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Fire and EMS Department
 

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EVALUATING RESPONSE TIMES

The Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMS) uses National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1710 (please click here to access NFPA Codes and Standards) performance measures for data reporting purposes. 

FEMS uses response time goals and requirements to align with NFPA Standard 1710 measures. To accomplish this, FEMS evaluated NFPA Standard 1710 requirements, matching such requirements to how the District’s 9-1-1 Center (the Office of Unified Communications or the “OUC”) and FEMS jointly manage 9-1-1 call taking, call processing, dispatch and emergency vehicle response to incidents. An overview of NFPA Standard 1710 response time performance responsibilities is shown in the diagram below.  

(1) NFPA 1710 Overview.jpg

FEMS reports NFPA Standard 1710 benchmark time percentages measured from the time when a call is first dispatched until the time when a FEMS emergency vehicle arrives at a call location. OUC 9-1-1 call taking and processing times are not reported or included in FEMS response time measures.

9-1-1 CALL HANDLING

The OUC is responsible for 9-1-1 call taking, processing and dispatch. NFPA Standard 1710 establishes different benchmark time goals for between 90% and 99% of 9-1-1 calls received, processed and dispatched. These benchmark time goals are divided into “General Alarm Handling” and “Special Alarm Handling” which includes Emergency Medical Dispatch call taking procedures. An overview of NFPA Standard 1710 alarm handling requirements are shown by the diagrams below.

(2) General Alarm Handling.jpg

(3) Special Alarm Handling.jpg

OUC 9-1-1 call taking and processing times are not reported or included in FEMS response time measures.

RESPONSE TIME MEASURES

FEMS is responsible for responding to emergency calls dispatched by the OUC. NFPA Standard 1710 establishes benchmark time goals for 90% of dispatched calls by call type. Call types are divided into Fire and EMS. FEMS response time consists of “turnout time” and “travel time” to the call. Fire and EMS calls have different response time goals. Fire response time goals are shown by the diagrams below.

(4) FIRE First Fire Engine.jpg

(5) FIRE First Alarm.jpg

(6) FIRE First Alarm at High-Rise.jpg

EMS response time goals are shown by the diagrams below.

(7) EMS First Response.jpg

(8) EMS First Response and First ALS.jpg

(9) EMS First Transport Unit.jpg

OUC 9-1-1 call taking and processing times are not reported or included in FEMS response time measures.

Information concerning response time measures is detailed by the FEMS Response Time Evaluation Plan (please click here to view).