Municipal Fire_Emergency Response Deployment StudyTHE CITY OF
DuB E
~-~-~
MEMORANDUM
November 30, 2006
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
The City has received the completed Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response
and Deployment Study from Matrix Consulting Group.
Fire Chief Dan Brown is recommending that a City Council work session be scheduled
for January 3, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. to receive a presentation from the consultant, Travis
Miller.
Printed copies of the Study will be provided before the work session.
I respectfully recommend Mayor and City Council approval of the selection of January 3,
2007, as the date of the work session.
N v ~~
Michael C. Van Milligen -
MCVM/jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Dan Brown, Fire Chief
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response
and Deployment Study
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
~~~~
or~~u~tin r~c~
4322 N. Belt Line Rd., 8112
Irving, TX 75038
v.972.871.7950 f.972.871.7951
November 30, 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
November 30, 2006
1. INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2. DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT 9
3. ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT RESPONSE NETWORK 30
4. ANALYSIS OF FUTURE STATION LOCATION NEEDS 49
1. INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Dubuque, Iowa retained the Matrix Consulting Group to conduct a
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study for the
Dubuque Fire Department. The study was conducted in accordance with the Request
for Proposals issued by the City in December 2005. Key factors driving the need for an
assessment of the Fire Department include anticipated growth due to annexations and
economic development on the City's western and southern borders, a desire to evaluate
current and future service levels and develop anticipated costs associated with changes
to Fire Department operations. The scope of services included the following elements:
• An assessment of the performance of the current station network.
• Identification of gaps in service levels and /or areas of duplication of service.
• Evaluation of station needs based on near-term and long-term growth
projections.
• Evaluation of alternative station location and personnel deployment options.
• Identification of operating and capital costs associated with changes to the
Department's response network.
The study was conducted by a team of public management and fire/EMS
specialists between April and September 2006. The Matrix Consulting Group used a
detailed and inclusive approach in conducting the study and in developing our analyses
and recommendations. Specific elements of the study approach included the following:
• Interviews with the City Manager, City Council Members, and representatives of
other City departments, including Planning and Information Services.
• Interviews with the command staff of the Department and other personnel.
Matrix Consulting Group
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
• Extensive tours of the City to understand risks in the community and the road
network. In addition, these tours were used to assess the suitability of potential
fire station locations throughout the City.
• Extensive data collection focused on understanding operations and services.
This included analysis of the emergency services, apparatus response patterns
and the geo-coding of emergency incidents as a precursor to developing
alternative station location options for the City.
• Development of interim documents for review by the Fire Department and City
management.
During the course of the study the Matrix Consulting Group reviewed factual
information, key assumptions, and interim documents with the Department. The overall
focus of the Matrix Consulting Group's approach was to maximize the opportunities for
input into the process and to ensure that major issues were identified to enhance the
likelihood that recommendations were practical and will be implemented.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The analysis and supporting documentation contained within this report are
extensive. The project team utilized a detailed, highly quantitative approach to
evaluating the costs and benefits of alternative station locations. This approach
provides a significant amount of information, which enables the City of Dubuque's
decision makers to understand the operational and fiscal trade offs between various
station location and personnel deployment options.
While the purpose of the executive summary is to summarize the key findings
within this report, it is important to understand the methodology utilized by the project
team in conducting the analysis of fire station locations. The points, below, describe the
steps taken to develop the station location analysis:
• The project team assessed the current performance of the existing station
network and the ability to meet response time objectives.
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C1TY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
• The project team identified a number of potential fire station locations based on
several tours of the City. Potential sites were chosen based on a number of
factors including: arterial access, surrounding land use, feasibility of acquiring
property, and general suitability for locating a fire station. The following sites
were chosen for further analysis:
Site Number
11 West 9th Street 1
2180 JFK Road 2
3155 Central Avenue 3
1697 University Avenue 4
689 South Grandview 5
1500 Rhomber Avenue 6
Chavenelle & Radford 7
Kell & Valentine 8
Key West Station 9
22nd & Windsor 10
Penns Ivania Flora Park 11
Seippel Near Cousins 12
Middle Near Ber 13
Kennedy near 32"d 14
32nd near Carter 15
Chavenelle Sei el 16
Chavenelle b/w Sei el & Radford 17
Chesterville & Cottin ham 18
61 & Southwest Arterial 19
The map below, shows the locations of each of the sites listed above:
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
City of Dubuque, Iowa
Current & Potential Station Locations
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• The projected team next identified all of the potential station location
combinations for scenarios that include 5 stations, 6 stations, 7 stations, and 8
stations. This step is important in expanding the number of alternatives available
to the City. The total number of scenarios evaluated is shown below:
Number of Stations Number of Scenarios
5 Stations 11,628
6 Stations 27,123
7 Stations 50,338
8 Stations 75,582
Total 164,730
As shown above, over 164,000 different scenarios were evaluated. For each of
these scenarios, the project team determined the following response statistics:
- The average response time in minutes.
- The percentage of calls reached by the first arriving station/unit in four
minutes.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
- The percentage of calls reached by at least two stations within eight
minutes.
- The percentage of calls reached by at least three stations within eight
minutes.
The results of the analysis were then sorted based on response targets and
those scenarios requiring the fewest number of new stations.
• Population estimates were utilized to project future fire department workload. The
additional workload was then utilized to evaluate alternative fire station location
scenarios.
Overall, the project team utilized a rigorous methodology to evaluate current
response capabilities and future capabilities of alternative station locations. This
approach was utilized to identify and evaluate a large number of options for the City of
Dubuque. The table below summarizes the findings and recommendations made within
this report:
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Issue Findin /Anal sis Recommendation
Performance of Current The current station network is The Department should monitor
Response Network well designed to provide a high reflex times to ensure that
level of service to the City of response times are accurately
Dubuque. Actual response times recorded and that reasons for
indicate the Department is extended reflex times are
reaching 85% of emergency calls identified and remedied.
for service within four minutes of
drive time and 85% of calls within
five minutes from dispatch to
arrival on scene. The Department
has also effectively deployed
resources to meet fire and EMS
workload demands.
However, there are opportunities
to improve response times. The
Department is not meeting best
practices for "reflex" time, defined
as the time between dispatch
and a unit going "en-route." Best
practices call for cone-minute
reflex time 90% of the time.
Based on available data, the
Department is currently meeting
this target 68% of the time.
Alternative Station Locations In order to improve response Current workloads and response
Based on Current Workload coverage to the City of Dubuque, times do not justify moving
three to four stations would have existing stations.
to be relocated and or
constructed. None of the
alternatives markedly increase
response capabilities. Current
stations are projected to reach
89% of calls within four minutes,
while the best six station options
(requiring three stations be
relocated) would improve
performance by 1 %.
Performance could be improved
by 2% if four new stations are
constructed.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Issue Findin /Anal sis Recommendation
Future growth and Fire Continued annexation of land The City should monitor
Department workload. west and south of the City could population growth and economic
add an additional 20,309 development within annexed
residents over the next 25 years. areas to the far west and south of
This will significantly impact the the current boundaries. The City
Fire Department's ability to should also encourage an orderly
maintain current service levels expansion of growth close to
given the geography of the City existing boundaries and then
and the areas cited for growth. expanding west and south.
The City may also want to
consider establishing alternative
service level objectives or more
stringent fire code standards
(e.g. residential sprinkler
systems) for those developments
well outside the current
boundaries of the City.
The City should continue to
install signal pre-emption devices
to ensure the safest and quickest
response to emergency
incidents.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
~ Issue ~ Finding/Analysis T Recommendation
Alternative Station Locations
based on Future Workload
Based on estimated population
growth and increased fire
department workloads, the
current station network is
projected to reach only 68% of
calls for service within four
minutes or less, with an average
drive time of over five minutes.
As development occurs, the City
should add one additional station
and relocate one current station
to accommodate the increase in
fire department workload. This
scenario would consist of adding
a station at or near Chavenelle &
Radford to provide service to the
west side of the City. In addition,
the City should relocate Station 5
to the area at or near the current
Key West Volunteer station.
Additional development farther
west or south of the City along
the proposed southwest arterial
extension should be monitored to
identify potential workload
increases that may cause
extended response times.
Depending on the location of this
increase in workload, an Stn
station should be added to the far
west, at or near Chesterville &
Cottingham, or along the
Southwest Arterial.
The estimated costs of these
changes are: $1.7 million in
capital costs for one new station,
and $1.1 million in operating
costs. In addition, relocating
Station 5 will cost approximately
$1.4 million in capital costs and
$500,000 in additional operating
costs.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
2. PROFILE OF THE DUBUQUE FIRE DEPARTMENT
This chapter in the Station Location, Response and Deployment Study for the
Dubuque Fire Department (DFD) includes information about the City of Dubuque and
the current organization and operation of the DFD. The information contained in this
document was developed from interviews with City Administrators (City Manager,
Planning Director, and GIS Specialists) and Fire Department personnel (Fire Chief and
Assistant Chiefs, Fire Marshal, Training Officer and EMS Supervisor). Members of the
City Council were also interviewed. The study team toured the Fire Department's
service area and facilities, reviewed various documents, records and maps and
collected data about the City and the Fire Department. This profile is organized as
follows:
• City Setting and Demographics
• Fire Department Overview
• Fire Department Expenditures
• Organization of the Department
• Fire Stations and Apparatus
• Fire Department Workload
• Station Coverage
The first section, which follows, provides some basic descriptive information
about the City of Dubuque.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
1. CITY SETTING AND DEMOGRAPHICS
Dubuque, located on the banks of the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa, is the
county seat of Dubuque County and the economic hub of the surrounding area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the population of the City has remained
relatively constant over the past 20 years and currently stands at approximately 58,000
residents. The graph, below, displays information about population growth in the City,
changes since 1980 and expectations about growth through 2031. The population
estimates are based on information provided by the Transportation and Planning
Department of the East Central Iowa Intergovernmental Association. Current estimates
suggest a very slow rate of population growth in the City over the next several decades.
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The City has maintained its population level as well as its tax base in recent
years by mounting an intensive economic development program that includes
renovation of the central business district, development of business parks in the
southeastern and southwestern sections of the City and annexing areas of the County
to its west and south. Although the population has remained largely unchanged over
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
the past several decades, the City has gone through a substantial revitalization as
evidenced by the information presented below.
• Annexation: The City annexed 40 acres between 1990 and 1995 compared to
3,788 acres since 1995. This acreage has provided space for residential and
commercial development.
• Non-residential development: Between 1990 and 1998 the City added an
average of 350,000 square feet of commercial space compared to an average of
one million square feet between 1999 and 2004.
• Non-farm employment: The number of non-farm persons employed in Dubuque
County has risen substantially over the past 20 years. Most of the job growth
has occurred in the City.
- 1983 - 37,600 jobs
- 1990 - 46,000 jobs
- 2005 - 59,000 jobs - 86% of these jobs were in the City
Interviews with Dubuque's planners indicate that the City will likely continue to
annex unincorporated areas of the county on its borders and foster job creation. The
City currently covers 29.5 square miles. This area includes an annexation of
approximately 700 acres of land (a little more than one square mile) that has been
challenged in the courts by the neighboring City of Asbury. The City is currently
updating its 2002 Comprehensive Plan and analyzing the costs and benefits of
annexing 23 parcels of land within its extraterritorial zone. The 23 parcels are identified
in the City's "Future Land Use 2030" map. The 23 parcels total 23,000 acres or
approximately 36 square miles. If all of the parcels are brought into the City, they will
more than double the land area of Dubuque. The parcels identified for annexation are
briefly described below.
• 17 of the 23 parcels are located on the southern and western sides of City. They
are south of the City of Asbury. These parcels are both north and south of the
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
proposed, limited access, southwest arterial that will run from Route 61 in the
east near Williams Lane to Route 20 in the west near Seippel Road.
- Areas north of the proposed Southwest Arterial and west Route 61 of are
tentatively zoned as single family or duplex and mixed residential.
- Areas to the south of the proposed Southwest Arterial west of route 61 are
tentatively zoned rural density residential.
- Areas to the east of 61 from the City's current boundary are zoned
primarily single family or duplex. These parcels are identified as a mix of
single family or duplex or agricultural zoning
• The remaining six parcels are on the north central section of the City extend from
the City of Asbury east to Central Avenue and north to the City of Sageville. The
parcels are tentatively zoned single family duplex or agricultural.
The residential and commercials growth of the City, coupled with the need to
provide improved service response times to the southwestern sections of the City, were
primary determinants in commissioning this fire station location study.
2. FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW
The Fire Department provides a wide range of services to the community. The
DFD not only provides fire suppression and prevention serves but also provides a high
level of emergency medical care, including emergency medical ambulance
transportation (in fact, 69% of the Department workload involves EMS incidents). The
DFD provides the Advanced Life Support level of EMS care.
The goals of the Department's Fire Suppression/Emergency Services Division
are to:
• Protect the public from the dangers of fire by attempting to control them at their
points of origin while keeping fire and water damage at a minimum.
• Respond to a broad range of requests from citizens in emergencies when
immediate help is not otherwise available.
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Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
• Maintain fire stations, apparatus and equipment in first class condition at all
times.
The Department further defines the mission of the Fire Suppression/Emergency
Services Division in a series of 20 "Service Objectives." Several of the service
objectives related to this study are listed below:
• To maintain an average response time of three to six minutes by continuing
current dispatch and operating procedures.
• To act as first responders to emergency medical calls and accidents.
• To monitor first company response time through written records and periodic
reviews and evaluations.
These three objectives are critical for the purpose of evaluating the placement of
fire stations in the City of Dubuque.
3. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES
The proposed Fire Department budget for FY 2007 is slightly over $8.2 million.
This amounts to approximately $142 per capita. The following exhibit provides
information about the department's operating budget during the most recent fiscal
years.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
During the 3-year period the budget rose at an average rate of 3.2% annually.
During this period the authorized personnel strength of the Department has remained
constant, hence budget increases are largely related to cost of living adjustments.
The table, below, itemizes the major expense categories in the DFD's FY 2007
budget. The largest item, personnel, represents 92% of the Department's budget. The
Fire budget is supported primarily from the City's General Fund and is based on
property tax assessments. However, the Department derives approximately 8% of its
budget from ambulance transportation fees and 4% from the Cable TV fund.
Fire Department Budget Detail - FY 2006
Bud et Item Line Detail Amount
Personnel $7,5551,765
Wages $5,030,857
Benefits $2,386,611
Uniforms/personal equipment $ 54,747
Other $ $78,550
Operating Expenses $ 556,228
Liability Insurance $ 80,403
Utilities $ 74,928
Fuel $ 37,838
Vehicle Maintenance $151,485
Bill Collection Services $ 66,090
Miscellaneous $145,484
Equipment $ 119,014
Vehicles $55,000
Furniture $ 5,880
Medical equipment $27,438
Fire Equipment $24,196
Radios, Pagers $ 6,000
Miscellaneous $106,754
Total $8,227,007
The Department provides emergency medical care, including ambulance
transportation services, for which it charges service fees. The fee schedule is listed in
the table on the following page. The Department anticipates that it will collect $900,000
in EMS fees in FY 2007. The billing and collection of the EMS fees has been
contracted to a private firm at a cost of $66,000 to the Department.
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Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Service Resident Non-Resident
ALS emer enc and non-emer enc $400 $550
ALS1 emer enc and non-emer enc $500 $650
ALS2 $650 $800
ALS1 8 2 Interce t base rate $400 $400
On-scene care -BLS $75 $225
On-scene care -ALS $150 $300
Milea a $6.00 $6.50
Ox en -Local $35 $35
Spinal immobilization $75 $75
Nitro Nox $75 $75
Waitin time $90/hr $90/hr
In addition to the operating budget, the Department has along-range capital
improvement plan and budget. The items in the capital improvement budget are listed
in the table, below. The bulk of the plan in the out years is focused on the replacement
of apparatus. The plan does not currently have any money allocated for the relocation
or construction of any fires stations that might be recommended by this study.
Item FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011
Traffic si nal re-emption equipment $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000
Connect stations with fiber o tic lines $125,000 $396,000
Re lace um ers in Stations 5, 6, and 3 $228,500 $240,000 $283,000 $175,500
Re lace ladder 512 $900,000
Re lace an ambulance $175,500
Trainin academ fire simulators $365,000
Station 3 maintenance and repairs $13,600
Station 5 maintenance and re airs $7,200
Station 2 maintenance and repairs $12,100
Mobile data terminals for apparatus $536,000
Restore 1948 Sea rave ladder truck $33,000
Install a passenger elevator in station 1 $422,000
The following section describes the staffing and organization of the Fire
Department.
4. ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT
The organization chart, on the following page, provides a graphical overview of the
Fire Department. The Department has a budgeted staff complement of 89 uniformed
positions and one civilian secretary. The number of personnel in the Department has
not changed since 2000.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Fire Chief
Secretary
1 Civilian
Fire Marshal Office SuppressionlAmbulance Training EMS Supervisor
1 Asst Chief, Fire Marshal 1 Asst Fire Chief
1 Asst Fire Marshal
Division t Division 2 t Division 3
t
t Asst Chief 1 Asst Chief ~ 1 Asst Chief
t Equipment Operator 1 Equipment Operator & 'I Equipment Operator
pparatus Staff Apparatus Staff ;Apparatus Staf/
26 Personnel 26 Personnel ~ 26 Personnel
The following table lists the number and classification of personnel in each
division of the Department. The vast majority of personnel, 94%, are assigned to
emergency operations where they staff the Department's emergency fire apparatus and
ambulances.
Function Personnel Classification
Administration 1 Fire Chief
1 Secreta
Fire Suppression/Ambulance 3 Assistant Chiefs
7 Captains
12 Medical Officers
14 Lieutenants
24 Fire Equipment Operators
24 Firefi hters
Fire Prevention Bureau 1 Asst. Chief/Fire Marshal
1 Asst. Fire Marshal
Ambulance Supervisor 1 Fire EMS Supervisor
Fire training 1 Asst. Fire Chief
Total 89 Fire/EMS Personnel
1 Civilian
Two important support functions, communications /dispatch and apparatus
maintenance are provided to the DFD by other agencies. Dispatch services are
provided by a joint City-County Communications Center and the City's Fleet
Management Department maintains fire apparatus and ambulances.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
(1 J Minimum Staffing and Lost Time
The Department has a minimum daily staffing level of 22 personnel -one
Assistant Chief and 21 Fire Officers and Firefighters. Except for the Assistant Chief and
one Fire Equipment Operator, all of the on duty personnel are assigned to apparatus.
Each shift is assigned 28 personnel to cover for staff that are off duty because of
vacation, sick and other leave. If the number of personnel on duty falls below the
minimum shift requirement of 22, off-duty personnel are called back on overtime. The
Department budgeted $40,579 for overtime in FY 2006. Personnel assigned to the Fire
Suppression/Ambulance Division work a 56-hour week composed of three alternate 24-
hour days followed by 96 hours off duty (i.e., on, off, on, off, on, 4-off).
The amount of overtime in a fire department with minimum staffing requirements
is a function of the number of personnel assigned to a shift and the amount of time off
taken by personnel. Time off is frequently referred to as "lost time". The study team
analyzed lost time for the Department using data from 2005. The suppression and
medical personnel took a total of 1,644 shifts off in 2005. This amounts to 16% of the
10,220 shifts (28 personnel X 365 shifts) they were assigned to work. The table below
lists the amount of lost time in shift increments used by the Fire officers and Firefighters
assigned to emergency operations. Personnel averaged 19.6 days of lost time in 2006.
The largest portions of the lost time were accounted for by vacation, comp time, sick
and injured on duty.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Reason for Lost Time in 2005 - Number of Shifts
Funeral 18
i
Light Duty 18
Training 36 ~
Casual Day 73
i
On-the-Job Injury 230; i
Sick 25p
Comp Time 1291
Vacation 728 ,
0 300 600 900
Fire departments generally adjust the relationship between the number of
personnel assigned to a shift and the number that actually appear for duty to minimize
the amount of overtime needed to meet minimum staffing requirements. The City and
the Fire Department have done a good job of matching scheduled resources to
minimum daily staffing needs based on the average amount of lost time per Firefighter.
With a lost time rate of 16%, an average of 23.5 Fire Officers and Firefighters are
generally available for duty. The small amount of overtime expense in 2005 ($40,579)
attests to this.
(2) Roles and Responsibilities of Personnel
The table, on the following page, describes the key roles and responsibilities of
various personnel in the Fire Department. These summaries are not intended to be
detailed job descriptions but rather to provide an overview of the main responsibilities
and functions in the DFD.
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Position # Ke Roles and Res onsibilities
ADMINISTRATION
Fire Chief 1.0 Department head, reports directly to the City
Manager.
• The Fire Chief is responsible for the management
and oversight of all operations and administrative
functions of the Dubuque Fire Department.
• The Chief has direct supervisory responsibility for
the Assistant Chiefs, as well as the administrative
personnel.
Secretary 2 Provides general administrative and clerical support
to Fire Chief, Assistant Chiefs and Fire Marshal,
Training and the Department as a whole.
• Performs routine as well as confidential clerical
duties.
• This position works Monda throu h Frida s,
TRAINING
Training Officer 1 An Assistant Chief serves as the Training and
Safety Officer.
• Responsible for developing and implementing an
annual training program, in-service company
training program as well as new recruit orientation
and training.
• This position works a 5-da , 40-hour week.
FIRE PREVENTION
1 Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal 2 The Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Marshal are
responsible for all fire prevention activities
1 Assistant Fire Marshal including:
- Inspections of residential and commercial
properties
- Enforcement of the fire code
- Fire alarms (e.g., system testing reports, system
design review, inspections, etc.)
- Fire investigations, including arsons
- Public education
• Coordinates the prevention activities engaged in by
suppression units under the direction of the
Assistant Fire Chiefs.
• These positions work a 5-da , 40-hour week.
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Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Position # Ke Roles and Res onsibilities
AMBULANCE SUPERVISOR
Ambulance Supervisor 1 Responsible for the Department's emergency
medical program.
• Provides and organizes training.
• Monitors EMS activity of all fire and ambulance
companies.
• Conducts quality review of patient care.
• Conducts ambulance and crew inspections.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
Assistant Chief 3 Serves as the shift commander for emergency
operations. One Assistant chief is assigned to
each of the three 24-hour shifts.
• Responsible for daily shift activities, including filling
shift vacancies (e.g., call back /overtime),
coordinating training and fire prevention activities,
responding to incidents and serving as the incident
commander.
Fire Captain 7 All personnel are cross-trained to provide afull-
Emergency Medical Officer
Fire Lieutenant 12
14 range of emergency services (EMS, fire, rescue
haz-mat) as well as prevention/inspection services.
Fire Equipment Operator 24 Captains and Lieutenants are the supervisors on
Firefighter 24 each piece of fire (5 engines, 2 ladders) apparatus.
• Emergency medical officers are paramedic trained
and are assigned to the three ambulances.
• Engineers and Firefighters are responsible for
driving the apparatus as well as EMS, suppression,
and prevention services.
The following section provides more detail regarding the deployment of stations
and apparatus in the City of Dubuque Fire Department.
5. FIRE STATIONS AND APPARATUS
The following sub-section describes the location of the current fire stations
operated by the City of Dubuque.
(1) Location of Stations
The DFD provides fire and EMS services from six fire stations staffed by paid,
career personnel. Three of the stations are located on the flats along the Mississippi
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
River that comprise the older downtown neighborhoods of the City, while the other three
stations are built on the bluffs that spread westward from the river. The western
sections of the City have experienced considerable economic and residential growth
during the past decade. The average age of the fire stations is 56 years but they range
from 27 to 101 years old. All are in generally fair to good condition. With the exception
of the two oldest stations, all of the stations have multiple bays for the use and storage
of apparatus.
The Department's headquarters station, Station 1, is staffed with three pieces of
apparatus: an engine, a ladder and an ambulance. An Assistant Fire Chief and seven
Fire Officers and Firefighters are on duty in this station daily. Station 4 operates two
pieces of apparatus: a quint (ladder) and an ambulance with a minimum staff of 4
personnel. The other four stations each operate a single piece of fire apparatus - a
pumper. Two of these stations (Station 2 and 3) have a minimum staff of three
personnel per pumper and two stations (Station 5 and 6} have a minimum staff of two
personnel per pumper. The following table lists the fire station, the year each station
was built, the address, the type of apparatus housed at each location, and the number
of minimum on-duty staff for each piece of apparatus.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 21
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Staffed Minimum On-
Station Address Ap aratus Du Staff
Station 1 11 West 9 Street Engine 501 2
Built - 1970 Ladder 511 2
Ambulance 551 2
Chief's Car 1 2
Station 2 2180 JFK Boulevard Engine 502 3
Built - 1976
Station 3 3155 Central Avenue Engine 503 3
Built - 1979
Station 4 1697 University Avenue Ladder 512 2
Built - 1954 Ambulance 552 2
Station 5 689 South Grandview Engine 505 2
Built - 1905 Avenue
Station 6 1500 Rhomberg Avenue Engine 506 2
Built - 1906
Total 8 staffed Minimum shift
Average age of apparatus staffing of 22
stations - 56 5 Engines personnel
years 2 Ladders
2 Ambulances
The map on the following page displays the location of the fire stations in the
City.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 22
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
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Matrix Consulting Group Page 23
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
6. FIRE DEPARTMENT WORKLOAD
This section of the profile summarizes the workload of the Fire Department.
(1) Incident Trends
The number of calls to a fire department is the most comprehensive measure of
service needs in a community. A call is simply a citizen's request for service to which
emergency apparatus are dispatched. The number and type of apparatus dispatched to
a call depends on the nature of the call. Five pieces of fire apparatus and an
ambulance are usually dispatched to structure fires, while an EMS call typically receives
a single engine response, ambulance, and command car.
The following chart tracks emergency calls to the department over the past
several years. The number of calls has remained relatively stable in recent years. In
2005 the DFD responded to an average of 12 emergency calls per day.
Emergency Calls, 2005 - 2005
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
(2) Types of Service Calls in 2005
Fire departments respond to many different kinds of emergencies and non-
emergency service calls. Fires, motor vehicle accidents and EMS calls are examples of
Matrix Consulting Group Page 24
2003 2004 2005
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
emergency services. Examples of non-emergency services provided by the
Department include the prevention inspection and public education activities. The
information in the following exhibit presents information about the types of emergencies
the Department responded to in 2005.
Types of Emergency Calls in 2005
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
The vast majority of the calls involved medical incidents - 69% of the calls in
2005 were EMS calls. This is a typical distribution for departments that provide fire and
EMS care. In 2005, the Department transported 2,417 patients. Most were transported
as a result of an emergency incident. The Department also transports patients between
medical facilities and to nursing homes.
Fires represent a small but important part of the Department's workload. Fires
present a significant risk because of the life safety issues involved and, to a lesser
extent, the loss of property value. The Department responded to 261 fires in 2005. The
fires represented 6% of the Department's emergency service workload. The exhibit, on
the following page, displays information about the types of fires that occurred during the
Matrix Consulting Group Page 25
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
year. The Department responded to an average of 1.3 building or structure fires weekly
in 2005.
Types of Fires in 2005
_ _-_ _ ___
80 --__. _ _ _ ~____. _~_.___..__
67 65
60
44
38
40
- -
18
20 __
0:
Building Trash Brush Vehicle Ina Other
~ building
(3) Emergency Workload by Station and Company
The number of emergency calls varies substantially by area of the City. The
chart, below, displays information about the number of service calls by district in 2005.
The districts represent the first due area for each station.
Emergency Calls by Fire District in 2005
Matrix Consulting Group Page 26
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
The following points summarize information about the number of calls by fire
district.
• The number of service calls per fire district ranges form a high of 1,241 in district
1 to 456 calls in district 6.
• The busiest station is Station 1 (Headquarters), located in the central business
district. It is the most heavily staffed station in the City. The number and type of
apparatus (engine, ladder, ambulance) deployed from the station gives the
Department flexibility in meeting a range of emergency needs. The district
generated 3.4 calls per day in 2005.
• The second busiest station is Station 2 located in the western quarter of the City.
Station 2 serves the City's newer residential and commercial growth areas. It is
staffed with an engine company. The district generated 2.7 calls per day in 2005.
• The third busiest station is Station 4. It serves the western part of the city on the
bluff. A quint (pumper/ladder combination) and an ambulance are deployed from
this station. The district generated 1.7 calls per day in 2005.
• The fourth busiest station is Station 3. It is located on the north end of Central
Avenue. An engine company is deployed from this station. The district generated
1.5 calls per day in 2005.
• Districts 5 and 6 are the least busy districts in the City. An engine is deployed
from each station. These two districts generated 1.2 calls per day in 2005.
The number of runs made by a fire company (apparatus and its staff) is an
indicator of the amount of workload generated by service calls. The number of runs is
larger than the number of emergency calls because multiple pieces of apparatus are
sent to most calls. For example, the DFD usually dispatches an ambulance and an
engine to EMS calls; 3 engines, 2 ladders and an ambulance to structure fire calls; and
a single engine to service calls. In 2005, the 4,335 emergency calls resulted in the
dispatch of 8,098 emergency vehicles.
The fire service has not developed standards regarding the minimum or
maximum number of runs that can be handled by a fire company. Fire professionals
Matrix Consulting Group Page 27
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
generally regard more than 3,000 runs as a cause for close monitoring of activity levels.
The exhibit, which follows, displays the number of runs made by individual fire
companies in Dubuque in 2005. The number of annual runs ranges from 1,636 (4.5 per
day) for Medic 551, stationed at fire headquarters to 313 runs for ladder 511 (0.85 per
day), also stationed at headquarters. The run information for each piece of apparatus is
detailed in the exhibit below. The distribution of runs by type of company is typical of
what occurs in most fire departments. Medic units tend to be the busiest followed by
engine and ladder companies. Ladder 512 from station 4 is busier than one would
expect for a ladder. However, it runs as an engine in its first due district.
3, 000
2,500
2,oao
1, 500
1,000
500
0
Apparatus Run Levels in 2005
Med 551 Med 552 Eng 501 Eng502 Lad 512 Eng 503 Eng 506 Eng 505 Lad 511
"Ladder 511 responses include Haz-Mat 81 and Medic 553 unit runs
7. STATION COVERAGE
This section provides information on the population served and area covered by
the current stations by response district. The information in the section was collected
from the City Planning and GIS Departments.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 28
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Demographic Characteristics of the Fire Districts
Station Population
Served Area in
S uare Miles Population
Densit
Sta 1 HQ - 11 W. 9~" 7,125 2.28 3,125
Sta 2 - 2180 JFK 15,738 11.99 1,313
Sta 3 - 3155 Central 11,227 4.98 2,254
Sta 4 - 1697 Universi 9,067 1.88 4,823
Sta 5 - 689 S. Grandview 8,183 5.76 1,421
Sta 6 - 1500 Rhomber 4,915 3.27 1,503
Total 56,255 30.16 1,865
As shown above, the station network currently services 56,255 residents. The
distribution of population ranges from a high of 15,737 persons in Station 2's area to
4,915 persons in Station 6's first due area. There is also quite a bit of disparity in the
area (square miles) in each of the fire districts. Station 2 covers 11.99 square miles
compared to 2.28 square miles in Station 1's fire due area.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 29
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
3. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT RESPONSE SYSTEM
This chapter of the report focuses on the analysis of fire station locations and the
deployment of personnel by the Dubuque Fire Department. This chapter is focused on
addressing several issues which were critical to Dubuque at the outset of this study:
• What service level standard(s) should be adopted by the City of Dubuque for the
delivery of fire and EMS emergency responses?
• What is the ability of the current system to meet that service delivery standard?
• Are the current fire stations appropriately located to provide efficient and effective
emergency response?
• Are there gaps in the current response network?
The first section, which follows, provides the project team's discussion of
selecting an appropriate service level standard for the City of Dubuque.
1. ESTABLISHING AN APPROPRIATE SERVICE LEVEL OBJECTIVE IS A
CRITICAL FIRST STEP IN A STATION LOCATION AND DEPLOYMENT
ANALYSIS.
One of the most important decisions that can be made by the City's policy
makers relating to the delivery of fire and EMS services is to determine what the
appropriate service level standards are for the community. This has been a topic of
intense national debate in recent years, with efforts focused on providing a consensus
standard and other efforts focused on developed methodologies for setting appropriate
response time targets locally.
Nationwide, a great deal of effort and research has been put into developing
performance objectives for the delivery of fire and EMS services. This effort, as was
stated previously, is critical for agencies making decisions about deployment and
Matrix Consulting Group Page 30
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
location of emergency resources. The objectives promoted for fire/rescue and EMS
have their basis in research that has been conducted into two critical issues:
• What is the critical point in a fire's "life" for gaining control of the blaze while
minimizing the impact on the structure of origin and on those structures around
it?
• What is the impact of the passage of time on survivability for victims of cardiac
arrest?
The chart, that follows, shows a typical "flashover" curve for interior structure
fires. The point in time represented by the occurrence of "flashover" is critical because
it defines when all of the contents of a room become involved in the fire. This is also the
point at which a fire typically shifts from "room and contents" to a "structure" fire -
involving a wider area of the building and posing a potential risk to the structures
surrounding the original location of the fire.
Generalized Flashover Curare
§§ E ~ r e C;..F. ~>> an
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M1Nt1TES
Note that this exhibit depicts a fire from the moment of inception -not from the
moment that a fire is detected or reported. This demonstrates the criticality of early
Matrix Consulting Group Page 31
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
detection and fast reporting as well as rapid dispatch of responding units. This also
shows the critical need for a rapid (and sufficiently staffed) initial response - by quickly
initiating the attack on a fire, "flashover" can be averted. The points, below, describe
the major changes that occur at a fire when "flashover" occurs:
• It is the end of time for effective search and rescue in a room involved in the fire.
It means that likely death of any person trapped in the room -either civilian or
firefighter.
• After this point in a fire is reached, portable extinguishers can no longer have a
successful impact on controlling the blaze. Only larger hand-lines will have
enough water supply to affect a fire after this point.
• The fire has reached the end of the "growth" phase and has entered the fully
developed phase. During this phase, every combustible object is subject to the
full impact of the fire.
• This also signals the changeover from "contents" to "structure" fire. This is also
the beginning of collapse danger for the structure. Structural collapse begins to
become a major risk at this point and reaches the highest point during the decay
stage of the fire (after the fire has been extinguished).
It should be noted that not every fire will reach flashover -and that not every fire
will "wait" for the 8-minute mark to reach flashover. A quickly responding fire crew can
do things to prevent or delay the occurrence of flashover. These options include:
• Application of portable extinguisher or other "fast attack" methodology.
• Venting the room to allow hot gases to escape before they can cause the ignition
of other materials in the room.
• Not venting aroom -under some circumstances this will actually stifle a fire and
prevent flashover from occurring.
Each of these techniques requires the rapid response of appropriately trained fire
suppression resources that can safely initiate these actions. In the absence of
automatic fire suppression systems, access to interior fires can again be limited by a
safety requirement related to staffing levels. OSHA and related industry standards
Matrix Consulting Group Page 32
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
require the presence of at least two firefighters on the exterior of a building before entry
can be made to a structure in which the environment has been contaminated by a fire.
In the absence of a threat to life demanding immediate rescue, interior fire suppression
operations are limited to the extent a fire service delivery system can staff to assure a
minimum of four people actively involved in firefighting operations. The second issue to
consider is the delivery of emergency medical services. One of the primary factors in
the design of emergency medical systems is the ability to deliver basic CPR and
defibrillation to the victims of cardiac arrest. The exhibit, below, demonstrates the
survivability of cardiac patients as related to time from onset:
Survival
Rate
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Survival
Rate
This graph illustrates that the chances of survival of cardiac arrest diminish
approximately 10% for each minute that passes before the initiation of CPR and/or
defibrillation. These dynamics are the result of extensive studies of the survivability of
patients suffering from cardiac arrest. While the demand for services in EMS is wide
ranging, the survival rates for full-arrests are often utilized as benchmarks for response
time standards as they are more readily evaluated because of the ease in defining
patient outcomes (a patient either survives or does not). This research results in the
Matrix Consulting Group Page 33
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Response in Minutes
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
recommended objective of provision of basic life support within 4 minutes of notification
and the provision of advanced life support within 8 minutes of notification. The goal is to
provide BLS within 6 minutes of the onset of the incident (including detection, dispatch
and travel time) and ALS within 10 minutes. This is often used as the foundation for a
two-tier system where fire resources function as first responders with additional (ALS)
assistance provided by responding ambulance units and personnel.
Additional recent research is beginning to show the impact and efficacy of rapid
deployment of automatic defibrillators to cardiac arrests. This research -conducted in
King County (WA), Houston (TX) and as part of the OPALS study in Ontario, Canada -
shows that the AED can be the largest single contributor to the successful outcome of a
cardiac arrest -particularly when accompanied by early delivery of CPR. It is also
important to note that these medical research efforts have been focused on a small
fraction of the emergency responses handled by typical EMS systems -non-cardiac
events make up the large majority of EMS and total system responses and this research
does not attempt to address the need for such rapid (and expensive) intervention on
these events.
The results of these research efforts have been utilized by communities and first
responders, often on their own with no single reference, to develop local response time
and other performance objectives. However, there are now three major sources of
information to which responders and local policy makers can refer to when determining
the most appropriate response objectives for their community:
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) provides basic information regarding
distances between fire stations. However, this "objective" does little to recognize
the unique nature of every community's road network, population, calls for
service, call density, etc.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 34
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) promulgated a documented
entitled: "NFPA 1710: Objective for the Organization and Deployment of Fire
Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special
Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments." This document (NFPA
1710) was published in 2001 and generated a great deal of dialogue and debate
-which is still on-going.
The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) in its "Objectives of
Coverage" manual places the responsibility for identifying "appropriate" response
objectives on the locality. These objectives should be developed following a
comprehensive exercise in which the risks and hazards in the community are
compared to the likelihood of their occurrence.
While each of these efforts provides a reference point for communities to follow,
only NFPA 1710 offers any specificity. It is important to note that the performance
objectives (in terms of response times) provided in the NFPA 1710 document are
derived from the basic research previously described. These include the following (all
are taken from section 4.1.2.1.1 of NFPA 1710):
• One minute (60 seconds) for the processing of an incoming emergency phone
call, including the completion of the dispatching of fire response units.
• "One minute (60 seconds) for turnout time." This is also called reflex time,
reaction time, "out-the-chute" time, etc. This is the time that elapses between
dispatch and when the units are actively responding.
• "Four minutes (240 seconds) or less for the arrival of the first arriving engine
company at a fire suppression incident and / or 8 minutes (480 seconds) or less
for the deployment of a full first-alarm assignment at a fire suppression incident."
• "Four minutes (240 seconds) or less for the arrival of a unit with first responder or
higher level capability at an emergency medical incident."
• "Eight minutes (480 seconds) or less for the arrival of an advanced life support
unit at an emergency medical incident, where this service is provided by the fire
department."
• In section 4.1.2.1.2, NFPA 1710 goes on to state: "The fire department shall
establish a performance objective of not less than 90 percent for the
achievement of each response time objective specified in 4.1.2.1.1"
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CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
It is important to note the "and / or" found in the initial response objective
statement. This indicates that a system would meet the intent of the standard if it can
reasonably plan to deliver either the single unit, 4-minute travel time standard, the first
alarm, 8-minute travel time standard, or both. It should also be noted that it is implied
that the total time allotted is additive with each successive event. For example, a
system which arrived on-scene in six (6) minutes or less 90% of the time (from time of
dispatch) would be in compliance -even if the turnout time was longer than a minute
(though that should clearly be improved).
It is also critical to note that these time objectives apply to emergency calls for
service -there is nothing in NFPA 1710 (nor in any other objective) that suggests that
communities cannot establish a differential response to calls for service determined to
be non-emergency in nature. A second element of the NFPA 1710 performance
objectives addresses unit and total response staffing. These objectives are described in
NFPA 1710 as follows:
• Engine and truck companies should be staffed with a minimum of four personnel
(sections 5.2.2.1.1 and 5.2.2.2).
• Section A.3.3.8 defines a company as either a single unit or multiple units which
operate together once they arrive on the fire ground.
• A total initial response is defined (in section 5.2.3.2.2) as having a total of 15
people (if an aerial is utilized) for 90% of calls. This is broken down as follows:
- One (1) incident commander.
- One (1) on the primary supply line and hydrant.
- Four (4) to handle the primary and backup attack lines.
- Two (2) operating in support of the attack lines, performing forcible entry.
- Two (2) assigned to victim search and rescue.
Matrix Consulting Group
Page 36
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
- Two (2) assigned to ventilation.
- One (1) assigned to operate the aerial device.
- Two (2) to establish an initial rapid intervention team.
• If an incident is determined to require additional resources, the fire department
should have as an objective the ability to respond with:
- Additional units as needed (through its own resources or via automatic
and mutual aid).
- Assignment of two (2) additional personnel to the rapid intervention team.
- Assignment of one (1) as an incident safety officer.
It is interesting to note that the four person companies discussed in some areas
of NFPA 1710 are not maintained in the description of primary tasks to be accomplished
on the fire ground -recognition that the requirements of the response in the field are
dynamic and do not fit neatly into size and shape of any particular response
configuration. These objectives apply to the initial and follow-up response for reported
structure fires. The document does not suggest that this response be mounted for all
incidents.
The project team from the Matrix Consulting Group utilized the following
performance objectives for our analysis of fire station locations and operations in the
City of Dubuque:
• One minute (60 seconds) or less for dispatch processing time -from call answer
to dispatch of initial units. This is evaluated at a 90% fractile.
• One minute (60 seconds) or less for reflex time -from dispatch notification to the
units going en-route. This is also evaluated at a 90% fractile.
• Four minutes (240 seconds) or less for drive time -from en-route time to arrival
of the first unit on scene. This is also evaluated at a 90%fractile.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 37
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
• Eight minutes (480 seconds) or less of drive time for the arrival of the second due
station to the scene of a structure fire or large emergency incident.
The standards above were utilized in the absence of any clearly defined
performance targets. While the Department has a target "response time" of three to six
minutes, this goal is not well defined. The following sections show the analysis of
current performance against these standards. The following section provides a
description of the Matrix Consulting Group's approach to analyzing station location and
deployment issues.
2. THE MATRIX CONSULTING GROUP UTILIZES A DYNAMIC GIS
ANALYTICAL MODEL TO EVALUATE DEPLOYMENT OF RESOURCES.
The Matrix Consulting Group has developed an in-house capability for the
analysis of fire station locations. This analytical approach is based on a number of key
factors including the following:
• Utilization of state of the art GIS software developed by ESRI. These elements
include Arclnfo 9.0, Network Analyst, Spatial Analyst and specialized sub-
routines which focus on analyzing facility locations.
• Development of the most complete road network possible. In this case, the
Matrix Consulting Group made use of data from the City's GIS staff, the County
Assessor's Office, and the US Census.
• Access to and utilization of the most detailed call for service information possible.
These data are taken from the CAD / RMS systems maintained by the Fire
Department. In order to reduce the impact of seasonal or annual outliers, the
Matrix Consulting Group utilizes multiple years of data. These include data
points which focus on key information for analyzing station networks, including:
- Street address of the call.
- Call type and priority.
- Actual response times achieved by the Fire Department.
• Utilization of these technologies enables the Matrix Consulting Group to calculate
a large range of statistical information about the current system or about various
Matrix Consulting Group Page 38
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
alternatives. These may include the predicted average response time, the
"fractile" response time, etc.
The Matrix Consulting Group's approach involves identifying the total range of
potential locations in the City. The model is then used to calculate the fastest
possible response time from each of these locations to each call address.
The impacts of growth are incorporated into the firm's model by projecting calls
for service in undeveloped areas. These response times are then utilized to
evaluated potential station locations.
Various alternatives can then be tested to determine which may be the "optimal"
solution for the City. The fact that we are able to test so many at once enables
the City's policy makers and staff to evaluate potential tradeoffs between the
costs (capital and operating) and the benefits (response time reduction or
improved fractile performance) resulting from each alternative.
The following section provides the project team's analysis of the current fire /
EMS service delivery system.
3. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT RESPONSE CAPABILITIES SHOWS THAT THE
CURRENT STATION NETWORK IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL
OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.
The project team evaluated the capabilities of the current fire department
response system utilizing two methods. The first evaluates response capabilities based
on actual response time data derived from the City's Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
system. Department performance on each of the targets identified above is measured
to identify issues and or strengths. Next, the project team utilized the GIS model
described above to identify theoretical or projected response times from current station
locations. This approach allows the firm to verify the accuracy of the GIS model with
respect to response times, and provides a benchmark against which response time data
can be evaluated. In other words, the model is calibrated against actual response time
data and the model is used to identify potential issues with how the Department is
responding to emergency incidents.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 39
C1TY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
(1) While the Station Network Is Well Designed, the Department Is Not Meeting
All Recommended Performance Targets.
This section compares response times achieved by the DFD during calendar
year 2005 to the benchmarks discussed in the preceding sections. The project team
collected detailed call for service data to document actual response time elements
during this time period. The exhibit, below, provides a summary of response times
achieved by the Fire Department during 2005:
Incident T e Avg.
Reflex
Time %
< 1 Min. Avg.
Drive
Time %
< 4
Mins. Avg. FD
Total
Res onse
< 5
Mins.
ACCIDENT PD HAZARD 0.00 100% 4.07 100% 3.27 100%
ACCIDENT PI 0.59 78% 3.55 86% 3.31 86%
ACCIDENT PI HIT & RUN 0.32 100% 3.14 67% 3.36 67%
ACCIDENT PI MINOR 1.23 33% 2.82 100% 2.14 100%
ACCIDENT PI
W/ENTRAPMENT 0.38 75% 3.30 83% 3.19 83%
AMBULANCE 1ST RESP
HOT/AMB COLD 0.94 70% 3.39 90% 3.39 89%
AMBULANCE ALL UNITS
HOT 0.90 67% 3.24 86% 3.43 88%
AMBULANCE NON-
EMERGENCY 1.22 60% 3.98 67% 4.66 64%
ASSAULT FIGHT ACTIVE
WEAPON 0.00 100% 1.57 100% 2.35 100%
BOMB THREAT 0.67 67% 5.40 50% 4.26 67%
DOMESTIC INJURY
ACTIVE 0.12 100% 0.94 100% 0.72 100%
FIRE BUSINESS 0.68 78% 3.93 67% 4.52 68%
FIRE DUMPSTER 0.77 75% 4.12 63% 5.44 50%
FIRE GRASS 2.09 19% 2.76 77% 4.72 62%
FIRE NO THREAT 1.61 52% 3.33 71% 4.81 63%
FIRE RESIDENCE 0.78 75% 3.78 74% 4.51 68%
FIRE UNKNOWN 0.89 62% 3.21 71 % 5.05 71
FIRE VEHICLE 1.04 65% 2.97 79% 3.94 83%
FIRE VEHICLE WITH
OCCUPANTS 1.14 0% 3.12 100% 4.21 100%
HAZARD HIGH ANGLE 1.63 0% 2.22 100% 3.85 100%
HAZARD MAJOR 0.77 63% 4.37 40% 5.68 45%
HAZARD RIVER RESCUE 0.31 100% 6.10 25% 9.03 25%
HAZARD WIRES DOWN 0.66 75% 4.03 60% 4.82 63%
MEDICAL DISPATCH -
PRO Q A 0.12 96% 3.71 75% 3.33 86%
MISC AGENCY ASSIST 0.00 100% 2.10 50% 2.10 100%
MISC CITIZEN ASSIST 0.30 100% 4.12 50% 4.42 100%
MISC WARRANT SERVICE 0.00 100% 0.00 100% 0.00 100%
MISC WELFARE CHECK 0.13 100% 1.13 100% 1.13 67%
Matrix Consulting Group Page 40
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Incident T e Avg.
Reflex
Time %
< 1 Min. Avg.
Drive
Time %
< 4
Mins. Avg. FD
Total
Response
< 5
Mins.
SERVICE LOCK OUT 1.86 80% 3.52 60% 5.38 60%
SERVICE MINOR HAZARD 1.19 61% 3.84 60% 4.97 53%
SERVICE MISC FIRE 1.41 55% 3.81 60% 5.19 55%
SERVICE POWER
OUTAGE 0.00 100% 4.77 50% 4.77 50%
SERVICE WATER OR
STEAM LEAK 3.97 0% 1.20 100% 5.16 67%
SUSPICIOUS PERSON 0.00 100% 1.54 100% 2.26 100%
TRAFFIC PROBLEM 0.09 100% 0.01 100% 0.10 100%
Total 1.00 66% 3.54 77% 4.06 76%
The following points summarize the information above:
• Overall, the Department is averaging one minute for turn-out or "reflex" time to all
calls for service. Note that this includes non-emergency calls for service. Overall,
the DFD is meeting the one-minute target 66% of the time. Utilizing only
emergency calls for service indicates that this target is being met approximately
68% of the time, short of the 90% target. It should be noted that the timestamp
for recording when a unit goes "en-route" to the scene is recorded in dispatch
once verbal confirmation is made with the responding unit. There may be a delay
in recording this time based on call activity in dispatch. As a result there may be
instances where time stamps do not accurately reflect "reflex" time.
• The Department is averaging approximately 3.5 minutes of drive time to all calls
for service and meeting the four-minute target approximately 77% of the time.
Again, this includes non-emergency calls. Looking at only emergency calls
shows that the four-minute target is being met approximately 85% of the time.
• Finally, the total Fire Department response (from dispatch to arrival of the first
unit on scene) averaged approximately four minutes. The percentage of total
calls responded to within 5 minutes or less of reflex and drive time was 76%.
Again, if only emergency calls are used, the Department is meeting the
performance target approximately 85% of the time.
Overall, the Department is performing well against the drive time and total fire
department response time targets. However, performance against the reflex time
benchmarks can be significantly improved. The Department and City should verify that
reflex times are being captured appropriately within the CAD system. Improving reflex
time will enhance response times and ensure the most effective response to emergency
incidents.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 41
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Recommendation: The Department should improve reflex times and monitor
performance against the one-minute target to ensure data are captured accurately
and to identify response impediments. This is a critical component of overall
response time.
Recommendation: The Department should ensure that reflex times are being
captured accurately by the dispatch center and investigate those instances where
reflex times exceed one minute.
(Z) Matrix Consulting Group Calibrated Its Station Location Model to
Approximate Current Response Capabilities.
The project team utilized ArcGIS and the Network Analyst extension to estimate
the potential areas of the City that can be reached within the targeted drive times of four
minutes and eight minutes. Travel times are generated based on estimated speed
limits for different road classifications -arterial, minor arterial, collector, local roads, etc.
These estimates incorporate the ability of a large piece of fire apparatus to safely
respond to emergency incidents, traffic, and other response impediments. The project
team verifies these assumptions by comparing projected response capabilities to actual
response times. The project team utilized the following travel speed assumptions in
calibrated the station location model:
• Arterial roads were assigned an average travel speed of 35 miles per hour.
• Minor arterials, collectors, and local roads were assigned travel speeds of 25
miles per hour.
The project team then utilized personnel and unit deployment information to
measure the ability to deliver resources to the scene of an emergency incident. The
projected coverage of these incidents is based on actual calls for service responded to
during 2005. The next section provides an analysis of current resource deployment.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 42
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
(3) The Project Team Utilized the Station Location Model to Evaluate Personnel
Deployment and Response Capabilities.
The project team developed maps and statistics that describe the current
capabilities of the response system. The project team evaluated the response
capabilities of the current station network and deployment of personnel based on the
following:
• The number of units delivered within four minutes of drive time. This element
measures the ability to handle single EMS incidents as well as larger incidents
which require a quick initial response.
• The number of personnel delivered within four minutes of drive time. This
element also measures the ability to handle EMS and larger incidents but
provides additional information on personnel resources available.
• The number of personnel delivered within eight minutes of drive time. This
measure evaluates the ability to handle structure fire incidents or other large
incidents which require additional personnel.
• The ability to delivery an ALS response within eight minutes of drive time. The
element is based on the research discussed in the performance standards
section.
The maps, that follow, depict the Fire Departments performance against the
above benchmarks:
Matrix Consulting Group Page 43
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
City of Dubuque, Iowa
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Matrix Consulting Group Page 44
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
City of Dubuque, Iowa
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Matrix Consulting Group Page 45
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
In addition to the maps above, the project team developed response statistics
that demonstrate the potential response capabilities of the Department based on current
deployment. The first set of tables describe the number of calls (actual 2005 calls)
capable of being reached by various levels of personnel and units within four minutes of
drive time:
Potential # of Personnel Responding
At 4 Minutes of Drive Time
# of Personnel # of Calls % Cumulative
2 to 3 1,126 27% 27%
4 to 6 465 11 °!0 38%
7 to 8 232 6% 44°I°
9 to 12 743 18°l0 62°l0
13 to 15 1,102 27°t° 89°1°
Outside 4 Min. 467 11%
Total 4,135 100% 100%
Potential # of Units Responding
At 4 Minutes of Drive Time
# of Units # of Calls % Cumulative
1 Unit 1,126 27% 27%
2 Unit 306 7% 35%
3 Unit 251 6% 41
4 Units 140 3% 44%
5 or more units 1,845 45% 89%
Outside 4 Min. 467 11
Total 4,135 100% 100%
The following points summarize the tables above:
• As shown above, the station location model predicts that approximately 139% of
total calls for service responded to during 2005 could be reached by at least 2
personnel. Note that actual response performance was 85%.
• Approximately 61 % of total calls for service could be reached by 4 or more
personnel.
• Approximately 50% of total calls for service could be reached by 7 or more
personnel.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 46
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
• As shown above, the model predicts that approximately 89% of calls for service
could be reached by at least 1 unit. Again, actual response performance was
85%.
• Approximately 61 % of total calls for service could be reached by 2 or more units.
• Approximately 54% of total calls could be reached by 3 or more units.
• Approximately 45% of total calls could be reached by 5 or more units.
The next set of tables shows response capabilities at 8 minutes of drive time:
Potential # of Personnel Responding
At 8 Minutes of Drive Time
# of Personnel # of Calls % Cumulative
2 to 4 159 4% 4%
5 to 8 408 10% 14%
9 to 13 728 18% 31
14 to 15 194 5% 36%
16 to 22 2,637 64% 100%
Outside 8 Min 9 0%
Tota I 4,135 100
Potential Ambulance Units Responding
At 8 Minutes of Drive Time
Medic Units # of Calls % Cumulative
1 Unit 1,081 26% 26%
2 Units 2,830 68% 95%
Outside 8 Min. 224 5%
Total 4,135 100% 100%
The following points summarize the tables above:
• The Department is predicted to be capable of providing at least 1 unit to 99% of
total calls for service within 8 minutes of drive time.
• Approximately 96% of total calls for service could be reached by 5 or more
personnel within 8 minutes of drive time.
• Approximately 82% of total calls for service could be reached by 9 or more
personnel within 8 minutes of drive time.
• Approximately 70% of total calls for service could be reached by 14 or more
personnel within 8 minutes of drive time.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 47
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
• Approximately 95% of total calls for service can be reached by at least 1
ambulance unit within eight minutes of drive time.
• Approximately 68% of total calls for service can be reached by at least 2
ambulance units.
Overall, while the Department is somewhat below the strict benchmarks utilized
by NFPA for structure fire response, the Department is capable of providing significant
resources within targeted response times to handle emergency incidents. In addition,
due to the relative infrequency of structure fires (fewer than 100 in 2005) the response
network is well designed to handle current workloads.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 48
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
4. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE STATION
LOCATIONS AND FUTURE GROWTH ISSUES
This chapter presents the project team's analysis of the Department's optimal
station locations based on current workload as well as anticipated population and call
for service workload growth over the next twenty-five years.
1. THE PROJECT TEAM IDENTIFIED ALTERNATIVE FIRE STATION LOCATION
SITES FOR ANALYSIS.
The project team conducted a number of tours of the City to identify potential
sites for fire station relocation or fire station additions. In selecting potential sites the
project team focused on the following criteria:
• Adjacent land uses of existing parcels. For example, the project team utilized
sites that would not be located within a developed, primarily residential area.
• Access to arterial roads and major thoroughfares.
• Sites large enough to potentially locate a fire station. Generally sites that were at
least one acre were selected.
• Sites that could potentially allow for the consolidation of existing stations and/or
the addition of a new station. For example, sites that were one block away from
existing stations were not utilized since these would have negligible impacts on
response times.
Based on the criteria above, the project team developed a list of potential sites.
The exhibit, below, and the map that follows, identifies the location of the sites
evaluated. Note that each site is assigned a number for ease of reporting.
Site Number
11 West 9th Street 1
2180 JFK Road 2
3155 Central Avenue 3
1697 Universi Avenue 4
689 South Grandview 5
1500 Rhomber Avenue 6
Matrix Consulting Group Page 49
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Site Number
Chavenelle & Radford 7
Kelly & Valentine 8
Ke West Station 9
22nd & Windsor 10
Penns Ivania Flora Park 11
Seip el Near Cousins 12
Middle Near Berry 13
Kenned near 32"d 14
32nd near Carter 15
Chavenelle Seip el 16
Chavenelle biw Seippel & Radford 17
Chesterville & Cottingham 18
61 & Southwest Arterial 19
City of Dubuque, Iowa
Current & Potential Station Locations
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As shown above, the project team identified nineteen total sites, including current
stations, for further analysis.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 50
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
2. MATRIX CONSULTING GROUP IDENTIFIED AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF
POTENTIAL STATION LOCATION SCENARIOS
The Matrix Consulting Group's approach to evaluating fire station locations is
focused on evaluating all possible unique combinations of fire station locations. This
means that each unique station location combination is identified for evaluation of the
potential impact on response capabilities. This is accomplished for different scenarios
which include a given number of stations (e.g. 4 station options, 5 station options, 6
station options, etc.). As an illustration, the project team considered all possible ire
station location combinations for options that include four stations, five stations, and six
stations. The table, below, shows the total number of scenarios (options) evaluated by
the project team:
Number of Stations Number of Scenarios
4 Stations 11,628
5 Stations 27,123
6 Stations 50,338
7 Stations 75,582
Total 164,730
As shown above, over 164,000 different scenarios were evaluated. For each of
these scenarios, the project team determined the following response statistics:
• The average response time in minutes.
• The percentage of calls reached by the first arriving station/unit in four minutes.
• The percentage of calls reached by at least two stations within eight minutes.
• The percentage of calls reached by at least three stations within eight minutes.
• The percentage of calls reached by four stations within eight minutes.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 59
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
The results of the analysis were then sorted by the top performing scenarios and
those scenarios requiring the fewest number of new stations.
3. ANALYSIS OF OPTIMAL STATION LOCATIONS BASED ON CURRENT
WORKLOAD INDICATES THAT MINOR IMPROVEMENTS IN SERVICE
LEVELS WILL REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS TO THE FIRE
STATION NETWORK.
This section presents the results of the station location analysis based on current
call for service workload. This analysis was performed to identify potential station
relocations, consolidations, or additions that would enhance current service levels or
reduce costs.
In evaluating optimal placement of station locations, the project team had to
develop some criteria for ranking the results of the analysis. Because the model
produces a number of statistics: average response time, four minute fractile, five minute
fractile, six minute fractile, eight minute fractile (calls reached by two or more stations),
developing criteria to rank scenarios is important. The exhibit, that follows, discusses
the tradeoffs of utilizing various performance measures:
Measure Advanta es Disadvanta es
Total Response Time Choosing the scenario with the Using total response time does
lowest total response time not maximize the number of calls
ensures that a large portion of that can be reached within a
calls will receive a quick specified response target. For
response. example, scenarios with the
lowest total response time may
indicate that some calls receive a
very quick response time, while
some calls receive a delayed
res onse time.
Average Response Time Same as using total response Same as above.
time since total response time is
just divided by total number of
calls to determine the avers e.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 52
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Measure Advanta es Disadvanta es
Four minute fractile (% of calls Choosing the scenario with the Using the four minute Tractile
reached within 4 minutes) best four minute fractile (greatest may limit the ability of the
of calls reached within four Department to provide more than
minutes of drive time for the first one unit on scene within an eight
arriving unit), would ensure the minute target. This is due to the
best initial response time. fact that scenarios with the best
four minute fractile essentially
spread out stations to provide
covera a to a lar a area.
8 Minute Fractile (% of calls Choosing the scenario with the Using this measure does not
reached within 8 minutes) best eight minute fractile always result in the best initial
(greatest % of calls reached by at response. This approach tends
least two stations within eight to concentrate resources in high
minute of drive time), ensures call density areas.
coverage of calls when another
station is busy (concurrency), or
during incidents that require a
large number personnel and
equipment (e. .structure fires).
In sum, there are benefits and consequences from utilizing a single measure to
choose the best station locations. The project team believes, however, that utilizing
three criteria to evaluate scenarios is useful. First, the project team ranked scenarios
based on four-minute response performance. Since the vast majority of workload
involves emergency medical incidents, and an efficient response limits the escalation of
fire, utilizing the four-minute target is essential. Second, scenarios that required the
fewest number of new stations and had a high level of four-minute performance were
chosen. Finally, eight-minute performance was utilized to further refine the rankings.
Utilizing the criteria discussed above, the project team developed a list of the top
ten station location scenarios for four-station, five-station, and six-station options. The
first two tables, on the following page, show the top 15 scenarios ranked by four-minute
performance and by fewest number of new stations required. Note: ST1, ST2, ST3, ST
4, ST5 refer to site numbers (for each of the potential sites) identified and shown
in the previous section.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 53
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Top 15 Station Options Including 5 Stations
Ranked by 4 Minute Pertormance
Based on Current Workload
8 MIN- New
ST1 ST2 ST3 ST4 ST5 AVG. 4MIN 5MIN 6MIN 2 8MIN-3 8MIN-4 Stations
2 3 5 10 11 2.71 87% 92% 95% 94% 66% 49% 2
2 3 4 5 10 2.61 87% 92% 95% 91% 70% 54% 1
1 2 3 4 6 2.30 86% 92% 94% 90% 70% 54% 0
2 4 5 10 15 2.70 86% 91% 95% 91% 77% 33% 2
2 5 10 11 15 2.80 86% 91% 95% 90% 75% 31% 3
1 2 3 4 10 2.24 86% 91 % 94% 90% 73% 57% 1
2 5 8 10 11 2.79 86% 91% 96% 86% 66% 36% 3
2 4 5 8 10 2.69 85% 91% 96% 85% 72% 37% 2
2 5 7 10 11 2.80 85% 91% 96% 84% 72% 12% 3
2 4 5 7 10 2.70 85% 91% 96% 88% 73% 12% 2
1 2 3 4 5 2.38 85% 90% 94% 89% 72% 59% 0
1 2 3 5 11 2.45 85% 90% 94% 93% 67% 55% 1
1 2 3 4 8 2.41 85% 91 % 94% 89% 76% 36% 1
2 5 9 10 11 2.83 85% 91% 95% 85% 61% 10% 3
2 4 5 9 10 2.73 85% 91 % 96% 85% 67% 11 % 2
Top 15 Station Options Including 6 Stations
Ranked by 4 Minute Pertormance
Based on Current Workload
New
ST1 ST2 ST3 ST4 ST5 ST6 AVG. 4MIN 5MIN 6MIN 8MIN-2 8MIN-3 8MIN-4 Stations
2 3 5 8 10 11 2.63 90% 94% 96% 96% 73% 58% 3
2 3 4 5 8 10 2.54 89% 94% 96% 92% 77% 63% 2
2 3 5 7 10 11 2.64 89% 93% 96% 94% 78% 52% 3
2 3 4 5 7 10 2.54 89% 93% 96% 95% 78% 56% 2
2 3 5 9 10 11 2.68 89% 93% 95% 96% 68% 50% 3
2 3 4 5 9 10 2.58 89% 93% 96% 92% 72% 55% 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 2.16 89% 93% 96% 91% 77% 53% 0
1 2 3 5 6 11 2.23 89% 93% 95% 95% 76% 60% 1
1 2 3 4 6 8 2.19 88% 94% 96% 92% 81 % 62% 1
1 2 3 4 6 7 2.23 88% 93% 95% 95% 80% 55% 1
1 2 3 5 10 11 2.17 88% 92% 95% 95% 77% 62% 2
2 5 8 10 11 15 2.72 88% 92% 96% 92% 79% 57% 4
1 2 3 4 5 10 2.10 88% 92% 95% 91% 77% 66% 1
2 4 5 8 10 15 2.63 88% 92% 96% 92% 82% 61% 3
1 2 3 4 8 10 2.13 88% 93% 95% 92% 81% 65% 2
Bolded row shows current stations
Matrix Consulting Group Page 54
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Top 15 Station Options Including 7 Stations
Ra nked by 4 Min ute Pe rformance
Based on Current Workload
New
ST1 ST2 ST3 ST4 ST5 ST6 ST7 AVG. 4MIN SMIN tiMIN 8MIN-2 8MIN-3 8MIN-4 Stations
2 3 5 7 8 10 11 2.56 91 % 95% 97% 97% 81 % 63% 4
2 3 4 5 7 8 10 2.47 91% 95% 97% 97% 82% 68% 3
2 3 5 8 9 10 11 2.60 91% 95% 96% 96% 75% 60% 4
1 2 3 5 6 8 11 2.15 91 % 94% 96% 96% 82% 65% 2
2 3 4 5 8 9 10 2.50 91% 95% 96% 92% 78% 66% 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 8 2.09 91% 94% 96% 92% 83% 69% 1
2 3 5 7 9 10 11 2.60 91% 95% 96% 96% 80% 53% 4
2 3 4 5 7 9 10 2.50 91 % 95% 97% 97% 80% 58% 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2.09 90% 94% 97% 96% 85% 65% 1
1 2 3 5 6 7 11 2.16 90% 94% 96% 96% 88% 61% 2
1 2 3 4 6 7 8 2.12 90% 95% 96% 96% 85% 68% 2
1 2 3 5 8 10 11 2.09 90% 94% 96% 96% 83% 65% 3
1 2 3 4 5 8 10 2.03 90% 94% 96% 92% 83% 70% 2
2 3 5 6 8 10 11 2.57 90% 94% 96% 96% 84% 63% 3
2 3 5 8 10 11 15 2.61 90% 94% 96% 96% 87% 67% 4
The following points highlight the information above:
• The highest ranked five station option is predicted to result in 87% of current calls
for service being reached within four minutes of drive time. This would require the
addition or relocation of 2 stations. This option however requires one fewer
station than currently utilized by the Department. The best option that requires
the no new stations results in 86% of calls reached within four minutes or drive
time. Note that both of these are decreases from the projected 89% performance
at four minutes for the current station network.
The highest ranked six station option is predicted to reach 90% of total calls for
service within four minutes of drive time. This would require the addition or
relocation of 3 stations. Note that the increase in service levels is marginal
compared to current service levels. Current stations are predicted to reach 89%
of calls for service within 4 minutes of drive time.
The highest ranked seven station option is predicted to reach 91 % of total calls
for service within four minutes of drive time and will require 4 new stations.
Again, the increase in service levels is marginal.
Overall, minor increases in service levels would require significant modifications
to the current system. While a similar level of service can be provided with fewer
stations, significant modifications are required. In addition, consolidation of stations
Matrix Consulting Group Page 55
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
may not provide desired service levels once new development within the Dubuque area
occurs.
4. THE CITY IS ANTICIPATING SIGNIFICANT POPULATION GROWTH DUE TO
ANNEXATIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT 25
YEARS.
The graph, below, displays information about population growth in the City,
changes since 1980 and expectations about growth through 2031. The population
estimates are based on information provided by the Transportation and Planning
Department of the East Central Iowa Intergovernmental Association.
Population Growth and Projections, 1990 - 2031
75,000 ___.~_~ ... _ -_- ~.~..~.m..~.~.__ _ _ _ ____
62, 61,093
60,000 374.- 57,538 57,204 57,686
45,000 -- -
30,000 - - -----
15,000 _ _ _ --- -_
0-
1980 1990 2000 2003 2015 2031
Although the population has remained largely unchanged over the past several
decades, interviews with Dubuque's planners indicate that the City plans to continue to
annex unincorporated areas of the county on its borders and foster job creation. The
City currently covers 29.5 square miles. This area includes an annexation of
approximately 700 acres of land (a little more than one square mile) that has been
challenged in the courts by the neighboring City of Asbury. The City is currently
updating its 2002 Comprehensive Plan and analyzing the costs and benefits of
annexing 23 parcels of land within its extraterritorial zone. The 23 parcels are identified
Matriz Consulting Group Page 56
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
in the City's "Future Land Use 2030" map. The 23 parcels total 23,000 acres or
approximately 36 square miles. If all of the parcels are brought into the City, they will
more than double the land area of Dubuque. The parcels identified for annexation are
briefly described below:
• 17 of the 23 parcels are located on the southern and western sides of City. They
are south of the City of Asbury. These parcels are both north and south of the
proposed, limited access, southwest arterial that will run from route 61 in the east
near Williams Lane to Route 20 in the west near Seippel Road.
- Areas north of the proposed southwest arterial and west of route 61 of are
tentatively zoned as single family or duplex and mixed residential.
- Areas to the south of the proposed southwest arterial and west of route 61
are tentatively zoned rural density residential.
- Areas to the east of 61 from the City's current boundary are zoned
primarily single family or duplex. These parcels are identified as a mix of
single family or duplex or agricultural zoning.
• The remaining six parcels are on the north central section of the City and extend
from the City of Asbury east to Central Avenue and north to the City of Sageville.
The parcels are tentatively zoned single family duplex or agricultural.
The potential extension of the City primarily westward and southward will
increase service demands on the Fire Department as the City's population is spread
out. Response times to these areas will be a significant issue as growth occurs. The
East Central Iowa Intergovernmental Association recently conducted a transportation
study of the Dubuque area, which identifies potential population growth in these outlying
areas. The map, below, illustrates where population growth will occur over the next
twenty-five years:
Matrix Consulting Group Page 57
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Gity of Dubuque, Iowa
Estimated Population Growth 2005 to 2430 (DMATS Areas)
Legend ... '!': Sag e
C`
,
~ ~r
.
Pop Growth tU05 to 200 ~~' JL__.;,. 1 ~1 ~ N ~-
:
. ~.
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uque Boundatles ~ U 1 ,_ d„~A. ~' ~. - -
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th _, __. _. -_-__
In order to estimate the impact of additional population growth and economic
development on Fire Department workload, the project team identified the areas of the
region likely to be incorporated into the City. In addition, a relationship between calls for
service workload and population change was developed to project future service
demands. The first table, below, shows the relationship between historic population
growth and calls for service:
Year Po ulation Calls Ratio
2000 57,204 4,121 13.88
2001 57,364 4,133 13.88
2002 57,525 4,144 13.88
2003 57,686 4,175 13.82
2004 57,846 4,006 14.44
2005
Average 58,007 4,335 13.38
13.88
As shown above, based on population growth and calls for service growth, the
City has experienced approximately one additional call for service per 13.88 additional
Matrix Consulting Group Page 58
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
residents. This relationship was utilized to project future workload. The exhibit, below,
shows the projected population growth within potential growth areas identified by City
planners. Note that traffic analysis zones were utilized to define growth areas:
Zone Population
Change
2005-2030
TAZ 19061:149 64
TAZ 19061:151 2,683
TAZ 19061:152 52
TAZ 19061:156 9
TAZ 19061:158 (24)
TAZ 19061:159 4
TAZ 19061:162 347
TAZ 19061:214 (57)
TAZ 19061:223 (7)
TAZ 19061:235 -
TAZ 19061:236 (21)
TAZ 19061:245 87
TAZ 19061:246 673
TAZ 19061:247 9
TAZ 19061:261 121
TAZ 19061:263 492
TAZ 19061:265 (5)
TAZ 19061:266 (11)
TAZ 19061:268 991
TAZ 19061:270 367
TAZ 19061:273 9
TAZ 19061:278 3,697
TAZ 19061:279 2,589
TAZ 19061:280 6,622
TAZ 19061:281 (9
TAZ 19061:282 648
TAZ 19061:381 1,003
TAZ 19061:384 5
TAZ 19061:389 (3)
Tota I 20, 309
As shown above, potential growth areas could add an additional 20,309 residents
over the next 25 years. Based on these estimates, the project team modeled call for
service workload. The fire station location model was utilized to evaluate alternative
station locations and their impact on response time performance.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 59
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
5. ANALYSIS OF STATION LOCATION OPTIONS BASED ON FUTURE
WORKLOAD INDICATES THAT AT LEAST TWO STATIONS WILL NEED TO
BE ADDED TO THE STATION NETWORK TO ACCOMMODATE FUTURE
GROWTH PLANS.
Using the same approach to evaluate alternative station locations based on
current workload, the project team evaluated the impact of future workload on station
needs. The tables, which follow, provide the top ranked station options for 6-station, 7-
station, and 8-station options (Note that 5-station options are not shown due to low
projected performance).
Top 15 Station Options Including 6 Stations
Ranked by 4 Minute Pertormance
Based on Future Workload
ST1
ST2
ST3
ST4
ST5
ST6
AVG.
4MIN
5MIN
6MIN
8MIN-2
8MIN-3
8MIN-4 New
Stations
2 3 5 9 10 11 4.80 75% 79% 81% 75% 52% 39% 3
2 3 4 5 9 10 4.72 75% 79% 81% 72% 55% 43% 2
1 2 3 4 6 9 4.46 74% 79% 81% 69% 56% 42% 1
2 5 8 9 10 11 4.62 74% 78% 82% 68% 53% 30% 4
2 5 7 9 10 11 4.38 74% 79% 83% 68% 57% 12% 4
2 4 5 7 9 10 4.30 74% 79% 83% 70% 57% 12% 3
2 4 5 9 10 15 4.79 74% 78% 81% 72% 60% 28% 3
2 4 5 8 9 10 4.55 74% 78% 82% 66% 57% 31 % 3
2 5 9 10 11 15 4.86 74% 78% 81 % 72% 59% 26% 4
1 2 3 4 9 10 4.41 74% 79% 81 % 69% 57% 45% 2
2 5 9 10 11 12 3.66 73% 80% 85% 67% 48% 10% 4
2 4 5 9 10 12 3.59 73% 80% 85% 67% 52% 11% 3
1 2 3 4 7 9 4.09 73% 79% 82% 72% 60% 10% 2
1 2 3 4 8 9 4.34 73% 79% 81 % 69% 59% 31 % 2
2 5 9 10 11 16 3.95 73% 79% 83% 67% 48% 10% 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 5.18 68% 71% 73% 70% 59% 49% 0
Bolded Scenario represents pertormance of current stations
Matrix Consulting Group Page 60
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Top 15 Station Options Including 7 Stations
Ranked by 4 Minute Performance
Based on Future Workload
ST1
ST2
ST3
ST4
ST5
ST6
ST7
AVG.
4MIN
5MIN
6MIN 8MIN
2 8MIN
3 8MIN
4 New
Stations
2 3 5 8 9 10 11 4.51 77% 80% 82% 75% 58% 47% 4
2 3 5 7 9 10 11 4.27 77% 81 % 83% 75% 62% 41 % 4
2 3 4 5 7 9 10 4.19 76% 81% 83% 76% 61% 45% 3
2 3 4 5 8 9 10 4.44 76% 80% 82% 72% 61 % 51 % 3
2 3 5 9 10 11 12 3.55 76% 82% 85% 75% 53% 39% 4
2 3 4 5 9 10 12 3.47 76% 82% 85% 73% 56% 43% 3
2 3 5 9 10 11 16 3.84 76% 81% 83% 75% 53% 39% 4
2 3 4 5 9 10 16 3.76 76% 81% 83% 73% 55% 43% 3
1 2 3 4 6 7 9 3.92 76% 81 % 83°l0:' 73% 64% 42% 2
1 2 3 4 6 8 9 4.18 76% 81% 82% 71% 63% 50% 2
2 5 7 8 9 10 11 4.21 76% 80% 83% 68% 60% 34% 5
2 3 5 9 10 11 17 4.13 76% 80% 83% 75% 56% 39% 4
2 5 8 9 10 11 15 4.58 76% 79% 82% 73% 63% 46% 5
2 3 4 5 9 10 17 4.06 76% 80% 83% 74% 57% 43% 3
2 4 5 7 9 10 15 4.26 75% 79% 83% 74% 63% 33% 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 5.18 68% 71% 73% 70% 59% 49% 0
Top 15 Station Options Including 8 Stations
Ranked by 4 Minute Performance
Based on Future Workload
ST1
ST2
ST3
ST4
ST5
ST6
ST7
ST8
AVG
4MIN
5MIN
6MIN BMIN
2 8MIN
3 8MIN
4
New
2 3 4 5 7 9 10 18 3.33 78% 85% 90% 76% 61% 46% 4
2 3 5 7 9 10 11 18 3.46 77% 85% 90% 76% 61% 42% 5
2 3 5 7 8 10 11 18 3.65 77% 85% 89% 76% 62% 49% 5
2 4 5 7 9 10 15 18 3.37 77% 84% 90% 71% 62% 37% 5
2 3 4 5 7 8 10 18 3.52 77% 85% 89% 76% 62% 52% 4
2 3 4 5 7 10 18 19 3.38 77% 85% 90% 76% 60% 45% 4
2 5 7 9 10 11 15 18 3.50 77% 85% 90% 71% 61% 35% 6
2 3 4 5 7 10 12 18 3.47 77% 84% 90% 81% 61% 45% 4
2 3 5 7 10 11 18 19 3.51 77% 85% 90% 76% 61% 42% 5
2 5 7 8 10 11 15 18 3.69 77% 84% 89% 71% 61% 50% 6
2 3 5 7 10 11 12 18 3.61 77% 85% 90% 80% 61% 43% 5
2 4 5 7 8 10 15 18 3.56 77% 84% 89% 71 % 63% 51 % 5
2 4 5 7 10 15 18 19 3.42 77% 84% 90% 71% 61% 35% 5
2 4 5 7 10 12 15 18 3.52 77% 84% 90% 77% 62% 35% 5
2 5 7 10 11 15 18 19 3.55 77% 85% 90% 71% 60% 34% 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 5.18 68% 71% 73% 70% 59% 49% 0
Mafrix Consulting Group Page 61
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
The following points summarize the information above:
• As shown above, the best 6-station option is predicted to reach 75% of calls for
service within 4-minutes of drive time. This requires three new stations. The
second best results in the same performance, with less coverage at 8-minutes by
two stations. This option requires two new stations. Note that the current station
network is projected to reach only 68% of calls for service within four minutes or
less of drive time with an average drive time of over five minutes.
The best 7-station option is predicted to reach 77% of calls for service within 4-
minutes of drive time. This option requires four new stations. Average response
time is predicted to be 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Three stations are predicted to
be able to reach 58% of calls for service within 8 minutes of drive time. The best
7-station options requiring the fewest number of new stations, consists of sites 1,
2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9. This option results in afour-minute fractal performance of
76% and requires only 2 new stations, including the relocation of Station 5. This
options also improves average response time to less than four minutes.
• The best 8-station option is predicted to reach 78% of total calls within four
minutes of drive time and requires four new stations. Note that four-minute fractal
performance only increases by 1 %. In addition, eight-minute performance
improves only slightly. Average drive time, under this scenario, improves to 3.3
minutes.
Much of the decrease in projected service levels is due to the projected location
of population growth (as shown in the previous population growth map). The location of
growth is also similar over the next five and fifteen-year period. The maps, that follow,
show that much of the anticipated growth is located within the far southwest and
southern areas of the City -well outside the traditional fire/EMS service area.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 62
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
City of Dubuque, Iowa
Estimated Population Growth 2005 to 2010 (DMATS Areas)
i J
~_ p,
Legend
'IL„'"
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Pop Grovnh 2005 to 2010 ~-' - s V~a~ *~~
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0 0. 79.75 1.5 :.?5 V'
City of Dubuque, Iowa
Estimated Population Growth 2005 to 2020 (DMATS Areas)
1
Legend __ ~
Pop Growth 2005 to 2020 '- ZZ o` ~{~
---.
~
soaaer p~
[[~,
I~-65-_14 ._
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60379.75 t5 2~
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Matrix Consulting Group Page 63
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Given the location of anticipated growth, it is not surprising that the addition of
stations does not markedly improve performance levels. As shown above, the areas of
greatest growth are well west and south of the current City boundaries and existing
services. The exact location of new development and the timing of this development
could severely impact the ability of the Fire Department to respond to additional call for
service workload. Maintaining current service levels for these areas will be a challenge
to the City as annexation proceeds within these areas.
Based on the preceding analysis, the project team makes the following
recommendations regarding service levels, station location modifications, and timing:
• The City should monitor population growth and economic development within
annexation areas to the far west and south of the current boundaries. The City
should also encourage an orderly expansion of growth close to existing
boundaries and then expanding west and south. The City may also want to
consider establishing alternative service level objectives or more stringent fire
code standards (e.g. residential sprinkler systems) for those developments well
outside the current boundaries and service areas of the City.
• The City should continue to utilize traffic signal preemption devices to improve
response times in the growth areas. The Department has already installed
preemption devices at 30 intersections throughout the City. In addition, new
intersections are required to have these devices installed prior to operation. Use
of these technologies has a significant impact on response times and should be
continued to mitigate delays in emergency response.
• As development occurs, the City should add one additional station and relocate
one current station to accommodate the increase in Fire Department workload
and to minimize the change in service levels. This scenario would consist of
adding a station at or near Chavenelle & Radford to provide service to the west
side of the City. In addition, the City should relocate Station 5 to the area at or
near the current Key West Volunteer station.
• Additional development farther west or south of the City along the proposed
southwest arterial extension should be monitored to identify potential workload
increases that may cause extended response times. Depending on the location
of this increase in workload, an 8th station should be added to the far west, at or
near Chesterville & Cottingham, or along the Southwest Arterial.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 64
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
The project team also recommends that as these stations are added to the
network, additional personnel be added to staff an engine and ambulance unit at each
station. This recommendation is made for the following reasons:
• These areas are well outside the 8-minute response coverage of current
ambulance units as shown previously in this report. The ability to deliver an ALS
transport unit within 8 minutes of drive time is critical to providing high quality
EMS care.
• Suppression resources and initial EMS response will be needed to provide an
initial attack unit within four minutes of drive time. The current station network is
projected to reach only 68% of future call for service workload in this time frame.
In addition, average response times are predicted to reach over 5 minutes. The
addition of one station, and relocation of another will improve average response
time to less than four minutes.
• The use of two units, staffed by a team of 4 personnel, is consistent with current
deployment of personnel in Dubuque. This practice is also an effective means of
providing fire and EMS service, while minimizing staffing costs.
The project team estimated the operating and capital costs associated with these
changes. The table, below, is based on the Department's most recent budget
information as well as estimates of construction costs and land values:
Estimated Cost of Adding One Additional Station Near Radford & Chavenelle
O eratin
Position Salaries Benefits Total
Capt/Lt. $52,910 25,397.02 $78,307
Driver $49,155 23,594.40 $72,749
FF $45,844 22,005.11 $67,849
taffin /Shift
Staffing
All Shifts Total Needed
With Lost
Time
15%
Ca t/Lt. 1 3 3
Driver 1 3 4
FF 2 6 7
Capt/Lt. $234 922
Driver $290,ggg
FF $474,944
Total Personnel Costs $1,000,864
Other Operating Costs $90 078
Matrix Consulting Group Page 65
C1TY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
TotalOperatin Costs $1,090,941
*Other Operating Costs include insurance, utilities, equipment, maintenance, furniture and other
costs. These costs were derived based on the proportion of the Department's current budget to
personnel costs and total budget.
Capital Costs
Station Costs Amount
Land* $219,000
Construction** $972,000
A aratus Amount
En ine $300,000
Ambulance $175,000
Total Capital Costs $1,666,000
*Land Costs were derived based on current Western Dubuque area listings for commercial lots
between 1 to 2 acres. Residential lots were substantially less.
**Construction Costs were estimated at $82.50 per square foot based on Building Service
Department data on valuation and square footage. Needed square footage was estimated at 8,000
square feet (2,000 living / 6,000 apparatus baylmechanical). Approximately 35% was added to the
construction cost for architectural fees, insurance, and other contingency costs.
As shown above, the estimated ongoing operating costs associated with adding
one additional station is approximately $1.1 million. The low figure for operating costs is
attributed to the City and Department's effective management of overtime and daily
staffing needs. Capital costs are estimated to be approximately $1.7 million per station.
It is important to note that if station 5 is moved, these costs will be less due to existing
personnel and apparatus. It is unlikely that the current station utilized by the Key West
Volunteers will be adequate for DFD personnel and apparatus. As a result, the total
costs associated with staffing and building a new station in this area would be:
Matrix Consulting Group Page 66
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
Estimated Cost of Relocating Station 5 to Key West Area
O eratin
Salaries Benefits Total
Ca t/Lt. $52,910 25,397.02 $78,307
Driver $49,155 23,594.40 $72,749
FF $45,844 22,005.11 $67,849
Position
Staffin !Shift
Staffing
All Shifts Total Needed
With Lost Time
15°!°)
Ca t/Lt.
Driver
FF 2 6 7
Capt/Lt
Driver
FF $474,944
Total Personnel Costs $474,944
Other Operating Costs $42,745 _
Total Operating Costs $517,689
Ca ital
Station Costs Amount
Land 219,000
Construction 972,000
Apparatus
En ine
Ambulance $175,000
Tota{ Ca ital Costs $1,366,000
As shown above, the estimated costs associated with staffing and constructing a
station near the current Key West Volunteer station would be approximately $518,000 in
ongoing operating costs and $1.3 million in initial capital costs.
Overall, given the current direction of future growth and desires for annexation,
the City will need to make significant modifications to the current station network to
provide an adequate level of fire, rescue, and emergency medical services.
Recommendation: Based on projected population growth and future call for
service workload, the current station network cannot maintain current service
levels. In order to improve service to future growth areas, the City should plan for
the addition of a 7th station at or near Chavenelle & Radford. In addition, station 5
should be moved to the area near the current Key West Volunteer Station. These
changes should be made as development occurs to the west and south of the
Matrix Consulting Group Page 67
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
Municipal Fire and Emergency Service Response and Deployment Study
City. The estimated cost of these changes is approximately $1.6 million in
ongoing operating costs and approximately $3.0 million in initial capital costs.
Recommendation: The City should encourage growth along the current City
boundaries to provide consistent fire department service levels. Should growth
occur well beyond the current boundaries, the City should consider alternative
service level targets and enhanced fire code requirements for new construction in
these areas (i.e. residential sprinklers).
Recommendation: The City should monitor growth in other areas in anticipation
of adding an 8th station.
Matrix Consulting Group Page 68