To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Craig R. Rollins, Assistant Chief, Fire and Rescue Department
Through: Norris W. Croom III, Fire Chief
Title
Resolution Approving the Town of Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department Standards of Cover, 2023 Edition
Body
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Executive Summary
As part of the accreditation process through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), the Fire and Rescue Department used the Center for Public Excellence’s (CPSE) Quality Improvement for the Fire and Emergency Services as a guide in the research and development of the 2023 Standards of Cover (SOC).
The 2023 Standards of Cover is an in depth analysis of our historical performance in terms of call volume, call types and level of risk for the jurisdiction as a whole, five station areas, and ten planning zones. This document, together with the 2021 Community Risk Assessment, identify the risks within the community, define the level of service the Fire and Rescue Department can provide, establish historical performance baselines, set realistic performance goals (benchmarks), and identify performance gaps. Where performance gaps are identified, the SOC includes a recommended course of action to either close the gap or continue to monitor the area of concern.
The Standards of Cover establishes performance benchmarks (goals) for call processing of 1 minute and 0 seconds, turnout time of 1 minute and 30 seconds, the total response time for the 1st arriving apparatus of 7 minutes 10 seconds 90% of the time in urban population areas (greater than 1,000 residents per square mile) like the Meadows, 8 minutes 20 seconds in rural population areas (less than 1,000 residents per square mile) like Bell Mountain Ranch, and 9 minutes 10 seconds 90% of the time on the interstate. The Standards of Cover also includes baselines and benchmarks for the arrival of the effective response force (all units needed to mitigate an incident) for each service type (fire, EMS, hazardous materials, technical rescue, and wildland fire) and risk level (low, moderate, and high).
Though recommendations are included and based on historical data, they are not intended to project future performance.
These documents met the intense scrutiny of the CFAI Accreditation Peer Team, and previously received support of the Public Safety Commission.
Notification and Outreach Efforts
No notification or other form of public outreach has been done. The SOC has been reviewed by members of the Rocky Mountain Accreditation and Professional Credentialing Consortium and other Internationally Accredited Fire Departments. Upon adoption of this document, it will be made available to the general public via the Department’s website as well as printed copies at Fire Headquarters for anyone who requests it.
History of Past Town Council, Boards & Commissions, or Other Discussions
Town Council approved the 2022 Standards of Cover on June 20th, 2023 (Resolution Number 2023-087).
Discussion
For the evaluation period (2019 - 2023), Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department (CRFD) has sufficient call volume to adequately evaluate the 1st arriving apparatus in most planning zones. The notable exception is Planning Zone 8 (PZ8), with a maximum annual call volume of 15 calls per year and a total call volume of 56 calls for service since 2019. In recent years, the general trend for the annual calls for service has been increasing, even with a decrease in calls for 2023. However, the department experienced a decrease of roughly 8% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to monitoring the total number of calls for service, CRFD monitors simultaneous incidents (an incident that occurs at the same time as another incident within the same station area or planning zone). When simultaneous incidents occur, they require resources to respond from further away resulting in longer response times.
CRFD’s compliance with adopted first due arrival benchmarks fluctuates, primarily based on incident location and proximity of the primary apparatus. There are known service gaps within the jurisdiction, specifically portions of planning zone 6 (PZ6), portions of planning zone 7 (PZ7), and planning zone 8 (PZ8).
The area of concern in PZ6 is that it is a considerable distance from Stations 153 and 155, and the primary route for Station 155 includes a long hill and winding neighborhood streets. The primary route for Station 153 includes a soft surface (gravel) road that further slows apparatus responses. In 2019, due to road and bridge improvements, response plans were updated to have Station 155 respond to FMZs 15603 and 15617 in place of Station 153. Additionally, to help ensure the quickest response possible, CRFD maintains an automatic aid agreement with Franktown Fire Protection District who co-responds on most calls for service in fire management zone (FMZ) 15603. In 2023, the whole of PZ6 generated 198 calls for service, 87 of which were in FMZ 15603. The department has begun the process of securing physical and human capital for an anticipated station opening in the mid to late 2026 timeframe.
Within PZ7, CRFD opened Station 152 in August 2018, which improved 1st due responses throughout the majority of that planning zone. However, with the continued growth in PZ7, areas that had lower population densities and were considered rural (less than 1,000 people per square mile) are now urban are with higher population densities, specifically FMZ 15740. This caused a significant drop in performance and compliance in PZ7. The department will need to continue to monitor PZ7 performance to see if this trend continues.
Historically, PZ8 has generated a maximum of 15 calls and is sparsely populated (total population 353) with large tracts of open land used for livestock. However, there has been renewed interest in this area. Plans are underway for an interchange over Interstate 25 from Crystal Valley Parkway to the West Frontage Road, a large “big-box” / bulk retailer has submitted plans to build directly adjacent to the proposed interchange, and approval has been given to develop a 5,850 home and mixed use planned community in the area. The Town and department are actively involved in these discussions with the intent to ensure the developments meet the Town’s, department’s, and community public safety expectations.
Another planning zone that requires discussion is Planning Zone 9 (PZ9). Annually, PZ9 generates 449 calls for service (average), which exceeds the 2021 Master Plan’s call volume threshold for consideration of a new fire station. The long-term performance in this area is showing a negative trend. With Stations 151 and 154 becoming busier, this negative trend is expected to continue and likely increase in its slope and impact to the agency’s ability to provide acceptable levels of service to this portion of the community.
The Town of Castle Rock continues to see considerable growth in both the commercial and residential sectors. That growth has translated into an increasing call volume trend in all service categories. Given the current and expected growth in the area, CRFD anticipates call volume to increase over the next several years.
While striving “to be the best”, the department must make changes based on sound statistical data that would allow for an improvement in the delivery of services and increased safety to the community as well as emergency responders. Understanding the current financial and political climate, as well as the costs associated with any recommendation, the department reviewed each of the following recommendations to ensure they are consistent with community expectations, within the scope and reach of the department, and achievable with existing resources or plans. Therefore, the following recommendations were made in 2023 based on the results of the standards of cover process:
Continue to monitor its performance in PZ2 to determine if the increase in compliance is a single year event or if the overall trend is improving. Accreditation Manager
Continue the physical and financial planning for Station 156 with a goal of opening the station in mid-late 2026. Fire Chief
Closely monitor medic unit call volume, utilization, depletion, and call distribution as they are approaching the planning thresholds established in the 2021 Fire Master Plan. Accreditation Manager
Closely monitor Planning Zone 9 (PZ9) for growth, increasing calls for service and performance. Accreditation Manager
Monitor the potential growth in Planning Zone 8 (PZ8) to anticipate changes that may drive the need for additional resources. Accreditation Manager & Fire Chief
Finally, the department shall provide annual updates to the Standards of Cover to the Public Safety Commission, Town Manager and Town Council that details call volumes and trends, updated baselines and benchmarks, and any service gaps and recommended actions.
Budget Impact
The adoption of the updated Standards of Cover has no impact on the budget.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends adopting the updated 2023 Standards of Cover.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the Resolution as introduced by title.”
Attachments
Attachment A: Resolution
Attachment B: Presentation
Exhibit 1: 2023 Standards of Cover