GFD Annual Report 2023-2024

GFD GREENSBORO FIRE DEPARTMENT

2023-24 Annual Report

1514 N. Church St. | Greensboro, NC 27405 | 336-373-2356

www.greensboro-nc.gov/fire

GREENSBORO FIRE

From the Chief As we reflect on another year of dedicated service to our community, I am immensely proud to share the continued growth and accomplishments of the Greensboro Fire Department. Our department’s expansion is a significant milestone that underscores our commitment to providing top-notch fire protection and emergency services to every resident within our city limits. This growth is a testament to our adaptability and our unwavering dedication to serving all who depend on us. One of the standout accomplishments of this year has been the renovation of Station 14. While this essential project is underway, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to you for your understanding and patience. Our personnel have been temporarily housed at Station 13 and Station 2 during this transition, and we are confident that the newly renovated Station 14 will be a state-of-the-art facility that will enhance our ability to serve the community for many years to come. I am also pleased to highlight our department’s exceptional achievement in receiving formal recognition for attaining a Class 1 ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating. The official ISO numbers indicate that there are 29,452 fire departments in the United States, and of those, only 474 hold an ISO Class 1 rating. Furthermore, just 125 of these departments are both Class 1 and Internationally Accredited; I am proud to say that the Greensboro Fire Department is among this elite group. This accomplishment is a direct reflection of our department’s operational excellence and the dedication of the men and women who serve you every day. Because of this Class 1 status, Greensboro homeowners benefit from some of the lowest insurance rates available, a direct result of the high standards we maintain in all aspects of our work. This year, we have made significant strides in addressing one of our longstanding challenges: mandatory overtime for our firefighters. With the addition of our first lateral recruit class and the 80th recruit class, we have bolstered our ranks and increased our staffing levels to a point where we can drastically reduce the amount of mandatory overtime. This improvement not only enhances our operational readiness but also contributes to the well-being and morale of our entire team, allowing us to serve you better. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the unwavering commitment and hard work of the men and women of the Greensboro Fire Department. Their dedication to their profession and to the safety and well being of our community is what makes us one of the best fire departments in the nation. Thank you for your continued support and trust in us. Together, we will continue to build on our successes and set new standards of excellence in the years to come. Stay safe, and thank you for being a part of our community. Jim Robinson Fire Chief City of Greensboro

Vision To be immediately recognized by Greensboro residents and the fire service industry as a premier, professional, progressive fire department that consistently delivers the highest quality services possible, one that maintains public trust and improves people’s quality of life by ensuring a fire safe environment and serves as an exemplary model service delivery agency.

Mission The department exists to educate and serve people. Our purpose is to protect life, property, and the environment within every community entrusted to our care.

Chief Jim Robinson welcoming new recruits to the Greensboro Fire Department at a graduation ceremony.

Department Leadership

Deputy Chief Dwayne Church Emergency Services

Deputy Chief Alex Gossett Administration Services

Deputy Chief Brent Gerald Support Service

YEAR IN REVIEW

GFD To Add 12 New Engines to Fleet

Class 1 ISO Rating Recertified GFD again earned an Insurance Service Office Class 1 Rating for Fire Suppression and international accreditation -- a distinction held by less than one half of 1% of fire departments across the country. This represents superior property fire protection and allows Greensboro property owners to retain the lowest possible insurance rates.

Fire apparatus take a long time to build and cost departments a lot of money – from order to delivery is up from 14 months to now 30 months and the price has jumped 30%. GFD is proactive in budgeting and replacement planning to ensure the highest standard of equipment is on our

roads. Pierce Manufacturing is building 12 new engine companies to replace trucks over the next three years.

New Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus are literal lifelines for firefighters. In order for GFD’s aging stock to remain in service and usable, significant maintenance resources were required. 279 new airpacks are now in rotation, bringing the department up to current safety standards (NFPA 1981

228 $6.7M 40,162 $332.5M

Structure Fires 0.4% Decrease

Property & Contents Lost in Fires (1.97%) Fire Department Responses 1% Increase 72.66% of calls were Medical Property & Contents Saved (98.03%)

(2018)). New SCBA’s have a better fit reducing firefighter fatigue and improving their vision. GFD also purchased 40 new Rapid Intervention Team Packs (RIT) which can provide extended air to a trapped or injured firefighter.

Fire Safety On The Road A new Fire Safety Education Trailer is giving children and adults hands-on practice with smoke, fire and weather emergency situations. The Kiwanis Club of Greensboro partnered with the Fire Department to fund the tool which makes weekly stops at schools, community centers and parks. Inside, children, teens and adults face common fire hazards, then learn how to slow the spread of smoke into a room and how properly to use a fire extinguisher.

Hydrants Inspected 15,363 7,450

Pre Incident Plans

Station 14 Renovation Nears Completion The first of three major fire station renovations is nearing completion. Station 14 will reopen as a state-of-the art facility providing the latest safety advancements for our firefighters and exceptional service to our community. Your bond dollars supported this construction, and Samet Corporation has been a great partner in completing the work.

Fatalities 1

Civilian Fire

502 864

Smoke Alarm Batteries Installed

Line of Duty Firefighter Injuries • 85.7% Decrease 3 Civilian Fire Injuries • 80% Decrease 5

Smoke Alarms Installed

Days of Work Missed Due to Injuries • 147.7% Increase 57 Days of Light Duty Due to Injuries • 37.9% Decrease 329

Stable Staffing Improves Efficiency & Reduces Overtime Costs Through strategic staffing improvements, GFD achieved a remarkable reduction in hireback and mandatory overtime hours from January to July in 2024. We decreased voluntary overtime hours from 50,011 during the same period of 2023 to 17,142.5 in 2024 (34%) and cut mandatory overtime from 990 to 18 hours. Maintaining four personnel on each unit stands as a significant accomplishment, showcasing our team’s dedication and operational efficiency. These efforts not only enhanced staffing stability but also dramatically reduced costs.

INNOVATION & DEVELOPMENT

Greensboro Fire Department collects a tremendous amount of data from response times to types of incidents to areas with growing call volume. Our team monitors this data on multiple dashboards analyzing it to identify areas for training, new fire stations, additional emergency vehicle deployment, or growing trends within the fire service. These decisions and analysis help the Fire Department maintain its ISO Class 1 Rating and obtain reclassification from the CFAI as an Accredited Agency. The ability to collect, analyze, and make informed decisions from data is a heavy workload. GFD’s Planning Division is responsible for maintaining all the data collected within the Fire Department. The division uses a Business Analyst, Data Analyst, and a GIS Analyst, all led by an Assistant Chief, to gather and create visuals for the other divisions to utilize in decision making. Your Data-Informed Fire Department

Future and Potential Fire Station Locations

Public Fire Education

1,218

Seniors

5,865 10,745

Children

Adults

Your Growing Fire Department

When the city grows, so does your fire department. GFD has started the planning process for adding new Fire Station #62 located on Short Farm Road, south of I-85. The land adjacent to Old Randleman Road has space for a community park or trails, and the department will continue to plan with city departments and the neighboring community. GFD also purchased property on Cude Road and Pleasant Ridge Road for a future fire station site to service NW portion of the city. The station will serve this rapidly growing part of Greensboro. To meet the expansion of the Fire and Life Safety Division, the department purchased a building located at 102 Pomona Drive. Remodeling is set to begin in spring of 2025.

Education By the Numbers

11

Juvenile Fire Setter Trainings

840 49 2,921

5th Grade Education Classes Visited

Fire Education Events

Number of Students

Inspections by the Numbers

With new buildings going up in nearly every neighborhood, the city’s rapid growth is on full display. The Greensboro Fire Department’s Construction Services Squad, a vital part of the Fire and Life Safety Division, is charged with ensuring safety in those new structures and is dedicating new resources to improve efficiency. This squad performs plan reviews, issues permits and conducts site inspections ensuring that the fire code is met. The team’s work confirms new buildings are safe for visitors, employees, and firefighters. In 2023, GFD added staff to expedite construction plan reviews, now taking less than 15 days. Staff will continue to monitor the city’s growth trends and predict influx periods to ensure we can meet our service delivery windows for permits and inspections. STAFF HIGHLIGHTS Development Services Responds to City Growth

COMPLETED 23-24

COMPLETED 22-23

MONTH INSPECTIONS 12

5,689

68% 4,965

7,362

78%

Increase in Inspections: 724 (10%)

24

MONTH INSPECTIONS

54% 153

50% 142

285

Increase in Inspections: 11 (4%)

36

MONTH INSPECTIONS

98% 3,085

57% 1,788

3,138

Increase in Inspections: 1,297 (41%)

PERIODIC INSPECTIONS

83% 8,927

1,486

10,785

14%

Increase in Inspections: 1,486 (14%)

New Construction & Plan Review

61 3.16M

Total Number of Buildings Added

Total Square Feet of New Commercial Building

GFD Welcomes First Black Female Drivers In February 2024, the Greensboro Fire Department celebrated fourteen promotions to Engineer, marking a significant milestone in career progression. Notably, the department congratulates Jurica Isangedighi and Cameron McLean, GFD’s first two African American female engineers. This is another step in our goal to enhance diversity in recruitment, development, retention, and promotion. These achievements underscore our dedication to advancing careers and fostering a workforce that serves our community with excellence and equity.

Staff Honors

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Matthew Smith CHIEF OFFICER OF THE YEAR Brett Combs OFFICER OF THE YEAR Eric Knowles SUPPORT SERVICES EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Michael Thomas ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Jason Jobe FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR Tyler Hoke

Promotions FY 2023-24

1 1 1

9 2

Senior Fire Inspector Assistant Fire Marshal

Battalion Chief

Captain

14

Fire Plans Review Supervisor

Engineer

Total Staff Awards

1

Technical Rescue Awards Certificates of Commendation

2 3

Life Saving Awards

61

Medical Life Saving Awards

Sweet Dreams Start Here A good story and a cozy spot to curl up are two ingredients to a good night sleep and a healthy start for any child. Each month, Greensboro Fire Department firefighters volunteer their time and expertise to assemble and deliver A Bed and A Book™ packages to families in need across our community. With dedication and compassion, our firefighters ensure that children without beds have not only a place to sleep but also the comfort of knowing their first responders care. GFD volunteers meticulously assemble sturdy twin-sized beds, set up comfortable mattresses and arrange clean sheets, a comforter, and a pillow for our young neighbors. They give each child age-appropriate books hopefully sparking a life-long love of reading. Through their efforts, our firefighters bring warmth and support to Greensboro homes, embodying our commitment to serving and improving our community. IN THE COMMUNITY

23 Graduate from Fire Citizen’s Academy In its inaugural year, our Fire Citizen’s Academy was a resounding success, thanks to Greensboro Fire Department’s unwavering dedication and support. 23 completed the program, praising our firefighters for their expertise and commitment to community engagement. Graduates gained valuable insights into our daily operations, fostering a stronger bond between the department and the community we serve.