HD28 - Ability of Local Fire Service Agencies to Respond to Fire Emergencies in State Correctional Facilities
Executive Summary: Based on available information and established criteria, 22 (76%) local fire departments are fully capable of responding to correctional facilities located within their jurisdictions and mounting an initial fire attack within fifteen minutes of the sounding of an alarm. All units have fire apparatus and fire hose to perform the specified evolutions. Two fire departments (7%) lack master stream appliances but meet other response criteria. Five fire departments (17%) do not have sufficient numbers of fire fighters available to meet the response criteria. The conclusion that all fire departments have the necessary fire apparatus applies only to a minimum number of vehicles with recognized pumping capacities. Fire apparatus serviceability depends on vehicle maintenance practices and each fire department establishes its own maintenance standards. The availability of vehicles such as aerial apparatus and heavy rescue trucks was not a consideration in the study. The need for specialized apparatus at correctional facilities is questionable. Access to structures and maneuvering room is too restricted for normal aerial apparatus positioning and limited numbers of fire fighters preclude routine truck company operations. Determinations made on fire fighter availability are based on the reported average number of volunteer personnel per alarm during specific time periods and only consider the primary or first response unit. All the fire departments surveyed have mutual aid agreements with neighboring fire departments to provide additional resources as needed but these resources are not applicable to timely initial fire attack operations. The study and report were conducted and prepared by staff personnel in the Department of Corrections and the Department of Fire Programs. |
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