1. Using Analytics to Improve Operations and Reduce Firefighter Risks
Operational Performance Measures and National Fire Operations Reporting System
Using Analytics to Improve Operations and Reduce Firefighter Risks

2. FIRE DEPARTMENT CORE VALUES
Protect lives, property, and the environment through preparedness, prevention, public education, and emergency response with an emphasis on quality services, efficiency, effectiveness, and safety.

3. Operational Performance Measures
Assess department’s response availability
Optimize capability to arrive at and mitigate an incident
Evaluate effectiveness of on-scene operational performance

4. Operational Performance Measures
Used to learn, improve and optimize operations
Establish benchmarks for a department’s performance
Provide comparative metrics
Identify and promote best practices

5. Operational Performance Measures
Allow departments to determine a baseline performance
Establish goals based on current performance
Determine the gaps between desired goals and current performance levels

6. Operational Performance Measures
Measures are deemed core if a guideline or standard exists for that indicator (e.g., call processing – 1221 & 1710)
Otherwise the measures are deemed to be developmental (e.g., water on fire time)

7. Operational Performance Measures
Metro Chiefs – Urban Fire Forum

8. Managing with Information
Effectively managing a FD requires an understanding of and an ability to demonstrate how changes to resources will affect service to the community
One of the greatest challenges to public safety is articulating its value in a quantifiable manner

9. Matching Resources to Risk
If fire department resources (both mobile and personnel) are deployed to match the risk levels inherent to hazards in the community, it has been scientifically demonstrated that the community will be far less vulnerable to negative outcomes in…
firefighter injury and death
civilian injury and death
property loss

11. Acknowledgements
FireCARES and NFORS are funded by DHS/FEMA Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant Program.

12. Analyze Community Risk
Aggregate Data
Compile public and proprietary data.
Group Departments
Group departments based on NFPA region and size.
Generate Results
Display each department’s risk and performance score on their page.
Analyze Community Risk
Leverage 12 years of NFIRS, social vulnerability, census and other risk data
Analyze Performance
Leverage 15 years of NFIRS responses and fire growth modeling to calculate performance.
Rank Departments
Rank each department’s risk and performance scores against similar departments.

13. About: FireCARES
Community Risk Assessment - How does a community’s risk factors compare to similar communities?
Fire Department Performance - Are fire department resources effective at responding to the risk?
Transparency - Helps constituents understand how their fire department’s data compares to similar departments.

14. About: FireCARES
Provides an interactive geocoded structure fire history within the community
Provides an interactive assessment of risk-level of parcels within the community
Provides ability to calculate GIS response polygons at the station level

15. About: FireCARES
Provides an interactive geocoded structure fire history within the community
Provides an interactive assessment of risk-level of parcels within the community
Provides ability to calculate GIS response polygons at the station level

16. About: FireCARES
Provides an interactive geocoded structure fire history within the community
Provides an interactive assessment of risk-level of parcels within the community
Provides ability to calculate GIS response polygons at the department and station level

17. FireCARES by the Numbers
27,177 US fire departments
52,838 fire stations
60+ million fire calls (14 years)
90+ million EMS calls (4 years)
150+ million parcels
2500+ registered users
650,000+ visitors
Top 10% of departments protect 60% of population in 7% of the land area

18. Community Risk Community risks are computed for:
the expected number of fires
the expected size of the fires
the likelihood of injury or death
These community risks are based on:
socio-demographic profile
residential-structural profile
pattern and number of all structure fires

19. Comparing Like Departments
Currently compare based on 4 geographic regions and 10 population protected classes.

20. Risk Dashboard

21. Fire Department Performance Score
The goal of the fire department performance score is to assess how well a fire department performs compared to the “standardized/idealized” version of itself.
NFPA 1710/1720
Staffing Studies: NIST TN 1661, NIST TN 1797
GIS Travel Times

22. Fire Department Performance Score
Bottom 25% in performance scores
Top 25% in performance scores 6 80
Minimum score amongst like departments
Maximum score amongst like departments

23. DATA: Not Just for Response
Fire department leaders must have reliable statistical data useful for optimization of resources in every area of the fire department

24. DATA: THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE FIRE SERVICE
Data, and the information gleaned from it, show the need for prevention, public education, and emergency response services including the number of apparatus necessary to mitigate the emergencies that do occur, ensure optimal performance of responders on scene, and best facilitate a positive outcome of the incident.

25. Tell a Complete Story
Fire chiefs and other department leaders must learn to leverage data available in their emergency response system
Data show the adequacy or the need for prevention, public education, and emergency response services

26. Tell a Complete Story
Anticipate the questions to be asked by decision-makers, the press and the public
Answer those questions
Educate them on the fire department’s capability, activity, performance and resilience

27. Welcome to… Funded by the DHS/FEMA/AFG…
the National Fire Operations Reporting System is the fire service analytical system.
NFORS is the most comprehensive way to get accurate and real-time information to help fire service leaders assure adequate fire resources; optimize fire operations; reduce firefighter injury and death; minimize civilian injury and death; and minimize property loss.

28. NFORS Analytics Dashboard (CAD)
Web-based analytical system and data dictionary with a focus on operations.
Real time analytics provide instant operational insights to decision makers.
Linked and searchable allow users to gain valuable insights quickly.

29. NFORS Exposure Tracking
Cancer and behavioral health issues are two leading causes of death within the fire service.
While some states have presumptive laws there is still a burden of proof on the firefighter

30. WHY TRACK EXPOSURES? Firefighter Cancer and Behavioral Health
Firefighters' skin is often contaminated with soot and toxins
Dermal absorption and inhalation are routes of exposure of carcinogens 
Carcinogens remain on PPE if not cleaned

31. WHY TRACK EXPOSURES? Firefighter Cancer and Behavioral Health
1 in 5 firefighters and paramedics will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder in their career
Firefighters with PTSD are 6 times more likely to attempt suicide

32. NFORS Exposure Tracking Goes Mobile
Available in App Stores
Usable regardless of whether your department is on NFORS
Ease of data entry when department is connected

33. Introducing the International Public Safety Data Institute
2019

34. Enhancing public safety through data science.
Mission
Enhancing public safety through data science.
The International Public Safety Data Institute (IPSDI) will be the leading research, development, and training organization focused on using data science to provide analytical tools and information to the public safety sector.

35. Leverage technology to provide
Vision
Leverage technology to provide 
life-saving insights.
We enable public safety agencies to gather, organize, and translate data into actionable insights.

36. Partners

37. How Others Get Involved
*Refer Departments and Projects
Founding Partner
Research Advisory Council
Technical Advisory Partners
Project Sponsors
Member Organizations
Internship Sponsors

38. QUESTIONS Go to www.i-psdi.org