The NFPA Research Foundation Releases Quantitative Evaluation of Fire and EMS Mobilization Times (2010) Report

The ability of emergency response agencies to get personnel and equipment to the scene of an emergency in a timely manner is critical.  This involves effective alarm handling time and turnout time.  However, comprehensive data on emergency first responder alarm handling and turnout time is largely absent from the published literature.  This study provides a quantitative evaluation of fire emergency and EMS mobilization times, and identifies key factors affecting their performance.  It provides a statistical analysis of actual fire emergency and EMS alarm handling and turnout times based on data collected across a diverse representative population of North American fire service organizations.

This study validates data presented by representatives from IAFC and CPSE to the NFPA 1710 committee in 2008 which had been collected from actual incident data among agencies by Deccan International.

The study results will be provided to both the NFPA 1221, Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems, and the NFPA 1710,  Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Departments committees to further evaluate performance standards for alarm handling and turn out time established in the respective standard. 

The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) will begin an evaluation of the impacts of the study upon future publications and editions of its performance indicators for accredited agencies.