South Bend Fire Department 2016 Annual Report

Home Browse Search

in the program have been African-American,Latino,or female,and fits well with the above stated objectives of improving diversity and inclusion. 4. Training. In order to ensure the members of the department provide service at the high level expected by our citizens,it is imperative that members of the SBFD operate in a culture of constant improvement. Using the training resources available to all members of the department ensures that we remain safe when responding to situations which are inherently dangerous while providing necessary response to calls for service in a solutions-oriented manner.Having access to a state-the-art training center provides our firefighters with a place to safely practice their occupational skills.Examples of training evolutions that were performed in 2016 include incident command,water supply and relay pumping,roof ventilation,high-rise(night drill),bail-out training,water rescue and diving,EMS classes such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support and International Trauma Life Support, and several state certification courses.Members of the SBFD logged more than 50,000 hours of training during the year for 2016.This is in line with the City's demand for excellence and allows members of the SBFD to innovate in the way they perform the functions of their jobs.Training is one of the primary areas in which the department was audited by ISO and which led to the improved rating. 5. Wellness/Fitness The department began performing the validations and initial Work Performance Evaluations for all SBFD members.This is an evaluation which ensures all SBFD members have a minimum level of fitness and well-being in order to reduce risk of on the job injury, illness,or death. Additionally,a goal of the program is to ultimately reduce the cost of sickness and injury to members of the department through healthier living.This program fits with the City's stated values of excellence,accountability,and empowerment,and the mission of making the basics easy. 6. Community Risk Reduction. The SBFD Fire Prevention Bureau provided hundreds of hours of public education on fire prevention,gave out thousands of pieces of prevention materials,installed hundreds of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to homeowners, and had contact with thousands of local children to stress the importance of prevention in their homes and schools.The Fire Inspection Division performed over 3000 inspections and over 400 hours of fire drill and fire evacuation planning for local businesses and commercial buildings to include both high rise and multi-tenant residential buildings.This activity is necessary to ensure the safety of citizens in the community and to ensure that property owners are in compliance with codes to minimize potential hazards to those that live,work,and play in the city.The Fire Investigation Division investigated 188 structure fires in 2016.There was 1 fire fatality in 2016 which is down from 2 in 2015.The SBFD Fire Prevention Bureau will continue to provide programming and education in risk reduction tlu•oughout the community. Prevention measures and inspections along with strong codes make the City safer for the residents. 7. Services. The SBFD Services Bureau provided project management for replacing the departmental Hazardous Materials response truck,which was over 30 years old,and replacement of two pumper trucks. Additionally,Chiefs Skwarcan and Myer,with staff from the SBFD Ambulance Billing Office researched and applied for additional revenue through Medicaid which provided added reimbursement for calls from 2013,which totaled$13M. An application was submitted for