City of Alpharetta Department of Fire & Emergency Services Public Safety Volunteer Program

Contents The Role of Volunteers –Firefighters –Firecorps –CERT Organization Structure Training Recruiting and Retention Performance and Compensation FY 2005 Goals and Objectives

The Role of Volunteers Volunteers provide a workforce that is local, flexible and available to supplement the career firefighters in the performance of emergency and routine tasks associated with providing public safety services to the residents of Alpharetta and the surrounding communities.

The Role of Volunteer Firefighters State Certified Volunteer Firefighters Apparatus Staffing Emergency Response Emergency Coverage Mutual Aid Event Coverage Mass Casualty Response

The Role of Volunteer Firefighters Apparatus Staffing –Supplements career firefighter manpower –Immediate response to alarms –Maintains average manpower Emergency Response –Response to incidents from outside a station –Responds to meet manpower needs –Reduces need to commit additional apparatus –Reduces need for mutual aid

The Role of Volunteer Firefighters Emergency Coverage –Staffing Reserve Apparatus –Mutual Aid Station Coverage Mutual Aid –Assisting AFES units operating outside the city Event Coverage –Festivals, sporting events, parades Mass Casualty Response –Role based on Emergency Plans

The Role of Firecorps Volunteers Emergency Incident Support –GA Certified Support Firefighters Equipment staging and setup Emergency medical care to level of training Firefighter Rehabilitation –Non Certified Personnel Assist based on level of training as required by Incident Commander Assist with CERT Training Special Event Coverage –Festivals, sporting events, parades

The Role of CERT Volunteers Self deploying in disasters No additional training requirements Render assistance up to level of training when first on the scene of an incident Attend quarterly drills to keep skills sharp and to foster working relationships with public safety personnel

Volunteer Programs Emergency Management Career Captain CERT Program P/T Lieutenant Firecorp Program Firecorp Program Coordinator Volunteer Firefighter Program Volunteer Program Coordinator Organizational Structure

Emergency Management Career Captain Firecorp Program Firecorp Program Coordinator Operations Fire ground Special Events LogisticsPlanning Firecorp

Volunteer Firefighters Emergency Management Career Captain Volunteer Firefighter Program Volunteer Program Coordinator Operations Squad 1Team Leader Squad2 Team Leader Squad 3 Team Leader Squad 4 Team Leader Squad 5 Team Leader Squad 6 Team Leader LogisticsPlanningAdministration Organizational Structure

Volunteer Firefighter Leadership Team –Volunteer Program Coordinator Planning Specialist Logistics Specialist Administration Specialist Operations Specialist –Station Squad Leaders

Organizational Structure Volunteer Program Coordinator –Primary Liaison to Volunteer Program Manager –Escalation point for personnel issues –Provides direction to Specialists

Organizational Structure Fire Operations Specialist –Primary Liaison to Squad Leaders –Primary Liaison to Station Officers –Provides direction to Squad Leaders –Escalation point for personnel issues –Liaison to Firecorps fireground support personnel

Organizational Structure Fire Logistics Specialist –Quartermaster –Rehab –Liaison to Department Purchasing staff –Liaison to Firecorp Logistics Specialist –Technology

Organizational Structure Fire Planning Specialist –Primary Liaison to Training Officer –Liaison to Firecorp Planning Specialist –Liaison to Emergency Operations Center for Manpower Planning –Incident response planning –Public education programs

Organizational Structure Administration Specialist –Primary Liaison for Budgeting –Ensures policy consistency across programs –Liaison to City departments for information gathering

Organizational Structure Volunteer Station Assignments –Each Volunteer will have a station assignment Generally closest to Volunteer’s home Resident Volunteer (Approval required) –Residing in station may be approved for a limited number of Volunteers –Station career officers and Squad Leaders work together to meet the training and supervisory needs of the assigned volunteer.

Training Training Officer and Volunteer Training Coordinator (career officer) will identify skill needs and areas requiring added focus –Addressed in Monday training session topics Each Volunteer will propose personal training goals for the year –Identifying skills needing improvement –Identifying new skills desired –Interlock with Department requirements Annual individual and team recap and evaluation of training accomplishments –Formal report to Fire Chief

Firefighter Training Basic Training Firefighting –Georgia Firefighter Training and Standards Firefighter 1 Certification is firefighting minimum –NPQ I skill level competency demonstration –24 hours of State approved mandated training EMS –First Responder is EMS minimum EMT and Paramedic encouraged New members on probation for 1 year –Yellow helmet will identify “Probies”

Firefighter Training Extended Training Topics – Target 40 Hours/Yr Hazardous Materials Rescue –Extrication –High angle –Trench Apparatus Operator –Reserve apparatus operator training program EMS –EMT Intermediate –Support role for Paramedics Prevention and Education

Firecorps Training All –First Responder EMS training Support Firefighter –Georgia Firefighter Training and Standards Orientation Class (fulfilled by CERT training) –Additional AFES Requirements Non Firefighting NPQ Skills competency demonstration Specialized Topics to perform in Support Roles –EMS –Hazardous Materials –Emergency Management –Rescue

Recruiting and Retention Recruiting –Prospecting for Recruits Community Residents –Career track –Permanent volunteer track Non Fire city employees Retention –Compensation –Georgia State Firefighter Retirement Program Meeting program requirements responsibility of individual members –Intangible rewards Recognition events City employee discounts City employee events

Performance & Compensation Incident Response Requirements –Volunteers are expected to respond to at least 50% of the structure fires in the city. Notification issues need to be communicated up the chain of command immediately –Responses to Mutual Aid structure fires are encouraged if AFES has responding apparatus. Reduces need for additional AFES apparatus Coverage during an incident counts toward structure fire responses

Performance & Compensation Compensation – Volunteer Firefighters Only –All compensation is optional and not guaranteed –Compensation will be available to volunteers in the form of a monthly stipend for: Working shifts Working Special Events Standby during weather emergencies Training classes attended Training classes conducted Incidents responded to Program management activities

2005 Goals and Objectives Draft Volunteer Specific Procedures Reserve Apparatus –Activation procedures, minimum staffing Major Incident Response Dispatch Processes –Paging –Radio –Phone Callback Criteria –When to call back –How to accomplish

2005 Goals and Objectives Recruiting –Start a Recruit Class of at least 20 individuals To include 5 City Employees Manpower Requirements –Work to maintain a volunteer force of 35 people Goal of 20 State Certified Firefighters by the end of FY2005 Goal of 35 State Certified Firefighters by the end of FY2006 –Fully equip one Engine Instant activation on staffing –Formalize role of Squad Communications –Install replacement paging system –Set criteria for portable radios for Volunteers Essential for leaders of Firecorp groups

2005 Goals and Objectives Define support for Department Goals –Staffing –Accreditation –Skills Development –Response Time Manpower –ACLS Standard –Public Education –Prevention

Volunteer Firefighter Program Appendix

References Georgia Firefighter Standards & Training Insurance Services Office FEMA Citizen Corps