TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Michael Lang, Fire Chief
Lisa Jenkins, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT:Title
Update Regarding Fire Department Staffing (Fire Chief Lang and Human Resources Director Jenkins).
RECEIVE REPORT
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_________________________________________________________
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RECOMMENDATION:
Review the report on Fire Department staffing levels.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with this report.
BACKGROUND:
In October 2022, the City Council approved changes to the Fire Department’s staffing levels (link to staff report <https://manhattanbeach.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5872019&GUID=DE071D36-7185-418C-9B09-86A167CA5B5D&FullText=1>), which increased suppression (emergency response) staffing by three employees and “civilianized” the Community Risk Reduction bureau (formerly Fire Prevention) within the department. The following summarizes the approved staffing changes within the Fire Department:
|
Functional Area/Position Allocation |
FTE’s |
FTE’s |
|
|
(Previous) |
(Approved in 2022) |
|
Administration/Emergency Management |
|
|
Fire Chief |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Management Analyst* |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Administrative Assistant* |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Emergency Preparedness Administrator |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
Total |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
|
|
Community Risk Reduction (Formerly “Fire Prevention”) |
|
Fire Marshal/Captain (Sworn**) |
1.0 |
-- |
|
Firefighter Paramedic/Inspector (Sworn) |
1.0 |
-- |
|
Fire Inspector (Civilian) |
1.0 |
2.0 |
|
Fire Marshal (Civilian***) |
-- |
1.0 |
|
Total |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
|
|
Fire Suppression and Emergency Medical Services |
|
Fire Division Chief**** |
3.0 |
3.0 |
|
Fire Captain/Paramedic |
6.0 |
9.0 |
|
Fire Engineer/Paramedic |
6.0 |
6.0 |
|
Firefighter/Paramedic |
12.0 |
12.0 |
|
Total |
27.0 |
30.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Fire Department Employees |
34.0 |
37.0 |
*The position allocation of these two administrative positions has been adjusted since the October 2022 report.
**Sworn fire employees include those who are trained in fire suppression and have the authority to engage in fire suppression duties, provide paramedical services, and respond to emergency situations. Sworn fire employees receive public safety benefits.
***Civilian, used interchangeably with “professional”, describes employees who are not trained in fire suppression but provide professional support functions for the department. Professional employees receive miscellaneous (non-public safety) employee benefits.
****In November 2022, the Battalion Chief position was retitled to Division Chief.
DISCUSSION:
The October 2022 report discussed in detail the conversion of the Fire Marshal (sworn Fire Captain/Paramedic) and Fire Inspector (sworn Firefighter/Paramedic or Fire Engineer/Paramedic) assigned to fire prevention into professional (non-sworn) Fire Marshal and Fire Inspector staff positions. The report discussed the goals of the staffing plan, which included a reduction in overtime, enhanced suppression staffing, and enhancing the performance of the fire prevention bureau. Specifically, in regards to the fire prevention function, the goals included achieving a cost savings in salary and benefits, continuity within the fire prevention function and the ability to hire individuals with career expertise and background.
As a result of civilianizing this bureau, the sworn employees previously in the fire prevention assignments returned to suppression assignments to fill in for long-term injury leave vacancies. The addition of a third new full-time employee allowed for increasing suppression staffing for three full-time employees, increasing daily non-management staffing to nine per shift (not including the Division Chief position which is also staffed 24 hours). With three or more employees out on long-term injury on duty (IOD) leave, the assignment of personnel to suppression allowed for more promotional opportunities and less need for overtime, while keeping the same physical staffing levels of eight suppression personnel per shift that the community had been accustomed to.
Between January and June of 2023, the additional civilian employees assigned to Fire Prevention were hired. In January of 2023, a Management Analyst and Emergency Preparedness Administrator were also hired. Since the October 2022 report, one external Division Chief was hired and another was promoted from within. There have also been three promotions to Fire Captain/Paramedic, two promotions to Fire Engineer/Paramedic, and the hiring of three new Firefighter/Paramedics. With the hiring of these three employees in August 2023, the Fire Department achieved full staffing plus an over-hire of one, for a total of 38 full-time employees. With a recent retirement, the Fire Department will be at full staffing of 37 full-time employees as of the publishing of this agenda report. An additional vacancy is anticipated in December of 2023 as the result of another planned retirement.
In addition to highlighting the full staffing status of the Fire Department, staff has been evaluating the impact of the personnel and staffing changes within the last year to determine if objectives have been achieved. As of the writing of this report, there has been a significant decrease in overtime expenditures in the Fiscal Year 2022 to Fiscal Year 2023 budget, showing a decrease in total overtime expenditure of approximately $409,000 within Fire Operations and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). With the department fully staffed at the time of this report, the department anticipates seeing additional savings in overtime expenditures within Fire Operations and EMS moving forward.
Further, the civilianization of fire prevention employees has benefited the City in many ways, including increasing work output and enhancing customer service to our community. These benefits include the timely completion of all State mandated inspections by the end of May 2023, ahead of the 2022-2023 fiscal year deadline. Additionally, fiscal year 2022-2023 saw a 90% completion of annual business inspections, communicating and educating business and property owners about inspection related fees (duties which were previously handled by the Finance Department). All of these inspections were completed by the Fire Prevention staff that started following the October 2022 staffing plan approval. Previously, the completion rate was about 30%.
Fire Prevention staff also handled all fire and life safety system plan reviews, prioritizing reduced turnaround times and responsiveness to developer and contractor needs. Furthermore, they provided a one-day plan review service for residential battery backup systems as per State requirements, a service that was previously completed by a contract third party with long wait periods. The Fire prevention staff maintained a commitment to promptly responding to and fulfilling new construction inspection requests from contractors and homeowners within a 24-hour timeframe. They also worked in close coordination with Community Development staff on complex projects such as the Highrose residential development proposal as well as the proposed Scout House at the Joslyn Center.
In October 2022, the City Council also authorized the over-hiring of up to three additional suppression personnel above the approved position allocation of 37 full time employees, for a potential total of 40 full-time employees. With an opportunity to evaluate staffing levels that are not significantly impacted by long-term leaves, the Fire Chief has been evaluating opportunities for enhanced staffing in other areas and most effectively utilizing these over-hire positions. Specifically, the feasibility of an internal Ambulance Operator program is being explored and will return to the City Council for consideration in the coming months, potentially staffed by Firefighters. This would provide an entry-level Firefighter position and decrease the City’s reliance on ambulance contractors, such as McCormick, and provide a higher level of service.
It is recommended that the City Council receive this report on the progress made in Fire Department staffing.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.