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DEPARTMENT OF FIRE & EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BENCHMARKING REPORT
October 2013
Prepared by:
Frank W. Cook, MPA, CFO
Battalion Chief 3251 Springdale Road
Colerain Township, Ohio 45251-1505
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES iii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
OVERVIEW 7
Methodology 8
AGENCY SERVICE AREA CHARACTERISTICS 10
Aging Housing and Population 11
Fire Stations and Equipment 13
FIRE SERVICE INDUSTRY STANDARDS & COMPARISONS 15
National Fire Protection Association 15
Insurance Services Office 15
Center for Public Safety Excellence 16
FIRE PROTECTION & EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COSTS 17
AGENCY STAFFING 21
AGENCY HISTORICAL SERVICE DEMAND & PERFORMANCE 25
Demand for Service 25
Estimated Property Dollar Loss 32
AGENCY BASE SALARIES & WAGES 33
CONCLUSION 36
How Colerain Fire and EMS Compared 36
Lessons Learned 37
Opportunities to Provide Better Service or Value 39
Identified Cost Savings and Shared Services Opportunities 39
Areas that Support Being a Best in Class Fire Department Agency 39
Areas of Improvement Needed to Become a Best in Class Fire Department Agency 40
Planned Changes in 2014 as a Result of the Benchmarking Exercise 41
APPENDIX A: Surveyed Fire Departments 43
APPENDIX B: Questionnaire Instrument 45
APPENDIX C: Questionnaire Response Data 51
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES
Tables
Page
Table 1: Comparison of Peer Jurisdiction and Fire Protection Area 10
Table 2: General Peer Jurisdiction Demographic Information 12
Table 3: Peer Jurisdiction Housing Data and Density 13
Table 4: Comparison of Staffed Emergency Response Apparatus and Units, 2012 13
Table 5: Fire Suppression Apparatus Ratios, 2012 14
Table 6: Fire Department ISO PPC Classification Rating and Accreditation Status 16
Table 7: Comparison of Jurisdictional Approved Budgets, 2012 17
Table 8: Comparison of Agency Approved Budgets, 2012 17
Table 9: Comparison of Peer Agencies Staffing, 2012 22
Table 10: Comparison of On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population, 2012 22
Table 11: Requests for Service Summary, 2012 27
Table 12: Comparison of Estimated Dollar Loss Due to Fire per Assessed Value, 2012 32
Figures
Page
Figure 1: Comparison of Population and Land Area Protected 11
Figure 2: Agency Operating Budget Compared to Population, 2012 18
Figure 3: Fire Agency Appropriated Funding Cost per Capita, 2012 19
Figure 4: Comparison of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Cost per Square Mile, 2012 20
Figure 5: Comparison of Expenditure Cost per Capita, 2012 20
Figure 6: Comparison of Requests for Service Cost per Capita, 2012 21
Figure 7: Comparison of On-Duty Staffing Levels per Square Mile, 2012 23
Figure 8: Minimum On-Duty Personnel per 1,000 Population Comparison, 2012 24
Figure 9: Average On-Duty Personnel per 1,000 Population Comparison, 2012 24
Figure 10: Maximum On-Duty Personnel per 1,000 Population Comparison, 2012 25
Figure 11: Annual Requests for Service Demand Total, 2012 26
Figure 12: Daily Requests for Service Demand Total, 2012 26
Figure 13: Requests for Service Demand Total per Capita, 2012 27
Figure 14: Annual Emergency Medical Service Demand, 2012 28
Figure 15: Daily Emergency Medical Service Demand, 2012 29
Figure 16: Emergency Medical Service Request per Capita, 2012 29
Figure 17: Annual Fire Company Requests for Service Demand, 2012 30
Figure 18: Daily Fire Company Requests for Service Demand, 2012 31
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES continued
Figure 19: Fire Company Service Request per Capita, 2012 31
Figure 20: Estimated Dollar Loss Due to Fire per Capita, 2012 33
Figure 21: Comparison of Fire Shift Commander Base Salaries, 2012 34
Figure 22: Comparison of Fire Company Officer Base Salaries, 2012 35
Figure 23: Comparison of Firefighter Paramedic Base Salaries, 2012 36
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The leadership of Colerain Township local government’s approval and investment of resources
in the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (Department of Fire and EMS) are
intended to ensure that there is continuous adequate fire protection and emergency medical
incident response coverage in all areas of the community. To place a fire department’s operation
or performance in perspective, it is helpful to compare the agency with other fire department
agencies that share similar characteristics. In light of the importance of the services provided by
the Department of Fire and EMS, the Township’s leadership tasked its agency to inter-
departmentally compare itself with other best in class fire department agencies by means of
benchmarking. This report represents the results of the Department of Fire and EMS’s
benchmarking project.
Colerain Township Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services is the sole public safety
entity responsible for providing fire protection and emergency medical service to the
community’s residents and visitors. The Department of Fire and EMS provides its services from
five fire stations utilizing a combination system of staffing and an assortment of emergency
response vehicles and equipment. In 2012, the Department of Fire and EMS responded to more
than 10,600 incidents of all types or on average 29 incidents daily.
Expectations of this project were to collect quantitative and qualitative data for comparison that
did not constitute an evaluation of any agency’s service delivery, capabilities or performance.
The results of the data collection were summarized by means of text, figures, and detailed tables
throughout the report. Where applicable, footnotes were included in the tables that reference the
mathematical formulas utilized to calculate the numerical data.
The project utilized 2012 data obtained by means of interviews and a questionnaire distributed to
22 municipal fire departments regionally, statewide and nationally (Appendix A). Twenty of the
questionnaires were completed and returned (91-percent response rate) as requested. The project
criteria identified for data collection included:
Service Area Demographics and Characteristics;
Local Government Approved Budgets, and Agency Approved Budgets and Expenditures;
Agency Organization Profile and Staffing;
Level of Emergency Medical Service Provided;
Ancillary Services Provided by Agency;
Public Protection Classification and Accreditation Status;
Historical Emergency Incident Activity; and
2012 Agency Salary and Wages.
The data presented displayed how Colerain’s Department of Fire and EMS ranked among other
similar fire department agencies, and statistically against the mean (averages) and median.
The scope of the project was restricted to career and combination staffed fire departments that
provide fire protection, advanced life support emergency medical and transport services and
other functions or services similar to Colerain’s Department of Fire and EMS. The submitted
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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data was reviewed and the following 10 peer agencies were selected for the final benchmarking
comparison:
Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio Fire & Rescue;
City of Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky Fire Department;
Green Township, Hamilton County, Ohio Fire & Emergency Medical Services
Department;
City of Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio Fire Department;
Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio Fire Department;
Lisle-Woodridge, Dupage County, Illinois Fire Protection District;
City of Mentor, Lake County, Ohio Fire Department;
City of Milford, New Haven County, Connecticut Fire Department;
Pike Township, Marion County, Indiana Fire Department; and
West Chester Township, Butler County, Ohio Fire Department.
How Colerain Fire and EMS Compared
In 2012, Colerain Fire and EMS compared favorably when measured against the selected peer
fire department agencies. The statistics had several areas which were outside the means, and in
some cases at the moderate ends of the comparable data reported. Colerain was above the mean
jurisdictional population by 4.5-percent and 46.4-percent greater than the mean land area
protected of the comparable jurisdictions. It had the same amount of fire stations compared to
the mean of its peer agencies; however each Colerain station covered 36.5- percent more land
area than the sampling mean. Colerain had one more engine company than the mean, but a
similar mean number of ladder and rescue companies, and emergency medical transport units as
the other agencies. The request for service per thousand population was 28.6-perceent greater
than the mean of the comparables. Colerain’s mean on-duty daily staffing was 30-percent above
the mean while the mean number of firefighters and emergency medical technicians per square
mile of the jurisdiction land area protected was in the lower 40-percent of the peer agencies.
Finally, of note is that Colerain’s 2012 approved budget was 3.4-percent below the mean of the
comparable agencies.
Lessons Learned
By looking outward, Colerain Fire and EMS examined the similar services of peer agencies and
learned the following lessons from the benchmarking exercise:
A demonstration of the strengths and weaknesses of agencies in comparison to others.
Through shared experiences agencies can identify best practices from each other that can
then be implemented within their own agency.
The benchmarking process must become an ongoing, integral part of the improvement
process with the goal of continually improving the services it provides.
The major benefit of benchmarking is that the things we’ve benchmark seem to get
accomplished; if we cannot see success or identify failure, we cannot learn from or
improve it.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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Finally, faced with the challenges of a strained economy, the fire department will need to
establish methods to demonstrate results and needs. For any public sector agency, it will
be difficult to obtain and sustain support for continued funding and additional needed
resources.
Opportunities to Provide Better Service or Value
As a result of the benchmarking exercise, the following potential opportunities for value-added
services by the fire department include:
Home safety inspections;
Health fairs attended by fire department representatives ;
Injury prevention programs;
Neighborhood wellness programs;
Unused prescription drug disposal;
Neighborhood meetings attended by fire department representatives;
Citizen's Emergency Response Training; and
Programs designed to market the department’s programs and services.
Potential benefits for the citizens and visitors:
Additional risks reduction education;
Greater confidence in the fire department;
Familiarity of station personnel.
Increased knowledge of available programs; and
Added value without added cost.
Some potential positive aspects for the Department of Fire and EMS are:
Increase in knowledge of response areas;
Greater support from citizens;
Identification of potential hazards; and
Ongoing fire safety education.
Identified Cost Savings and Shared Services Opportunities
As a result of the initial focus of the benchmarking project, no additional or new dramatic cost-
saving or shared service approaches or opportunities from the peer fire department agencies were
identified. However, a continuation of the analysis could help to identify opportunities for cost
savings and shared services. Nonetheless, the Department will continue to make every effort to
stretch tax dollars and increase our creativity in providing essential fire and emergency medical
services.
Areas that Support Being a Best in Class Fire Department Agency
1. Unparalleled Experience throughout our Ranks – the level of experience from the
firefighter to chief officer rank that is unparalleled in the region.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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2. Organizational Drive to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service – the prevailing attitude
throughout the organization is to exceed customer expectations in everything we do.
3. Unequalled Training Program to Assure Highest Service Level Possible – a training and
education approach that is unequalled in the region.
4. Most Extensive EMS Quality Assurance Program in the Region – the program provides
the assurance that the performance of the EMS providers who operate under the medical
director’s supervision and authority meet acceptable standards of care and minimal
competency.
5. Highest Insurance Services Office (ISO) Numerical Rating in Region – the Department of
Fire and EMS has the highest ISO numerical rating score in the area and its ISO score
ranks the department in the upper one-percent nationally.
Areas of Improvement Needed to Become a Best in Class Fire Department Agency
1. Continue to improve services to achieve a lower Insurance Services Office (ISO) fire
insurance rating; this has the potential to provide for lower cost of fire insurance in the
community.
2. Pursue fire department accreditation status. Accreditation through the Commission on
Fire Service Accreditation International (CFSAI) and the Center for Public Safety
Excellence (CPSE) is a worldwide measure of excellence.
3. Progress as an organization to continually meet the needs and demands of the
community, citizens and visitors by means of monitoring trends within and throughout
the fire service to improve efficiency and effectiveness; and measure the department’s
performance against established standards and adjust to meet those standards.
4. Promote community risk reduction programs and strategies as a fundamental means to
preserve our community. Community risk reduction programs have the potential to
directly impact the safety of firefighters, citizens and visitors.
Planned Changes in 2014 as a Result of the Benchmarking Exercise
Marketing for the Department of Fire and EMS will be an ongoing initiative that will
specifically address the key stakeholder groups and customize messaging and key
communication points for each stakeholder.
The Department is committed to identifying and implementing available sources of
revenue in order to fund operational and capital improvements, and to lessen the burden
of its operations on the tax payer. The Department will seek to capture additional
revenues through the enhanced reimbursable services and available grants (federal, public
and private).
The Department is committed to providing consistent, high-quality services to the public.
Within this context the Department will routinely examine its operations and seek to
identify strategies which contain or reduce costs without reducing service levels.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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As the cost of government services and funding challenges increase, the Department
recognizes the necessity of minimizing unplanned expenditures. The Department is
committed to developing a sound plan which will allow for the timely improvement and
replacement of capital assets and infrastructure.
The Department of Fire and EMS will continue to work with the Board of Trustees,
Township Administration and Departments, the Financial Advisory Committee and other
local and regional stakeholders to ensure policy development and decision making for the
Department results in the appropriate local control, operational effectiveness and cost
containment necessary to sustain the emergency services delivery system.
Our ability to collect the data for this project was greatly enhanced by the high level of
cooperation and support provided by those involved. The assistance provided during the course
of our work from staff internal and external of the fire department was vital to our ability to
conduct this project. The efforts of these individuals in providing data, participating in
interviews, and providing feedback were essential to a successful project. We would like to
express our appreciation to all individuals who participated in this project for the time and
courtesy extended to us throughout the project effort and for their input. It is with expectation
that the information contained in this report will be utilized to its fullest extent, and that its
content will afford the Township and fire department leadership the opportunity to engage in
timely and productive policy discussions on the future of the fire department.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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OVERVIEW
The leadership of Colerain Township local government’s approval and investment of resources
in the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (Department of Fire and EMS) are
intended to ensure that there is continuous adequate fire protection and emergency medical
incident response coverage in all areas of the community. To place a fire department’s operation
or performance in perspective, it is helpful to compare the agency with other fire department
agencies that share similar characteristics. In light of the importance of the services provided by
the Department of Fire and EMS, the Township’s leadership tasked its agency to inter-
departmentally compare itself with other best in class fire department agencies by means of
benchmarking. Agency or jurisdictional comparisons can be challenging to interpret as there
may be many variables. No two agencies or jurisdictions are exactly alike in terms of emergency
incident volume, agency staffing, budgetary characteristics, geographic size and features,
community demographics serviced, agency or governmental organization and services provided.
Many agencies and jurisdictions, however, do share some similar qualities that are useful for
comparison. While these comparisons are not direct indicators of performance, they can provide
a valuable function in assessing an agency in relation to the performance of its peers. It is useful
to determine whether an agency is at the polar ends of a scale or somewhere in the middle, and it
can be especially useful in identifying the reasons that others may be more efficient in
performing the same operations. This direct comparison can identify strengths or weaknesses
and also suggest areas for improvement.
The Colerain Township Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (Colerain Fire and
EMS) is a full-service provider of fire suppression, advanced life support (ALS) paramedic
service and ambulance transport services, technical rescue, water rescue, hazardous materials
response, community risk reduction and education (i.e., life safety code enforcement, fire
incident investigations and prevention), and regional emergency medical technician and
firefighter education and training programs. Colerain Fire and EMS serves a population of
approximately 58,499 within a geographic area of approximately 43.2 square miles. In addition
to serving Colerain Township, the department provides contract first responder emergency
medical services to Springfield Township’s Pleasant Run Farms neighborhood. In 2012,
Colerain Fire and EMS responded to over 10,600 fire, emergency medical, rescue and public
service incidents and conducted public prevention and safety education presentations to
thousands of students and adults.
Colerain Fire and EMS, one of the best rated fire departments in the state, functions as a public
safety entity for the residents and visitors of Colerain Township. Fire protection and emergency
medical services (EMS) are provided from five fire stations using the following compliment of
companies and units: five engine companies staffed with a combination of four crossed-trained
firefighters-emergency medical technicians: basic and paramedics; one ladder company staffed
with five firefighters-emergency medical technicians; and five ambulances staffed with two
firefighter-emergency medical technicians: paramedics. Colerain Fire and EMS also has several
specialty units utilized for technical rescue and hazardous materials response, water rescue
response, and mobile water supply for areas without fire hydrants. As previously indicated, all
uniformed fire personnel are trained and certified as emergency medical technicians.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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Approximately 125 (out of a total of 192 uniformed personnel) or 65-percent possess paramedic
certification.
Colerain Fire and EMS was compared by means of benchmarking with several other best in class
fire department agencies providing municipal fire protection and emergency medical services as
a method of ascertaining its relative position with respect to service area, budgeting, staffing,
workload and salaries. In this context, benchmarking is a management tool used to collect
quantitative and qualitative data, and identify best practices in fire department agencies that
provide services or perform functions either the same as, or similar to, the services or functions
provided or performed by Colerain Fire and EMS. The results of the benchmarking collection of
data are summarized within this document.
Methodology
The project utilized 2012 data obtained by means of questionnaires initially distributed to 22 fire
departments regionally, statewide and nationally (Appendix A). Twenty of the questionnaires
were completed and returned (91-percent response rate) as requested. Copies of the questionnaire
instrument and agency responses are included as Appendix B and Appendix C. The submitted
data was reviewed and 10 peer agencies were selected for the final benchmarking comparison.
Publicly available resources were also utilized to obtain demographic and budgetary data (e.g.,
jurisdictional and agency annual reports, 2010 U.S. Census estimates, Comprehensive Annual
Financial Reports, etc.). All information was confirmed through data provided by each relevant
peer. Because the jurisdictions and agencies had complexities that could not be completely
understood by reviewing the questionnaire data alone, telephone interviews were periodically
conducted with representatives to obtain specific information regarding their fire and EMS
services.
The scope of this project was restricted to career and combination staffed fire departments that
provide municipal fire protection, advanced life support emergency medical and transport
services, and other characteristics similar to Colerain Fire & EMS.
The following project criteria were identified for data collection:
Service Area Demographics and Characteristics;
Local Government Budgets, and Agency Approved Budgets and Expenditures;
Agency Organization Profile and Staffing;
Level of Emergency Medical Service Provided;
Ancillary Services Provided by Agency;
Public Protection Classification and Accreditation Status;
Historical Emergency Incident Activity; and
2012 Agency Salary and Wages.
The collected data was entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to produce descriptive
statistics [i.e., Average (Mean) and Median] that are presented in the comparison tables and
figures that were calculated without Colerain Fire & EMS included, but shown for assessment
and comparison purposes. Where applicable, footnotes were included in the tables that reference
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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the mathematical formulas utilized to calculate the numerical data. The data presented shows
how Colerain Fire and EMS ranks among other similar fire department agencies, and against the
means and medians.
The following provides an introduction to the selected peer fire department agencies included in
this project:
Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio Fire & Rescue provides fire protection and
advanced life support (ALS) ambulance and emergency medical services to an
approximate area of 31.2-square miles using an all career system of staffing of four fire
stations serving an approximate population of 43,857 residents.
City of Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky Fire Department provides fire protection
and ALS ambulance and emergency medical services to an approximate area of 13.7-
square miles using an all career system of staffing of five fire stations serving an
approximate population of 40,640 residents.
Green Township, Hamilton County, Ohio Fire & Emergency Medical Services
Department provides fire protection and ALS ambulance and emergency medical
services to an approximate area of 27.9-square miles using a combination (career and
part-time) system of staffing of four fire stations serving an approximate population of
58,370 residents.
City of Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio Fire Department provides fire protection and ALS
ambulance and emergency medical services to an approximate area of 22.1-square miles
using an all career system of staffing of five fire stations serving an approximate
population of 62,477 residents.
Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio Fire Department provides fire protection and
ALS ambulance and emergency medical services to an approximate area of 37.1-square
miles using a combination system of staffing of five fire stations serving an approximate
population of 40,373 residents.
Lisle-Woodridge, Dupage County, Illinois Fire Protection District provides fire
protection and ALS ambulance and emergency medical services to the Village of Lisle,
the Village of Woodridge and some unincorporated areas of Dupage County
encompassing an approximate area of 32-square miles using an all career system of
staffing of five fire stations serving an approximate population of 70,000 residents.
City of Mentor, Lake County, Ohio Fire Department provides fire protection and ALS
ambulance and emergency medical services to an approximate area of 28-square miles
using an all career system of staffing of five fire stations serving an approximate
population of 47,023 residents.
City of Milford, New Haven County, Connecticut Fire Department provides fire
protection and ALS ambulance and emergency medical services to an approximate area
of 23.4-square miles using an all career system of staffing of four fire stations serving an
approximate population of 56,424 residents.
Pike Township, Marion County, Indiana Fire Department provides fire protection and
ALS ambulance and emergency medical services to an approximate area of 44.1-square
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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miles using an all career system of staffing of five fire stations serving an approximate
population of 77, 895 residents.
West Chester Township, Butler County, Ohio Fire Department provides fire protection
and ALS ambulance and emergency medical services to an approximate area of 35.5-
square miles using a combination system of staffing of five fire stations serving an
approximate population of 62,582 residents.
AGENCY SERVICE AREA CHARACTERISTICS
In choosing jurisdictions and fire department agencies for comparison, consideration was given
to jurisdictional population, land area, density, and services offered (especially whether there
was ALS service and transport provided by the fire department). The chosen peer agencies are
all of somewhat different sizes, scope and compositions.
From a community planning perspective, Colerain Township can be primarily characterized as a
rural and suburban community; however, the National Fire Protection Associations’ 1710,
Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency
Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments also
characterizes it as urban based on having a population density greater than 1,000 people per
square mile. The location of fire stations and emergency response units are typically based on
several factors. Primarily, the demand for service, community risks, time and distance to travel
to an incident scene as it relates to response goals represents the driving forces for determining
the placement and deployment of primary response resources.
In comparison to the peer jurisdictions, Colerain ranked fifth in jurisdictional population at
58,499 residents in 2012, which was above the mean (55,964) and the median (57,397). A
comparison of land area protected, Colerain ranked second at 43.2-square miles well above the
mean (29.5-square miles) and the median (29.6-square miles). Each of Colerain’s five stations
provides protection and services to approximately 8.6-square miles, which ranked second
amongst the peer jurisdictions. Comparable jurisdictions average approximately 6.3-square
miles per station as displayed in Table 1.
Table 1: Comparison of Peer Jurisdiction and Fire Protection Area
Fire Department Agency Jurisdiction
Population
Land Area
(sq. mi.)
Protected
Jurisdiction
Population
Density per
Sq. Mi.1
No. of
Staffed Fire
Stations
Fire Station
Coverage
Area (sq.
mi.)2
Fire Station
Area
Population
Density per
Sq. Mi.3
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 77,895 44.1 1,770 5 8.8 354.1
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 70,000 32.0 2,188 5 6.4 437.5
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 62,582 35.5 1,763 5 7.1 352.6
1 Jurisdiction Population Density per Square Mile = Jurisdiction Population ÷ Land Area Protected;
2 Fire Station Coverage Area = Land Area Protected ÷ Number of Staffed Fire Stations; 3 Fire Station Area Population Density per Square Mile = Jurisdiction Population Density per Square Mile ÷ Number
of Staffed Fire Stations;
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 62,477 22.1 2,830 5 4.4 565.9
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 58,370 27.9 2,092 4 7.0 523.0
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 56,424 23.4 2,411 4 5.9 602.8
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 47,023 28.0 1,764 5 5.6 352.9
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 43,857 31.2 1,406 4 7.8 351.4
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 40,640 13.7 2,966 5 2.7 593.3
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 40,373 37.1 1,088 5 7.4 217.6
Mean (Average) 55,964 29.5 2,028 5 6.3 435.1
Median 57,397 29.6 1,931 5 6.7 395.8
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 58,499 43.2 1,364 5 8.6 272.7
Figure 1 compares the significant variability in both the jurisdictional population and land area
protected by each agency.
Figure 1: Comparison of Population and Land Area Protected
Aging Housing and Population
In general, older homes and buildings have the potential to represent an increased risk to the
community. The electrical systems in older homes may be overtaxed, lack the modern
overcurrent protection provided by circuit breakers, and require the use of extension cords. Fire
separation walls and fire stops may have been penetrated to run telephone, cable TV, and
computer lines, which can compromise their reliability. Wood frame construction may lack fire
stopping found in newer homes. An aging population uses the emergency medical service
system more frequently, contributing to an increase in incident volume. Older buildings may
lack fire and smoke detection and/or sprinkler systems, which can contribute to increased fire
growth before detection.
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
0
15,000
30,000
45,000
60,000
75,000
90,000
Lan
d A
rea
(sq.
mi.
)
Pop
ula
tion
Population Land Area (sq. mi.)
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
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Table 2 compares general demographic information for the peer jurisdictions. Information on
residents age 65 years and older is included because of its relevance to demand for emergency
medical services. The Baby Boom Generation, individuals born between 1946 and 1964 and one
of the largest generations in U.S. history began turning 65 in 2011.4 As this large generation
continues to age, the growth of the 65 and older population will continue at an increased rate.
This expanding older adult population may require ever-increasing amounts of public services,
health care, and additional services. Of particular importance to fire and emergency medical
services is finding a way to accommodate a vastly increased demand for services from an already
large and continually growing segment of the population.
Table 2: General Peer Jurisdiction Demographic Information
Jurisdiction Population Median
Age
Percent of
Residents 65
years or
older
Median
Household
Income
Anderson Twp., OH 43,857 43.0 15.5% $88,008
Colerain Twp., OH 58,499 39.6 13.8% $54,286
Covington, KY 40,640 34.8 10.2% $34,557
Green Twp., OH 58,370 40.6 16.6% $65,636
Hamilton, OH 62,477 36.4 13.0% $46,335
Jackson Twp., OH 40,373 44.6 17.8% $66,657
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist.*
Village of Lisle, IL 22,390 36.8 11.2% $69,712
Village of Woodridge, IL 32,970 37.5 10.2% $75,469
Mentor, OH 47,023 45.1 16.8% $64,476
Milford, CT 56,424 42.6 16.3% $77,625
Pike Twp., IN 77,895 31.0 10.9% $43,046
West Chester Twp., OH 62,582 37.3 10.9% $79,146
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2012 American Community Survey
Note: * Population data not available for unincorporated areas of the fire protection district.
Factors that are likely to impact the volume of residential building fires are age and maintenance
of housing stock, fire codes, human and socioeconomic factors, and public education efforts.
Older homes and buildings can represent an increased risk to a community. While structural
factors of buildings have an effect on the incidence of fire, of equal or greater importance today
is how humans use and maintain those buildings. A particular important jurisdiction
characteristic when considering the provision of fire protection is the building density of the
jurisdiction and the number of buildings; both occupied and vacant. Table 3 displays data on
those characteristics for each of the peer jurisdictions.
4 “The Older Population: 2010,” U.S. Census Bureau, November 2011, C2010BR-09,
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-09.pdf
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Table 3: Peer Jurisdiction Housing Data and Density
Jurisdiction
Land
Area (sq.
mi.)
Total
Housing
Units
Occupied
Housing
Units
Vacant
Housing
Units
Density -
Housing
Units per
sq. mi.5
Median
Housing Unit
Value
Anderson Twp., OH 31.2 16,488 15,762 726 528 $210,900
Colerain Twp., OH 43.2 24,593 22,477 2,116 569 $118,600
Covington, KY 13.7 20,228 16,696 3,532 1,476 $104,100
Green Twp., OH 27.9 23,554 22,301 1,253 844 $155,600
Hamilton, OH 22.1 27,786 24,149 3,637 1,257 $99,200
Jackson Twp., OH 37.1 17,450 16,325 1,125 470 $170,800
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist.*
Village of Lisle, IL 7.0 9,713 9,165 548 1,384 $313,800
Village of Woodridge, IL 9.6 13,650 12,793 857 1,425 $254,100
Mentor, OH 28.0 20,177 19,015 1,162 721 $166,800
Milford, CT 23.4 22,001 20,427 1,574 940 $301,600
Pike Twp., IN 44.1 33,603 30,645 2,958 762 $129,900
West Chester Twp., OH 35.5 22,565 21,727 838 636 $202,400
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2012 American Community Survey
Note: * Land area data not available for unincorporated areas of fire protection district.
Fire Stations and Equipment
Each peer agency was questioned about the amount of apparatus staffed each day. Table 4
summarizes and compares the number of engine, ladder, and heavy rescue companies, and
ambulance transport and non-transport units for each jurisdiction.
Table 4: Comparison of Staffed Emergency Response Apparatus and Units, 2012
Fire Department Agency Jurisdiction
Population
No. of
Engine
Companies
No. of
Ladder
Companies
No. of
Rescue
Companies
No. of
Ambulance
Transport
Units
No. of Non-
Transport
EMS Units
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 77,895 5 2 1 4 0
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 70,000 4 2 0 3 0
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 62,582 5 1 1 4 1
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 62,477 4 1 0 3 0
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 58,370 4 1 0 4 0
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 56,424 6 1 0 2 0
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 47,023 5 1 2 5 0
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 43,857 3 1 0 2 0
5 Density – Housing Units per Square Mile = Land Area ÷ Total Housing Units;
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
14
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 40,640 4 2 1 3 0
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 40,373 4 1 1 5 0
Mean 55,964 4 1 1 4 0
Median 57,397 4 1 1 4 0
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 58,499 5 1 1 4 2
Table 5 takes the comparison another step by considering emergency response apparatus per
capita and the ratios among different types of fire suppression units. Key comparisons include
the number of engine companies as a function of population, and the ratios of engine companies
to ladder companies and other special service units. Special service units, principally ladder and
heavy rescue companies are usually deployed to perform search and rescue of occupants as well
as vital support functions to engine companies necessary for fire suppression, including forcible
entry, laddering, ventilation, and electrical and natural gas utility control. A smaller engine to
special service ratio value indicates an agency with greater special service companies available
to perform these duties.
Table 5: Fire Suppression Apparatus Ratios, 2012
Fire Department Agency Engine : Ladder
Ratio6
Engine : Special
Service Ratio7
Engines per
1,000
Population8
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3.0 3.0 0.07
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 2.0 2.15 0.10
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 4.0 4.0 0.07
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 4.0 4.0 0.06
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 4.0 2.0 0.10
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 2.0 2.0 0.06
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 5.0 1.66 0.11
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 6.0 6.0 0.11
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 2.5 1.66 0.06
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 5.0 2.5 0.08
Mean 3.8 2.90 0.08
Median 4.0 2.33 0.07
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 5.0 2.50 0.09
This is the circumstance in Colerain Township, which has a slightly smaller engine company to
special services company ratio at 2.50, than the mean (2.90) of the peer agencies. When
6 Engine Company :Ladder Company Ratio = Number of Engine Companies ÷ Ladder Companies; 7 Engine Company :Special Service Company Ratio = Number of Engine Companies ÷ (Number of Ladder
Companies + Rescue Companies); 8 Engines Companies per 1,000 Population = (Number of Engine Companies x 1,000) ÷ Jurisdictional Population;
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
15
comparing Colerain to the mean, Colerain has a greater engine to ladder company ratio and
engines per 1,000 residents than comparable jurisdictions. This is due to the fact that Colerain
has a greater number of engine companies, five in total, than the average of four of the peer
agencies. The ratios provided demonstrate fundamentally that the fire firefighting capability of
an agency can be related to a balanced and complete systems approach designed to deliver
specified fire suppression and incident mitigation capacity and not a mere massing of random
forces.
FIRE SERVICE INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND COMPARISONS
Fire, rescue and emergency medical services have evolved in response to a number of emerging
industry measures. These measures are concerned with the nature and safety of emergency
response. As a means of evaluating a community’s fire department agency public administrators
rely on standards, benchmarks, and best practices commonly used to measure the fire service
delivery system.
National Fire Protection Association
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is an organization that develops, publishes,
and disseminates timely consensus standards covering all areas of fire protection. Many of the
standards establish quantifiable methods of measuring the quality of fire department agencies. In
addition, the standards provide adequate and appropriate guidelines vital to the operational
performance and safety of a fire and EMS department’s roles and responsibilities. These NFPA
standards have been adopted by numerous state and federal authorities, giving them the force of
law. In Ohio, NFPA standards are recognized as voluntary consensus standards.
Insurance Services Office
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) utilizes the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS),
which is a manual containing the criteria ISO uses in reviewing the firefighting capabilities of
individual communities. The schedule measures the major elements of a community's
fire‐suppression system and develops a numerical grading called a Public Protection
Classification (PPC). The key elements that are evaluated include:
Fire Department – the adequacy of apparatus and equipment, staffing levels, evaluation
of training, existence of automatic or mutual aid agreements, and the geographic
distribution of fire stations and companies;
Emergency Communications – 911 telephone systems, adequacy of local telephone
systems, operator supervision and staffing, and the dispatching hardware and software
systems; and
Water Supply – condition and maintenance of fire hydrants, existence of alternative water
sources, and an evaluation of the amount of available water – in volume and pressure –
compared with the amount needed to suppress fires.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
16
ISO assigns a PPC from 1 to 10. Class 1 generally represents superior property fire protection,
and Class 10 indicates that the area's fire-suppression program doesn't meet ISO’s minimum
criteria.
Center for Public Safety Excellence
The Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) is a nonprofit organization developed through a
cooperative effort of the International City/County Manager’s Association (ICMA) and the
International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). The CPSE establishes and promotes recognized
professional standards to help fire department agencies move beyond tactical deployment to
continuous strategic improvement. CPSE's Accreditation Program, administered by the
Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) reflects a comprehensive self-
assessment and evaluation model that enables fire and emergency service organizations to
examine their service levels and performance in a way that allows them to compare to industry
best practices.
Across the United States, there are more than 47,000 communities graded by ISO Commercial
Risk Services, of which only 59 are rated as Class 1. There are 660 or 1.4-percent of the
communities rated as Class 2. In Ohio there are 2,833 graded areas, of which there are none
rated as Class 1 and there are 32 Class 2 communities, of which Colerain Township is one of
these Class 2 communities.
Nationwide, there are 171 agencies that have achieved the accredited status, and in Ohio only
seven are titled as an accredited fire department agency. For those fire department agencies that
have attained both the esteemed PPC Class 1 rating and the accredited status was a significant
undertaking and required an embedded culture of quality throughout the agency.
Table 6 provides a comparative listing of ISO PPC ratings and accreditation status of the
benchmarked agencies:
Table 6: Fire Department ISO PPC Classification Rating and Accreditation Status
Fire Department Agency ISO: Public
Protection Rating
ISO: Total Credit
Assigned
CPSE Accredited
Agency
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 1 93.00 Yes
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 1 91.32 No
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 2 85.16 No
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 2 83.80 No
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 2 80.37 No
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3 76.56 No
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3 71.74 No
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3 71.38 No
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3 70.00 No
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 4 67.12 No
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 3 No
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
17
FIRE PROTECTION & EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COSTS
Without adequate funding, no emergency services agency can survive or provide the level of
service a community expects and deserves. Adequate funding can be derived from a variety of
sources including the general fund, property taxes or special purpose levies, or a blend of the
aforementioned with alternative sources such as user fees (e.g., emergency medical service
billing), permit fees, grants, or tax increment finance funding. Several different attributes are
compared with the peer agencies on a per capita basis in this section. Table 7 compares
Colerain’s local government’s 2012 approved budget with its peers. At $498.66, Colerain’s
budget was below the mean ($615.11) and median ($653.10) when measured on a per capita
basis. Lisle-Woodridge, a special fire protection district did not provide jurisdictional
appropriation information. It has been excluded from this particular comparison.
Table 7: Comparison of Jurisdictional Approved Budgets, 2012
Fire Department Agency
FY2012
Jurisdictional
Budget
Population
Jurisdictional
Budget Cost Per
Capita9
Covington, KY $45,666,203 40,640 $1,124
Mentor, OH $51,255,497 47,023 $1,090
Jackson Twp., OH $33,000,000 40,373 $817
Anderson Twp., OH $34,302,985 43,857 $782
Green Twp., OH $39,998,094 58,370 $685
West Chester Twp., OH $38,860,242 62,582 $621
Hamilton, OH $36,000,000 62,477 $576
Pike Twp., IN $20,890,000 77,895 $268
Milford, CT $10,568,704 56,424 $187
Mean $31,054,173 48,964 $615
Median $35,151,493 51,724 $653
Colerain Twp., OH $29,176,823 58,499 $499
Regardless of the source of revenue, it is imperative that fire department agencies have sufficient
funding to carry out their primary mission. Table 8 compares each of the peer agency’s 2012
approved budget amounts.
Table 8: Comparison of Agency Approved Budgets, 2012
Fire Department Agency Population 2012 Fire Dept.
Budget
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 70,000 $23,638,792
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 77,895 $20,202,338
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 62,477 $13,400,000
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 62,582 $12,532,465
9 Approved Jurisdictional Budget Cost per Capita = Approved Jurisdictional Budget ÷ Jurisdictional Population;
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
18
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 40,640 $11,930,000
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 56,424 $10,445,704
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 40,373 $10,100,000
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 47,023 $9,806,167
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 43,857 $9,670,800
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 58,370 $7,489,259
Mean 55,964 $12,921,553
Median 57,397 $11,187,852
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 58,499 $12,500,000
Figure 2 represents each fire department agency’s approved budgets as compared to the
population served. As would be expected, the higher the population served, the higher the
agency’s budget tends to be.
Figure 2: Agency Approved Budgets Compared to Population, 2012
For public administrators, cost per capita for fire protection gives a rough indication of cost
efficiency of a fire department agency. This should be considered relative to the level and
quality of service, though it is difficult to make meaningful comparisons of quality for fire
departments. In considering the cost per capita for fire protection and other related emergency
services, one should also realize that larger jurisdictions that require more resources can
sometimes achieve better cost ratios since the cost is spread over more residents. Economy of
scale is a consideration in comparing cost per capita data.
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
$0
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
2012 Fire Dept. Budget Population
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
19
The cost per capita of each peer fire department was based on its approved operating budget, not
including capital funding. An agency’s operating budget includes personnel services, supplies,
building and vehicle maintenance expenditures, etc., which are annual appropriations for
recurring costs that do not depreciate. Figure 3 displays comparative cost per capita and indicates
that Colerain with an operating cost per capita of $213.68, which was below the mean of $228.33
and the median of $214.48.
Figure 3: Fire Agency Approved Budget Cost per Capita, 2012
Figure 4 represents the cost of providing fire and emergency medical services per square mile.
Colerain’s $289,352.85 was below the mean ($467,478.81) and the median ($399,712.39) of its
comparable peer agencies.
$3
37
.70
$2
93
.55
$2
59
.35
$2
50
.17
$2
20
.51
$2
14
.48
$2
13
.68
$2
08
.54
$2
00
.26
$1
85
.13
$1
28
.31
$0.00
$50.00
$100.00
$150.00
$200.00
$250.00
$300.00
$350.00
$400.00
Ope
rati
ng
Cos
t pe
r C
apit
a
Cost per Capita Mean Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
20
Figure 4: Comparison of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Cost per Square Mile, 2012
Looking at expenditures on a per capita basis, Figure 5 shows that Colerain compares somewhat
favorably at $208.53 to other agencies in terms of expenses just below the mean ($219.09) and
the median ($208.54) in 2012.
Figure 5: Comparison of Expenditure Cost per Capita, 2012
Requests for service include all emergency medical, fire and other emergency and non-
emergency incident responses by fire department companies and units. Using the total request
for service data, Figure 6 compares the cost per request for service as an expense. Colerain Fire
$3
09
.69
$2
72
.99
$2
45
.23
$2
35
.31
$2
08
.98
$2
08
.53
$2
08
.10
$2
06
.59
$1
89
.24
$1
87
.31
$1
27
.46
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
Expen
dit
ure
Cost
Per C
apit
a
Cost per Capita Mean Median
$870,803
$738,712
$606,884
$458,103
$446,398
$353,027
$350,220
$309,962
$289,352
$272,237$268,432
$0$100,000$200,000$300,000$400,000$500,000$600,000$700,000$800,000$900,000
$1,000,000
Cos
t P
er S
quar
e M
ile
Cost per Square Mile Mean Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
21
and EMS services calculated at a cost of $1,164.01 per incident that was well below the mean
($2,085.04) and median ($1609.65).
Figure 6: Comparison of Requests for Service Cost per Capita, 2012
AGENCY STAFFING
In simplest terms, staffing can be defined “as to supply with a staff or with workers.” In broader
terms it involves the decisions and activities connected with selecting and training individuals for
specific job functions and charging them with job responsibilities. These individuals provide the
staff for an organization. First introduced to the region by Colerain Fire and EMS in early 1984,
the combination staffing model of career or full-time and part-time firefighters is the existing
system that has historically met the needs of the community in terms of effectiveness and
reliability. It has also been evident that it is very efficient in terms of cost to the taxpayers. By
using the combination system, it’s estimated that it allows for 25-percent more on-duty
employees. In addition, the system has been successful, because the contributions of the career
and part-time employees are valued equally and blended effectively. Of the 10 peer agencies,
four are staffed using the combination system. The collected data addressing the ratio of career
to part-time on-duty staffing denotes that Mentor Fire Department relies on a slightly greater
percentage of part-time positions at 44-percent career to 56-percent part-time compared to
Colerain Fire and EMS at 45 to 55-percent followed by:
Green Township: 65 to 35-percent;
West Chester: 69 to 31-percent; and
Jackson Township: 91 to 7-percent.
Statistically, the mean ratio was 68-percent career to 32-percent part-time and median was 67 to
33-percent of the four peer combination fire departments.
Table 9, summarizes the total staffing provided by each benchmarked agency. Colerain Fire &
EMS ranks at the top when compared to its peers for total staffing of its fire department agency.
$4,056
$2,448 $2,211$1,930 $1,869 $1,350 $1,311 $1,164 $1,130 $1,108 $982
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
$5,000
Req
ues
t fo
r S
ervi
ce C
ost
Cost per Request Cost per Request Mean Cost per Request Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
22
Table 9: Comparison of Peer Agencies Staffing, 2012
Fire Department Agency Type of
Staffing
Career
(Uniformed)
Career
(Support)
Part-Time
(Uniformed)
Part-Time
(Support) Total
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. Career 61 1 62
Covington, KY Fire Dept. Career 116 1 117
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. Combination 43 2 48 93
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. Career 95 1 96
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. Combination 66 0 25 91
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. Career 110 6 116
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. Combination 70 1 34 105
Milford, CT Fire Dept. Career 113 13 126
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. Career 141 13 154
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. Combination 57 3 73 2 135
Mean 87 4 45 2 110
Median 83 2 41 2 111
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS Combination 53 2 125 2 182
In Table 10, Colerain is above the mean and median in all the categories displayed for on-duty
uniformed personnel per 1,000 population served.
Table 10: Comparison of On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population, 2012
Fire Department Agency
Minimum
On-Duty
Uniformed
Personnel
Average
On-Duty
Uniformed
Personnel
Maximum
On-Duty
Uniformed
Personnel
Minimum
On-Duty
Uniformed
Personnel
per 1,000
Population10
Avg. On-
Duty
Uniformed
Personnel
per 1,000
Population11
Maximum
On-Duty
Uniformed
Personnel
per 1,000
Population12
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 16 17 18 0.36 0.39 0.41
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 27 27 0.66 0.66 0.00
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 17 19 20 0.29 0.33 0.34
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 22 22 27 0.35 0.35 0.43
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 16 18 21 0.40 0.45 0.52
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 25 25 34 0.36 0.36 0.49
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 21 23 25 0.45 0.49 0.53
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 23 24 27 0.41 0.43 0.48
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 47 47 47 0.60 0.60 0.60
10 Minimum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population = (Minimum On-Duty Staffing x 1,000) ÷
Jurisdictional Population; 11 Average On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population = (Average On-Duty Staffing x 1,000) ÷
Jurisdictional Population; 12
Maximum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population = (Maximum On-Duty Staffing x 1,000) ÷
Jurisdictional Population;
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
23
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 25 29 33 0.40 0.46 0.53
Mean 24 25 28 0.43 0.45 0.43
Median 23 24 27 0.40 0.44 0.48
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 27 32.5 33 0.46 0.56 0.56
Figure 7 provides a comparison of on-duty staffing per square mile at the minimum, average and
maximum levels.
Figure 7: Comparison of On-Duty Staffing Levels per Square Mile, 2012
Figures 8 thru 10 illustrates and provides a closer look at the comparison of on-duty staffing per
1,000 population at the minimum, average and maximum levels.
1.97
1.07 1.03 1.000.82 0.82 0.78 0.75 0.68
0.54 0.49
0.05.010.015.020.025.030.035.040.045.050.0
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
Lan
d
Area (
sq.
mi.
)
Nu
mber
of
Un
iform
ed
Person
nel
Minimum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel Average On-Duty Uniformed Personnel
Maximum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel Land Area (sq. mi.)
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
24
Figure 8: Minimum On-Duty Personnel per 1,000 Population Comparison, 2012
Figure 9: Average On-Duty Personnel per 1,000 Population Comparison, 2012
0.660.60
0.46 0.45 0.41 0.40 0.40 0.36 0.36 0.350.29
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
Nu
mber
of
Un
iform
ed
Person
nel
Minimum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population
Minimum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population Mean
Minimum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population Median
0.660.60 0.56
0.49 0.46 0.45 0.430.36 0.35 0.33 0.29
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
Nu
mber
of
Un
iform
ed
Person
nel
Avg. On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population
Avg. On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population Mean
Avg. On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
25
Figure 10: Maximum On-Duty Personnel per 1,000 Population Comparison, 2012
AGENCY HISTORICAL SERVICE DEMAND AND PERFORMANCE
Virtually all fire department agencies respond to a wide variety of requests for service. People,
specifically the number of people within a given service area, are the most significant influence
on both incident response volume and type. One hundred-percent of emergency medical
responses are directly attributable to people. The National Fire Protection Association reports
that approximately 70-percent of all fires are the direct result of an act or error on the part of a
person. Thus, factors such as the age of the population, population density, and other
demographics drive a fire department’s demand for service or workload.
Demand for Service
Demand is defined here as the number of requests for assistance received by the fire department
for emergencies and non-emergency services. In 2012, Colerain Fire & EMS responded
to more request for emergency incidents and service than in any other year in the history of the
agency. These incidents include the extinguishment of fires, treatment and extrication at
motor vehicle accidents, hazardous materials responses, fire alarms, weather related
incidents and providing basic and advanced life support practices and hospital transport at
medical emergencies. Colerain Fire & EMS also provided assistance to neighboring
communities in accordance with mutual aid agreements. Comparatively, Figure 11 illustrates
that Colerain Fire & EMS responded to 10,601 requests for service in 2012 far greater than the
mean of 7,742 and the median of 6,947. Figure 12 shows that on a daily basis, Colerain
responded to an estimated 29.4 request per day; which was above the mean of 21.2 and above the
median of 19 requests.
0.840.67 0.60 0.57 0.53 0.48 0.47
0.36 0.31 0.27
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
0.80
0.90
Nu
mber
of
Un
iform
ed
Person
nel
Maximum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population
Maximum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population Mean
Maximum On-Duty Uniformed Personnel per 1,000 Population Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
26
Figure 11: Annual Requests for Service Demand Total, 2012
Figure 12: Daily Requests for Service Demand Total, 2012
33.3 33.129.4 28.7
21.8 19.9 18.2 16.0 15.5 14.810.8
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
2012 Daily Request for Service Incidents 2012 Daily Request for Service Incidents Mean
2012 Daily Request for Service Incidents Median
12
,15
0
12
,09
2
10
,73
9
10
,46
9
7,9
67
7,2
64
6,6
29
5,8
28
5,6
67
5,4
03
3,9
51
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
2012 Total Request for Service Incidents 2012 Total Request for Service Incidents Mean
2012 Total Request for Service Incidents Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
27
Amongst the peer agencies, Colerain’s 0.18 total requests for service per capita during 2012 was
above the mean of 0.15 and the median of 0.13.
Figure 13: Requests for Service Demand Total per Capita, 2012
0.30
0.19 0.18 0.15 0.14 0.13 0.13 0.11 0.09 0.09 0.08
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
Requ
ests
for S
ervi
ce
2012 Total Request for Service per Capita
2012 Total Request for Service per Capita Mean
2012 Total Request for Service per Capita Median
An alternative look at demand for fire department services is effectively compared in terms of
annual requests per 1,000 residents. Table 11 shows that the Colerain Fire & EMS experienced
184 requests per 1,000 residents in 2012 greater than the mean of 143.
Table 11: Requests for Service Summary, 2012
Fire Department Agency
Total Requests
per 1,000
Population13
Fire Company
Requests per
1,000
Population14
EMS Requests
per 1,000
Population15
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 90 20 70
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 299 67 232
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 114 28 85
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 194 48 145
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 134 38 96
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 83 28 55
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 154 43 111
13 Total Request per 1,000 Population = (Total Annual Requests for Service x 1,000) ÷ Jurisdictional Population; 14
Total Fire Company Requests for Service per 1,000 Population = (Total Fire Company Requests for Service x
1,000) ÷ Jurisdictional Population; 15 Total Emergency Medical Requests for Service per 1,000 Population = (Total Emergency Medical Requests for
Service x 1,000) ÷ Jurisdictional Population;
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
28
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 141 60 81
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 134 28 107
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 91 28 63
Mean 143 39 105
Median 134 33 91
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 184 63 119
In 2012, emergency medical service requests in Colerain Township comprised approximately
66-percent of the fire department’s emergency services activity provided to its residents and
visitors. Figures 14 and 15 illustrate emergency medical requests for service demand as a
workload measure. The two figures represent that Colerain’s Fire & EMS agency’s 6,944
requests are well above the mean (5,636) and median of (4,767) annually, and the 19 requests
daily are above the mean (16) and the median (14) of the benchmarked agencies. Lastly, Figure
16 represents the EMS workload per capita showing that Colerain is above the mean (0.10) and
median (0.09).
Figure 14: Annual Emergency Medical Service Demand, 2012
9,4
30
9,0
84
8,3
06
6,9
44
5,2
22
4,9
73
4,5
61
3,9
25
3,8
85
3,8
84
3,0
85
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
2012 Total EMS Incidents 2012 Total EMS Incidents Mean
2012 Total EMS Incidents Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
29
Figure 15: Daily Emergency Medical Service Demand, 2012
Figure 16: Emergency Medical Service Request per Capita, 2012
25
.8
24
.9
22
.8
19
.0
14
.3
13
.6
12
.5
10
.8
10
.6
10
.6
8.5
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
2012 Daily EMS Request 2012 Daily EMS Request Mean 2012 Daily EMS Request Median
0.2
3
0.1
5
0.1
2
0.1
1
0.1
1
0.1
0
0.0
9
0.0
8
0.0
7
0.0
6
0.0
6
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
2012 EMS Requests per Capita 2012 EMS Requests per Capita Mean
2012 EMS Requests per Capita Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
30
Throughout its history, the Township has experienced a range of fire losses that have helped to
shape the existing Department of Fire and EMS’s efforts to protect life and property. Figures 17
and 18 correspondingly illustrate fire company or unit requests for service demand as a workload
measure. The two figures represent that Colerain’s Fire & EMS agency’s 3,657 requests in 2012
are well above the mean (2,106) and median of (1,993), and the 10 requests daily are above the
mean (5.8) and the median (5.5) of the peer agencies. Lastly, Figure 19 represents the fire
company workload per capita showing that Colerain’s 0.06 is above the mean (0.04) and median
(0.03).
Figure 17: Annual Fire Company Requests for Service Demand, 2012
3,6
57
3,4
06
3,0
08
2,7
12
2,1
63
2,0
42
1,9
44
1,7
42
1,6
56
1,5
18
86
6
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
No.
of
An
nu
al
Fir
e C
o.
Requ
ests
2012 Total Fire Company Requests 2012 Total Fire Comapny Requests Mean
2012 Total Fire Company Requests Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
31
Figure 18: Daily Fire Company Requests for Service Demand, 2012
Figure 19: Annual Fire Company Requests for Service per Capita, 2012
0.0
7
0.0
6
0.0
6
0.0
5
0.0
4
0.0
4
0.0
3
0.0
3
0.0
3
0.0
3
0.0
2
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
Requ
ests
per C
apit
a
2012 Total FireCompany Requests 2012 Total FireComapny Requests Mean
2012 Total Fire Company Requests Median
10
.02
9.3
3
8.2
4
7.4
3
5.9
3
5.5
9
5.3
3
4.7
7
4.5
4
4.1
6
2.3
7
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
No.
of
Dail
y F
ire C
o.
Requ
ests
2012 Daily Fire Company Request 2012 Daily Fire Comapny Requests Mean
2012 Daily Fire Company Requests Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
32
Estimated Property Dollar Loss
One of the primary missions of fire departments is to prevent and minimize property loss.
Property dollar loss due to fire data can be easily skewed. A single exceptional incident or
under- or over-reporting property loss could have a huge impact on the comparisons. Also,
different agencies may collect data in slightly different ways, making comparison imperfect.
Table 12 displays the estimated dollar loss due to fire as a percentage of assessed property value
reported by each peer agency in 2012.
Table 12: Comparison of Estimated Dollar Loss Due to Fire per Assessed Value, 2012
Fire Department Agency Population Total Valuation
Estimated
Property
Dollar Loss
Fire Loss per
Assessed Valuation
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 43,857 $1,161,644,000 $899,000 7.74%
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 40,640 $1,972,617,700 $1,255,365 6.36%
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 58,370 $1,071,320,660 $206,165 1.92%
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 62,477 $885,000,000 Not Reported
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 40,373 $1,300,000,000 Not Reported
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 70,000 $2,277,401,808 $716,250 3.15%
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 47,023 $1,363,079,440 $641,690 4.71%
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 56,424 $5,410,000,000 $1,024,500 1.89%
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 77,895 $4,522,322,662 $1,697,459 3.75%
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 62,582 $2,083,000,000 $851,320 4.09%
Mean 55,964 $2,204,638,627 $911,469 4.20%
Median 57,397 $1,667,848,570 $875,160 3.92%
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 58,499 $1,304,000,000 $838,350 6.43%
Figure 20 compares the estimated fire loss data in a per capita format. In 2012, Colerain was
below the mean ($16.54) and median ($15.90) estimated dollar loss per capita. Relatively low
estimated fire dollar losses can be used as a gauge of the fire protection capability of a
community’s fire departments’ ability to suppress fires and its preventative efforts. It can be
reflective of a number of factors including a) low fire incident activity; b) adequate response
times; c) firefighter response (number of) to emergencies; d) the agency’s compliment of
responders ability to contain a fire to its object, area or room of origin; e) type and extent of
workforce training and education; and f) public education and prevention programs.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
33
Figure 20: Estimated Dollar Loss Due to Fire per Capita, 2012
AGENCY BASE SALARIES AND WAGES
In order for a fire department to recruit and retain quality personnel, compensation and benefits
(as well as overall working conditions) must be in line or in excess to those of surrounding
agencies. While the compensation amount fire department personnel receives varies significantly
on a number of factors like location, experience, labor contract agreements and type of
appointment all factor into the amount each employee is salaried. This section compares the
base salaries for the positions of shift commander (Battalion or District Chief), company officer
(Fire Captain) and firefighter paramedic. Note: All salary figures are rounded-off to the nearest
dollar.
Fire department shift commanders play significant roles in achieving the command and
operational mission of their agencies. The fire shift commander directs, manages, supervises,
and coordinates the activities and operations typically of a 24-hour shift within the fire
department including fire training and safety, technical or support services; coordinates activities
with other departments, and outside agencies as needed for both emergency and non-emergency
situations. The shift commander has responsibility to ensure that shifts are staffed properly and
that staff are supervised and managed consistently within the confines of policy, procedures and
applicable labor agreements. The rank of the shift commander varies greatly from agency to
agency.
The following ranks are represented that perform the functions of shift commander for the
benchmarked agencies: deputy chief, battalion chief, district chief, and captain. Figure 21
$30.89
$21.79 $20.50$18.16
$14.33 $13.65 $13.60 $10.23
$3.53
$0.00
$5.00
$10.00
$15.00
$20.00
$25.00
$30.00
$35.00
Fire loss per Capita Mean Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
34
compares annual base salaries for the position of shift commander and shows that Colerain’s
battalion chief rank at $78,398.46 was below the mean of $82,680.87 and below the median of
$79,776.50.
Figure 21: Comparison of Fire Shift Commander Base Salaries, 2012
The fire company is the basic unit of a fire department. This is made up of a single piece of
apparatus and its personnel. The company is typically supervised by a company officer. This is
usually a fire captain or lieutenant – the officer over a single company. Depending upon the
agency he or she may be on an engine, ladder or rescue company. This officer is often the initial
incident commander at emergencies and can be called upon to fill in for the battalion chief
during his or her absence. The following ranks are represented that perform the functions of
company officer for the benchmarked agencies: fire captain and lieutenant. Figure 22 compares
annual base salaries for the position of company officer and also shows that Colerain’s company
officer rank at $73,515.95 was below the mean of $74,951.60 and the median of $74,493.50.
$1
13
,00
0
$8
7,7
90
$8
5,7
35
$8
5,1
00
$8
0,3
66
$7
9,1
87
$7
8,9
47
$7
8,3
98
$7
6,8
43
$7
3,2
00
$6
6,6
41
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
An
nu
al
Base S
ala
ry
Shift Commander Base Salary Shift Commander Base Salary Mean
Shift Commander Base Salary Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
35
Figure 22: Comparison of Company Officer Base Salaries, 2012
Finally, at the foundation of the emergency operations agency is the firefighter paramedic who is
responsible for the extinguishment of fires and response to medical emergencies. They perform
specific duties assigned by the company officer or shift commander. As paramedics they assess
and treat injured or medically-ill victims. Figure 23 compares the firefighter paramedic rank
base salaries and shows that Colerain’s firefighter paramedics at $43,907.76 receive one of the
lowest base salaries of the peer agencies, which is below the mean of $54,425.88 and the median
of $52,147.71.
$1
02
,00
0
$8
0,3
66
$7
8,5
18
$7
7,3
70
$7
4,9
87
$7
4,0
00
$7
3,5
16
$7
0,4
99
$6
6,5
31
$6
4,0
53
$6
1,1
92
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
An
nu
al
Base
Sala
ry
Fire Company Officer Base Salary Fire Company Officer Base Salary Mean
Fire Company Officer Base Salary Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
36
Figure 23: Comparison of Firefighter Paramedic Base Salaries, 2012
CONCLUSION
Colerain Fire and EMS has historically aimed to operate as effectively and efficiently (near or at
the lowest cost) as possible. The benchmarking exercise offered an opportunity to compare the
efficiency, service level and cost of our operations to similar services offered by other fire
department agencies on a local, regional and national scale.
How Colerain Fire and EMS Compared
In 2012, Colerain Fire and EMS compared favorably when measured against the selected peer
fire department agencies. The statistics had several areas which were outside the means, and in
some cases at the moderate ends of the comparable data reported. Colerain was above the mean
jurisdictional population by 4.5-percent and 46.4-percent greater than the mean land area
protected of the comparable jurisdictions. It had the same amount of fire stations compared to
the mean of its peer agencies; however each Colerain station covered 36.5- percent more land
area than the sampling mean. Colerain had one more engine company than the mean, but a
similar mean number of ladder and rescue companies, and emergency medical transport units as
the other agencies. The request for service per thousand population was 28.6-perceent greater
than the mean of the comparables. Colerain’s mean on-duty daily staffing was 30-percent above
the mean while the mean number of firefighters and emergency medical technicians per square
mile of the jurisdiction land area protected was in the lower 40-percent of the peer agencies.
Finally, of note is that Colerain’s 2012 approved budget was 3.4-percent below the mean of the
comparable agencies.
$7
8,0
00
$5
7,7
58
$5
5,9
15
$5
4,0
00
$5
2,5
50
$5
1,7
45
$5
1,4
99
$4
9,7
41
$4
9,1
66
$4
3,9
08
$4
3,8
74
$0
$15,000
$30,000
$45,000
$60,000
$75,000
$90,000
An
nu
al
Base S
ala
ry
Firefighter Paramedic Base Salary Firefighter Paramedic Top Salary Mean
Firefighter Paramedic Top Salary Median
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
37
Lessons Learned
In the private sector, if a business does not perform well in relation to those providing the same
products or services – if they don't grow, improve and continue to meet the changing needs of
their customers – they will likely fail. Increasingly, fire departments are finding themselves
under that same threat. The benchmarking exercise afforded the Department of Fire and EMS a
glimpse at areas its peer fire department agencies are exceling in – or maybe just different – than
our agency. Often, an organization can get so focused on improving what it’s currently doing
that it becomes blind to more-efficient or cutting-edge practices or systems. By looking outward
the department has examined the similar services of peer fire department agencies, gained insight
on the processes used to excel, and apply the following lessons learned toward improved
effectiveness and efficiencies:
Benchmarking exercises demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of agencies in
comparisons to others. Based on the experiences of the peer agencies, Colerain Fire and
EMS can now learn how to improve on our accomplishments and overcome difficulties.
Fire departments throughout the U.S. are no longer choosing to work in isolation.
Through benchmarking fire departments can share their experiences, and identify best
practices from each other that can then be implemented within their own agency.
The benchmarking process should not be considered a one-time exercise. To be
beneficial, it must become an ongoing, integral part of the improvement process with the
goal of continually improving the services it provides.
In general, the major benefit of benchmarking is that the things we benchmark seem to
get accomplished; if we cannot see success or identify failure, we cannot learn from or
improve it.
Finally, faced with the challenges of a strained economy in recent years, the fire
department will need to establish methods to demonstrate results and needs. For any
public sector agency, it will be difficult to obtain and sustain support for continued
funding and additional needed resources.
Opportunities to Provide Better Service or Value
The Department of Fire and EMS provides high-quality and comprehensive fire protection,
emergency medical, and life safety services for the Township at what is believed to be a
reasonable cost. As long as the quality of the service is high, and the service benefits the
community, the return on investment is positive. In addition to fire and emergency medical
response services, the Department provides many value added services mentioned in this report.
Although not considered true fire department emergencies, requests from residents to remedy
their emergencies, for example, occupants locked out of their house, water leaks, requests for
physical assistance, etc. are also a value added response service provided by Colerain Fire and
EMS. Additional non-emergent value added services provided by the Department include:
Securing and rendering vacant buildings safe;
Pet removals and rescues;
Fire prevention and safety presentations;
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
38
Fire extinguisher training;
Fire station tours and equipment demonstrations;
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training and related first-aid instruction programs;
Community use space;
Blood pressure and blood-glucose checks;
Child car seat inspections and installations;
Smoke alarm installations and battery replacement services; and
Citizen Fire Academy
The Department of Fire and EMS has realized for many years it cannot rest on simply
responding to emergencies. Since the agency interacts with a small percentage of residents and
visitors we have not rely on emergencies to create value to everyone else whose only interaction
with the agency may be reading a headline or watching a story in the local media. Therefore, the
Department will continue to engage in a focused effort on customer service and community
outreach to increase our value proposition with our customers.
As a result of the benchmarking exercise, the following potential opportunities for value-added
services by the fire department include:
Home safety inspections;
Health fairs attended by fire department representatives ;
Injury prevention programs;
Neighborhood wellness programs;
Unused prescription drug disposal;
Neighborhood meetings attended by fire department representatives;
Citizen's Emergency Response Training; and
Programs designed to market the department’s programs and services.
Potential benefits for the citizens and visitors:
Additional risks reduction education;
Greater confidence in the fire department;
Familiarity of station personnel.
Increased knowledge of available programs; and
Added value without added cost.
Some potential positive aspects for the Department of Fire and EMS are:
Increase in knowledge of response areas;
Greater support from citizens;
Identification of potential hazards; and
Ongoing fire safety education.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
39
Identified Cost Saving Opportunities
Over the past several years various strategies have been employed by the Department of Fire and
EMS to significantly reduce expenditures while maintaining the high-quality of overall fire
protection and emergency medical services to which the residents have grown accustomed –
even during recent challenging economic times. As a result of the initial focus of the
benchmarking project, no additional or new dramatic cost-saving approaches or opportunities
from the peer fire department agencies were identified. However, a continuation of the analysis
could help to identify opportunities for cost savings. Nonetheless, the Department will continue
to make every effort to stretch tax dollars and increase our creativity in providing essential fire
and emergency medical services.
Identified Shared Service Opportunities
Before considering the question of what shared service opportunities were identified, it is
important to understand the manner in which the department already works together to share
services and responsibilities. Considered the most extensive and most prominent example of
shared services and cooperation in the region is in the area of mutual aid and the Hamilton
County Midwest fire departments collaborative. There is no charge for equipment, personnel or
services provided under mutual aid by one municipality on behalf of another. Additional areas in
which service sharing and cooperation are occurring is in the form regional specialized response
and mitigation teams and training. The Department of Fire and EMS is affiliated with and
utilizes the Hamilton County Urban Search and Rescue Team, and the Greater Cincinnati
Hazardous Materials Unit to assist in the mitigation of complex technical rescue and hazardous
materials incidents. The basis of each team is a collaborative approach comprised of human and
physical resources from numerous regional emergency service agencies that specialize in various
disciplines. This concept alleviates the department from significant expenditures on response
and mitigation equipment and apparatus. Several agency personnel are on staff with these
specialized teams. Joint training events are also an example of shared services that includes live
fire simulation, incident management system, firefighter rapid assistance team training, and
emergency medical victim care venues. As a result of the initial focus of the benchmarking
project, no additional or new opportunities from the peer fire department agencies for shared
services were identified. However, a continuation of the analysis could help to identify
opportunities for shared services.
Areas that Support Being a Best in Class Fire Department Agency
1. Unparalleled Experience throughout our Ranks – the level of experience from the
firefighter to chief officer rank is unparalleled in the region. Many agencies in the area
consult Colerain on our practices and approaches to a variety of fire, emergency medical
and life safety issues. The participation of several of our key personnel is critical to the
success of not only the aforementioned specialized regional response and mitigation
teams, as well as Command 400, a regional incident command vehicle equipped with
radio communication equipment, computer network system and video equipment that is
utilized at large scale incidents; and the Southwest Ohio Incident Management Team – a
scalable group of specially trained and experienced individuals that provide for enhanced
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
40
command, control, coordination, support and management during emergency and disaster
events.
2. Organizational Drive to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service – the prevailing attitude
throughout the organization is to exceed customer expectations in everything we do. This
attitude and drive separates us from the rest. As new personnel enter the organization
they are trained to higher levels and ingrained with our customer service standards.
3. Unequalled Training Program to Assure Highest Service Level Possible – A training and
education approach that is unequalled in the area. In many organizations, State required
certification levels are the target. At Colerain they are basic requirements for entry into
the organization. New employees serve in a precepting program for up to 90-days to
assure their basic training foundation is acceptable. Once that is determined new
employees enter regular service and begin the process of continuous advanced in-service
training. Skill levels of employees are regularly evaluated by shift officers, training
officers, and physician medical directors throughout their service period with the
organization. The training envelope is continuously pushed in the organization. Total
annual training hours accumulated by personnel significantly exceed those which
typically occur in other area departments.
4. Most Extensive EMS Quality Assurance Program in Region – the program provides the
assurance that the performance of the EMS providers who operate under the medical
director’s supervision and authority meet acceptable standards of care and minimal
competency. As such, the program establishes a quality management program that allows
for the collection, analysis and usage of data to make changes that ultimately helps to
improve the care provided by our agency.
5. Highest Insurance Services Office (ISO) Numerical Rating in Region – the Department of
Fire and EMS has the highest ISO numerical rating score in the area and its ISO score
ranks the department in the upper one-percent nationally.
Areas of Improvement Needed to Become a Best in Class Fire Department Agency
1. Continue to improve services to achieve a lower Insurance Services Office (ISO) fire
insurance rating; this has the potential to provide for lower cost of fire insurance in the
community. The ISO evaluates public fire-protection services and classifies a
communities’ ability to suppress fires. Currently, the Department of Fire and EMS has a
Class 2 rating and will work to improve to a Class 1 rated agency.
2. Pursue fire department accreditation status. Accreditation through the Commission on
Fire Service Accreditation International and the Center for Public Safety Excellence is a
worldwide measure of excellence. The accreditation process helps to determine
community risks and fire safety needs, evaluates the performance of the agency, and
provides a system for continuous improvement. By conducting a comprehensive
assessment and identifying areas of improvement is a responsible course of action.
Having a detailed evaluation for the Department’s use provides a basis for good decision
making. Finally, it reassures the citizens and stakeholders we serve and ultimately
protects their interest and investment in Department’s services.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
41
3. Progress as an organization to continually meet the needs and demands of the
community, citizens and visitors by means of monitoring trends within and throughout
the fire service to improve efficiency and effectiveness; and measure the department’s
performance against established standards and adjust to meet those standards.
4. Promote community risk reduction programs and strategies as a fundamental means to
preserve our community. Community risk reduction programs have the potential to
directly impact the safety of firefighters, citizens and visitors. These programs may
eliminate or reduce the need for a response and can prepare the community to prevent,
respond or recover from the daily emergencies, as well natural and human-caused
disaster events.
Planned Changes in 2014 as a Result of the Benchmarking Exercise
Marketing for the Department of Fire and EMS will be an ongoing initiative that will
specifically address the key stakeholder groups and customize messaging and key
communication points for each stakeholder. The true benefits of the fire protection and
emergency medical services model provided by the Department can only be realized
through accurate, timely and appropriate marketing and communication strategies that
clearly articulate the proven and potential benefits for receiving services from Colerain
Fire and EMS.
The Department is committed to identifying and implementing available sources of
revenue in order to fund operational and capital improvements, and to lessen the burden
of its operations on the tax payer. The Department will seek to capture additional
revenues through the enhanced reimbursable services and available grants (federal, public
and private).
The Department is committed to providing consistent, high-quality services to the public.
Within this context the Department will routinely examine its operations and seek to
identify strategies which contain or reduce costs without reducing service levels.
As the cost of government services and funding challenges increase, the Department
recognizes the necessity of minimizing unplanned expenditures. The Department is
committed to developing a sound plan which will allow for the timely improvement and
replacement of capital assets and infrastructure.
The Department of Fire and EMS will continue to work with the Board of Trustees,
Township Administration and Departments, the Financial Advisory Committee and other
local and regional stakeholders to ensure policy development and decision making for the
Department results in the appropriate local control, operational effectiveness and cost
containment necessary to sustain the emergency services delivery system.
It is recognized that this report contains a significant amount of information and Colerain Fire
and EMS would like to thank the fire chiefs and their designees of each fire department agency
involved for their tireless efforts in bringing this project to fruition. Colerain Fire and EMS
would also like to thank the various individuals for their input, opinions, and candid
conversations throughout this process. It is with expectation that the information contained in
this report will be utilized to its fullest extent and that its content will afford the Township and
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
42
fire department leadership the opportunity to engage in timely and productive policy discussions
on the future of the fire department.
In closing, it must be conveyed that the delivery of effective fire, emergency medical and life
safety services are important to creating a positive quality of life within a community. The
impact of fire is well established, costing thousands of lives each year, billions of dollars in
damage, and representing one of the most significant disruptions to life that can occur to a
family, business, or community.
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
43
APPENDIX A
Surveyed Fire Departments
Anderson Township Fire & Rescue
7850 Five Mile Road
Anderson Township, Ohio 45230-2356
Mark Ober, Fire Chief
(513) 688-8400
Beavercreek Township Fire Department
851 Orchard Lane
Beavercreek, Ohio 45434-7228
David VandenBos, Fire Chief
(937) 426-1213
Bowling Green Fire Department
625 East 6th
Street
Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101-2320
Greg Johnson, Fire Chief
(270) 393 – 3702
Covington Fire Department
638 Madison Avenue
Covington, Kentucky 41011-2422
Dan Mathew, Fire Chief
(859) 292 – 2345
Fishers Fire Department
2 Municipal Drive
Fishers, Indiana 46038-1547
Steve Orusa, Fire Chief
(317) 595 - 3201
Green Township Fire & EMS Department
6303 Harrison Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45247-7818
Doug Witsken, Fire Chief
(513) 574-0474
Hamilton Fire Department
77 Pershing Avenue
Hamilton, Ohio 45011-3022
Steve Dawson, Fire Chief
(513) 785 – 7501
Jackson Township Fire Department
7383 Fulton Drive NW
Massillon, Ohio 44646-9393
Tracy Hogue, Fire Chief
(330) 834 – 3950
Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District
1005 School Street
Lisle, Illinois 60532-1866
Thomas K. Freeman, Fire Chief
(630) 353 – 3000
Macomb Township Fire Department
16820 25 Mile Road
Macomb, Michigan 48042-1704
Robert Phillips, Fire Chief
(586) 677 – 1262
Mentor Fire Department
8467 Civic Center Boulevard
Mentor, Ohio 44060-2415
Richard Harvey, Fire Chief
(440) 974 – 5765
Miami Valley Fire District
2710 Lyons Road
Miamisburg, Ohio 45342-3720
Matthew Queen, Fire Chief
(937) 560 – 2152
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
44
APPENDIX A continued
Surveyed Fire Departments
Midwest City Fire Department
8201 East Reno Street
Midwest City, Oklahoma 73110-7503
Randy Olsen, Fire Chief
(405) 739 – 1340
Milford Fire Department
72 New Haven Avenue
Milford, Connecticut 06460-4827
Robert Healey, Acting Fire Chief
(203) 874 – 6321
Novi Fire Department
45125 West Ten Mile Road
Novi, Michigan 48375-3006
Jeffery Johnson, Dir. of EMS & Fire Ops.
(248) 349 – 2162
Pike Township Fire Department
4881 71st Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46268-2149
Robert Smith, Fire Chief
(317) 347 - 5860
Plain Township Fire Department
2600 Easton Street NE
Canton, Ohio 44721-2600
Donald Snyder, Fire Chief
(330) 492 – 4089
Skokie Fire Department
7424 Niles Center Road
Skokie, Illinois 60077-3230
Ralph Czerwinski, Fire Chief
(817) 982 – 5300
Taylor Fire Department
23345 Goddard Road
Taylor, Michigan 48180-4163
Robert Tompos, Fire Chief
(734) 374 – 1355
Washington Township Fire Department
8320 McEwen Road
Dayton, OH 45458-2041
Bill Gaul, Fire Chief
(937) 433 – 3083
West Chester Fire Department
9119 Cincinnati-Dayton Road
West Chester, Ohio 45069-3840
Anthony Goller, Fire Chief
(513) 777 – 1133
Ypsilanti Township Fire Department
222 South Ford Boulevard
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48198-6067
Eric Copeland, Fire Chief
(734) 544 - 4100
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
45
APPENDIX B
Questionnaire Instrument
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
46
APPENDIX B continued
Questionnaire Instrument
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
47
APPENDIX B continued
Questionnaire Instrument
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
48
APPENDIX B continued
Questionnaire Instrument
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
49
APPENDIX B continued
Questionnaire Instrument
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
50
APPENDIX B continued
Questionnaire Instrument
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
51
APPENDIX C
Questionnaire Response Data
COMMUNITY DIMENSIONS LAND USAGE No. of FIRE STATIONS
Fire Department Agency Type of
Government County Population
Population Density
Land Area (sq. mi.)
Urban & Suburban
Rural No. of
Staffed Fire Stations
Sq. Mi. covered
per station
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS Township Hamilton 58,499 1,354 43.2 93% 7% 5 8.6
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. Township Hamilton 43,857 1,406 31.2 97% 3% 4 7.8
Covington, KY Fire Dept. City Kenton 40,640 2,966 13.7 95% 5% 5 2.7
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. Township Hamilton 58,370 2,092 27.9 4 7.0
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. City Butler 62,477 2,830 22.1 95% 5% 5 4.4
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. Township Stark 40,373 1,088 37.1 85% 15% 5 7.4
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. Village DuPage 70,000 2,188 32.0 100% 0% 5 6.4
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. City Lake 47,023 1,679 28.0 100% 0% 5 5.6
Milford, CT Fire Dept. City New Haven 56,424 2,411 23.4 100% 0% 4 5.9
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. Township Marion 77,895 1,766 44.1 90% 10% 5 8.8
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. Township Butler 62,582 1,763 35.5 87% 13% 5 7.1
DISCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
COMMUNITY DIMENSIONS LAND USAGE No. of FIRE STATIONS
Fire Department Agency Type of
Government County Population
Population Density
Land Area (sq.
mi.)
Urban & Suburban
Rural No. of
Staffed Fire
Stations
Sq. Mi. covered
per station
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS Township Hamilton 58,499 1,354 43.2 93% 7% 5 8.6
Mean (Average): 55,964 2,019 29.5 94% 6% 5 6.3
Median (Middle): 57,397 2,019 29.6 95% 5% 5 6.7
Maximum (High): 77,895 2,966 44.1 100% 15% 5 8.8
Minimum (Low): 40,373 1,088 13.7 85% 0% 4 2.7
Range: 37,522 1,878 30.4 15% 15% 1 6.1
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
52
APPENDIX C continued
Questionnaire Response Data
COMMUNITY FINANCIAL PROFILE
Fire Department Agency Total Valuation 2012
Jurisdictional
Budget
2012 Fire Dept. Budget
2012 Capital Budget
Primary Funding Source
Alternative Funding
Sources
Effective Millage
Cost per Citizen
2012 Fire Dept. Revenue
2012 Fire Dept.
Expenditures
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS $1,304,000,000 $29,176,823 $12,500,000 $957,000 Property Tax Levy User Fees,
Permit Fees & Grants
9.06 $213.68 $12,394,368.00
$12,198,784
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. $1,161,644,000 $34,302,985 $9,670,800 $250,000 Property Tax Levy User Fees,
Permit Fees, Grants, & TIF
6.52 $220.51 $8,400,000 $9,165,448
Covington, KY Fire Dept. $1,972,617,700 $45,666,203 $11,930,000 General Fund User Fees $293.55 $1,180,999 $12,585,780
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. $1,071,320,660 $39,998,094 $7,489,259 $534,240 Property Tax Levy User Fees,
Permit Fees, Grants, & TIF
8.67 $128.31 $7,440,127 $7,440,127
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. $885,000,000 $36,000,000 $13,400,000 General Fund User Fees &
Grants $214.48 $1,700,000
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. $1,300,000,000 $33,000,000 $10,100,000 $1,300,000 Property Tax Levy User Fees &
Permit Fees 6.00 $250.17 $7,600,000 $9,500,000
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. $2,277,401,808 $23,638,792 $1,068,486 Property Tax Levy User Fees,
Permit Fees $337.70
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. $1,363,079,440 $51,255,497 $9,806,167 $210,800 General Fund $208.54 $3,122,872 $9,785,652
Milford, CT Fire Dept. $5,410,000,000 $10,568,704 $10,445,704 $123,000 Property Tax Levy User Fees
$185.13 $3,000 $10,568,704
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. $4,522,322,662 $20,890,000 $20,202,338 $687,900 General Fund User Fees
$259.35
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. $2,083,000,000 $38,860,242 $12,532,465 $632,125 Property Tax Levy User Fees, EMS
Billing & TIF 6.00 $200.26 $12,077,001 $11,843,304
DISCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
COMMUNITY FINANCIAL PROFILE
Fire Department Agency Total Valuation 2012
Jurisdictional
Budget
2012 Fire Dept. Budget
2012 Capital Budget
Primary Funding Source
Alternative Funding
Sources
Effective Millage
Cost per Citizen
2012 Fire Dept. Revenue
2012 Fire Dept.
Expenditures
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS $1,304,000,000 $29,176,823 $12,500,000 $957,000 Property Tax Levy User Fees,
Permit Fees & Grants
9.06 $213.68 $12,394,368 $12,198,784
Mean (Average): $2,204,638,627 $34,504,636 $12,921,553 $600,819 6.80 $229.80 $5,190,500 $10,127,002
Median (Middle): $1,667,848,570 $36,000,000 $11,187,852 $583,183 6.26 $217.49 $5,281,500 $9,785,652
Maximum (High): $5,410,000,000 $51,255,497 $23,638,792 $1,300,000 8.67 $337.70 $12,077,001 $12,585,780
Minimum (Low): $885,000,000 $10,568,704 $7,489,259 $123,000 6.00 $128.31 $3,000 $7,440,127
Range: $4,525,000,000 $40,686,793 $16,149,533 $1,177,000 2.67 $209.39 $12,074,001 $5,145,653
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
53
APPENDIX C continued
Questionnaire Response Data
AGENCY STAFFING PROFILE LEVEL of EMS SERVICE ANCILLARY FIRE DEPT. SERVICES PROVIDED
CONTRACTED SERVICES PROVIDED
Fire Department Agency Type of Staffing
Ca
ree
r
(Un
ifo
rme
d)
Ca
ree
r
(Su
pp
ort
)
Pa
rt-T
ime
(Un
ifo
rme
d)
Pa
rt-T
ime
(Su
pp
ort
)
To
tal
Fir
st
Re
sp
on
de
r
Ba
sic
Lif
e
Su
pp
ort
Ad
va
nce
d L
ife
Su
pp
ort
Do
es N
ot
Pro
vid
e E
MS
Co
de
En
forc
em
en
t
Dis
aste
r
Ma
na
ge
me
nt
Ori
gin
& C
au
se
Inve
sti
ga
tio
n
Bu
ild
ing
Pla
ns
Re
vie
w
Ha
z-M
at
Re
sp
on
se
Pu
bli
c
Ed
uca
tio
n
Re
gio
na
l F
ire
& E
MS
Tra
inin
g
Te
ch
nic
al
Re
scu
e
Fir
e P
rote
cti
on
EM
S
Tra
inin
g o
r
Ed
uca
tio
n
Co
de
En
forc
em
en
t
Oth
er
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS Combination 53 2 125 2 182 X X X X X X X X X
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. Career 61 1 0 0 62 X X X X X X X X X
Covington, KY Fire Dept. Career 116 1 0 0 117 X X X X X
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. Combination 43 2 48 0 93 X X X X X X X X X
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. Career 95 1 0 0 96 X X X X X X X X X
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. Combination 66 0 25 0 91 X X X X X X
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. Career 110 6 0 0 116 X X X X X X X X
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. Combination 70 1 34 0 105 X X X X X X X X X
Milford, CT Fire Dept. Career 113 13 0 0 126 X X X X X X X X
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. Career 141 13 0 0 154 X X X X X X
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. Combination 57 3 73 2 135 X X X X X X X X X
DISCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
AGENCY STAFFING PROFILE LEVEL of EMS SERVICE ANCILLARY FIRE DEPT. SERVICES PROVIDED CONTRACTED SERVICES
PROVIDED
Fire Department Agency Type of Staffing
Ca
ree
r
(Un
ifo
rme
d)
Ca
ree
r
(Su
pp
ort
)
Pa
rt-T
ime
(Un
ifo
rme
d)
Pa
rt-T
ime
(Su
pp
ort
)
To
tal
Fir
st
Re
sp
on
de
r
Ba
sic
Lif
e
Su
pp
ort
Ad
va
nce
d L
ife
Su
pp
ort
Do
es N
ot
Pro
vid
e E
MS
Co
de
En
forc
em
en
t
Dis
aste
r
Ma
na
ge
me
nt
Ori
gin
& C
au
se
Inve
sti
ga
tio
n
Bu
ild
ing
Pla
ns
Re
vie
w
Ha
z-M
at
Re
sp
on
se
Pu
bli
c
Ed
uca
tio
n
Re
gio
na
l F
ire
& E
MS
Tra
inin
g
Te
ch
nic
al
Re
scu
e
Fir
e P
rote
cti
on
EM
S
Tra
inin
g o
r
Ed
uca
tio
n
Co
de
En
forc
em
en
t
Oth
er
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS Combination 53 2 125 2 182 X X X X X X X X X
Mean (Average): 87 4 18 0 110
Median (Middle): 83 2 0 0 111
Maximum (High): 141 13 73 2 154
Minimum (Low): 43 0 0 0 62
Range: 98 13 73 2 92
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
54
APPENDIX C continued
Questionnaire Response Data
No. of COMPANIES or UNITS No. of PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO: COMMAND STAFF
Fire Department Agency
No
. o
f
En
gin
e
Co
mp
an
ies
No
. o
f
La
dd
er
Co
mp
an
ies
No
. o
f
Re
scu
e
Co
mp
an
ies
No
. o
f A
mb
ula
nce
Un
its
No
. o
f N
on
-
Tra
nsp
ort
EM
S U
nit
s
En
gin
e
La
dd
er
Re
scu
e
Am
bu
lan
ce
No
n-T
ran
sp
ort
De
pu
ty C
hie
f
Assis
tan
t C
hie
f
Ba
tta
lio
n C
hie
f
Dis
tric
t C
hie
f
Div
isio
n C
hie
f
Ca
pta
in
Oth
er
To
tal
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 5 1 1 5 2 4 5 2 2 2 1 1 3 0 2 0 0 7
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3 1 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 4
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 4 2 1 3 0 3 3 2 2 0 0 2 3 0 0 12 0 17
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 4 1 0 4 0 4 4 0 2 0 0 1 0 4 0 1 0 6
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 4 1 0 3 0 3 3 0 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 7 0 13
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 4 1 1 5 0 3 5 5 3 2 1 3 0 0 16 0 22
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 4 2 0 3 0 3 3 0 2 0 2 0 3 0 3 0 0 8
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 5 1 2 5 0 3 2 2 2 0 3 0 0 0 15 20
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 6 1 0 2 0 3 2 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 2 0 6
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 5 2 1 4 0 4 4 0 2 0 1 0 3 0 3 14 0 21
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 5 1 1 4 1 4 4 Cross-
Staffed 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 6 15 23
DISCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
No. of COMPANIES or UNITS No. of PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO: COMMAND STAFF
Fire Department Agency
No
. o
f
En
gin
e
Co
mp
an
ies
No
. o
f
La
dd
er
Co
mp
an
ies
No
. o
f
Re
scu
e
Co
mp
an
ies
No
. o
f A
mb
ula
nce
Un
its
No
. o
f N
on
-
Tra
nsp
ort
EM
S U
nit
s
En
gin
e
La
dd
er
Re
scu
e
Am
bu
lan
ce
No
n-T
ran
sp
ort
De
pu
ty C
hie
f
Assis
tan
t C
hie
f
Ba
tta
lio
n C
hie
f
Dis
tric
t C
hie
f
Div
isio
n C
hie
f
Ca
pta
in
Oth
er
To
tal
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 5 1 1 5 2 4 5 2 2 2 1 1 3 0 2 0 0 7
Mean (Average): 4 1 1 4 0 3 3 1 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 6 3 14
Median (Middle): 4 1 1 4 0 3 3 0 2 0 1 1 3 0 0 4 0 15
Maximum (High): 6 2 2 5 1 4 5 5 3 0 6 2 3 4 3 16 15 23
Minimum (Low): 3 1 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
Range: 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 5 1 0 6 2 3 4 3 16 15 19
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
55
APPENDIX C continued
Questionnaire Response Data
STAFFING LEVELS AGENCY EVALUATIONS
Fire Department Agency Minimum Staffing
Maximum Staffing
Average Daily
Staffing
Avg. On Duty Ffrs. / 1,000 Population
Avg. On Duty
Ffrs. / Sq. Mile
On-Duty Career / Part-Time Ratio
ISO: Classification
Rating
ISO: Total Credit
Assigned
CPSE Accredited
Agency
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 27 33 32.5 0.56 0.75 15/18 (45%/55%) 2 85.16 No
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 16 18 16.9 0.39 0.54 3 71.38 No
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 27 0 27.0 0.66 1.97 2 83.80 No
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 17 20 19.0 0.33 0.68 13/8 (65%/35%) 3 70.00 No
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 22 27 22.0 0.35 1.00 2 80.37 No
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 16 23 18.0 0.45 0.49 21/2 (91%/7%) 3 71.74 No
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 25 34 25.0 0.36 0.78 1 93.00 Yes
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 21 25 23.0 0.49 0.82 11/14 (44%/56%) 3 No
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 23 27 24.0 0.43 0.98 1 91.32 No
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 47 47 47.0 0.60 1.07 4 67.12 No
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 25 29 29.0 0.46 0.82 20/9 (69%/31%) 3 76.56 No
DISCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
STAFFING LEVELS AGENCY EVALUATIONS
Fire Department Agency Minimum Staffing
Maximum Staffing
Average Daily
Staffing
Avg. On Duty Ffrs. / 1,000
Population
Avg. On Duty
Ffrs. /
Sq. Mile
On-Duty Career / Part-Time Ratio
ISO: Classification
Rating
ISO: Total Credit
Assigned
CPSE Accredited
Agency
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 27 33 32.5 0.56 1.33 15/18 (45/55%) 2 85.16 No
Mean (Average): 24 25 25.1 0.45 0.91 16/8 (68%/32%) 3 78.37
Median (Middle): 23 26 23.5 0.44 0.82 17/9 (67%/33%) 3 76.56
Maximum (High): 47 47 47.0 0.66 1.97 1 93.00
Minimum (Low): 16 0 16.9 0.33 0.49 4 67.12
Range: 31 47 30.1 0.34 1.49 25.88
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
56
APPENDIX C continued
Questionnaire Response Data
EMERGENCY INCIDENT ACTIVITY
Fire Department Agency
2012
EMS Incidents
Average
2012 EMS Incidents per Day
2012 EMS
Incidents / 1,000
Population
Average EMS
Response Time
(minutes)
2012 Fire Incidents
Average
2012 Fire Incidents per Day
Average Fire
Response Time
(minutes)
2012 Total
Request for Service Incidents
Average
Total Incidents per Day
Estimated Dollar Loss
Estimated Dollar Saved
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 6,944 19 119 0:05:33 3,657 10 0:05:25 10,601 29 $838,350 $3,788,368
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3,085 8 70 0:04:28 866 2 0:05:37 3,951 11 $899,000 $10,483,094
Covington, KY Fire Dept. 9,430 26 232 0:06:02 2,712 7 0:06:02 12,150 33 $1,255,365
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. 4,973 14 85
1,656 5 0:04:49 6,629 18 $206,165 $7,547,285
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. 9,084 25 145 0:05:25 3,008 8 0:05:15 12,092 33
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3,885 11 96 0:04:00 1,518 4 0:04:00 5,403 15
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. 3,884 11 55 0:03:22 1,944 5 0:03:56 5,828 16 $716,250
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. 5,222 14 111 0:04:37 2,042 6 0:06:10 7,264 20 $641,690 $7,469,000
Milford, CT Fire Dept. 4,561 12 81 0:05:59 3,406 9 0:05:59 7,967 22 $1,024,500
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. 8,306 23 107 0:05:24 2,163 6 0:05:20 10,469 29 $1,697,459 $577,893,872
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. 3,925 11 63 0:05:13 1,742 5 0:09:22 5,667 16 $851,320 $132,859,743
DISCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
EMERGENCY INCIDENT ACTIVITY
Fire Department Agency
2012
EMS Incidents
Average
2012 EMS Incidents per Day
2012 EMS
Incidents / 1,000
Population
Average EMS
Response Time
(minutes)
2012 Fire Incidents
Average
2012 Fire Incidents per Day
Average Fire
Response Time
(minutes)
2012 Total
Request for Service Incidents
Average
Total Incidents per Day
Estimated Dollar Loss
Estimated Dollar Saved
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS 6,944 19 119 0:05:33 3,657 10 0:05:25 10,601 29 $838,350 $3,788,368
Mean (Average): 5,636 15 105 0:04:57 2,106 6 0:05:39 7,742 21 $911,469 $147,250,599
Median (Middle): 4,767 13 91 0:05:13 1,993 5 0:05:29 6,947 19 $875,160 $10,483,094
Maximum (High): 9,430 232 232 0:06:02 3,406 9 0:09:22 12,150 33 $1,697,459 $577,893,872
Minimum (Low): 3,085 8 55 0:03:22 866 2 0:03:56 3,951 11 $206,165 $7,469,000
Range: 6,345 224 177 0:02:40 2,540 7 0:05:26 8,199 22 $1,491,294 $570,424,872
Colerain Township Department of Fire & EMS Benchmarking Report
57
APPENDIX C continued
Questionnaire Response Data
Fire Department Agency Fire Chief Deputy
Chief Base Deputy
Chief Top Assistant
Chief
Battalion or District
Chief Base
Battalion or District
Chief Top
Division Chief
Fire Marshal
Fire Captain
Base
Fire Captain
Top
Fire Lieutenant
Base
Fire Lieutenant
Top
Paramedic Firefighter
Base
Paramedic Firefighter
Top
Firefighter / Inspector
Base
Firefighter / Inspector
Top
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS $106,271 $93,661 $93,661 $90,956 $78,398 $82,172 $84,432 $73,516 $76,486 $43,908 $71,018 $53,598 $69,241
Anderson Twp., OH Fire Dept. $111,561 $92,873 $87,790 $87,790 $78,518 $78,518 $49,166 $71,380
Covington, KY Fire Dept. $99,312 $89,244 $78,947 $78,947 $66,531 $75,390 $62,939 $71,280 $43,874 $63,365 $38,929 $55,936
Green Twp., OH Fire Dept. $103,688 $92,043 $76,843 $80,503 $76,843 $70,499 $73,184 $49,741 $67,142
Hamilton, OH Fire Dept. $97,865 $85,100 $89,700
$68,000 $74,000 $78,000 $62,000 $68,000 $54,000 $65,000 $45,500 $60,000
Jackson Twp., OH Fire Dept. $89,800 $80,520 $80,520 $73,200 $73,200 $64,053 $64,053 $55,915 $55,915 $49,500 $49,500
Lisle-Woodridge, IL Fire Prot. Dist. $150,000 $135,000 $135,000 $113,000 $113,000 $113,000 $102,000 $102,000 $90,000 $90,000 $78,000 $78,000 $60,000 $60,000
Mentor, OH Fire Dept. $125,915 $103,581 $103,581 $85,735 $90,392 $77,370 $80,886 $51,499 $72,381
Milford, CT Fire Dept. $99,714 $88,084 $79,187 $81,991 $88,084 $72,185 $74,987 $64,728 $67,497 $52,550 $61,123 $52,500 $61,623
Pike Twp., IN Fire Dept. $96,000 $92,000 $92,000 $66,641 $61,192 $61,192 $58,596 $58,596 $57,758 $57,758
West Chester Twp., OH Fire Dept. $106,793 $92,927 $80,366 $80,366 $71,687 $78,454 $51,745 $67,629
DISCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
2012 SALARIES
Fire Department Agency Fire Chief Deputy Chief
Deputy Chief
Assistant Chief
Battalion or District
Chief Base
Battalion or District
Chief Top
Division Chief
Fire Marshal
Fire Captain
Base
Fire Captain
Top
Fire Lieutenant
Base
Fire Lieutenant
Top
Paramedic Firefighter
Base
Paramedic Firefighter
Top
Firefighter / Inspector
Firefighter / Inspector
Colerain Twp. Dept. of Fire & EMS $106,271 $93,661 $93,661 $90,956 $78,398 $82,172 $84,432 $73,516 $76,486 $43,908 $71,018 $53,598 $69,241
Mean (Average): $108,065 $99,240 $100,160 $91,034 $84,957 $84,058 $113,000 $77,642 $74,332 $76,570 $70,704 $74,046 $54,425 $65,969 $49,286 $57,412
Median (Middle): $101,701 $92,000 $92,000 $92,043 $79,067 $81,247 $113,000 $76,843 $72,185 $75,390 $70,499 $73,184 $52,148 $66,071 $49,500 $60,000
Maximum (High): $150,000 $135,000 $135,000 $92,927 $113,000 $113,000 $113,000 $88,084 $102,000 $102,000 $90,000 $90,000 $78,000 $78,000 $60,000 $61,623
Minimum (Low): $89,800 $80,520 $80,520 $88,084 $73,200 $66,641 $113,000 $68,000 $61,192 $61,192 $58,596 $58,596 $43,874 $55,915 $38,929 $49,500
Range: $60,200 $54,480 $54,480 $4,843 $39,800 $46,359 $0 $20,084 $40,808 $40,808 $31,404 $31,404 $34,126 $22,085 $21,071 $12,123