Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue Community Risk Assessment Standards of Cover 2023 PDF
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2023
Rochelle Ortolano, Greg Perez, Zach Lardy, Mark McConnell, Danny Valenzuela, Robert Gallegos, Ezekiel Padilla, Eric Wasson
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Summary
This document is a community risk assessment for the Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue department. It details the community's characteristics, agency history, levels of service, deployment areas, response history, and community priorities. The report uses data and statistics to support its findings. Tables and figures are included throughout to illustrate key information.
Full Transcript
This page was intentionally left blank. Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue Fire Chief Greg Perez Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Contributors Rochelle Ortolano, Captain / Accreditation Manager Greg Perez – Fire Chief / Deputy...
This page was intentionally left blank. Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue Fire Chief Greg Perez Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Contributors Rochelle Ortolano, Captain / Accreditation Manager Greg Perez – Fire Chief / Deputy County Manager – Public Safety Zach Lardy, Deputy Chief Mark McConnell, Deputy Chief Danny Valenzuela, Division Chief Robert Gallegos, Division Chief Ezekiel Padilla, Division Chief Eric Wasson, Division Chief 2023 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents Executive Summary................................................................................................................................................... 1 A. Description of Community Served.................................................................................................................. 2 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 2 Community and Department Legal Basis............................................................................................. 2 History of the Community.................................................................................................................... 3 Community Financial Basis.................................................................................................................. 4 Table 1: Bernalillo County General Fund Operating Revenues........................................................... 5 Table 2: Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue Revenues FY20-22............................................................ 7 Table 3: Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue Expenditure Budget FY21-24........................................... 7 Community Boundaries........................................................................................................................ 8 Map 3: Bernalillo County, New Mexico............................................................................................... 8 Community Planning Areas.................................................................................................................. 8 Map 4: Census County Divisions (CCD).............................................................................................. 9 Map 5: 2020 Census Blocks in Fire Districts....................................................................................... 9 Community Transportation Systems..................................................................................................... 9 Community Critical Infrastructure...................................................................................................... 11 Community Land Use and Zoning...................................................................................................... 13 Table 4: Land Use by Type for BCFR Area....................................................................................... 13 Map 6: Land Use within Fire Districts................................................................................................ 13 Community Topography..................................................................................................................... 14 Community Geography....................................................................................................................... 14 Community Geology........................................................................................................................... 14 Community Physiography................................................................................................................... 15 Community Climate............................................................................................................................ 15 Table 5: Average Temperatures and Precipitation by Month............................................................. 15 Table 6: Sandia Peak Average Precipitation/Snowfall....................................................................... 15 Figure 1: Average Wind Speed........................................................................................................... 16 Figure 2: Average Relative Humidity................................................................................................. 16 Community Population/Population Densities..................................................................................... 17 Table 7: Population by Region............................................................................................................ 17 Table 8: Population Density by Fire District...................................................................................... 17 Community Demographic Features.................................................................................................... 18 Table 9: Bernalillo County Demographics......................................................................................... 18 B. History of the Agency..................................................................................................................................... 19 Major Historical Milestones of the Department.................................................................................. 19 Current Legal Boundary of Service Area............................................................................................ 22 Map 7: Legal Service Boundaries....................................................................................................... 23 Current Organization, Divisions, Programs, and Services.................................................................. 23 Figure 3: Organizational Chart............................................................................................................ 24 C. Current Descriptions of Levels of Service with Delivery Programs........................................................... 28 Fire Suppression.................................................................................................................................. 28 Emergency Medical Services.............................................................................................................. 28 Figure 4: State Authorization to Provide EMS................................................................................... 29 Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue | Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Technical Rescue................................................................................................................................ 30 Air Rescue Task Force........................................................................................................................ 31 Aquatics/Water Rescue Task Force.................................................................................................... 31 Hazardous Materials............................................................................................................................ 32 Wildland Fire Services........................................................................................................................ 32 Map 8: Wildland Urban Interface Zone.............................................................................................. 33 Specialized Services............................................................................................................................ 35 D. Current Deployment and Coverage Areas................................................................................................... 37 Points of Service Delivery.................................................................................................................. 37 Map 9: Station Locations.................................................................................................................... 37 Minimum Deployment Resources....................................................................................................... 38 Table 10: Regular and Optimal Staffing by Battalion and Unit.......................................................... 38 Response Areas................................................................................................................................... 39 Map 10: North Region........................................................................................................................ 39 Map 51: South Region........................................................................................................................ 39 Map 62: East Region........................................................................................................................... 40 E. Summary of Community Response History................................................................................................. 41 Table 11: Incident Type Totals, by Region (2020-2022).................................................................... 41 Fire Stations, Training Facilities, Apparatus, Equipment, and Staffing............................................. 43 Table 12: Incident Type Totals, District 30........................................................................................ 44 Table 13: Incident Type Totals, District 31........................................................................................ 45 Table 14: Incident Type Totals, District 35........................................................................................ 46 Table 15: Incident Type Totals, District 36........................................................................................ 47 Table 16: Incident Type Totals, District 32........................................................................................ 49 Table 17: Incident Type Totals, District 33........................................................................................ 50 Table 18: Incident Type Totals, District 34........................................................................................ 51 Table 19: Incident Type Totals, District 38........................................................................................ 52 Table 20: Incident Type Totals, District 40........................................................................................ 54 Table 21: Incident Type Totals, District 41........................................................................................ 55 Table 22: Incident Type Totals, District 43........................................................................................ 56 Table 23: Incident Type Totals, District 46........................................................................................ 57 F. Community Priorities, Expectations, and Performance Goals................................................................... 59 Mission Statement............................................................................................................................... 59 Community Service Priorities............................................................................................................. 59 Table 24: Program and Service Priorities Identified by Community Stakeholders – North Region.. 59 Table 25: Program and Service Priorities Identified by Community Stakeholders - South Region... 59 Table 26: Program and Service Priorities Identified by Community Stakeholders - East Region..... 60 Community Service Expectations....................................................................................................... 60 Community Concerns......................................................................................................................... 62 Positive Community Comments......................................................................................................... 64 Other Community Comments............................................................................................................. 68 Historical Performance Goals............................................................................................................. 70 Figure 5: Fire & Rescue Performance................................................................................................. 70 G. Community Risk Assessment and Risk Levels............................................................................................. 71 Risk Assessment Methodology........................................................................................................... 71 Planning Areas/Zones......................................................................................................................... 71 Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue | Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Map 73: District 30 Incidents (2020-2022)......................................................................................... 72 Map 14: District 30 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)........................................................................ 72 Map 15: District 30 Travel Time........................................................................................................ 73 Map 16: District 31 Incidents (2020-2022)......................................................................................... 73 Map 87: District 31 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)........................................................................ 74 Map 98: District 31 Travel Time........................................................................................................ 74 Map 109: District 35 Incidents (2020-2022)....................................................................................... 75 Map 20: District 35 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)........................................................................ 75 Map 111: District 35 Travel Time...................................................................................................... 76 Map 122: District 36 Incidents (2020-2022)....................................................................................... 76 Map 133: District 36 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)...................................................................... 77 Map 144: District 36 Travel Time...................................................................................................... 77 East Region......................................................................................................................................... 78 Map 25: District 40 Incidents (2020-2022)......................................................................................... 78 Map 156: District 40 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)...................................................................... 78 Map 167: District 40 Travel Time...................................................................................................... 79 Map 28: District 41 Incidents (2020-2022)......................................................................................... 79 Map 29: District 41 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)........................................................................ 80 Map 30: District 41 Travel Time........................................................................................................ 80 Map 171: District 43 Incidents (2020-2022)....................................................................................... 81 Map 182: District 43 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)...................................................................... 81 Map 193: District 43 Travel Time...................................................................................................... 82 Map 204: District 46 Incidents (2020-2022)....................................................................................... 82 Map 215: District 46 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)...................................................................... 83 Map 226: District 46 Travel Time...................................................................................................... 83 Map 237: District 32 Incidents (2020-2022)....................................................................................... 84 Map 248: District 32 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)...................................................................... 84 Map 259: District 32 Travel Time...................................................................................................... 85 Map 40: District 33 Incidents (2020-2022)......................................................................................... 85 Map 261: District 33 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)...................................................................... 86 Map 272: District 33 Travel Time...................................................................................................... 86 Map 283: District 34 Incidents (2020-2022)....................................................................................... 87 Map 44: District 34 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)........................................................................ 87 Map 45: District 34 Travel Time........................................................................................................ 88 Map 46: District 38 Incidents (2020-2022)......................................................................................... 88 Map 47: District 38 Incidents Heat Map (2020-2022)........................................................................ 89 Map 48: District 38 Travel Time........................................................................................................ 89 Risk Assessment................................................................................................................................. 90 Table 27: Impact Scoring.................................................................................................................... 90 Table 28: Probability Scoring............................................................................................................. 90 Table 29: Consequence Scoring.......................................................................................................... 90 Table 30: Risk Classes Table.............................................................................................................. 90 Table 31: Risk Score - Low Risk Fire................................................................................................. 91 Low Risk Fire Incidents...................................................................................................................... 91 Table 32: Critical Task Analysis - Low Risk Fire.............................................................................. 91 Table 33: Deployment - Low Risk Fire.............................................................................................. 91 Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue | Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Moderate Risk Fire Incidents.............................................................................................................. 92 Table 34: Risk Score - Moderate Risk Fire......................................................................................... 92 High Risk Fire Incidents..................................................................................................................... 93 Table 37: Risk Score - High Risk Fire................................................................................................ 93 High Risk Fire..................................................................................................................................... 93 Table 38: Critical Task Analysis - High Risk Fire.............................................................................. 93 Table 39: Deployment - High Risk Fire.............................................................................................. 93 Table 40 Risk Score - Maximum Risk Fire........................................................................................ 94 Maximum Risk Fire Incidents (New in July of 2021)........................................................................ 94 Table 41: Critical Task Analysis - Maximum Risk Fire..................................................................... 94 Table 42: Deployment - Maximum Risk Fire..................................................................................... 94 Low Risk EMS Incidents.................................................................................................................... 95 Table 43: Risk Score - Low Risk EMS............................................................................................... 95 Table 44: Critical Task Analysis - Low Risk EMS............................................................................ 95 Table 45: Deployment - Low Risk EMS............................................................................................ 95 Moderate Risk EMS Incidents............................................................................................................ 96 Table 46: Risk Score - Moderate Risk EMS....................................................................................... 96 High Risk EMS Incidents................................................................................................................... 97 Table 49: Risk Score – High Risk EMS............................................................................................. 97 Low Risk Hazardous Materials Incidents........................................................................................... 98 Table 52: Risk Score - Low Risk HazMat.......................................................................................... 98 Table 53: Critical Task Analysis - Low Risk HazMat........................................................................ 98 Table 54: Deployment - Low Risk HazMat........................................................................................ 98 Moderate Risk Hazardous Materials Incidents................................................................................... 99 Table 55: Risk Score - Moderate Risk HazMat.................................................................................. 99 Table 56: Critical Task Analysis - Moderate Risk HazMat................................................................ 99 Table 57: Deployment - Moderate Risk HazMat................................................................................ 99 High Risk Hazardous Materials Incidents......................................................................................... 100 Table 58: Risk Score - High Risk HazMat....................................................................................... 100 Table 59: Critical Task Analysis - High Risk HazMat..................................................................... 100 Table 60: Deployment - High Risk HazMat..................................................................................... 100 Max Risk Hazardous Materials Incidents......................................................................................... 101 Table 58: Risk Score - Max Risk HazMat........................................................................................ 101 Table 59: Critical Task Analysis - Max Risk HazMat...................................................................... 101 Table 60: Deployment - Max Risk HazMat...................................................................................... 101 Low Risk Technical Rescue Incidents.............................................................................................. 102 Table 61: Risk Scoring - Low Risk Technical Rescue..................................................................... 102 Table 62: Critical Task Analysis - Low Risk Technical Rescue...................................................... 102 Table 63: Deployment - Low Risk Technical Rescue...................................................................... 102 Moderate Risk Technical Rescue Incidents...................................................................................... 103 Table 64: Risk Scoring – Moderate Risk Technical Rescue............................................................. 103 Table 65: Critical Task Analysis - Moderate Risk Technical Rescue.............................................. 103 Table 66: Deployment - Moderate Risk Technical Rescue.............................................................. 103 High Risk Technical Rescue Incidents............................................................................................. 104 Table 67: Risk Scoring – High Risk Technical Rescue.................................................................... 104 Table 68: Critical Task Analysis - High Risk Technical Rescue...................................................... 104 Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue | Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Table 69: Deployment - High Risk Technical Rescue...................................................................... 104 Low Risk Wildland Incidents............................................................................................................ 105 Table 70: Risk Scoring - Low Risk Wildland................................................................................... 105 Table 71: Critical Task Analysis - Low Risk Wildland.................................................................... 105 Table 72: Deployment - Low Risk Wildland.................................................................................... 105 Moderate Risk Wildland Incidents.................................................................................................... 106 Table 73: Risk Scoring - Moderate Risk Wildland........................................................................... 106 Table 74: Critical Task Analysis - Moderate Risk Wildland............................................................ 106 Table 75: Deployment - Moderate Risk Wildland............................................................................ 106 High Risk Wildland Incidents........................................................................................................... 107 Table 76: Risk Scoring - High Risk Wildland.................................................................................. 107 Table 77: Critical Task Analysis - High Risk Wildland................................................................... 107 Table 78: Deployment - High Risk Wildland................................................................................... 107 Max Risk Wildland Incidents............................................................................................................ 108 Table 79: Risk Scoring - Max Risk Wildland................................................................................... 108 Table 80: Critical Task Analysis - Max Risk Wildland.................................................................... 108 Table 81: Deployment - Max Risk Wildland.................................................................................... 108 H. Historical Perspective and Summary of System Performance................................................................. 109 Distribution Factors........................................................................................................................... 109 Map 299: Bernalillo County Fire Regions........................................................................................ 109 Map 50: First Due (Four-Minute) Travel Time................................................................................ 110 Table 82: Responses by Station (2020-2022)................................................................................... 111 Table 83: Concentration of Calls by District and Unit..................................................................... 112 Concentration Factors....................................................................................................................... 113 Reliability Factors............................................................................................................................. 114 Figure 6: Reliability by Station and Region...................................................................................... 115 Dataset Qualification......................................................................................................................... 116 Table 84: Date Ranges for Annual Data........................................................................................... 117 Baseline Performance Tables............................................................................................................ 118 Fire - Low Risk (ERF 3)................................................................................................................... 118 Fire - Moderate Risk (ERF 9).......................................................................................................... 118 Fire - High Risk (ERF 17)................................................................................................................ 119 Fire - Maximum Risk (ERF 28)...................................................................................................... 119 EMS - Low Risk (ERF 2).................................................................................................................. 120 EMS - Moderate Risk (ERF 5)......................................................................................................... 120 EMS – High Risk (ERF 16)............................................................................................................... 121 HazMat – Low Risk (ERF 3)............................................................................................................ 121 HazMat - Moderate Risk (ERF 6).................................................................................................... 122 HazMat - High Risk (ERF 9)............................................................................................................ 122 HazMat - Max Risk (ERF 17)........................................................................................................... 123 Technical Rescue - Low Risk (ERF 5)............................................................................................. 123 Technical Rescue - Moderate Risk (ERF 9).................................................................................... 124 Technical Rescue - High Risk (ERF 11).......................................................................................... 124 Wildland - Low Risk (ERF 3).......................................................................................................... 125 Wildland - Moderate Risk (ERF 3)................................................................................................. 125 Wildland - High Risk (ERF 16)........................................................................................................ 126 Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue | Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Wildland - Max Risk (ERF 19)........................................................................................................ 126 I. Evaluation of Service Delivery..................................................................................................................... 127 Performance Objectives – Benchmarks............................................................................................ 127 Performance Objectives – Baselines................................................................................................. 129 Community Areas for Program Delivery and Coverage Improvement............................................ 138 Recommendations for Improved Effectiveness in Deployment and Coverage................................ 139 J. Performance Maintenance and Improvement Plans................................................................................. 140 Compliance Team / Responsibility................................................................................................... 140 Performance Evaluation and Compliance Strategy........................................................................... 141 Compliance Verification Reporting.................................................................................................. 141 Continuous Improvement Strategy................................................................................................... 142 Improvements Resulting from Study Implemented.......................................................................... 143 K. Appendices..................................................................................................................................................... 144 Appendix A: Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue East Region Travel Time Analysis........................ 144 Appendix B: Compiled Performance Districts................................................................................. 145 Works Cited........................................................................................................................................................... 157 Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue | Community Risk Assessment-Standards of Cover Executive Summary The Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover is a collaboration between the Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue Accreditation Team, the entire executive leadership team, personnel assigned to special assignment positions working under members of the accreditation team, and other departments that fall under the umbrella of the Bernalillo County governmental structure. It includes input from the Bernalillo County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, Bernalillo County Behavioral Health Services, Bernalillo County Budget Department, Bernalillo County Office of Emergency Management, and Bernalillo County Emergency Communications Department. I want to express my sincere gratitude to County Manager Julie Morgas Baca and to the Bernalillo County Commission for their enduring support of Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue. This document is intended to provide a synopsis of the risks encountered in the communities the department serves, how it responds to and addresses those risks, and to identify opportunities where the communities can be made safer and more resilient. We are proud to present this document to the community as an overview of the services and resources Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue provides. It is our honor to serve the community. Sincerely, Greg Perez Fire Chief 1 A. Description of Community Served Introduction This document is the Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover for Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue (BCFR or “Department”). It is based on three years (2020 through 2022) of comprehensive data and an analysis of the risks in the community served by BCFR. This document is intended to function as a tool from which organizational leaders can make decisions related to the coverage and deployment of resources. The document follows the model created by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Community Risk Assessment: Standards of Cover, 6th Edition. The components of this analysis include a description of Bernalillo County area characteristics, an all-hazards risk assessment, a comprehensive analysis of current deployment along with performance, and a plan for maintaining and improving response capabilities. Community and Department Legal Basis Bernalillo County is legally established by County Ordinance as follows: Bernalillo County is a political subdivision of the State of New Mexico, operating on behalf of the residents of Bernalillo County and funded primarily through property and gross receipts taxes. All elected officials and employees of Bernalillo County derive their mission and authority from the taxpayers of Bernalillo County. It is the right and obligation of taxpayers and voters of Bernalillo County to participate in their government in order to hold public officials accountable. Public access to information and records generated by government institutions is essential to government's accountability to the public. It is the intent of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners to provide ready access to public documents, information, and records. (Ord. No. 2012-25, 11-13-12) The county government is subdivided into divisions and departments. Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue is authorized in county code as follows: The organization, administration and operation of Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue is established and governed by the board of county commissioners, through the office of the fire chief. (Ord. No. 02-5, 9-24-02; Ord. No. 2021-22, 11-9-21) (a) The quality of life is enhanced by the vigorous administration of effective fire prevention, fire suppression and emergency medical services throughout the county. (b) Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue is a career department, delivering quality emergency prevention and field emergency services to the citizens of the County. (c) Providing these services is consistent with the constitutionally prescribed functions of government to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the general public. (d)It is the policy of the county to provide staffing, funding and equipping of Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue within available resources consistent with the standards of local, state and national standards. (e) Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue is a department established in numbered fire districts; each assigned a geographic operational area. Those district boundaries presently in existence are hereby ratified, subject to the continuing power of this board of county commissioners to change such boundaries in the future. (f) The county recognizes that private corporations perform useful functions in support of the fire department. However, emergency and field services provided by Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue are 2 exclusively governmental activities. Private corporations have no authority to manage the operations of the fire department, or any part of the department, including fire districts. (Ord. No. 02-5, 9-24-02; Ord. No. 2021-22, 11-9-21) History of the Community Bernalillo County dates to the Spanish Colonial Period 1598-1821. From 1610 to 1680, New Mexico’s historical archives show the Spanish influence on the natives of the land. Clashes over missionary efforts eventually gave rise to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. For a time, the Indians were victorious in driving out their European conquerors. The Spanish re- conquest did not truly succeed until years later when Don Diego de Vargas finally claimed the territory as “New Spain” in 1696. 1 While Coronado’s exploration of “New Map 1: Spanish Borderland Spain” occurred as early as 1540 in the Tiguex area near present-day Bernalillo, the first colony was not settled until 1598. The Village of Bernalillo was originally a military outpost and was not recognized by that name until 1695. In 1821, Mexico declared itself free from Spain. Under Mexican rule, the vast land area of “Nuevo Mejico” was divided into four cabeceras (headquarters) on January 4, 1823. This new governmental division, which extended as far south as Socorro, can be considered the origin of Bernalillo County. On June 17, 1844, the Mexican Junta Department reorganized the subdivision of the province, creating three prefecturas. The third subdivision consisted of the Rio Abajo area, which eventually evolved into the counties of Bernalillo, Socorro, and Valencia. Map 2: Territories of New Mexico and Utah (1862) Under Mexican rule, the original boundaries of Bernalillo County extended from Texas to California. In this 1862 map (above), Bernalillo County still extended to the San Bernardino Valley in California. The town of Bernalillo is called Bernalita, further evidence for the origin of “little Bernal”—a village named after the children of the Bernal family. 1 Bernalillo County. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bernco.gov/uploads/files/CommunityServices/history.pdf 3 Bernalillo County was named for the town of Bernalillo, the original county seat. Records show that in 1849, the town of Bernalillo was one of the largest in the territory and housed the Circuit Court. The origin of the name Bernalillo is believed to be from the family name Bernal, original settlers of the village. In 1850 the census placed the population of Bernalillo County at 7,751. The Territorial Legislature moved the Bernalillo County seat to Ranchos de Albuquerque in 1851 and required District Court to be held there. Albuquerque did not become the permanent county seat until 1883 2. Community Financial Basis Bernalillo County’s mission is to be an effective steward of county resources and a partner in building a high quality of life for county residents, communities, and businesses. In 2018, Bernalillo County Government received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the Annual Budget Preparation and the Certified Annual Financial Report (CAFR) from Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). Bernalillo County adheres to the State of New Mexico Procurement Code and the newly adopted “Home Rule,” in which purchasing locally is the new standard to promote the local economy. As part of transparency initiatives, Bernalillo County utilizes a strategic plan to ensure that the county meets the community's needs. According to the county’s fiscally adopted policies and procedures, Bernalillo County is on a biennial budget but submits for County Commission approval yearly. All programs and expenditures are supported by current revenue and previous year approved carryover. The budget is established based on the fixed previous year’s activity and set goods and services with an expected 5% increase. This information is entered into the county- wide financial system. The budget is reviewed by the Bernalillo County Budget Department, which then combines all the county department’s requested budgets and presents one complete budget to the County Commission. BCFR established performance measures and objectives to achieve targets that align with the county's business strategies and the goals for Public Safety. The department’s objectives identify a short-term initiative or project and the action steps that it will take to meet the measurable outcome. Once a performance measure or objective is accomplished, the department identifies, tracks, and reports a new performance measure or objective. The department has a full-time accountant on staff. On an annual basis, each division chief prepares a needs list, presented to the chief of fire and rescue to identify the top needs of a given division within BCFR. Needs are then prioritized in consult with the executive leadership team, and purchasing decisions are made. 2 Bernalillo County. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bernco.gov/uploads/files/CommunityServices/history.pdf 4 Table 1: Bernalillo County General Fund Operating Revenues BCFR receives funding from the General Fund to support the salaries and benefits associated with personnel costs. For fiscal year (FY) 2022, BCFR received $32,288,768.27 for salaries and benefits and an operational expenditure budget included of $148,510 for expenses incurred within the department to support operations that cannot be paid for out of fire protection funds. Current financial resources are adequate to support the department’s mission, goals, and objectives. Every year, BCFR applies for and receives the majority of its operational budget to fund 14 stations, two substations, and an administration building from the New Mexico Fire Protection Fund Distribution (FPF) through the State of New Mexico Public Regulation Commission-Fire Marshal, Public Safety, and Law Enforcement State Fire Marshal Fire Protection Fund Statute 59A-53-5.1 NMSA as an Insurance Service Office (ISO) 3. The FPF is generated from a 3% tax assessed to all New Mexico residents who pay automobile insurance premiums, including RV’s, boats, and motorcycles, and residents who pay fire insurance premiums paid on homeowners insurance policies in the state of New Mexico. BCFR initially sets the budget according to the yearly guaranteed distribution of funds, then prepares a budget adjustment to account for the remaining increase based on the fund's growth. The minimum funding BCFR receives from the fire protection fund is $1,117,233 annually for administration, 14 main stations, and two sub-stations. On an annual basis, BCFR Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division applies for the State of New Mexico Department of Health Emergency Medical Services Fund Act, NMAC 7.27.4, which is established to make funds available to municipalities and counties, in proportion to their needs, for use in the establishment and enhancement of local emergency medical services to reduce injury and loss of life. The EMS Fund Act is derived from New Mexico tax dollars which the department is funded up to, but not exceeding, $20,000. BCFR acts as the fiscal agent over the EMS Fund Act, which provides funding that was applied for and used by four other EMS agencies in FY22. Each entity is required to follow Bernalillo County’s financial policies and application/compliance procedures. The EMS budget is established on the $20,000, based on the previous year’s activity and the compliance throughout the fiscal year. At the direction of the Fire Chief, the Financial Administrator supports and acts as the fiscal manager for the Village of Los Ranchos’ (VLR) FPF distribution per the current agreement to provide fire and EMS services to the 5 VLR at a rate of $453,200 per year. This money goes into the General Fund to pay the salaries and benefits for the fifteen fire personnel assigned to Station 30. Additionally, the VLR FPF distribution is used for the daily operations of the VLR to include the purchase of apparatus. BCFR is always seeking additional forms of revenue, which include grants. In FY23, BCFR applied for Federal, State, and Local grants to help enhance operations. Recent grants that BCFR has been awarded include: SAFER Grant BCFR applied for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant in Federal Fiscal Year 2019, which is a staffing grant offered through FEMA. This grant was used to hire seven new firefighters. In March of 2021, BCFR was awarded $1,491,893.97 for salaries and benefits for the seven new positions. Leary Firefighter Foundation In FY18, BCFR applied for and received $14,269.50 in funding for the Blue Card Training Program. This project was undertaken to ensure that all officers at BCFR are trained in a comprehensive incident command program. Each officer in the department is certified bi-annually to ensure competency in managing all levels of incidents. The Leary Firefighter Foundation funding has improved the consistency of service delivery in the area of incident command for the department. In 2017, a 1/16 operating Gross Receipts Tax (GRT), also known as the Public Safety Tax, was enacted. The new GRT is dedicated to public safety operations, generating approximately $10 million annually. One major highlight of the recurring revenue received by BCFR is the $1.4 million that was allocated to fund the recurring fleet replacement plan. The Public Safety Tax helps fund the replacement of apparatus each year. The average area BCFR serves per station is 50 square miles, with a population density of 253 per square mile. The total cost of service per square mile for FY22 is $50,999 (30,650,891/601 square miles), including all department personnel and operational costs. The per capita fire loss in the area covered by this evaluation, between 2020 and 2022, was $12.82 per capita. 6 Table 2: Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue Revenues FY20-22 FIRE & RESCUE BUDGET Revenues & Expenditures FY20 - FY22 FY20 FY21 FY22 11001 GENERAL FUND 25,590,884.00 25,660,938.00 26,547,832.00 11005 1/16TH PS GRT 619,948.00 655,300.00 691,639.00 12006 1/8 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH GRT 0 - 165,099.00 12101 FIRE MARSHAL STATE OF NM 1,246,007.00 1,503,434.00 1,884,197.00 12102 EMS NM DEPT OF HEALTH 100,000.00 100,000.00 100,000.00 12901 GRANTS 1,600,000.00 - 2,900,000.00 Total 29,156,839.00 27,919,672.00 32,288,767.00 Table 3: Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue Expenditure Budget FY21-24 7 Community Boundaries The legal boundaries of Bernalillo County are established in New Map 3: Bernalillo County, New Mexico Mexico state law. The boundaries of the County of Bernalillo are as follows: drawing a direct line toward the east toward the Bosque de los Pinos, touching the Canon Infierno, and terminating with the boundaries of the territory, drawing a direct line from the Bosque de los Pinos, crossing the Rio del Norte in the direction of the Quelites del Rio Puerco, and continuing in the direction of the canon of Juan Tafoya, until it terminates with the boundaries of the territory; on the north by the boundaries of Santa Ana and San Miguel; on the east and west by the boundaries of this territory. (Section 4-1-1 NMSA 1978) The legal boundary is further annotated to include: The present boundaries of Bernalillo county may be as follows: commencing at the southwest corner of section 34, township 8 north, range 5 east; thence east [description from 4-30-1 NMSA 1978] on the township line between townships 7 and 8 north to the southeast corner of township 8 north, range 7 east; thence north on the range line between ranges 7 and 8 east to the northeast corner of township 8 north, range 7 east, on the second standard parallel north; thence west on said standard parallel to the southeast corner of township 9 north, range 6 east; thence north on the range line between ranges 6 and 7 east [description from 4-30-1 NMSA 1978 and 4-26-1 NMSA 1978] to the northeast corner of township 11 north of range 6 east; thence west [description from 4-23-1 NMSA 1978] on the township line between townships 11 and 12 north to the boundary line of Valencia county [described in 4-1-1 NMSA 1978 as being on the straight line running from the Quelites del Rio Puerco (an old community on the Rio Puerco just below its junction with the Rio San Jose) in the direction of the Canon of Juan Tafoya]; thence in a south-southeasterly direction along said boundary line to its intersection with a line directly west from the Bosque de los Pinos (township line between townships 7 and 8 north); thence east along said township line toward the Bosque de los Pinos to the center of the Rio Grande; thence following the thread of the river upstream in a northeasterly direction to a point immediately west of a point [description from 4-1-2 NMSA 1978] on the east bank of the Rio Grande where the southern foot of the Loma de Isleta strikes the Rio Grande; thence easterly to the Canon del Infierno; thence following up the Canon del Infierno to the point where it crosses the section line between sections 27 and 28 in township 8 north of range 5 east; thence, south along section line to the point of beginning. [The Bernalillo-Valencia line from the Canon del Infierno (Hell canyon) to the old boundary between the two counties is not defined by law. The accepted boundary seems to be that described in the last two clauses above.] 3 Community Planning Areas Bernalillo County’s 1,167 square miles contain a large percentage of the population base for the state of New Mexico. The county is separated into four Census County Divisions (CCD), including Albuquerque, East Bernalillo, 3 NM One Source. (1995). Chapter 4: Counties Article 1. Retrieved from NM One Source: https://laws.nmonesource.com/w/nmos/Chapter-4-NMSA-1978-1997?zoupio-debug#!fragment/zoupio- _Toc2934589/(hash:(chunk:(anchorText:zoupio-_Toc2934589),notesQuery:'',scrollChunk:!n,searchQuery:'Section%204-1- 1%20NMSA%201978',searchSortBy:RELEVANCE,tab:search) 8 Isleta Pueblo, and West Bernalillo. It is further subdivided for statistical purposes into twenty-two Census Designated Places (CDP). Map 4: Census County Divisions (CCD) Bernalillo County is split down the center by the Rio Grande River, which runs from the northern border to the county's southern border. It is primarily comprised of land areas with no significant bodies of water lying within its boundaries. Map 5: 2020 Census Blocks in Fire Districts Community Transportation Systems The City of Albuquerque Transit Department provides 41 routes of bus service that serve the City of Albuquerque, the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County, and portions of the City of Rio Rancho. 9 In the late 1970s, ABQ Ride began providing bus service to the mobility impaired elderly and disabled persons through a fleet of specialized buses. This service is known as the Sun Van Program. ABQ ride provides service to and from the Albuquerque International Airport and New Mexico Rail Runner. The majority of ABQ ride buses are powered by Natural Gas, providing a unique hazard to BCFR crews during an emergency. The risk of a natural gas release and ensuing fire requires additional training and preparation for this hazard. Ridership for FY18 was 9,659,837 4 , with 754,039 riders on the routes running in whole or in part of Bernalillo County. A new service known as Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) is subsidized by the federal government, which offered substantial support to local governments willing to operate mass transit systems. The ART service is also supported by Bernalillo County for the routes that serve the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County. All rail services in and out of Albuquerque run through the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County. The rail service utilizes the same rail lines owned by the New Mexico Department of Transportation and consists of both passengers and cargo. New Mexico hosts 2,055 miles of railroad right-of-way including two major transcontinental rail corridors critical for the movement of goods on the national freight network (Cambridge Systematics, Inc., Bohannan Huston, Inc., Karpoff & Associates, 2014). “More than 127 million tons valued at $8.5 billion were hauled on the New Mexico Rail system in 2009” (Cambridge Systematics, Inc., Bohannan Huston, Inc., Karpoff & Associates, 2014). Of all the cargo, 88% is pass-through cargo on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Union Pacific railroad systems. New Mexico rail lines are an important part of the national rail system due to the topography. New Mexico offers railroad builders a route that avoids the tallest ranges of the Rocky Mountains and relatively mild winters with minimal snowpack to impede the movement of goods. In 2018, Amtrak ridership through the Albuquerque station was 828,480 5 passengers aboard the Southwest Chief. Passengers utilize Amtrak for cross-country travel from Albuquerque aboard the Southwest Chief with direct service to 32 cities. Travel is provided by one train daily eastbound and one train daily westbound. Two interstates intersect in the center of Bernalillo County. Interstate 25 (I-25) begins 250 miles south of Albuquerque in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and travels north for 1,062 miles to Buffalo, Wyoming. Interstate 40 (I- 40) begins in Barstow, California, and ends 2,554 miles later in Wilmington, North Carolina. Interstate 40 is the third-longest interstate in the United States. Due to the terrain and the limited availability of class I tracks for the rail system, the trucking industry provides the majority of cargo transportation within and through Bernalillo County. I-40 spans Bernalillo County for over 40 miles from east to west. Traffic flowing through Tijeras canyon is recorded at 57,800 vehicles per day. I-25 serves rural farming and residential areas in Valencia County. Commuters to and from the state capital of Santa Fe and commuters from Sandoval County contribute to the traffic count of 73,400 vehicles per day in the north, whereas southern traffic flows are recorded at 48,200 vehicles per day. Among the users of I-40 are Waste Isolation Pilot Plant vehicles transporting low-level nuclear waste east through Tijeras Canyon to State Highway 84/285, where the waste is transported to its final destination in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Each of these important roadways travel through the unincorporated areas served by Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue. The largest civil airport in New Mexico is the Albuquerque International Airport, known as the Sunport. In 2018, 5,410,581 passengers utilized the Sunport. The Sunport has been in operation at the same location since its opening in 1939. There are eight major carriers transporting passengers to and from the Sunport. UPS and FedEx 4 ABQ RIDE Ridership Statistics by Route Fiscal Year 2018 (July 2017 through June 2018). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cabq.gov/transit/documents/fy18-annual-productivity-summary.pdf 5 Amtrak service in Albuquerque, NM. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/1687/abq.pdf 10 provide cargo service through the Sunport 6. Due to the mountain range on the eastern aspect of the airport, runways 8 and 3 are utilized for most landings into the Sunport. Runway 21, the inverse of runway 3, is consequently used for the majority of takeoffs from the Sunport. Each of these runways has flight paths over the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County. These flight paths cover mostly residential areas with some commercial areas, including all fuel supply depots serving the northern half of the state 7. Community Critical Infrastructure Bernalillo County assesses critical infrastructure, including water distribution, storm drainage, power distribution, natural gas service, and telecommunications. Multiple water service companies provide water supply for Bernalillo County. The largest is the Albuquerque Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA), which serves the Albuquerque metro area and large areas of the north and south valleys. ABCWUA provides drinking derived from 90 wells across the city and supplied from the San Juan Chama project that diverts stream water runoff from the San Juan River into the Chama River. Water flows from the Chama River into the Rio Grande, where it is removed for filtering and treatment before being added to the drinking water system8. Other water sources are provided sparsely throughout areas of the East Mountains by multiple smaller water companies. The Tijeras Water Cooperative serves the incorporated village of Tijeras with an 80,000-gallon supply tank, which supplies 17 fire hydrants with six-inch supply lines. The remainder of the water supply companies are small private companies designed to service only small subdivisions. Forest Park has two storage tanks with a total capacity of 107,500 gallons of storage, 23,000 gallons of regular daily use, and 13 fire hydrants fed by four-inch supply lines. Sierra Vista North has two storage tanks of 250,000 gallons supplying 17 fire hydrants throughout the subdivision. Sierra Vista South maintains two storage tanks with a capacity of 105,000 gallons of water feeding 13 fire hydrants on six-inch supply lines or smaller. Sandia Knolls subdivision is a large subdivision with densely wooded lots ranging from one to five acres. One fire hydrant is located on the system that also contains 170,000 gallons of storage capacity. The topography and geography make water supply in this area a challenge when any fire occurs. The Tranquillo Pines Water system is another large subdivision in a heavily wooded mountainous area. The four wells in this area produce 10 to 15 gallons per minute but are only able to run 50% of the time. The mountainous terrain produces poor water flow making these hydrants difficult to obtain a constant flow. The low flow of their wells limits the amount of water available without crippling the system and leaving residents without water. The Chilili Water Co-Op supports three fire hydrants on a two-inch supply line from a 30,000-gallon water supply tank. Cedar Crest water supplies water to a few select businesses with an 80,000-gallon supply tank. This system supports five fire hydrants - two on an eight-inch main and three on a six-inch main. Storm Drainage in the greater Albuquerque area is handled by the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA), a political subdivision of the State of New Mexico. AMAFCA controls more than 4,000 acres within its boundaries. 6 Facts and Figures. (2019). Retrieved from https://abqsunport.com/about-us/facts-and-figures/ 7 Coffman Associates, Inc. (2002). Albuquerque international Sunport: Airport Master Plan. Retrieved from https://www.cabq.gov/planning/documents/ABQInternationalSunportMasterPlan.pdf 8 Water 2120: Securing Our Water Future. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.abcwua.org/uploads/files/Water_2120_Volume_I.pdf 11 AMAFCA owns and maintains 69 miles of improved and natural channels, nine miles of underground facilities, and seven miles of dikes and diversion structures. AMAFCA also owns and maintains 35 flood control dams throughout the greater Albuquerque area and a number of stormwater quality facilities. 9 AMAFCA was the local sponsor for the construction of the North and South Diversion Channels. The North Diversion Channel drains northeast Albuquerque and can carry 44,000 cubic feet of water per second at its outlet. The smaller South Diversion Channel protects the southeast valley by intercepting flows from southeast Albuquerque and the Tijeras Arroyo. The North Diversion Channel passes through and terminates in Bernalillo County. Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) provides a majority of the electrical power for the greater Albuquerque Area. PNM derives electricity from multiple sources such as coal, gas, oil, nuclear, and solar. Bernalillo County houses a combination gas/oil burning electrical generation plant in the South Valley. Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative provides electrical power to a small portion of Bernalillo County in the east mountain areas adjacent to Santa Fe and Torrance County. NM Gas Company is the sole provider of natural gas service for the Albuquerque area. Most homes and businesses in the north and south valley are provided with natural gas service. Due to the rural nature of homes in the eastern portion of Bernalillo County, propane is the primary gas used for heating and cooking. CenturyLink communications provides landline-based communications in the greater Albuquerque area providing hybrid networking, cloud connectivity, and security solutions on its fiber network. Comcast provides VOIP landline communications over their cable TV network. Local cellular systems are provided by Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. Many mobile virtual network operators, including Metro PCS, Boost Mobile, and Comcast, utilize the systems to provide cellular service. 9 ABOUT AMAFCA. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://amafca.org/about-amafca/ 12 Community Land Use and Zoning The top three land use types in Bernalillo County are vacant land, single-family residences, and parks/recreation property. The largest percentage of land use is vacant land at 69.9% of the total property covered by BCFR. Single- family residences account for 14.2% of the total area covered by BCFR, followed by parks and recreation property at 9.2%. Of the three regions, the North Region has the highest density of both industrial/manufacturing property and single-family dwellings. Table 4: Land Use by Type for BCFR Area Land Use Total Agriculture 1.1% Commercial Retail 0.2% Commercial Service 0.6% Drainage / Flood Control 0.9% Industrial / Manufacturing 1.7% Multi-Family 0.1% Parking Lots / Structures 0.0% Parks / Recreation 9.2% Public / Institutional 0.6% Single Family 14.2% Transportation / Utilities 1.1% Vacant / Other 69.9% Wholesale / Warehousing 0.3% Map 6: Land Use within Fire Districts 13 Community Topography Bernalillo County is in central New Mexico and is the most populous county in the state. The City of Albuquerque, the Villages of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, and the Village of Tijeras lie within Bernalillo County. The county consists of an area of almost 768,000 acres. This includes 297,060 acres of federal lands, such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Forest Service. Also, 124,160 acres of designated incorporated municipal land, 324,380 acres of non-municipal private land, and 22,400 acres of non-municipal State of New Mexico public land. Bernalillo County stretches from the Sandia Mountains in the eastern portion of the county to the high desert grasslands above the Rio Grande Valley on the western edge. The Sandia Mountains are bordered by the Manzano Mountains to the south of the Tijeras Canyon. The Rio Grande runs north to south through central Bernalillo County, the City of Albuquerque, and the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Community Geography Bernalillo County is located at 35.05778954°(N), -106.70379925°(W) in central New Mexico, approximately 60 miles southwest of Santa Fe, in the Rio Grande Valley. The county is bordered by three Native American reservations, including the Sandia Reservation to the north, the Isleta reservation to the south, and the Laguna Reservation to the west. Two major interstates intersect near the center of the county, I-40, traveling east and west, and I-25, traveling north and south. The area is a major thoroughfare for semi-trucks and people traveling from the east to the west or vice versa. Community Geology The Sandia Mountains were formed as a result of the Rio Grande Rift, which began to form approximately 10 million years ago. The Sandia Mountains are a mix of Pre-Cambrian Granite and Pennsylvanian limestone. The geologic composite of the mountain is found 15,000 feet below the surface. As the mountains rose, they eroded, carrying sand, silt, mud, and water down to the Rio Grande River basin. The river continues to carry the sediment downstream, therefore, shaping the current landscape 10. Approximately 150,000 years ago, magma made its way through the Rio Grande fault and began to form a series of volcanos on the western edge of the county. These volcanos were active up until 70,000 years ago. There are three distinct features on the western edge that were formed as a result of a fissure eruption. The lava flow from these volcanos extended eastward towards Albuquerque and formed a plateau known as the West Mesa. 10 Molly Reardon. (2012). The Rio Grande Rift: Albuquerque Basin. Retrieved from http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/student/reardon3/RIFT%20NEW2.html 14 As many parts of Bernalillo County sit on a Rio Grande rift, earthquakes do occur. However, they are rare and are categorized as moderate compared to California and Utah. The last earthquake to occur in Albuquerque was on July 17, 1985. The quake's epicenter was in the northeast area of town and measured a 1.9 on the Richter scale. Heavy rains are common in the Bernalillo County area and can cause flash floods, especially during the late summer and early fall months. However, mudslides do not generally occur due to the soil consisting of mostly sand. Both manufactured and naturally occurring flood channels help divert water throughout the county and the city of Albuquerque. These flood channels known as arroyos flow from the base of the mountain to the Rio Grande River on the east side of the county and from the West Mesa to the Rio Grande on the county's west side. Community Physiography Bernalillo County consists of a diverse landscape and elevation, from the Rio Grande Valley with an elevation of 4,900 feet to the Sandia Peak with an elevation of 10,678 feet. The area along the Rio Grande River is known as the Bosque. This area consists of large cottonwood and salt cedar trees. Other vegetation in the Bosque area includes various shrubs and grasses, which create undergrowth for the larger trees. Many different species of migratory birds and year-round residents are common in the Bosque area 11. Community Climate Bernalillo County is located on a semi-arid plateau, resulting in low humidity and warm temperatures. The area has a moderate climate with a yearly average of 55.45°F. The average low temperature is approximately 41.1°F, and the average high temperature is 69.8°F. The average annual rainfall is 12.34 inches, and snowfall averages nearly 11 inches for the Bernalillo County area, with a much higher annual snowfall in the higher elevations of the Sandia Mountains 12. Table 5: Average Temperatures and Precipitation by Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average high in °F: 47 52 60 69 78 89 92 90 83 71 58 48 Average low in °F: 20 25 31 38 48 58 64 62 54 42 29 22 Av. precipitation 0.7 0.6 0.79 0.9 0.79 0.8 1.7 2.1 1.3 1.4 0.8 0.6 in inch: https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/bernalillo/new-mexico/united-states/usnm0385 Snowfall and precipitation in the Sandia Mountains can be very different from what is seen throughout the county otherwise. Table 6: Sandia Peak Average Precipitation/Snowfall Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average high in ºF 43 47 53 61 71 82 84 81 75 64 52 43 Average low in ºF 22 26 31 37 46 53 58 57 50 40 30 22 Av. precipitation in 1.5 0.86 1.79 1 0.99 1.2 3.3 2.87 1.9 1.8 1.27 1.5 inch Av. snowfall in inch 11 10 13 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 11 11 Open Space Alliance, Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds: Birding Hotspot Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://openspacealliance.org/images/Birding-Hotspot-Guide-5.5x8.5-booklet.pdf 12 U.S. climate data. (n.d.). https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/bernalillo/new-mexico/united-states/usnm0385 15 Wind speeds vary in Bernalillo County depending on the season. From February to June, the average wind speed is 8 mph, increasing during April to 10.2 mph. The rest of the year, from February to June, the average speed is 5.9 mph. This speed is measured at a distance of 10 meters above the ground. The wind speed is dependent on the topography of any given area. For instance, the Sandia Mountains and the Tijeras canyon can increase wind speeds as it travels through the canyon, causing much greater speeds for the area just to the west Figure 1: Average Wind Speed of the canyon. However, the remainder of the county might not experience the increase in speed. Humidity in Bernalillo County is relatively low compared to other areas in the United States. The average humidity for the area is 43.8%. This ranks the Bernalillo County area, including Albuquerque, the 33rd on the top 101 cities in the United States. Figure 2: Average Relative Humidity 16 Community Population/Population Densities The total population of Bernalillo County is 672,508, though Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue provides service to 119,1991 of Table 7: Population by Region those residents. The department does not provide first-due Bernalillo County Fire Dept. Population by emergency response in the City of Albuquerque, with the Region exception of several automatic-aid areas. The service area for Square Miles Population BCFR includes two incorporated villages and approximately 469 North Region 28 28,370 square miles of unincorporated land. South Region 242 75,043 East Region 199 15,786 The coverage area for BCFR is largely rural, apart from a couple Note. Data from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau of population centers, which produce the majority of the call volume for the department. The South Region of the county is the most populated, with just over 85,000 residents. The department uses the twelve fire districts as planning zones for the purpose of developing standards. Table 8: Population Density by Fire District BCFR Population/Density by Fire District for Region Square Miles Population District 30 6 10,144 District 31 9 8,174 North Region District 35 7 2,276 District 36 6 7,776 District 32 6 21,600 District 33 142 29,653 South Region District 34 55 13,407 District 38 39 10,383 District 40 40 3,613 District 41 96 4,424 East Region District 43 31 5,051 District 46 32 2,698 Note. Data from the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau 17 Community Demographic Features Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue provides service to three very different socio-economic communities within the unincorporated area of Bernalillo County. Approximately 18.6% of the population in the service area, to which BCFR responds, lives below the poverty line. This statistic is concerning to BCFR as it is over 50% higher than the national average of 11.6%. The South Region of the county is most affected by the high poverty rate. South Region Districts 38, 32, and 33, respectively, have the highest poverty rates in the county. Table 9: Bernalillo County Demographics Bernalillo County Fire Jurisdiction Quick Facts Population in 2020 119,199 Persons under five years, percent, 2020 5.1% Persons 65 years and over, 2020 17.4% White alone, percent, 2020 32.1% Hispanic or Latino, percent, 2020 60.6% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 1.4% American Indian/Native American 1.9% Persons below the poverty level 15.2% Total Housing Units 51,070 Residential Properties 47,466 U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Demographically, Bernalillo County has a very diverse population. Taken together, the service area for BCFR is represented by a Hispanic population that is almost three times the national average at 60.6%. The jurisdiction is also represented by a Native American population of 1.9%. This population distribution contributes to a rich culture and history for the jurisdiction where BCFR provides first-due service. The vast majority of jobs in Bernalillo County are government related. The top three employers by the number of employees in Bernalillo County include Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque Public Schools, and the University of New Mexico Hospital. (Partnership, 2018) 13 These three employers account for almost 30,000 jobs in the Albuquerque metro area. Government jobs make up much of the employment distribution for the entire state of New Mexico. 13 Partnership, N. M. (2018). New Mexico's Largest Employers. Retrieved from New Mexico Partnership: https://nmpartnership.com/incentives-data/new-mexico-largest-employers/ 18 B. History of the Agency Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue (BCFR) was founded as a single station with 16 original volunteers in 1958. Since 1958, it has grown to a 12-district professional fire department. It provides 24-hour service to the community with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. It is now the second-largest career fire department in the state of New Mexico. To follow are some of the milestones the department has achieved in its rise to the professional organization it stands as today. Major Historical Milestones of the Department 1958 BCFR established Alameda Fire Protection District # 1 established with 16 volunteers Received first engine (used) from the Phoenix Fire Department for $100 Fire Station # 1 opened District #1 received a tanker capable of carrying 2,000 gallons of water Los Ranchos De Albuquerque fire station opened 1960 Fire Station 2 (Five Points Fire District) opened Fire Station 3 (Barcelona fire District) opened Fire Station 4 (Pajarito Fire District) opened Fire Station 5 (Sandia Heights Fire District) opened Fire Station 6 (Sandia Crest Fire District) opened Fire Station 10 (Tijeras Fire District) opened 1961 Fire Station 7 (Paradise Hills Fire District) opened, now Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) Station 22 Fire Station 8 (Mountain View Fire District) opened Chief Bert Winfield hired as first fire marshal 1963 Fire Station 9 (North Edith Fire District) opened 1964 Station 14 turned over to the City of Albuquerque 1972 Mark James Valdez became the first full-time firefighter in District # 2 (Five Points), making $400 a month. County Commission approves hiring 11 full-time drivers for each of the 11 fire districts paying $525 a month. 1973/1974 Fire Station 11 opened (Ponderosa Pines Fire District) 1977 The title of fire marshal changed to fire chief 1996 19 Department moves to 24/48-hour shift with two personnel at every station except stations 1, 3, and 10, which had two personnel on an engine and two paramedics on a rescue. 1997 Fire Station 13 (District 43) opened 2000 AFR assumed responsibility for District’s 7 and 9 2004 Staffed an officer on every shift at every station 2005 BCFR received additional 13 new firefighter positions 2006 Entire department became International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Fire Fighter II BCFR received 12 new firefighter positions 2007 John Garcia named as chief of BCFR Received additional five firefighter positions Instituted formal 16-week Fire Cadet Training Academy Program Staffed every station and shift with a minimum of four personnel All station and apparatus numbers changed to avoid confusion when operating at incidents with other departments. 2008 Received ten firefighter positions Began 10-year apparatus replacement plan 2009 Added three deputy fire marshal positions Assumed responsibility of Los Ranchos De Albuquerque Received seven firefighters, three lieutenants, and one commander position with the merge of Village of Los Ranchos De Albuquerque Apparatus engineer was created as a specialty, but not job class Certified Apparatus Engineer Program began 20 2010 Created new lieutenant position Commander rank was divided into battalion commanders (six) and division chiefs (five) 2011 Established a captain rank, one per region 31, 38, and 40 (9 positions) New training tower constructed at academy BCFR re-acquires AFR Station 9 and renames to Station 36 Received additional 11 firefighter positions Increased commander staffing to nine, one commander per region per shift Engineer position changed from a specialty to a ranked position that created/funded 42 engineers from the firefighter positions 2012 Last of the volunteers resigned or were released from the department Received seven new paramedic positions 2013 Frank Barka named Fire Chief Advanced Life Support (ALS) rescues at every station Every station staffed with five personnel: one officer and one paramedic, one engineer, and two firefighters 2014 Metro Air Support Air Rescue Task Force Program initiated with Bernalillo County Sheriff Office (BCSO). 2015 Chris Celya named Fire Chief Established automatic aid agreement with AFR for closest unit response Formal department Wildland Program with 40-hour wildland coordinator 2016 Active shooter training initiated Entire department trained to IFSAC Firefighter II level All chief officers, commanders, and captains receive Blue Card incident command training 2017 Department moved to 48/96 shifts with a minimum of five personnel at each station. SAFER grant added additional ten firefighters to BCFR 2018 Greg Perez named as Fire Chief BCFR Drone Program initiated Instituted captains at every station, added three captain positions, reduced lieutenant positions by three All officers received Blue Card incident command training 21 2019 Active shooter curriculum in cooperation with BCSO, first state-approved rescue taskforce curriculum SAFER grant added additional seven firefighters to BCFR Created Airboat Training Program certified by Department of Interior (DOI) US Fish and Wildlife Created an additional four captain positions due to conversion from lieutenant Full-time rescue specialist paramedic position at BCSO hanger for metro air support unit (MASU) 2020 BCFR added 6 uniformed personnel Began planning for new fire station on west side of Albuquerque 2021 Awarded SAFER Grant for 7 Full-time firefighters Began hiring personnel to staff newly approved west-side fire station 2022 Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue experienced its first line of duty death Implementation of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Completion of the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan Obtained credentialing to bill for transports Fire department Continuity of Operations Plan Added five support personnel Current Legal Boundary of Service Area The current legal boundary and service area for BCFR is identified on the following map. The boundaries have not changed since 2002, when they were adopted by Bernalillo County Ord. No. 02-5, 9-24-02. The service area is split into three distinct regions, including the North Region (illustrated in blue), South Region (illustrated in brown), and East Region (illustrated in green). Geographically, the three regions are separated by the City of Albuquerque, and there is no continuity from one region to the next. 22 Map 7: Legal Service Boundaries Current Organization, Divisions, Programs, and Services Under the authority of the Bernalillo County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 34, Article 2, the Fire Chief determines and implements the organizational structure and functionality of the fire department to provide an efficient service to protect the public while being a good steward of the county budget. Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue chief staff consists of the Fire Chief, the Deputy Chief of Operations, the Deputy Chief of Administration, the Division Chiefs of Training, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Fire Prevention Bureau, Logistics, and Support Services. The department is supported by a civilian administrative staff tasked with various administrative services, including timekeeping and payroll, creating the budget and maintaining finances, procurement, logistics and warehouse, grant assistance, and administrative support for the chief officers. 23 Figure 3: Organizational Chart 24 The structure for BCFR consists of field operations and five distinct divisions under the overall direction and supervision of the Fire Chief. Fire Chief directly oversees: Deputy Chief of Administration Deputy Chief of Operations Administrative Manager Department Financial Administrator Public Information Officer (PIO) Recruitment Team Production/AV Team Deputy Chief of Administration directly oversees: Fire Prevention Bureau Logistics Division o Wildland Support Services Division o Communications/technical services o Fitness o Chaplain o Peer Support Program o Records Management Deputy Chief of Operations directly oversees: Field operations (north, south, and east battalions) Special operations teams o Air Rescue Task Force (ARTF) o Hazardous Materials Decontamination Team o Airboat/Water Rescue Task Force Training Division EMS Division The members of Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue are highly trained in providing front-line emergency medical care, fire suppression, public relations, and public education to the citizens and visitors of Bernalillo County. Each region that BCFR serves is overseen by a Battalion Commander. All Battalion Commanders report directly to the Deputy Chief of Operations and are integral in the provision of information to the chief staff as to what is going on and what support is needed in the field. The battalion commander of a region oversees four stations, and each of the stations has an officer who oversees the daily duties of the crews. The field operations staff work schedule is divided into three shifts working 48 hours on duty and 96-hours off duty. The BCFR Training Division is under the direction of a division chief who reports directly to the deputy chief of operations. The Training Division develops and presents instruction and materials to meet the developmental needs of the department as well as keep the department aligned with the direction set by the fire chief. The Training Division works closely with the New Mexico State Fire Fighters Academy to facilitate classes. Many of these classes are attended by members of other fire departments in the State of New Mexico. In addition to the classes, the Training Division provides to the department, it also develops and administers an 18-week cadet academy that occurs once or twice a year, depending on the department's needs. The BCFR EMS Division is under the direction of a division chief who reports directly to the deputy chief of operations. The EMS Division is responsible for ensuring the department is current with training and maintains 25 a set of standards. It also ensures the members provide quality care to the customer while looking for innovative ideas to enhance BCFR’s service. The EMS Division accomplishes its responsibilities through partnerships with local education facilities to create and deliver EMS education and keep current on trends in the area and practices in EMS. In addition, the division reviews products used and introduces new products as needed with the accompanied training. The services and equipment used by field EMS providers are constantly evaluated through the quality assurance and quality improvement process. The BCFR Fire Prevention Bureau is under the direction of a fire marshal (division chief) who reports directly to the deputy chief of administration. The Fire Prevention Bureau is responsible for reviewing plans for new construction and major remodels, conducting inspections of buildings to ensure the buildings meet the fire code, and investigating fires to determine cause and origin. In addition to the inspection and investigative duties, the Fire Prevention Bureau oversees the department’s community risk assessment program and assists in public education and awareness, creating new programs for schools, and providing support to the local movie industry through inspections. The Fire Prevention Bureau also facilitates standby for movie shoots. The BCFR Logistics Division is under the direction of a division chief who reports directly to the deputy chief of administration. The Logistics Division is the support structure of the department and is responsible for purchasing everything from copy paper to fire and rescue apparatus. The Logistics Division manages the following areas, which include, but are not limited to: Facility work orders Vehicle work orders Station supply request and delivery Medical supply requests and delivery Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) maintenance and tracking Respirator fit testing Personal protective gear specifications, cleaning, repair, and replacement New or remodeled facility planning and design Small fleet management Apparatus specifications and ordering Uniform management. The BCFR support services are broken down into the following functioning areas: communications/technical services, Wildland Program, Fitness Program, and Chaplaincy Program. Each of the support services programs has a coordinator who operates the program and reports directly to the deputy chief of administration. The support services programs are designed to support the department with the exception of the Wildland Program, which supports local, state, and federal levels as needed. 26 The department has established, which are as follows: 1. The Air Rescue Task Force (ARTF), led by a field battalion commander, is made up of a group of department paramedics who work with the MASU from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Members are specially trained to be lowered into rough or mountainous terrain via helicopter and hoist out injured or ill persons in need of assistance. This task force also participates in firefighting missions from the air. 2. The Wildland Program was created to provide various levels of response to wildfires locally and throughout the state. If needed, the team will respond to the federal request and have previously responded to California, Arizona, Idaho, and other areas as requested. This program is driven by the wildland coordinator, who manages the Wildland Team, develops and schedules training, assembles crews to fill request orders, manages and orders equipment needed for the team, and manages the billing and paperwork for the state or requesting agency. 3. The Airboat/Water Rescue Task Force (WRTF) Program is one of two newly developed programs for the department. The WRTF coordinator is currently managing this program under the direction of the deputy chief of operations. There is a total of seven certified pilots and 23 members that are part of the task force ranging from the rank of firefighter through division chief. All participating team members are constantly working towards meeting training hours to stay up on skills, as well as seeking additional training to be prepared to respond to all emergency call types. BCFR’s WRTF program is a EMAC deployable resource for the state of New Mexico and is currently working on becoming FEMA credentialed to become deployable nationally. 4. The Hazardous Materials Decontamination Team is another team being developed currently. Currently, team members are in training, and the development of this team is in the beginning stages. The intent of this team is to provide equipment and personnel to support hazardous materials incidents that will require decontamination. Personnel will arrive on scene, set up the decontamination station/equipment, and be able to process responders and victims through the decontamination station and out to medical treatment or safety. 27 C. Current Descriptions of Levels of Service with Delivery Programs Fire Suppression Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue (BCFR) currently has three personnel assigned to every first-out suppression apparatus and trained to the standard of IFSAC Firefighter II. The EMS rescue crew consists of two firefighters, which join the engine cre
