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1 VIRGINIA FIRE SERVICES BOARD A Report of Findings and Recommendations: Cumberland County Fire and EMS Study October 2018 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 • Capitalizes on What Is Working Well • Identifies Opportunities for Improvement • Presents Findings and Recommendations • Provides Guidance PURPOSE Note: The study findings are not to be construed as legal advice or as binding recommendations. ---PAGE BREAK--- REQUESTED STUDY AREAS 3 Cumberland County Board of Supervisors requested the Fire Services Board to provide a comprehensive review of the following areas: • Organizational Development • Communication • Training • Budget and Administration • Delivery of Services ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 Virginia Fire Services Board Lee Day Virginia Fire Services Council Walt Bailey Virginia State Firefighter’s Association Virginia Department of Health – Office of Emergency Medical Services Tim Perkins Manager, Division of Community Health and Technical Resources Virginia Department of Forestry Patrick Murphy Area Forester Virginia Department of Fire Programs Dennis Price Division Chief Mohamed G. Abbamin Policy Manager REPORT AUTHORS ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT • Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department • Cartersville Volunteer Fire Department • Randolph District Volunteer Fire Department • Cartersville Volunteer Rescue Squad, Inc. The Virginia Fire Services Board would like to thank the following organizations for their contributions to this report: ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 • Initiation of Study • Obtain Stakeholder Input • Prepare Analyses and Develop Core Strategies • Prepare and Present Final Report METHODOLOGY ---PAGE BREAK--- 7 (Central focus for prioritizing study recommendations) • Theme 1: Organizational Development • Theme 2: Communication • Theme 3: Training • Theme 4: Budget and Administration • Theme 5: Delivery of Service WORKING THEMES ---PAGE BREAK--- • Centralized Authority for Fire and EMS Services: Establish clear lines of Authority for the Chief of Fire & EMS. • Strategic Planning: Board of Supervisors and County Administration should adopt and implement a data-driven strategic plan for its fire and rescue services to increase performance levels and achieve lower cost of service delivery. THEME 1: ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 8 ---PAGE BREAK--- Accountability Practices: Establish a system wide Standards Operating Guidelines in an effort to create guidance and accountability during emergency incidents. Designate someone who will enforce the Statewide Fire Prevention Code by appointing a fire code official in accordance with §27-30 and §27-34.2 of the Code of Virginia. THEME 1: ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 9 ---PAGE BREAK--- • Improved Dispatch System: Protocols need to be written to ensure consistent service delivery across the County. – Uniform dispatch protocols will help address the need for standardization, clarification and communication. THEME 2: COMMUNICATIONS 10 ---PAGE BREAK--- • Levels of Interdepartmental Communications: Host a strategic communication session with a professional mediator to resolve existing challenges and barriers amongst the following entities; – Fire and Rescue Departments, Fire and Rescue Emergency Services Committee along with Cumberland County Administration and its Board of Supervisors. THEME 2: COMMUNICATIONS 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- • Coordinated Training Program: Departments in collaboration with the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator should explore the feasibility of developing a comprehensive training program to be assessed annually and collectively coordinating the application of such countywide training program. THEME 3: TRAINING 12 ---PAGE BREAK--- • Financial Accountability: Cumberland County Government should require annual or biannual financial audits or an Agreed Upon Procedures (AUP) to be completed and submitted to the Budget Office or County Administration from the Fire and EMS service providers. • Capital Improvement Plan: Cumberland County Government should develop a capital improvement plan for upgrading its fire and rescue stations and equipment. At minimum it should include funding for apparatus replacement, turnout gear and air pack replacement. THEME 4: BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION 13 ---PAGE BREAK--- • Standardization and Central Purchasing: Cumberland County Government should develop and implement a centralized purchasing option to leverage county purchasing power and reduce operational expenses. THEME 4: BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION 14 ---PAGE BREAK--- • Personnel: Cumberland County Government should work with the Emergency Services Committee to identify needs for additional fire and rescue personnel to meet service demands and citizen expectations. • Recruitment and Retention: Cumberland County should adopt a countywide recruitment and retention plan. • Operations and Staffing: Cumberland County should establish minimal staffing standards for apparatus response. THEME 5: Delivery of Service 15 ---PAGE BREAK--- 16 Use these findings to: • Celebrate your successes • Capitalize opportunities for improvement • Discover how to reenergize your fire and rescue service organizations How? Begin by answering these questions: • As a community, what do you value most about Cumberland County fire and rescue services? • What core factors would “give life” to these organizations and help them to perform at their best? • Imagine the County ten years from now. What would you like to see different? How can we collectively get there? Use the study findings to guide your efforts. CLOSING THOUGHTS ---PAGE BREAK--- 17 QUESTIONS