Transcript Facts and Figures a Fire Chief Should Know

Facts and Figures a Fire Chief
Should Know
“Shorty” Bryson
Why is it Important?

Impressive to others

Gives you confidence

People like quick information

Increases your technical knowledge
Quick Hitters
Total Annual Budget
 Total OT with trends and reasons
 Number and types of units,teams,stations
 Why is there minimum staffing?
 Diversity numbers and why?
 CBA knowledge
 Number of LD people on average
 Calls for types of service (EMS, Fire,
Other)

Relief Factor
Primarily used in Operations
 The Relief Factor is the number of
personnel required on the payroll to fill one
position 24/7.
 It's very useful in quickly determining how
many additional (or fewer) personnel will be
required on the payroll to add (or reduce)
response units.
 Some departments have a relief factor for
each rank

Elements used to calculate the
Relief Factor

Work Week – Usually specified in the
CBA (If not calculate it)

Example of the impact of the work week
Wk/hrs
Work Wk.
# Personnel
168
40
4.2
168
42
4.0
168
44
3.8
168
46
3.7
168
48
3.5
168
50
3.4
168
52
3.2
168
54
3.1
Elements used to calculate the
Relief Factor
All other paid time off (sick, vacation, on
duty injuries, FMLA, family death, etc.)
 Total for all time used, divided by number
of filled operational position, divided by
52 weeks.
 Subtract this number from the work
week. The result is the number of weekly
hours employees actually work.

Elements used to calculate the
Relief Factor
To get your Relief Factor divide 168 by
the hours above.
 Example: CBA work week is 48 hrs.
Other hrs comes out to 7.8 per week.
The RF is 40.2 (48-7.8)
 To keep one position filled 24/7 you must
have 4.2 on the payroll
 A four person unit requires 16.8 (17)
people.

Uses of the Relief Factor
Number of people required to staff
apparatus
 The optimum number on staff to have the
right amount of OT for efficiency
 Figure average FF salaries and use the RF
to determine the cost.

Unit Availability
Used to determine a % of the amount of
time a specific unit is available for first
due response.
 Determine average handling times for
types of calls. Multiply it be the average
calls per shift to determine the out of
service time per shift.
 Good way to determine when
adjustments need to be made.

Hole in One!