Types of Firefighting/Rescue Apparatus

Engine/Pumper Ladder Truck

Engine Company Responsibilities (3 Personnel)

•Water to the scene (from hydrants)•Hose lines into fire occupancy•Hose lines for exposure protection•Applying water to fire

•Vehicle-Mounted Ladder (100’ in Des Plaines)•Many Ground Ladders•Power and Hand Tools•Generator and Lighting•Rescue and Extrication Tools & Airbags/Cribbing•Pump, Some Hose, Small Water Tank (A Quint)

•Hose•Pump•Water Tank•Small Ground Ladders•Some Tools

Truck Company Responsibilities (3 Personnel)•Laddering Building•Search and Rescue•Ventilation (Vertical and Horizontal)•Elevated Water Streams•Forcing Entry•Utility Control•Salvage and Overhaul•Lighting•Cutting, Forcing, Extrication

Firefighting Operations – Must be Coordinated

Engine & Ladder Truck must operate simultaneously•Engine applies water to fire, protects victims/rescuers from fire

•Ladder truck ventilates above fire to reduce heat/smoke to save lives & makes rescues

If Engine were to Operate without Ladder Truck •High heat stops fire hose advancement & reduces time to flashover•Fire travels toward crews – possible backdraft explosion•Smoke/Heat increases, threatening victim & FF lives

If Ladder Truck were to Operate without Engine•Fire drawn toward victims – heavy fire spread•Smoke/heat increases, threatening victim lives•Victim escape and FF entry paths are cut-off

Truck UseQ. Is the ladder truck only used at fires?

R. No. It’s used at many other types of incidents:- Vehicle and other extrications – all rescue tools are carried on the

ladder truck.

- Whenever higher elevations are involved in any incident.

- Ambulance calls to remove patients from upper floors of construction sites or multi-story buildings

- Problems with equipment or lighting on roof-tops or exterior upper floors

- To extend over rivers or other bodies of water for access to victims

- To use as a tie-off point over a hole from which a victim must be rescued

- To spray from above for mass decontamination or hazardous fume dispersal

- Many others

Des Plaines Stations and Apparatus Deployment

Goal is 6 minutes response:•Brain cells die:

• Medical• Trauma• Fire

•Extinguishment before flashover

Ladder Truck Coverage Areas

Truck 81

Truck 83

Why 2 Trucks In-Service?

Train Delays•5.5 Hours of daily train delays•3.5 mins – average freight delay•2.0 mins – average METRA delay

Current DPFD Ladder Truck Needs Replacement

• Current Truck is 21 years old. Trucks are expected to last 15 to 18 years in similar use.

• Major systems are failing.

• Parts are more difficult to attain (manufacturer no longer in business).

• Frame is corroding – when frame fails, truck is unusable.

• Repairs getting more costly.

Some have questioned if it needs to be replaced – if the community could function with 1 ladder truck.

Study has been approved in budget to identify alternatives.

Two Separate Discussions

1. Ladder Truck to be Purchased?

If not, then there will often be no ladder trucks in Des Plaines (when the one remaining truck is out of service) – very dangerous situation.

2. Two Ladder Trucks In-Service at All Times?

Cost of New Ladder Truck$1 Million to $1.2 Million

Funds are already in Equipment Replacement Fund - Equipment Replacement Fund Provides for funding over extended timeframes for replacement of each of the City’s 285 vehicles – one vehicle’s removal has negligible effect each year.

Effect on Property TaxesIf ladder truck is purchased

No Change in Taxes

If ladder truck is not purchased

No Change in Taxes

Why 2 Trucks? – What is Concern if Truck 83 Not In Service?

High Hazard Occupancies In Truck 83’s Area

•80 Multi-Family, Multi-Story, Wood Frame, Unsprinklered Structures

•Several Unsprinklered Industrial Structures

•Many Additional Industrial

Community Risk Assessment

•Multi-Story Nursing Homes

•Route I-90

•Freight Rails (HazMat, etc.)

Why 2 Trucks? – What is Concern if Truck 83 Not In Service?

High Fire Risk PopulationsIn Truck 83’s Area

•Children (5 and under) – 38.1%•Impoverished –38.4%•Older Adults – 35.7%•Disabled – 33.4%•Little or No English – 41.8%

Options That Have Been Suggested• Eliminate One Ladder Truck Entirely

• Purchase a 75’ Quint to replace the 100’ Quint

• Purchase a 75’ or 100’ Quint and operate it in place of both an engine and a ladder

• Purchase a 75’ or 100’ Quint and operate it in place of both an engine and ladder truck, but use the personnel to staff a fourth ambulance

• Purchase a 75’ or 100’ Quint and operate it in place of both an engine and ladder truck, but double the number of personnel on the vehicle to perform simultaneous functions

Options that Eliminate Vehicle

Benefits•If it can reduce staffing by 9 personnel over three shifts, and IF Council reduces property taxes by this entire savings, equals approximately $25-$29 on average annual real estate bill.

Problems – Relate to Reduced levels of service and availability

•Often NO ladder truck in town at all (when remaining ladder is down for servicing or repairs)

•20-Minute or longer response times to southwest area of city for remaining ladder truck or secondary vehicle covering when Station #3 units busy (fires, rescues, medical calls, etc.) – affects all call types, and is a frequent occurrence

•Primary ladder truck unavailable more frequently

Options that Combine Engine & Ladder into Quint

Benefits•75’ Quint will save approximately $300,000-$400,000 in purchase costs (however no change on property taxes).

Problems – Relate to Reduced levels of service and availability

•If 75’ truck, lack of reach to taller buildings and lower buildings with standard set-backs in Truck #83’s area (ground ladders won’t reach).

•Cannot put all engine equipment and truck equipment on one vehicle due to space and weight limitations, plus there would be no vehicle to provide response to second calls on west-side – thus, this would require purchase and staffing of another vehicle ($300,000 - $400,000), which negates the savings or, in some options, adds to the total cost.

•Delayed fire attack - vehicle holds less water – not enough time for initial fire attack with water in the on-board tank.

•20-Minute or longer response times to southwest area of city for remaining ladder truck to fires, rescues, etc.

•Primary ladder truck and combined vehicle unavailable more frequently.

If Use Truck #83’s Personnel to Staff a Second Ambulance

Benefits•Less reliance on mutual aid for ambulances (currently 11.5 per month).

Problems – Relate to Reduced levels of service and availability

•All the problems of eliminating a vehicle and combining, per the previous slides.

•Less availability for all calls since an ambulance is out-of-service for an average 1¼ hours on each call it transports to the hospital – this crew would not be available for additional calls like it is on the truck.

Many Other Things to Consider

• Call volumes continue to increase

• Neighbors less available/reliable as they reduce staffing and equipment

• Maintaining flexibility and capability is key

• Recognize hazards/risks and obstacles

• Impacts of decisions on other operations and services

Asking Residents

• Stay informed

• Discuss the various aspects of the decisions, including the decreased levels of service and increased risks associated with some options

• Talk with your neighbors and friends, including those in other wards

• Let your alderman know how you feel about the issue

• The citizens, through their aldermen, determine the acceptable levels of service and risk in the community

Additional Slides Only if Needed

Call Volumes for DPFD Over Time