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City of Troy

TROY CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING NOTICE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 100 S. MARKET STREET, TROY, OHIO
TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014, 7:00 PM

COUNCIL AS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

(Chaired by Council President Baker)

1. Provide a recommendation to Council regarding authorizing a future General Fund Reappropriation in the amount of $206,000 to add professional part-time firefighters in the Troy Fire Department, as well as a salary ordinance amendment to establish the wage.

4-22-2014
cc: Council Mayor Mr. Titterington Mr. Livingston Mr. Stickel Department Heads Chamber of Commerce Government Class Board of Education Media

TROY OHIO

Christopher L. Boehringer, Chief Troy Fire Department

ce.ek fi wtion

Troy, Ohio 45373 phone: (937) 335-5678/fax: (937) 335-3735 christopher.boehringer@troyohio.gov

MEMO
Date: April 22, 2014 To: Mayor Michael Beamish Patrick Titterington, Director of Public Service and Safety John Stickel, City Auditor

From: Chief Chris Boehringer Re: Staffing Analysis

Executive Summary At the request of City Council, the Fire Department administrative staff has completed an analysis of staffing levels in relation to safety, incident volume and national standards. We analyzed call volume statistics from 1994 - 2013 to determine whether current staffing levels were adequate or was there a need to increase full-time staffing within the fire department. We also considered the NFPA 1710 Standard as well as our ISO PPC score. After analyzing all our data, we determined that based on the current EMS workload there is no need to fill the three existing unbudgeted vacancies with full time Firefighter/Paramedics. However, to meet NFPA 1710 and, further, to improve our ISO PPC score (and economic development opportunities), we should increase our minimum staffing to 12 per shift. Therefore, I am recommending we move forward with the following approach: a. Maintain our current level of 38 full-time uniformed Paramedic staffing with no future reduction in full-time personnel; b. Add $225,000 to the 2014 Fire appropriation to hire sufficient part time Firefighter II/EMT staff; c. Commit to an estimated $510,000 in the 2015 budget to support 35,040 part time hours; and, d. Continue on an annual basis to analyze and monitor workload and make staff adjustments accordingly. Background and Analysis Staffing and Deployment: From 1992 to 1994, Fire Department staffing was increased by 9 and then by 1 in 1999 (additional Fire Prevention Bureau position) bringing the authorized staffing of the department to 41. This staffing level was maintained until 2010 when it was reduced by 3. This was done due largely to the state of the economy (reduced Income Tax receipts, skyrocketing health care costs, etc.) This reduction occurred not through layoffs but by simply not filling vacancies occurring due to retirements or resignations. Chart I shows staffing changes from 1994 to present.

Mayor Beamish, et al. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page2of11

The Troy Fire Department currently operates a 24/48 schedule with three shifts each working every third day (24 hours on 48 hours off}. Each shift employee receives an SDO day (scheduled day off} after every eighth duty day. This is required due to federal law (FLSA} and contract language. The current staffing level is 10 Firefighter/Paramedics and 1 Platoon Commander (PC} per shift. This complement allows us to maintain our current 8-person minimum staffing level but falls below national standards as discussed below. Our current employees are required to be certified as level II Firefighters, Paramedics and Fire Safety Inspectors. Each employee is required to complete specified hours of continuing education over a three year period to maintain the required certifications (FF II - 54 hours, Paramedic - 86 hours, Inspector - 30 hours}. Workload Analysis: As we looked at the 2013 workload (call volume} we considered obligated (responding} and unobligated (available to respond} time. We found that of the 8, 760 hours available in 2013, we utilized 2,922 hours and 31 minutes for 5,561 total responses. On average this equates to 8 hours of obligated time per day across the three stations (Station 1-4.5 hours, Station 2 - 1.5 hours, and Station 3 - 2 hours} dictated by call volume. The 16 unobligated hours per day are filled with vehicle checks, daily station chores, training (both Emergency Medical Service (EMS} and Fire}, lunch, dinner, other duties as required or requested and, of course, sleeping. However, vehicles and personnel are available for response during all unobligated hours (See Chart II}. It is important to remember that our workload per day does not come in a straight 8 hour block of time. Response is provided over the entire 24 hour period, as shown in Chart Ill. From Charts II and Ill, we conclude that current full-time staffing is adequate to respond to workload. Chart IV breaks down TFD workload over the past ten years. Historically, 80% - 85% of the workload of the Troy Fire Department has been EMS-related. Of EMS runs, the percentage of Advanced Life Support (ALS}-related runs (which require Paramedic intervention} has risen from a low of 69% in 2006 to nearly 80% in 2013. Therefore, not only should we maintain 38 full-time employees to handle workload but those employees should continue to require Paramedic certification.
NFPA 1710: While increased full-time staffing is not recommended at this time, national standards indicate that the Troy Fire Department (TFD} has less than optimal fire suppression on-duty readiness. Specifically, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA}, which is the agency that develops the industry standards for fire operations, training and equipment worldwide, recommends that a minimum of 12 firefighter personnel be available to respond within the first 8 minutes of an initial full alarm. Chart V outlines this standard, commonly known as 1710. Note that 1710 goes further to suggest 14 and even up to 17 if ladder and pump operations are required. As stated earlier, TFD maintains a minimum of 8 staffing. The NFPA does not, however, provide funding for the personnel required to meet these recommendations.

To staff 12 minimum per day with full-time FF/Paramedics, the TFD would have to hire an additional 16 FF/Paramedics to account for time off, at an additional annual cost of an estimated $1.5 million. Obviously, there is no scenario in our current or near future economic conditions where we see the City having the ability to fund that amount. However, many area fire departments operate effectively using a combination staffing structure, which includes both full-time and part-time professional staff (see Chart VI}. In addition to maintaining the 38 full-time staffing TFD currently employs, to increase minimum staffing to 12 per day utilizing professional part-time personnel would require an additional

Mayor Beamish, et.al. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page3of11

35,000 hours at an estimated annual cost of $510,000 - or approximately 1/3 of the cost of additional full-time employees. It is important to note that regardless of their employment status, all professional part-time staff would be equal in training and firefighter certification, as they are in the other area combination departments. Chart VI identifies those area combination departments, as well as their population and square miles served, daily minimum staffing, and Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification rating. As Chart VI indicates, Troy is similar in all ways to those combination departments except that we maintain the second lowest daily minimum staffing. Charts VII - IX compare Troy to those departments in average responses per employee, total responses by department, and responses per thousand population served. ISO Rating: An indicator of the importance of NFPA 1710 is its impact on the ISO rating process. That process includes an assessment of water access and capacity, dispatching capabilities, emergency vehicles and equipment, and available staffing. Fire-related components account for 50% of the overall rating, with fire staffing accounting for 30% of the fire-related total. While that may not seem significant, if minimum staffing were to increase to 12 (all other things being equal and based on the current scoring methodology), Troy should see an improvement in its ISO rating to a 3 from our current 41evel. That would be significant, as the ISO rating has been shown to have a direct positive impact on insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties, thus lowering the cost of living in Troy and improving our economic development expansion and retention opportunities. The rating is used by most, if not all insurance companies to determine risk and set property insurance rates. In fact, a local insurance agent researched his pool of insurance companies on our behalf to gauge the hypothetical impact of a change in our rating. While industrial rates can vary a great deal based on use and other factors, overall at least a 2% rate decrease (all other things being equal) should be realized by Troy property owners if our ISO rating were to improve. Faced with the prohibitive costs of hiring 16 new full-time FF/Paramedics at an annual estimated expense of $1.5 million, hiring professional part-time firefighter/EMTs is the only reasonable and financially responsible way to comply with NFPA 1710, improve our ISO rating, lower the cost of living for our property owners and support City Council's number one priority of economic development. In our research with the area combination fire departments, we thoroughly discussed the benefits and concerns of using professional part-time fire fighters. We are confident that all benefits are real and the issues are imagined. These include: Perceived Issues: 1. PPTs are not as well trained a. All PPTs hired by area departments as well as in the TFD are and would be required to meet the same criteria for initial certification and must maintain their FF2 and EMT certifications b. PPTs will be assimilated into TFD's normal training programs c. 12 of the last 14 TFD full-time hires into the TFD had previous experience as PPTs d. Several current full-time TFD employees hold positions in other area departments as PPTs

Why Professional Part-Time (PPT}:

Mayor Beamish, eta/. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page4of11

2. Communications during emergency operations will suffer due to the infrequent day to day interaction among full-time and PPTs a. PPTs are trained in and will follow the same NIMS protocols b. PPTs will be assigned to the same shift and will work 24 hours every six days c. PPTs, unlike full-time, will not have SDO days or other personal time off benefits 3. Full-time employees will be phased out a. Our recommendation is to maintain the current full-time complement of 38 FF/Paramedics b. While the regional supply of PPTs with FF/EMT training suffices, it is debatable that there would be enough PPTs with FF/Paramedic training to cover the equivalent hours of the 38 full-time employees c. While current forecasts show some stability of City finances, there is always the potential for an economic downturn, state of Ohio confiscation of revenues, or other financial loss that would cause a reevaluation of City services in general 4. PPTs will be treated differently than full-time employees a. PPTs would be subject to the same provisions of the TFD rules and regulations that apply to all other TFD employees b. PPTs will be subject to the same protocols as their full-time counterpart 5. The Troy Fire Department has always been a full-time department a. Our recommendation is not to phase out our full-time employees but, rather, to retain the current complement b. The nationwide trend in fire service is moving to combination departments, as demands for service continue to outweigh available resources c. Historically, the TFD has not been successful in hiring a diverse workforce to reflect Troy's demographics. PPTs will offer a more flexible hiring process Benefits: 1. Financial a. 1/3 cost to increase minimum staffing from 8 to 12 per day b. No overpayment for qualifications that aren't needed c. Improved ISO rating should result in lower cost of living expenses and better economic development recruitment and retention 2. Flexibility in hiring and scheduling a. Large regional pool of qualified PPTs b. Hiring process may be shorter through Civil Service, thus reducing administrative costs c. More flexibility in scheduling, training, etc. as no SDO or other time off requirements d. Historically, the TFD has not been successful in hiring a diverse workforce to reflect Troy's demographics. PPTs will offer a more flexible hiring process Financial Impact The 2014 TFD General Fund budget was approved at $5,158, 734. This budget is supported not only by general income tax revenues, but also by a portion of the .25% Safety Income Tax, as well as approximately $1 million in EMS billing fees and contracts for service with three area townships totaling approximately $500,000.

Mayor Beamish, et.al. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Pages o/11

As stated earlier, we do not recommend filling the three FF/Paramedic unbudgeted vacancies, thus avoiding annual maximum costs (in 2014 dollars) of approximately $300,000. Further, while we firmly believe that the TFD should increase minimum staffing to 12 per day, we do not recommend adding fulltime staffing due to the exorbitant cost involved, estimated at $1.5 million. We do highly recommend hiring 24 professional part-time FF/EMTs at an annual cost of approximately $510,000. Additional onetime personal protective equipment (PPE) and related costs wou ld be $80, 760. As a practical matter, hiring 24 PPT could not be accomplished before October 1, 2014. Therefore the 2014 budget impact should not exceed $205, 760 ($125,000 PPT wages plus $80, 760 for PPE). Chart XI identifies the impact of these new expenses over the next five years. Note that Chart X includes the previously approved Police Department staffing changes. Conclusion This is the first comprehensive staffing analysis undertaken in the Troy Fire Department in recent history. It is important to note the significant contributions of the TFD administrative team, including Assistant Chiefs Matt Simmons and Gary Stanley, as well as Firefighter/Paramedics Aaron Simmons and Eric Krites. We firmly believe that while we absolutely need to increase minimum staffing, we can do so safely and efficiently by integrating professional part-time FF/EMTs and becoming a combination department, using our strong and highly qualified core of 38 full-time FF/Paramedics as a base. Doing so will not only meet the NFPA 1710 standard but should improve our ISO rating, thus supporting City Council's top priority of economic development. Finally, the recommendations included herein are based on the current workloads and needs of the TFD. It is important that we periodically update this analysis to determine if our service demands and our staffing needs have changed.

Mayor Beamish, etal. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page6of11

Chart I: 1992-2014 Authorized Strength

Troy Fire Department Year Authorized Note Year Authorized Note

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

31 31 40 40 40 40 40 41 41 41 41

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

41 41 41 41 41 41 40 40 38 38 38 38

c
D

Note: A B C D 1 Additional authorized late 1998 3 Vac, fund 2 for 10 mo, fund 1 for 3 mo 1 vacant unfunded 3 vacant and unfunded

Mayor Beamish, et al. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page 7of11

Chart II: 2013 TFD Incidents by Type and Time

YTD Incidents
Total Squad Accident Rescue Structure Fire Vehicle Fire Misc Fire HAZ No Fire Total Incidents
3804 189 1 78 29 84 308 4493

% of Fire Calls
85 4 0
2

1
2 6

100

Vehicle Fire 1% Structure Fire Rescue 0%

4% 2%

7%

Incident T

es

2013 Response Times

2013 Total Response Time

Station

Responses
3158 1134 1269

Total Time in Hours

1702:36:33 598:25:40 621 :29:25

Average Per Response

0:32:21 0:31 :40 0:29:23

Station 1 Station 2 Station 3 Total

5561

2922:31:38

0:31:32

Mayor Beamish, et.al. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

PageBo/11

Chart Ill: TFD 2013 Incidents by Hour

300
253 261

250 -210

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248 218 205 226223 206

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230225

200 150 100

1 4 .. r

176

121

130 113 103

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Chart IV: TFD 2013 Transports by Type

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Mayor Beamish, etal. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page 9of11

Chart V: NFPA 1710 Standard Calculations

(minimum staffing for first 8 minutes of initial full alarm response)

Incident Command Water Supply Attack Hoseline Back-up Hoseline Search and Rescue Ventilation Initial Rapid Intervention Crew Total Personnel Required

1 Supervisor (IC) 1 Fire Fighter 2 Fire Fighters 2 Fire Fighters 2 Fire Fighters 2 Fire Fighters

2 Fi re Fighters 12 Shift Personnel

Chart VI: Comparable Area Combination Departments

Department Dublin Fairfield West Chester Vandalia/Butler Twp Harrison Twp Liberty Twp Riverside Kettering Loveland Symmes Miamisburg Miami Twp Trotwood Jackson Twp Grove City Average Troy (current) Troy (proposed) Square Miles 2013 Total Responses Population Served Calls/ Capita ISO Rating Daily Min Staffing PPT Hourly

24 22 35 33 6 30 9 19 13 35 30 34
24.1667

4,663 5,437 5,400 5,391 6,864 2,100 3,680 7,456 3,400 7,100 5,914 8,700
5,509

41,751 45,000 61,000 23,500 27,000 38,500 25,000 56,163 26,852 50,000 24,800 39,723
38,274

111.69 120.82 88.52 229.40 254.22 54.55 147.20 132.76 126.62 142.00 238.47 219.02
155.44

2 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 2 3 4 2
3

24 13 32 11 9 13 7 17 13 19 13 24
16

$12.19 $14.50 $15.92 $11.50 $11.88 $12.50 $9.00 $12.93 $11.00 $15.00 $11.25 $11.45
$12.43

73 73

5,561 5,561

37,327 37,327

148.98 148.98

4 3

8 12

$0.00 $13.00

Mayor Beamish, etal. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page10of11

Chart VII: Average Responses per Employee

300 250 200 150 100 50 0

254.22

Note that the Troy data compares current 8 min. staffing levels to 9 or 12 minimum staffing

Chart VIII: Total Responses by Department

9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000

0

Mayor Beamish, etal. re Fire Staffing

April 22, 2014

Page 11 o/11

Chart IX: 2013 Responses per Capita

Chart X: 2014-2018 General Fund Forecast

(includes Fire Professional Part-tim FF/EMTs Recommendation)
Notes
Beginning FB Revenues 1 2.3

2014
$20,632,496

2015
$19,340,334

2016
$16,675.738

2017
$13,257,841

2018
$8,569,298

Total Resources
Operating Expenses Additional Police Staffing Additional Fire PPT staffing Street Paving 27th Payroll Capital Needs Debt Service 4 5

$50,958,290
$22,732,850 $168,230 $206,632 $600,000 $0 $6,746,900

$44,919,386
$23,642, 164 $324,582 $513,556 $600,000 $0 $2,000,000 1;2

Q::22

$42,510,581
$24,587 ,851 $377.717 $523,827 $600,000

$38,851,032
$25,571 ,365 $412,720 $534,304 $600,000 $0 $2,000,000 1;2

$34,418,421
$26 ,594,219 $426,309

6 7 8

--

- -

- -

$544,990
$600,000 $0 $2,000,000

$0
$2,000,000

9
10

Total Expenses Endlna Fund Balance Target Fund Balance

% Fund Balance Coveraae

$31,617,956 $19 340,334 11 12 $12,820,606 150.85%

$28,243,647

$29,252,740 $13,257,841 $13,748,107 96.43%

$30,281,733 $8,569,298 $14,239,864 60.18%

$31,328,863

--

$16,675,738 $13,275,263 125.62%

--

$3.089558 $14,751,291 20.94%

313112014

Notes: 1. 2014 Beginning Fund Balance is actual unencumbered balance of Funds 101 . 202. 204. 205, 207. 332. 441 , 442, 707. 712, and 713 (Fund 842 not induded as 75% of interest is not FBJ 2. 2014 revenue estimates based ai City Auditor and include $5 milliai bond issuance: 2015-2018 estimated at 1% annual growth 3. starting in 201 7. proposed HB5 woutd reooce income taxes by $500.000 to account for a 50% NOL carryforward deduction and other municipal tax adjustments 4. 2014 expenses are per Appropriatiai Ordinance: 2015-2018 based on 4% annual inflation for COLA. healthcare. and infla1iaiary inaeases 5. ASS1.mes 2 additional officers starting 311114, 1 additional officer starting 511/14. and 1 additional officer starting 111115. 6. Professional Pert-Time (PPT) calculated at 35.040 hours/yearx$13hlour + 10.53% benefits (ss, medlcare. and worl<ers comp), prorated for 3 months in 2014 and lnfteted by 2'% COLA thereafter 7. 2014 Street paving as recommended: 201 5-2018 assumes paVing at the levels recommended by Qty Engineer and per commitment in Permissive Tax authoriZatiai 8. AA anomaly of accounting due to calendar timing of payrolls. a 27th payroll will next occur in 2020. 9. 2014 as approved in Appropriation Ordinance plus $5,000,000 for riverfront development: 2015-18 assume "ballpark" amount to replace funds lost from Fund 218 10. Debt Service equals the amount due in Fund 332 Baid Retirement Fund. induding $397 .506 fer Riverfront Del/efopment. Actual for 2015-2018 may vary due to baid financing schedules 11 . Target balance equals 125% of debt service plus 50% of annual operating budget. consistent with utility Fund policies 12. Coverage % is gauge of how dose to target annual fund balance is 100'% or greater meets or exceeds the target