City of Morgan Hill Public Safety Master Plan

RECOMMENDATIONS

CAL FIRE provides an excellent service to the citizens, local businesses, and visitors to the area. The department is well respected in the community and by city and county leadership. CAL FIRE’s line and command personnel continually make every effort to be a part of the community and not be seen as outside contractors merely providing a service. The service agreement between the City of Morgan Hill and CAL FIRE was initiated in 2013; SSCCFD has maintained its relationship with CAL FIRE since 1980. The working relationship observed between the City, District, and CAL FIRE is impressive and is one of the more proficient cooperative arrangements for fire and prehospital emergency medical care that we have observed nationally. Thirteen recommendations follow, and are also listed in the applicable sections within this report. The recommendations are based on best practices derived from the NFPA, CPSM, ICMA, the U.S. Fire Administration, the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Though these recommendations are intended to provide insightful guidance, it is ultimately the decision of the local governing bodies to choose those recommendations that are appropriate and ultimately how and when any efforts towards implementation are considered. 1. The City of Morgan Hill and the SSCCFD should continue the contractual relationship with CAL FIRE for protecting their respective communities. 2. CAL FIRE should continue in its effort to maintain the use of volunteers to provide assistance during larger events or extended operations. In addition, other support functions as canteen efforts, CERT, fire prevention duties, and assistance during community public events are effective methods to utilize volunteer support. 3. CAL FIRE should conduct a formal fire risk analysis that concentrates on strip commercial establishments, big-box occupancies, high-rise structures, and processing and institutional properties. 4. CAL FIRE should work with County EMS in modifying CAL FIRE’s response protocols for Priority 2 call types (Alpha Designations) in an effort to alter unit response modes when calls are determined to nonemergency or minor incidents. 5. CAL FIRE should build its training regimens and tactical strategies around an exterior or transitional attack when the fire scenario and the number of responding personnel warrant this approach. 6. Morgan Hill and SSCCFD should maintain the current ALS first responder services in their respective response areas. 7. CAL FIRE should improve the level of review of its incident reporting to ensure the complete and accurate documentation of its response activities. 8. CAL FIRE should undertake a concerted effort to expand its current performance measures in order to incorporate a comprehensive performance management system that monitors a full range of performance outcomes. These recommendations are listed in order in which they appear in the report.

9. Morgan Hill and SSCCFD should consider CPSE fire accreditation in the future.

10. CAL FIRE should improve its fire hydrant inspection and flow testing process in SSCCFD.

11. CAL FIRE should institute an in-service engine company fire inspection process in the SSCCFD.

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