Texarkana, Texas Fire Department

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Texarkana, Texas Fire Department

• Blue Ribbon Committee Presentation
• August 27, 2009

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Presenters

• Harry Simms, Fire Chief
• 30 Years Service
• Kenny Copeland, Battalion Chief
• Training and Safety Division
• 28 Years Service
• Eric Schlotter, Captain
• Training and Safety Division
• 12 Years Service (7 here)

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Department Overview

• Operations Division
• The response component of the department
• Major Objectives
• To Provide a Professional Response to Emergencies
• To Minimize Loss of Life and Property

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Department Overview

• Five Fire Stations
• Five Pumpers (Engines)
• Two Ladder Trucks (1 unusable)
• One Rescue Truck
• One Battalion Chief
• 72 Firefighters

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Department Overview

• Ranks
• Firefighter
• Driver-Engineer
• Captain
• Battalion Chief

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Department Overview

• Pumper (Engine) Vehicle that carries hose, a
  water tank, and is equipped with a pump

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Department Overview

• Ladder Truck Vehicle with an aerial device and
  ground ladders

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Department Overview

• Rescue Truck Vehicle that carries tools for
  automobile and other types of rescue

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Department Overview

• Fire Prevention Division
• Four Personnel
• Major Objectives
• Public Education
• Fire Code Enforcement
• Fire Investigation

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Department Overview

• Fire Training and Safety Division
• Two Personnel
• Major Objectives
• Departmental Training
• Safety Program
• Compliance
• Supply

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Department Overview

• Fire Administration Division
• Three Personnel
• Major Objectives
• To Provide Leadership and Vision
• Administrative Support

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Department Overview

• 79 Uniformed Personnel
• 2 Clerical
• Personnel Expenses Account for over 91 of Total
  Fire Department Budget

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Evolution of the Fire Service

• Initial purpose of fire departments to prevent
  conflagration
• Evolved to protecting single building
• Expectations added over time
• Emergency Medical Response
• Hazardous Materials Response
• Rescue Responses

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Evolution of the Fire Service

• September 11, 2001
• Terrorism Preparedness
• National Response Plan
• All Hazards Response

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Evolution of the Fire Service

• Grant Funding
• Homeland Security Grants
• Assistance to Firefighters Grants
• Received 5 of 8 possible years
• Funded fitness program, safety initiatives,
  Hazardous Materials training and equipment,
  station back-up power generators, portable
  radios, exhaust extraction systems

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Regulatory Environment

• Civil Service
• Texas Commission on Fire Protection
• Training
• Operational
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Department of State Health Services
• Emergency Medical Technician Certification

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Insurance Services Office (ISO)

• Publishes Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS)
• Produces Public Protection Classification (PPC)
• Used by the Majority of Insurance Companies to
  Determine Premiums

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Insurance Services Office (ISO)

• Two Key Concepts
• The Grading Schedule is a fire insurance rating
  tool, and is not intended to analyze all aspects
  of a comprehensive fire protection program.
• ISO gives credit for what you have - it does not
  require a City to do anything.

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Insurance Services Office (ISO)

• Three Elements of Schedule
• Receiving Handling Alarms (10)
• Fire Department (50)
• Water Supply (40)

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Insurance Services Office (ISO)

• Texas Addendum
• Up to 6.5 points
• Gives credit for
• fire prevention
• fire investigation
• public education
• compressed air foam system

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Insurance Services Office (ISO)

• Received funding from 2005 bond issue for
  projects related to ISO
• Two pumpers
• One ladder truck
• Training Field
• Other projects completed in-house to prepare for
  inspection
• Goal was to reach Class 2

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Insurance Services Office (ISO)

• ISO Inspection in November
• Grading Received this Month
• Received 88.91 points high Class 2
• For most people, result should be a reduction in
  property insurance rates of about 10