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Master Plan Nashua Fire Rescue, NH

ESCI heard from members at virtually every meeting that their access to the training facility was very limited
or, insome cases, almost non-existent. The value of hands-on training in a controlled environment cannot be
understated. Nashua Fire Rescue should coordinate regular use of the fire training facility by all of its
companies to ensure proficiency.

Training Procedures and Manuals

Within the fire service, there are many textbooks and training mediums available that allow for organized
and efficient delivery of various training programs. Often referred to as “canned” programs, they are vital to
ensuring clear and attainable outcomes.

Currently, Nashua Fire Rescue does not have a formal fire department training manual that includes formal
lesson plans for various training competencies that members are required to meet. The addition of a formal
manual for all levels of training to include recruit school, company-level training, and specialized training,
such as dive team and hazardous materials responses, will allow for measurable objectives and formalized
delivery.

Training Oversight

As previously noted, training was repeatedly identified as a major weakness within Nashua Fire Rescue.
Placing the Training Safety Division under the direction of the Assistant Chief of Uniform Professional
Standards will provide the oversight that is necessary to establish and then achieve simple, manageable,
achievable, reasonable, and timely (SMART) goals to systematically improve the Nashua Fire and Rescue
Training Program.

Fire Alarm Division

The Fire Alarm Division is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the municipal fire alarm wiring,
which ties street boxes and master boxes to the fire alarm. The City of Nashua maintains over 875 fire alarm
boxes and hundreds of miles of municipal and fiber optic cabling.

The Nashua Fire Communications Center, part of the Fire Alarm Division, dispatches for Nashua Fire Rescue.
In 2019, the Center created 11,359 fire events and 25,960 medical and non-fire events for a total of 37,319
calls for service. In addition to the Fire Communications Center, the Nashua Police Department staffs its own
communications center. Together, these two communication centers receive and dispatch for the City,
receiving requests directly from callers and from the New Hampshire Bureau of Emergency Communications
E-g11 Center. The Fire Communications Center is staffed by two Administrators and 12 Telecommunicators
working four shifts, with three telecommunicators on each shift.

The Center adheres to the NFPA 1221: Standard for the Installation, Maintenance and Use of Emergency
Services Communications Systems, 2019 Edition, with the following exceptions:

= An exposure hazard (NFPA 1221 Chapter 4, Section 4.2).
= Windows that view public access areas (NFPA 1221 Chapter 4, Section 4.6)

» Primary HVAC Systems (NFPA 1221 Chapter 4, Section 4.4)

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The Fire Communications Center is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title Il, as there
is no elevator to the Center, located on the second floor.?7

The Fire Communications Center has five dispatch workstations—three in dispatch and two in the back
conference room, which serves as a backup facility. The backup workstations do not have radio consoles but
do have telephone and CAD. The workstations meet current ergonomic standards, with sit/stand desks and
adjustable keyboard trays. There are eight computer monitors per workstation that are displayed in two tiers.
There is only one keyboard, but three mice at each workstation. All workstations in the Fire Communications
Center are interchangeable, so the dispatchers can sit down at any workstation and perform all job tasks. The
backup workstations are not completely interchangeable.

There are kitchen facilities available for the Dispatchers and a sleeping area if needed during disasters.

Physical Security

The public is not allowed inside the Fire Communications Center building at any time. There are three
windows that look out on public areas, but the glass is not bullet resistant, as required by NFPA 1221, Chapter
4, Section 4.6.4. The walls are not blast-resistant, as required by NFPA 1221 Chapter 4, Section 4.6.5. There
are two locked doors between dispatch and any public areas, and there are closed-circuit cameras that are
looking at access doors, parking lots, and other spaces.

Power

All radio towers and antennas, as well as incoming copper phone lines, are grounded for lightning protection.
An uninterruptable power system (UPS) is supplied for all critical electronics in the building. There is a diesel
backup generator in the parking lot. The parking lot is accessible by the public, and while no bollards are
protecting the unit, the generator doors are locked. The generator is run under a full load once a week. The
diesel tank is 425 liters, or 112 gallons, and is rated at 3.43 gallons per hour. The Fire Communications Center
is able to operate for approximately 30 hours on one tank of diesel. NFPA 1221, Chapter 4, Section 4.7.4.12
requires 72 hours of fuel to be available.

Radio

Nashua Fire Rescue operates on a Motorola 800 Trunked Radio system for primary communications and a
VHF legacy system as a backup system. There are three transmitter sites on the simulcast system. Fire
responders utilize up to five talk groups, and EMS is assigned talk groups. There are five other talk groups
that are available for support. The dispatchers use Motorola MCC 7500 radio consoles, which were last
upgraded in 2018. The only reported coverage issues in the current system are when responders go below
grade (basements, etc.). Digital vehicle repeaters are used to mitigate this deficiency.

27 https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titlel!_2010/titlell_2010_regulations. pdf.

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Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD)

The Alpine Software CAD system was installed in Nashua in 2017. The system is running Alpine’s Red NMX,
with revisions sent regularly. There are a total of seven CAD consoles in the communications center: Dispatch
Floor (3), Training Room (2), Administrators Offices (2). The Fire Communications Center reported very little
CAD system downtime since the system was moved from a Cloud platform to a local server solution. The
Cloud platform was experiencing multiple issues, so it was decided to convert to a local platform with servers
in the backroom. The CAD system is taken down once a quarter to have the dispatchers go to manual CAD
system for practice. The City possesses its own fiber network, which connects the fire stations to the Center.

Mapping

Maintaining the CAD map is the responsibility of the City GIS and the Fire Department. The map is ESRI-
based, with a Google maps integration. The map uses the ESRI layer to define the city limits, then it changes
to the Google maps option.

Management Information Systems (MIS) and Records Management Systems (RMS)

Alpine Software has both a MIS and RMS module in CAD. NFIRS reports come from the RMS module.
Statistical reports can be generated on request. Dispatchers have access to RMS.

9-1-1

There are two 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in New Hampshire. These PSAPs are located in
Concord and Laconia. All 9-1-1 calls are routed to one of two sites; additionally, both of the sites back each
other up. They perform all 9-1-1 call interrogation and will perform Emergency Medical Dispatch pre-arrival
instructions if needed. The Fire Communications Center can see when a 9-1-1 call is placed in its jurisdiction
and entered in the 9-1-1 system. This allows the dispatcher to be prepared for events before the call is given
to them. There are two dedicated trunks for call/data transfer from the 9-1-1 PSAP, six 10-digit emergency
lines, eight non-emergency lines, and three business lines call forwarded from City offices.

The State of New Hampshire provides 9-1-1 customer premise equipment (CPE). All 9-1-1 lines are Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP). The Fire Communications Center also has copper phone lines as a backup. The
g-1-1 CPE was upgraded in 2020 and includes a management information system (MIS) platform as a part of
the 9-1-1 system.

Fire Box System

The Fire Communications Center monitors the City-wide telegraph fire alarm box system that includes 865
fire alarm boxes. The central alarm station is located in another building separate from the Fire
Communications Center. Box transmissions are relayed to the Center via a Digitizer system.

Mobile Data

The fire department utilizes tablets for mobile data computers in its vehicles. The software application is by
the CAD vendor—Alpine Software, which is running RedNMX—the current version of software. Connection
from the vehicles is through a cellular card to Cloud servers to the CAD system.

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Fire Station/Personnel Notification

Fire station alerting is a part of the telegraph fire box system—bells sound in the station when there is an
alarm or fire box activation. The system also controls apparatus bay doors on stations with newer door
electronics, as well as turn on lights in the station. Additionally, the CAD system transmits digital pages when
there is an event. All stations have a CAD status monitor that will display the alarm information.

Response Determinations

The Center uses station (box) order to determine responses. The station orders are predesigned by
administrators then the dispatcher reviews unit availability and response criteria for a response.

Workflow

While there is no operations committee to collect feedback and input from the users of the system, Deputy
Chiefs can ask for changes at any time for temporary solutions. More permanent changes require senior staff
approval or direction.

There is a separation of duties for on-duty staff. Dispatchers receive an assignment of either radio dispatcher
or call-taker. The Center does not track call answer performance or use dispatching protocols as EMD is
performed at the primary PSAP.

Upon answering an emergency call, the call-takers will determine the location and type of event, then send
out a pre-alert on the radio. The event goes into a CAD pending queue for a radio dispatcher to handle.

The dispatcher will announce a new event on a dispatch out-only channel. Then there are five fire, and three
EMS Control/Command channels for use. On average, there are five units on each channel at any one time,
and the dispatchers are required to listen to multiple channels at the same time. There are tactical channels
assigned by the dispatcher on request. The dispatchers are required to monitor the tactical channels.

Quality Assurance (QA)

OA is performed on phone and radio calls, but it is not done consistently. Typically, QA is only done to review
complaints/issues. The administrative staff does the audits. The dispatchers do not receive feedback from
these audits.

Other Duties as Assigned

Despite a recent move to an online option, dispatchers still receive controlled burn questions on Burn Days.
Additionally, dispatchers are responsible for tracking the local hospital status and monitoring the 100
milliamperes system (Fire Alarm Boxes).

Mutual Aid
Dispatchers are required to be aware of their mutual aid partners' unavailability only.

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Performance Standards

NFPA 1221 has standards for call answering and call processing. For call answering, the standard is to answer
all emergency lines within 15 seconds, 90% of the time, and 95% of events are to be answered in 20 seconds.”®
For call processing (from time of call answer to fire station notification), events shall be completed in 60
seconds.”? The Center does not track these performance standards.

Center Staffing

The Center has a total of 14 positions—two administrators—a Superintendent and an Assistant
Superintendent and 12 authorized dispatcher positions. The Superintendent reports to the Assistant Chief.
The dispatchers work in four shifts of three telecommunicators. Minimum staffing is three dispatchers. The
dispatchers are represented by IAFF Local #789.Supervisors are scheduled to be added in the new contract
that goes into effect in 2021.

Technical staff work for the City and report to the Information Technology Director. There are two CAD
Administrators/Technicians who are City of Nashua Fire Rescue personnel. These personnel are responsible
for CAD configuration changes. The City has two personnel working on the City of Nashua radio system.

Hiring

The minimum qualification for an entry-level dispatcher is to have previous emergency services experience.
Applicants for a dispatch job must pass screening tests for typing ability, verbal ability, and multitasking.
Applicants also take a basic |O test and a personality assessment. It takes approximately one month from the
job offer to them being in the building ready to start training.

Training

New employees are required to complete an initial two-week training academy that is hosted in house. They
then receive on-the-job training with an on-duty dispatcher. The time it takes to get signed off will vary with
the individual. Each trainee receives daily observation reports to track their progress. The probationary
period is nine months.

Shift Schedules

Minimum staffing is three dispatchers on duty at all times. The dispatchers’ work schedule is a 10-hour day
shift (0800-1800), followed the next day by a 14-hour night shift (1800-0800), then a day off, followed by a
10-hour day shift, then a 14-hour night shift, then three days off. Shifts do not overlap. The busiest hours of
the day are between 1400 hours and 1800 hours. Employees are paid weekly.

Mechanical Division

The Mechanical Division is staffed by a team of three—a Superintendent, an Assistant Superintendent, and
a Mechanic. The Division is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all Nashua Fire Rescue apparatus
and equipment, including:

28 National Fire Protection Association 1221 Standard for the Installation, Maintenance and Use of Emergency Services Communications
Systems 2019 Edition, Chapter 7, Section 7.4.1 www.nfpa.org.
29 National Fire Protection Association 1221 Standard for the Installation, Maintenance and Use of Emergency Services Communications
Systems 2019 Edition, Chapter 7, Section 7.4.3 www.nfpa.org.

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« Eight Pumpers

= Four Aerial Trucks

« Vehicles assigned to staff and support functions
» Station Generators

= Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

The Mechanical Division also offers in-house welding services and responds the Mobile Air Truck to multiple
alarm emergencies. While on the scene, Mechanical Division staff are responsible for refilling SCBA and
refueling apparatus. This Division also provides snow removal for all six fire stations and Fire Alarm
Headquarters.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS

Nashua Fire Rescue has done a good job providing and maintaining facilities and apparatus for its firefighters
given the budget constraints in recent years.

Facilities

Six fire stations, Fire Alarm Headquarters, and a Training Facility with a burn building make up the fixed
facility capabilities of Nashua Fire Rescue. Appropriately designed facilities provide safe living amenities for
personnel and house appropriate assets for deployment in order to provide timely service.

ESCI visited each of the Fire Rescue facilities in July 2020. In general, the Nashua fire stations were in fair to
good condition and categorized according to the following criteria:

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Figure 59. Fire Station Condition Classifications

Like new condition. No visible structural defects. The facility is clean and well
maintained. Interior layout is conducive to function with no unnecessary
See impediments to the apparatus bays or offices. No significant defect history. Building
design and construction match the building's purposes. Age is typically less than
10 years.

The exterior has a good appearance with minor or no defects. Clean lines, good
workflow design, and only minor wear of the building interior. Roof and apparatus
apron are in good working order, absent any significant full-thickness cracks or
crumbling of apron surface or visible roof patches or leaks. Building design and
construction match the building's purposes. Age is typically less than 20 years.

The building appears to be structurally sound with a weathered appearance and
minor to moderate non-structural defects. The interior condition shows normal wear
and tear, but flows effectively to the apparatus bay or offices. Mechanical systems
are in working order. Building design and construction may not match the
building's purposes well. Showing increasing age-related maintenance, but with
no critical defects. Age is typically 30 years or more.

The building appears to be cosmetically weathered and worn with potentially
structural defects, although not imminently dangerous or unsafe. Large, multiple
full-thickness cracks and crumbling of concrete on the apron may exist. The roof
has evidence of leaking and/or multiple repairs. The interior is poorly maintained or
showing signs of advanced deterioration with moderate to significant non-
structural defects. Problematic age-related maintenance and/or major defects
are evident. May not be well suited to its intended purpose. Age is typically greater
than 40 years.

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Nashua Fire Rescue, NH

Figure 60. Nashua Fire Stations and Facilities

alt= 5 Date of Apparatus sas

15 Amherst Street

177 Lake Street

124 Spit Brook Road

70 East Hollis Street

Engine 1
Ladder 1
Forestry 1
1893 Fair
Marine 1
Marine 2

Engine 2
Ladder 2
Special Hazards 1
Dive Truck

Confined Space
Trailer
1998 2 Training/Safety Good
Vehicles

3 Fire Marshal
Division Cars

Engine 3
1977 Ladder 3 Fair
Forestry 3

Chief's Car

Assistant Chief's
Car

Deputy’s Vehicle

Engine 4
Air Trailer
Spare Deputy
Chief Tahoe
Spare Enclosed
Trailer
1947 Mack
Antique Engine
Ambubus {OEM}
Crime Scene Unit
{NPD}

2005 Good

Spare Ladder 4

2 Spare Staff Cars

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Master Plan Nashua Fire Rescue, NH

alt= 5 Date of Apparatus sas

s Engine 5
Rel CFR-1
5 101 Pine Hill Road 1961 Fair
Reserve Engine 8
Engine 6
Utility 1
Reserve Engine 7
6 2 Conant Road 1971 Fair
2 Mechanic's
Trucks
Utility Pickup
een Bucket Truck
neaeecariets 38 Lake Street 1901 Staff Pickup Good
Wire Trailer
Training . .
Facility Four Hills Landfill 2017 Excellent

ESCI noted that all of the Nashua stations have automatic fire sprinkler systems as well as smoke/heat
detectors and diesel exhaust systems. Each building is also outfitted with a generator.

The older fire stations serving the City were noted to be maintained fairly well, considering the buildings’
ages. Stations 1, 3, and 4 have “back-in” bays, which are considered to be a serious safety concern as many
firefighter injuries and accidents occur when emergency vehicles are being backed into the fire station. ESC|
notes that all stations use “back-in” procedures; however, drive through bays are the recommended
configuration. For future stations, Nashua should consider a design that allows for drive through bays that
are large enough to accommodate frontline and reserve apparatus.

The occupation of firefighter is recognized as one where those working in the industry are more likely to be
diagnosed with cancer than the general public. The “battle environment” in which today’s firefighter
operates is distinctly different than what was faced by firefighters 30 to 40 years ago. In the mid-20" century,
firefighters generally responded to structure fires containing class “A” materials (i.e., wood and paper), but
as society has grown to rely more upon chemicals to improve their quality of life, the firefighter of today faces
a highly toxic work environment. Rather than considering a structure fire as simply being a fire, it is more
appropriate to recognize these emergencies to be more realistic of a hazardous materials incident that
happens to be involved in fire.

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Of additional concern is that the danger for firefighters does not stop when the fire is extinguished, but
returns to the fire stations through their gear, equipment, and vehicles which were exposed and
contaminated by smoke or other vapors. When contaminated gear and equipment is returned to the station
via their respective response apparatus, the potential for cross-contamination occurs. Many agencies have
developed significant on-scene decontamination procedures intended to minimize the potential for
contaminants entering the work environment. While these efforts have a positive impact, additional
consideration must be given to the physical design of the fire station to minimize these exposures further.
Nashua Fire Rescue should limit/reduce firefighter exposure to toxic products of combustion which occur
after the fire (i.e., off-gassing). This can be done by storing turnout gear in a well-ventilated room to prevent
additional firefighter exposure to off-gassing of chemicals absorbed into turnout gear during a fire.

Apparatus

Nashua Fire Rescue operates and maintains a sizeable fleet of emergency response vehicles as well as a
variety of service and support units. The most visible units are the fire engines and aerial units, but also
include vehicles utilized by Deputy Chiefs and the Fire Chief, as well as Fire Inspectors serving in support of
firefighters. In reviewing the Department's frontline emergency response units, ESCI finds a fleet that is well-
maintained with an average age of nearly seven years. ESCI finds that the current volume of emergency
response vehicles is sufficient to meet current and projected departmental services needs and demands,
outside of any significant changes in the Department's response jurisdiction.

In evaluating any fleet, leadership must consider a variety of factors in determining the department's
operational capabilities. These considerations include, but are not limited to, age, cost of operation (i.e.,
repair costs), and out-of-service time. As with any mechanical device, a fire apparatus possesses a finite life.
Fire departments typically classify emergency response as either being frontline or reserve. Generally, at a
point when a frontline apparatus reaches a certain threshold regarding age or wear and tear, or begins to
require increasing maintenance costs, it is either moved to reserve status or decommissioned. The decision
to move an apparatus to reserve status or decommission it is a local decision, and no definitive industry
standards exist whereby hard and fast rules exist. However, Annex D of NFPA 1901: Standard for Automotive
Apparatus (2016) suggests the following:

The safety improvements addressed in the most recent edition of NFPA 1901 are so significant that the standard
suggests that apparatus more than 15 years old should be refurbished to meet current standards or removed from
service; however, the standard acknowledges that apparatus can continue to be serviceable far beyond the 15-year
threshold, depending on maintenance, wear and tear, service demands, and driver training programs. Finally, 1901
recommends that apparatus over 25 years in age should be replaced.

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