Title
Phoenix Fire Department Staffing, Hiring, and Response Times Update
Description
This report provides an update to the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee on the Fire Department’s current staffing, recruitment, response times, and overall activity level.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
This report included as Attachment A serves as an update on the Fire Department’s Key Performance Indicators related to:
- Sworn staffing levels
- Recruitment and hiring efforts
- Emergency incident response times
- Overall demand for services
- Patient transport activity
Sworn Staffing Levels
The City and Fire Department have made significant investments to boost staffing levels. Since FY 2016-2017, the Fire Department's budget has surged by 70 percent, growing from $309 million to $527 million. During this period, the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) sworn staff increased by 250, from 1,615 to 1,865. The Mayor and Council have also endorsed an expansion of civilian roles through the Community Assistance Program, allocating an additional $15 million to fund 130.9 new FTE positions.
Looking ahead, the General Obligation Bond (GO Bond) has laid out plans for notable staffing increases at several fire stations over the next few years. Phoenix voters approved the $500 million GO Bond program, which includes the construction of four new stations across the City.
- Fire Station 15 will add 24 FTEs by January 2026.
- Fire Station 13 will add 24 FTEs by January 2027.
- Fire Station 7 will add 24 FTEs by January 2028.
- Fire Station 51 will add 46 FTEs by January 2029.
By 2029, the total 250 projected sworn FTEs increase from FY 2016-17 to FY 2023-24 combined with the 118 new sworn FTEs staffing positions from the GO Bond funded fire stations, culminate in an overall growth of 368 sworn FTEs or 23% since FY 2016-17. This strategic expansion in staffing and resources aims to enhance the department’s service delivery and response capabilities throughout the community. The progress made with the past staffing and infrastructure expansion efforts aligns with the Fire Department’s 20-year plan to continue supporting the community's future growth and needs.
Recruitment and Hiring Efforts
Historically, the Fire Department has experienced a significant interest when recruitments have been undertaken. While interest remains good, the ten-year trend has been moving in a downward direction. To ensure a robust pool of candidates remains available for future opportunities, the Fire Department has started planning and implementing creative strategies to positively impact this trend. A recent effort is completing the first truck wrap project, which includes a Quick Response (QR) code that takes the job seeker to the Phoenix Fire website for details on joining the department.I
Emergency Incident Response Times
Emergency response time is measured from the time of dispatch of an emergency apparatus to when the unit arrives on the scene of the emergency. Response times variations are based on four primary factors including geographical area, fire station placement, number of fire stations and apparatus, and activity levels. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) establishes the objective standard that fire departments utilize to measure performance.
Currently, the Fire Department’s response times exceed the NFPA and the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) established standards. As noted in the table below, the citywide response times are measured in minutes: seconds at the 90th percentile level (not averages). Meeting the NFPA and AZDHS established standards is a goal that the Fire Department constantly strives to achieve.
Note: The table above represents response times from January to March 2024.
The Fire Department continues to implement innovative strategies to improve emergency response times. With the recent approval from the Mayor and Council on the part-time ambulance conversion plan, the department will add 48 new positions to staffing. Additionally, the Fire Department has placed a new Engine 62 and Rescue 62 (ambulance) into service before the opening of new Fire Station 62, which is anticipated later this year. The addition of two new units ahead of the fire station opening helps make a positive impact on current response times.
Overall Demand for Services
Emergency response activity levels are tracked by the fire department to understand how the system is performing and what capacity level for additional service delivery may exist. The historical trend for the department activity levels has consistently been a year-over-year increase. Due to innovative thinking and comprehensive analysis of dispatch protocols, the Fire Department reduced the overall 2023 activity levels compared to 2022 for the first time in recent history. January to March 2024 activity levels appear to be similar to 2023. The Fire Department continues to leverage data and best practices to find new opportunities for improvement.
Patient Transport Activity
The Phoenix Fire Department operates a fire-based, emergency patient transportation system. This system has been in place for almost four decades. This system ensures that the residents of Phoenix receive the highest level of care from the point of calling 9-1-1 to the hospital arrival. While the number of ambulance transports remained consistent for many years, the January to March 2024 transportation activity levels remain high compared to prior years.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and the Fire Department.