Houston Fire Department CFAI Accredited Agency fire based EMS average and fractile response time reporting

Fire Based EMS

Police, Fire, Medical Resource Deployment Fire Stations Personnel Units Core Service Safety Intervention Continuity of Patient Care Response Efficient Effective Timely Police • Fire • Medical Chief Garrison, Chief West

Response Time Reporting

Components of Response Times Call Processing Time- Measured between acknowledgement of the call at the HEC and the time the fire station is notified of the emergency. Turnout Time- Measured from the time the fire station is notified until the first unit is en route. Travel Time- Measured from the time the first unit leaves the fire station (en route) and arrives at the scene of the emergency. All three components of the response time are combined to make up the Total Response Time. One measure of our performance

Response Time Reporting Formats Average- Historically this method has been used by the fire service to report response times. Fractile- Response times are reported at 90% fractile. This number will be higher than an average response time.

What is Fractile Response Time reporting? A requirement by CFAI* to maintain agency accredited status. A term used to measure fractions of data, when added together, create a whole. *Commission on Fire Accreditation International – A Division of the Center for Public Safety Excellence. *If time permits, we’ll go over a little about the Accreditation process at the end. Definition  Patrick Plummer

Example of Average vs. Fractile HFD Response Times (mm:ss) Dec 2011 Average Time 1st Arriving Unit 90 % Fractile Time 80% Fractile Time 1st Arriving Unit Call Proc Time 1:36 2:05 1:49 Turnout Time 0:54 1:34 1:16 Travel Time 4:34 7:15 5:58 Total Resp Time 7:04 10:54 9:03

Average vs. Fractile 7:04 Average 10:54 90% Fractile

Average vs. Fractile 7:04 Average 10:54 90% Fractile

2011 HFD Total Response Times (Includes response times to both Fire & EMS events) time represented in mm:ss

2011 Total Response Times Fire Events

2011 Total Response Times EMS Events

2011 HFD Response Time Improvements (Includes response times to both Fire & EMS events)

2011 HFD Response Time Improvements (Includes response times to both Fire & EMS events)

additional information: CFAI Accreditation

What is CFAI Accreditation? a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation model that enables fire and emergency service organizations to: examine past, current, and future service levels and performance and compare them to industry best practices. improve service delivery by helping fire departments: determine community risk and safety needs. evaluate the performance of the department. establish a method for achieving continuous organizational improvement.

What are the requirements for Accreditation? Complete a rigorous self-assessment Address 253 performance indicators ranging from operations to health and safety to facility maintenance Develop a Strategic Plan Forecasting how the department plans to meet its goals for the future Develop a Standard of Cover Indicating the department has assessed fire and non- fire community risks and developed baseline and benchmark service level objectives to meet those risks. Service level performance is documented and validated for at least three years prior.

CFAI Accreditation HFD began the self-assessment process in 1998 and received its first Accreditation in March 2001. In March 2006, HFD was re-Accredited. In March 2011, HFD was re-Accredited again.

What does being an Accredited Agency mean? The fire protection agency has identified community risk and safety needs. Emergency service performance has been evaluated and meets the need of the community. A method for achieving continuous organizational improvement has been established.

The CFAI self-assessment process promotes excellence and encourages quality improvement by enabling fire and EMS agencies to: Assure colleagues and the public that they have definite missions and objectives that are appropriate for the jurisdictions they serve Provide a detailed evaluation of the services they provide to the community Identify areas of strength and weakness within the department Create methods or systems for addressing deficiencies while building organizational success Encourage professional growth for both the department and its personnel Provide a forum for the communication of organizational priorities Foster national recognition by colleagues and the public Create a mechanism for developing strategic and program action plans

How Houston compares to other national fire departments: Houston is the largest accredited municipal fire department in the world. The United States has 2,162 paid career fire departments. 93 of those departments are accredited. Three of those departments serve populations over 1 million: Houston Fire Department Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Orange County Fire Authority

How Houston compares to other large accredited fire departments: Square Miles Population served Fire Stations Uniformed Personnel Operating Budget Calgary Fire Department 305 1.3 million 38 1,350 153 million (FY09) Houston Fire Department 601 2.1 million 92 3,851 419 million (FY12) Miami-Dade Fire Rescue 1,883 1.7 million 65 2,100 404 million (FY10) Orange County Fire Authority* 553 1.4 million 61 (10 reserve) 1,091 (390 reserve) 405 million * Paid/Reserve combination department

For more information about CFAI Accreditation: http://www.publicsafety excellence.org/agency- accreditation/about- accreditation-cfai.aspx HFD Staff Services Division: 832-394-6743