Fire
FY 2023-25 PROPOSED POLICY BUDGET
SERVICES
External Services
Emergency Response and Suppression
The Field Operations Bureau is responsible for emergency medical response, fire suppression, mitigation of disasters and rescue activities.
Code Compliance & Enforcement
The Fire Prevention Bureau conducts fire safety inspections of the City’s buildings, structures, vacant lots, and cannabis operations. The Bureau also performs, what are termed state-mandated inspections, which include buildings used for public assemblies, educational purposes, institutional facilities, multi-family residential dwellings, and high-rise structures.
Investigations and Inspections
Investigate suspicious fires, fires resulting in injury or death, and incidents involving hazardous materials, bombs, or incendiary devices. Lead threat and hazard identification efforts to prevent, protect against, mitigate, and respond to hazards. Plan review and approvals of hazardous materials business plan inspections, underground storage tank inspections, and building plans for new construction and improvements to have required fire safety components.
Community Outreach and Information
Conduct community outreach to engage, inform and train community members and partners in preparedness and response activities, mange the volunteer program, and disseminate public information and warnings for all hazards.
Local Support
Provides Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) to Oakland International Airport to comply with FAA requirements, activates a FEMA-sponsored Search-and-Rescue Team when requested by CAOES, and maintains the Sea Wolf, the City's fireboat.
Internal Services
Emergency Response and Communication
Develop and maintain emergency mitigation, response, recovery plans, and inventory while participating in county and regional planning and preparedness activities. Activate the EOC for emergencies and planned events. Ensure proper processes and procedures for efficient communication within and across City departments during emergencies.
Recruit and Training
Provide in-service training for the Fire Academy recruits. Coordinate mandated fire-specific training for all existing and recruit personnel, including state required hours of continued education to maintain certifications and licenses.
pRELIMINARY PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Service Title: Emergency Response and Fire Suppression
Council Priority: Community Safety, Prevention & Healing
Service Description: Provides emergency medical response, fire suppression, mitigation of disasters and rescue activities.
Service Type: External
Output Measure: Number of Emergency Response Calls monthly
Objective Description: Ensure all fire companies are in compliance with NFPA 1710 response times standards:
1. Alarm Answering Time within 15 seconds 95% of time.
2. Alarm Processing Time within 64 seconds 95% of the time.
3. Turnout Time within 60 seconds for EMS and 80 seconds for Fire.
4. First Engine arrives on scene within 240 seconds (4 min) 90% of the time.
Success Measure: Percentage of emergency incidents with arrival of first engine within 4 minutes 90% of the time
Service Title: Code Compliance and Enforcement
Council Priority: Clean, healthy, sustainable neighborhoods
Service Description: Inspects City’s buildings, structures, vacant lots, and cannabis operations. Performs state-mandated inspections, which include buildings used for public assemblies, educational purposes, institutional facilities, multi-family residential dwellings, and high-rise structures. Performs vegetation inspections of all parcels in Very High Fire Severity Zone.
Service Type: External
Output Measure: Number of state-mandated inspections, including re-inspections completed monthly.
Number of cannabis inspections, including follow-up, and compliance plans in place completed annually.
Number of annual vegetation inspections, including follow-up of 3,000 to 5,000 inspections deemed non-compliant on first inspection.
Objective Description: Complete 100% of annual state-mandated inspections.
Complete 100% of cannabis inspections for fire safety compliance within 2-4 weeks.
Complete annual vegetation inspections annually with a compliance rate of 85% or greater.
Success Measure: Percent of annual state mandated inspections completed.
Percent of cannabis inspections and re-inspections completed within 2-4 weeks.
Percentage of Inspections and follow-up completed by October 1 each calendar year.
Service Title: Fire Investigations and Inspections
Council Priority: Clean, healthy, sustainable neighborhoods
Service Description: Investigates suspicious fires, fires resulting in injury or death, and incidents involving hazardous materials, bombs, or incendiary devices. Leads threat and hazard identification efforts to prevent, protect against, mitigate, and respond to hazards. Reviews and approves hazardous materials business plan inspections, underground storage tank inspections, and building plans for new construction and improvements to have required fire safety components.
Service Type: External
Output Measure: Number of investigations, including follow-up completed annually.
Number of HazMat-related plan reviews completed annually.
Number of HazMat inspections, including underground storage tanks completed annually.
Number of Plan Reviews completed annually.
Number of New Construction Inspections completed annually. Number of investigations, including follow-up completed annually.
Number of HazMat-related plan reviews completed annually.
Number of HazMat inspections, including underground storage tanks completed annually.
Number of Plan Reviews completed annually.
Number of New Construction Inspections completed annually.
Objective Description: Complete 100% of HazMat-related plan reviews.
Complete 100% of HazMat inspections.
Complete 100% of Plan Review requests.
Success Measure: Percentage of HazMat-related plan reviews completed.
Percentage of HazMat inspections completed.
Percentage of plan review requests completed.
Service Title: Community Outreach and Information
Council Priority: Community Safety, Prevention & Healing
Service Description: Conducts community outreach to engage, informs and trains community members and partners in preparedness and response activities, manages the volunteer program, and disseminates public information and warnings for all hazards.
Service Type: External
Output Measure: Number of annual community outreach events to engage, inform, and train community members and partners in preparedness and response activities including Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.
Number of disaster service worker volunteers (DSW-V) deployed annually in support of emergency response and recovery activities.
Number of residents signed-up for AC Alert which provides public information and warning messages for all hazards.
Objective Description: Conduct 70% of outreach training and events in high priority neighborhoods as identified in the Department of Transportation's geographic equity toolkit.
Train 200 disaster service worker volunteers (DSW-V) annually with the goal of 45% of DSW-Vs to be from the high priority neighborhoods to deploy in support of emergency response and recovery activities.
Increase by 10% annually the number of residents signed-up for AC Alert.
Success Measure: Percentage of outreach and training events in high priority neighborhoods.
Percentage of trained DSW-Vs from high priority neighborhoods.
Percentage increase of subscriptions.
Service Title: Emergency Response and Communication
Council Priority: Community Safety, Prevention & Healing
Service Description: Develops and maintains emergency mitigation, response, recovery plans, and inventory while participating in county and regional planning and preparedness activities. Activates the EOC for emergencies and planned events. Ensures proper processes and procedures for efficient communication within and across City departments during emergencies.
Service Type: External
Output Measure: Number of city-wide response, mitigation, and recovery plans developed and maintained up-to-date annually.
Number of workgroup meetings attended/coordinated annually for emergency planning with county, region, and state partners.
Number of emergency response exercises participated/conducted annually.
Number of City Department staff contacted annually to maintain/develop efficient processes and procedures for communication during emergencies.
Objective Description: Review three city-wide response, mitigation, and recovery plans annually.
Participate in and/or conduct four emergency response exercises annually to build emergency response capacity and capability among City staff.
Conduct monthly equipment functionality testing and inspection to maintain primary and alternate Emergency Operation Center (EOC)
Emergency Management Duty officer is activated by fire/police for every incident impacting city staff.
Success Measure: Percentage of response, mitigation, and recovery plans reviewed annually.
Percentage of emergency response exercises participated/conducted
Percentage of monthly equipment functionality testing and inspection.
Percentage of incidents where duty officer is activated by fire/police.
Service Title: Support Services
Council Priority: Community Safety, Prevention & Healing
Service Description: Supports all internal service needs for the fire department, including facilities, fleet, dispatch, and all supplies needed for day-to-day operations of the fire houses.
Manages the dispatch center which fields 911 calls for service.
Provides in-service training for the Fire Academy recruits through the OFD training division. Coordinates mandated fire-specific training for all existing and recruit personnel, including state required hours of continued education to maintain certifications and licenses.
Service Type: Both
Output Measure: Number of vehicles and apparatus in OFD Fleet that reliably function to secure emergency response readiness for the department.
Number of calls received and dispatched by Oakland Fire Dispatch.
Number of recruit academies conducted annually.
Number of OFD facilities and firehouses that meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1550 standards on 24/7/365 basis.
Objective Description: Provide at least one academy for new recruits annually and maintain compliance for all certificates and licensing for incumbent members.
Maintain all 26 firehouses to NFPA 1500 standards for facility safety.
Success Measure: Percentage of recruits that graduate academy.
Percentage of firehouses that meet NFPA 1500 standards for facility safety.
Service Title: Medical Services Division
Council Priority: Community Safety, Prevention & Healing
Service Description: Responds to calls about homelessness, some behavioral or mental health calls, noise complaints and people being intoxicated (and nonviolent) in public.
Service Type: External
Output Measure: Number of contacts made monthly with community.
Number of monthly 911 Dispatches to MACRO Pilot Program from OPD.
Total calls referred from the Community directly requesting MACRO.
Total calls referred to Emergency Medical Services.
Total calls initiated due to Behavioral or Mental Health Primary Concerns.
Total calls initiated to check on unhoused sleeping individuals.
Total number of lifetime program contacts.
Total number of individuals connected to referral services over the lifetime of program.
Objective Description: Connects 30% of MACRO contacts to local service providers after each call.
All responder staff are trained in de-escalation, scene safety and awareness techniques.
Improve outreach and connection to BIPOC communities.
Success Measure: Percentage of contacts referred to services.
Percentage of staff trained in de-escalation, scene safety and awareness techniques.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
BUREAUS/DIVISIONS
Office of the Fire Chief
Directs overall policy, planning and management of the fire department. Responsible for providing effective leadership for the Department’s operations through strategic planning, financial reporting, performance measures, staff development and training; serves as the liaison to the Oakland community, Department staff, City management, the Mayor and City Council.
Fiscal & Administrative Services
Manages entry level and promotional recruitments, performance management, worker’s compensation, labor relations; provides training in labor law and practices to supervisory and executive-level staff; provides fiscal administration and analysis, payroll and benefits services.
Support Services
The Support Services Division manages the timely and cost-effective purchase, acquisition, coordination, maintenance and/or repair of Fire Department facilities, fire apparatus, personal protective safety gear, and tool and equipment. In addition, it oversees the Operations of the Fire Dispatch Center which provides dispatch service support for emergency calls and non-emergency calls throughout the City. Coordinates with the Department of Information Technology and Oakland Police Department to implement and maintain the City’s Integrated Public Safety System (IPSS).
Field Operations
Responsible for emergency medical response, fire suppression, mitigation of disasters and rescue activities. The Field Operations Bureau is the Department’s largest division employing 12 Battalion Chiefs and over 430 suppression personnel. The Field Operations Bureau handles over 60,000 emergency incidents a year, which includes fire, rescue, medical aid and other calls for service.
Fire Prevention
Under the direction of the Fire Marshal, the Fire Prevention Bureau (FPB) provides overall fire code regulatory compliance functions for the City of Oakland. The FPB serves to directly benefit the health and life safety well-being of the entire community, through comprehensive fire protection engineering review and approval of new construction and tenant improvement plans, for fire and life safety comportment, and through comprehensive inspection and enforcement of the CA Fire Code. Annual inspection programs include: State-mandated and operational permit inspections conducted by FPB code inspectors, with non-permitted and multi-unit residential inspections performed by engine company personnel. Vegetation Management inspections in the Very High Fire Danger zones of Oakland Hills are conducted by FPB suppression district inspectors, with residential lots inspected by engine company personnel. The FPB also directly manages hazardous building referrals from engine companies for a thorough compliance enforcement follow-up; and coordinates fire cause investigations with three sworn investigators. The FPB has a very robust Public Fire Education Program (ages pre-school to seniors) that reaches thousands of citizens annually.
Emergency Management Services
In advance of any threat, hazard, technical or planned event that compromises safety and security; and overwhelms the city’s ability to maintain continuity and provide services, the Emergency Management Services Division (EMSD) is in a perpetual cycle of preparedness: planning, organizing and equipping the City to not only respond to, but to recover from and mitigate against any crises that affects our city, the region, the state and beyond. Through internal and external training and exercising, we can test our capabilities, explore our vulnerabilities and evaluate and review our plans. Education of the public; enhance the CORE program and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training and collaboration and coordination across governments, inclusive of private partners and special districts, is paramount to the ‘whole community’ approach towards resilience. The EMSD works to maintain a state of readiness for the City of Oakland, aligning with state and federal legislation as well as the National Preparedness Goal.
Medical Services
Ensures voter-mandated emergency medical services to the citizens, businesses and visitors of Oakland; manages programs related to continuous paramedic training in accordance with local, state and federal guidelines; maintains inventory of equipment for Basic/Advanced Life Support and tracks and manages all licenses and certifications for all paramedics and EMTs; develops preventive health programs for the community; provides EMT and Paramedic-related classes, such as CPR, First Aid and Automated External Defibrillation.
DEPARTMENT FACTS
Established in 1869, the Oakland Fire Department (OFD) has a rich history of dedicated men and women providing the highest quality and highest level of courteous and responsive service to the residents and visitors of Oakland. This is accomplished by implementing comprehensive strategies and training in fire prevention, fire suppression, emergency medical services, and all risk mitigation, including: human-caused and natural disasters, emergency preparedness, 9-1-1 services and community-based fire services.
OFD includes:
- 539 authorized sworn personnel for fire suppression and emergency response (24-hour shifts or 40-hour position assignments)
- 116.23 authorized (full and part-time) civilian personnel
- 25 Fire Stations, which includes equipment and resources such as:
- 24 engine apparatus
- 7 aerial apparatus
- Hazardous materials response team
- Technical rescue team
- Airport rescue company
- Water rescue team
- Specialized wildland response apparatus
- Over 60,000 response calls annually, of which 80% are calls for emergency medical services