Study recommends more personnel, new station for Plattsburgh Fire Dept.

PLATTSBURGH | A foundational study of City of Plattsburgh's emergency service and fire department operations was presented to the Common Council at their first work session in June. The report was commissioned by the city and Plattsburgh Professional Firefighters Union IAFF Local 2421. Review started two years ago. Firefighters contributed $30,000 toward the project, Union President Nick Seiden told the council. "Members contributed $30,000 of union funds for half of the study," Seiden said in public remarks at the meeting. "That money is accrued directly from their paychecks. These members were prepared to fund the entire study themselves," he said. "With the final study in hand, it is our hope that you all take the time to read it, educate yourselves on the Plattsburgh Fire Department: What it is now and what it should be." It was important to have a neutral third party conduct the analysis so that opinions are removed, Seiden said. "This study looks at the calls the department responds to, the risks that are present inside the response area, deployment, equipment, training and personnel. The associated recommendations are data-driven and laid out in an achievable manner." Seiden said recommendations to improve record-keeping, call reporting and future apparatus and upgrades have already been implemented. "There is still work to do," he said. "The members of 2421 are no strangers to fighting for staffing," he said, citing a public awareness campaign six years ago to fill vacant positions. "One thing that has become clear in this fire department analysis is that the Plattsburgh Fire Department is understaffed. Our resources are stretched thin. The current practice of supporting staffing levels with voluntary and mandatory overtime is unsustainable. Cross-staffing apparatus will lead to dangerous personnel and equipment delays. "It is our hope that this is the start of meaningful discussions and board movement on the hiring of the necessary personnel to ensure that the City of Plattsburgh gets the highest level of service from its fire department." The City fire department was founded 124 years ago in 1902. ............................ REPORT FINDINGS AP Triton is a nationally recognized public safety consulting firm based in Sacramento, CA. Co-Project Leaders Michelle Crowley and Frank Blackley presented details from the 345-page Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover Deployment Analysis via Zoom link during the council's work session. Crowley thanked Fire Chief Scott Lawliss, Assistant Chief Chris Deangelo, Captain Chris Mitchell and Seiden for their support in the review. Crowley said they used data gathered from 2020 through 2024. "Please keep in mind that (data) in this study represents a point-in-time assessment," she said. Watch the full presentation by AP Triton on the City of Plattsburgh YouTube page. A pdf version of the report is online and available for public download. A link to the report is easily located at the top of the Plattsburgh Professional Firefighters Local 2421 Facebook page: facebook.com/plattsburghprofessionalfirefighterslocal2421/ Analysis by AP Triton encompassed extensive review of city population, demographics, changes over time with projections for the future, and population density in addition to types and aging of structures, housing, city layout, water hydrant infrastructure, university collaboration and large business properties. "One of the things that we continuously said when we started working on this study," Crowley said, "is that you are not a bedroom community. You have many more risks that require higher staffing levels than a normal bedroom community." With only seven personnel on duty, she said, one ambulance and the aerial device are often unavailable. Ambulances staffed without a paramedic often require support from fire apparatus personnel. "Current staffing levels do not consistently support reliable fire and EMS response capabilities," she said as they dug into details. "These challenges are not the result of personnel effort. They are the result of system capacity." Findings related to fire response performance, fire stations, equipment, staffing, public education and outreach and were measured using model guidelines and industry best-practice standards set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Staffing levels, risk analysis and water supply data impact fire Insurance Services Office calculations. The analysis identified ISO calculation procedures. The report highlights challenges faced by city firefighters related to firefighter staffing, EMT staffing, operational conditions at both city fire stations, funding and aid agreements. In all, they made 23 recommendations with a long-term strategy to address them in three phases over three years and beyond. ............ PHASE I Phase I review looked to data systems. Project managers said much of this work was completed or put in motion since their analysis began two years ago. "PFD has initiated procurement of the First Due platform with GIS and CAD interfaces to modernize records management, estimated at approximately $25,000 to $40,000 for initial setup and $15,000 to $25,000 in annual subscription and licensing. Development of formal fire incident report Quality Control Procedures and response-time performance measurement standards can be implemented primarily through internal staff time, policy updates, and limited training, the report says. PHASE II Phase II recommends increased staffing to 13 personnel per shift, an addition of 16 firefighters/EMTs across four platoons. "The addition of 16 firefighters/EMTs is estimated to increase recurring annual costs by approximately $1.89 million, with one-time outfitting and equipment costs of approximately $590,400 for turnout gear, radios, and uniforms. "This action would raise total departmental expenditures from approximately $6.1 million to the $8.4 -- $8.6 million range before offsets and directly addresses the department's most critical operational challenges related to staffing adequacy, workload balance, and firefighter safety." AP Triton advised a phased hiring process: "adding one position per shift per year [to] moderate annual fiscal impacts." Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs are potential funding sources. "Under the SAFER Hiring of Firefighters component, federal funding may cover up to 75 percent of salary and benefit costs in Years 1 and 2 and 35 percent in Year 3, substantially reducing near-term local financial impacts while improving operational capacity." Additional items recommended in Phase II include adding an administrative/data management position or a shared city data analyst at an estimated cost of $70,000 to $90,000 annually. A 40-hour per week EMS Division administrative captain would add $164,000 annually, the study said, "and would strengthen EMS oversight functions including quality assurance, credential tracking, scheduling, and training coordination." As part of Phase II recommendations, AP Triton suggested Plattsburgh Fire Department create a Fleet and Equipment Lifecycle Management Plan, a one-time investment of between $20,000 to $35,000, with ongoing updates managed internally. PHASE III Phase III recommendations relate to "facilities modernization, training infrastructure, prevention maturation, workforce health initiatives, and ISO readiness." The largest investment would be the construction of a new consolidated fire station to replace the city's two aging facilities. "Based on current construction averages of about $705 per square foot, a 25,000 to 35,000 square-foot modern station is estimated to cost $18 million to $25 million, excluding land acquisition and site development. "While this represents a substantial capital commitment, consolidation offers long-term benefits by reducing maintenance inefficiencies, improving operational workflow, enhancing firefighter health and safety, and supporting modern apparatus, staffing, and contamination-control needs over a 40- to 50-year facility lifecycle." PLATTSBURGH FIRE STATIONS OUTDATED The report found both PFD fire stations are "outdated and undersized, limiting operational capacity and posing safety, accessibility, and contamination-control issues. Technology systems are fragmented and lack cybersecurity protections." Among items noted and quantified by risk analysis in the report: • Station 1 (1949) and Station 2 (1957) are rated in fair condition, non-ADA compliant, and not designed for modern fire/EMS operations. • Facilities lack adequate living quarters, gender-separated restrooms, and decontamination zones. • Turnout gear is stored in apparatus bays near diesel exhaust, exposing firefighters to carcinogens. • No climate-controlled storage is available for reserve apparatus or specialty units. • There is no formal fleet replacement plan or capital lifecycle schedule. • Technology infrastructure is limited; interdepartmental connectivity and data sharing with other City systems are weak. • Cybersecurity vulnerabilities exist due to outdated network protections and system segmentation. In summary, the study found Plattsburgh Fire Department "operates two facilities that vary in age, condition, and capacity, yet both are well beyond their intended service life. Station 1 on Cornelia Street, built in 1949, is 72 years old, while Station 2 on South Platt Street, constructed in 1957, is 68 years old -- each exceeding the industry benchmark of a 50-year replacement cycle. "Although these facilities have served the community for decades, they now require significant renovation or full replacement to meet modern operational and safety standards."

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Study recommends more personnel, new station for Plattsburgh Fire Dept.

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