Expand and modernize fire safety and EMS education programs to increase public awareness, enhance emergency readiness, and reduce preventable incidents.
Description: The addition of full-time personnel has enabled the department to take a more proactive approach to prevention and community risk reduction. With increased staffing, the department will expand its fire safety and EMS education programs. Outreach efforts will grow to include schools, senior centers, local businesses, and civic groups. Programs such as Stop the Bleed, community CPR training, school fire prevention visits, and the department’s annual open house will continue to expand and serve as key components of this initiative. Educational materials and training content will be updated to reflect best practices and maintain alignment with NFPA standards.
How It’s Measured: Progress will be measured by a net increase in documented education and fire prevention hours compared to the previous year. The number of EMS education events, including Stop the Bleed sessions and CPR classes, will also be tracked to assess the continued growth and impact of the department’s community risk reduction efforts.
Increase full- and part-time member participation in special operation teams, including surface water rescue, active shooter response, bluff/technical rescue, and drone response.
Description: Special operations teams are an essential component of an all-hazards fire department, providing critical capabilities beyond traditional fire and EMS response. The department currently maintains specialized teams in surface water rescue, active shooter response, bluff/technical rescue, and drone operations. Due to the advanced nature of these roles, members are required to complete training that exceeds standard firefighting requirements, which can occasionally limit participation.
How It’s Measured: Due to the extensive training requirements of each specialty area, the department will work to add at least 2–3 fully trained members per discipline. This effort will include offering additional courses in water rescue and active shooter response, expanding in-house training opportunities for bluff and technical rescue, and supporting members in obtaining FAA remote pilot certification for drone operations. Emphasis will be placed on increasing full-time member participation across all shifts to improve the reliability and availability of special operations teams. In addition, ongoing continuing education will ensure that current team members maintain operational proficiency.
Develop fire incident pre-plans for target hazards, commercial, and multi-family residential buildings to improve tactical decision-making and enhance firefighter safety.
Description: With the retirement of Chief Mitchell, the department lost over 20 years of institutional knowledge about buildings in the City. Combined with the addition of new staff unfamiliar with local occupancies, this underscores the need for consistent, accessible building information. To address this, the department will develop standardized fire pre-plans for target hazards, commercial, and multi-family residential buildings. As part of each inspection, crews will gather critical details—such as layouts, fire systems, hazardous materials, shutoffs, access points, and occupancy risks—to create digital, searchable pre-incident plans. These digital pre-plans will be integrated into departmental software, providing responding crews with critical information during emergencies and supporting improved operational readiness and firefighter safety.
How It’s Measured: The department will aim to complete digital pre-incident plans for more than 70% of identified target hazards, commercial, and multi-family residential buildings. Progress will be tracked through inspection records and plan entries in departmental software.
In conjunction with the Police and Fire Commission, refine and strengthen the department’s mental health program to support member wellbeing.
Description: The demands of fire and EMS work place ongoing mental and emotional stress on full-time, part-time, and paid-on-call responders. The department will review its current mental health program, identify gaps, and implement improvements to ensure all members have timely access to quality care. Efforts will focus on strengthening peer support, developing provider partnerships, expanding training, and equipping department officers to recognize and support members in need.
How It’s Measured: Progress will be measured by completion of policy updates, collaboration with City Hall on ensuring high-quality, responder-specific EAP resources, and development of an internal peer support program.
