 persons per net residential acre). Excluding transportation -utility land -uses, the region's largest land -use category is single-family (570 acres), followed by multi -family (418 acres), duplex (316 acres), wholesale -manufacturing (315 acres) and education - hospitals - public administration (223 acres). Region 5 shows the highest incidents of emergencies of any region in Miami (803 fire incidents with 239 actual structural fires). Except for the high value district, Region 5's incidents rate per 10,000 population is also the highest in Miami (120 fire incidents per 10,000 population in 1975). Average first due engine travel time in Region 5 is 2.03 minutes, compared to 2.05 minutes for Miami as a whole. Ladder coverage on the average is a little faster than City-wide, (2.35 minutes versus 2.68 minutes respec- tively). Average travel distances in Region 5 for both engines and ladders are also a bit shorter than City-wide average travel distances. Fire Demand Region 6 Model Cities - Northeast The sixth and last Fire Demand Region is that portion of Miami north of the 36th Street Expressway. The Region is the City's second most populous, next to little Havana. 1n 1975, it had 74,300 estimated persons or 21 per- cent of the City's total. Re§tort is predominately residential in nature. Of 3,700 total met acres, 2,350 are residential land uses, Wholesaleing and manufacturing make up the most important non-residential component of the Region's land -use. Region 6 has 4.3 million square feet of wholesale and manufactures► ing structural floor areas. This is second only to Region 5's eight million square feet. The Region's fire record needs to be improved. Twenty-eight percent of the City's 1975 actual building fires occurred in Region 6. Over 36 percent of all emergency fire incidents were classified as a structural fire versus 29 percent City-wide. Fire service delivery characteristics shown in Table 2.4 closely resemble City-wide averages. First due engine travel time is 2.05 minutes, the same as the City-wide average travel time. First due average ladder travel time is also the same as the City-wide average first due ladder time of 2.68 minutes. The following are the recommendations that have been developed for Fire Suppression: 1 N 1 1 1 t 1 1 1 1 1 1 RcOMME NDATIO NS 1. Consolidate and relocate fire stations to provide equal or better fire protection coverage with available resources to satisfy present and future fire demand needs. The plan calls for building three new stations and making minor modifications to a fourth. Presently, the Miami Fire Department operates fifteen fire stations. By 1986, this number would be reduced to eleven, with little effect on first due engine travel times. The eleven station concept will improve the arrival times of second due engines, first due ladders and second due ladders. The plan includes the site acquisition and construction of new fire stations #9, #4, and #14 (see Figure 2.11). Station #10 would receive minor modifications to house a ladder truck. Following the implementation of the ten-year plan, seven of the eleven stations will be triple company stations; two will house an engine and a ladder; and two will remain single company stations. New stations are proposed in Fire Demand Regions 3 and 6. Station #4, which was built in 1923, is presently the oldest fire station in Miami. It would be relocated immediately outside of the high value Brickell area, preferably near Coral Way and S.W. 15th Road to serve Brickell and parts of Little Havana. New Station #4 will consolidate old station #4 and the single company Station 415. Station #9 is proposed to be relocated further to the south, around 62nd Street and be consolidated with the single company station #13. The old Station 49 is a 50year old, dilapidated structure that has poor access to the area it serves and has high maintenance and repair costs. Station #13 also has poor access to areas east of the FEC Rail- road tracks. A new Station #14 is proposed for the area bounded by Flagler Street, S. W. 8th Street and 17th and 22nd Avenues. This station would be in closer proximity to the highly populated, multi -family areas of Little Havana. The new Station #14 would involve the consolidation of Stations 414 and 43. 0,01111H! 1 I III I I 11111111! i,l 'Vul '99111gil lull!ll�pl"pql� I �" IlfII�III��81II�M�'I��II'f �I it III II lip li; I #I PROPOSED TEN YEAR PLAN FOR FIRE STATION RELOCATION 1 E H L 2 E H L 4 E H L NEW LOCATION 2 5 E H L z 6 E L z 8 E H L 0 9 E H L NEW LOCATION 10 E L 11 E 12 E 14 E H L NEW LOCATION E • ENGINE H • HOSE L • LADDER PLANN NU PAR M T GITV r M AMI • O 1 1 T u ui II I'I iul II li I it li III I�RI IIII I II� I II 11 i e � �I � II ,I i I II I I II Il Ii 1 I�I Figure 2.11 II ' 1 i l i III I I I I I I I III I III f II I !! II I I I I I. I III I I�LIIIII I Ili III i I I � II � i� 11 I� i II i 0 li, I , I;II II r 1IiigIII�IIIIIIIIIIII 111'1 111111I I III III IIplgpllilll11l �19^ IIII II Il,I 13 I lI1IIIr. I 1 111111 hlII I 111101 �I II, I I ! II �II In addition to these new station locations, it is also recommended that Station #12 be considered a candidate for a future move further north to about 54th Street. This move will place it in a better position to respond to the high fire workload area north of Martin Luther King Boulevard and west of 1-95. Eventually Stations #10 and #11 might be considered for future consolidation to serve the Flagami and Little Havana areas. Although not recommended for immediate action in the ten-year plan, these last two actions should be considered, if future resources become available. Figure 2.11 shows the proposed 10-Year Plan for Fire Station Relocation with corresponding apparatus. Reasons a. The proposed relocation and consolidation of stations will result in better located fire units and fire stations to satisfy present and future fire protection needs. Several existing stations are not in good locations because of their proximity to City limits or natural barriers, namely Stations #9, #4, #3, and #16. Some also have poor access to the areas they protect. Recent land -use changes or proposed changes identified in the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan make some previous fire station locations outmoded. It is more economical and practical to build a new fire station, properly located, than to operate two existing fire stations, poorly located, because of changing fire protection needs. Including Tend acquisition, the average cost to the City for a new fire station is about 5700,000. It costs the City approximately the same amount to maintain two fire companies in a station for only one year. Therefore, to re- locate these fire companies to a site where they are better utilized and closer to potential fires would justify the capital costs of the new station. In addition, the consolidation of stations will help reduce the costs of operating and maintaining Iwo stations. Management control will be improved in terms of training, operations and non -emergency functions. ( 1.••113 w•IlNwn u_ r Although there will be little improvement of first due engine travel times, there should be better arrival times for second due engines, first due ladders and second due ladders. The shorter arrival time for ladders is particularly important for the future, because of the projected increase in multi -story construction. Figures 2.12 and 2.13 show that the difference in estimated travel time between current and proposed fire stations is negligible. See Table 2.5 for a comparison between current response times and proposed response times, as a result of the consolidation and relocation of stations. The response times for first due engine, first due ladder, second due engine and second due ladder are shown, which are re- lated to the following recommendation. 2. More fully implement the Task Force Concept of firefighting tactics in conjunction with the creation of more multi -company stations. As mentioned earlier, the Task Force Concept involves matching the expected fire emergencies with the proper mix of equipment to satis- factorily handle an emergency without resorting to requests for additional companies. A high level of efficiency and coordinations is achieved through the simultaneous response and arrival of needed apparatus. Proposed task force levels with corresponding apparatus and manpower requirements are shown in Table 2.6. The levels are described in terms of the increasing severity of the emergency situation. The advantages of the Task Force Concept are heightened with the ability to accurately match the emergency with the equipment response in small geographic dispatch areas. This capability necessitates the concepts embodied in Computer Aided Dispctch (C.A.D.) The ability of C.A.D. to quickly identify a small geographic dispatch area will improve apparatus dispatching accord- ing to expected emergency situations. This small area geographic matching capability would be based on such factors as current land - use, fire incident history, building condition, travel response characteristics wcter supply and other such factors. See the chapter on Communications for a more detailed description of (C.A.D. capabilities). • • lla gail lag ale MS all ail mita mat =IS "me 'midi mg. 311 311 Alet 0 MI.MI •Iv14 2. 11 TNAVEL TIME IN MINUTES [_ - I 0 - 1 ;•_1 1 -2 2 -3 Ea 3 - 4 Elf •4+ ul Ji C0.11 WAT 100u1A •vt 71 SI •711 14 SI i 4 7. •7 SI 7, SF JU111 lutN. C1wv Jo Tt 11 •H11 Figure 2,12 TRAVEL TIME FOR .M > s « - e i n NW 611 NW f SI NW• 11 NW 3 SI 011 NW7 11 NW1 SI 1IAGl1• SI 144 1 11 tw 2 SI SW St SW ♦ SI 013 0111 01 1 015 016 011 005 001 013 I 011 006 001 003 00i 003 010 dO2 001 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT! • I 11 ,I awl ;Fir 11 111111 M•IN NWt ( 1.••11{ v.•111•w•r 177'I11i'911, I M II 111 1;1i1,1 1,II I11i011 I, 111 CLOSEST ENGIN C(IRRFNT FIFF I�Il I' I 1i� E FROM tJ •IA431I0 St SwN SI AIR►O MIAMI RIVil 7N St II ST 63 St H St 4 ▪ • 4 ▪ ▪ 4 ▪ — r • • n ✓ ▪ " > 14 re y i > > 4 • i • M + IA St • TRAVEL TIME IN MINUTES -� O-1 1 -2 Eal 2 -3 3 -4 - 4+ CORAL WAY TA MI BIRO AVI S olio NWT 1011UAt AVI MAIN NWT C .GANt1S wAII TWA, 16 TO St RICRINNACIIR CAUSEWAY Figure 2 / 13 TRAVEL TIME FOR CLOSEST ENGINE FROM PROPrSED, STATIOr 87 1f JU11A NUITII CSWT Si NW ♦St NW S St NW ♦ St MW3 St NWT St. MW, SI f1A011■ St SW I SI SW T SI sw 3 St SW St 111 Olt IIS 114 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT 1 1i ,W111 1 'el 11 11 1111 III 1 rn1,1171'in,111"•14I1+lif 114,1y111 •TWIEIT47111111y 11,1111, 11 1 11111 11 III 11 I�i 1111 1119iV,I�!'11IG. �! . I11 11� 1I1itaa II�III� i� I 1 I � IIIIIIII111,1 tt0,111111Ifllo,mlrl 1 11 11111 Region 1 Coconut Grove Shenandoah TABLE 2.5 CURRENT VERSUS PROPOSED FIRE SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS FOR FIRE DEMAND REGIONS Current Proposed Data are Average Travel Times in Minutes from Rand Model swap Most Severe Emergency Data Shown is for 2nd Due Ladder LEVEL 1 Data Shown is for 2nd Due Engine LEVEL 2 Data Shown is for 1st Due Ladder LEVEL 3 Least Severe Emergency Data Shown, is for lst Due Engine LEVEL 4 6.51 6.19 2.71 2.73 2.84 2.73 2.69 2.73 2 Flagami Current Proposed 9.26 6.56 4.32 4.62 5.34 3.67 1.90 1..9E) 3 Litile Havana Current Proposed 4.72 3.89 3.54 2.45 3.04 2.41 2..37 2.42 4 High Value Current Proposed 3.77 3.22 1.68 1.56 1.46 1.56 1► _46 1.56 5 Allapattah - Culmer Wy nwood Current Proposed 3.73 3.35 2.51 2.31. 2.35 2.22 2.031 2.22 6 Model Cities - I'I ul Iheast yl 40, 11'll�il �I I IIIIII�11,U! 111111111111111191111 IIIp1u'111 1111111111111 Current Proposed 1111 11III'111111111111111, plquu II 1 5.60 . 5.26 1 3.84 2.78 1 111 III! !'911!11111I 111111I 1 l iri II 1 2.68 2.71 III II 2.05 2.03 !!!I1111JIII ,II IIII I I 111 IIIII III'IIIII' III 91 With few minor mi difie dons, fife equipment presently tvdilable in the Miami Fire bepcftnent cdn be used to implement the Teak Force Concept. Reasons c. The benefits of the Task Force Concept should make themselves immediately apparent in the increased coordination and efficiency of responding units at the scene of emergencies. As the emergency units arrive together on the fireground and begin to handle the situation in a coordinated fashion, fire losses and the probabilities of small situations "getting out of hand" should immediately decrease. b. The Task Force Concept is more attuned to the development patterns in the City of Miami. With the increasing intensity of development projected for the City, task force units can quickly handle small situations in large, hi -rise structures and keep them from becoming major incidents. c. Less delay will occur in getting "set up" at the fireground. Fire companies will also become more accustomed to working together during emergencies. These factors should improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of arriving units as well cs to further the tecm concept. Presently, companies may come from several different stations, and fire fighters may not know each other's strengths and weaknesses. It should also be easier to train, motivate and manage companies that routinely work together. 3. Maintain equipment manning at present levels (five men for engine and hose companies and six men for aerial ladder companies). Through advanced technology, such as remote controlled pumpers, future manning levels can be re-evaluated. However, at the present time, it is strongly believed that future manpower allocations by type of equipment should be maintained at the present levels. 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 Re d. Since three=fourths of emergency fire incidents are effectively handled by one company, it is critical that the apparatus be properly manned. The effectiveness of the first company on the fireground is dependent on proper manning of the available equip- ment. Tactically, it is better to have fewer, adequately manned apparatus at the fire scene immediately than to have several under- manned apparatus arrive at different intervals. b. The good property and life loss rates experienced in Miami are due in part to properly manned apparatus. During 1975, Miami experienced only six structural losses over $40,000; and only seven fires had a content loss of $25,000 or more. Only 21 fires spread beyond the building of origin. In the entire City, only 128 residents were injured as a result of a fire. These figures are especially significant, since nearly 90,000 occupants were present in structures that had a fire during 1975. c. Since over three -fourths of all fire emergencies (not rescues) were handled by only one piece of apparatus, it is important that adequate manning be available immediately. With lower manning levels, additional equipment would be necessary, just to bring manpower to the scene to fight a fire, which could have been controlled with a single, properly manned, piece of equipment. d. Fire fighter death and injury rates are intimately tied to adequate apparatus manning. If three men are supposed to do the work of five or six, the chances of serious injury and possibly death to fire fighters is greatly increased. With current manning levels and proposed safety improvements, it is expected that the good fire fighter loss and injury rates of the Miami Fire Department will continue and improve, thus lowering medical and injury compensation payments. e. From extensive tests conducted in Dallas and elsewhere, it has been proven that manning levels below five result in less efficiency and more fatigue in firefighting activities. In fact, there are some critical firefighting operations that cannot effectively be done by In II1IlllI ilgill i 1�� � IIg1� Level 4 Note: I!1!Ililll1111111y1111911�II�'� 1P111t II li II II l'1 I r� 1 i ** * * * Il119'�I"JII I!a i 1 111111 i TABLE 2.6 TASK FORCE LEVELS * Type of Situation Expected A non-structural fire such as an auto, trash or rubbish fire. Other emergencies such as spills and water leaks. A structural fire hazard or life hazard in a low density residential neighborhood. Structure spacing is large, so spread beyond building of origin is remote. Especially applicable in Fire Demand Regions I & II and also in specific parts of Regions III & VI. A structural fire of less severity than in level 1. Applicable to the City's major commercial strips and low to mid rise apartment districts. Structural fires possessing the potential for high life or property Toss. Defined as target hazards. Institutional occupancies such as hospital and nursery homes. Generally a situation involving a high value district such as Region IV. * T.F.E. - Task Force Engine T.F.L. - Task Force Ladder T F.R. — Tesk Force Rescue. i SII Ili III I. �JI I I,I�II JI 4 P 1 �1�. 1, Equipment Composition * 1 T.F.E. * 2 T.F.E. ** 1 T.F.L. *** 1 T.F.R. 1 District Chief The equipment will generally be responding from the same station. * 2 T.F.E. ** 1 T.F.L. *** 1 T.F.R. 1 District Chief * 4 T.F.E. ** 2 T.F.L. *** 1 T.F.R. 1 District Chief (2 District Chiefs on all working fires and large hospitals) 1 Total" Manpower 5-6 men, operating as co homogeneous unit that places a high regard on efficiency and coordination of operations 21 men, operating as a homogeneous unit utilizing specialized equipment to contain the emergency within the building or preferably the room of origin 21. men,operating: as a homogeneous unit utilizing specialized equipment to contain the emergency within the building or preferably the room of origin 37 men, operating. from 2 or more stations as a specialized force to respond to- incidents of the highest severity. kMany of the Task Force oncepts are adapted from Public Fire Safety Organization, 1973 by H.E. Hickey. I Illugr I I I I 11 1 I,� 1111111111 111111111111,1!RII IIII'eII111IIr I!9olll�l 14! g!g ! I g If I' I 111111111 111111I1i 111111g111p, 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 three or four men. The decrease in manpower almost invariably required a considerable increase in time to accomplish a task, which may result in human or property losses at the fireground.4 4. Gradually increase non -emergency activities and responsibilities of fire suppression forces, particularly by increasing ail phases of Fire Prevention inspections, in-service training, physical fitness programs and community services (fire safety education, CPR, blood pressure testing). As the total fire service delivery requirements of the Miami Fire Department are re-evaluated, the Suppression Division's non -emergency activities are expected to increase. Non -emergency work performance should be carefully monitored to assure that firefighting effectiveness is not being reduced nor the fire fighter's safety being jeopardized through excessive increases in physically demanding non -emergency work. Reasons a. Progressive fire service philosphy argues that the fire fighter's role should be proactive rather than only reactive. It is not acceptable that fire fighters sit back and await the scund of the fire bell before beginning to use their skills. They must take an aggressive role in helping to prevent fires through property inspections and fire safety education. They must avoid unnecessary personal injuries and accidents through programmed training and exercise, and they must help reduce the incidents of injuries and premature death in the community through increased blood pressure testing and CPR education. 4Dallas, Texas, Fire Department, The Dallas Report (Dallas, 1976) II ft Nrecei teedUSe of budget outs acid tighter fiscal conttals, it will become increasingly difficult to justify additional resources to expand existing programs or to maintain fire service at its present level. Therefore, it will be incumbent upon the Department to make better use of exist.- ing resources to increase non —emergency time productivity. Carefully re—evaluate the components of fire demand annually with respect to manpower resource allocations. The changing composition and complexity of Miami's fire demand characteristics will warrent continual observation and periodic re— appraisal of fire suppression capabilities and organization. Changes within the Suppression Division could be initiated by the need for specialized firefighting equipment to meet the demands of a changing fire demand situation. The need for a marine firefighting unit is apparent today to guard Miami's many miles of waterfront, although this need has still not reached the point to justify an immediate shift in manpower resources. Other Divisions may also have unexpected manpower requirements, due to changing demands on the total fire service organization. In the future, some of these demands may need to be satisfied through c reallocation of manpower resources within the organization. However, these needs should be evaluated and addressed before they become critical. Reasons a. There is no way to precisely predict the fire safety needs for the next ten years. It is also impossible to identify improvements in equipment technology, which presently may not be available on the market. Therefore, the Miami Fire Department has to remain flexible towards future fire protection requirements and periodically evaluate fire safety needs. Within City of Miami limits, there are mcre than 30 miles of water— front, much of which is accessible only by beat. Along the Miami River are numerous boat yards, piers, marinas and other commercial establishments that were built decades ago with no side yards to provide waterfront access for conventional apparatus. In addition, dozens of hi -rise structures have been built along the Bay during the past decade, whose pools, tennis courts and parking garages make it difficult if not impossible for conventional fire apparatus to get between the water's edge and the hi -rise structure itself. Vessels which catch fire while away from land often are out of reach of land -based fire- fighting apparatus. A quick -attack fireboat, able to directly draw large quantities of water, could help to contain and suppress fires on many of the above -mentioned properties. c. As seen in Figure 2.5, the response time and the handling time for marine fires is higher than any other property classification. This is due to the difficult accessibility to wr'tarfront piers and waterfront structures. However, it should be recognized that a high property and life hazard exists along the Miami waterfront, particularly in marinas permitting live -aboard vessels and marine industrial properties. 6. Request that Dade County give higher priority to the implementation of the Metro Computer Traffic Control System and the Dodge Island Fire Station in its Capital Improvement Program. Both of these improvements are identified in the County's Six Year Capital Improvement Program, Summary cnd Index, 1 976- 98� 2. Dade County's Traffic Operations Program to Increase Capacity and Safety (TOPICS) provides for computer synchronization of arterial traffic signals on several streets, particularly in downtown Miami, along S. W. 8th Street, West Flagler Street and 5. W. 1st Street, Brickell Avenue, N. W. 7th Street, Biscayne Boulevard, N.W. 79th Street, and N. W. 27th Avenue. However, many of these improvements are not scheduled until 1979-1980. In terms of the Port of Miami, the County proposes to build a fire station in 1978-1979. The Port of Miami is County -owned property, although within City limits. Presently, the City of Miami Fire Department responds to fire alarms on the Port. This dispatching policy occasionally depletes firefighting resources in downtown Miami or the Brickell areas. a. A cern puterized traffic control system can significantly improve fire service delivery characteristics (travel time) with a small increase in public costs. If traffic lights can be controlled along arterial streets utilized by responding emergency vehicles, accidents at these inter— sections should be reduced. The fire protection needs of the Port of Miami will increase with continued increases in passenger traffic and material transhipments. Currently, the Port of Miami is experiencing a phenomenal growth in passenger traffic. The number of passengers has almost reached the one million mark. With seven, air conditioned passenger terminals and six cargo transit sheds totaling over 700,000 square feet, the fire protection needs at the Port are significant. In addition, the entire south side at Dodge Island is yet to be developed. c. The Bascule Bridge on Port Boulevard could create access problems if it did not operate properly. Therefore, it is preferable to have a station on the Port to immediately initiate firefighting operations. 1!.1,I711!111111111119''11'I' I I I "1g l 11 III II II 11I sr AI AO MN MN al MI Al Lill ill ail soil mid emir CHAPTER 111 RESCUE +ill, "I ! !!I II I NII11111i111pp 1, hill111�PIIlpl'9,11111II10IU'11I!II NI"1'111!p'Ipll11 IIRIq 1111 II III 11111' II I� II I' UIII 11 1 III III�1�I1111�IIIIIlpgl�l#''1�111'9111l�I�FI�I pl11II limmummimminemi III' 11 l l AII1111111II 011 11!'I I1111 ill11!IIII!RIIIh111111111��1 tince the Miami Fire Department historically has provided d decentralized emergency public safety service, it was logical to establish a Division of Emergency Medical Rescue within the Department and to provide emer- gency medical training to all firefighters. Although the duties of the Division initially were limited to providing first aid to injured firefighters and other injured people at fires, its responsibilities have expanded with the increasing demand and dependence of the public an this service. The current concept of emergency medical rescue service is one that involves specially trained firefighter/paramedics who give emergency medical care to victims of fires, accidents and sudden illnesses. Their ability to respond to emergencies in Miami within 4 to 6 minutes helps to save hundreds of lives each year and limits disabling injuries, which otherwise might have been more serious. Although statistics for the cause of deaths in Miami are not available, the following table shows the ten leading causes of death in Dade County in 1975, as recorded by the State of Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services: TABLE 3.1 TEN LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN DADE COUNTY - 1975 Rank Cause Cause of Death as a % No. of Deaths of Total Resident Deaths 1 Heart Disease 5647 2 Cancer 3261 3 Stroke 1284 4 Accidents 591 5 Cirrhosis 330 6* Flu -Pneumonia 302 7* Diabetes 302 8 Homicide 288 9 Suicide 286 10 Lung Disease 227 Total 12518 Total Resident Deaths 14545 vSame Rank 38.8 22.4 8.8 4.0 2.2 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.9 1.5 85.5 100.09/o Ih amellyzing the cause of deaths, it is olatming to see the high number Of deaths that resulted from heart disease, 5647 or 38.8% of the total resident deaths. Strokes and accidents represented 12.8%, for a total of 51.6% of the total number of resident deaths, many of which might have been prevented with the prompt arrival of a well -trained, well-equipped emergency rescue unit. However, it can be assumed that the number of deaths from these three causes could have been greater and that many lives have indeed been saved by existing rescue services. Although many other deaths due to natural causes could not have been prevented, the availability of an emergency medical rescue service can help in responding to sudden illnesses in identifying high blood pressure problems or other symptoms of a more serious nature. Of the 591 deaths that occurred in Dcde County in 1975 because of accidents, 275 of these were the result of autcmobile accidents, and the remainder resulted primarily from fires, falls, poisonings, electrocutions, suffocations and the misuse of firearms or explosives. Throughout the State, accidents stand out as the Number 1 cause of death for people under the age of forty-five. This is a particularly tragic figure since people in this age category are often considered to be in their prime, most productive period of life. Their premature, sudden death due to accidents typically leaves family, friends and business associates unpre- pared for the resultant hardships. Death and permonent disabilities from attempted homicides and suicides might also be prevented through the prompt response of rescue units to the scene of an emergency. In 1975, almost 600 deaths resulted from these two causes. It is unfortunate that many American cities still do not offer emergency medical services. In these cities, thousands of people unneces- sarily die each year because they cannot receive emergency medical attention before they are carried into a hospital's emergency room. f AST EPP RTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The City of Miami Rescue Division began operating its first rescue unlit itt 1939, with the principal objective of dispatching skilled men to fire emergencies to provide first aid to firefighters injured in the line of duty and to other casualties. Because there was no other agency rendering these services to the public, there was a gradual expansion of this service within the Fire Department and a gradual, orderly improvement in the level of emergency care rendered to citizens. As population increased and as more technology became available, the rescue service expanded. It also shifted its emphasis from giving minor first aid to providing comprehensive emergency medical treatment and to stabilizing patients who are remote from a hospital or physician. As a result of population changes, a second rescue unit was added in 1965 to serve the western half of the City. In 1966, a third rescue unit was placed in Liberty City, and by 1973, a fourth was located in Coconut Grove. Two years ago, a fifth rescue unit began opercting in downtown Miami to give relief to Rescue 1, which was receiving up to 600 calls per month in the zones designated as its first response territory. Miami's outstanding emergency medical service results from many years of joint cooperation with the University of Micmi School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital. Through local pioneering efforts in 1965 and 1966 with the University of Miami School of Medicine, the Miami Fire Department introduced and developed the concept of hospital -based physi- cians working with paramedics in the field via telemetry (radio and EKG capability). Another first in emergency medical service was Miami's field evaluations of the shock trouser (M.A.S.T. Suit) in 1973. This equipment was introduced to the Fire Department by the U.S. Army and the University of Miami, and now is widely accepted for emergency treatment of life threatening trauma. The Rescue Division is currently involved with the University of Miami Deportment of Cardiology by providing information on ventricular fibrillation survivors and has also been working with the Depart- ment of Neuro-Surgery in developing a grant application for the creation of an Acute Spinal Card Care Center in Miami. Continuing study of prototype equipment cnd medical techniques is an on -going function of the Rescue Division. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (r terms of historical data pertaining to the number of rescue incidents, In 1067 Micrnni paramedics responded to 4,670 requests from citizens for aid, In 1975, this figure was 18,800, representing cn increase of more than 3009/0 in eight years. today the City of Miami Fire Department paramedics routinely perform a __wide variety of_lifesaving maneuvers. The department is among the best trained and best equipped in the world to handle all types of sudden illness or injury in the field or in transport to a hospital. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES All uniformed personnel in the Rescue Division are considered 24-hour firefighter/paramedics. Although they have advanced paramedical training and more experience in rescue work, they are also trained fire- fighters and assist at fire emergencies. In the case of the Suppression Division, many firefighters have also received emergency medical training. Fire apparatus carry some medical equipment and their crews can maintain radio communication with responding rescue units, which in turn can communicate with the emergency room physicicn at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Firefighters have often been called upon for forcible entry, extracting trapped and drowning persons, rescuing victims frcm hazards created by fire, gas or electrical emergencies and administering first aid. The five rescue trucks carry a great deal more equipment for medical emergencies and are capable of transporting victims to hospitals. However, ambulances typically make about 70°10 of the emergency medical transports in Miami to allow rescue units to immediately respond to other emer- gency calls. The activities of the Rescue Division can be grouped into three general categories: 1. Emergency medical and fire response. 2. Non -emergency preventative programs. 3. Training and record -keeping. r_- Emergency medical and fire response. • The principal responsibility of the Rescue Division is to promptly respond to sudden illnesses, accidents and fire emergencies in Miami and to apply the necessary life support measures at the scene of the emergency (cnd in transit to•a hospital so as to prevent life loss or serious injury. An attempt is made by the paramedics to quickly assess the emergency, provide the life support assistance necessary and stabilize the victim for transport to the hospital. In many instances, the quicker the response of a rescue unit and the application of life support systems, the better are the chances that a victim will survive death or serious disability. Miami firefighter/paramedics have the capability to contact a hospital based physician for consultation and directions via radio. This highly sophisticated system allows the extension of medical care into the field, where life or death may be decided in the first 4 to 6 minutes,i.e. with serious losses of blood, the stoppage of breathing or heart attack. In addition, all five rescue units are equipped with telemetry packages, which allow the transmittal of electrocardiographs to Jackson Memorial Hospital for inter- pretation. Miami's telemetry package was developed in Miami in 1965 and 1966 in a.s.zciation with the University of Miami School of Medicine and the City o; Miami Communications Division. It is now commonly used throughout the world in sophisticated Emergency Medical Service Systems, where life threatening arrhythmias indicate that immediate treatment is necessary. It can be utilized at the scene of on emergency, whether in the Orange Bowl, in a victim's home, office or factory, or in the middle of S. W. 8th Street at 27th Avenue. A heart that is in fibrillation may be converted with an electrical shock by using c portable defibrillator carried on every Rescue. In the case of serious injuries incurred in auto accidents or industrial accidents, fractures can be splinted, serious bleeding controlled, and large quantities of intravenous solution or life saving drugs can be adminis- tered by firefighter/paramedics as directed by a physician via radio. After patients have been stabilized, they can be transported via one of the rescue trucks which contain built-in, highly sophisticated life support systems. However, except for extreme cardiopulmonary or trauma cases and cases involving use of military anti -shock trousers or use of IV's, g • rnr hive, valium, maroon or any time a medical procedure is performed, the transportation of a victim to a hospital is accomplished 7090 of the time by Randle -Eastern Ambulance Company, which has a contract with Dade County for such services. This enables the rescue unit to respond immedi- ately to other emergency calls or to return to the fire station. Since 1973, the number of rescue alarms has increased by about 12% per year. The rate of rescue calls typically increases from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, with the month of December registering the highest number of alarms for all three years (see Figure 3.1). Although the statistics in Figure 3.1 combine the rescue runs of both the Suppression and Rescue Divisions, Table 3.2 shows that 27°0 of all rescue alarms handled by rescue units in Dade County in 1975 were incidents responded to by Miami's five rescue companies (12,855 of 47,557). Table 3.2 also shows that for all five Miami rescue units, the greatest number of rescue alarms were for illness (mental, stroke or seizure). Illness accounted for 24% of all alarms in 1975, followed by injury due to vehicle accident (16%), injury due to other causes (13%, and injury due to weapon or violence (12°0). Compering statistics in Table 3.2 on the type of medical situation found with the response area of each rescue unit suggests the following observa- tions: MINli The h;gh incidence of rescues for ingesting or inhaling harmful substances in the downtown area can probcbly be attributed to the high concentrction of transient alcoholics residing there. The high incidence of injuries due to weapons or violence in downtown and Little River -Model Cities is probably a result of socio- economic conditions. These areas are also high crime areas in terms of crimes against people from Police Department data. The high incidence of rescues related to cardiac and pulmonary difficulties in Little Havana can probably be attributed to the high concentration of senior citizens in the area. The rescue that normally responds to Little Havana (Rescue 14) also showed a higher percent of rescues related to cardiac and pulmonary difficulties than other rescue units. V 1 100 1000 • Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DE Yearly Total 1975 18,814 1974 16,728 1973 15,061 11R1f11111111M11111ltKU MII IIINN 1 NI M1IP" Figure 3.1 RESCUE SQUAD ALARMS 88 11 11 I 111 I II 11'111 III 11'111 SI MI Aff Mt ME Mr 111111 RESCUE ACTIVITY FOR 1975 MAJOR NE12E111E:01E1:000 DOWNTOWN WYNWOOD— COCONUT LITTLE RIVER LITTLE EDGEWATER GROVE -MODEL CITIES H AVAN A I —RESCUE UNITS 4 0 I 4 06 408 409 414 RESCUE SITUATION NO. OF ALARMS % OF TOTAL NO. OF ALARMS % OF TOTAL NO. OF ALARMS % OF TOTAL Injury or Illness (Insufficient info) Injury Due to Vehicle Accident Injury Due to Weapon or Violence Injury Due to Other Causes 275 8 157 6 142 8 327 9 375 13 400 23 537 14 347 12 155 9 517 15 4ii 15 207 12 Cardiac Difficulties Pulmonary Difficulties 317 9 209 7 156 9 125 4 113 4 62 4 All Illness (Uon1ou,s1roke,5eizure) 821 24 720 26 379 22 Harmful Substance Ingested or Inhaled Possible Self - Inflicted Harm 347 10 185 7 126 7 42 1 46 2 24 1 ----- Other (unclassified) 211 _ 6 231 8 75 T 5 i TOTAL I 3519 1111 17191 1 0 0 11.'111111i 2794 100% ' Table 3.2 TOTAL TOTAL. RESCUE UNITS RESCUE UNITS CITY COUISTY NO. OF % OF ALARMS TOTAL 212 347 316 263 10 16 12 NO. OF % OF - AL ARMS TOTAL 137 5 592 23 132 5 305 12 NO. OF % OF AL ARIAS TOTAL 923 7 2041 16 1487 12 1703 13 NO.OF % OF ALARMS, TOTAL. 6122 13 7377 16 3382 7 6104 13 171 8 76 3 428 20 176 8 28 185 1 8 308 12 109 4 611 24 168 7 39 2 143 6 1167 9 485 2959 23 1002 7 179 845 6 6296 13 1691 4 687 1 5789 12 1726 100% 2208 100% 1 2544 100% 12791 100% 47557 100% I .1 I 1111 1" HI 011119111111IIINIIIII!!!rliploll'll 1 1.11111=111111"11111..........""prir I ! 1111"' the high rate of vehicle related rescue incidence south of the Miami River is probably due in part to the lack of an adequate expressway system. Figure 3.2 shows that the number of rescue incidents in 1975 was highest it the Model Cities, downtown and Coconut Grove communities, partial cularly in the four zones immediately northwest of Miami's Central Business District (CBD). Non -Emergency Preventative Programs Not only do firefighter/paramedics provide vital assistance during emergency situations, they have broadened the services the Fire Department can offer the community. The "Help your Heart" program provides hyper- tension screening in conjunction with the Heart Association of Greater Miami at several stations. Blood pressure tests are offered at no cost to the public in an attempt to identify irregularities thct might be symptomatic of more serious ailments. If an irregularity in blood pressure is identified, people are counseled to visit their physician to ascertain the cause of the irregularity and to receive proper medical treatment. Early detection of high blood pressure may offset premature deaths or disabilities since blood pressure irregularities are often controlled through medication. During 1975, more then 7,000 citizens in Miami received blood pressure tests at fire stations, although this is a small number compered to the population over 40 who should be regularly excmined. Another program in which the Fire Department is involved with the Heart Association of Greater Micmi to prevent premature death is the "Citizens Plan for Rescue", where firefighter/paramedics and registered nurses are teamed together to teach Icymen hew to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This program has great life saving potential since the average bystander witnessing a stroke or other accident resulting in the stoppage of breathing may be able to effectively resuscitate a victim until a fully equipped rescue unit arrives with the necessary life support systems. Training and Record Keeping Because of the high number of emergency medical incidents to which rescue paramedics must respond, it is often difficult to find time for in-service training. However, cr Z w • MEW 7. EC— Raft— I1111IU1l qq l !III II IIII 1111111 1 11 A ■ Al !' >• INN s ION s `1URCL; 1975 Dade County 111e Inc dent Reports 1/MILL ft SWISI a o. • `1 51-100; 1 101-150 151-200 201-250 g7liii'1(� 4250 1,1 pH Wloll 1' 1 NI :1 !111IIIII! TIN IIII 111 4 t 4 AIIIOIT A MIAMI IIvt* 21 SI 1s SI COIAI WAY ]l ESNS SLID AVE S DIXIE IIWY IO0UA1 Awl 71 SI 62 SI St St PII :119S 11111 'II II 111111I111°p II • • 20 St S7 11 7f fEi JUIIA fUITII CSWY V(NI►IAN CADS IICIIINSACIII uus(wAr Figure 3. 2. RESCUE INCIDENTS -1975 11111 11'11IlIIrill IIIIItt, 1 PIIIIII 1 II i �P , I 477 NW ♦ ft. N W f f1 NW ♦ St N W f SI NW Si NW I 11 1111011111 al sw I SI SW 1 SI SW 3 SI SW ♦ SI I I 1 a CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT 111 11111 I 2tAIL ES II,1'I1'9ili'1 • aerf huing training is an absolute necessity in a field such cs emergency Medical rescue because of the rapid changes in medical theory and practices. When the life or death of victims lies in the hands of fire fighter/paramedics, it is critical that they be well equipped and trained. In addition to the in-service training done by all firefighter/paramedics, the Rescue Division cooperates with several local institutions of higher learning in training students. The Miami Fire Department provides field observation experiences for senior nursing and medical students of the University of Miami, Florida International University and Barry College. They also offer laboratory sessions for student emergency medical techni- cians from Miami -Dade Community College and in-house rescue training for firefighters from all over the United States and South America. In terms of maintaining rescue records, which are necessary to provide a uniform and detailed account of all emergency medical service calls, two years ago, the City of Micmi Fire Department and other Fire Departments in Dcde County developed the Casualty and Rescue Report, (Figure 3.3) with the cooperation of hospital emergency room personnel and physicians. The Casualty and Rescue Report is currently utilized throughout the County and contains data an the patient's condition, an treatment and medication received in the field and enroute to the hospital. The report provides useful medical information to the hospital's emergency room staff and should probably be attached to a patient's permanent medical file. The following are the recommendations that have been developed for Rescue: i • III ltl'. MI Itu 41.10 ur II 12 •1 1 Al iA 11. Nv III( (t • 0144/1, I It N U 51 . (1(t 111P1wlllll . - -�''` `' (-- --1 1 Oil 1 11 14 11 14 1')t III r(I ". M 11 )It1 55 ('/111t N 1'5 t 1111 I t NMI'1 AINI /N'14tltl *1451 VI 011 V uN A1t1(1V/AI • 11'.111 l 17.N1S', WU A I111Nt: 1,11 L1)INt; PAIN 1t.1.ra INuIt 110 fru ONE I2uNt11t*114 I - 211J1P)I 111I I - 121111rl .1R11,I,I- - 1IN2IJIIP,3PA1 N1 • 4NV5 16 •)tU411 i/ at.LV 1d 451V CI )115CI( 11M1 1 Id 111 Mt N r I'-- 1110 1 al) 1 /11/%14,MI`SSII)N It) IIU51'' 1 Al t:ul)I Y1 S 1JO 101 A I INN 0,111I (0(1: I I) t1Y. 11)5 IJN PI 11' 11 IKC: NIJM I: I _ ri I.J �l 22 21 2.1 25 26 I I•Iw1U I4l 51 VI 1111'+ N(/ III 1 I WA 1.)u'.(t1_:. Mat A111114t. (11 t 110(41. WAIN 1li t111 INt1111141441 INUNL . 2(11tu ,Jo,— 214/4.4' !Alt I _ 12rJ111) .1rJ1111 : h11(1 3R1t )1 ) 44i'1. •11)• NU 4t.1 V — 4SLV ,II 11 1. F 1<G 1'4)(1E 21 28 1g. 111141 Y..1/0 I1(1110V 1:1111. 1.110 ul 0111A IN11114V I I li r 1f 14 15 I l__[1 1 - it, r-I-'lj-'j :19 40 •11 I 1 _LL_I _ 42 41 Hl St:ul. A1: 11(111 t 144 11Mt lit 1 1 /\51 11 111 [_IT by IJl 1i1 62 l., 11/P 1' It MO 111''IIIIIIU s V M��1,T" INC !LIEN 1 A11110ESS INt-Iut N I NIIMMAA 1t 1er (-t111u h1010111 I,A`/ L<JNE L'rT:;1' 3.6_rIrIrT ftrTJ;JT1.JI, ; [Li';I Iu1E u1SPAICI1E11 Ia1NN11 /AI4IIIVLD L L L.L[LLLLftI.JO [ 32 �(,' [.12z, L� [ j i �1 FINE UEPr. PtItStINNEL ONLY PRESLNI' IPtlll(4EN DEAN 39 40 41 42 43 44 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 r-- ---f1E 5t:ut 5E It VICE EXAM 1>,l /AIL, Mc111raI 35 it. 3 / 38 FIRE 1)LPr./PEI4SUNNEL SLt.Olttu PFtuPt It, V CLA•.51FICA1lull NA1114A FIVE 44'44 )1/1 Pot III (11 M111Il (4 111 P.1'I1 /0 1 I 0,1 1 11A1,'. I, 1 1.5 111. r UAl t 2 ARM 1MI .44110L 1 l'. I 51,1111 14 111911 III III 111A t'.i'l lit 1 1Mt I 1 AVL 51.1 NI /1110 VI' 111.1:.1 I NU 1111- [ t,/ /4 11; I Polu.e Number ( ) See Altach0ilent ,lglic.l t1V (1.1 (:I A55 1.1LPF. 1./Nt1 L-- a5 — 41, - 4 / 48 49 50 1:)A EE Ilk M_MENDAT!ONS 1, Establish a comprehensive, ins -house EMS Trcining ?rogrcm with necessary training aids crxi staff to provice continuing education and improvement in the level of emergency mediccl skills, to regularly monitor the level of skills cnd to initiate new orccedures. This prcarcm Nou!d recuire a physical =ccilihy Icrge enough to seat at lecst 25 students with the necesscr. ecuipment ,CPR Manikins, Positive Pressure Oxygen Resuscitators, Ecg Mcsk Unit, Oxygen Cylinders, Intubation Manikins, Telemetry Pcc'kcges, Defibrillator cnd Monitor, Arrhythmia Trainer, Closed Circuit TV Capcbility), and space to estcblish the following skills testing stations: Skills Testing Stations 1. CPR 2. Ventilation and Suctioning Procedures 3. Recognition of Cardicc Arrhythmics A. Drug Thercpy for Ccricc Arrhythmics 5. IV Training 6. Use of Defibrillator cnd Monitor 7. Use of Telemetry 8. Intubation S<iil 9. Pctient Evcluction 10. Trouble Shooting of Equipment Additional staff "gill be needed, including a nursejprcctitiorer with emergency room and tecchir.g experience. Such stcff should develop emergency protocols, test :valuation methods and establish c continuing education progrcm v i?80. The p rocrcm should be directed ir, particuicr toward all raremedics, recuirirg annuci evclucriors in Ell prccticci skills and bi-annual testing of theory cnd prccrical skills. In addition to having responsibility for trcining and overall coordirction of the progrcm, staff would hcndle ccsuclty report review as c control on the duality of patient core. zz re d. It is incumbent upon the Rescue division to provide continuing inihouse education cnd improvement for staff, enabling them to keep abreast of rtnovctions in emergency medical service and better preparing them to accept the increasing responsibilities that the public and the medical profession demand of them. Rescue paramedics cat cs an extension of hospital based physicians, and are often expected to take critical life saving actions on command from the hospital to improve and/Or stabilize a patient's condition. Therefore, their ability to utilize correct, contemporary life support methods depends on their knowledge of modern, acceptable emergency medico) practices. Not only do paramedical skills have to be properly taught, but the skills of paramedics have to be tested and monitored to guarantee uniformity and a high level of efficiency. b. An in-house program may be less costly than programs at local institu- tions of higher learning or medics{ institutes since profit cnd overhead costs are el imirated, and training can be done while personnel are on duty. The physical facilities cnd ecuipment needed would be utilized not only by advanced rescue personnel, but by all firefighters in the Department to improve and monitor their efficiency and effectiveness in providing emergency medical rescue services. 2. Utilizing specially trained rescue cnd sucore<_sion mcnpower, establish an cgaressive :ubl is education crogrcrn to insrruct Micmi resiaents in CPR tecrnicLes arc expend the hvicerrension screening program. The cbiective of this program is to yet more citizens actively involved with preventing premature dectrs or discoilities by e~uipping them with useful knowledge to save lives. The _ardioculmoncry program (CFR) would require three hours of instruction for pduits. After completing the course, these individuals would know how to properly attempt to revive victims of heart attacks, cccidents, cr bred irg stoppages. In terms of h%pertension screening, prcgrcros would be established ct all fire stations ereplinc more citizens to take advantage of oericaic blood pressure checkups. Both of the above program: would be ccordineteci With cnd supoler.:enrea cy prcgrcros crterea cy ire Hecrt Association of Greater Micm i . Since ittepatdble brain damage May occur within 4 to 6 Minutes after stoppage of breathing and then death soon follows, the prompt appl i= cation of CPR techniques by informed citizens can help save hundreds Of lives that are needlessly Icst ecch yecr in Miami. The greater the number of citizens who can perform CPR techniques, the better cre the chances that a person 'Nhose breathing has stopped will receive immediate aid from bystanders until c rescue team arrives. The savira of lives that would 'nave been suddenly and prematurely lost from heart cttccks cnd accidents by prompt application of CPR will help reduce the personal hardships and costs to families unprepared for such emergencies. b, The knowledge by more citizens of their blood pressure problems, the greater the probability that they will seek prompt medical attention and thereby ovoid subsequent serious medical problems. Although blcod pressure irregularities are not necessarily a problem per se, they are oftentimes symptoms cf more serious ailments. e. In the same way that fire prevention is one of the most effective ways of reducing the number of fires in e community, the knowledge by citizens of lire saving information (be it CPR methods or blood pressure dote), the .:eater the chcnces of reducing urexpected cnd premature deaths ar discbling injuries. An cggressive program to prepare cnd inform citizens of potential medical emergencies will enable them to recct more effectively if such cn emergency confronts them. Both fire prevention are the prevention of ;.nnecesscry injury cnd death should be cs much the responsibiiiry or the citizen os of one firefighter. 3. Upgrade *he level cf meaical rescue services at emergencies and cr fires by improving the percmeciccl skills of all combat one rescue personnel, evenruclly requiring valid EMT 1 certification cf oil fire- fighers arc orevidine incentives for cdvancec EMT it certification. There ore several emergercy mediael procedures thar firefighters ore preser,tly urcble rc perform during rescue runs because of a itch cf locd certification in these procedures, including the. following: E� 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 } 1) defibrillation 2) IV's 3) drug application 4) tracheal and bsophagal intubation 5) Most suit applications 6) suctioning procedures and 7) interpretation of life threatening disrhythmias. Fire fighters locking certification in these areas Nould receive training in,. house or at local institutions of higher learning to qualify for State EMI" certification. Reasons: a. In Miomi, the dual role (firefiahter%parcmedic) has proven very effective. It enables uniformed personnel to provide various types of emergency assistance, according to manpower needs. In situations where casualties cre nigh, combat firefighters can be called upon to render medical assistance since many have hod extensive emergency medical experience. In situations where fire danger is high with little life threat, the paramedic is called upon to men firelines and fight fires. The resource this hes created within the Micmi Fire Department was very evident during the Randle -Eastern Ambulance strike in 1976. Two additional rescue vehicles were put into service drawing on qualified, combat firefighters and officers with recent experience in the Rescue Division. On the other bend, during a recent fire on Grand Ave.,firefighters and paramedics worked together to rescue a Fire Officer who was badly burned when he fell through a roof during ventilation procedures. They were all cn the roof cs part cf the fire suppress ion team. b. The ovailepility of qualified paramedical personnel throughout the Department will increase the pool of resources from which the Rescue Division can draw. It will also reauce the possibility of under -manning rescue units due to occasional manpower shortages. Since EMT certification is required by the Stcte to perform specific life support functions in cn emergency, cnd since historically, as many cs 3C% of an engine compony's alarms hove been for rescue incidents, it is incumbent ,upon firefighters to be orecared :nd permitted to administer life support assistance. Oftentimes, fire apparatus are dis- patched to rescue 'ncidenrs when rescue units are busy elsewhere or when a rescue unit is for removed from the scene of an emergency. In cases like ti-ese, the =ireficnter is depended uocn by the public to provide emergency rnecical assistance. The level of this training may determine the life or aecth of the victim. — ■ wool Make more effective use of fire apparatus and firefiahter's cdvcnced ctamedical skills to respond to rescue emergencies. Advanced emergency medical care con be provided w.vhile firefighters cwcit the arrival of c rescue unit by utilizing the existing skills of firefighters with cdvcnced EMT `reining and by equipping some fire cpparctus with telemetry pcckcges, defibrillators, IV's and drugs. Engine companies far removed from rescue units or these responding to a high number of rescue alarms micht oe good candidates for initial implementation of this recommendation. Reasons: a. The decentralization of fire stations throughout Miami enables some fire companies to arrive more rapidly than rescue units to cells for emergency medical assistance. If these fire ccmpcnies consisted of people qualified `o provide c high level of emergency medical service and their apparatus carried more extensive medical e<auioment, life threctenir,g situations could ce controlled until the arrival of c fully equipped rescue company. Since some rescue ccmpcnies ere clrecdy overextending themselves in terms of emergency work end often unable ro effectively train, keep records of emergency incidents crd perform other necessary non - emergency duties, it becomes inc..mbent upon fire ccmbct personnel to assume more emergency mediccl duties. Expand rescue services cs coculction crd the demcnd for rescue cssist- once increcses, ere achieve a maximum 4-minute rescue response time vital to lire saving oceraticns in cl! areas or Micmi. An ccdir'cnci fully -equipped rescue vehicle with :pprcpriare stcff will be needed cr.c should be placed in operation within the next five years. Its location '.vill depend on populcticn distribution cnd the expected demand on Rescue service at that time. Reasons: c. Some rescue units ere presently over.vor<ed in terms of emergency clarms. Moreover, the projected increcse in populcticn end the increcsed publ;c demand for rescue cs:istcrce will mcke it impossible for these oral the ether rescue units to respera effectively, even .vith increcsed ossistcrce by combat forces. kescue 1 in downtown Micmi averages 400 rescue calls per month or about ten to twenty calls per day. An additional 200 calls in rescue 1's territory must be handled by outlying rescue companies. The Downtown Micmi Plan: 1973 to 1985, prepared by Wallace, McHarg, Roberts and Todd, projects an increase in both worker and resident population in downtown Miami, which will seriously tax the downtown rescue unit and make it mandatory to better equalize emergency work- loads. However, even with more eauclizction of emergency work, a sixth rescue will be necessary. During the last eight years, the number of rescue alarms has increased by more than 300%, while Miami's population ircreased only by 11%. As a service improves cnd becomes better known, it is natural for recipients to demand that service more frequently. In addition, the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan projects a net population increase of From 20,000 to 40,000 people durirg the next decode, many of whom will require emergency mediccl services. b. The recently approved 510 million 1976 Fire and Rescue Facilities Bond resulted frcm continued citizen support for the some high level of rescue service to which they are accustomed. 6. Establish c medical equicment research and resource program to evalu- cte ano orcer special equipment, `e.st ana maintain existing special equipment, requisition stock end supply all Fire Department medical supply neecs. It would be the duty of this office to evcluate new products cnd recommend to mcnufccturers •.voys to make emergency medical equip- ment lighter weight cnd more reiicble. As innovative products become available, they would be investigated by 'he Micmi Fire Department cs to their potenticl cpplicotion in rescue functions. An EMS equipment repairman should be assigned to routinely test and repair resuscitators, B/P cuffs, oxygen cylinders cnd valves and other pieces of equipment used doily in life saving operations. Requisitioning, warehousing and issuing of medical supplies would also be the responsibility of this office. octant: A medical resecrch and resource program con help to provide better patient core and equipment at the least cost to the taxpayer. A fresh and fully stocked medical supply and equipment area is necessary to assure_ that rescue units continue to receive supplies regulcrly for routine emergencies. It is clso necessary to have available cdequcte first aid and medical supplies as Ecckup for major catastrophes or unexpected increases in rescue emergencies. Although preventive maintenance and testing are desircble to assure the efficient operction and lancer life of all types of equipment, it is particuleriy critical for rescue equipment utilized in life saving opera- tions. The quick transport and vicorcus use of emergency medical equipment on emergency runs increases the possibility of dcmcgina the equipment cnd making it ineffective or non-c;peratiencl when needed for emergencies. 7. Estcblisn cn exc? crce procrcm for on -site training cf advanced perc- meaicei perscnnei from Micmi with cther outstanding rescue services or professionct , mectc:l :no acrcmecicot orecnizations. It is suggested thct this program include both line cnd ccministrative personnel who wouid ceccme resicent observers of emergency medical practices elsewhere. The program .vcuid Ee simiicr tc the in-house practical education coined nu.r_es cnd paramedics from other orgcni- cations or cities who ccserve Micrni rescue coeretions first hard. Recscns: Since there is ccmperctively Tess documentation of rescue pera- medical practices than is available for other Types of professions, are since verbal communications hcve proved most effective in communicat- ing technology and innovations in Fire service, the on -site cbser etion cnd evaluation cf emergency medical practices elsewhere should result in quicker, more complete transfer of .sefui practices to Miami. Innovative methods utilized in emergency roans and in the field by other paramedics may be incorporated into Miami's rescue operations to reduce the public costs for the service. At the same time, the effectiveness of rescue efforts mcy be improved. Visitor cities should also benefit from such programs since the transfer of technology and innovative ideas from Miami may Help them to improve their own rescue operations. $. Develop the in-house capability to more rapidly retrieve rescue information from company reports and develop a medical emergency information system. Recent electorate approval of the 1976 Fire and Rescue Facilities Bond will allow the Miami Fire Department to acquire the necessary hardware and software to accomplish the above. Reasons: a. Since a Casualty and Rescue Report is reauired for every rescue incident and the number of rescue incidents is increasing by about 12% per year, more efficient management of Beta is critical to provide accurate and timely feedback to Rescue Division staff. Although Dade County has been automating the Casualty and Rescue Report information, it has not been able to prccess the data quickly and provide Miami with useful printouts to make management decisions or to analyze emergency medical work . With the development of an emer- gency medical information system, rescue units might eventually be equipped with cathode-ray tubes to receive vital medical history in- formation about accident or illness victims. A central record of City residents with diabetes, heart conditions, epilepsy and other medical disorders could be maintained with an address and medical treatment file to enable a rescue unit to more quickly and accurately diagnose the emergency and act accordingly. Fon ■i 11■■I ■ TRAINING AND SAFETY f 'TFAINING AND SAFETY VEItVIEW Toddy's firefighter is expected to do more than merely put out fires. Not only must he be proficient in the basic tools of his trade, he must also be knowledgeable in building construction features, fire and building codes, emergency care of the sick or injured, hazardous materials and hazardous work environments. Training is necessary to enable new recruits and uni- formed firefighters to more efficiently handle emergencies. Equally im- portant, training is necessary to increase awareness of work -related dangers and to perform duties with minimum risk to themselves and others. Although the attitudes of new recruits can be molded to a great extent during basic training, the attitudes of seasoned firefighters, whose training has come from years of experience and tradition, change slowly and can often be modified only through continuing education and awareness. As an example, twenty years ago, fire officers throughout the nation actively discouraged the use of breathing apparatus on the grounds that "no man would wear them". Today, however, firefighters everywhere have come to appreciate the need for breathing apparatus in preventing deaths or Injuries from smoke, fumes and other toxic gases encountered during emergencies. Training and safety, therefore, go hand in hand . Fire fighting is a hazardous occupation, and the firefighter is expected to take risks to save others in an unsafe environment. Such hazards would be unacceptable in private industry, but the duties of the occupation mcke it necessary in fire service. In fact, aggressive firefighters sometimes have to be restrained from taking unnecessary risks when the potential pcyoffs are low. Although fire fighting will never become a safe occupation, awareness of what conditions and acts can be controlled to minimize hazards can contribute towards improving a fire department's safety record. This aware- ness is developed through active and continuing training. Except in the fire service, it is not commonly known that fire fighting has the highest mortality rate of all peacetime occupations. Figure 4.1 shows that in 1975, firefighter in -Tine -of -duty deaths were 90 per 100,000 workers, which is about 439'0 higher than the next highest worker category - the mining/quarrying occupation. Firefighters experienced twice as many deaths as police officers and 500%more than JII industries in the private sector. The 1975 mortality rate for firefighters represents a 79/o TRADE MANUFACTURING SERVICE GOVERNMENT ALL INDUSTRIES TRANSPORTATION POLICE AGRICULTURE CONSTRUCTION MINING -QUARRYING FIRE FIGHTING Figure 4.1 ACCIDENTAL WORK DEATHS PER I00,000 WORKERS IN 1975 111h?'!Ioplyqu9Nlpi','II9Pi',9w11!Ip e I liateate aver 197d end these figures do rot include arj ddditldndl 88 fire.. fighter deaths that resulted from occupational disecses, primarily from heart and lung ailments. Laymen are often surprised to learn thct firefighters live nine years less than the average American, and the ratio of decths of firefighters is significantly higher then that of policemen. Frcm 1966 to 1975, fire fighters suffered an cverace of 90 deaths per 100,CCO compared tc 56 deaths for every 100,C00 policemen.( See Figure 4.2) if one doubts thct the nctiorci firefighter's mortality statistics are relative to local conditions, c review of stctistic5 from the Annual Death and Injury Survey conducted by the Professional Firefighters cf Florida will affirm that firefighter decths in Florida closely match those of the nation's aver- age . Three in -line -of --duty deaths were reported in Florida in 1975, which statistically represents 90 deaths per 1C0,000 workers. In addition to the high number cf in -line -of -duty decths, unfortunately .the fire service claims c high number of occupational injuries, which can only be reduced cs scfety becomes more greatly erphcsized in training progrcms. For the past five years, oImcst one out of every two firefighters in Florida had job -related injuries. Locally, respiratory injuries end con- tact with caustic bra toxic substances lead fne list for disabling the fire- fighter. Also, sprain and _train injuries probably cost the local taxpayer more money in meciccl expenses crd last work time than cny other type of fire- fighter injury. The reported time lost in scicries plus associated costs, such cs medical experses, !cw suits, and time lost pecause of related paper work, etc., result in cr estimated overall annual cost to municipal Fire Departments of between 10 :.nd 20 percent of their annual budcet . Without a ceubt, the fire service is an occupction than cut-distcnces ci 1 other peacetime occupations in .^.oth the frecuency c.:nd severity of work- relotea injuries. This fact has been accepted by firefighters throughout the history of professional fire service, from the earliest days of hcnd- pumper criccces to the ^resent. However, +e duality of the trcining program crd the extent tT. which safety is irrecrc;ec into al! aspects of this trcining determine the inciderce of unre.cesscry risks _nc associ- ated injuries. • +L 'co fire fighters 80 60 police 40 1966 1967 1968 Thls graon Illustrates Fire Fignter and Police deaths per 100,000 %arbors. Here it can be clearly Sian that, contrary to a large pro- portion of public opinion, the life hazard attacned to fire fighting is :such lreater than tnat attached to 20i ice work. On :Pe average, from 1966 through ;975 there were ?0 deaths for every 100,000 ;'ire Fighters, compared with 56 deaths for every 100, 000 Poi ice Offioerg, • •••.•:.:4•:.:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:.:•:•:•:.:.:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:.:4•:•:•:•:.:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•:.:.::: :•:.:.:•:••.*:•••:•%:•:•:•:0 • 1969 1970 971 1972 ;973 1974 Figure 4.2 FIRE FIGHTER AND POLICE DEATHS IN LINE OF DUTY PER 100,000 EMPLOYEES — 1966-1975 1975 • • t li htetied fire service training philosophy holds that only through an aggressive, realistic, in-service training prograri, which emphasizes fire safety and prepares firefighters for experiences with which they may not be familiar, mistakes should be lessened cnd injuries should decline, This type of trainira supplements the experience firefighters gain in handling routine fires and provides them with the skills necessary to understand the complexities and dancers of a major conflaarction. PAST EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Although safety -through -training has been significantly emphasized only since 1972, as c result of the establishment of o union/management Safety Committee and the appointment of c full-time Safety Officer, the Miami Fire Department has had an active training program for more than four decades. In 1933-34, the Federal Emergency Relief Agency financed the construc- tion of Miami's five -story Fire Training Tower ct 3700 N.W. 7th Avenue, which contained classroom and office space, interior stairs, fire escapes, standpipes and a partial sprinkler system. Training in the thirties consisted primarily of drills in equipment handling, particularly hose handling, hose layouts and ladder rcisires. Initially, little emphasis was placed an academics. In 1948, members of the Fire Department built a two-story experimental fire building ct the same training site. This structure was constructed of fire resistive material and equipped with thermal couplings and provisions for cpalyina fog streams. ','.'ith the use of this f:cility, much .was learned about the correct application of fog screams for ropie extinguishment with Greatly reduced water ccmcge. The resultant information was pubs isned in the earlier editions of Fire jcurncls, which credited the Miami Fire Department with the experiments. However, the use of this building for training fires had to be discontinued in 1953, because cf objections from neighboring resident_. In 195a, the oui!dira was :iecrec up and was later converted into classroom ora star:ce space. In 1959, an administration and classroom building was added to Miami's troinirg site. This structure proviced on office, resrrcems, locker roams, th Vvetsr and a 82 sedt classroorri. Unfortunately, the additii rt of this sttuctute and the construction of a new, large fire station #6 in 1976 created serious on -site parking problems and restricted use of the site for rflany necessary drillground activities. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The training and safety functions in the Miami Fire Department currently operate somewhat independently although they are closely related now and are expected to become more dependent on each other in the future. Therefore, the activities and responsibilities of these two progrcms will be described separately. A. Training The responsibility for training in the Fire Deportment is delegated to two groups: uniformed personnel have professional responsibility for routine training cnd self-improvement; and the Fire College staff have administra- tive responsibility for bcsic Firemanship treining and in-service training. Ir n terms of the former, firefighter/paramedics are required to drill cnd attend company school for at least eight hours per month. In cddition, rescue personnel are required to train for 90 Hours each year to be certified by the State to work cs parcmed ics . In terms of the Fire Cellece :dministretion, activities can be grouped into three categories as follows: 1. Basic Firemanship Training and Selection. 2. In -Service Training. 3. Recorcing cnd Monitoring of Training Activities. Bask Firemanship Trcining and Selection: Firefighters are properly selected not on the basis of experience but on the basis of physical condition, mechcnical aptirude, personality fcctors, education, literacy, anc ability to leern. Under these conditions, train- ing is essential for effective performance. Cnce recruits pass a standard- ized, objective excminction, which includes some of the ccove-rnentiored rat fntideratic n3, they ore cocepted by the Eire -o►leae for an extensive '4 O.hour trcining progrcm to prepare them for fire service. In cdditioh • to taking courses in Emergency Medical Education and Fire Prevention at Miami Dade Community College or other local institutions of higher learn- ing, they must take twelve unit course pt the Fire College. The Fire College's course incluces Introduction to the Miami Fire Deportment, Fire Aoperctus Recognition and Requirements, Principles of Combustion, tvliror Extinguishment, Forcible Entry, VentiIction, Ropes, Knots and Hitches, Hose Practices, Selvage and Overhaul, Rescue Practices, and Combat Information. During the in-house trcining period, daily evaluctions ore mode of ecch student's progress by Fire College staff and ecch student is pprcis-,d of his cotitude cnd attitude. About midwcy in the course, ecch student is interviewed by the entire Fire College staff, cnd his first five '.veeks of rogress is reviewed in depth. At this time, aetermincricns cre mode as to c person's overall suitcbil ity to fire ser/ice '.vcrk . It is sometimes necessary to terrnir.cte employment ,of some individucls, as not oil persons cre suited to the Fire fighting profession. However, some students mcy also be granted cdditioncl time to increcse their proficiency, if necessary. During the troinirc period, a supervised program of cc►isthenics cnc athletics is ccrri_d out etch ccy ir. cn effort to ;eep t;,e recruit physicolly fit end to reduce the incicence cf injury w.vhile in trcir,irc. The student is ciso given c series of written excminctions, c Tirol excminction, cnd various job reicted performance tests, c!I of which must •ce pcssed satis- fcctorily before cbtair.inc permcnent sratus it the Fire Department. In -Service Training: In addition to selecting cnc trcining new recruits, the Fire College is responsicle For providing bcsic in-service trcining to Firefighters cnd for assisting specialized divisior.s in developing programs tailored to their needs. The in-service trcininc activities consist of the Following mcior elements: Departmental instruction - to teach various programs on firemansnip for al! on-ruty personnel and to develop in- service drills. Company Officer Training - to provide insttuctiom iti specidj Subjects pertinent to fire officers. Testing Program - to prepare, distribute and grade written examinations on firemanship subjects. Driver -Engineer Training - to give a 24-hour course in apparatus handling for driver -engineer candidates. Post Fire Critiques - to conduct critiques of fireground operations of all major fires and emergencies. Visual Aid - to design, construct and prepare models, mock-ups, transparencies, and other special equipment for use in training programs. Rcdiologiccl Monitoring - to train firefighters qualified to be radiological monitors in the use of all radiation survey instruments. Recording and Monitoring of Training Activities: For every Fire College student, firefighter/parcmedic cnd officer, the College crtempts to maintain an up-to-date record on training. Non - emergency work cnd training forms are regularly filled in by officers cnd subsequently keypunched For electronic dcta processing by Cade County's Civision of Technical Services. However, the Fire College Goes not receive statistical summaries of trcining activities from the County as often as it needs to take cction to improve or increase in-service training. Fire College srcff also share responsibility with compcny officers in the supervision of company drills, so as to improve the proficiency of fire companies and to make such drills more meaningful cnd effective. In addition to these three major crecs of responsibility, Fire College staff also attend schools crd seminars to improve training methods, respond to major alarms cnd serve on the Advisory 3ccra of the Community College to assist in developing Fire Science and Fire ,Administration courses. r 5��ety The primary responsibility of the Scfety Program is to minimize injuries resulting From emergency and non -emergency Fire Department activities. It is assumed that fuller understanding of dangers existing in the environ.. rnent and of problems brought into this environment by the people working there is prerequisite to implementing an effective hazard abatement program. Miami's safety program can be broken down into three aerercl components: 1. Engineering Good fire engineering results from gccd eduipmenr specifications and the development of proper safety and health procedures. More than ever before, equipment recuire_rnents for the Micmi Fire Department are ana.- lyzed, researched and developed into specifications to meet the high safety criteria defined by the Department's staff officers. Ccmpcnion operational procedures cre instituted through the rorrncl channels of communication, '.vhich cre followed up through training techniques and enforcement methods. 2. Education As a parr of the continuing, in-service training program mentioned earlier, the Miami firefighter probcbiy receives more education in per- sonal safety practices then many other firefighters. He is rapidly becoming more knowledgeable about this working environment and the hazards it contcins. 3. Enforcement Although management hcs the ultimate responsibility for insuring that good scfety and heclth practices are followed, Micmi's safety program empha- sizes seif-enforcement by incividucl firefighters and decentralizes enforce- ment at the company officer level. Top management enforcement is in- jected ct appropriate times. E At with any ptograri, humati resources are heeded to assute that the above Mentioned activities can be accomplished. Consequently, four years ago, the Miami Fire Department organized a six member Safety Committee and appointed a full-time Safety Officer to implement the Safety Program. The Safety Committee consists of three members from management and three members from the local firefighters union to provide feedback on the problems as they really exist or as the personnel perceive them to exist. Priorities are established by the Committee for all problems brought to its attention, based on their degree of potential to cause death or injury. Possible solutions to the problems are discussed, and 3 recommendation for corrective action, including justification, is sera to the Fire Chief. All minutes of Safety Committee meetings are distributed to each fire station and are required reading ct company schools. The Safety Committee recently worked on updating the portable electrical and lighting equipment carried on all aerials and elevating platforms, on improving the safety design jump sect backrest on all apparatus and on experimenting with cn interior noise abatement package for all apparatus cabs and jump seat areas. High on its priority list are improved warning devices for emergency apparatus, a safer designed cab and jump seat area for future apparatus. Another high priority is the purchase of an innovative breathing apparatus that .vas designed Cy NASA specifically for firefighters. The Safety Officer is a member cf the Fire Chief's staff, and his principal responsibilities involve researching safety and health hazaras and recom- mending abatement procedures and equipment charges. The Safety Officer hcs a principal role in safety education and training but maintains an auxiliary role in enfcrcing safety practices. No attempt is mode to relieve company officers cr firefighters of their individual responsibilities for carrying out good safety practices. The Safety Officer is on 24-hour call to respond to major emergencies, such as multiple fires and flammable liquid spills and any other incident that has the pctenticl to cause serious injury to firefighters and the public. He also has the option ro respond on any emergency at any time or visit any Fire Department facility for safety inspections. The following are the recommendations that have been developed for Training and Scfery: Mik j. Bring together the functions of the safety program and the training division in creating one training cnd scfety aivision with expanded objectives and with the necessary resources to meet those objectives. A position of Chief of ; rcininc cnd Solely is recommended, who would be in charge of the scfety section cnd the training section. The training section would hove direct responsibility for trcining the entire Department to c bcsic level of competency. This would include training new recruits, in-service trcining, monitoring the effectiveness cnd application of training methods, and coordinating, evaluating cnd supervising mandctcry training cctivities. It would have a supportive role for cdvanced trcining of the Rescue Division, the Fire Prevention Bureau and other specialized Divisions by allocat- ing evcilcble resources (cicssroom spcce, oudio-visucl needs, etc.) seeking caditional resources (grcnts, surplus equipment, visiting speakers, exchange pregrcros etc.) cnd assisting where possible in the continuing advanced trcining cf specialized manpower. The scfety section would hove responsibility for new recruit training, in-service training in sgtety equipmert use and maintencnce cnd in creating an attitude of scfety consciousness. It would clsc do bcsic research, testing cnd evaluction cf scfety methods and safety equip- ment for the Fire Suooressicn cnd Rescue Divisions. It would prepare specifications for scfety features on future cpperctus cnd assist officers to evclucte cnd enforce safety practices throughout the Deportment. Both the training cnd scfety sections will hove specialized personnel for specific functions, but these speciclized people will maintain a working knowledge of the functions of the whole division. Reasons: c) The functions of training cnd scfety cre mutucily dependent cnd complimenrcry: scfety, derived through knowledge of how to act in a hazardous environment, should come from trcining rather than from trial and error experiences. Similarly, safety consciousness 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 w 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 w A Idadthg to less rtsk taking should result not ofily pare effective fitefighttng but aIso in less injuries sustained during training for these emergencies (typically one out of every ten injuries are sustained in training for emergencies). b) Although excessive risk taking and disregard for personal safety are oftentimes fostered by social forces and peer pressure within the ranks of fire departments, these forces must be countered by the leadership and training of officers and by better understanding among all firefighters of the hazards involved. Self-discipline among fire- fighters coupled with effective enforcement by superiors should help to improve the Department's safety record. c) The merging of the safety and training functions would permit a more efficient and effective use of resources available to either program without confusing or duplicating their principal responsibilities in Fire Department operations. The Safety Officer would continue to utilize Fire College resources to carry out testing and safety pro- grams. Training would involve more courses and drills pertaining to safety. 2. Build c new training facility within an acceptable traveling distance to all companies, large enoucn to accommodate expansion for additional regional training facilities and bufferea aaeauately tram any non -compatible Ian° uses. The Fire Deportment is currently evaluating several sites in Miami, since construction of the facility is possible through 1976 Fire Facility Bonds. It is also studying the possibility of expanding the physical plant into a regional training facility, with the participation of Miami -Dade Community College end other local fire departments. The principal components of the needed facility include an admini- stration building, a five story drill tower, a flammable liquid tank , c drafting pit, a hose drying tower, a vehicle handling obstacle course and storage -maintenance buildings. A second phase of the facility's development might include a mock-up of e tanker, an air- craft and a ship. Sze Figure 4.3, which is c schematic site plan, showing the layout of such a facility. • • s. >- ...+-� I DRAFT PAO� • • 433` Figure 4.3 • flomable liquid tamnks ' 0 OBSTACLE COURSE grass STORAGE,. - H O SE TOWER, ADMINISTRATION CLASSROOMS PROPOSED TRAINING FACILITY SITE PLAN I"=100' • • s�r Keelsons a) the present training facility is inadequate to satisfy the training requirements of the Fire Department. The principal problem is the lack of space for apparatus testing manuevers and for on -site parking. In addition, the existing fire tower is in poor condition, and facilities are sub -standard for training a modern fire department. b) Since routine experiences do not adequately prepare firefighters to handle unusual situations, one of the most effective and safest methods is through training and the use of simulated fire environ- ments. Firefighters have to learn to work ..ender conditions where heat can sap their energy and the toxic effects from smoke inhalation can incapacitate them. It is preferable that these requirements be understood within a scfe, controlled environment. c) The greater the distance fire companies hove to travel fcr training, the Tess frequent will be the training and the more time they will be out of service, unable to respond to fire emergencies. For these reasons, it is preferable to build the training facility on a centrally located site and possibly to restrict or control the use of smoke through the installation of mechanical equipment. 3. Develop a closed circuit television caeability to improve and increase the training of firefighters, and develop a comprehensive, cn-:oing video training program to better prepare firefighters, rescue cerarrmedics, fire prevention inspectors and others to more effectively accomplish their functions. It is anticipated that such a system would be developed in ?hoses, considering the long term neeas of the Department. Monies for developing this system are available through the 1976 Fire and Rescue Facilities Bond. Contacts are currently being made with the Police Department, Beard of Public Instruction and local institutions of higher learning to icentify areas of potential coordination and to learn from prior local efforts in this fiela. Reasons: a) Closed circuit television has proved itself to be cn effective, economical training method to increase the knowledge and skills 116 : f lrefightets without requiring them td frecuehtiy commute to a dertralized site for instruction. It can assist in providing the quality and quantity of sophisticated trcining necessary in today's fire service in such specialized fields cs fire cedes, building construction features, emergency medical training, chemical and hazardous materials, electrical hazards, pump operations and hydraulics. All firefighter/paramedics wculd be gucrcnteee c uniform, comprehensive training program. More in-service training can be accomplished without leaving the fire station, thus limiting the possibility of vehicular accidents or breakdcwns en route to the trcining center and cssuring that fire- fighter/paramedic=ompanies remain in service cs much as pcssible. The schedulira of schools can be better planned by company officers and more prcductive use of non -emergency time for trcining should result. If video cassette recorders are also cvaiicble to the Fire College and some stations, fire personnel will be able to learn at their own pcce arc repeat special courses in preparing For prcmotion- cl or certificction exams. Closed circuit televisicns ccn help improve communications between the administrative stcff cnd firefighters Icccted at individual fire stctions, thus reducing the pcssibilit', of misinterpretation through successive ores communications. With the increased visibility of top fire ccministrators, Tess confusion should exist cbcut the origin cnd intent of majcr mancgement decisions. The trcining stcff wouid be able to view their own perfcrmcnce crd improve their teaching skills for Future programs. Mcreever, they would not be required to orally repeat the same course several times for each bcrtciion station. . Develop, administer and monitor c health services program For all uniformed personnel consisting of cl physical fitness and nutrition proarcm anti, b) oerioaic comprehensive medical examinations. Many of the injuries that occur in fire service - strains, sprcins, and even hecrt attacks - result From poor pnysiccl corcition due to bad habits cnd lack of adequate exercise geared to the needs of firefighters. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1R 1111 1 1 111 1 1 1� s As a don3equende, the heavy dettiarnds encountered hi !tattling and fire fighting exercises occasionally cause serious disabilities and prevent firefighters from effectively performing the functions for which they were hired. Disregarding the human misery involved, the number of man hours lost and the amount of money expended for compensation and/or rehabilitation of these firefighters is staggering. From a purely economic point of view, it is only logical that c way be found to reduce high disability rates. It has been proven many times that a consistent physical fitness progrcm, which includes exercises to increase flexibility, strength and endurance, will greatly reduce the incidence of permanent and temporary disability. The rehabilitation time required is also re- duced. However, before o physical fitness progrcm can be initiated, a complete medical examination and history should be taken, espe- cially for those over thirty years of cge. The responsibility for health protection and physical fitness should lie equally with the employer and the indivicuai firefighter/para- medic. The employer should provide exercise equipment, encourage- ment cnd periodic mediccl screening. The firefighter should be required to maintain a minimum acceptable level of fitness. The prospective firefighter should 5e inforrred during the pre -employment interview that maintaining physical fitness is cr.e of the requirements of the job and that c strict in-service program will to followed. In addition, he should be awcre that his physical fitness will be tested periodically and that statistics •.v i 11 be kept and published. These records will be necessary to improve, update cnd justify the program, as well cs to provide feedback to the participants. Because of the scope cnd implications of this program, a gradual but aggressive implementation will be required. The following actions are suggested: a) Determine minimum realistic medical and physical fitness standards for all prospective crd currently employed fire- fighters. The minimum standards should be tailored to the job required to ce perfommea, not to the cge and or conditions of the indivicucl firefighter. This mcy result in different minimum standards for various jobs performed throughout the 118 • • to Depdttment fat wh ieh a pettar i physically bid Medically qualified. b) provide fora complete pre -employment and, therecfter periodic comprehensive medical evaluations. Many of the routine medical examination procedures, like blood sampling, blood pressure testing, EKG monitcrina and ether tests, can be done by Rescue Division paramedics, and the results can be given to o qualified physician for interpretation and additional testing. This would reduce many cf the overhead costs and make such a program more economically feasible. Set up cnd coordinate a mandatory in-service physiccl fitness program. This program should combine exercises For flexibility, strength cnd endurance. The exercises should be able to be performed in a group without dependerce upon sophisticated equipment. An example would be a combination of stretching exercises, colesthenics cnd jumping rope or running in place. .d) Develop a healthier in-service eating program, including suggested menus cnd recipes. A list of foods snowing their caloric, carbohydrate, fat cnd protein content should be posted in the dining tree cf ecch fire facility to make fire- fighters more cwcre of food content cnd to enable them to calculate food intake according to individual height, weight, age and activity. e) Record, publish and cistribute the various statistics gathered in this program to provide the necessary feecback to participants. Reasons: c) The better the health and physical conditions of fire and rescue personnel, the fewer the chances that injuries will occur while on duty (in oath emergency cr non -emergency situations). Moreover, fire and rescue personnel will be able to perform their functions more effectively. leKr— i=REit — ti 1078 there were 51,i15 firefighter injuries in the U,S., 5% of which were sustained at the scene of the fire. The other 25% of the injuries occurred during training operations in responding to a fire or false alarms and in other station accidents. More than 14.00 of these injuries were reported by Ioccl firefighter unions in Florida. Figure 4.4 shows that sprcins cnd strains outrank cl I other causes of injuries sustained at a fire both nationally cnd locally. Almost one out of every three injuries in Florida were due to sprcins and strains, many of which might have been avoided if firefighters were in better physical condition. b) Also, early detection of job -related physical ailments could result in corrective or rehabilitative action, which would ultimately reduce the public cost of partial or complete discbility. Under the Occu- pational Safety cnd Health Act (OSHA), industrial workers who are exposed to respirctory hazards must be monitored for the effects of those hazords, although procedures for monitoring ore not always established. Similarly, regulcr medical checkups should be done for firefighters who are exposed to respiratory hazcrds or who may en- counter hecrt disease (which together account for the majority of non -fire deaths and permanent discbilities among firefighters). Develop and administer •c comprehensive occident investigation program to provice aata for cc:icenr prevention within the 'tire Department. A detailed record of ail reported on -duty cccidents should be main- tained to help identify conditions and/or acts that cause accidents, cs well cs ro hove acourcte dctc For legal claims mode agcinst the City. This data should be automated, analyzed regularly cnd correlcted with date from other fire departments to develop better safeguards against losses from injuries or accidents cnd to dissemincte the findings among all fire service personnel. Job safety and equip- ment safety analysis should be cart of the Safety Officer's principal responsibilities, and the selection of operations cr materiels far analysis should be based on the frequency of cccidents, the severity of injuries and the potential for re-occuring serious accidents. OVER —EXERTION ''rll Imo! E AT EXHAUSTION gum INHALATION OF TOXIC GASES immoismi 111111.11m BURNS CUTS STRAINS & SPRAINS OTHER IlllllllIIlllllliI 1111111.11.10111111 11111111/111t111111t11fitlltt 111l l l l l l l 111111111111111111111111111111111111111; IUIUIIIlluul11l111i11111111i1111 Figure 4.4 PERCENTAGE OF FIREFIGHTER INJURIES REPORTED IN U.S. AND FLORIDA, 1975 SOURCE OF DATA : PFFF LOCAL UNIONS AND FIRE ADMINIETPIAT1ON REPORTS 1/1 3.6 ale 2.9261e a.3ele 2.40610 2616 10.2261e 12. 2010 2.152010 „9 oIe '16.6961e 29.9eib 31.39010 23.4oib 26.07010 Reditaht: d) A scientifically sound and proven method for reducing injuries sustained in private industry is the use of accident prevention analysis which should be applied to identify the ccuses or conditions that lead to accidents in fire service. Good data pertaining to post injuries and equipment damage is a prerequisite for good analysis. b) The reduction of in-service accidents would result in significant cost savings to the City, since the number of claims or suits filed against the City would decrease and the time -loss costs would be limited. However, an effective accident prevention program depends both on aggressive scfety training and on continuous enforcement of safety practices by fire cfficers. 6. Comply with existing safety and health regulations, and anticipate future federal and stcte legislation in providing safer eauipment and safe environments for firefighters. As a minimum, scfety equipment for the next decade should include the following, if products appear on the market which are properly designed and economically reasonable: a. New helmets with eye shields that meet the NBS/NFPA standards for every firefighter. b. Flame -resistant turnout clothing, designed to the proposed NASA standards to be released in 1980 for every firefighter. High Rise escape harnesses and rope kits for every firefighter. d. NASA designed, pressure—:lemand, air breathing apparatus and individually fitted focepieces for every firefighter. e. Properly designed compartments on fire apparatus for breathing apparatus storage. f. Flame -resistant gloves For every firefighter. Lear -Siegler or equal communications system. 122 71 x a Fire apparatus design and construction to cI (ow for sdfet transport of personnel to destination. Monies from the recently approved 1976 Fire and Rescue FccilitieS Bond should be utilized to better equip firefighters with some of the above equipment. Reasons: a) If the City begins to comply with existing cnd anticipated regulations, the future financial impact will be reduced, since the costs will be spread out over a period of several years. with the advent of addition- al Federal and State legislation and the intervention of organized Icbor and the Occupational Scfety and Health Administration into the field of safety one health, those political jurisdictions that have neglected to accept what is in the making cnd to plan for its smooth and orderly implementation, will bring a costly burden to their citizens in large, intolerable chunks. b) Commitments by the National Fire Prevention cnd Control Administra- tion, the National aeronautics and Space Administration and various other Federci agencies hove clrecdy begun to cccelerate innovative fire service equipment resigns and dote collection cnd dissemination techniques in preparation for the coming technological transfer from other disciplines into the fire service. To be in c position to utilize the technology whicn will be mode cvai!cbie, the fire service must develop a responsible oral professional attitude of acceptance. c) However, the most important reason is that the Miami Fire Department will be able to provide 'better protection and safer environments to firefighters, thus re_ducira potentially hicn eiscbiliry losses. The fire fighting environment is fertile grourd for injuries that may result in disabilities and death to firefighters if better safety equipment is not utilized. Serious eye injuries can result from physical crd chemical agents, including flying gloss, airborne dirt, falling plcster, splashing chemicals, melting metals and the impact of flying particles generated by specialized cutting tools. Lung damage can result from toxic gas inhalation or from excessive amounts of 'near and smoke. Hands can be burned and cut easily in teadhing out through dark, smoky envir_rrtterits. Lack of communica' tiatit with firefighters working inside a building can easily result in a failure to supply necessary oxygen or assistance from other firefighters. Even before they arrive on the fireground, firefighters are being killed dnd injured, simply by responding to alcrms on fire apparatus. Fire truck design is essentially the same as it was 20 years cgo, although traffic conditions have changed considerably. Firefighters standing on the outside steps of a truck can be shaken off by impacts, swerves and skids. Although ri.iing on the rear step is safer than riding on the side, a vehicle following too close to the fire apparatus could crash into the rear riders if the fire apparatus had to stop suddenly. ,Moreover, rocks and missiles have been thrown at firefighters responding to an emer- gency. All of these dcngerous conditions contribute to the hich death cnd disability rate of firefighters. However, the timely expenditure on safety equipment to minimize unnecessary accidents is a sound financial investment. A 30-year old firefighter, permcnentiy disabled as the result of a duty injury, could cost the City as much money in medical expenses within the first few years of disability cs it would cost the City to supply the entire deportment with screty equipment. Discbility payments cnd replacement mcnoower can possibly exceed rhis amount. A licbiiity suit, i f cwarded against the City for rot providing the proper equipment and/or training for the injured employee could exceed all the costs above. Experience in other municipalities beers this cut. iF= •V V V CHARTER V COMMUNICATIONS .rw EL_ A rapid and effective communications system is mandatory fot emergency fire and rescue operations. Because of the unusual conditions, calls from those needing assistance in an emergency are usually excited. Infor- mation supplied by emotional people is not always accurate, and incorrect addresses may be reported, which lead to confusion and delay. Similarly, voice communications between fire dispatchers and responding units may not be clear and may need to be repeated several times for complete under- standing. Essentially, two components are required for a modern emergency communi- cations system: 1) A rapid, effective system of communications between fire/rescue operating units and 2) A city-wide communications network for reporting fires or accidents. The link between these two systems is the fire alarm office which receives alarms from the public and dispatches the necessary fire or rescue apparatus to satisfy the emergency need. With regard to the first component - communications between operating units - the alarm office must be able to communicate rapidly with fire or rescue companies and with fire administrators. The communications system must also permit verbal messages between firefighters on the scene of an emergency. Communications should be possible with neighboring fire departments, with utility companies, hospitals and other federal, State or County resource agencies. For these various purposes, several modes of communications are utilized, including radio, telephone and telegraphic transmittals. The second component - provisions of means whereby a fire may be reported to the Fire Department - involves four principal methods. Commercial exchange telephone is the most commonly utilized method of notifying the Fire Department of a fire or accident, due to the general availability of telephones in homes and businesses. The second most popular method is the emergency telephone alarm box, of which there are 500 located throughout Miami. If commercial telephones are not operating or not availcble, • pd'tieulatly in low income deeds, the emergency telephone alarm box is d sure Meant of cotritnunications, which enables fire alarm personnel to irnme'h diately verify the location of a cell . The third method involves "silent alarms", i.e., automatic fire alarm systems triggered by the presence of smoke or heat. The automatic fire alarm is sourded in company headquarters and then hot -line -relayed to the Fire Alarm Office. The last method of notifying the Fire Department of an emergency is by personal relay - an individual gces directly to a fire station to report a fire. Since a breakdown or delcy in communications may result in the loss of precious time, communications specialists must constantly be on the lookout for more rapid, dependable methods of receiving alarms and dispatching units. The computer -aided dispatch emergency alarm system is a recent technological innovation which offers this potential . PAST EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS In 1908, the City of Micmi installed its first fire alarm reporting system, consisting of 14 Gamewell fire alarm boxes, which were located throughout the main business district of Micmi. This system .vas maintained by the Electrical Division of the Property Maintenance Department ct a consider- able cost to the taxpayers. In 194e, it wcs rehcbilitated end exterded in- to crecs of the City not covered by the system, pursuant to a recommenda- tion by the National cord of Fire Underwriters. In 1953, Micmi's Gamewell system wcs replaced by the nation's first emergency telephone system. This system's implementation hcd ver, dramatic effects, of which reduction in the number of false alarms was the most notable. The first year the system was in service, false alarm calls dropped from 65°'0 of all calls received on the old system to approximately 8% of all calls received on the new system. The new system also provided the public with a mecns ,f obtaining cdditional services, such as police or wrecker towing service. In 1961, a selective routing button was also added to the emergency telephone system, providing City employees with a method to make inter -Department cc?Is. In 1954, the Communications Department installed c complete teletype net- work, which reduced the burden on Fire Department radio frequencies and ptotiided a positive means of handling routine depattrhent afficidi rmettagese The teletype also complied with the Fire Underwrite& requirements of having a second, separate means of receiving alarms at fire stations. In 1957, the Fire Operations Information Center FOIC) was created, utilizing 24-hour combat personnel. Space was provided in the Communi- cations Deportment for its office. The FOIC's initial purpose was to provide information to the public and to maintain an accurate file on major build- ings in the City. During this period, a second radio frequency was added, which wcs used to transmit combat information to the District Chiefs on the scene of a fire. In 1960, two channel radios were installed on all apparatus, and the base transmitter wcs placed in the FOIC. This provided the Fire Department with three frequencies, which were designated A Channel -Dispatch, B Channel - Combat Information and C Channel -Administrative. The addition of B Chan- nel radios on all apparatus provided c means of keeping the dispatch fre- quency (A Channel) free for dispctc l of additional assignments and provided tactical support for Firegrcund operations. In 1966, a 4th racio frequency was approved by the FCC to transmit electrocordiocrcch rescue information to hospitals, aithcuch it wcs not utilized until 1967, after aeveiopment cf rescue telemetry packages. Telemetry equipment had re be designed and built ct the Communications Shop since the concept wcs new and products were rot cvailcble on the market. In 1969, Hcrdy Talkie rccios were issued to combat cnd staff units which provided the Command Center with on-rhe-soot evaluations of fire spread and of conditions encountered at the fire scene. 'Mtn this type of informa- tion availcbie, the Chief Officer in Command become a more efficient end effective commander, because of the vast amount of information he was able to obtain direct from the fire scene. In 197A, the Fire Deportment formed c Division of Communications, headed by c Communications Officer w.vith supervisory responsibility for the FDIC. The primary function :f this Division was to budget for and provide the communicctions neecs of the Deportment. In 1075, d fifth ftei uettcy was added to the Fire cal rhunicdtibnis flow rk, which was designated D Channel and utilized for rescue dispatch. The addition of this frequency met FCC and ISO requirements and provided relief for the A Channel -Fire Dispatch, which was overcrowded due to the vast number of rescue type alarms. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The City of Miami Fire Alarm Office is currently a division of the Comru= nications Department, located at 65 S. W. 1st Street in a building construc- ted of fire resistcnt materials. The Fire Operations Information Center (FOIC) occupies an office adjacent to the Alcrm Office. The staff of the FOIC cre 24 hour, uniformed Fire Deportment personnel. Since the Micmi Modern Police Depertment operates its own communications system, the Alcrm Office in the Communications Department is responsible almost totclly for receiving fire and rescue emergency calls cnd for dispatch- ing the apparatus, cccording to a specifically defined schedule of dispatch procedures. Personnel in the Alarm Office work three, 8-hour shifts and report to a Communications Department supervisor. On an average, about 90% of the alarms that ore reported to the Alarm Office cre received by commercial exchange telephones. The remcining 109'0 of the alarms come in from the 500 emergency telephone ,alarm Boxes Icccted throughout the City and from "silent" olerms or cutcmctic fire detection devices vic company switchboards. At least one Spanish-speaking person is alwcys avcilable in the Alarm Office to receive emergency cells from Spanish -specking City residents. The actions taken by Alarm Office operators in receiving calls, screening them, identifying dispatch zones, aispctching units and reporting alarms by teletype cre shown in the lower half of Figure 5. 1 . The location of dispatch zones, the determinction of apparatus availability and the dispatching of units cre all manual procedures, which increase response time and occasion- ally result in humcn errors. The Iccction of major Emergency Telephone Alarm Boxes is discicyea on a lcrce illuminated screen in the Alcrm Office. Fire Dispatchers mcnuclly place assignment cards ',:representing apparatus) according to their in-service or cut -of -service status. 1 FIRE OPERATIONS INFORMATION CENTER CMI ur selected stations lraining activities, hydrants out of scrvicc,nutices,news,memos Other fire and city personnel, Water and Sewer Authorily,FFL and other federal, slate,county or private agencies 1 Telephone C t 1 Call box J� ( Silent Alarm Other source FIRE ALARM OFFICE 1111, ; ,��, ,, l ^Ili , d 1ud11 •urr t lii I �Ei li Rf�l1l, ( Fire Chiefs Office ) Fire Communications Officer Operator; responds to alarm, screens call and decides on appropriate action • Fire call -Fire operator determines dispatch zone and unit assignments. Units verbally dispatched and notified via teletype. 1 Fire Unit on the scene Other statetlocalor federal agencies Requests fur mutual aid Multiple alarms 1 1 1 1 Needless call,, informational,etc. Rescue call - Rescue oper- ator determines dispatch zone and unit assignments. Units verbally dispatched' and notified via teletype. Rescue Unit on the scene ' "'TY MI"... FI..'" RE.._UE —"ER—ICY -)MrIIC _ 3N ii�� it � i i lit I 9 I� i1 l I� II A it ll ll I �!� I � i 3 I � Ili I�� PR � IR � III A 9 I i lli 11 11� 1 ;�';;;11,;;;;11191'11111IIIpIR1rIll ql I IIII�I II IIl�lii Se rote frog the Alarrn Office is the Fire Operations Informdtiort Center (FOIC). It is manned by at least one (and sometimes two) Fire Department people . Primati ly the FOIC acts as the link between the Alarm Office, fire and rescue operating units, fire administration and other resource agencies. The functions of the FOIC can be grouped into emergency cctivities and non -emergency activities. In terms of emergency activities, the FOIC monitors emergency calls and dispatching procedures of the Alarm Office. This is to assure that proper dispatching procedures are maintained cnd to devise new procedures, as necessary, for situations not covered by routine dispatching procedures. In addition, FOIC personnel communicate emergency information to res- ponding units and to fire officers ct the scene of an emergency. According to the magnitude cnd type of emergency, officers in command may call the FOIC for adaitional Fire or rescue units for mutual aid from a nearby Fire Department or for special resources from Federcl, State or C. unty agencies (like helicopters or boats). During major emergencies, the FOIC may re- quest assistance from the Communications Officer to help in the FDIC operations. In terms of non -emergency cctivities, the FOIC receives citizen complaints and relays informction to the proper person or agency. Citizen requests for non -emergency information rncy ciso be handled by the FOIC or transferred to proper officials. Each day the FOIC transmits information via teletype and telephone to the various fire stations cnd administrative divisions, pertaining to importcnt notices, news, lists of hydrants out of service and special training information. The "911" Emergency Reporting System The American Telephone and Telegraph Company (Bell Telephone) has suggested the use of "911" as c universal emergency number by '.which people throughout the country con dial for assistance or report any type of emergency without using a coin. Although the "911" system has been supported by local officials, the system is not yet ocerationai. Southern Sell proposes that the nLmcer terminate in several communication -process- ing centers in Dade County. The City of Miami has indicate° ro Southern Bell that it wants all "911" calls originated witnin City limits to be cnan- neled to c City communications center. This will enable the City to VW 4/' - tedelve emergency calls without delay, and to dispatch the appropriate fire, rescue or police units necessary. The public must be made cwcre that the "911" system is primarily for emergency use to avoid overloading the system. Specific procedures for the immediate transfer of cire or rescue calls to Fire Deportment dispatchers have not been defined Nithin City communication operations, but other jurisdictions' experience Nith "911" nos proven that police -oriented dispatchers are unable to efficiently handle fire and rescue alarms. The following are the recommendations that have been developed for Communications: " • • • 5 I 5 • • • •• • MMaNbATI NS 1, In supporting the "911" emergenay�informafion telephone system, the City should continue to insist that all City -initiated calls terminate at a City Communications Center. As part of the development of the Modern Miami Police Department, a sophisticated communications system was recently installed, which was designed to interface with the "911" system. Southern Bell has informed the City that no major technical problems exist in channeling all "911" calls within the City's jurisdiction to a Miami -based central communications center. Reasons c) The smaller the geographic area, the easier it is for operators cnd dispatchers to identify addresses and to dispatch or move up units accordingly. This argument becomes particularly critical when computers are not operating. If operators and dispatchers ore re- sponsible for larger areas and must adhere to varying dispatch policies, it is doubtful that they would be cble to perform their duties cs efficiently. b) The Modern Micmi Police Department hcs clrecdy mode a substantial investment in hardware and software resources to receive all "911" calls in Miami. c) Citizens in Micmi take pride that their Fire and Police Departments are able to respond more quickly to emergencies than most other local Fire or Police Departments in Code County. Any delay in emergency com- munications caused by the loss of City control over these operations, would not be acceptable since City taxpayers demand c more efficient service than mcny other local government units are able to provide. 2. Develop c computer -aided emergency dispatch/field support system to more efficiently cisperch fire aria rescue units ono to transmit appro- priate tcc;ical or meaiccl Clete to mobile units. NW- n es MOniet have been identified in the recently appi-bved, 1976 Fire dhd Rescue Facilities Bond for this purpose. Although the Police Depart.a ment is installing the necessary equipment to receive all "911" calls, fire and rescue alarms would be immediately transferred to Fire Depart.. ment dispatchers. Aided by computers, these fire dispatchers would, notify the appropriate companies and move up units according to Departmental procedures. This recommendation might involve the establishment of a division head position to administer this section as well as odditional, specially trained personnel to operate the hardware. Specifically, the system would be able to do the following functions as a minimum: 1. Verify the cddress of a call for service. 2. Display apparatus cssianments and units available to respond according to the type of emergency. 3. Dispatch and move up appropriate unit (s). 4. Transmit medico!, property and toctical datc stored in the computer to mobile units. 5. Monitor unit activity en route to an emergency and upon arrival. 6. Provide stotisticol summaries of emergency activities to Fire Adm inistrators . The software required for c cc.mputer-aided emergency dispatch/field support system includes the establishment of c zone -street index file and appropricte dispatch ossignments for vcrious types (and zones) of fire and rescue incidents. In cddition, curomated information files must be developed for builainas, special hczards, tactical data and special medical history informction that ccn be transmitted to respond- ing units to help firefighter/paramedic personnel ct the scene of emergencies. At the present time, the Fire Prevention Burecu manually maintains a record of thousands of properties in the City. Files include information on hazardous building features, location of dangerous sub- stances, previous fire incidents, Fire Code violations, materials of construction cnd other pertinent data which, if outomoted, could be recdily accessed cnd relcyed o the Officer -in -Charge via radio or teleprinter. With this up -to -acre information immediately available, the Officer-in-Chcrge ct the Fireground could more effectively deploy firefighter resources. 11111,111111111,10111iIIIIIINIIII9H111111111!!Illil 1111111'11 1r tik Ilb cd) The use of computers in dispatching procedures will reduce the time required under manual procedures and minimize human errors. Addresses will be verified in a matter of seconds before assignments are made, and field support data will be accessed and transmitted to arriving units. In such a way, there will be less rushing around and fumbling with data that the ccmputer can handle much more efficiently and accurately. b) The use of computers to assist in dispatching units may eventually re- quire Tess staff in the alarm office, thereby reducing operating costs. Currently there is one dispatcher for fire units and one dispatcher for rescue units, in addition to the telephone operator. c) The ability to have immediate information on apparatus status, even during peck dernard periods, permits the efficient dispatch of neces- sary apparatus with less chance of human error. This capability is extremely important, because of the projected increase in alarms, particularly rescue alarms, over the next decade. 3. Brina the Alarm Office personnel under the direct control of the Fire Department in ;he necr future r.1-2yearsi. This recommenactien .voula involve the rrcnsfer of emergency operators, relief operators crd their supervisor, who are currently assigned to the Communications Department. It is also proposed that the Fire Depart- ment have airect ccntroi ever the selection, training and scheduling of the Alarm Office Staff. Reasons: a) Since the Fire Department will be developing a computer dispatch capability and coordinating its "911" cells with the Police Depart- ment, it is critical that operators and dispatchers are able to respond to Fire Department reds. Since the deployment of Fire Department resources for emergencies is contingent upon the effective screening of calls and dispatching of Opt by the Alarm Office, the qualifications of Alarm Office personnel and their appreciation of Fire Department operations may contribute towards reducing the number of unnecessary runs and provide an overall, more efficient Fire service. Personnel would also be more specially trained in Fire Department communi- cations and dispatching procedures. CHAPTER VI WATER SUPPLY AND APPARATUS MAINTENANCE „,111II'11d94g1'li1U91'II11 11 Ir1'' 1 r 1IIIIIIII1I1'IIIIP1'11111111u11,11'I uumIg�1e'!n1n�"""717427717111 I 1111111 lIIII 011110 pI111IIIII III WATER SUPPLY AND APPARATUS MAINTENANCE OVERVIEW two of the most important supportive elements in fire service are water supply and apparatus maintenance. The location and condition of hydrants and the adequacy of water flow from hydrants in various parts of Miami are critical to fire protection; without water, most fires would rage uncontroll- ed. Similarly, the dependability and good condition of apparatus is funda- mental to effective fire fighting operations, particularly pumpers, which must substantially increase hydrant water flow pressure to higher pressures for fire fighting purposes. Aerials, rescues and special support apparatus also require scheduled maintenance and repair. The Insurance Service Officer regularly evalu- ates the water distribution system, water flow and apparatus condition in determining a grade for rates. Although uncontrolled fire catastrophies similar to those that destroyed entire cities around the turn of the century are no longer feared today, fire departments must nevertheless be prepared to fight major conflagra- tions. It is essential that they have equipment capable of enduring many hours of strenuous demands and obtain water in sufficient volume to ex- tinguish multiple alarm fires. As an example, in March 1976, the Avon- dale Hotel fire in downtown Micmi required more than half a dozen engine apparatus which operated continuously under strain for three hours. Engine apparatus at the scene pumped more than a million gallons of water before the fire was brought under control. All totalled, about three percent of the average volume of water utilized daily by the entire City of Miami was pumped through fire eryines and converted into a higher pressure to control this major building fire. In addition, five ladder companies, several support apparatus and several rescue vehicles were needed, all of which had to be in good operating condition to be useful at the Avondale fire. Although the Fire Deportment had direct control over water supply when the City of Miami operated its own Department of Water and Sewers, the Fire Department has maintained good relations with the Miami -Dade Water and Sewer Authority. The Fire Department Garage has been a division in the Department for several decades under the control and supervision of the Fire Chief's Office, igh PAST EFf CRTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Witter Supply The origin and expansion of Miami's water supply system closely parallels the incorporation and development of the City of Miami. The spatial distribution of people and their structures determine the need for water for both domestic and fire fighting purposes. w PO Or P1 In 1896, the year that the City of Miami was incorporated as a municipal ity, the first well was drilled and the first water system was created for domestic and fire needs (consisting of o small pipe to serve Miami's first tourist mecca - the Royal Palm Hotel, in the present Dupont Plaza area ). The original incorporated land area of the City consisted of 2.1 square miles or 6 percent of Miami's current 34 square mile area. (See Figure 6.1) By the turn of the century when Miami totalled little more than 1600 citizens, o pumping station had already been built along the Miami River. The water system had been extended into the Fort Dallas pert of downtown Miami and wells were being drilled in the area of Jackson Memorial Hospital. In 1909, the Miami Water Company was created, and construction of a separate high pressure fire main system was initiated in downtown Miami. The first portion of this system consisted of a main running for only a few blocks in Miami's central business district. As downtown Miami grew in area and increased in property values, various improvements were mode to the system. By 1924, the demands cf the growing boomtime population lowered the water level in the City .yells to the point where sea water from Biscayne Bay crept in and requirea many people to use bottled water. `A'hile the Miami Water Company continued functioning, City officials became concerned with the quality of the water arc decided to purchase 134 acres of land for a well field in the present City of Micmi Spriggs, plus c site for c water scftening plant located in the future City of Hialeah. However, the brackish water continued to supply the high pressure fire mcin system in downtown Miami, since there was an cburdant supply from City wells, arc potable water was unnecessary for fire fignting purposes. 3y 1924, there were already 376 fire hydrants in service, most in the central business district. 110•••••• ORIGINAL CITY —1896 ANNEXED 1913 ANNEXED 1925 ANNEXED 1949 DISANNEXATIONS "•:::::::. r . • " : • : • ** • : • 7 : • • : • : • : • : • : • : • : • . • 1 • • • • • • . • • • • • • .0 • • • •• • •Almr.•••••• • • • •••11416..... • 11•••••••••••••••• amuammu.•••••••• •ALAI, .11,•••••••••• •••• • •b-aam. • 414.••• ih.,•.•••••• /b./. 41•4•4• • m m •••••••••• • • /ma.... m-m-mum 46.•••••••••••••• •44•11.4•41m • •••••m••• %MAX. • ASZt. Figure 6.1 CITY OF MIAMI ANNEXATIONS AND DISANNEXATIONS • • • • ••••••.: • • • • • j‘• • ... • '.."0.,,,•••• • " • - .• =IF • IM •=1 11. The following year, lvliami annexed 36 odditionol so,udre miles 0f lurid area, much of which was sparsely developed or not developed at all. As a result, it wcs unfeasible and unnecessary to immediately extend water mains into the entire territory. Instead, the Fire Division began installing six and eight inch wells in outlying settlements which were used exclusive.. ly for fire fighting purposes. The wells served the same purposes cs fire hydrants. In many cases, they were more efficient since there was an ample supply of water. Approximately 110 cf these wells were placed in service in 1926. During the following fifteen years, as City -annexed lands became urbani- zed cnd surrounding municipclities continued to develop, the water supply system was extended into these areas and new well fields were established. In 1941, the City of Miami bought the Miami Water Company from the Florida Power & Light Compcny for approximately 5 million, dollars cnd the Florida Legislature created the Water and Sewer Board of the City of Miami. Because of the previous extensions cf the Miomi 'Neter Company, the City of Micmi's system embraced Coral Gcbies, Hialeah, Miami Beach and other smaller municipalities. The value of ''roving seFcrcte water systems it downtown Miami diminished cs the number of Nigh -rise buildings ircrecsed in the business district. The domestic mains in this district were originally too small to provide cn adequate water supply for fire protection. However, cs the C,.ity's Water Department improved its ability to supply potable water ono ircrecsed the capacity of its water r:,cin system downtown, it became feasible to dis- continue the use of 'brackish water in -he nigh pressure system. In 1969, the two water systems were combinec. In April 1973, -he semi -autonomous Micmi-Dade Water cnd Sewer Author- ity wcs crected, superceding the previous City of Miami Deportment of `A`ater cnd Sewers. Since that date, City residents have been water customers of the 'Ncter cnd Sewer Authority cnd pay a nominal monthly fee in their water bills for the use of water to Fire fighting purposes and for fire service improvements mace to +e water mein system, such as the in- stallation of nycrants and larger water mains. The number of apparatus required by the Pire Departti erit increased in a fashion similar to the expansion of the water supply system. As Miami grew and cnnexed more territory, fire apparatus needed for these areas also increased. Because of the type of horse-drawn equipment utilized initially by Miami; firefighters, the Fire Garage had its beginning as c Blacksmith Shop. During the first decode of the 20th Century, there was a gradual change throughout America from horse-drawn equipment to gasoline powered engines. Miami acquired its first gasoline engine in 1911. The first bona fide Fire Gcrage was located behind Fire Station 41, which, at that time, was on Flcgler Street opposite the present County Courthouse. In the early years of its history, the Fire Garage was responsible fcr com- pletely rebuilding trucks and making major changes in body design, cs well as doing routine mcintencnce cnd repair. The Fire Garage remained at this central location in downtown Miami until 1945, when it was relocated to an old Ncvy building on Pier 5 in the old Port of Miami. During this period, the Fire Gcrage wcs responsible fcr maintaining eleven engines, six ceriais cnd one rescue truck. World Wcr required sacrifices on the home front cnd it wcs not possible to replace older fire apparatus with newer models. Not until 19.7 were three new pumpers cccuired to improve Fire Department equipment. The following year, the Fire Deportment purchased its first Peter Pirsch 1250 pumper, which utilized „ '.vet `,eater induction system, perfected by the Fire Gcrage crd Fire Suppression Division. In 1949, the Fire Department modified its bask fire tactics through the acquisition of its first smell, quick attack pumper, which '.vas highly maneuverable. This mocel proved extremely successful and cdditioncl units were subsequently added. In 1961, the Fire Gcrage moved from its Biscayne Boy location to its present site ct 1151 NI:N. 7th Street. Seven years later, the Fire Gcrage began replacing gasoline powered engines with diesel engines, which now powers about three -fourths of the entire fleet. EV 14. The Fire Of:U.(4e initially had been involved with major apparditus re. building, and design efforts. However, the increased number Cihd ute apparatus has required that the Fire Garage do more routine preventive maintenance and repair to Fire Department apparatus. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Water Supply The Deportment of Wcter and Sewers of the City of Micmi and its successor, the Miami-Dcde Water and Sewer Authority, is the largest publicly -owned water utility in Florida. Presently, the Water Division of the Authority serves opproximctely one miltion residents directly or through volume sales to other publicly or privctely owned weer utilities (which own and opercte their own distribution systems. Water is supplied to the Miami distribution system from three major treat- ment facilities, which draw water from the Biscayne aquifer. These facilities hove a combined maximum capacity for treating about 250 million gallons ecch day. The rncximum daily consumptive demand made on the system in 1975 wcs for 225 million gollons, of which 25% wcs delivered to the City of Miami (64 mg). H:zwever, the overage daily consumption is less than 200 million sollcns for the entire system, allowing 50 million gallons for peck demos periods and future popuiction growth. The Miami water distribution system consists of about 540 miles of varying sized pipes, as snown: Pice Dicmeter 4 inch 6 inch 8 inch 2 inch Percent of Total System 26°,10 319/0 2 1% 22% Total length of 540 miles = 10G% the 4 and 6 inch diameter pipes thct supply hydrants, about 1C miles cre decd-ended, perticularly along Biscayne Bay cnd inland waterways. • A dead -ended pipe supplies cot7sidetdbly less pressure and volume of water thoh pipes that are part of a grid system. Miami also has a high percent of alder, 4-inch diameter pipes which seriously limit the water flow for fire- fighting purposes in some parts of the City. Unless these water mcins are enlarged or paralleled, future development in these areas may be restricted. Connected to Miami's water distribution system cre more than 3,400hy- drants; this averages to approximately 100 hydrants far every square mile of Miami's lard area. However, the number and density of hydrants is greeter in those crecs of higher potential life and building Toss, particularly the central business district. In downtown Micmi, each hydrcnt has a service area of little more than 1 acre, while each hydrant outside central Micmi serves about 4.5 commercial ccres and 8 residential acres on an average. The wide spacing of hydrcnts in commercial and residential crecs is con- sidered a deficiency by the Insurance Services Office which establishes the City's fire insurance rates. Miami lost more deficiency points for in- adequate water supply in the 1975 survey thcn for cny of the other fire service functions evaluated, and 53% of these deficiency points resulted from inedequcte hydrant spacing in residential and commercial areas. Although hydrant spacing is generally coed in the central business district and water volumes cre able to meet current domestic crd firefighting needs, the trunk distribution system to downtown Micmi has inadequate ccpccity to meet the growth projections of the mid-1980's. To resolve this problem, the Water end Sewer Authority intends to recuce its reliance on the low pressure water mcins in the Central Micmi area. It will cchieve this by paralleling these mcins with ;sign copacibj high pressure trunk mcins. As part of th is, procrcm , the water system ccpec i ty to downtown Micmi will be increased.' The Fire Department is responsible for inspecting and flushing ail hydrants in the City every four months to assure proper operation and fire flow. In 1 Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Development Plan: Transportation, and Utilities October, 1975. 1= E.- k 1 dd�ltlf �1, Combat forces ottetttbt to paint all hydrdiht5 every tV,lo years. Acting as a liaison between the Water and Sewer Authority and the Miami Fire Department is the Fire Deportment's Water Suably Offitet. Dade County Fire Flow Ordinance No. 74-96 A 1974, County -approved ordinance should bring about substantial improve ments to the water cnd hydrant distribution system in the City of Miami, where most of the Authority's urdersized cnd dead -ended mains exist. Ordinance 74-96 establishes adequate water supply for fire suppression by establishing minimum flew rates. It further defines consumption ard pro- vides for fire flow by zoning classifications. In addition, it provides for the location, number cnd size of fire hydrants cnd defines distribution systems as well cs train sizes cnd pressures. Fire flew inspection by the Miami Fire Deportment is mardcted, prior to the issuance of building permits. The effective date for compliance :with this ordinance is Decerm- be r 1977 . Apparatus Maintenance The principal objective of the Fire Garage is to adequately maintain fire ard rescue .quipmert so they can respond when and where needed as quickly and safely cs possible and to operate as long cs needed at the emergency scene '.vith maximum efficiency. The Fire Garage is responsible for the repair, maintenance and modification of III apparatus, as follows: 19 first line pumpers and 5 reserve writs 8 first line ladder; ard 3 reserve units - 5 first line rescue units and 2 reserve units ▪ 3 first lire support apparatus, inciucing a recvy rescue truck, a foam truck, ant cn air truck Included among the ladders is a recently purchased 150-foot elevating platform, which gives access to many buildings previously impossible to retch from the extericr. The Fire Garage also maintains other miscellaneous equipment, irclucirg the emergency power plants at fire stations and auxiliary equipment or each apparatus. The average annual mileage of apparatus has greatly increased during the last decade due to increased fire and rescue emergency alarms and ins creased non -emergency activities. Non -emergency activities include Fire Code Enforcement, Home and Apartment Inspection, tactical drills, hydrant maintenance :nd emergency call -box testing. Greeter apparatus use contributes to the increased wear and tear of vehicles, requiring more frequent maintenance and repairs. With the increased utilization of fire and rescue apparatus, the Fire Garage projects a yearly mileage c; 220,000, averaging out to about 6,000 miles per year for each piece of first line equipment. In addition to repairing and maintaining fire and rescue apparatus, the Fire Garage conducts annual pump performance tests required by the Insurance Service Office to cssure the efficient operation of vehicles under extreme conditions. Moreover, it is the Fire Gcrege's function to stare and distribute all necessary cleaning supplies for all fire stations and to issue firefighting equipment. It assists in developing spec ificiations for fire hoses, apparatus, tools and other Fire Department equipment. At present, the Fire Garage has six Heavy Equipment Mechanics, c Heavy Equipment Mechanic Fore- man, a Supervisor, cnd a Superintendent. The following are the reccmmendctions that have been developed for water supply cnd apparatus maintenance: • • 1.. 1.. 'RECC)MMENDATIONS: Water Supply 1. The City of Miami should request that the Miami --Dade Water and Sewer Authority prepare a long-rerrn capital improvement program for the City of Micmi water supply system, including an implementa= Lion schedule in complicnce with Dcde County's Fire Flow Orainance. Such a program should specifically identify any undersized mains which will be improved cnd decd-end mains thct will be enlarged or percl leled. It should clso specify improvements that the ',Voter cnd Sewer Authority proposes to mcke to poi -cite' low pressure mains in the Central business district with high ccpccity, nigh pressure trunk mains to meet the growth projections of Centro' Miami to 1987. Reasons: a) Knowledge of the Wcter cnd Sewer Authority's detailed improvement program would encble the Fire Department to plan the location of cdditioncl fire hydrcnts in arecs where hydrcnts cre inadequctely spaced. From the Prelimincry Engineering Study Pursuant to Dcde County Ordincnce prepered by the Plcnning Engineer of the Miarni-Cace znc Sewer Authority, it wcs estimcted cbcut 2'30 miles of undersized pioe exist in the cistribution syst,F:m. "Such pipe is under 6 inches in dicmeter and would nct provide adecucte Fire flows for any new fire hydrant instalIctin." Since the City of Micmi has 140 miles cf older, 4-inch dicmeter pipe (60% of the Authority's total system), substcntial improvements cre anticipated. b) Improvements in the wcter supply system mcndated by Dcde Counry's Fire Flow Ordinance No. 74-96 would encble Micmi to improve its wcter supply rcting in future evcluations by the Insurcnce Services Office, thereby mcintaining excellent fire insurance rotes for Micmi property owners. The referenced County-cpproved ordinance tckes c substanticl, positive step towards improving the water system in the City of Miami. City officicls snoulci monitor progress cnd urge vigorous canerence to the ordinance. ICiiwledge by the City of scheduled improvements to the wotet systeth within public rights of wcy will enable Miami's Public Works Depart tent to better plan and coordinate its street, sidewalk and sewer improvements. 2, The City of Miami should request that the 'iVater and Sewer Authority provide the City ‘.vith a detailed annual report of the expenditures and revenues entered in Account No. 185, which identifies revenues paid by City water consumers for fire service use as well as expendi- tures made for improvements to the water supply system. The City should also request that the Micmi-Dade Water and Sewer Authority meintcin accurate, detailed records of its assistance at City fires and of its valve inspection activity within City limits for future verification by the Insurance Services Office. Reasons: a) Information from Account No. 185 would allow the City to help program annual fire safety capital improvements cnd to ascertain where revenues come from cnd expenditures are mcde in Micmi. Locking knowledge of availcble funds in this cccount prohibits the Fire Department from estimating the number of hydrants that can be financed annually by this source of revenue. Since the Water and Sewer Authority inspects its water valves inde- pendently from Fire Department hydrant inspections, the City has no way of knowing if the water supply system will be reliable during fire emergencies. In addition, the Insurance Services Office should be able to review the Authority's records pertaining to inspection frequency. Apparatus Maintenance 1. An on -going preventive maintenance program should be established. Such c program should involve an improved data collection and retrieval system to provide for proper preventive maintenance schedul- ing. Easily retrieved recoras should also be kept to identify fuel, labor, parts, cnc inventory supplies, ono other items related to the repair and maintenance history of apparatus. w r a) Due to the Zack of preventative maintenance, d program of regular rnairtenance should help reduce the costs of unnecessary repairs and prolong the in-service life of vehicles. Unfortunately, the Fire Garage's work involves some repairs which might have been avoided had apparatus been inspected ecrlier. b) Periodic inspection cnd mcintencrce will reduce the pctential For apparatus breakdowns during emergency responses. When firefighters and rescue personnel are needed for life-scvinc operations, it is critical thct their cpperatus operate properly. 2, The City should replace fire and rescue cpperatus according to the followinc procrcrn: Planned 1st Line Vehicle Maximum Life In -Service Life Pumpers 20 14 Lccders 20 17 Support Equipment 20 20 Qecsors: a) Strict adherence to the prcpcsed apparatus replacement schedule would assure corstcntly dependable, first !ire cpperatus. It would also satisfy the Insurance Services CF:ice recuiremerts. b) High mcinterarce cnd repair costs for operatirg older apperctus would be elimircrea, ci!cwing mechanics to concentrate on the preventive maintenance of newer pieces of equipment. c) The Fire Deportment would be able to take cdvcntcge of innovations in apparatus design anc technological improvements rather thcn to indefinitely maintain less effective, olcer stock. 14titify &tertiative methods for .reducing the use of fire apparatus for non"emergency activities. In increasing the non -emergency workload of firefighters, more travel- ing is expected for cede enforcement, hydrant call box, home and apart meet safety inspections, and training and public safety education pro- grams. The emergency worklccd of the Rescue Division and the rescue workload of the Suppression Division is also projected to increase considerably during the next decade. One wcy of reducing the use of fire apparatus, cs previously suggested in the Chapter on Fire Suppression, is to use conventional station wagons or cars to divide companies into two smaller units for non -emergency work purposes. Monitoring radios, they could respond and reunite at the emergency scene for specific assignments. Reasons: a) Less unnecessary use of cpparatus would help decrease high operating costs and reduce the potential for breckdowns, tire failure, accidents and premature replacement. It c=sts 31.50 to 52.57 per mile for a fire apperatus' travel cs opposed to 5.19 per mile for an automobile. b) Although increases in non-emergency`rcvel is expected cs c part of increcsed non -emergency work, more economical rriecns of transporting firefighters woulc help reduce the Deportment's operating budget. Although the cost savings for one bpparctus mcy be small, the total cost savings for 3C fire fighting cpperctus con be considerable. T T CHAPTER V11 I 1 1 1 i 7, t' it V ` r ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION. AND MANAGEMENT OROANI2A1ION, ADMINIISTRATI N AiV6MANIA EMt 11' SVERVIEW to remain viable, the fire service organization must be willing to change, In the same way that fire apparatus have a limited useful life and must be replaced by more modern and efficient units, fire service organizations are required to periodically renew themselves while remaining receptive to useful technological and managerial innovations. Most fire service organizations traditionally were patterned after what may be described as a semi -military hierarchy, structured in the form of a pyra- mid. The Fire Chief was at the top of the pyramid and the company or individual firefighter/paramedic was at the bottom. Resources were group- ed together by means of the various Divisions, each with its own chief and its own responsibilities. Traditional fire service organization separated activities and tasks into specific operation units, which were sometimes autonomous from the rest of the organization, and functioned independ- ently. Such an organization usually failed to emphasize the inter- relationships and interdependencies between operating units. The sepa- rate divisions that organization charts portrayed often prevailed in actual operations. Communications were principally downward from the Chief to individual organization blocks - not horizontally between operating units. As a result, the organization never truly operated cs an integrated set of systems and subsystems, working towards common organizational goals. However, during the post decade, a great amount of literature has appear- ed, suggesting that an organization be considered an assemblage of systems and subsystems, forming a complex and unitary whole. Subunits are pro- posed to interact with each other through patterned relationships in both hierarchical and cross patterns. Such an organizational or systems ap- proach applied to the fire service requires c better understanding by all individuals and operating units of what their role is within the total organ- ization and where they cre needed to support specific fire service func- tions. It also requires improved communications between interrelated operating units, improved operating styles and information - management systems. Most importantly, it requires a willingness to change. The dompt.,tet, one of the ptiAtnd ptcductt of tedent teahnolOV, plays d atitical role in the opplicction of a systems theory of organization. It is the foundation for c comprehensive mancgement information system, which in turn leads to better decision making and more effective management. Because of its tremendous capability for storing, processing and retrieving data, computers are considered c casic maragement tcol for modern fire service operctions, particularly since the fire service is becoming a more complex and more expensive public safety service. Two key factors in every organization are administration and management, Although these terms are often utilized interchangeably, this chapter con- siders them as two distinct functions, which cre closely related and inter, - dependent. The administrative function involves overcll fire service decision making and policy formulation. The mancgement furction is the implementation of administrative decisions and policies through effective use of human and material resources. The public fire cdministrator, i .e. , the Director of the Fire Department and his staff, report directly to persons outside the organ- ization structure on c daily oasis, while mancgement in the pubiic fire safety organization is somewhat shielded from these outside influences at defined support, operoting and implementing levels. The Fire Aaministra- tor must urderstcrd the orgcnizaticn as a unified system and have knowledge of the interactions and interrelationships between the parts. Management is concerned with the actLcl operation of identified subsystems within the total organization, although management responsibilities filter down to each level or subsystem of the orgar.izction. Considering tre tencency to specialize :.rd the intricacies of local fire service ocerction, it becomes increcsincly difficult to create an integrated organization. ,assistance is reauirec from professionals From outside the organization, who have expertise ir, plonning, management cnd systems development to help the Department modernize cnd address the major issues that will confront it during the next decade, such as: 1. How can the organizational structure evoive into an improved, integrated Framework of operetina units with each indivicucl or subunit having an understanding of and respersicility for its function in achieving averail :::rgcnizationcl �ocls? How don rttdnning levels and manpower resources be maintained in the face of rising salaries, budget limitations and demands fat shorter work weeks? How can non -emergency productivity be increased without sacrificing fire fighting effectiveness? 4, How can fire personnel attitudes be adjusted with increasing management emphasis on fire prevention, training, safety and productivity.? 5, How ccn data be organized and utilized to support fire service operations end to optimize the allocation of resources? PAST EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The history of Fire Administration closely parallels the history of the Suppression Division, since the first function of the Fire Deportment was to control and extinguish fires. The first paid Fire Chief wcs appointed in 1904, and he was responsible for the management or about 125 volunteer firefighters. Five years Icter, three additional firefighters were hired and three new pieces of horse-drv.vn equipment were added. As the City ex- panded and fire. suppression become c more demenaing .nd more professional job requiring pair employees, the Fire Department grew. Additional re- sponsibilities were added to the original one of suppressing fires. The following chart shows the chronology of the various divisions or functions that evolved: Fire Suppression 1904 Fire Communications 1908 Fire Shop 1911 Fire Prevention 1923 Fire Training 1935 Rescue 1939 Safety Program 1972 I. ti When the original Fire Chief retired after almost 50 years of fire service i1'1 1953, the Department had 14 stations and 24 front line apparatus. This represented about 400 uniformed firefighters. As a result of the size of the organization, it was necessary to establish two Deputy Chief positions to assist the Fire Chief in mcncging the Department. Consequently, the Fire Chief, as Director of the Deportment, could direct Hs efforts tewcrds es- tablishing fire service policy while the Deputy Chiefs, one in charge of Operations and the other in charge of Support Services, could assist in the implementation of policy through effective management of human and material resources. However, fire administration and the operating units remained somewhat separate for several recsons: The former worked an 8-nour day while the latter worked a 24-hour dcy. Fire administration became centrcl ized at Dinner Key in 1964, and the operating units remained scattered throughout the city at more than a dozen stations. As c result, the position of Battc- lion Chief was created in 1975 to act cs the liaison between fire adminis- tration and operating units. Since the position is uncicssified cnd not pro- tected by Civil Service rights, Battalion Chiefs ore considered to be cn integral part of administration - the pert closest to the operating units. Battalion Chiefs work a 24-hour day and hove their offices at Fire Station 2 cnd at the Fire Chief's office. With the implementation of Stage 1 of the 3coz-Allen recommendations, outlived in the report "Strengthening the Department Orgcnizction Struc- ture of the City of Micmi", the Director cf the Fire Deportment was elevct- ed to the position of Assistcnt City Manager for Fire Service clong with four other Assistcnt Mcncgers •.vho were responsible for Police Services, Commu- nity Improvement Services, Community Development Services crd A.dminis- trction Service. The purpose cf this Office of the City Manager was to upgrade the City's central policy-mcking cnd operctions control capabilities. Since the Fire Deportment's budget representea almost 20% of the City's general fund, the importarce of fire service within the entire frcmework of City of Miami operctions was appropriately recognized by this action. NC • PRESENT ACTIVIT1t5 AND RE5FbN516ILIT18$ The principal responsibility of the Fire Administrator (Fire Chief) is to establish policy that will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of fire, rescue and emergency services while maximizing the safety of firefighter/ paramedics. It is mancgement's responsibility, i.e., the Deputy Chiefs, Battalion Chiefs, District Chiefs, Chief of Rescue, Chief of Training and Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau to carry out this policy as best can be done with available resources. However, establishing policy and implement- ing it involves a myriad of other activities, in which the Fire Chief's Office is routinely involved, such as but not limited to the following: To conduct staff meetings for discussion of administrative decisions To develop short and long range plans To act as liaison with the Manager's Office and prete findings to the Commission To establish procedural rules and regulations To monitor and evaluate organizational and individual performance To work with citizen's grcups and task force committees involved in public scfet'/ To maintain good public relations and communications with the media To coordinate the activities and operations of Department divisions and allocate resources as necessary To prepare and administer the budget, payroll and personnel activities (promotions, terminations, etc.) To prepare specifications for firefighter gear, equipment and apparatus • ihttitute safety and productivity measures To maintain good relations with other local fire depdrtriients and public agencies providing support services for fire protection The actual number of people in the Fire Chief's Office who ere routinely involved with the cforementioned administrctive tastes is Tess then ten, ex= eluding clericcl staff. However, the management responsibilities for imple. menting administrative policy is supposed to be shored by Officers-in- Commard throughout the ranks. Figure 7.1 shows the present orgoni:cticn of the Fire Deportment. Under the Director of the Department are two Deputy Chiefs, responsible for Operations and Support Services, respectively. The divisions discussed in earlier chapters ere shown clong with the number of civil service and men - power positions Budgeted in fiscai year i975-1976. For all practical pur- poses, the Administration Division consists of o handful of people who assist the Director and the Deputy Chiefs with cdministrction and mcrcgement. Viewed in terms of rumen resource allocations, the previous figure can be portrayed as follows: Division or Function Number of Personnel % of Totcl Personnel Chief crd Administration 14 Fire Prevention 34 Rescue 62 Suppression 601 vc rcg a 20 1 Training 7 FC IC (Communications) 4 Clearly, he Fire Suppression Division hos a predominant position, since four out of every five peopi� '^ the Deperrrnent work here. 3eccuse of its magnitude, the Svapressicn ;r;v ^r. recresenrs one of the more complex menaaement challenges. T-,e pcyc.'c'cr improving ocerotioncl efficiency Me- ■ 1111 1111 1 i i ■ u11ICE Of DIRECIOR ►Y /6-1I Director uuuiuuii.ui.i SUPPORT SERVILtS Deputy Chief FIRE PRI011110N BUREAU -Ftr 6_77 Chief of Fire Prevention 1 file Captain 1 fire lieutenant 3 fire fighters I2 Typist 11 I Secretary 11 2 jo MANPOWER Supervisor 1 laborer 1 2 Photographer _4 34. AOIIINISiRATIUII Fire Captain Secretary 111 Secretary II Secretary 1 lyplsl I1 typist 11 MANI'OWI R FY 16-11 3 2 9 Publicity Writer 1 typist 1 1 2 1111E GARAGE FY_16-1l Garage SuperIntenJant Ilvy. Equip. Foreman llvy. Equip. Mechanic lyplst 111 Stork Clerk I Custodian 1 1r MANPOWER 1 1 6 Crew Supervisor I llvy. Equip. Serviceman 4 Stock Clerk 1 I taborer i ..9 20 OPERATIONS Deputy Chief FY 76-1'1 RESCUE DIVISION -EMS Captain lieutenant Fire Fighter 5th RESCUE Chief of Rescue Captain lieutenant Fire Fighter Secretary 1 Carage Supervisor MAHPOWLR CustuJlan/Watchman FY 16-1I 2 12 30 41i 2 9 FIRE !RAINING FY 16-12 Chief of Training 1 Fire Captain I Fire Lieutenant 3 Typist 11 I Custodian I -7 Figure 7.1 FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION FIRE SUPPRESSIUN- Battalion Chief Chief fire Officer Fire Cap1Jl11 Fire lieutenant Fire Fighter MAOPUWLR CU]l��Jran/Watt I11fl.*d File Selvlce Aide F1RL OPERATIONS INIOHtiATI011 CENTER fire lieutenant Fire Tighter FY 16-11F 1S 4U� 60, 457_ Sj5 10 16 2b 1. 14 mid effectiveness here are significant, particularly in terms Of non" itiergency work. However, other divisions must also strive to improve the delivery of services and this can be accomplished only through the continuing support and participation of Fire Suppression resources. the following are 'he recommendations that have been developed for Organization, Administration and Management: REC MMENbATIONS 1. Institute a systems organizational approach towards fire service operations, strengthening individual and divisional functions cnd inter relationships to better achieve department goals. Inherent in this recommendation is the development of cn organizational structure which requires more responsiveness by all operational units to the estcblished goals of public fire safety. A new organizational framework is necessary, which is conceptually different from the trcditional line and staff hierarchy currently existing. Although people will still be organized by divisions cnd responsible to superiors within thct division, the key to the successful operction of the new structure is the striving towcrds mutuclly agreed upon goals through systemctic, pctterned interrelctionships. To be implemented, c structural chcnge of this kind requires concurrent improvements in corrmuniccticns, interpersoncl relctions, operating styles, and management systems. Therefore, the restructuring process must occur gradually to ensure that basic chcnges tcke root cnd become permanent. It will also enable the Fire Deportment to continue to provide services effectivel,- cs it implements the recommendation. The process of change should be cn evolurionery one, each new step build- ing on ecch preceding step. Organizationcl development prcgrcros should become an integral port of the transition process to assist personnel in ad- justing to cnd understcnding the chcnges. In addition, reorgonizction must be coordinated with, cnd thereby mutuclly supportive of other mcncgement improvement cctivities, such cs improved management reporting and control systems. Recsons: a) The operation and coordination of cctivities within the Fire Department should be improved through a systems orgenizotionol approach. Cur- rently each Division is somewhat independent and compertmentalized. Ecch Division or unit cn the organizaricnci ,:hart hcs developed its own internal objectives. Often Divisional or unit objectives predominate to the detriment of the total orgcnizotion. elm N . lh the post, the Fire Suppression Division's principal objective has been to protect lives and property during a fire or other emergency and its secondary objectives hove been in fire safety educction and fire prevention. The Fire Prevention Bureau considers its realm of responsibility to be in Fire Code enforcernert, plans review, fire prevention, etc. not as much in training, community relctians, re- search cnd development. The Training Division has seen its responsi- bility primarily for new recruit training more than for in-service train- ing, monitoring training performance cr instituting safety practices. Since the thrust in future Fire Department operations is to organize people functionally and to encourcge them to work together to mutually support each other's cctivities (cede enforcement, training, dote anal- ysis, community services, tusk force concept, etc.), it will be neces- scry to cross divisioncl boundaries. It should become increasingly obvious that cs aemcnds for fire protection services change, the oper- ating units that provide these services will have to respond quickly and effectively to those changes - an cction which is more difficult to accomplish if Divisional entities are sacrosanct. b) A reorganization of functional cctivities within the Fire Department would be consistent with and complimentary to the organization struc- ture improvements recommended by Miami's Mcragement Improvement Progrcm. In its 1973 document entitled "Strengthening the Deportment Orcanizcticn Structure of the City of Micmi", the 3ocz-Allen con- sultants recommended an evolutionary recrgcnizotion of City services, which woula involve the consolidation of oilier:. operations crd the strengthening of mancgement copcci I i ties . The last pnase of this evolutionary process pertains to improving the orgcnization structure within Depertmenrs. Through the grouping of related service functions, the following is achieved: - Clarify and improve operational cccountability at the section and line levels - Improve coordination of operations crd work cctivities among allied operating units. 111151tve utilization of manpower, equipent and facilities Obtain more flexibility in meeting changes in service demands A systems organizational approach towards fire service is a logical method for accomplishing the above, However, it must be recognized that a new organization structure itself will not produce any improve- ments. A structure is simply a framework to enable people to improve the management end delivery of municipal services. Therefore, pro- grams to improve management and staff skills are required to reorient fire service staff to operate functionally rather than divisionally. 2, Delegate to uniform personnel, particularly district chiefs and station officers, the responsibility for making more efficient use of human and material resources. Such a thrust in delegating greater responsibilities throughout the Department would necessitate, first, c decentralization of many of the functions currently aiscatched by management or by specialized divisions and, second, the establishment of mechanisms for account- ability and performance evaluation. It is preferable that more productive utilization of non -emergency time results from individual initiative and job satisfaction, rather than came cs a mandate from the administration. Reasons: a) With tighter fiscal controls and increasing demands for accountability by public officials cnd the citizenry, the need is greater than ever to make more efficient use of human and material resources. Such a goal cannot be achieved by management alone, since the number of super- visory people in the Fire Chief's office represents less than 1% of the entire uniformed .vork force. The goal must be achieved through the individual ccceprance of responsibility for increasing procuctivity, first, by district chiefs, second, by station officers, third, by company officers cnc finally by all personnei . 15) Job Sdtisfdction and personal riotivatioh are increased wheh subordi. dates take a greater part in strengthening and improving cn orgcni2a= Lion through their own initiative. Such efforts need to be ccknowk edged and supported by superiors. The principcl assumption behind the Mancgement .y Objectives philcsphy is that employees are willing and capable cf accepting more responsibility, perticLiarly when superiors act in a supportive advisory cepccity and when employees hove c clear understanding cf their role in the overall organization. 3. Develop the necesscry computer capabilities to satisfy current cnd future Department needs in terms of mcncgement information and emergency information systems. The Miami Fire Deportment will continue to participate in the County - Wide Fire Incident Reporting System cnd report fire and rescue dcta in c uniform format. This will oIlcw Micmi to compere its fire service statistics with other units of loco! government. However, the City proposes to expcne the 901 reporting forms to collect :.dditional de- tailed data, speciclly tailored to City of Miami fire service needs cnd operations. Non -emergency data would be entered into the computer memory pertaining ro the following: inspection activities, types of occupancy, special hczcrd:, Fire Code vioictions fourc crd violations corrected, medical cnd personnel histories, s;;pply inventories, train- ing records, condition of nydrents cnc cell boxes, ecuipment cnd cpparctus mcintencnce schedules cnd rncnpcwer cvailcbil ity for regular or special work. Such; cetc would be electronically processed and retrieved cs rapidly cs necesscry in Formats legible to Fire Deportment cdministrcrors. Recsons: a) The computer and the development of comprehensive informction systems play a Key role in implementing o systems theory of orgcniza- ticn. Large amounts of Coto must be processed rcpidly to enable administrctors to make sound policy decisions and to enable opercting units to evaluate their own cerfcrmance. EIeotronic data processing reduces the time and cost of manual record keeping and tabulating. Moreover, it is possible to compare data, identify operational inconsistencies, estimate their statistical signifiy cance and evaluate the cast -effectiveness of alternative solutions to problems prior to making a commitment of human or material resources. The computer is no substitute for human thought. However, it is an effective tool for developing management capabilities. Use of the Fire Incident Reporting System can provide management with daily, weekly, monthly or yearly reports, summarizing emergency and non - emergency activities. Station locations, apparatus assignments and personnel deployment can be evaluated electronically and optimum allocation strategies can be identified. Detailed data cn the physical condition and layout of cuildings can be processed For inspection and fire fighting purposes. Information on individuals with hecrt problems, diabetes, epilepsy and other illnesses can be stored to improve rescue operations. Fire prevention inspec- tions can be automatically scheduled and specific itineraries can be prepared, identifying the shortest routes between sites. The possibili- ties of computer applications are endless. 4. Obtain additional technical assistance from other City Departments ents and 'hire non-uniformea staff with professional or technical skills currently not available in me Deportment to help modernize Fire Department operations. Additional professional assistance from City operating departments is needed in terms of the following: Law - To help redraft the Fire Code, to review cnd interpret State, federal and other legal statutes pertaining to fire service or safety, to prepare and present court cases involving Fire Code violations, etc. Planning - To update arc revise the Master Plan, to assist in the location of fire stations and other facilities and to assist in the periodic analysis of fire and rescue incident data. oliee s To assist in the development of on i ,tegtoted public safety, oattmputer aided dispdteh 4 eld support system, to monitor align activity, to identify opportunities for mutual suppott and to exchange methods of public scfety. Community Affairs and Mancgement Services - To develop special programs for fire employee training in management, basic Spanish, supervisory skills, etc., and to provide analytical assistance for Fire Department activities. Skills which the Fire Department may have to acquire full time, be- cause of the substantial amount of work generated within the Depart- ment include the following: Computer Science ar.d Information Systems - To help develop and operate the management information cnd emergency information systems used with the computer-cided dispatch -field support program. Medical Practices cnd EME Trcininc - To train Fire Department paramedics in modern emergency medical practices and to evaluate their performance curing emercencies. Fire Protection Engineer - To review building plans from a Fire Code point of view and to assure not only that required fire scfety compo- nents cre provided in new construction, but that the operation cnd layout of components will achieve the fire scfety intent of the Code. The encineer would also act as an expert witness in court cases regard- ing the Code, assist in its re -writing and presenting information to the Board of Rules anc Appecls with respect to the Code. Reasons: a) Since the Fire Deportment presently does not have the above in-house copcbilities within its ranks, it is necessary to acquire this expertise on a pert -time or full-time bcsis, cependirg on need. To the extent that professional services can be provicea cy crner City Departments, the Fire Department wculc not nave to mcir.tain new budgeted posi- tions cnd assure c consrcnt worklecd to justify the positions. However, the lost three positions ire either not available among City staff or ofe assured molar role in Fire Department operations, which justify their acquisition. The knowledge and skills of non -uniformed professionals and technio. cians will help to modernize Fire Department operations and provide mcre objective viewpoints in terms of the delivery of fire services, 5) Regularly evaluate progress made towards achieving Department objectives and the implementation of the Mcster Plan and formally institutionalize and develop the research and planning functions within Fire Administration. This recommendation involves the establishment of a committee con- sisting of representatives from the Fire Deportment, the Planning Department, the City Manager's Office and others to periodically review Mcster Pion recommendations and to evaluate progress made towards achieving stated policies and goals. The Local Government Comprehensive Planning Act of 1975 also requires periodic review and evaluation of cdopted plans. In terms of research, it is proposed that Fire Administration provide information en gronts, conferences cnd fire service literature to the various operating units. Fire data should be oralyzed pericciicolly by this person, in conjunction with the Fire Prevention Bureau. In terms of plcnning, Fire Administration staff would be responsible for coordinating the implementation ef the Mcster Plan and providing data for its annual updeting. Obviously, the research and planning functions would be closely aliened. Reasons a) The Master Plan should be considered a viable document, which will change with changing community values and fire service priorities. For the recson, it should be reviewed and updated regularly to ascer- tain progress made towards achieving Department goals or to estoblish new goals. Of more importance than the Plan document itself is the process of research and planning that has been experiences in preparing tisfOoramswaiwwww.-.0^, ••• the Pldh, This process should become d regular part dt AdffithiSttettiVe fUtidtideiS, to assure that day to day decisions mode under stress dre Consistent with long term goals. Research and planning should play dt great a role in Fire Administration as Management. The former is necessary to develop policy and the latter is required to implement it. b) Unless a plan is updated cnd evaluated periodically, it becomes a useless document. To serve cs a useful management tool in shaping day to day policy, it must maintain its current status. 6, Establish a special committee, composed of representatives from fire administration, Icbor relations, and the firefightersunion together with maroaement specialists to study the advantages and disadvantages of changing work schedules from the current 24-nour scheaule to some other variaoie scnedule. No specific recommendation is offered at this time. It is recognized by management thot the work schedule will become a point of negoti- ation during the next decode Reasons: c) To the extent thct different viewpoints can be expressed and evaluated in advance of labor negotictions, monagement and unicn may be able to move closer together towards a better long term agreement. b) Management specialists may be able to offer a non-biosed, professional point of view in the discussions cnd find innovative ways to achieve both management cnd union objectives more efficiently. CHAPTER VIII HUMAN RESOURCES ,soi MIUlighilgip a�..a RI,mu„ In III'l III III�III IIIII'1IIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIII Ili !!II u 11• HUMAN RESOURCES VtikViEw :Since the fire service is labor intensive and manpower costs average 96% of the department's budget, the recruitment, training and utilization of qualified personnel is of critical importance in accomplishing the mission of the depart ment; the protection of life and property. To be able to compete for the best candidates with other local fire departments and with other public safety services, the Miami Fire Department must offer enticing career development opportunities, fair, competitive promotional procedures and adequate pension -retirement progrcms. Once recruits achieve permanent status, the department is obliged to develop and fully utilize their talents in a manner acceptable to both management and labor. A high level of morale and skills among the department's human resources will assure the de- livery of superior fire and rescue services to residents. As the ethnic and racial composition of a community changes, attitudes towards job qualifications and service expectations change. Hence, the public agencies that service that community should also change. However, the very elements that attract qualified candidates -- career opportunities, job security, civil service rights, collective bargaining practices -- oftentimes make these changes difficult to accomplish. The Fire Department must be sensitive to public attitudes representing new needs and be responsible in fulfilling these needs. PAST EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The Miami Fire Department has for many years enjoyed national recognition as one of the more creative and competent fire departments in the country. Miami's Class 41 rating resulted from mcny factors, but no one factor was of more importance than qualified, well -trained personnel. The quality of personnel employed by the City of Miami as their fire fighters was no accident, but rather the result of a well -planned end administered recruit- ment, promotion, and career development program. This employment program was augmented by good salaries and fringe benefits which have provided a career opportunity encouraging long-time employment with a low turnover rate. These factors have crested a positive atmosphere between management and employee and have resulted in high quality employees and first class fire protection and rescue services. • Ih terms of affirmative action, the Miami Fire Department, sever& years ago, recognized the need to increase the number of minority fire fighters within the department. In cooperation with the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 4587, assistance was requested from the International Associa- tion of Fire Fighters Labor Recruitment Program in 197a. The Labor Recruit- ment Program was estcblished to cssist cities in a positive manner to increase the number of qualified minorities in fire deperttnents throughout the United States. Miami's request For assistance was approved and during the fall of 1974, an Affirmctive Action team From Washington becan organizing a recruitment campaign in Miami. The goal of the Micmi Fire Department Affirmative Action Program wcs to seek out those qualified members of minority groups who have never been aware of the opportunity of a fire service career. The objective was to recruit, orient, motivate, counsel, tutor, and place qualified minorities in the fire service. The Labor Recruitment Team organized and directed the complete four -month recruitment program. However, the thrust of their assistance :vas to develop and train local personnel in the skills and techniques of affirmative action. During late 1975 and early 1976, the tecm again returned to Micmi and assisted in a second Affirmative Action Progrcm. This campaign was directed to a grecter decree by the local tecrn comprised of personnel from within the Micmi Fire Deportment. As c result of these efforts, during 1 97s, the eligible register for fire fighters contcined 30% minorities, and the 1976 campaign produced cn eligible register cansisring of 65% minorities. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Recruitment and Selection fire recruitment cna selection of personnel for the fire service in the City ©f Miami is done on a competitive bcsis. Candidctes are required to pass a pre- employment written test and are ranked cocci -ding to their score on an eligible register. In crcer to qualify For employment, c candidate is selected from the top of the e.licible register and must then pcss a medical examination, c physical tltress test :ra a ackgrourd investigation. Those selecteccre assigned to the Miami Fire College and receive Twelve weeks :,f intensive Fire and rescue trcinirg which includes college level credit courses tcught by the tvliami Dace Community College. Upon satisfcctcrily completing the r ire College course and successfully passing a State Certification test, the ddf'didate is placed in a work assignment to complete his one --year probation.. dry period. i In terms of minority recruitment, the City of Miami Fir_ Department now hos a staff of three well -trained cnd competent Affirmative Action personnel. Major advance- ment is being made in the minority communities, informing them of the career opportunity available in the fire service. Of those employed since January 1975, 25°c have been minorities. (Due to economic constraints, the 1976 eligible register containing 65% minorities was not utilized to its fullest potential in that only 10 fire fighters were hired from this register.) It is recognized by the department that the bottom line of success is the placement of minorities in the employ of the City and that much herd work is ahead for the fire department to fully cchieve the desired goal. In 1976, a consent decree was acreed to by the City of Micmi Commission. This decree directs that the City establish a goal of 56% minorities to be hired at the entrance level fire fighter position. The Miami Fire Department will cooperate fully in the accomplishment of this peel . 2. Promotions Personnel within the City of Miami Fire Department have the opportunity to be promoted in the Civil Service cicssified positions of Fire Lieutenant, Fire Captain, and Chief Fire Officer. The promotions are made on the basis of competitive examinations; the subject material being directly related to the technical and administrative elements of fire protection work. A candidate for promotion must serve a specified period of time in each position prior to being eligible for the next promotional examination. Personnel racy cis° be promote° by appointment to unclassified positions of division Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs, and Department Heed. `,Vithin the afore- mentioned Civil Service cicssified positions, personnel may ce appointed to specialists positions, such as driver engineer, paramedic, and fire inspector, which have additional monetary benefits. To cualify for these rechnical ratings, specified courses must be successfully completed by the candidates. l� today's complex and technical society, it is essential for the pt fessianal fire fighter to be well educated in all aspects of the fire service. Today's fire department personnel must be skilled in the techniques of fire suppression, fire prevention and code enforcement, end emergency medical abilities. The professional fire fighter must also develop the skill of relating to a diverse ethnic community in a positive manner. Development of the Micmi Fire Department personnel consists of: (1) initial basic training cf recruits, (2) continued in-service training to equalize skills and technical abilities of all personnel, (3) specialized technical courses such cs eoerction of apparatus, fire prevention inspections, conversa- tional Spanish, etc., crd (4) advanced education and development ct Miami Dade Community College. The Miami Dade Community College curriculum offers a comprehensive pro- gram in the technical and administrative aspects of the fire service. Personnel are able to obtain on Associate Degree in Fire Science or Fire Management. As an incentive to (gccuire this advance education, the Micmi Fire Department compensates personnel by paying full college tuition. A. Union Relations crd Productivity In the lest deccc.'e, there hos been c rapidly growing trend toward increased membership of municipal employees in !ober organizations. The Internatioral Association cf Fire Fighters 'IAFF), crcenized in 1918, is the organization which represents mere than 99% of the Micrni Fire Department personr.. Fire department management and the IAFF in the City of M cmi work in c positive environment to improve the status of personnel and the delivery of services to the community. Improvement of personnel status ;.as been ccccm- plished through the increased emor:csis on qualifications ono education, and by efforts to oromote safe crd reasonable .vorking conditions thrcucn the availcoility of safe innovative rneti^cds, crcc9CLres, and eouipment. Salaries and frirge benefits which are now c:mpercbie to the private sector have been estabiish.ed through recoticticn berween the City and the IAFF, Local '587. iihsideririg recent trends in the preparation of more austere budgets, publid resistance to more taxation, and public demand for more and better quality municipal services, it is essential that the productivity and efficiency of public employees increase significantly. Certainly, one of the best ways to improve productivity is through the joint efforts of management and labor. Increases in productivity would benefit public employees and labor organiza= tions, as well as the City and the tcxpeyers. 5. Pension and Retirement The Miami City Employees' Retirement system, which became effective January 1, 1940, is an employee benefit plan principally for City of Miami fire fighters and policemen employed subsequent to December 31, 1939. Membership is compulsory for such personnel currently entering the services. The primary purpose of the system is to provide retirement benefits, bcsed on compensation and length of credited service time to members who attain normal retirement age. The employee contributes 8.5% cf his salary to the system during his duration of employment. Under normal retirement, the employee is eligible to retire at age 50. Employees are eligible for ordinary disability retirement when totally and permanently disabled rot in line cf duty and after ten years of service. Employees are eligible for occidental disability retirement cs a result of permanent disability resulting in lire of duty. The following .;re the reccmmerdaticns that have been developed for Human Resources. RECOM1v1ENDATIONS 1. Aggressively seek to hire additional aualified minority group members, including women, to better represent and serve the City's multi -racial crd multi-lincual communities. Presently, the physical examination requirements related to firefignting duties would probably disqualify most women. Fire fighters are frequent- ly required to carry heavy Iccds and control hoses that contain a grect amount of water pressure. Mcst women ao not have the shoulder and dill strength to perform these duties, However, opportunities for wcrfie i to work in fire prevention, communications, rescue, training and administration should be identified. The minority recruitment program should be stepped up to fill future vaaanoies with qualified black, Iatin cnd other minority groups. REASONS a. Government of the people should be open to all people without r racial, ethnic or sexual discrimination. The reasons for hiring candidates should be based on that person's ability to perform the job for which he/she is beirg considered, not on color, sex, or ethnic roots. be An increase in minority membership in the fire service should have a positive impact cn all programs and services within minority neighbor— hoods, including but not limited to fire prevention, fire safety education and medical service delivery. Require that all future entrants into fire combct service obtain EMT 1 Certification arc pass c minimum number of course credits towards the Association or Science cecree in Fire Science in order to obtain permanent status. A failure to obtain EMT 1 Certificctien after the completion of training would be reason for lack of promotion to permanent status. In cddition, higher education beyond c high school equivalency will be required, and a minimum number of course credits towards the Associate Degree in Fire Science mcy be mandatory. REASONS a. All fire fighters cre expected to be skilled in basic medical rescue practices whicn are commonly needed in an emergercy. The use of personnel in the fireficntir.g division for rescue activities is also expected ro increase. Therefore, all future artrants into fire combat service shoulc rave at least the minimum certification to perform these curies. Theteastrog dortiplexity and sophistication of fire suppression and . fire prevention techniques will require thct fire fighters be better ptepdred academically to perform their duties. A better trained, highly professional corps of fire prevention/fire fichters is envisioned; which will be able to effectively deliver a ..vide range of specialized services. 3= Require that all uniformed individuals entering fire service. after a specified future date maintain an active EMT 1 Certification, pass a periodic mecical exam based on job classification and, if applying for a job classification promotion, obtain additional course credits toworas the Associates Decree. It would eventually be required that all future entrcnts into fire service who apply For the Captain's position i,or nigher) have an Associate Degree (or better). This advanced education might be substituted for experience to reduce the period of time required to be eligible to take promotional excms. REASONS a. The recsons for this recommendation are identical to those listed for:, the preceding recommendction. 4. Provide additional cocortunities for continued iob-relcted education beyond the minimum level recuired by iota classification and continue to encRurcge loccl institutions of higher learning to establish special curricular for tire tignters, perticulcrly programs leading to c Bachelor's Degree in Fire Protection Engineering or the ecuivclent. To dote, ro fire deportment in the county hcs been able to cccuire a graduate Fire Protection Engineer. Programs leading to this degree cre avcilable or cniy a handful of universities ccross the nation, including the University of Mcryland, Illinois Institute of Technology, lowc and Oklahoma State. Florida Interactional Universiry, in perriculcr, should be encouraced to institute such c progrcm to satisfy this resource need in Florida. REASONS , Continued job -related education will assure that fire fighters remain abreast of innovations in fire and rescue science. Training in such fields as management and administration can help to increase personnel productivity and job motivation. The development of a corps of highly professional fire fighters/ fire preventers is one of the major goals for the future decade, and continued education provides an effective means of self- improvement. C. The establishment of c Bachelor's Degree program in Fire Protection Engineering at c Ioccl institution of higher learning would not require that fire fighters leave Dcde County to obtcin their degree, thereby increasing the risk that they might be recruited by fire departments in ether cities. individuals interested in pursuing this program would probably include many of the more intelligent and self -motivated in the rcnks .vhcse loss could create a serious hardship on Micmi's fire service. 5. Institute an aggressive program of conversational Spanish focusing on the aevelopment of .vorkine voccnularies fleeced to more effectively perform rescue, fire safety education and other fire service activities in Spanish —specking communities of Miami. The emphasis here should be on the development of a technical vocabulary and basic specking ability to understand cnd communi- cate information most frequently utilized in fire/rescue operations. In this way, students will immediately appreciate the usefulness of this training. REASONS a. Although many functions of the fire departments can be effectively dispatched without Spanish communications, particularly fire suppression and salvage operations, it is preferable that fire fighters have more training to better communicate with non- English -speaking individuals in face to face rescue or fire - related operations. Of the more than 50% cf Miami's population who speak Spanish cs their native language, many of these do not understand or speak English. To obtain information from such people during emergencies, fire fighters/paramedics cannot always await the arrival of a bilingual bystander to interpret. b. An increase in the ability of fire fighters to effectively communi- cate in Spanish may help minimize the legitimate criticism that many non -Spanish speaking fire fighters are limited in the perform- ance of their duties. 1111 .I■ 111 IIIIIII 1 WWI 1 CHAPTER IX CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ORO 01110111 1010111100 plom !III NI NM II 1r!!!!i,,�P�I r • A Prt4 IMEROVEMEt t VE[VIEW A capital improvement is a capital expenditure, such as the acquisition of land, the construction of buildings and the purchase or replacement of expensive equipment. Capital improvement programming is the process of scheduling these capital expenditures over a specific period of time. Since financial resources are limited, a municipality needs to establish priorities for expenditures to satisfy the seemingly unending needs of its population. ACapital Improvement Program enables a community to plan now for future needs, to examine the alternatives available in light of constraints placed upon it, and to determine the orderly development of capital expenditures consistent with expected revenues and operating expenditures. An important function of capital programming lies in the area of coordina- tion. The systematic comparison of the capital budget with the operating budget affords an opportunity to tie them together as to timing and avail- able funds. The possibility of authorizing a project in the capital budget that would overtax the operational budget is largely eliminated. Obviously, c Capital Improvement Program is an important tool for implement- ing the short and long range plans of a municipality. However, in the same way that plans are updated and amended with changing community values and priorities, c Capital Improvement Program must be regularly updated in terms of changing planning goals, priorities and financial constraints. PREVIOUS EFFORTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Until this year, a long term capital improvement programming, which considered future capital needs, available resources and impacts on the operating budget, did not occur as an on -going function in the City of Miami government operations. Decisions on capital projects were often made on a year to year, month to month basis. Since no comprehensive development plans existed, past capital improvement decisions were not always consistent with long term goals and objectives. Fortuhdtely, ih the post, the Fite Department received local funds ohd federal grants for many previously needed capital projects: For instance, federal grants have been obtained to build several fire stations cnd to acquire rescue and training equipment. The provision of these facilities with appropriate cdjustments in manpower and supplies has enabled the Miami Fire and Rescue services to develop systematically and to achieve an outstanding fire insurance rating for the City. The deportment has expanded from one station to 15 stations, although several of these are riot in the best location to satisfy present and future fire protection requirements. Fire and rescue apparatus has been well maintained, although present and projected future use of this equipment will require adherence to a systematic replacement progrcm. On September 28, 1976, a very important event occurred, which is critical to the financing of future fire and rescue capital improvements. City cf Miami voters approved a S10 million general obligation bond as follows: "For the purpose of paying the cost of firefighting, fire prevention cnd rescue facilities, including the construction and reconstruction cnd improving cf fire stations for the City of Miami, administration building, other structures, equipment, vehicles and communication systems related to the trcining, administration and cperctions in the City of Miami cnd the acquisition cf any necesscry Icnd and equipment relcted thereto." Half of the SIC .zillion bond was sold recently, and the remaining amount will be sold in future years, according to need and City-wide priorities. The sole of these bond funds will make implementation of many critically needed fire improvements feasible. PRESENT ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES As an outgrowth of the preparation of the tv\iami Comprehensive Neighbor- hood Plan, the City of Micmi initicted a capitol improvement pragrcmming process this year. City operating departments submitted requests for anti- cipated capital projects to c Technical Review Committee, '.vhich illaMMOOMMININIONEMOMMIN terutt, i2ed the Information and is developing recommendations in terms of ptiorities and proposed funding for the Manager's consideration. This process will be continued in future years. A Capital Program and Capital Budget is anticipated as a final product, which is proposed to be submitted each year with the operating budget for City Commission approval. The Miami City Code (Sec. 2-66) requires that the Planning Department develop a Coptic' improvement Program. In cddition, the Local Govern- ment Comprehensive Act of 1975, incorporated as Chapter 75-257 of the Florida Statutes, states that "elements of the comprehensive plan requiring the expenditure of public funds for capital improvements shall ccrry fiscal proposals relating thereto including, but not limited to, estimated costs priority ranking relative to other proposed capital expenditures and pro- posed funding sources." (Section 7, paragraph 3) Therefore, a schedule of future public improvements must be adopted before July 1, 1979. In terms of capital improvements currently underway, construction of Station 15 should be completed by June, 1977. Once operational, this station will allow for the consolidation of Station 416 and existing Station 45 at a site ideally located to protect the Allapattah neighborhood and the Civic -Medical Center area. The following are the recommendations that have been developed for capital improvements: 1. Move expeditiously in implementing its Firefighting, i=ire r`eventigi and Rescue Facilities Bond Program, particulatly in encumbering the_ 55 million sold in April, 1977. Half of the SIO million bond approved by the electorate was sold at a very low interest in April, 1977, along with another 523 million for sanitary and storm sewers, highways and police facility improve.. ments. Until needed fcr specific projects, these monies will be invested locally in short term investments. Reasons a. State laws pertaining to arbitrage prohibit bond monies from earning more in investments than funds are paid out in interest to bond holders. Cash proceeds from bond sale are supposed to be encumbered for specific projects as soon as possible after the sale of bonds. b. Rising material and labor costs resulting from inflation will reduce the value of the S5 -pillion in bonds by 3 to 10 percent annually. Tnerefere, project cost estimates will increase, and fewer projects will be possible if the City procrastinates in implementing the capital program. A geed example of this problem is illustrated �y the Parks for People Bond Program cpercved in 1 ci2. Mary projects have still not been initiated, but it is commonly known that all of the original projects included in the Parks for People Progrcrn will net be implemented because of inflationary increases. c. Land values are constantly rising in Micrni, and sites for fire facilities will become increasingly difficult to acquire. The few remaining vacant sites in Miami will gradually become developed to a higher use, and the intensity of development on built—up sites is expected to increase with increosing residential, commercial and industrial development. Seek grants from Federal, State and other agencies for capital projects. Several funding sources are currently available for fire improvements, including the Community Development Program, the Local Public Works Capital Development and Investment Act and Revenue Sharing Programs. In addition, joint grant applications with 'coal educational institutions and hospital may result in monies for training facilities and fire or rescue research expenditures. Reasons a. To the extent that Miami is successful in obtaining grants to undertake projects identified in the 1976 Firefighting, Fire Prevention and Rescue Facilities Bond, taxpayers will not be burdened with unnecessary debt service taxes. Local funds will remain for future unexpected contin- gencies. The ability of the Fire Department to obtain grants will further enhance the deportment's success in putting together good grant applications in the future. 3. Update the Ccpticl Prcgrcm of the Fire Department annually and re- evaluate it in terms of Operating Budget requirements. It is anticipated that the capital improvement programming process initiated in 1976-77 will continue and become cn on -going function in City of Miami operations. Since project priorities and revenue limitations will change, the Capitol Improvement Prcgrcm must be revised and updated annually. Reasons a. Since future urban development patterns and fire protection needs cre impossible to predict precisely, a capital program must remain flexible. Community values and project priorities can change very quickly. M Opetating budget constraints may defer capitol projects, arid Mai& dapital needs may arise unexpectedly: 4, Inc lude the following twelve projects in future Capital Programs and implement them within the time frame of the Master Plan: Estimated Cost 1) Station 49 650,000 2) Station 44 750,000 3) Station 414 750,000 4) Station 410 modifications 100,000 5) Fire Administration Building 370,000 6) Computer -Aided Dispatch System 1,500,000 7) Fire Apparatus Modifications and Breathing Apparatus 180,000 8) Fire Apparatus Replacement 2,200,000 9) illuminating Apparatus 63,000 10) Rescue Service Apparctus and Equipment 410,000 11) Training Facility 1,430,000 12) Fire Boat cnd Facilities 870,000 1. Station 49 This new station will consolidate fire cnd rescue companies currently located at existing Station 9 cnd Station 413. Station 49 is a 50-year old, dilapidated structure that has poor access to the Little River area and has high maintenance and repair costs. Station 413 is also an elder station which is poorly located on N. E. 2nd Avenue. Fire apparatus from Station 413 that respond to fires east of Biscayne Boulevard must travel to 54th Street or 39th Street to cress the railroad tracks. New Station 79 will be c three -bay station to accommodate two pumpers, one ladder, and one rescue opperctus. Station #4 This new station will consolidate fire companies currently located at existing Station 44 and Station 415. Station 44 is a 53-year old, dilapidated struc- Lure that is located on a one-way street with poor access to Little Havana. Maintenance and repair costs are high, and off-street parking for fire fighters is limited. Station 415 is asingle-company station with limited firefighting capabilities. New Station 44 will be a three -bay station to accommodate two pumpers and one ladder apparatus. 3. Station 414 This new station will consolidate fire and rescue companies currently located at Stations 43 and #14. Station 43 is a one -company station, located near the Miami River. Because of the chance that the 12th Avenue Bridge may be elevated, the first response territory of Station 43 is restricted to the area south of the River. Station .14 is a 24 year old structure. New Station 414 will be a three or four -bay station to house two pumpers, one ladder and one rescue apparatus. 4. Station 410 Modifications Modifications to existing Station 410 ere needed to house a Icdder company. At present, the western City limits are served by a Icdder apparatus from Station 414 ct 141 N. W. 27th Avenue. This results in a maximum five - mile response distance, which is 2-1/2 times the maximum allowable distance for Icdder service. Located ct 42nd Avenue and 7th Street, Station 410 is approximately 1-1/2 miles west cf existing Station 114 and 1-1/2 miles east of Station 411. There are 15 buildings more than five stories in height west of 42nd Avenue and many more which are three stories or more in height. With new Station 414 being relccated to the southeast, the maximum distance will be increased. Therefore, Icdder company service in this area is essential. 5. Fire Administration Building The present Fire Administration Headquarters in Dinner Key are located in deteriorating structures, inadequate in area to satisfy present and future requirements. ents. 'he ptoposed new facility would oe ►ttalt2e under one roof the Fite Ch ief's Office, the Fire Prevention Bureau, Division Heads and administrative staff . 6. Computer -Aided Dispatch System This computerized dispctch and management information system would be compatible to the existing electronic/communications systems of the Police Department. It would provide for the rcpid response for fire and rescue units to emergencies. The system would also have the capability to handle non -emergency data needed for fire cost inspections, training and manage- ment decisions. 7. Fire Apparatus Modifications and Breathing Apparatus This project involves modifying fire apparctus to allow for the proper storage of brecthing cpparatus cnd the acquisition of new, lighter -weight breathing apparatus. The existing breathing cpparctus is obsolete in design cnd expensive to repcir, due to more than 15 yecrs of use. The new breathing apperctus which hcs been designed by NASA specifically for fire fighter use, is 30% lighter in weight (10 Ibs.), less bulky and has added fectures of c redundcnt regulator for c 'beck -up system in the event of regulator failure. It .:Iso hcs a "positive pressure" fccepiece, which reduces toxic atmosphere Ieckcge into the respiratory trcct of the wearer. Maintenance costs will be reduced by S46,000 in c 5-year period with the purchase of new equipment. One cf the recsons for constant repairs to present breathing cpparatus derives from their improper storage on fire apparatus. This exposes the elements cnd to impact dcmcge breathing cpparctus to demcce from the while the venicle is moving. Present storcge rnethccs also violcte the sanitary requirements of the Federal OSHA and recommended requirements of both "ANSI" cnd "NF?A". This project would rectify these problems by providing protected compartments for breathing cpparatus on ell fire apparatus. F>' Fite Apparatus Replacement This project involves the systematic replacement of fire apparatus to guarantee operating efficiency and to avoid massive capital outlays in any one fiscal year. Sixteen obsolete engine and ladder apparatus would be replaced over a period of four to six years, depending on their perform.. once, maintenance cost and obsolescence. The average life of apparatus is as follows: a) pumpers - 15-20 years b) ladders - 20 years c) special apparatus - 20 years Operating and maintenance costs will be reduced significantly with the purchase of additional apparatus with diesel engines. Recent experience with the diesel engines has seen a marked reduction in maintenance cost. Estimated cost reduction of 56,000 per vehicle per year is anticipated. 9. Illuminating Apparatus The Fire Department has recognized the need to provide a range -generating system of illumination at scenes of major fires, building collapses and other emergencies. The need became more evident cnd urgent at c recent build- ing collapse, when existing hand cnd portclbe illuminating equipment proved ineffective over c long period of time. Fixed portable cnd elevated range - generating illumination can result in quicker decision making, cnd rapid fire rescue illuminaticn for lifesaving operations. Presently, illumination at scenes of major emergencies and fires is provided by aerial equipment with small portable generators and Circle D 500 watt lights. This system has proven to be inadequate for major incidents requiring great amounts of illumination ever long periods. 10. Rescue Service Apparatus and Equipment This project would involve the systematic replacement of obsolete rescue units, their medical equipment and the possible future acquisition of a sixth rescue unit. Because of the very active use of rescue vehicles in responding to injuries cnd sudden illnesses, rescue vehicles are averaging st M 8, Ptte Apparatus Replacement This project involves the systematic replacement of fire apparatus td guarantee operating efficiency and to avoid massive capital outlays in any one fiscal year. Sixteen obsolete engine and ladder apparatus would be replaced over a period of four to six years, depending on their perform- ance, maintenance cost and obsolescence. The average life of apparatus is as follows: a) pumpers - 15-20 years b) ladders - 20 years c) special apparatus - 20 years Operating and maintenance costs will be reduced significantly with the purchase of additional apparatus with diesel engines. Recent experience with the diesel engines has seen a marked reduction in maintenance cost. Estimated ccst reduction of S6,000 per vehicle per year is anticipated. 9. Illuminating Apparatus The Fire Department has recognized the need to provide a range -generating system of illumination at scenes of major fires, building collapses and other emergencies. The need became more evident and urgent at c recent build- ing collapse, when existing hand and pertalbe illuminating equipment proved ineffective over c long period of time. Fixed pertcble and elevated range - generating illumination can result in quicker decision making, and rapid fire rescue illumincticn for lifesaving operations. Presently, illumination at scenes of major emergencies and fires is provided by aerial equipment with small portable generators cnd Circle D 500 watt lights. This system has proven to be inadequate for major incidents requiring great amounts of illumination over long periods. 10. Rescue Service Apparatus and Equipment This project would involve the systematic replacement of obsolete rescue units, their medical equipment and the possible future acquisition of a sixth rescue unit. Because of the very active use of rescue vehicles in responding to injuries and sudden illnesses, rescue vehicles are averaging 12400 miles per yeaP. Vehidles rust be in top caPiditioni and their equipment must be complete and dependable. Mbteovet; intiovdtiont In medical technology require that rescue equipment be updated and teplaced periodically. 11. Training Facility The training facility, discussed in the Chapter on Training and Safety, would require approximately a 5-acre site within close travelling distance from Miami fire companies. The new facility would replace the existing training center on N. W. 7th Avenue at 36th Street, which is inadequate in size and obsolete in design for present training needs. One of the major components in the training facility would be a closed circuit television system to provide uniform, immedicte training information to fire stations scattered throughout the City. 12. Fire Boat and Facilities This project proposes the acquisition of a quick -attack fire boat and the construction of facilities to dock the boat end to house its operators. A site near the mouth of the Micmi River would be ideal to quickly respond to emergencies clong the Bcyfront, ct the Port of Micmi, or along the Miami riverfront. There are few areas clong the 22.5 linear miles of waterfront which would not be accessible to c properly designed, quick - attack vessel. In addition to suppressing fires on vessels and in marinas, the fire beat would provide an alternate tactic in suppressing fires in high-rise waterfront structures. At the present time, however, this LI. a lower priority than the aforementioned projects. MIFE 111