New Hanover Township Fire Service Assessment - Final

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Fire Services Assessment

for

New Hanover Township,

Montgomery County,

Pennsylvania

October, 2010

183 Leader Heights RoadYork, PA 17402

Call: (800) 233-1957Fax: (717) 747-7028

Web Site: www.vfis.com


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NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP FIRE SERVICES ASSESSMENT 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE .......................................................................................................................................4

STATEMENT OF WORK ............................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................11

SIGNALS OF CHANGE .............................................................................................................14

PROJECT FINDINGS ...............................................................................................................19

ASSUMPTIONS AND CURRENT TRENDS ...........................................................................22

MANAGEMENT ISSUES ..........................................................................................................24

OPERATIONAL ISSUES ...........................................................................................................29

PERSONNEL ...............................................................................................................................32

FINANCES ...................................................................................................................................34

APPARATUS ...............................................................................................................................36

FACILITIES ................................................................................................................................38

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES............................................................................39

MUTUAL/AUTOMATIC AID ...................................................................................................42

RESPONSE TIMES AND STATION LOCATIONS ...............................................................43

FIRE MARSHALS OFFICE .....................................................................................................45

RECOMMENDATION ACTION PLAN ..................................................................................46


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APPENDICES ..............................................................................................................................68

APPENDIX 1 Municipal Fire and EMS Service Delivery Model

APPENDIX 2 Training Requirements and Officer Qualifications byPosition and Proposed Organizational Chart

APPENDIX 3 NFPA Standard 1720 Self Assessment

APPENDIX 4 Strategic Guidelines for Emergency Operations

APPENDIX 5 Insurance Service Office Evaluation Summary

APPENDIX 6 Comparison of Standard Operating Guidelines in Use inNew Hanover Township

APPENDIX 7 Recommended Standard Operating Guidelines

APPENDIX 8 New Hanover Township Fire Response Data

APPENDIX 9 New Hanover Township Fire Risk Assessment Map

APPENDIX 10 New Hanover Township Map Illustrating 1.5 mile PumperResponse Capability

APPENDIX 11 New Hanover Township Map Illustrating 2.5 mile AerialLadder Response Capability

APPENDIX 12 Sample Pre-Emergency Planning Form

APPENDIX 13 Risk Assessment by Planning Zone Sample Report

APPENDIX 14 Recruitment and Retention Plan

APPENDIX 15 Apparatus Replacement Cost ProjectionAPPENDIX 16 Vehicle Assessment Form

APPENDIX 17 Fire Service Funding Model

APPENDIX 18 Sample Department Annual Report

APPENDIX 19 Billing Service

APPENDIX 20 Policy on Township Staff Use as Firefighters During Emergencies

APPENDIX 21 Second Class Township Code Fire Protection Considerations.

APPENDIX 22 Consulting/Project Team

APPENDIX 23 References


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Preface

During the period of June through September 2010, a consulting team from VFIS Education,Training and Consulting conducted a documentation review and site analysis of the fire services

provided to New Hanover Township. This work effort was consistent with the scope of workdescribed in the proposal agreed upon between New Hanover Township and VFIS and detailedlater in this report.

The Board of Supervisors of New Hanover Township is to be congratulated for their proactiveinitiative to evaluate its fire companys services and in developing a plan for the future. Toofrequently communities undertake such activities following major adverse events, functioningreactively, instead of proactively such as the New Hanover Township officials have done.

It must be noted that the interests expressed by the Board of Supervisors, the township staff andthe members and staff of the fire companies were focused upon providing quality service to the

residents, workers, and visitors to New Hanover Township. There were many positive efforts andprograms found to be in place within the services provided to the township. While much of thisreport centers upon action to be taken to enhance long term performance, everyone recognizedthat the fire companies perform the work that needs to be conducted at the time of an emergency.

There were seven (7) primary activities involved in this project.1. An introductory meeting was held with the Township Manager and a representative of

the Board of Supervisors, and the fire chiefs to establish an understanding of projectinvolvement and expectation as well as a timeline to complete the project. The firedepartment was provided with self-assessment tools and a series of questions to completein order to establish baselines of performance. A list of necessary documents needed forreview and people to contact were also submitted.

2. Self Assessments and Statements of Issues and Concerns were obtained, and acompilation and analysis of the data provided, were completed.

3. Site visits to each fire station were made to confirm self assessment information, reviewcommentaries submitted, and establish a structure for possible solutions to identifiedissues. The fire department officers were open and provided applicable documentation tothe teams and provided tours of facilities and apparatus.

4. A number of documents were reviewed as submitted by the township, including, but notlimited to:

- Insurance Services Office Report (12/05)- Various fire response summaries and documents- Existing Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines- Budget documents- Miscellaneous pertinent information

5. Specific meetings were conducted and self-assessments were completed and analyzed.These were compiled and will be found later in this document.

6. Follow-up activities were conducted as necessary.7. This document is the result of the completed and consolidated efforts of the six

aforementioned activities.


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We wish to complement the Board of Supervisors of New Hanover Township, and the officersand membership of New Hanover Township Fire Department for their proactive initiative toevaluate long term needs of the communitys fire services and for their willing and activeparticipation in the process of completing the evaluation.


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Statement of Work

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

PHASE I Initiate Project

Upon award of contract, hold a joint planning meeting with New Hanover Township. Themeeting will result in a plan that defines:1. Primary tasks to be performed.2. Person(s) responsible for each task.3. Timetable for each task to be completed.4. Method of evaluating results.5. Resources to be utilized.6. Possible obstacles or problem areas associated with the accomplishment of each task.

This plan will be completed within 14 days of the awarding of the project. This planwill list actions of proposed interviewees.

7. Data requirements will be made to New Hanover Township.

Through a series of meetings and similar activities, gather information from thefollowing:1. Supervisors of New Hanover Township or their designees2. Chiefs and officers of the primary companies serving the township3. Township Planner4. Township Manager5. Police representative6. Others as they may contribute to this project with approval of staff

Each of the primary responding agencies will be asked to complete an NFPA 1720 self-evaluation questionnaire (based on current industry best practices and developed byVFIS), which will then be correlated and validated by the consultants working on thisproject.

From these interviews, the consultants/project team will obtain an additional perspective onoperational, staffing, economics, and policy issues facing the fire service. In addition, theconsultant will learn more about availability of data necessary to meet projected goals.

PHASE II Emergency Services Information Review

Data received by the project team will be evaluated in concert with additional documentsreceived from the fire department meeting, including but not limited to1. Budgets2. Strategic Plans3. Annual Plans (including goals and objectives)


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4. Organizational Charts5. Response Data6. Standard of Response Cover7. Township Documents8. Recruitment and Retention Plans

9. Risk Assessment/Target Hazards, etc.10.A Risk and Demand Analysis for each fire company to determine resources needed

including, but not limited to:- staffing- equipment- specialized equipment- cost estimates for equipment

The analysis will include a Station Location and Response Time Analysis to determinethe possible need to modify fire & rescue districts, establish new stations or movestations.

Evaluate training programs and officer qualifications to assure an adequate and consistentlevel of service can be provided

Evaluate and determine the need for the extent of mutual aid activity and the existenceof/need for standard operating guidelines at the county level. This would include thecurrent interface of the fire companies with the intent to develop as much standardizationof reporting, operations, and performance as possible.

Opportunities will be identified for standardization, benchmarking and service delivery.They will include analysis of1. ISO report2. Prior consulting reports

VFIS will review the current state of the fire service delivery system in New HanoverTownship and provide recommendations as to what can be done to preserve this service.As part of this review, VFIS will review the current organizations operational andmanagement structure to include policies, procedures and organizational guidelines, andopportunities for any enhancement or consolidation. Data will be analyzed to develop ahypothetical standard of response cover.

VFIS will also use its proprietary products of budget analysis and capital planning toanalyze income stream and incurred expense relationships.

Fire Stations- Review present fire station locations in conjunction with township demographics,

geographics and road networks.- Provide a detailed report evaluating the most efficient location(s) of fire station(s)

and, if necessary, discuss necessary features required of future facilities.


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Apparatus- Review the existing apparatus fleet and any records regarding maintenance repair

and testing of the fleet.- Prepare a long range plan that outlines apparatus needs and provide a long range

replacement schedule. Provide due process recommendations for obtaining

agreement on the validity of apparatus schedule and selection.- Provide an opinion on the appropriate ownership of future units.- Provide a detailed report on the maintenance, upkeep and testing of the fleet and

provide recommendations for future servicing of the units.

Overall Departmental Management- Review the present management hierarchy of the township fire services. Review

any state regulations, local ordinances, legal interpretations, fire company by-lawsand other pertinent data.

- Prepare a report on the present system discussing present as well as potentialproblems, as well as any and all changes recommended, including incident

command procedures.

Training- Township/Department training including present training systems, training

requirements for all officers and members, as well as training records formanagement, will be evaluated. Likewise an assessment of current training will beconducted to see if it meets minimum requirements.

- Evaluate township-wide training, providing suggestions if appropriate, to maketraining more manageable and user friendly in regard to attendance and attainmentfor volunteers.

Budgeting and Accounting Issues- The study team will review and critique the present system for budgeting and

reporting as it relates to financial resources. Recommendations should increaseeffectiveness of the system as well as offer changes that provide a greater level ofaccountability throughout the system.

- The study team will assess the funding sources available to the township and offerrecommendations as to how to effectively utilize them. Emphasis will be placed onprograms with low interest (2%) financing.

- The study team will evaluate the costs associated with retaining volunteerscompared to those of increased career staffing over the next five, ten and twentyyears. Provide programs available to help retain or encourage volunteers under

federal, state, and local laws.

Fire and EMS Reporting- The study team will review the present system of fire and EMS response data

collection and reporting.- The study team will report on the present fire/EMS reporting system, noting

problems or potential problems, and provide recommendations for a moreconsistent and streamlined system.


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Staffing- Assess the level of present staffing- Recommend total staffing levels for current and projected call volume- Make recommendations on how to expand and maintain the number of volunteers.

- Assess current issues impacting the morale of the firefighting brigade andrecommendations.

Communication- Review and assess communications, procedures and effectiveness among fire

department, dispatch and mutual aid agencies. Provide recommendations, asappropriate, for better communications.

Public Relations- Assess and recommend improved venues for better department publicity.- Provide concept for internal and external public relations program.

PHASE IIIA Site Visits and Meetings

VFIS will conduct a series of site visits and meetings in New Hanover Township at theconvenience of the staff and volunteers. These visits will enable VFIS to acquire physicalobservations and assessments and enable interviews with various individuals andcommunity members.

This effort will include the fire services function, staffing, level of impact/effectiveness,and options to enhance community fire safety.

Upon completion of all visits and data gathering the consulting team willvalidate/redefine assumptions, recommendations, and re-query as needed.

A comparison will be made to national and regional benchmarks.

NOTE: It is anticipated that the township will assign a key fire department person to provideinput and coordinate meetings.

PHASE IIIB Evaluation Items and Report Components

Activity:

Upon completing phase IIIA, a summary evaluation will be prepared that will discuss thefollowing aspects:

- Organizational Overview & Design- Management Overview- Mission, Vision and Goals of the organization- Standard of Cover- Personnel Management- Staffing including Recruitment and Retention


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- Recordkeeping- Communications (internal and public communication/relations)- Funding (including budgeting and financing)- Capital Improvement Plan (including financing model)- Facilities

- Fire and Rescue Station location and effectiveness- Apparatus and Equipment (type, serviceability and future needs)- Training- Standard Operating Procedures, policies and organizational guidelines- Officer Qualifications- Mutual Aid Agreements & Relationships- Response Times

PHASE IV Prepare Draft Report

A draft report will be submitted to the Township that will undergo a process of accuracy review

by key New Hanover Township representatives and the consultant in preparation for theproduction of the final report. The editorial and critical comments obtained shall be consideredas essential information in the final report.

PHASE V Prepare Final Report

Adhering to the parameters as established by the township, VFIS will prepare and present awritten report, focused for stakeholders in the process and local elected officials (as well as thepublic). VFIS will also provide an electronic/PDF version of the final report suitable for postingand distribution on a public access website. The report will detail the data and informationacquired during the project and the consultants analysis and recommendations.


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Introduction

The nations volunteer fire service is changing. Given the extent of these changes and at timesthe lack of awareness or even unwillingness to accept external forces on the volunteer system, it

is important to help drive change before it drives an organization.

Longtime volunteers often look back on the way it used to be. They recall a time when trainingwas much less demanding and time consuming and the local fire department had fewerresponsibilities. Fires and accidents were pretty much the game. Attendance and trainingstandards were achievable. There were fewer calls but each was an event that required theassistance of neighbors, who took great pride in their membership in the local department. Thecommunity appreciated their neighbors help, local businesses supported the volunteer firedepartment, and the call volume was small enough so as not to interfere with the requirements ofthe members jobs. The system was manageable, the emergencies were mitigated and it was funto be a member.

The reality today is that in many communities, to be a contributing, effective firefighter, a personhas to meet significantly higher standards physically, in terms of training, and in terms of timeon the job gaining experience. Not everyone has the luxury of time or in some cases theinclination, to meet those requirements in todays hectic environment. Anymore, the firedepartment is not just a group of people trained to suppress fire and render first aid. It hasbecome the premier provider of choice for different levels of emergency medical services and inmany cases transportation, as well as the provider of just about every other service that is notprovided by the police departmenthazardous materials response, high-rise and below-graderescue, inspections, prevention and education, and community emergency planning andmanagement, to name a few.

This is not to say that volunteers cant handle the job, for their abilities and successes aredemonstrated daily in many places from coast to coast and border to border. But where theycannot, community and fire leaders are challenged to meet their communitys needs. In somecases, they will find ways to reinvigorate the volunteer members of their departments andimprove their performance. In others, they will recognize the need for another type of change,moving to some form of partial or fully paid department, and they will set out to make it happen.

New Hanover Township was incorporated in 1741 by a division of the Township of Hanoverinto four separate municipalities: Douglass, Upper Hanover, Pottsgrove and New HanoverTownships.

Falkner Swamp, the oldest settlement in the Township, is today known as New Hanover,encompassing the area in and around Swamp Pike and Route 663. Other villages includeFagleysville, Sassamansville, Pleasant Run, Layfield and Anise.

The Falkner Swamp United Church of Christ, the first reformed congregation in America, wasorganized in 1725. The New Hanover Evangelical Church, organized in 1700, was the firstGerman Lutheran congregation in America.


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Township population from 1800 to 1950 remained fairly constant at about 1,800 residents, mostof whom made their living by farming or by working in factories in the local area. Beginning in1960, the population began growing as housing developed. The current population is 8,785 andour residents are commuting to various job locations.

New Hanover Township is a township of the Second Class and is governed by a five memberBoard of Supervisors elected at large. Most of the executive and legislative powers allocated toNew Hanover Township in the Laws Relating to Township of the Second Class code arevested with the Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors is empowered to appoint professionals to assist in the operation of thetownship and to furnish advice and counsel on technical matters. Additionally, the boardappoints all of the members of the various advisory boards and commissions as well as theZoning Hearing Board and the Sewer Authority.

The levying of township taxes and the appropriations to the various departments and subsidiary

boards and commissions is the responsibility of the Board of Supervisors. During the months ofOctober, November and December public hearings are held for the purpose of reviewing thebudget for the following year. Residents are encouraged to attend these meetings and to reviewthe budget for the following year.

New Hanover Township remains a semi-rural residential community located east of Pottstown inWestern Montgomery County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 21.6 square milesall of it land. It consists mainly of rolling hills and valleys and is drained by the Schuylkill Rivermostly via the Perkiomen Creek. Its villages include Fagleysville, Hoffmansville, Layfield, NewHanover, New Hanover Square and Sassamansville.

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,369 people, 2, 532 households and 2,147 families residingin the township. The population density was 341.3 people per square mile. There were 2, 615housing units at an average density of 121.1 square miles.

There were 2,532 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living withthem. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older.The median age was 38 years.

The median income for a household in the township was $67,097 and the median income for afamily was $70,789. The per capita income for the township was $25,084. About 1.3% offamilies and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those underage 18 and 1.4% of those ages 65 or over.

The township is protected by two volunteer fire companies.


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The all volunteer Sassamansville Fire Company, organized on July 15, 1948 and chartered inApril of 1949, is located along Hoffmansville Road in the village of Sassamansville. Mr. StanleyBauman was the first fire chief and the first apparatus was a 1925 Hale pumper which wasdonated to them by the Gilbertsville Fire Company in September, 1948. A 1996 Pierce Enginewith a six person cab and a 1,000 gallon tank capable of pumping 1250 gpm was added in 2004

and is the primary response unit for fires and accident calls. Currently, Ray Strickland serves asfire chief and Glenn Hull serves as fire marshal.

Like Sassamansville, the New Hanover Township Fire Company, founded in 1970, is an allvolunteer firefighting force responding 24/7, 365 days a year at a moments notice as calls forservice are received. The fire company does more than just fire suppression, it responds to autoaccidents with injuries, gas leak reports, fire alarms sounding, and a variety of rescues, to name afew. Additionally, they strive to provide fire prevention education throughout the year to allresidents. As they try to tailor the fire companys service to meet the needs of the 21st century inthe township, they embrace the three Es of the fire prevention community, Engineering,Enforcement and Education and by doing so hope to minimize the need for fire suppression and

reduce the potential loss of life and property by fire. The firefighting force is comprised of agroup of dedicated fire personnel who have committed to maintaining a high level of trainingdiscipline. The company became one of the few companies across the commonwealth which hasattained the advanced level of rescue certification given by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.In addition to the demands associated with the growth in the community, firefighters strive toprovide community oriented service at levels to which they have committed to achieve.

As this report is written, the fire department serves an estimated population of 8,000 residentscovering 21.6 square miles, involving schools, libraries, houses, places of worship, communitycenters, business and industry, educational facilities, residences and cultural and historicbuildings, responding to over 300 fire incidents a year within New Hanover Township.


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Signals of Change1

As noted earlier, the volunteer fire service is changing. Two recent studies by theCommonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as two studies by the International Association of Fire

Chiefs Volunteer/Combination Officer Section have validated reasons for these changes andwhat can and should be done to manage the future changes impending on the volunteer fireservice. Given the extent of these changes and at times the lack of awareness or evenunwillingness to accept these external forces on the volunteer system, we thought it would beappropriate to begin this report with Signals of Change.

Signals of Change presents an interesting look at the changing system of volunteer emergencyservices. It is excerpted from the document Lighting the Path of Evolution, The Red RibbonReport, Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments, a 2005publication of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Volunteer/Combination OfficerSection.

Indicators for change

A natural evolution for a volunteer department is the growth in services and addedresponsibilities as the demographics of the community change. When the system developsproblems, people generally know about them long before they are willing to admit that they needserious attention. For fire department managers and local government leaders, it is critical thatthey recognize the signs of problems ahead and prepare for change before it is forced on them byexternal circumstances. It is helpful when they recognize these pointers to change:

Community Growth - Emergency services are directly impacted by community growthmorepeople, more businesses, more emergencies. The larger a community, the higher level of servicepeople expect. In many areas people moving to suburbs assume wrongly that emergencyservices are delivered in the same way they are provided in the more established cities andtowns. A history of community growth and projected increases in demand can help managersforecast and plan for changes in the delivery of emergency services. In some cases, populationgrowth projections might even help a department determine to limit its services based onavailable staffing.

Community Aging - A fire departments ability to recruit new members in part depends on thesupply of new, younger people who can be tapped for service. A communitys age profile can bean indicator of problems ahead. The age factor in your community is revealed by data showingthe age of those moving in and moving out. If the younger people are moving away or if schoolsare showing or expecting declining enrollment, the fire department may have a difficult timemaintaining appropriate levels of service in the future.

Missed Calls - When an emergency call goes unanswereda scratch on the East Coast or in

1 International Association of Fire Chiefs Volunteer/Combination Officer Section, Lighting the Path of Evolution,The Red Ribbon Report, Leading the Transition in Volunteer and Combination Fire Departments, IAFC-VCOS,Fairfax, VA, 2005, Pages 3-6.


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other communities a did not respond the fire department has a serious problem, not justbecause life and property are at stake, but also because it is a failure highly visible to the public.Equally serious is a departments over-reliance on mutual aid for coverage and the lack ofadequate personnel to handle subsequent calls when primary units are on an assignment

Extended Response Times - When units regularly fail to get out of the fire station in a timelymanner because of inadequate staffing resources, the community is endangered and firedepartment managers have a reliability problem. Response time is a critical factor to any firedepartment determined to provide appropriate service to the public. It is especially critical formedical calls when the first-due company fails to respond for whatever reason and an EMS unitresponds but fails to meet the response-time standard, a common occurrence even when mutualaid is not involved.

Reduced Staffing - Units responding with fewer than the required number of people needed toperform that units functions pose a serious problem for the safety of citizens and the responders.This is another indicator of reduced service capability.

All of these situations indicate an inconsistency in a departments ability to provide necessaryservice, though not all are necessarily caused by a shortage of volunteer members. Staffingdeficits can be related to other factors, such as changes in local business and industry policiesregarding employees leaving the workplace, the number of volunteers who are employed outsidetheir response areas, a lack of understanding on the part of new corporate managers of thecommunitys needs, a tight labor market driven by rapid community growth, or even membersapathy. Where workforce restrictions are at play in the community, they typically lead to daytimeresponse shortages and a significant challenge for the department.

Other Considerations - While employment issues tend to be the major factor in volunteer

staffing shortages, other factors also contribute. Decreased interest among members who fail toparticipate could be the result of unreasonable community expectations, some problem with thefire departments internal requirements, or other organizational issues, such as:

- Responsibilities outpace capabilities. Mandated and selected responsibilities andresponse commitments exceed the departments capability to manage outcomes properly.Mandated responsibilities may have their basis in state statutes or local resolutions,proclamations and ordinances. Selected responsibilities are response categories that resultfrom self-imposed obligations to provide a service.

- Inability to raise funds. Growth in the department as it faces new demands outpaces thevolunteers ability to raise capital and operational funds.

- Waning political support. A once-supportive political climate begins to falter and less

emphasis is placed on the volunteer-staffed fire company. This becomes noticeable whenapparatus is not replaced, new purchases are postponed, or local government wants thevolunteer company to operate less expensively. The volunteer-staffed fire company needsto be a vital, supportive and healthy part of the local governmental infrastructure.

- Internal conflict. A department has internal struggles over its mission in the communityand that conflict involves the preservation of the system as a fraternal organization ratherthan a service-delivery system.

- Officers filling lower operational positions. Staffing shortages that result in the fire chief


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driving the fire truck or fulfilling the responsibilities of other line firefighters is anothersign of a serious staffing problem.

- Mission creep. When first-responder programs that once managed to provide essentialservices and also extra staffing for critical events and rescues become subject to all kindsof other assignments, or to policies that dictate that fire units respond every time an

ambulance is dispatched, chronic staffing shortages can be a problem.- Controversy. When internal controversy becomes the focal point and public image of the

department, its effectiveness is impaired. Controversy can he inflamed by a poorlymanaged emergency, an event that exceeds the capabilities of the volunteers, or publiccriticism that home response is no longer adequate for the number of emergency callshandled by the department. The problems are exacerbated when the volunteers are unableto reorganize and meet the increased demands, or when the news begins to publiclyquestion the effectiveness of the service. Few volunteers join the department to fail or beexposed to a community philosophy that they tried hard, but they are just volunteers.

- Too many jobs, too little time. Another indicator: The department cannot provide fireprevention, public education or inspection responsibilities because of training and

response demands occupy the time volunteers have to commit.- Kingdoms come first. Some jurisdictions consider their response areas their kingdoms.

Boundary disputes can occur when department leaders fail to understand that the publicdoes not care what color or name is onthe fire truck. The kingdom attitude also leadsto contentious working environments with neighboring agencies.

- Lack of budget support. Failure by elected officials to approve budgets that includecapital expenditures for the department is an ominous sign.

- Missed deadlines. When critical administrative deadlines, such as daily response reports,training records, and legally required documentation are not completed or budgetdeadlines are not met, the departments effectiveness is compromised.

- Catastrophic losses. Catastrophic events, such as the loss of a firefighter or a civilian

fatality, focus great attention on the department, and perhaps its problems and deficits,which can discourage members.

- Volunteers priced out of the community. In many communities the price of homes andproperty taxes makes it difficult for the children of current volunteers or others who havetime to volunteer to live in the community, thus reducing the pool of potential members.

- Demographic Changes. Shifts in the community that drive decisions by current membersto purchase homes outside the fire district are a detriment to member retention.

When the time for change has come

Once a department recognizes there is a need for change, it must examine carefully both the

organization and the options available to it. It is essential that all members of the organizationidentify the departments mission and core values. Whether in the end the change is a revitalizedvolunteer organization or a move to some type of paid or part-paid organization, a carefularticulation of core values is critical to the success of the organization. Those core values mustbe incorporated and reinforced as employee strategies in new career positions and the core valuesmust be carried throughout the evolution process. If the members expect the organization to be amirror of what it once was, everyone must believe in and apply its core values. If you expect tomaintain big city services with small town pride, the organization must maintain the focus on


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their core values and reinforce those values at every opportunity.

Once it is clear that change is necessary to preserve the departments ability to engage in its coremission, creating a paid staff is not necessarily the first option to consider. Having the answers toa number of key questions may help resolve a departments staffing issues.

Does the department have the right leadership? An initial examination of problems shouldalways include a review of the fire departments leadership. The lack of dynamic, adequatelyprepared leaders has long been identified as a significant issue for the volunteer fire service. Poorleadership has a significant impact on the retention rate of volunteers, on a departments desireand ability to meet new levels of service demand, and on the quality of the service provided.

Does the department offer benefits and incentives? Benefits are safeguards provided by thecommunity or the department to protect firefighters and their families against unexpectedfinancial strain should the firefighter be injured, disabled or killed while on the job. As demandsfor service increase, so do the chances that firefighters will be injured or worse at the emergency

scene. Departments need to provide protectionsuch as insurance and retirement or wagesupplement plansto ensure that the health, welfare and financial stability of firefighters andtheir families are protected. Such benefits are essential to assure that members are treated asvaluable assets.

Incentives can provide motivation for members to improve personal performance andparticipation. These are defined by personal or team recognition programs or awards. Youngpeople today, the future lifeblood of all fire departments, are interested in immediate feedbackand that includes benefits and incentives. It is more cost-effective to pay for benefits than it is topay people. It is imperative that the community be involved in determining the level of supportfor volunteer or part-time firefighters. How willingly the community provides benefits for them

now may help department leaders gauge its willingness to sustain a combination system, if one isneeded.

Are department membership standards appropriate? Fire department leaders should reviewmembership standards to ensure that they are appropriate for the services provided. Do you needto increase requirements to ensure that volunteers have adequate skills to deal with the dominanttypes of calls to which the department responds? Does the department really need a requirementthat all members have the expertise and the responsibility to respond to all types of calls?

Can you use diversification strategies? It is critical for department leaders to understand that noteveryone is equal in skills or abilities. Diversification strategiesessentially, not everyone in the

department has to be proficient in all the jobs in the departmentcan be helpful in attracting newmembers. Diversification strategies are fairly simple. Recruit subject-matter experts for thedifferent disciplines within the department. You can take advantage of that to attract newmembers and take pressure off of a small group of dedicated responders. For example, you mightrecruit from a number of professions within the community that deal with hazardous materials.Attract and train those individuals as volunteers and use them when chemical emergencies aredispatched. By implementing diversification strategies, you may actually improve your volunteerbase by reducing the demand on all your members and enhancing their subject-matter expertise.


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Trim the non-essentials. Review your organizations mission and values and identify theessential functions and services it is required to deliver. A review can, in some cases, lead toreducing or eliminating non-essential services. Remember, you cant be all things to all people.

These Signals of Change presented by the International Association of Fire Chiefs Volunteer-Combination Officers Section, provide a sound basis for questions and concerns as one evaluatesits emergency service delivery system. This information is incorporated into the assessmentprocess for New Hanover Township.


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Project Findings

The project findings were compiled as a result of document review, self assessment reviews, andcomparisons of observations to information and analyses provided, and input on concerns,

issues, and problems.

The project team was quick to observe that the township officials and the fire company officershave the safety of the public as a prime concern. The interest in providing a quality service to thepeople who live, work and visit New Hanover Township was quite obvious. The relatively lowfire experience in the township is also a testament to the overall performance of the firedepartment.

Personnel, officers, business representatives and elected officials were afforded the opportunityto identify concerns and issues of current operational practices. These items were part of theanalytical process and were validated by the project team and have all been reflected in thisreport. The fire companies are to be commended regarding their competence, candor and interestin performance improvement by raising the issues for discussion and recognizing that the issuesraised, will result in recommendations to change current methods of operation.

As the project team analyzed and observed station operations, it quickly became clear that thefire companies had independent long-standing values, philosophies and operational success. Itwas also apparent that change in the community and community expectations will driveoperational demands in the future

There is a structured Fire Service Oversight Board/committee. This report will recommend anorganization design, given the size and scope of the community and its emergency responsesystem. The organization chart of the fire department illustrates the relationship of the fire

companies to the township. This is considered consistent with the township code.

There were no prior fire service type studies conducted regarding fire services in New HanoverTownship. The most recent Insurance Services Office (ISO) report, from 2005 was reviewed anddiscussed. This project will essentially provide the first fire-oriented master plan for the townshipwhich will assist in identifying the priority and level of service provided in specific operationalareas, and can assist in addressing adequacy and performance, and align specific divisional needswith organizational expectations and the strategic plan.2

- To evaluate the quality of fire protection

Of specific note in a master plan areobjectives and goals involving, among others:

- To evaluate the effectiveness of the organization

- To evaluate the organization since merging fire companies several years ago- To make recommendations for improvements

The development of a master plan will also use current service philosophies in the creation ofrecommendations. In 2010 the fire service operates on the philosophy of a Standard of Cover

2 Strategic Planning: One Plan Type of Many, Chief Fire Officers Desk Reference, Jones and Barltett Publishers,Inc. Sudbury, MA, 2005, Page 26.


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which includes a correlation of response to hazard and uses data to establish priority indispatching and response. These are based on criteria established jointly by the InternationalAssociation of Fire Chiefs and the International City Managers Association. These referencedrecommendations have been restated at various points within this document.

ISO is the leading supplier of statistical, underwriting, and actuarial information for theproperty/casualty insurance industry. Most insurers use the Public Protection Classification(PPC) survey for underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial andindustrial properties. The ISO report detailed the analysis conducted of the structural firesuppression delivery system provided in New Hanover Township. The resulting classification ofClass 5 is considered very respectable for a community such as New Hanover Township. TheISO report provided a number of areas of suggested improvement. With respect to the firedepartment, the ISO report indicated deficiencies due to:

- Not all sections of the fire district with hydrant protection are within in 1.5 miles of afully-equipped engine company and 2.5 miles of a fully-equipped ladder company.

- a lack of pre-fire planning inspections of each commercial, industrial, institution and

other similar type building twice annually, with records of notes and sketches- insufficient training record keeping

As is typical with volunteer fire companies in the ISO reporting system, volunteer companies arefound deficient in company personnel (number responding to incidents) and a lack of trainingrecords.3

While some improvement was noted during the ISO visits, the basic issues of staffingwere found to still exist.

VFIS requested the fire companies complete a self-assessment using National Fire ProtectionAssociation (NFPA) Standard 1720 as a baseline. NFPA 1720, entitled the Standard for theOrganization and Deployment of Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special

Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments, was developed as a national consensusdocument to identify minimum requirements related to the organization and deployment ofvolunteer fire service agencies. While there is no mandate to use this document, it is the closestdefinition of expected service delivery by volunteer fire agencies. Areas of positive and deficientperformance were identified by this assessment. The assessment indicates that there is a beliefthat the organization is performing in compliance with the standard in a number of key areas,including:

- Fire Suppression Organization (NFPA 1720 Section 4.1)- Initial Attack (NFPA 1720 Section 4.6)- Intercommunity Organization (NFPA 1720 Section 4.7)- Training (NFPA 1720 Section 5.3)

- Communication System (NFPA 1720 Section 5.4)- Incident Management System (NFPA 1720 Section 5.5)

Each of the 58 assessment components were evaluated with the department assigning an Attains(A), Partially Attains (PA), or Fails to Attain (FA) rating. The following areas were self-

3 Public Protection Classification Results, New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, PA, ISO, Marlton N.J.,2005.


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determined to require action, based up the indication of a deficiency (failing to attainexpectations). These are:

- Community Risk Management (NFPA 1720 Section 4.2)- Conducting Quadrennial Evaluations (NFPA 1720 Section 4.4)- Standard Operating Procedures (NFPA 1720 Section 4.5)

- Pre-Incident Planning (NFPA 1720 Section 5.5)

Recommendations related to these issues are found in subsequent sections of the report. Detailsof this effort are provided in Appendix 3.

A strategic approach (or related document) to incident management is not in place. This strategicguideline or approach identifies and outlines some basic rules and principles that relate to themajor areas of firefighting strategy, emergency response and subsequent fireground activity. Theuniform application of this guideline will produce favorable fireground outcomes. Thisguideline is designed to offer a basis and simple framework for fire companies servicing NewHanover Township. It further defines many existing practices, and how the fire companies areexpected to perform during certain emergencies. A draft copy is provided in Appendix 4.

Similarly, a review of existing Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines (SOPs/SOGs) wasconducted based on information provided by the Chiefs. In addition, a comparison based uponthe NFPA 1720 self-assessment and the results of the interviews conducted by the project team, arecommended outline for development of SOPs/SOGs is provided later in this report. There is anexcellent opportunity to use existing SOPs/SOGs and those of other agencies as the basis for thedevelopment of updated SOPs/SOGs, by providing existing programs that work and eliminateextensive research time. This should help expedite the time it would take to develop andimplement a SOP/SOG.

The observations, analyses, and subsequent recommendations are provided in the followingcategories:

- Management Issues- Operational Issues- Personnel- Apparatus- Facilities- Standard Operating Procedures- Mutual/Automatic Aid- Response Time and Station Locations

The fire department continues to perform its mission and meet the expectations of the

community. As with any agency, changes become necessary after a period of time theorganization settles into operation. This is the situation found in New Hanover Township.Among the areas which require focus over the next generation of the organization are:

- establishment of a Standard of Cover- establishment of standardized deployment- long term funding of both operational and capital needs- personnel management practices and reorganization redesign

Recommendations are provided within each section of the report.


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Assumptions and Current Trends

Any conceptual project begins with a set of assumptions and analysis of current trends within theindustry. This project is no exception. There were three (3) basic assumptions established prior to

the assessment and development of a report for New Hanover Township. The assumptionsincludes the following:- The desire is to maintain a volunteer fire service system to deliver fire and rescue

services as long as possible.- Nationally recognized standards would be used as the baselines for any recommended

changes in operations.- Programs, best practices, policies, guidelines, etc. recommended for use, should be

recognized as successful programs.

In addition, time was taken to compare New Hanover Township to fire services in similar sizedcommunities around the Unites States. A national study was conducted by the National Fire

Protection Association entitled U.S. Fire Department Profile through 2008, printed in 2009,measured service provision in several key areas. These are compared in the following chart.4

Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result* New Hanover Township

Percentage of communities between 5,000and 9,999 population with all volunteerfire services

50.8% All Volunteer

Number of volunteers per 1,000population

3.84 (median)4.46 in theNortheast

Estimated 56 activevolunteers total in bothagencies

Number of other suppression vehicles per

1000 population

.291 .625

Number of stations per 1,000 population .196 .250

Number of pumpers per 1,000 population .322 .250

Number of aerial trucks per 1,000population

.036 .125

% Departments in communities between5,000 and 9,999 population with 3-4pumpers

48.9% 2 pumpers

% Departments in communities between5,000 and 9,999 populationaerials

49.9% - 1 Aerial 1 aerial truck

% Departments in communities between5,000 and 9,999 population with 5+ othersuppression vehicles

8.9% 5+ Vehicles

4 Michael J. Karter, U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2008, NFPA, Quincy, MA, 2009, 30 pages.


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Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result* New Hanover Township

% Departments in communities between5,000 and 9,999 population with 2 station

20.5% 2 stations

% Departments in communities between

5,000 and 9,999 population where firedepartment provides EMS Service.

NO EMS 41%

BLS 41%ALS 18%

N/A

In the 5,000 and 9,999 population category there are 4,365 fire departments:3.9% of the departments are all career7.9% of the departments are mostly career37.4% of the departments are mostly volunteer50.8% of the departments are all volunteer

Throughout the United States, the % of membership by age range is as follows:Age 16-19 = 4.2%

Age 20-29 = 25.2%Age 30-39 = 26.2%Age 40-49 = 23.7%Age 50-59 = 14.8%Age 60+ = 5.8%

The comparison of New Hanover Township to communities of similar size demonstrates theservices available to New Hanover Township to be comparable to the equipment, facilities andstaffing provided in similar sized communities throughout the United States.

Nationwide Area of Comparison National Result New Hanover Township

Total rate of firefighters per 1000population

3.81 7.00

Volunteer rate of firefighters per1000 population

7.01 7.00

Career rate of firefighters per 1000population

1.73 0.00

*Comparison was against communities with populations between 5,000 and 9,999.


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Management Issues

The Sassamansville and New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company personnel do their best toprovide emergency response services to the township. As stated earlier, the lack of significant

major loss events is a tribute to the performance of the organization.

The documents requested indicated two township fire companies to be the legally designatedprovider of services to the township, but there is no statement of expectations from the township.

Basic vision statements can be extracted from that defined by those of New Hanover FireCompany, and it is worthwhile to institutionalize this information in order that members and thepublic understand the services provided for the township-wide operations so that theirexpectations as recipients of the service can be met.

VISION STATEMENT(aka purpose)

The New Hanover Township Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service shallpreserve property from destruction by fire within the township and

work for betterment of the community.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of New Hanover Township Volunteer Fire & RescueServices is to respond and operate in a safe manner at all reported

emergencies in the community and help its citizens deal with naturaland man-made emergencies, and work to the best of our abilities, withthe resources available, to limit the loss of life, the environment, and

property.


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Integral to the township fire service operations are defined procedures for:- officer qualifications and incident command- apparatus response procedures- firefighter and officer training- standard of cover/service delivery statement

The above are addressed in appropriate sections later in this report.

The issue of a Service Delivery is best quantified via a Service Delivery Statement or Standardof Response Cover. Based upon an analysis of the information and data presented to the projectteam and subsequently discussed with the chief officers of the fire company, the followingService Delivery Statement is recommended for consideration of adoption in New HanoverTownship. This is consistent with the current delivery of service to the community.

SERVICE DELIVERY STATEMENTSTANDARD OF RESPONSE COVER

(proposed draft for review, agreement, and revision)

Fire Department response to a structure fire or rescue in NewHanover Township will be provided within 5 minutes of dispatch

and be on scene with one piece of fire apparatus in 12 minutes, witha crew of four (4) qualified firefighters, 90 percent of the time.

The following goals and objectives have been identified by the fire companies:1. Prevent the loss of life and property due to fire2. Confine fire to its place of origin, suppress and extinguish fire and investigate the cause

and origin of fire3. Establish and maintain a proper training program4. Create an atmosphere of fellowship, support, and respect among its entire membership

Annually the township budgets funds for the fire companies operations and funds are distributedas required by law for the Foreign Fire Insurance Premium Tax through two relief associations.The fire company develops its own annual budget/spending plan. An annual audit is reportedlyprovided. This spending information along with response information should be part of an annual

information document provided to the community. In addition, the companies are not required toprovide long term planning for capital spending and reserving, which would be an excellentpractice to start and report annually to the township.

Management information is maintained at the discretion of the fire chiefs. An overall approach toInformation Management was not clear, but should include monthly reporting of incidentsresponded to within the township, injuries and damage sustained, personnel and companies who


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responded, and fire inspections/plan reviews conducted. This type of data is necessary forappropriate public safety analysis and planning by the elected officials.

The New Hanover Township Fire Companies, the officers and its members indicated training asa hallmark of their performance, individual staff development, and value to the community. The

consistent record of performance would validate that the companies integrate training withintheir operational activities. However, based on the documentation provided and the responses toquestions during site visits, it is clear that the overall approach to training and development ofstandard operating guidelines needs refinement to truly be effective over the long term. Asuggested model for comprehensive training and resultant firefighter and officer qualifications isprovided as Appendix 2 of this report. It should be used as a baseline for discussions to developthe ultimate model for use in the township. While standard operating guidelines are in place andothers are being developed, an over-riding guideline for strategically operating at incidentsshould be developed to provide a foundation which includes risk management and thephilosophical industry standards approach to the management of emergencies. A sample isprovided as Appendix 4.

Several management practices considered common in the business world have appropriatelyexpanded into emergency services and should be applied to the fire companies. Thesespecifically include the expansion of current risk management initiatives into a comprehensiverisk management plan and the expansion of the current disaster preparedness initiatives into acomprehensive disaster planning/business recovery program for the township. Information on thefurther development of a disaster/business recovery plan for the organization will be providedunder separate cover.

The business practice of the social clubs impact on fire company operations at theSassamansville Volunteer Fire Company was a point of major discussion and is commented on

later in this report.

The most significant issue observed during this project, was the operational struggle between thetwo companies. This is commented on in the operations section of this report.

Given the financial challenges (distribution of funds/multiple relief associations); the operationalchallenges (lack of consistent training, response, performance); and the need to respond bothstations to all calls; it is recommended that a consolidation of the companies occur into the NewHanover Township Fire & Rescue Services with a Sassamansville station and a New Hanoverstation. The combined membership will serve the total township system.

A suggested organizational chart is provided, as well as job descriptions in Appendix 2.


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RECOMMENDATIONS

10-01 Develop a Service Delivery Statement which would indicate the types of emergencyservices to be provided, the area to be covered, and the delegation of authority to perform

those services. This will also serve as the basis for development and implementation of amission statement, vision statement, and development of annual goals, objectives andfunding requests. Consistent with the development of these documents is a Standard ofResponse Cover for use in New Hanover Township as a method to define a serviceexpectation the community will accept. This will also serve as a benchmark to determinewhen and if career staff would ever be needed for fire-fighting services. Examples ofthese draft statements (Mission, Vision, and Service Delivery Statement/Standard ofCover) are provided in the body of the text.

10-02 Reorganize the fire department into a single township-wide fire and rescue servicesystem. Under the New Hanover Township Fire & Rescue Service there would be one

set of members, selecting one set of officers, with required duties and goals, served fromtwo stations (Sassamansville Station and New Hanover Station).

10-03 Develop a procedure/guideline to strategically manage emergency operations whichclearly defines a process for emergency response personnel and officers to use, regardlessof when officers arrive and what stage the emergency is in. (Example provided inAppendix 4)

10-04 Establish a long-term process to assure a risk assessment is conducted for the communitywhich provides input and a basis for the development and implementation of thecommunitys standard of response cover and protection of life and property.

10-05 Within the annual report for consolidated service delivery provided to the township,including a projected costs savings to the taxpayers, through the utilization of theNational Volunteer Fire Councils Volunteer Fire Service Cost Savings Model,available atwww.nvfc.org. A current estimate is provided in the personnel section of thereport.
http://www.nvfc.org/http://www.nvfc.org/http://www.nvfc.org/http://www.nvfc.org/


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ProposedNew Hanover Township Fire & Emergency Services


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Operational Issues

As noted earlier, the fire department operates under long-standing procedures, using mutual aid,automatic aid, and standard operating practices. This culture and tradition have built an

organization that has performed as needed in the community for decades. The delivery systemsfor fire services, as well as the fire department response models have not been integrated into asingle, seamless delivery system. The closest fire station(s) is dispatched and the same level ofresponse is provided for similar types of incidents. A box system was implemented for thepurpose. The community has a variety of situations where in one case the closest stationresponds with an apparatus complement different than a similar type situation in another part ofthe community.

The changing demands and expectations on emergency services, particularly in communitiessuch as New Hanover Township, creates conflicts in performance and develops potentialoperational and liability issues.

The same scenario exists with standard operating procedures. The companies individuallydeveloped standard operating guidelines but have not fully implement them on a joint basis. Thiswill be addressed later in this report.

In looking at the delivery of service as compared to communities of similar size and complexity,firefighting, rescue, hazardous materials, terrorism, and emergency medical services were allevaluated. A summary document of services currently delivered and by whom, is included inAppendix 1.

To determine the operational needs of the fire department, there must first be an understanding ofthe hazards being faced. There is no community risk analysis at this time, so it becomesimportant to gain as much an understanding of the hazards posed as possible. This can be doneby analyzing response data, defining and inventorying what are considered major or targethazards, and developing plans to deal with these hazards individually and comprehensively.This is further represented in the following diagram which illustrates the relationship ofoperations, training, preplanning and standard operating guidelines.

Operations

Preplanning Training

StandardOperating

Guidelines


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Since a comprehensive risk analysis has not been completed, it is recommended that one becompleted. There have been some individual assessments of properties completed and pre-plansdeveloped. As part of this project, a risk/target hazard map was developed and can be found inAppendix 9. In addition, there were just a few SARA TITLE III sites indicated which arecurrently being evaluated and planned. Key target hazards such as large area structures, high

density/personal care/nursing homes, and other similar challenges exist and require pre-planning.There is currently no process to assure information from inspections, plan reviews and relatedtasks is provided to the companies and incorporated into preplans.

There is no fault or blame intended, simply recognition that the current process does not integratethis aspect. The ISO report recognized a lack of pre-planning and company inspection activitiesas one of its recommendations for improvement. Provided as Appendix 12 is a sampledocumentation tool to consider for modification and use in the risk analysis and pre-planningprocess. These pre-emergency action plans, are recognized methods to predefine the risk posed,the required water supply, apparatus, personnel, support resources, etc. to manage an incident ata particular location.

The primary mission of the fire department is fire suppression and the primary tool to suppressfire was and remains water. Therefore, once target and routine hazards are analyzed, watersupply becomes the first point of consideration. The ISO report indicated that water supply wasdeficient (less water available from the municipal water supply system than the needed fire flow)in numerous locations tested. This means pre-emergency planning should consider water supplyrequired versus water supply available to determine any gaps and how that water should beprovided to the scene, or the related risks that must be managed as a result of a less than neededwater supply.

Once the water supply needed and available to suppress fires in the community is defined, one

can move on to ascertain the level of operational staffing, apparatus, stations, and their respectivepositioning and availability. Each of these will be provided separate sections of evaluation andcomment in this report.

While the township does provide support to the department in multiple ways, the systemconsistency needs to be addressed to assure that all citizens throughout the township receive thesame standard of service throughout the township. This should include policies on thestandardized box alarm concept using the closest fire stations. This should be consistent with theService Delivery Statement/Standard of Response Cover as recommended in the ManagementSection of this report.

A significant situation exists regarding response times and related response districts and staffing.Development over the years has benefitted New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company while thelack of development in the Sassamansville Volunteer Fire company district has resulted inreduced staffing. Operational conflicts between the two fire companies has further strainedrelations and as a result have had a reported negative impact on staffing and response times.While many Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company members once lived in immediateproximity to the station, today the great majority reportedly live three-plus miles away. As aresult, extended travel times are needed, just to get to the station. This results in New Hanover


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Volunteer Fire Company arriving on scene first, throughout the township, on a regular basis.There is nothing wrong with this, except for the populace expectations that is they are closer toSassamansville Volunteer Fire Companys station, and contribute to Sassamansvilles fund drive,that they would be expected to arrive first. It also leads to command issues where New HanoverFire Company officers arrive first, begin set-up, and the Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company

officers arrive and a transfer of command is expected, but often is too complicated to quickly andefficiently be put into place. Reality is that due to the fact that personnel live outside thetownship and distant from the station in Sassamansville. The Sassamansville unit responding tocalls will probably be the second, third or fourth vehicle/company on scene, at most NewHanover Township incidents. This will not change until more members live closer (within mile) to the Sassamansville fire station.

A similar operational conflict arises if the township road crew (which responds to fire callsduring working hours) responds to the New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company station, even ifthey are working in front of Sassamansvilles fire station. The road crew should respond to thecloser of the two stations and respond from that station.

During the study, a number of questions became apparent regarding the social club at theSassamansville Volunteer Fire Company. A staple for fire stations in the 1950s through 1980s,the financial support originally provided by these operations has significantly reduced in recentyears (similar to those operated by other fire companies) for a variety of reasons. However, aslong as they provide income to the fire company, and do not affect operations, they bring value.In recent years changes in by-laws have allowed for control of fire operations by firefighters, notsocial members at Sassamansville Volunteer Fire Company. While it was reported that thesocial club/administration pays for a number of fire company expenses (e.g. building expenses),it was not documented in a financial model. It was also reported that there are three sets of by-laws. In reality there should be one set of by-laws for the organization with the fire company

(emergency service) aspects priority and the social club secondary in all respects.

Those conflicts and issues noted above are the main reasons the companies should beconsolidated as previously indicated.

RECOMMENDATIONS

10-06 Develop a process for the development, distribution, and training of pre-emergency plansfor target locations as identified in the risk assessment process. This should include watersupply information, as well as a hydrant out-of-service notification process.

10-07 The township road crew should respond to the closer of the two stations and respondfrom that station.


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Personnel

The fire companies indicate a combined roster of fifty-six (56) active firefighters. In this day andage when it is more and more difficult to recruit and retain volunteers for any activity, the fire

department continues to find a way to sustain members. However, it is becoming more and morechallenging to recruit and retain members.

Personnel represent the most significant resource of the fire companies services. Without trainedpeople who are willing to respond to emergencies, raise funds, perform maintenance work, andtrain, there would be a mammoth challenge to assuring the safety of the people and properties ofthe township. Unfortunately, like many similar communities, less time to volunteer, more calls,more required training, and expanded fund raising needs are all reported to be conditionschallenging the staffing of the fire companies.

Using the basic data of fifty-six (56) volunteers, two (2) pumpers, one (1) rescue, one (1) aerial,

and one (1) tanker, a cost savings calculation can be made to determine the savings to thetaxpayers of New Hanover Township by using a volunteer system. The National Volunteer FireCouncils (NVFC) Volunteer Fire Service Cost Savings Calculator, computes this savings (forsalaries and benefits of firefighter/EMTs) to be approximately $4,000,000 to New HanoverTownship. The NVFC Cost Savings Calculator was created by St. Josephs University GraduateProgram in Public Safety and Environmental Protection with the following objectives:

- Develop a model to calculate the cost savings of an emergency service organization- Develop a model power-point slide presentation for an emergency service, organization

to use with elected officials and public groups to promote their service and the valuecreated by the service

- Develop a projection of annualized savings of volunteer emergency service organizationswithin the United States

The study found the savings, nationwide, to be $37 billion. The program and additionalinformation can be found at www.nvfc.org.

The question was asked by the project team, how recruitment and retention activities areconducted. There was no structure to the process, individually or collectively. The officersindicated they conduct a variety of activities, but gave no baseline for goals, expectations, orconsolidated approach to the process of recruitment and retention. Without a comprehensiveapproach to recruiting and retaining members, that is local in design and responsive to membersneeds, the continuation of an all volunteer system is put at risk.

The chiefs maintain personnel information by using a software package. Confidentiality iscritical in managing this information. A common set of informational components and astandardized format should be developed, including what should be maintained electronicallyand what should be maintained in paper fashion. Security of these documents is critical due toconfidential information. For this reason, these records should be maintained at one location.Copies of these records should be maintained by a single focal point. In addition, there are no


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standards for minimum documents, for maintenance in personnel files. A proposedrecommendation is provided as well as sample forms (under separate cover).

Physicals are not provided to members. Physicals and related performance impact issues shouldbe considered. Disciplinary practices are reportedly in place with limited actual documented

process for acting on members requiring discipline.

As earlier noted township public works staff is permitted to leave work for incidents to fulfillneeded crews at the New Hanover station. It was noted that if the crew was closer to theSassamansville station, it would still respond to the New Hanover station (Appendix 20).

Meetings were held with the officers of both fire companies to provide input. Consistentcomments were made regarding the following items which require attention:

- Organization design- Officer qualifications and duties- Disciplining process

- Standard operating guidelines used

RECOMMENDATIONS

10-08 Develop and implement a comprehensive approach to the recruitment and retention ofan adequate force of competent fire and rescue service personnel. Coupled with thisshould be minimal criteria for membership.

10-09 Develop a standardized set of data and documents to be maintained about eachmember. This should include, as a minimum, an application, physicians release toperform firefighter duties, training information, driver license, working papers, etc, asdeemed appropriate. Sample information and forms are provided in VFIS safety andmanagement forms which will be forwarded under separate cover.

10-10 Establish and implement a defined progressive discipline process.

10-11 A process should be implemented when an annual physical (at least baselineinformation taken) is provided to active firefighters and fire police staff. The cost toimplement this should be borne as the highest priority of the relief association. TheEMS agency can serve as the group to obtain annual physical baseline information.


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Finances

Like any typical volunteer fire department, the New Hanover Township Fire Companies utilizemultiple revenue streams (e.g. fund raising, municipal contribution, Pennsylvania Act 84 funds,

contributions to fund drives) to fund their operations. Typical operational expenditures are forfirefighting equipment, vehicle and structure maintenance, fuel and utilities, communicationequipment, personal protective equipment, training, fire prevention, administration, etc. NewHanover Township is no different. The proposed operating budgets submitted to the project teamappear appropriate for an organization the size and complexity of New Hanover Township.Currently a .31 mill tax for fire protection results in $179,126 annually.

It was found that the practice of billing for services on the highway is not being conducted. Asample ordinance and standard operating procedure were provided under separate cover toconsider this.

Capital expenditure requests were also provided to the project team for review. The team notedthat the fire companies individually fund and specify capital expenses. While practical from asingle year budgeting process, this may create a major challenge when the expenditure is ofsignificant dollars, such as a fire engine for $500,000. Recent business models for municipalgovernment have shown these expenditures to be better handled by leasing, pre-funding thecapital expense through annual reserving of funds, borrowing funds for a period of years, orfloating bonds. While each municipal budget officer and team of elected officials has their ownconcept of what is the best method to achieve this, the project team favors the long-term pre-funding model for municipalities under 50,000 population. In this fashion, funds can be allocatedover a period of years and upon purchase of a high cost vehicle or station, the funds are alreadyin place for use. The equipment becomes the asset of the municipality.

The fire companies are provided funds to the respective Relief Association, through theForeign Fire Insurance Tax Distribution process. The most recent audit report was reviewed. Itwas also noted that there were no outstanding recommendations made. While a case was madefor two separate relief associations, the project team found no basis for two small funds to bemaintained. A single association offers single source management consistent delivery of benefitsand equipment, and better purchasing power.

The project team found the budgeting process as acceptable given the size and complexity of theorganization. However:

The funding requests by the fire companies should be more structured for fundingrequested expenses (a related chart of accounts for the expense and income is provided inthe appendix). This will also resolve the concerns about distributions to each company asfunds would be distributed based upon need to perform duties versus a percentage to eachcompany.

Long term capital planning is necessary for fire apparatus replacement and fire stationconstruction/remodeling purposes (sample plan is provided as an appendix).


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The township and state currently provides funding to the volunteer fire departments, howeverthere is no requirement to replay the funds or assure assets paid for with public money areprovided back to the public if an organization dissolves. Going forward, in concert with anyfunding provided by the county, assurance should be made that a signed contract is secured. Thecontract should include language to assure, if the agency is dissolved for any reason, that the

assets obtained with public funds going forward, are properly disposed of.

RECOMMENDATION

10-12 A long-term capital purchasing funding model is recommended. A projected 20 yearcapital expense demand charts (one for apparatus only and one for apparatus andstructure) have been prepared as Appendix 15.

10-13 The two relief associations should be combined into one for improved management,oversight, consistency in purchasing and providing benefits and equipment, as well asbetter purchasing power.

10-14 Operational funding should be based upon a consolidated budget request to fund requiredexpenses versus a general percentage distribution of funds. This may take a number ofyears to understand and implement the process. However the long term implementationwill provide more efficient funding.

10-15 A process should be implemented to bill for services provided at highway incidents. Asample ordinance and standard operating guideline to implement a billing for servicessystem are included in the appendix.

10-16 In the event of dissolution of the volunteer fire department or the termination of its affairsor other liquidation of its assets, the volunteer fire departments property shall not be

conveyed to any organization created or operated for profit or to any individual for lessthan the fair market value of such property. All assets remaining after all debts andexpenses of the volunteer fire department have been paid shall be conveyed or distributedby the Board of Trustees to one or more organizations qualifying for the exemptionafforded by Section 501 (c) (3) of the Code. Any assets not so distributed shall bedisposed of by a Court of Common Pleas of competent jurisdiction exclusively for suchpurposes or to such organization or organizations, as said or shall determine which areorganized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

No part of the net earnings of the volunteer fire department shall inure to the benefit ofany Trustee of the volunteer fire department, Officer of the volunteer fire department or

any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for servicesrendered to or for the volunteer fire department affecting one or more of its purposes),and no Trustee or Officer of the volunteer fire department shall be entitled to share in thedistribution of any of the volunteer fire department assets upon dissolution of thevolunteer fire department. No substantial part of the activities of the volunteer firedepartment shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influencelegislation, (including the publication or distribution of statements), any politicalcampaign on behalf of any candidate of public office.


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Apparatus

The purpose of this assessment is to assure that the minimum apparatus needs of the township, asdefined by risk evaluations conducted to date, are provided for and in adequate functioning and

reliable condition. The apparatus located in the township are indicated below.

The fire department has been provided the equipment to meet the actual demands being placedupon the companies (water for fire suppression), with secondary needs (threat/hazard based).

Based on physical observation and discussion with officers and members, as well as the reviewof records management, the project team evaluated the apparatus as follows:

Unit Year Manufacturing Pump Tank Condition

Engine 37 2010 KME 1500 gpm 500 gal Good

Ladder 37 2000 KME 75 1500 gpm 500 gal Good

Rescue 37 2000 KME 1500 gpm 500 gal GoodCommand 37 Ford ----- ----- Good

Command 37-1 Jeep ----- ----- Fair*

Engine 68 1996 Pierce 1250 gpm 1000 gal Good

Field 68 2010 Ford ----- gpm 300 gal New

Tanker 68 2010 International 500 gpm 2,250 gal New

Service 68 1994 Pierce ----- ----- Good

* Fair condition due to age, not mechanical capability

An apparatus replacement plan has been developed and documented by the project team. Anassumption that long term, allocated tax dollars would fund the apparatus replacement whennecessary is incorporated. This is found in Appendix 15.

Critical to the longevity, service ability, functional ability, and reliability is the maintenance ofthe apparatus. The apparatus in service today is in good repair with just a few pieces ofequipment considered nearing its functional performance life. There are a number offundamental decisions that have to be made with regard to replacing fire apparatus. Thesedecisions include what warrants replacement:

- Age alone- Age coupled with level of performance

- Performance only

The apparatus of the fire department was found to be on a service/maintenance program,coordinated by an assigned officer. File information found that maintenance is conducted andappropriate records are maintained in a paper file.


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A review of the ISO reports found that annual fire pump tests were meeting their requirementsbut there was insufficient equipment carried on some apparatus. Hose and ground ladder testingare conducted annually as well, every other year in the worst case.

The type of apparatus purchased and their location provide for an effective complement for the

township. This is consistent with ISO requirements.