ANNUAL REPORT 2014

EVANSTON FIRE DEPARTMENTThe Evanston Fire Department’s mission is to protect life, property, and the environment. We achieve our mission by providing superior quality fire suppression, emergency medical, technical rescue, public education, and fire prevention services for the community we serve.

2Annual Report 2014

By the Numbers

110 Full-time professional staff 107 sworn firefighters + 3 civilian support members

24/7 Stations are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

5 Fire stations

5 Fire engines

2 Aerial ladder trucks

2 Ambulances

2 Rating from Insurance Services Office (ISO) (placing Evanston in top 1.8% of all U.S. fire depts.)

0 Fire deaths in 2014

3Annual Report 2014

highesttotal call volume ever

98%property involved

saved

3,637fire responses

2014 average response times for both fire and EMS calls

(below 4-min.standard of National Fire Protection Association)

< 4 minutesresponse time

120 fires mitigatedEstimated loss of

$3,359,896 in 2014

9,617calls in 2014

5,980 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) calls

$156,401,492 saved property

Year in review

4Annual Report 2014

Training and Operations• Createdandimplementedafive-yearstrategicplan

• Revisedthedepartment’srulesandregulations

• Formedadepartmenthonorguard

• Conductedthefirst-everFireOfficerAcademyforallnewlypromotedFireCaptainsandActingCaptains

• ConductedtheinauguralCitizen’sFireAcademy.Overnineweeks,20Evanstonresidentslearnedallaspectsofoperationsandparticipatedinhands-ondrills.Theprogramwasanoverwhelmingsuccessandwillnowbeconductedannually.

EMS and Special Rescue• Automatedstretcherloadsystemswereinstalled inthetwofrontlineambulances,whichwillresultinfewerinjuriesandreducedworker’scompensationclaims.

• EMScomputerswereformattedtoallowparamedicsinthefieldtosendapatient’s12leadelectrocardiograms(ECGs)directlytoPresenceSaintFrancisHospital’semergencydepartment.

• AllparamedicshadtheopportunitytoobtainPediatricAdvancedLifeSupportcertification.

• TwomemberswereaddedtoourMutualAidBoxAlarmSystem(MABAS)HazardousMaterialsteam,onemembertoourMABASDiveteam,andonemembertotheWaterRescueteam.

• TheCitizenCPRProgramtaught262peoplecardiopulmonaryresuscitation(CPR)andfirstaid.

Ambulances with automated load systems eliminate manual lifting and pushing of stretchers into the vehicles.

Graduates of the inaugural Citizen’s Fire Academy

Fire Prevention and Emergency Preparedness• Morethan750siteinspectionswereconductedcitywide,includingontheNorthwesternUniversity(NU)campus.Additionally,758fireandlifesafetyconstructionplanswerereviewed.

• Therewere510publiceducationpresentationsgivenatfirestations,schoolsorneighborhoodblockparties.

• Fireinvestigatorsspent200hoursdeterminingthecauseandoriginofstructurefires.

• StaffassistedNUbyconductingthefirstCampusCommunityEmergencyResponseTeam(CERT)traininginIllinois.MembersoftheEvanstonCERTteamprovidednearly1,000volunteerhoursprovidingsupportforparades,fireworksandspecialevents.

• Theantiquatedfirestationemergencyalerttoneoutsystemwasreplaced.Thenewsystemisexpectedtoprovideevenfasterresponsetimesandhasatonethatescalatesinvolume,whichwillbelessjarringtothefirefighter/paramedics.

2014 Highlights by Division

Visitors at the Fire Station #1 Open House learned how to use a fire extinguisher.