CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY-SECOND COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-16-41 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Isaac Benton and Dan Lewis
RESOLUTION
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Establishing Minimum Staffing Requirements For Albuquerque Fire Department Engine Apparatus, Rescue Apparatus, Ladder Apparatus, Hazardous Materials Squads, Heavy Technical Rescue Squads, Quality Assurance Units, Battalion Commander Units And Support Divisions (Benton, Lewis)
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ESTABLISHING MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALBUQUERQUE FIRE DEPARTMENT ENGINE APPARATUS, RESCUE APPARATUS, LADDER APPARATUS, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SQUADS, HEAVY TECHNICAL RESCUE SQUADS, QUALITY Assurance UNITS, Battalion Commander Units AND SUPPORT DIVISIONS.
WHEREAS, the Albuquerque Fire Department has a proud tradition of providing excellent emergency response services to the citizens and visitors of the City of Albuquerque; and
WHEREAS, the City of Albuquerque recognizes that firefighting and emergency medical response are inherently dangerous with calls for fire suppression and emergency medical responses increasing annually; and
WHEREAS, the Albuquerque Fire Department has earned a Class 1 rating by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). The ISO Class 1 rating is the highest rating possible and has been achieved by less than 100 fire departments nationwide; and
WHEREAS, receiving the ISO Class 1 rating is a reflection of the Albuquerque Fire Department’s resource capacity and capability to respond to emergencies; and
WHEREAS, evaluation by the Insurance Services Office is extremely comprehensive. Programs and resources including fire prevention and investigation, training, dispatch, water supply system capabilities, staffing levels, equipment, and resource deployment capabilities are each reviewed. An ISO Class 1 rating indicates that the risk and cost of property loss due to fire in our community is significantly reduced through both fire prevention and emergency response efforts when a fire does occur. Achieving an ISO Class 1 rating is a tremendous accomplishment that benefits the entire business and residential community; and
WHEREAS, the Albuquerque Fire Department has accomplished the ISO Class 1 rating, in part, by staffing rank specific sworn personnel (“firefighters”) to all Engine apparatus with a minimum of four (4) firefighters, Rescue apparatus with a minimum of two (2) firefighters, Ladder apparatus with a minimum of three (3) firefighters, Hazardous Materials Squad apparatus with a minimum of two (2) firefighters, Heavy Technical Rescue Squads with a minimum of four (4) firefighters, Quality Assurance Units with one (1) firefighter, Battalion Commander Units with one (1) firefighter; and
WHEREAS, the practice of staffing Albuquerque Fire Department apparatus, as stated above, strives to meet the intent of the accepted fire service industry standards; as adopted by the National Fire Protection Association including: 1710 - STANDARD FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF FIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL OPERATIONS, AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS TO THE PUBLIC BY CAREER FIRE DEPARTMENTS; Occupational Safety & Health Administration, 29CFR 1910.134(g)(4), “2-In/2-Out Rule”; the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the International Association of Fire Fighters, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - Report on Residential Fire ground Field Experiments (2010) and NIST - Report on EMS Field Experiments (2010); and
WHEREAS, the City Council, Mayor, Fire Chief, and members of the Albuquerque Area Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 244, recognize that the standards and best practices of fire suppression and emergency medical service (EMS) responses are ever evolving, and that the Albuquerque Fire Department shall continually monitor trends in Fire/EMS operations to expand Fire/EMS services; and
WHEREAS, the City of Albuquerque is committed to support our firefighter’s efforts to provide our citizens and visitors with the best possible service in the most efficient and effective manner, and to provide our firefighters with a reasonable level of safety while performing their assigned duties.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. That, with the exception of temporary exigencies or emergencies, as determined by the Chief, the City of Albuquerque will continue the policy and practice of staffing rank specific firefighters to all Engine apparatus with a minimum of four (4) firefighters, Rescue apparatus with a minimum of two (2) firefighters, Ladder apparatus with a minimum of three (3) firefighters, Hazardous Materials Squads with a minimum of two (2) firefighters, Heavy Technical Rescue Squads with a minimum of four (4) firefighters, Quality Assurance Units with one (1) firefighter, and Battalion Commander Units with one (1) firefighter.
Section 2. The City of Albuquerque will continue to staff firefighters in the Fire Marshal’s Office, Arson Investigation Division, Communications and Dispatch Division, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division, and Training Division with adequate staffing levels.
Section 3. That as the size of the City and call volume for the Fire Department increases thereafter the City of Albuquerque shall increase the number of apparatus with categorical staffing levels maintained, increase firefighter staffing levels of the Fire Marshal’s Office, Arson Investigation Division, Communications and Dispatch Division, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division, and Training Division.
Section 4. That in the event of staffing modifications recommended by the Chief, the City of Albuquerque and Albuquerque Area Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 244, must meet and confer prior to amending the staffing levels stated in this Resolution.
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