Measuring Fire Dispatch Performance

Jim Long, Northwest Fire DistrictDebbie Gilligan, First Watch Inc

Measuring Fire Dispatch Performance

Performance MeasuresLord Kelvin was quoted as saying When you cannot measure what you are speaking about, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind, it may be the beginning of Knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to a stage of science, whatever the matter may be. (CFAI, 1999,pp. 11-12)

Absolute zero (0K) equivalent to 273.15 C (459.67F).

Where Do We Begin?

Identify your team / empower your expertsDefine & understand your goalsDefine what is important to measureWhat can be accomplished with the resources and tools you have today?Evaluate how well you are doingAllow for periodic/incremental changes or improvementsHow will you measure change/improvements? effectiveness?Measure, Refine, Adjust & Adapt

Why Measure?ComparisonAdjustment of Strategy or TacticsDiscover Patterns/TrendsAlert to Developing Situation (Real Time)Public ScrutinyReturn on Investment

Whats Worth Measuring?Elapsed Times?Performance of an Action? (Or Not)Distance Traveled?Frequency of an EventDistribution of a Type or ClassSuccess or FailureOutcomes?

Standards of Cover

Accredited/Re-Accredited This YearCentral Yavapai Fire DistrictGlendal Fire DeptMesa Fire DeptNorthwest Fire District

Incident Times Cascade of Events

NFPA 1221 Call Answering3.3.1* Alarm. A signal or message from a person or device indicating the existence of a fire, medical emergency, or other situation that requires action by an emergency response agency.7.4.1* Ninety-five percent of alarms received on emergency lines shall be answered within 15 seconds, and 99 percent of alarms shall be answered within 40 seconds. (For documentation requirements, see 12.5.2.)7.4.1.1 Compliance with 7.4.1 shall be evaluated monthly using data from the previous month.From NFPA 1221 - 2010NFPA 1221 Call Processing7.4.2* Ninety-percent of emergency call processing and dispatching shall be completed within 60 seconds, and 99 percent of call processing and dispatching shall be completed within 90 seconds. (For documentation requirements, see 12.5.2.)7.4.2.1 Compliance with 7.4.2 shall be evaluated monthly using data from the previous month.From NFPA 1221 - 2010Monthly Report Example

NFPA 1710 - Response3.3.37.2 Call Processing Time. See 3.3.37.3, Dispatch Time.3.3.37.3* Dispatch Time.The point of receipt of the emergency alarm at the public safety answering point to the point where sufficient information is known to the dispatcher and applicable units are notified of the emergency.From NFPA 1710 - 2010Public/Provider Input

NFPA 1221 Comparison2010 EditionAnswer 15 Sec 90%40 Sec 99%Process60 Sec 90%90 Sec 99%2013 Edition (proposed)Answer-15 Sec 90%40 Sec 99%Process60 Sec 80%106 Sec 95%Exceptions:LanguageTTY/TDDCriminal Info

1221 - What Didnt make it in 2013A.7.4.2.1 The AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) of the responding agency can allow certain types ofemergency calls to be excluded from the requirements of 7.4.2 that requireextra call interrogation time. All emergency calls of these types will beidentified and reviewed by the AHJ on a monthly basis. Such calls could include but are not limited to:(3) Dispatch equipment malfunction(4) Unusually high call volume due to unpredictable scenarios (weather events, earthquakes, etc.)Exclusions should be reviewed and trends identified that need to be addressed for possible operational or technical solutions.

Percentile VS Average - Response Time The Philadelphia Fire Department prides itself on an average response time of 4.5 minutes for Fire Engines and 6.5 minutes for Medic Units.

Average Response TimePercentile Response TimeDefining Performance TimesClock Start.a controversial topic (Smoke & Mirrors)Time First Received at 9-1-1 PSAPTime First Received by Responding Agency (Secondary PSAP)Time Certain Info ObtainedTime DispatchedTime Unit En RouteClock Stop (Pretty Definitive)Unit StagedUnit on SceneCrew at Patient

What is Process time?Dispatch Time Answer TimeAnswer = When the last Ring is picked up. Ani/Ali to CAD DumpFirst KeystrokeManual EntryDispatch = The time the ERF (Emergency Response Facility) ERU (Emergency Response Units)are NotifiedTonesPagers,Radio Transmission

Formulas=PERCENTILEUses a RANGE you want a percentile OF (Talley up the numbers of occurrencesParameters= tells EXCEL theres a Formula ComingFORMULA TYPE (PERCENTLE)(paren to enclose parameters)Range (Top cell, to bottom cell like A1:A200), next ParameterPercent Value (.1 = 10%, .25=25%, etc)

Live Performance Data DemoHow to Look at Data in ExcelAnalyitics Packages

Sources to Monitor vs. Reasons to MonitorWhat data sources are available to monitorWhich data source contains that data that matters? If one data source is good, is two better?Phone DataCAD DataProQA Data

EPCR/RMS DataBilling DataClinicalYYYDispatchYYYYYFinancialYYYOperationalyYYYRisk MgmtYYYYREASONS TO

MONITOR

DATA SOURCES TO

MONITOR

26Real Time Monitoring First WatchLive Presentation Northwest Fire Data

New Workspace

28Excel or Reporting Output

Dispatch Stuff Worth Measuring?

Example data source: FEMAMore Fire Dispatch Measures

Example data source: FEMAEven More Stuff Worth Measuring

Example data source: FEMAMore for Mayor and Council

Example data source: FEMA

Questions(NFPA 1710)