Administration / AM | Budget Management | Essential | Monitor expenditure activity to ensure year-end expenditures are within 3% of the planned budget and that all expenditures are made within the Interdepartmental Purchasing and Contracting Authority Policy (PU 101) and state law. |
Administration / AM | Leadership Development | Essential | Fire-EMS will develop an internal program focused on leadership development and communications within its ranks to ensure that current employees have ample opportunity to improve upon their skills and qualify for promotions. |
Administration / AM | Long Range Planning | Traditional | Develop department vision, mission, and annual objectives to reach vision. Work with the Office of Performance and Accountability to create necessary performance measures to ensure continuous progress towards goals. Ensure annual objectives translate to budget to support activity and also translates to the "message" for the department. Ensure natural progression of activity to budget, to Capital Improvement Program (CIP) (if applicable), ordinances, fee schedules, and annual report. The department's fee schedule work involves ensuring we are within industry standards for EMS, prevention, and other associated fees. |
Administration / AM | Personnel Management | Essential | Management of all personnel related functions such as non-required staff training, employee relations, new employee recruitment, timely processing of timesheets, and personnel actions. This includes emergency conditions situations that require employees to fulfill their individual responsibilities to maintain and restore essential City services. |
Administration / AM | Recruiting, Hiring, & Promoting | Essential | Work to identify staffing needs and maintain recruiting efforts to meet demand. Also manage 1st year phase testing program and assist with EMS Field Training Officer (FTO) oversight. The Department must develop an "Active Recruitment Plan" with a definitive staffing ratio and minimum staffing. Work with the Human Resources Department and other departments to ensure funding is maximized as well as the best available avenues to reach the best candidates. |
Administration / AM | Training Overtime | Mandatory | Deliver a standard minimum number of hours required per employee to meet annual required training for HR, Insurance Service Organization (ISO), Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP), etc., and will allocate overtime funding accordingly. |
Administration / Compliance | Compliance Audits | Mandatory | A regular review is done based upon the set schedule for the activity of mandatory process completion, including drug logs, apparatus inspections, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) inspections, training hours, medic unit daily readiness, and continuing education and are maintained in one location. |
Administration / Compliance | Compliance Review | Mandatory | Ensure Patient Care Reports (PCRs) are meeting Medicare compliance requirements before moving off to billing. External Audits to be performed annually through a contract. |
Administration / Compliance | Customer Satisfaction Surveys | Quality of Life | In order to continuously improve services based upon citizen needs and feedback, the department will develop a routine customer satisfaction survey and analyze the results, making necessary adjustments. |
Administration / Compliance | Electronic Patient Care Reporting System/Data Submission | Mandatory | Maintain electronic patient care reporting system that meets Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) and National Emergency Medical Services Information Systems (NEMSIS) requirements; provide reports electronically to hospitals within 24 hours and all response data to TDSHS EMS/Trauma Registry via third party vendor within 90 days.
Maintain the electronic patient care reporting system with troubleshooting and vendor coordination. |
Administration / Compliance | EMS Mandatory Training | Mandatory | Provide industry standard American Heart Association classes bi-annually: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatrics Advanced Life Support (PALS) or American Academy of Pediatrics' Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP); provide hands-on continuing education training for crews to maintain life saving skills. All trainings are industry standard expectations. |
Administration / Compliance | ICS Training Compliance
| Mandatory | The Division is responsible for scheduling and providing various Incident Command System (ICS) training for City staff. (ICS 100,200,300,400, 700, & 800) Deployment of qualified members to serve in various positions is accomplished by consultation with appropriate department heads and level of training and experience of a given staff member. |
Administration / Compliance | Infection Control Officer Training | Mandatory | Maintain certification and continuing education in accordance with Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) regulations to serve as the City's Infection Control Officer. |
Administration / Compliance | Licensing Requirements | Mandatory | Maintain federal and state licensing requirements as an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider: monthly Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) individual personnel license verification, monthly Office of Inspector General (OIG) Exclusion List verification, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) mid-level Practitioner licenses for all Medic Unit Station and Fire Administration, TDSHS Administrator of Record. |
Administration / Compliance | Mandatory Compliance Training | Mandatory | Commitment of time and resources to maintain necessary certifications and credentials required of key personnel to allow depth of capacity. Examples of certifications include Certified Ambulance Compliance Officer, Certified Ambulance Privacy Officer, and Certified Ambulance Documentation Specialist. |
Administration / Compliance | Mandatory Training Records | Mandatory | Maintain records in accordance with requirements of Insurance Service Organization (ISO), Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP), and Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). |
Administration / Compliance | Meet Local, State and Federal Regulations and Mandates. | Mandatory | Responsible for annual Fire re-certifications and periodic updates to documentation and practices to conform to changes in mandates from Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) and Insurance Service Organizations (ISO). Other mandated stakeholder groups with less defined compliance aspects would be Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in collaboration with Human Resources. |
Administration / Compliance | Policy Development/Review | Mandatory | Maintain internal policies in accordance with Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) requirements at a minimum. |
Administration / Compliance | Regional Area Council (RAC) Participation | Mandatory | Attend more than 50% Regional Area Council (RAC) meetings on an annual basis per Texas Administrative Code 157.11. |
Administration / Compliance | Vendor Office of Inspector General (OIG) Certification Letters | Mandatory | Ensure that documentation is available for audit by regulatory agencies to show that all vendors comply with Office of Inspector General (OIG) requirements. |
Administration / Compliance | Apparatus Readiness | Essential | Ensure that we have the necessary units in working order and an adequate number of units to match call volume, ready to respond to various incident types. Depth of fleet to allow for preventative maintenance, repairs, other required downtime without affecting the department's ability to respond. |
Administration / Data | Accountability & Strategic Planning | Traditional | Completion of Performance Measures, Service Delivery Plans, and Strategic Projects. Performance measures should be used to guide operations and training efforts, and should be updated based upon industry standards. Quarterly reporting submissions. Participation in organizational assessments when scheduled. The department will take part in its own strategic planning projects, such as future station development. |
Administration / Data | Data Analysis | Traditional | The department will regularly review and utilize incident data to guide operational efforts to improve patient outcomes and experience, such as on scene time for critical patients, critical intervention times, protocol deviations, etc. This process will include identifying data gaps and common data entry errors, with training and education components to correct these issues. This is distinct from the Quality Assurance/Quality Integrity (QA/QI) program in that this information will be used to identify trends and patterns as opposed to the QA/QI program, which focuses on individual reports. Trends and patterns in our data will be used to identify training opportunities. Industry best-practice reviews and research will be completed routinely in an effort to maximize our practical data utilization. Data analysis will assist the department in better staffing and operational practices, such as adjusting staffing levels or identifying trends in overtime. |
Administrative Services | Light-duty, modified duty management | Essential | Coordinate with Administration/Administrative Manager to provide meaningful work for employees placed on light duty, modified duty, while considering physical restrictions. |
Code Enforcement | Design Plan Reviews | Mandatory | Completed within designated review period 95% of the time (tracked through the City's Performance Measures program) within 10 business days. Re-Submittals are reviewed within 5 business days. Completed within designated review period 95% of the time (tracked through the City's Performance Measures program) within 10 business days. Re-Submittals are reviewed within 5 business days. |
Code Enforcement | Fire Code Enforcement | Mandatory | Conduct inspections of existing occupancies to ensure fire and life safety systems and the structure are maintained in compliance with 2015 International Fire Code which includes applicable appendices and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Deficiencies are noted in the inspection report, which the inspector reviews with the building representative. Re-inspections are scheduled and conducted, as needed, until compliance is achieved. All tracked on Fire's records management system. Inspections are either requested by business owner or automatically assigned to the inspectors on the first day of each month. Inspection frequency is determined by occupancy classification and range from 12 - 48 months.
Category 2 Occupancies: Group Assembly A, 309 Occupancies, 50% inspection rate per year, Factory Industrial Group F, 46 Occupancies 50% inspection rate per year, High Hazard Group H, 40 Occupancies, 50% inspection rate per year, inspected yearly.
Category 3 Occupancies: Inspections include Business Group B, Industrial Group F-2, Mercantile Group M, Storage Group S-2, Residential Group R, and Storage Group S-1. 2297 Occupancies, 20% inspection rate per year. |
Code Enforcement | Fire Investigations | Mandatory | Investigators dispatched to a fire scene initiate an investigation, secure the scene, and secure any evidence discovered. A determinant of accidental or incendiary is established. Incendiary fires are investigated further to determine a suspect(s) and motive. Authority to investigate comes from State of Texas Law, City Ordinance and the International Fire Code. There will be a ten business day standard for completion of non-incendiary fire investigations. |
Code Enforcement | State Mandated Training | Mandatory | New hires require certification within the first 6 months of employment per the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). New hire Fire Investigators and Inspectors require certification per TCOLE. Firearms Qualification once a year required by TCOLE. Law Enforcement continuing education (CE) training requires 20 hours per year required by TCOLE. Firefighting CE training requires 20 hours per year as required by TCFP (Texas Commission on Fire Protection). Emergency Medical Service CE training requires 20 hours per year required by Texas Department of Health and Human Services (TDHHS). |
Code Enforcement | Training | Traditional | Training and travel for records management for staffing and records management software conferences held once per year. Firearms training at least twice a year. Special weapons and tactics (SWAT) training twice a month on average. Training for National Fire Incident Reporting at National Fire Academy. |
Code Enforcement | Building and Systems Training | Traditional | Delivery of training semi-annual by Fire Marshall Office staff to emergency service personnel on fire protection building system functions. |
Emergency Management | Activation of Emergency Operations Center and Mobile Command 1 | Essential | Emergency Management has the responsibility of assessing each and every emergency situation and at times consulting with appropriate staff members and to make a decision to activate the Emergency Operations Center, as well as determining what level of activation needs to occur. Emergency Management will continue to provide training and ensure readiness of Mobile Command 1 to incidents of consequence. |
Emergency Management | Continuity of Business Planning | Essential | Developing internal fire-ems strategies and plans for facilities, technology, fleet, and operations in the event of a catastrophic or unforeseen events, or technology outages. |
Emergency Management | Emergency Management Drills/Exercises and Training for Operations | Essential | Emergency Management ensures that required drills by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and exercises are planned and conducted throughout the calendar year for all City staff. There are various requirements based on specific needs. There are required drills and/or exercises to qualify for certain grants such as Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG). There are drills & exercises that are conducted annually that are not required but are expected by various internal and regional partners such as County Office of Emergency Management, County Sheriff, Local Emergency Planning Committee and qualifies for a Federal Aviation Administration drill.
Training will be provided each year to operations personnel and citywide to broaden the depths of emergency operations center (EOC) facilitation. Emergency Management is also responsible for training personnel on the operations of the EOC, including training and development of additional staff to fulfill general staff positions in the incident command system. This includes interdepartmental unified command training. |
Emergency Management | Emergency Operations Plan Development and Updates | Essential | Emergency Management is responsible for ensuring an annual review and update is conducted by June 1st each year on all of the 27 Annexes within City's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) with each department that has Annex responsibility. Additionally the State requires the entire EOP be reapproved every five years. This annual update process is also incorporated into the City's Continuity of Operations & Continuity of Government (Coop/COG) Plan but this plan is not required to be reapproved by the State every five years. The Hazard Mitigation Grant is also required to be resubmitted every 5 years. |
Emergency Management | Post Activity/Recovery | Mandatory | It is the responsibility of Emergency Management to conduct a "Hot Wash" assessment and an After Action Report that are provided to the state, after every emergency operations center (EOC) activation, drill and exercise within 45 days. |
Emergency Management | San Jacinto Incident Management Team (SAN JAC IMT) | Essential | Supervise and coordinate interagency membership for all hazards incident management teams. This includes having an memorandum of understanding (MOU) in place and maintain training and certifications on file during non-activation. The team involved consists of members of 12 counties across all disciplines. This is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated type III team. When activated, become the point of contact as established by Texas Intra-state Fire Mutual Aid System, FEMA, the affected county judge, and the Texas A&M system. |
Emergency Management | Accreditation/Quality Assurance | Essential | Address the Fire-EMS assessment conducted by an independent consultant that recommended implementation of accreditation/best practice within the department. Currently the consideration for accreditation are Center for Public Safety Excellence, Texas Fire Chiefs Best Practice, Six Sigma, Insurance Service Organization (ISO) 9001. |
Emergency Management | Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) | Essential | Lead the interdepartmental (Fire-EMS, Police, Public Safety Dispatch, and Public Works) specially trained team to assist in the event of critical incidents that require stress management and mental health support and expertise. Regular training exercises and meetings are held with the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) members. These CISM services have also been provided to other governmental agencies in need of assistance during and after emergency events. |
Emergency Management | Interagency/ Interdepartmental Liaison | Essential | Coordination and information flow to facilitate relationships with Levy Improvement Districts, Urban Area Security Initiative, Public Works memorandum of understanding (MOUs), Public Safety Dispatch on new facility, special events policy, Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), and County emergency management, Local Emergency Planning Committee, and State Emergency Planning Committee. |
Operations | Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Response | Mandatory | Utilize the information provided to Fire-EMS by dispatchers, and assessed by the office in charge (OIC), to travel to the scene of an incident in a risk method that is commensurate to acuity of the incident at hand. We aim for 80% of all responses traveled to emergency traffic within 08:30 (mm:ss) as reported for the City's goal measure. This target response time includes dispatch time, turnout time, and travel time. For calls not classified as emergency, we hold ourselves to the same high standards for dispatch time and turnout time, and will travel to utilizing a risk management plan, which may include non-emergency response.
Response time is captured in our incident reporting system and is reviewed at varying levels at routine times to guide our management plan. We have set a goal of 1 minute for turnout time for all calls.
Upon arrival on scene, personnel will utilize their training and follow protocols in order to provide the highest standard of care to all involved persons. The department is committed to identifying and training on areas of improvement concerning Emergency Medical Services (EMS) performance through quality assurance (QA) and data mining in several areas, utilizing data management software. The department will keep up to date on new developments in emergency medicine and train accordingly. |
Operations | EMS FTO Training | Essential | In order to standardize EMS field protocols, training, and assurance of compliance, the department needs to develop an EMS FTO (field training officer) training program. One of responsibilities of the FTOs will be to manage a 1st year phase testing program. |
Operations | Fire Suppression Response | Essential | Utilize the information provided to Fire-EMS by dispatchers, and assessed by the office in charge (OIC), to travel to the scene of an incident in a risk method that is commensurate to acuity of the incident at hand. We aim for 80% of all responses traveled to emergency traffic within 08:30 (mm:ss) as reported for the City's goal measure. This target response time includes dispatch time, turnout time, and travel time. For calls not classified as emergency, we hold ourselves to the same high standards for dispatch time and turnout time, and will travel to utilizing a risk management plan, which may include non-emergency response.
Response time is captured in our incident reporting system and is reviewed at varying levels at routine times to guide our management plan. We have set a goal of 1 minute for turnout time for all calls.
It is expected that crew members will utilize their training and protective equipment in a manner that both mitigates risk to the community and to themselves. Once on scene, we will meet the following standards- meet the two-in, two-out mandate, under control times, fire-out times, investigation, scene times. |
Operations | Interdepartmental Training | Essential | Cooperative training with other departments to train their employees on topics such as dispatch prioritization, active shooter, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), tiger dam deployment, etc. |
Operations | Medication Storage & Security | Mandatory | Maintain daily compliance with state and federal regulations Texas Administrative Code 157.11 & Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations for medication storage and security. |
Operations | New Hire Contingency Requirements | Mandatory | New employees are hired under contingency job offers requiring either attendance at a fire academy or a paramedic school. Our commitment is to send all employees with outstanding job contingency requirements to the appropriate school in fiscal year 2020. |
Operations | New Hire Credentialing | Mandatory | Meet Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) regulations for new employees, including a quality management process and internship period that typically is 30 days where they work under the direct supervision of an experienced Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider. |
Operations | On-Line Medical Control | Mandatory | Authorized Medical Director designee for protocol authority must be available 24/7 for on-line medical control representation and decision-making per the Texas Administrative Code 157.11. |
Operations | Operational and City-Mandated Mandatory Training | Traditional | Includes the coordination and delivery of operational training to line personnel. This training should meet requirements to maintain employee certification levels, and department Insurance Service Organization (ISO) rating. Such training would include multi-company, driver training, officer development, hands-on, strategy and tactics, decision-making, policy review, event policy, etc. This training is delivered in house, in the community, and at the new public safety training facility. The mandatory personal performance testing, or physical training (PPT), will be administered for all personnel each year. The physical readiness battery testing will also be administered to those opting to take it each year.
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) training will be provided department-wide.
The department will facilitate and deliver training to Fire-EMS employees that is required due to their employment with the City. This includes training such as policy updates, reasonable suspicion, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) topics, and organizational updates, among other topics. It will also be ensured that an ample number of staff are training in support of the Special Events policy. |
Operations | Quality Assurance- Call Review | Mandatory | Conduct quality assurance reviews of reports daily to verify protocols and procedures are being followed per the Texas Administrative Code 157.11.
Patient Care Reports (PCRs) will be checked to ensure they are completed within the required time frame and submitted to hospitals and Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS). Reports are reviewed, commented, and sent for corrections, if needed, within 5 business days. The report reviewer follows up on corrections until complete, then it is finalized. |
Operations | Recurring Department-wide Technology and Regulatory Training | Mandatory | Coordinate and/or deliver training required by regulatory agencies such as Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP), Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), Insurance Service Organization (ISO) and classes required for continued business operations with vendors and/or software. |
Operations | Safety and Risk | Essential | Operations is responsible for designing and purchasing the safe and current equipment and products for all employees. Operations delivers the required annual Physical Performance Testing to all Operations personnel. |
Operations | Specialty Response | Essential | Our commitment to citizens should be to arrive on scene as a first responder in a timely manner to all incidents, such as active shooter, water rescue, hazmat, etc., and to begin incident stabilization, serving as incident commanders and dispatching mutual aid resources utilizing Memorandum of Understandings, as appropriate. The Department will assess needs for and develop policies, equipment needs, and training to better broaden our internal abilities in these areas. |
Operations | Acquisitions Management | Essential | Work within city requirements and state, federal law, to make purchases that are in alignment with departmental planning and have been through an internal departmental approval process. |
Operations | After Action Reviews (AAR) | Traditional | Significant incidents, based on scope or complexity, have an after action review conducted typically within 45 days after the incident. |
Operations | Annual Public Outreach and Social Media Plan | Essential | The department has a public outreach campaign that is targeted to our demographics, cultures, and incident patterns. A comprehensive plan for how to utilize social media to reach our citizens to both promote citizen safety and promote the department as community partners. |
Operations | Community Engagement and Public Education | Quality of Life | Community engagement and public education activities will be performed by operations personnel, including but not limited to- Fire extinguisher training, school programs, Citizens Fire Academy, coordination with the Parks and Recreation Department. The community engagement and public education programs offered by the City will be relevant and adaptable to community needs and hazards.
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Operations | Public Access Automated External Defibrillators (AED) Program | Quality of Life | Maintenance for the Automated External Defibrillators (AED) program within 25 employee-occupied City buildings. The Prevention Division provides routine maintenance as needed and replacement of used and expired equipment as needed. Training on the AED provided by fire on request by department. |
Operations | Daily coordination, maintenance of supplies, equipment, facilities, and assets | Essential | Coordinate critical infrastructures, fire station facilities, fleet assets, regulated equipment general supplies and equipment that are critical for meeting emergency customer calls for service. Issues are addressed within the same business day. Maintain inventory control over capital assets and consumables. |
Operations | Equipment Testing | Mandatory | Work to finalize service contract and perform testing of self contained breathing apparatus, protective clothing, and fire fleet to meet various local, state and national standards/mandates in compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1911, 1932 and 1962 per Texas Commission on Fire Protection, Insurance Services Office and mandated third party testing. Testing is required based on various schedules with a minimum one year inspection. |
Operations | Internal Investigations | Mandatory | Responsible for gathering information and conducting internal investigations relative to the department complaint or concerns and reporting findings to the Fire Chief in compliance with Garrity Laws, Weingarten Rights, and Loudermill Rights. All formal complaints and inquiries referred by the Fire-EMS Chief will be investigated. |
Operations | Medical Biohazard Waste Storage | Mandatory | Assure appropriate disposal of medical and biohazard waste in a secure location in all medic unit stations, inaccessible to the public. Biohazard waste is disposed of with contractor per the Texas Administrative Code 157.11 |
Operations | Personnel Standards Testing | Mandatory | Annual delivery of physical performance testing (PPT) for all applicable personnel. Maintaining documentation on PPT completion with the Human Resources Office and adhering to departmental policy on non-pass results. |
Operations | Preventative Maintenance | Mandatory | Assure all medical equipment (i.e., stretchers, monitors) receive preventative maintenance and documentation of maintenance is kept according to Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) regulations. |
Operations | Specialized Response/Department Initiatives Budgetary Oversight | Essential | Planning for and acquisition of specialized equipment for specialty response operations, including active shooter supplies, water rescue supplies, hazmat supplies, honor guard, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) training supplies, cyanide poisoning antidote kits, employee recognition, stretcher maintenance, etc. |
Special Projects | Gear purchasing | Mandatory | Develop a strategic plan for the purchase, inventory, disposal, and future cycles of large gear purchases. |
Special Projects | Homeland Security/ Emergency Management Grant Program Administration & Texas Department of Public Safety Emergency Management Performance Grant | Traditional | Responsible for researching, writing, submitting and managing Emergency Management related Grants citywide. Many grant's require extensive documentation and this process can last for several years until completion of reporting requirements. This activity will vary based on grants that the City may engage and qualify for. Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) are basically reimbursements to the City for some ongoing expenses incurred by the Emergency Management Coordinator and Emergency Management Specialist. This activity will vary based on grants that the City may engage and qualify for. |
Special Projects | Mutual Aid Agreements | Essential | Actively maintain and routinely review mutual aid practices and ensure the agreements line up. We review our practices versus our written agreements and review agreements for liability and for value-added. The activity of mutual aid departments will be monitored to ensure that the departments are abiding by the agreements in place. |
Special Projects | Health, Wellness, and Safety | Essential | The department will engage in policy and procedure review, conduct training, and provide awareness in related areas to ensure that the health, wellness, and safety of the workforce remains a top priority. One of the key components of this activity is cancer prevention, and includes bunker gear deacon, improved health screenings, and research of industry. |