Report to the Community West Metro Fire Rescue Protection District

2016

Report to the Community

At West Metro Fire Rescue, we believe in – “whatever it takes to serve.”

Our paramedics and firefighters answered more than

32,000 calls, responding to house fires, commercial fires,

wildland fires, rope rescues, car crashes and medical

emergencies.

In 2016…

Those same crews spent hundreds of hours on the training

ground and in the classroom, learning new skills and

techniques and brushing up on old ones to better serve the

district and keep you and your family safe.

Behind the scenes, our dispatchers were our lifeline, making

sure those who called 911, asking for assistance, got the help

they needed.

And, our Life Safety Division and Administration staff kept

the cities and counties we cover and our district on track.

All of the members of our team are dedicated to

doing our best to protect the lives and property

of those we serve.

www.westmetrofire.org

Message from the Chief

In 2016, our crews handled more than 32,000 emergency calls. We

responded to structure fires; in one incident, two of our firefighters rescued a five year old girl who had been hiding in her bedroom closet.

There is no higher calling than public service. And, at West Metro Fire

Rescue, that willingness to serve is embedded in our culture. From the

very first day of recruit academy, our firefighters learn that it’s important

to not only master the skills of a first responder, but to have compassion

and empathy for those we serve. When you call 911- it’s likely you’re

having your worst day.

We put out wildland fires, investigated a series of suspicious fires on Green Mountain, were on scene at

hundreds of vehicle crashes and helped deliver babies. Our technical rescue team aided injured hikers

and rock climbers. Our dive team made swift water and dive rescues.

It is a point of pride for me, as Chief, to know that our firefighters and staff come to work each day,

ready to shoulder the responsibility of keeping our district safe. You can count on us - when the alarm sounds we will respond quickly, we will arrive prepared, and we will be ready to fulfill our motto,

“Whatever It Takes To Serve.”

The year was also a year of changes for West Metro. In April, we merged with Wheat Ridge Fire, taking

on the responsibility of answering calls in the cities of Wheat Ridge and Edgewater. We now cover more

than 108 square miles in Jefferson and Douglas counties.

In 2016, West Metro became part of the Pulsepoint network, a smart phone app that allows people

trained in cardio pulmonary resuscitation or CPR to help us save lives. And, we graduated our largest

recruit class ever – 38 brand new firefighters, who quickly went to work to serve the people of our

district.

Fire Chief Don Lombardi

Fire, Medical & Rescue Response

Fire Related Calls: 4,414 Our crews were called to check out reports of

smoke, fire or carbon monoxide alarm activation

and confirmed structure, wildland or other fires.

In 2016, we responded to 692 confirmed

structure, grass, wildland and vehicle fires.

Medical Calls: 22,380

From an injured hiker on an area trail, to car

crashes, to someone suffering a heart attack, our

well-trained crews handled a wide variety of

medical emergencies in 2016.

The majority of people who call us for help are

dealing with a potentially life-threatening medical

issue- the reason why EMS calls make up the

bulk of what we do, day in and day out.

Special Team Calls: 499

Many of our firefighters are members of our

special teams and take on added responsibility

and training.

In 2016, the individual teams responded to a

variety of calls – dive and swift water rescue,

building collapse, technical or rope rescue and

hazardous materials leaks and spills.

2016 Total Calls: 32, 739

By the numbers…

call every 16 minutes

239

structure fires vehicle crashes

1,979

elevator rescues

66

Total 2016 Calls: 32, 739 (16% increase from 2015) Things to note:

EMS 68.8%

10%

12.1% 1.6%

5.4%

2.1% Fires

Public assist

Alarms Special ops Other

Call breakdown…

2016 Financials

Our Finance Division takes it’s job seriously. Our goal is to use our financial resources wisely,

always keeping in mind how best we can serve the people who live and work in our district.

The decisions we make on what to spend and what to save are based on our Strategic Plan, that

looks into the future, how we expect our population to grow and what challenges that may bring.

At West Metro Fire Rescue, we believe in transparency, one reason why in 2016, we joined with

Open Gov, a financial transparency platform, where you can see up to the minute revenue and

expenditures. Find it at wmfdco.opengov.com.

Where the money comes from…

Where the money goes…

Property taxes

75.5%

EMS revenue 7.7%

Permits 0.5%

Grants 2% 6.4%

Contractual revenue

Ownership taxes 3.1%

Other revenue 4.8%

Operations

64.8%

Administration

10.1%

Go Debt Service

4.5% Fund

Life Safety 3.6%

Training Center 2.3%

USAR-COFT1 1.8%

Apparatus Internal Service

4.4% Fleet Maintenance

2.1%

GO & Capital Projects

1.8% Wheat Ridge 4.4%

Grants 0.1%

Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

In 2016, our crews responded to more than

22,300 emergency medical related calls, a 15%

increase over 2015. In a majority of those calls,

we transported patients to area hospitals.

All of our firefighters are either paramedics or

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), which

means that expert care begins as soon as we

arrive on scene.

West Metro Launches Pulsepoint

Total EMS Calls: 22,380

In 2016, West Metro launched the Pulsepoint

CPR/AED smartphone application to help improve

survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest in the fire

district.

The app alerts citizens and medical professionals,

trained in CPR, to people who need help close by

and shows them the location of the nearest

automated external defibrillator (AED), a portable

device that sends an electric shock to the heart to

restore a normal rhythm.

Throughout the year, our crews were continually

training to stay current on changing policies and

procedures in the world of emergency medicine.

We train our paramedics and EMT’s through a

combination of in house and outside programs,

designed to maintain our high standard of care.

West Metro paramedics staffed 184 contracted

special events in 2016, such as concerts at Red

Rocks and other community activities.

EMS Training, Special Events

WMFR Training Division

In 2016, every West Metro Fire Rescue firefighter

completed nearly 240 hours of training. Almost

every day of the week, crews are at our Training

Center, getting hands on instruction in new

strategies and techniques.

At West Metro, we believe in being prepared to

serve our community, no matter the emergency.

Training not only helps us help you, but, it also

helps us keep our crews safe.

The fire service is not a stagnant profession, we

strive to learn so we can achieve our mission of

protecting lives and property.

The 2016 recruit academy was the largest of its

kind in the history of our district. We graduated

38 brand new West Metro firefighters, five new

Castle Rock firefighters and three new

Cunningham firefighters.

The collaboration between fire agencies allowed

us to bring in a number of experts to train the

recruits, giving them a wider perspective and

understanding of the fire service. Opening up our

academy to other districts also helped save

resources.

We Invest in Training

2016 Recruit Academy

Training Division’s Mission No matter where a firefighter is in their career-

just starting out, or with years of experience- their

health and well being is extremely important to

the fire district.

Training helps us pinpoint safety concerns and

identify strategies that could save lives. Not only

the lives of the citizens we serve, but our

firefighters as well.

WMFR Life Safety Division

There is no better way to be prepared than to be

informed. And, in 2016, West Metro’s Life Safety

Division continued its commitment to keeping our

residents and businesses safe.

The Division is responsible for guiding

developers and builders through construction

codes and standards from the planning stage

through the life of all structures within the fire

district. Life Safety also educates our community

to be aware of, prevent and reduce accidents and

injuries.

Reaching Out

In 2016, our firefighters and educators headed

out to area classrooms, businesses, community

events and festivals to talk about fire prevention

and safety, and to assist in emergency planning.

West Metro helped businesses conduct

evacuation drills, installed smoke alarms, gave

tours of our fire stations and participated in Bike

to School and Walk to School events.

In all, we reached out to more than 90,000

people.

Reducing Risk

West Metro’s Life Safety Division works to

empower the citizens who live and work in our

district with valuable information that can prevent

or reduce the impact of fire, and other risks of

daily living that often result in emergency

response.

Preserving Life and Property

Events & Volunteers

We’re a part of the community Our firefighters and staff like nothing better than

getting out into the community we serve. That’s

why we take every opportunity to join in on the

festivals, parades and fairs that take place in our

district every year. We hardly ever turn down an

invitation.

And, we like nothing better than hosting our own

event – the West Metro Family Fire Muster. In

2016, we held the 22nd annual Muster, and some

3,000 of you came out to join in the fun.

Held each September, the Muster is family-

friendly and allows us to show you what we do.

The focus is on family preparedness and how to

stay safe at home and on the road.

Volunteers make it happen Events like the Muster wouldn’t happen without

volunteers – who every year, work thousands of

hours helping us reach out to our community.

We’re grateful for them, they’re vital to our

success.

Family Fire Muster

Accreditation

Among the few West Metro Fire Rescue is one of just over 220

fire agencies worldwide, recognized as an

Accredited Agency under the Center for Public

Safety Excellence (CPSE).

The process to become an accredited agency is

long, arduous and exacting. To become

accredited, we had to take a critical look at our

past, current and future service levels and

compare ourselves to industry best practices and

standards.

The result- quicker response times and better

service for the residents in the West Metro

district.

Whatever it takes… to serve

Ongoing process

Accreditation is an ongoing process and we are

continually looking for opportunities to improve.

West Metro Fire Rescue achieved accreditation

in August of 2012 and we will be seeking

reaccreditation in 2017.

As part of that process, we will be partnering with

community leaders and residents, to listen to

what you have to say about our service and how

we can do better.

From our firefighters to our dispatchers to our

staff, we know you rely on us to be there when

you need us.

It’s our promise that we will be.

West Metro Fire Protection District invites you to join us in serving our community. Here are a few ways that you can get started.

Participate:

Prepare your home and your family:

• Learn CPR – contact the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association or a

company that offers public CPR and first aid classes

• Download the Pulsepoint App to your phone

• Complete your own safety profile at www.Smart911.com

• Complete a File of Life for any family members with medical conditions

• Enroll in the Code Red Alert system to receive emergency notifications regarding

your neighborhood

• Make sure you have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms on every

level of your home and near the sleeping areas

• Make sure your family has a home escape plan, with two ways out of your home and

a designated meeting place • Use a home safety checklist at your home to prepare for fires and other emergencies

Join the West Metro Fire Protection District Kids Club to receive monthly emails with

seasonal safety activities for kids and invitations to the events we host and attend.

If you live in a wildland interface area, organize with your neighbors to become a

Fire Adapted Community.

Volunteer:

West Metro Fire Protection District’s annual Family Fire Muster

West Metro Fire Protection District’s Community Education Programs

Be involved

Attend a meeting:

Our Board of Directors meets the third Tuesday of every month at our

administration offices- 433 South Allison Parkway in Lakewood. The meeting gets

underway at 7 p.m.

Visit our website: www.westmetrofire.org. Administrative Offices – (303) 989-4307