HomeMy WebLinkAboutPS 2019-06-03 Item 2B - Public Safety Plan - Fire Station Location StudyManagement
Consulting
Report
City of Tukwila
Fire Station Location Study
Final Report — June 2017
FACETS Consulting
PO Box 30146
Flagstaff, AZ 86003
Page 11
Introduction
On November 8, 2016, the voters of Tukwila approved a public safety bond to fund a
Public Safety Plan developed by the City of Tukwila in 2016. The City's Public Safety
Plan included:
• A voter -approved Public Safety Bond to pay for three fire stations, guaranteed
funding for fire equipment and apparatus for the life of the 20-year bond and the
construction of a Justice Center to house the City's Police Department and
Municipal Court.
• A consolidated shops facility, paid through an equal contribution of existing
General and Utility funds.
The primary reason for this study is to provide the City with information and
recommendations for the location for two of three new fire stations funded by the Public
Safety Bond. These potential locations are determined through a geographical
information system (GIS) analysis process. This GIS analysis takes into consideration
response times based on national standards, historical response data, street and road
access and speed limits, topography, and barriers to response, i.e. bridges, railroad
tracks, etc. To determine where the new fire stations should be located, FACETS
Consulting was selected to conduct this study.
In addition to the fire station locations, FACETS was asked to provide input on the size
of the fire stations and the appropriate location for fire headquarters.
The importance of this study is that it identifies locations that Tukwila Fire Department
(TFD) can respond from to continue be a successful public safety organization. Safety is
what drives TFD's needs: the safety of its customers and, equally as important, the
safety of its employees. Fire and medical emergencies can quickly become worse in a
matter of minutes, so it is vitally important to locate fire stations properly for rapid
response. Equally important is the need to have up-to-date equipment and apparatus in
these stations. But most important is the responsibility to have trained firefighters in the
proper numbers to respond from stations with the equipment they need to deal with the
emergencies they face.
The City of Tukwila contracted with FACETS Consulting to identify the proper sites for
the relocation of Fire Stations 51, 52 and 54; to study deployment of fire apparatus for
appropriate and effective response to emergencies; and to identify other opportunities
based on best practices.
Executive Summary
Fire stations are visible and potent symbols of a community's investment in the
wellbeing of its citizens. They are strategically placed where anyone in need can access
assistance and from which firefighters respond to emergencies at all times of the day,
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
14
Page 12
every day of the year. As such, fire stations must have space to perform many
functions: office, dormitory, garage, equipment storage, decontamination, kitchen, living
and dining, training, physical fitness, and citizen access. The community expects much
of its firefighters and functional workplaces are needed to enable them to effectively
respond.
If unabated, fires and medical emergencies tend to worsen and can become deadly in
minutes. Thus, appropriate station locations are essential to the ability of firefighters to
respond quickly and meet their primary goal of mitigating emergencies within survivable
time frames.
Fire stations are long-term investments in the community and are expensive to staff and
operate. Their staffing and correct placement in the community is most important for
customer service and for efficiency.
Tukwila Fire Department is an all -hazards department, providing fire suppression,
hazardous materials mitigation, technical rescue, and basic life support services (EMS).
TFD does not provide emergency medical transport (ambulance) services. Ambulance
service is provided by Medic -One or private ambulance service providers in the region.
TFD and the surrounding fire departments operate an automatic aid system for
response to fire and medical emergencies. Most of the automatic aid is provided by,
and given to, the Renton Fire Authority (RFA) and the Puget Sound Fire Authority
(PSFA). There are other fire agencies that also provide and receive automatic aid.
Seattle Fire Department does not currently participate in the automatic aid system, but
does participate in mutual aid agreements with the surrounding fire departments.
The current Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating is a Class 3 for Tukwila Fire
Department. The number of stations and their locations have an impact on the City's
ISO rating. A higher ISO rating may result in increased fire insurance premiums for
business owners.
The City of Tukwila's passage of the Public Safety Bond obligates the City to build three
new fire stations. Three of the four current fire stations will be replaced. The stations
that are being replaced are:
• Station 51 — 444 Andover Park East
• Station 52 — 5900 South 147th Street
• Station 54 — 4237 South 144th Street
Station 51 is also the headquarters for fire administration and one of the new stations
will serve as the new location for headquarters in conjunction with an operational fire
station. The location for Station 51 has been secured through a development agreement
with Segale Properties LLC. That location is west of 180th St and intersects with
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
15
Page 13
Southcenter Blvd. and includes approximately six acres; approximately 2.5 — 3 acres of
the property is buildable.
This study was conducted to determine the most appropriate locations for two new fire
stations based on an objective analysis of GIS data and five years of CAD data. Based
on this analysis, maps were developed illustrating apparatus travel times of four -
minutes for engines and eight -minutes for ladder trucks. Additional maps were
developed to illustrate the deployment of an effective firefighting force based on current
and potential fire station locations. Several scenarios were developed and maps were
created for each scenario. Many of them are included in this report.
Two options were developed for new station locations. Based on this GIS analysis the
locations with the best coverage are:
Option 1:
• Fire Station 52 — 65th Ave. S., N. of Southcenter Blvd.
• Fire Station 54 — Current site
Option 2:
• Fire Station 52 — 55th Ave. S.& 144th St.
• Fire Station 54 — 53rd Ave. S., North of 160th St.
The question of the appropriate location for fire department headquarters is a policy
question for the City. The consultants believe that headquarters should be near City
Hall.
In addition to the GIS analysis over 70 individual stakeholders were interviewed and
over 20 documents or reports were reviewed. The interviews are summarized in this
report. Some of the same questions were asked by many individuals and they are also
addressed in this report.
Also addressed in this report are concerns related to the size of the new fire stations
and potential ladder truck locations.
Methodology
The methodology for this study included interviews with stakeholders in Tukwila,
benchmarking with national standards, and a detailed geographical information system
(GIS) analysis to determine new fire station locations in Tukwila.
Members of the FACETS team travelled to Tukwila four times to gather data, interview
stakeholders, visit fire stations, observe operations and participate with the City's Open
House meeting at Fire Station 54. The first visit was on January 20 and 21, 2017 for the
initial kick-off meeting with the Fire Chief, Mayor and City Administrator. The purpose of
this meeting was to review and confirm a detailed understanding of the project scope
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
16
Page 14
and gain an understanding of the community's need for emergency services, current fire
station locations, automatic and mutual aid arrangements with surrounding fire
departments, and other pertinent information. Other fire department staff members and
firefighters were also interviewed during this visit including on -duty rank and file
firefighters (B and C Shift) at each fire station.
Before this visit FACETS had received copies of several documents and previous
reports and studies regarding TFD. The significance of these documents was
discussed, as was the need for additional documents be reviewed. The list of
documents provided to FACETS in included in Appendix I.
The second visit to Tukwila was on February 6 and 7, 2017. During this visit, FACETS
met with all but one of the City Council members, and a representative of the TFD fire
station design committee. Interviews were also conducted with the Renton Fire
Authority Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief. In addition, a site visit to Valley
Communications Center, the 911 Public Safety Access Point (PSAP) and dispatch
organization for the City of Tukwila was completed. The Deputy Director was also
interviewed and provided additional data to FACETS. Two meetings on February 6th
where FACETS was scheduled to provide an overview of this study were cancelled
because of snow — the Public Safety Committee and City Council meetings.
The Executive Board for the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 2088
met on February 7th and FACETS met with the Board members, listened to their
concerns and answered questions regarding this study.
The FACETS team returned to Tukwila on February 16 and 17, 2017. During this visit
interviews were conducted with the Assistant Fire Chief, City Public Works and
Community Development Directors, TFD Fire Marshal, City Emergency Manager, and
the City's Communications/Government Relations Manager. On -duty rank and file
firefighters (A Shift) at each fire station were also interviewed. The team met with
developer Mark Segale at his location, toured the development and the designated site
for Fire Station 51.
The consultants returned to Tukwila on March 18, 2017 to attend the public open house
at fire station 54. During the open house the consultant was available to answer
questions regarding this study as well as general fire operations questions.
TFD shared relevant documents and emergency response data throughout the process.
For mapping, FACETS contracted with EF Geographic to produce the requested maps
with Tukwila's response data and best fire station locations. Significant delays to this
project occurred because of the GIS information provided by multiple sources and
issues with the data that required time consuming work on the part of the FACETS GIS
Analyst. In addition, our GIS Analyst worked closely with the fire department GIS
contact person on several other issues specific to the Tukwila GIS data and street
network.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
17
Page 15
Applicable National Standards and Benchmarking Guidelines
An essential part of analyzing a fire department's fire station performance is comparing
its response experience and protocols against established national response standards.
There are several ways to make such comparisons to identify a fire department's
strengths and weaknesses.
• For evaluating service performance, a fire department may use the National Fire
Protection Association's Standard 1710, Standard for the Organization and
Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations,
and Special Operations to the Public for Career Fire Departments. NFPA 1710
clearly defines the standard level of resources required and time frames for initial
and full responses for successful mitigation of emergencies, including fires,
emergency medical calls, and other emergencies. For establishing response
readiness and safety, a fire chief may use NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire
Department Occupational Safety and Health Program. This standard identifies
the minimum requirements for training, equipment, apparatus, physical fitness,
and other factors that are required to ensure that firefighters can safely respond
and mitigate emergencies. NFPA establishes and periodically revises consensus
standards on all aspects of fire department operations. In addition to these two,
there are standards on fire prevention, fire protection systems, personal
protective equipment, apparatus, training, building construction, and others.
NPFA 1710 sets out criteria for effective response to all types of emergencies.
Response time is defined as the sum of:
1. Call processing time, the time needed for a 911 call to be received
and the information processed and dispatched to the closest
available fire companies. Sixty seconds are allowed for standard
call processing.
2. Turnout time, the time required by the firefighters to receive the call
information, get on the truck, and start to move. Eighty seconds are
allowed for standard turnout time.
3. Travel time, the time the required to respond from the fire station to
the emergency location. Four minutes are allowed for travel time.
Thus, the first responding fire company is allowed up to six minutes to respond to
an emergency, regardless of the type of call. Many emergencies require only one
fire company for mitigation; most medical emergencies fall in this category.
However, structure fires and other emergencies require response of more than
one fire company. These emergencies require response from an effective
firefighting force (EFF).
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
18
Page 16
NFPA 1710 defines an effective firefighting force (EFF) as the number of
firefighters and fire apparatus with equipment required to mitigate a fire or
another emergency within a survivable time frame. Flashover is the point where a
fire engulfs a room and generally occurs six to eight minutes after ignition. After
flashover, survivability drops steeply. Therefore, NFPA 1710 requires that the
effective firefighting force be assembled within eight minutes after receipt of the
alarm.
An effective firefighting force consists of fifteen to seventeen firefighters and
officers, plus their equipment. If an aerial is needed, seventeen firefighters are
required, otherwise, fifteen. Long experience has shown that these numbers are
needed to accomplish the tasks required for successful fire suppression in a
survivable time frame. If the fire companies are staffed at four (one officer and
three firefighters), three engines, a ladder, and a command officer comprise the
effective firefighting force. If the fire companies are staffed at three (one officer
and two firefighters), the EFF will be comprised of four engines, a ladder, and a
command officer.
Successful emergency response requires not only firefighters but appropriate
equipment. Today, eighty to ninety percent of the calls for service American
firefighters respond to are medical emergencies. However, they must be trained
and prepared to respond to one hundred percent of emergencies, not just the
majority. And that requires having all the tools and equipment necessary when
they arrive on a scene, regardless of what they may have been told to expect.
For example, a fire company may respond to a wreck on an interstate, having
been told there are injuries. But when they arrive, one of the vehicles may be on
fire. Not having the ability to extinguish the fire in addition to rendering medical
aid would be a terrible — and embarrassing - service delivery failure. In addition, a
fire company may be required to go from one emergency to another; having to
return to the station for the necessary equipment would cause a delayed
response, another service delivery failure. For these reasons, fire departments
equip, staff, and dispatch fire engines on all types of calls.
• The Public Protection Classification (PPC) program administered by the
Insurance Services Office (ISO) is the oldest and perhaps the most familiar to
city managers and administrators. Using the PPC measures, ISO evaluates a
community's public fire protection capability and assigns a protection class rating
from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents exemplary fire protection; a Class 10 rating
indicates that a community's fire suppression program does not meet ISO's
minimum criteria. ISO evaluates all resources required for fire suppression to
establish a rating, including available water supply, call taking and dispatching
resources and protocols, response unit staffing, firefighter training, response
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
19
Page 17
capacity and coverage, and other factors. A key element of coverage evaluation
is the location of engine and ladder apparatus in relation to the development
within the jurisdiction. The PPC was developed by the insurance industry and is
used to set fire insurance premiums. It does not evaluate EMS capabilities or
other emergency services a modern American fire department routinely provides.
For full credit in the PPC program, a fire department must provide an engine
within 1.5 miles and a ladder within 2.5 miles of each property in the jurisdiction.
Staffing for this level of service delivery is prohibitively expensive and, outside
dense urban cores of large cities, probably unnecessary. An astute fire chief will
not base performance standards on ISO alone but will use more direct methods
of evaluating community risks and resources.
• The Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) provides a self -
assessment and evaluation model that enables a fire department to evaluate
past, current, and potential future service levels and performance and compare
them to fire industry best practices so that a department may:
o Determine community risk and safety needs and develop community -
specific standards of cover.
o Evaluate the performance of the department in relation to the standard of
cover.
o Establish a methodology for achieving continuous organizational
improvement in relation to the standard of cover.
CFAI provides the tools for a fire department to assess its performance against national
standards or locally adopted performance goals. The program is voluntary and does not
set standards. A successful process leads to accreditation; compliance reports must be
made annually and the assessment process is repeated every five years.
A progressive fire department will be familiar with these and use them to establish
response goals and performance measures appropriate for the community and the fire
department in a standards of cover document.
City Background Information
With an area of 9.8 square miles and a resident population of approximately 20,000,
Tukwila would initially appear to be a small community with few fire and emergency
needs. That first glance is misleading. Tukwila is a thriving small city faced with several
complicating challenges that significantly increase its fire and life safety protection
needs.
First is its geography. Tukwila lies in the upper Duwamish/Green River valley just south
of Seattle; the river flows along the city's eastern side. A large portion of central Tukwila
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
20
Page 18
is in the river's flood plain. On the west side, the topography rises in a series of steep
hills that require careful driving to navigate safely. The Puget Sound area is seismically
active. The Cascadia fault is the shallow point of contact where the Juan de Fuca
crustal plate is compressed as it slides under the North American crustal plate, in
western Washington. Geologists have determined that the fault ruptures and releases
this compression in 8 to 9 magnitude earthquakes once every 500 to 600 years. The
last earthquake occurred on January 26, 1700. The effects of earthquakes include
surface rupture, ground shaking, liquefaction, and landslides on steep slopes. (US
Geological Survey, Pacific Northwest geologic mapping and urban hazards)
The second challenge is the road network. Interstate 5 bisects Tukwila north to south,
with interchanges at Interstate 405/Highway 518 and at Highway 599. There are only
three interchanges where fire apparatus can access the interstates to reach
emergencies along them. The major streets that cross I-5 include McAdam Road, South
133rd Street, and South 144th Street in the north, Southcenter Boulevard and Klickitat
Drive in the central area, and South 176th Street in the south.
As noted above, Tukwila is a thriving city. The third challenge is the daytime population,
which swells to 125,000 to 150,000 as people arrive to work and shop. Westfield
Southcenter is the Puget Sound area's largest retail mall, with more than two hundred
stores and restaurants and a multiplex, and there is additional retail surrounding the
mall. And there is room for significant growth; Segale Properties owns 250 acres of
buildable property in south Tukwila. The company plans to construct based on market
indications of what is needed over the next several years.
Industry is the fourth challenge. Boeing Corporation has the most employees, with
7,572 in four major divisions located in the northern end of Tukwila, including a
manufacturing center and airport. In addition, there are several internet and corporate
datacenters located near Boeing Field. Costco Warehouse #2, with 703 employees, is
in central Tukwila. There is not a hospital located in Tukwila, but Group Health
Cooperative has almost 2,400 employees in the city.
Finally, transportation of goods, especially hazardous materials, is a challenge in
Tukwila. A sixty -inch diameter pipe carrying jet fuel crosses the city on its way to Sea-
Tac International Airport. Rail lines along the eastern border of the city carry Amtrak
passenger trains as well as freight, including tank cars with crude oil. In addition to
these hazards, commercial, military and private aircraft take off and land at SEATAC,
less than five miles away from Tukwila.
These challenges require fire protection and emergency services resources beyond
what would be typical for a city of Tukwila's size and population. Tukwila Fire
Department must be prepared to effectively respond to and mitigate "all -hazards" that
may be encountered. The potential for disasters in Tukwila range from natural disasters
(earthquake/flood), man-made (fire/medical), transportation related (ground/rail/air),
hazardous materials incidents, and terrorism.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
21
Page 19
Future Growth in Tukwila
In addition to the unique challenges Tukwila currently faces, additional growth in the
form of new construction, increased population and new jobs will impact the delivery of
fire services in Tukwila. Several new construction projects are underway and several
more are being planned for both commercial and residential uses. Commercial projects
create additional jobs.
A short summary of some of the development that is expected in Tukwila was provided
by the City Administrator. The information provided is listed below:
• Central Business District Buildout — impacting all the area south of the new
Station 51 (up to 8 million square feet of commercial space and approximately
2,000 housing units.
• Southcenter Area — near the current 19-story building, there will be more
housing. Specifically, 500 residential units planned in just the 19-story and a
five -story building in front of it. There will also be more growth in hotel rooms,
probably at least another 500 to 1,000 units. This would impact the service area
for a newly located Station 52 and the north service of station 51.
• Tukwila International Boulevard (TIB) — near station 54, there will be more multi-
family units, probably another 1,000 units, including Tukwila Village and other
possible developments centered around S. 144th and TIB.
In a May 2012 traffic study report, City of Tukwila: Background Report for the
Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan Update Transportation Analysis and
2030 Improvements Recommendations, prepared by the firm Fehr & Peers, Chapter 3
describes assumed changes in land patterns and in the transportation network that are
expected between 2012 and 2030. In the report, land use forecasts for 2030 are
provided by the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) and are based on regional
population and employment growth forecasts. Page 65 of the report includes a table
that compares the 2010 and 2030 land use in terms of total households and workers.
The table has been recreated below.
Table 1
2010 and 2030 Land Use Summary for City of Tukwila
2010
2030
Percent Growth
Total Households
7,440
12,300
65%
Employment (workers)
47,540
75,210
58%
Source: City of Tukwila, 2011
In addition, this report states that:
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
22
Page
10
"substantial development is expected in the Tukwila South area, between S.
180' and S. 200' Streets. In that area, approximately 400 new households and
13,000 new jobs are expected to be added by 2030. Other major growth areas
include:
• Southcenter — 1,400 new households and 4,200 new jobs
• North West Valley Highway Corridor — 1,400 new households and 300 new
jobs
• Boeing Field Area — 1,800 new jobs"
This additional growth and development will impact the delivery of fire and emergency
medical services, especially in Tukwila South, with increased requests for 911 services
and delays in response times due to increased traffic. A list and description of additional
private development projects can be found in Appendix II.
Fire Department Background Information
Tukwila Fire Department protects an area of 9.79 square miles, a resident population of
19,765 from four strategically located fire stations with a total of 62 Full -Time Equivalent
(FTE) positions for career uniformed personnel and 5 FTE civilian staff members. Daily
minimum emergency response staffing is 14 firefighters. Emergency response vehicles
on -shift consist of three Engines, one Ladder (Quint), one Battalion Commander, and
one Aid Car. Staffing for Engines consists of three firefighters and three or four on the
Ladder depending on on -duty strength after vacation and sick leave is factored. The Aid
Car, when in service, is staffed with two firefighter/Emergency Medical Technicians
(EMTs) that respond to medical emergencies. Currently the Aid Car is only in service
approximately sixty -percent of the time.
The Tukwila Fire Department provides services to 100,000 additional people who daily
work, shop, and drive through the city. Outside of Tukwila, fire department services are
provided to the surrounding cities covered under an automatic mutual aid agreement
with the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority and the Renton Regional Fire Authority.
These same fire departments also provide services to the City of Tukwila. As with most
fire departments in North America, the majority of TFD's responses are to medical
emergencies. TFD also provides personnel for special rescue teams including
hazardous materials mitigation, heavy rescue, and swift water rescue services in
addition to fire suppression and Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
The current locations of Tukwila Fire Stations are listed below. (See Map 1)
• Station 51 — 444 Andover Park East
• Station 52 — 5900 South 147" Street
• Station 53** — 4202 South 115t" Street
• Station 54 — 4237 South 144' Street
** Not being replaced.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
23
Page
FACETS toured all the fire stations several times during the onsite visits. Besides the
seismic risks, Station 51, 52 and 54 are not adequate for the current level of services
provided by the TFD. These stations are too small for both the equipment stationed
there and for the firefighters assigned to them. There are not appropriate facilities for
female firefighters including restrooms and sleeping areas. Firefighter safety is not
adequately addressed because of current fire station configurations, many times
contaminated materials are located too close to items used in the living quarters. It was
noted in one station that contaminated backboards are cleaned in the same area as the
refrigerators where personnel food is kept.
Tukwila Fire Department is an all -hazards department, providing fire suppression,
hazardous materials mitigation, technical rescue, and advanced basic support services.
TFD does not provide emergency medical transport (ambulance) services. Ambulance
service is provided by Medic -One or private ambulance service providers.
The current Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating is a Class 3 for Tukwila Fire
Department. Using the ISO criteria from the PPC program, Map 2 shows the current
coverage for an engine every 1.5 miles and a ladder truck every 2.5 miles.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
24
Page
12
Map 1- Tukwila Fire Department Current Station Locations and First -Due Areas
. King County
Buren
Sealac
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
Automatic
Other
Station Response Areas
1111 51
52
53
54
Citv Limits
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station 1st Due Areas [mop]. Scale 160000.
Data layers: City of Tukwila, WAi Street Centerline, City Limits, and
Surround Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations, and
Street Centerlines; ESRI, Highways [computer files]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, GA: Generaled by Elise Fisher, Jun 2, 2017. Using:
AruGIS for Desktop Basic [GIS], Version 10.4,1. Redlands, CA: Born 2014.
nton
Miles
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
25
Page
13
Map 2 — Tukwila Fire Department Current Station Locations and ISO Coverage
Fire Stations
▪ Tukwila
+ Automatic Aid
Other
Travel Distance
1111 Engine 1.5 Miles
y2itLadder2,5M]les
CiCity Limits
Tukwila Fire Department Current ISO Travel Capabilities [map].
Scale 1:60.000. Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surround Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines: ESRI: Highways [computer files]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017, Using:
AreGIS for Desktop Basic [GIS.]. Version 10.4,1. Redlands, CA; Eon, 2014.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
2 6
Page
14
Over the past five years, Tukwila Fire Department's emergency workload has
increased, as shown in the following table:
Year
HazMat
False
Good
Int
EMS
Other
Fire
Pub
Asst
Rupt/Exp
Wthr'
Total
2012
101
551
340
3386
56
288
118
5
1
4846
2013
73
610
393
3267
51
270
132
3
0
4799
2014
101
609
398
3491
24
380
147
5
1
5156
2015
97
605
542
3747
31
380
138
6
3
5549
2016
118
631
472
4060
28
319
123
0
3
5754
Total TFD emergency responses in 2016 were 18.7 percent higher than in 2012. Most
fire departments in growing areas such as Tukwila will see increases in activity, but
increases at this level will have an impact on the ability of emergency responders to
respond effectively. The increase is primarily driven by the growing number of medical
emergencies, which have increased 19.9 percent from 2012 to 2016. EMS incidents
account for 68.7 percent of all calls over the past five -years. The number of fires has
increased by 10.8 percent from 2012 to 2016. The number of false alarms has grown
14.5 percent, the hazardous materials responses have grown by 16.8 percent, and the
good intent calls have risen 38.8 percent over the five-year period. Map 3 below shows
the location of all incidents over the past five years.
Using the NFPA 1710 Standard for emergency response travel time of four -minutes
90% of the time for fire engines, the current station locations provide adequate
response travel time to all emergency incidents within Tukwila. Map 4 below provides
an overview of four -minute response travel times from the current fire stations for fire
engines. NFPA 1710 also specifies an eight -minute travel time for ladder companies,
Map 5 shows the current ladder company response within eight -minutes 90% of the
time.
In addition to the four -minute travel time, NFPA 1710 also includes metrics for an
effective response force (EFR), also referred to as an effective firefighting force (EFF),
of 17 firefighters arriving within an eight -minute time frame 90% of the time for 2000
square foot single family dwelling fires. TFD would not be able to meet this portion of
the standard without the automatic aid provided by the surrounding fire departments.
The total on -duty strength for TFD is usually 14 firefighters. Map 6 illustrates the eight -
minute response for an ERF of 17 firefighters with automatic aid provided by
surrounding fire agencies. Maps were also developed for fire scenarios for a minimum
of 15 firefighters and for high-rise fires, requiring 26 firefighters within eight -minutes
90% of the time.
In analyzing the GIS data for Tukwila over 200 maps were created to illustrate several
scenarios for this study, as well as maps requested by the City during the study. Many
of the maps are included in this report to support the recommendations for fire station
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
27
Page
15
locations. Appendix IV includes additional GIS maps of interest. All the maps developed
are not included in this report. These maps are available to the City to use as needed.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
28
Page
16
Map 3 — All Emergency Response Incident Locations: 2012 - 2016
'jog co,
Fire Stations
+ Tukwila
+ Automatic Aid
Other
Incident Count
Ott
5
10
50
100
City Limits
ScaTac
Tukwila Fire Department Historic Incidents 2012 - 2016 [map],
Scale 1:60,000, Data layers: City of Tukwita„ WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways (computer EF Geographic,
Coronado. CA: Generated by Elise Fisher. June 2, 2017. Using: ArcGIS
for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
.,.s °
706rrioty
nIL
-
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
29
Page
17
Map 4— Current Four -Minute Travel Time from Existing Fire Stations for Engines
Kirrq ,:;cunty
II
506
Ju rem
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
Automatic Aid
Other
Travel Time
1 Minute.
2 Minutes
NE 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
City Limits
alto
SeaTac
Tukwila Fire Department Current Engine 4-Minute Travel Time [map].
Scale 1:60,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surround Jurisdictions: King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines: ES1=21: Highways [computer tiles[. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, April 21, 2017, Using:
AroGIS for Desktop Basic [GI]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
Kent
0 5
2
Miles
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
30
Page
18
Map 5 — Current Eight -Minute Travel Time for Ladder 54
King COLinty
Burt
Fire Stations
Tukwila
Automatic Aid
Other
Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
in 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
5 Minutes
6 Minutes
III 7 Minutes
8 Minutes
ICitv Li i
q ,
Tukwila Fire Department Current Ladder 8-Minute Travel lime (map].
Scale 1:80,000: Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surround Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer tiles[. EF Geographic,
oronado, CA. Generated by Elise Fisher April 22, 2017. Using:
ArcGIS for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Eon, 2014.
King County
Rrntc.t.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
31
19
Map 6 — Effective Response Force (ERF) for Residential Fire Response: Eight -
Minutes
Fire Stations
+ Tukwila
+ Automatic Aid
+other
Effective Response Force
ClICity Limits
Tukwila Fire Department Effective Resonse Force 8-Minute 17 Fire
Fighters - Original Stations With Automatic Aid [map]
Scale 1:60,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions, King County Portal Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines: ESRI Highways 'computer files] EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA. Generated by Elise Fisher, June 2, 2017. Using: ArcGIS
for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014
Tukwila Fire Department
Effective Response Force 8-Minute
17 Fire Fighters - Original Stations With Automatic Aid
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
32
Page
20
Fire Station Location Considerations
As previously noted, appropriate fire station locations are necessary to ensure that
firefighters can respond rapidly and mitigate emergencies within survivable time frames
(See Figure 1 below). As the city has grown, Tukwila's fire stations have generally
provided an acceptable level of service. TFD's automatic aid agreements with Renton
Fire Authority and Puget Sound Fire Authority have benefitted all organizations by
providing essential resources to assemble effective fire fighting forces, provide
emergency medical services and special rescue operations.
The key to the ability for firefighters to mitigate a fire or medical emergency is response
time. Response time is the interval of time that is broken down into three components.
First is call receiving/dispatching time. This segment includes the time from when the
telephone rings in the 911 center until dispatchers have gotten the information they
need and notified the appropriate resources to respond. NFPA 1710 specifies that calls
should be answered within 15 seconds 95 percent of the time and processed within 60
seconds for 90 percent of alarms.
Second is turnout time. This is the elapsed time between when firefighters are notified
of an alarm, don their gear, and are on their truck moving out of the station. NFPA 1710
specifies that turnout time should be no more than 80 seconds for fires and special
operations and no more than 60 seconds for medical emergencies.
Third is travel time. NFPA 1710 sets out a requirement that the first responding fire
company should travel no more than 240 seconds to an emergency. This four -minute
travel time for the first responding fire company is significant for two reasons. First, a
person in cardiac arrest will suffer brain damage without intervention within four to six
minutes after the heart stops. Second, a fire will reach flashover — when a room and its
contents erupt into flames — within six to eight minutes after ignition. Firefighters must
arrive quickly and be ready to act, to save lives. The chart in Figure 1 below highlights
response time with cardiac survival and fire development.
Figure 1 — Fire Development and Survival vs. Time
Flashover
• Cell Death
Survive Fire
72A
7SZQ
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
33
Page
21
Likewise, NFPA 1710 defines an effective fire fighting force as the firefighters needed
on -scene in a reasonable timeframe to safely and successfully mitigate emergencies
that cannot be handled by one fire company alone. Research on fire operations
conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in partnership
with several fire service organizations, determined that seventeen firefighters arriving
within eight minutes of travel are the optimal force to effectively fight a structure fire in a
2000 square foot residential structure without exposures. Figure 2 below illustrates one
scenario of an effective firefighting force.
Figure 2 — Fireground Staffing Requirements of NFPA 1710 — Effective Fire
Fighting Force
5 PERSONNEL REQUIRED
17 i/"Aerial Device and
Opereaion
Rescue T
4'Ce�6ilsrli(
TOTAL ON .SCENE: 17
Incident Command Vehicle: I Chief Officer
Ladder Truck:: I Oilicerl3 Fire Fighters
"1 FF assigned to vdcllar r°e5srn
CfPinc, I Officer/3 Fire Fighters
EnLine: I Ofllcei/3 Fire Fighters
Frigin:e: I 011lcen3 Fire Fighters
* f FF assigned to vicairn l'ac.r•W
FF assigned to Incident Coon, ando-
*1 DOicer. 1 / 1 assigned fa !RIC
de
vander (If:
A rme
Source: NFPA 1710 Implementation Guide — International Association of Fire Chiefs/International
Association of Fire Fighters, 2002
A fire company consists of a piece of fire apparatus (heavy-duty vehicle) and the
firefighters assigned to it, with the equipment they need to provide services. For
effective services, there should be one officer, a driver/operator, and two firefighters. All
or several may be certified as emergency medical technicians or paramedics, if their
department provides EMS. An effective fire fighting force for a fire in a 2000 square foot
single family dwelling consists of four fire companies, each staffed with four fire
personnel, and a command officer, for a total of seventeen firefighters and officers.
Since all fire departments in South King County staff fire apparatus with an officer,
driver and one firefighter, additional apparatus would need to respond to assemble the
firefighting force of 17 firefighters listed in the Standard.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
34
Page
22
Fire departments send the closest available resource (engine, tower, quint, squad) to an
emergency. If the closest resource is not available, the next closest resource is
automatically selected by the dispatching system and sent. This creates a cascading
effect in the community where busy areas of the community draw resources from slower
parts of the community. Response times in a local area and in the entire community can
be negatively impacted if adequate resources are not in place.
Fire stations are expensive to build and operate and their locations should be selected
for long-term service. Spacing is important and should vary by population density. At a
maximum, fire companies from two adjacent stations should travel four minutes before
meeting. In a suburban setting, that might be four to five miles. In a more developed
area, it might be as little as a mile. Travel time is also impacted by other factors such as
traffic, natural and man-made barriers, and the street network. These considerations
need to be addressed when assessing fire station locations.
The primary issue for TFD is the department's ability to provide commensurate services
and equitable response times throughout the city. TFD needs to be able to respond with
the same number of fire companies in the same time frame to similar areas. In other
words, an effective fire fighting force should be identical for a single-family house in
northwest Tukwila as in the southwest or downtown, or anywhere.
Map 7 below illustrates the current response times from the existing Tukwila fire
stations.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
35
Page
23
Map 7 — Total Response Times from Existing Four Fire Stations
ktng Cour$ty
0)1rj County
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
BRRPI
Ri
Automatic Aid
Other
Response Time
Under 1 Minute
1 - 2 Minutes
2-4 Minutes
=14 - 6 Minutes
flV
6-8 Minutes
18-10 Minutes
M10 - 12 Minutes
12 - 20 Minutes
Over 20 Minutes
City Limi
knyl
Tukwila Fire Department Historic Runs - Response Times 2012 - 2.01
pl. Scale 160,000, Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
ity Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer files]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher. June 2, 2017. Using: AreGIS
for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esd, 2014,
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
36
Page
24
Automatic and Mutual Aid in Tukwila
The fire departments in South King County all participate in some form of mutual aid or
automatic aid to respond to emergency incidents in a timely manner with the resources
needed to mitigate an emergency. Automatic aid is given and received by TFD by the
surrounding fire departments, primarily the RFA and the PSRFA. Under the automatic
aid concept, the closest fire apparatus responds to the emergency regardless of
geopolitical boundaries. The response is automatic and included in the Valley Com
dispatch or response plan. Under the mutual aid concept, response by an agency to
another jurisdiction must be approved by someone at the time of the request. This
response is not automatic and may be delayed.
Maps 8 and 9 below illustrates the locations of responses where automatic aid was
given or automatic aid was received by the City of Tukwila for all incidents.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
37
Page
25
Map 8 — Automatic Aid Given by Tukwila Fire Department: 2012 - 2015
99 °
°
i.ing County
to
hftnzrevinty
°
Fire Stations
Automatic Ai
Other
ncident Count
o 5
SeaTaa
City Limits
°
Tukwila Fire Department Historic Incidents -Aid Given 2 12 - 201
ray Scale 1:60,000, Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
ity Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; .ESRI: Highways [computer tiles]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher June 2, 2017. Using: AroGIS
for Desktop Basic (GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Eon, 2014.
o
to
tent(
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
38
Page
26
Map 9 — Automatic Aid Received by Tukwila Fire Department: 2012 - 2015
eat c
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
1110Automatic Aid
SttaTac
Tukwila Fire Department Historic Incidents -Aid Received 2012 - 2016
pl. Scale 1:60,000, Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
by Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; .ESRI: Highways [computer files]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 2, 2017. Using: AroGIS
for Desktop Basic [GIST Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Eon, 2014.
TII
King County
Kent
2
Miles
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
39
Page
27
Tukwila Stakeholder Interviews
Although identifying potential locations for fire stations is determined through an
objective analysis process using data from the City's and other jurisdictions
geographical information systems, at least 78 face-to-face interviews or phone
interviews were completed by the consultants. The purpose of the interviews was to
allow all interested stakeholders to have input and voice their concerns.
The first interviews were conducted on January 20, 2017 and continued through the
completion of this project. In addition to these interviews, approximately 10 citizens
provided input or had questions regarding this project at the Open House on March 18,
2017 at Fire Station 54.
The interviews are categorized by the following groups of stakeholders:
• Elected Officials - 7
• City Administrators — 3
• Fire Department Administration — 5
• Fire Department Rank and File Members — 41
• International Association Fire Fighters Local 2088 Executive Board — 6
• Neighboring Fire Department Officials - 3
• Valley Communications Representative — 1
• Segale Properties Owner — 1
• SOJ Representative — 1
• Open House Attendees — 10
On January 20, 2017, the initial kick-off meeting was conducted with the fire chief to
review and confirm a detailed understanding of the scope of work to be performed for
this project. Several documents related to the fire department, including previous
consulting studies and reports, were provided prior to this meeting. The consultants
confirmed whether there were additional documents that needed to be provided as well
as the significance of these documents in relation to this study. A list of documents
provided to the consultants are in Appendix I. In addition, a list of stakeholders who
were to be interviewed for this project was reviewed and additional stakeholders were
identified by City representatives.
After the meeting with the fire chief, Mayor Ekberg and City Administrator David Cline
met with the consultants. During this meeting additional background information,
including the previous consideration of a regional fire authority (RFA) annexation in
2015 and 2106, history regarding the fire department and the Public Safety Bond was
provided. An overview of potential future growth in the City of Tukwila was provided.
Because Tukwila is essentially land locked and largely built out (except for the Tukwila
South area) most of the growth will occur in the following ways:
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
40
Page
28
• Development of a major corporate campus, associated housing and support
retail in the Tukwila South area
• Mixed use mid -rise projects in the Southcenter area and along Tukwila
International Boulevard
• A few dozen single family infill houses per year in neighborhoods throughout the
City
• Development of higher intensity industrial uses in the Manufacturing Industrial
Center area
Additional information regarding potential growth in Tukwila and the impact on
emergency services is addressed later in this report.
The Mayor and City Administrator reiterated the importance of this project since once
built, a fire station may be used for 50 years in addition to the potential impact on the
regional response to emergency incidents. Because of a previous developer agreement,
the location for one fire station in the Tukwila South area has been secured. Some in
the community, including fire department members, have voiced concern regarding the
proposed station location at 180th Street and Southcenter Boulevard. During this
meeting, it was mentioned that significant citizen involvement and input, through the
City's Community Connectors Program and other means, is extremely important to the
City. Additional questions were asked of the consultants including the number of fire
stations needed in Tukwila, Engines versus Ladders and Aid Cars assigned to fire
stations, and the appropriate location for fire department headquarters.
On January 20 and 21, 2017 the consultants met with the on -duty fire department staff
members at all four fire stations to explain the scope of this project, answer any
questions and listen to their concerns. A variety of concerns were expressed by these
firefighters including not locating fire stations in earthquake or flood areas, the hill and
gas pipeline on the new Station 51 site, station security, traffic issues related to medians
and other traffic calming remedies, and the impact on the regional response system
currently in place. In addition to voicing concerns, several potential locations for new fire
stations were presented based on their knowledge of available land to build on.
The consultants returned to Tukwila on February 5, 2017 and conducted interviews on
the 6th and 7th at several locations. In the morning of February 6th' the consultants met
with members of the fire administration team to better understand the needs of the
department. During these interviews several issues were mentioned, including the
following:
• The department has developed a list of priority items to be addressed in new fire
stations with input from rank and file firefighters
• Current facility maintenance issues at fire stations
• Concerns with overall daytime traffic and the addition of traffic calming
devices/methods
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
41
Page
29
• Extreme variance between daytime (approximately 125,000) and night time
population (approximately 20,000) affecting emergency response times and
availability
• Redundancy of major equipment in each station, i.e. SCBA air compressor
• Topography concerns and weather conditions
• Opticom system does not pre-empt crosswalks; department policy on driving
over the speed limit
• Fire stations located in residential areas versus location on major thorough fares
• Future growth areas in Tukwila
• Location of training area/function on the new Station 51 site — may result in
savings from training consortium
• Station size, number of dorms, number of bays, storage space, etc.
• Headquarters location issues
• Potential station sites available
In the afternoon of February 6th and morning of the 7th the consultants were able to
meet with six of the City Council Members in separate meetings. The Council Members
provided additional background regarding the current fire stations and concerns that
citizens have voiced regarding fire department services and fire station locations. Some
of the Council Members mentioned potential sites available for new fire stations. The
Council Members raised the following issues and concerns:
• Moving Station 52 will be concerning to the citizens in this area
• Concerned about the potential growth in the south part of the City
• Need a fire station in the south part of the City
• The location of the fire department headquarters
• Co -locating additional City services in new fire stations, i.e. police substation,
community meeting rooms, etc.
• Co -locating non -obtrusive revenue generating opportunities in new fire stations,
i.e. radio and cell towers
• Shared fire stations with surrounding fire agencies
• Energy savings technology (LEED/Green) included to some extent in the new fire
stations
• Concerned about increase in high-rise construction and impact to the fire
department
• Size of new fire stations, number of bays, and one story versus two stories
• Concerned about construction and land acquisition costs — SOJ contracted for
oversight
• City's contractual commitment to development agreement with Segale Properties
for fire station 51 site
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
42
Page
30
The afternoon of February 7th the consultants met with the fire chief and deputy fire
chief of the Renton Fire Authority (RFA), one of the fire departments that provides
emergency automatic -aid response services to the City of Tukwila. The meeting was
held at the RFA headquarters that is located on the top floor of the Renton City Hall
building, the same floor where the city administrators and elected officials are located.
The chiefs provided an overview of RFA, including the number of apparatus, on -duty
personnel totals, and incident volume. The area fire departments in South King County
respond as a single response system with the fire departments responding into each
other's jurisdictions based on a predetermined emergency response plan coordinated
by the Valley Communications Center and any change to the location of Tukwila fire
stations affects that response plan. Fire apparatus and personnel from Tukwila respond
to Renton and RFA responds to Tukwila on a frequent basis providing emergency
services based on the closest fire apparatus, regardless of geopolitical boundaries.
Also on February 7th the consultants visited the Valley Communications Center, the
regional 9-1-1 center that provides emergency communications services to communities
of South King County, including Tukwila. The Valley Communications Operations
Manager was interviewed, provided an overview and tour of the facility and provided
response data for this study. The center known as "Valley Corn" is a state of the art
facility utilizing a sophisticated computer aided dispatch (CAD) system with highly
trained personnel. Valley Corn is a model consolidated emergency 9-1-1
communications center serving the public and first -responders, police, fire and EMS, in
several South King County communities. Additional information regarding the
organization and services provided by Valley Corn can be obtained from their public
website: http://w .valleycom.orq.
On February 15, 2017, the consulting team returned and conducted interviews and
information gathering on February 16th and 17th with several of the stakeholders
including city officials and staff, fire personnel, the developer for Segale Properties LLC.
The morning of February 16' the consultants met with fire administrative staff, including
the Assistant Fire Chief and on -duty Battalion Chief. The following information was
provided:
• Proposed Station 51 site was narrowed down from 3 — 4 alternative sites
• Concerned about the lack of fire department maintenance services provided by
the City, provided example for request to paint fire station 51 not completed —
new stations need to be low -maintenance
• A single architect and construction company will be selected to design and build
the new fire stations
• Consideration for shared fire station with Puget Sound Fire Authority Station 47
and Tukwila Station 54
• Mentioned multiple utility providers for water and energy in Tukwila
• Concern with natural gas and jet fuel pipelines running through Tukwila
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
43
Page
31
• Critical infrastructure related to data centers and military operations in and
around Tukwila, including the Jorgensen Forge facility and others unique to
Tukwila
The afternoon of February 16th included interviews with the Directors of Community
Development, Public Works, the Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal and the deputy
fire chief for Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority (PSRFA).
Several maps outlining the zoning and development efforts in Tukwila were reviewed.
Extensive infrastructure information and development concerns was provided by both
Community Development and Public Works representatives, including the following
information:
• Major topographical issues in Tukwila
• Major utilities running through Tukwila including fiber optics, water lines, gas
lines, sewer lines
• Thirty years ago, Tukwila was 3 square miles with approximately 8,000 residents
and today Tukwila consists of 9.7 square miles with approximately 20,000 night
time residents and 125,000 daytime population
• Approximately 43,000 jobs in Tukwila
• Nine million square feet at Boeing, including the flight museum
• 1.7 million square feet at South Center Mall with expansion planned for
complexity of uses
• Approximately 2,000 permits issued per year for tenant improvements and new
construction generating approximately 90 million dollars a year
• Tukwila South consists of approximately 250 acres with 8 — 10 million square feet
of potential commercial and residential use; site built out over 3 — 4 years;
developer agreement expires in 2023
• Explained "streamline sales tax" and fire impact fees
• Described areas of growth including north industrial area tenant improvements,
Southcenter/Urban center, north area near mall, and Tukwila International Blvd.
(TIB)
• Need for new east to west corridors
• In -fill of approximately 30 single-family dwellings per year; multi -family residential
near TIB and Southcenter
• Ryan Hill — lack of utilities; 640 dwelling in past 30 years, 600 new in the past 3
years
• Consideration of exceeding building codes and standards for public safety
facilities, police and fire
• Major employer is Boeing with 12 — 14,000 employees; approximately 354 City
employees; 3 — 4% growth in job market potential in Tukwila
• Approximately 2,800 existing businesses
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
44
Page
32
• Location of tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft in Tukwila and world-wide
impact if operations interrupted
• Tukwila is one of the 10 most diverse cities in the US — over 67 languages
spoken
• Approximately 20% of population is considered lower income
• Ongoing upgrades to water and sewer near Washington Place
• Extension project on Strander Blvd. east and west
• "Super blocks" to breakup areas
• Additional items related to growth and development in Tukwila
The consultants then met with the Fire Marshal and fire prevention Captain who
provided an overview of the fire prevention efforts within Tukwila. Fire inspections are
conducted on a two-year cycle or sooner if needed. Several documents related to
development in Tukwila, including future traffic calming features to the street network,
were provided. Discussed the need for functioning fire stations over the design
components. Expressed concerns over adequate funding to construct new fire stations.
Additional concerns regarding the components and functional issues of new fire stations
was discussed and they prioritized the following:
• Enhanced response times
• Health and Safety of firefighters, minimize exposures
• Security
• Low maintenance facilities
On February 17th' the consultants met with the City's Emergency Manager and
Communications/Government Relations Manager who both provided additional
information regarding Tukwila and the recently passed Public Safety Bond. The City's
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be located at the new Justice Center, not at
fire department headquarters. Storage of specialty fire apparatus, including boats and
trailers, will be at the new Public Works facility. Concerns were voiced regarding the
potential noise level at fire stations located in residential neighborhoods and the need
for firefighters to be good neighbors.
The City's Communications Manager described the activities and events planned to
engage the community in the process and provide necessary education related to the
siting of new fire stations. Both an online open house and a live open house at Station
54 are planned. One of the primary goals is to explain what the fire department does
and need for "equitable response times" to emergency incidents city-wide. Additional
information regarding this study was provided including:
• Approximately 250,000 vehicles a day travel through Tukwila resulting in several
freeway incidents
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
45
Page
33
• Fluctuation between daytime (125,000) and night time (19,000) population and
impact on fire department responses
• Recovery aspects in the aftermath of emergency incidents
Also on February 16th the consulting team met with Mark Segale, developer and owner
of Segale Properties LLC. Mr. Segale provided the property for fire station 51 to the City
of Tukwila through a development agreement. Mr. Segale provided an overview of the
Tukwila South plan including the following:
• 250 acres of development property
• 10.3 million square feet of development including office campus, retail and
residential
• 125 feet height restriction on construction
• Creating an urban environment, live -work -play
• Build -out timing depends on market demand
• Several flat graded pads for commercial and civil construction ready to go
• Infrastructure phase has been completed
• Station 51 property consists of approximately 3 acres of buildable land
• Significant preparation of station 51 site including grading to reinforce slope and
relocation of underground gas line
The next meeting on February 17th was with the Mayor and City Administrator at City
Hall. During this meeting, the consultants provided an overview of the National Fire
Protection Standard 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire
Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the
Public by Career Fire Departments that is being used for the response time and
effective response force analysis for this study. The Mayor requested that the analysis
include more than the two -years of GIS response data, the consultants used five years
of data for the GIS analysis. Several questions were addressed at this meeting including
the following:
• Best ladder truck location
• Aid car response versus engine or truck response
• Effect of combining stations 47 (PSRFA) and station 54 on response
• The right number of fire station in Tukwila — 3, 4 or 5
The consultants were also informed that the City's current fire code requires residential
fire sprinkler systems in new construction. Additional information regarding future
growth was also provided and discussed.
The final meeting on February 17th was with the on -duty firefighters at Station 54.
Firefighters provided background information on the fire station that was taken over by
Tukwila in 1989. The ladder truck has been assigned to Station 54 since that time and
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
46
Page
34
was placed in service to respond to incidents involving the Light Rail station. The
discussion shifted to tax revenues collected in Tukwila and concerns with zip codes
within Tukwila registered to a different city, i.e. Seattle and the potential loss of tax
base. They mentioned multi -residential senior citizen complexes as a concern for
increased medical responses and future similar facilities.
The consultant attended the public open house event on March 18, 2017 at fire station
54. The open house was well planned and well attended. Several Community
Connector representatives were in attendance. Poster boards with information and data
for the Public Safety Bond was highlighted as well as the opportunity for citizens to
provide written comments or suggestions. The consultant's role at the open house was
to answer any citizen inquiries related to this study, its methodology and answer any
general fire service related questions. Approximately 10 citizens interacted with the
consultant during the open house. The consultant also had conversations with city staff
members, elected officials and SOJ representatives.
On April 4, 2017, a telephone interview with a representative of SOJ was conducted.
The role of SOJ was explained to the consultant and the impact of this study regarding
the actual locations deemed best based on the GIS analysis. Several questions
regarding fire services in general and specific fire department operational questions
were answered by the consultant.
Burning Questions from Interviews
During the interviews conducted in support of this study, there were a lot of questions
asked regarding this study and how potential locations are determined as well as a lot of
general fire department operations questions. Some of the questions were asked on
multiple occasions from different people. The section of the report will attempt to answer
the most common questions raised.
• Why does the City need four fire stations, three should be adequate?
The number of fire stations needed in a community is determined by several
factors starting with a community risk assessment from an all -hazards
perspective and developing a community risk reduction (CRR) plan. This process
includes a risk assessment, prioritization of risks, developing strategies to
mitigate risks, implementing a CRR plan, monitoring the plan, and evaluating the
plan. One way of developing a CRR plan is to develop a comprehensive
standards of coverage plan using the guidelines established by the Center for
Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) through its CFAI program (see page 8).
Additional information is available at: http://publicsafetyexcellence.orq.
In addition to the CRR plan, other considerations include the City's and TFD's
ISO rating. The ISO establishes the cost for fire insurance premiums based on its
PPC program (see page 7 & 8). A reduction from four fire stations to three fire
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
47
Page
35
stations may lower the City's ISO rating potentially impacting fire insurance
premiums, mainly for commercial occupancies.
In addition, the community's expectation regarding the delivery of fire services,
the City budget, mutual and automatic aid resources and other factors need to be
considered.
• Why doesn't the fire department replace an engine with an aid car?
Fire departments in the United States are all -hazards organizations and must be
capable of responding with the appropriate apparatus and number of firefighters.
In Tukwila EMS incidents account for 68% of all incidents and EMS incidents
have increased 19% in the past five years. Although the number of fire incidents
only account for 6.27% of all calls, fire incidents have increased by 10.8% since
2012. TFD must maintain appropriate fire apparatus and firefighters to effectively
respond to these fires.
It is a common practice in the U.S. fire service to use the closest fire apparatus
for EMS incidents. Fire apparatus usually consists of engines and ladder trucks.
As described in the section on CRR plans, the type and number of apparatus is
based on the community's standards of coverage. There may be more EMS
incidents responded to than fire incidents, but the overall risk to the community is
greater from fire incidents than the risk from multiple single EMS incidents. By
responding to EMS incidents in smaller vehicles with less personnel, the risk of
having a fire engine or ladder truck not available for a fire incident is greater.
There have been debates regarding wear and tear of a larger apparatus versus a
smaller response vehicle. The consultants have reviewed relevant documents
and studies and the increase in the per mile cost is minimal compared to the risk
of not having the appropriate fire apparatus and firefighters available for fire
incidents.
• Why is this study needed to determine fire station locations?
The primary purpose of this study is to objectively determine potential fire station
sites for the City of Tukwila. The methodology for determining the locations is
described elsewhere in this report.
Building and staffing a fire station are costly. Fire stations are usually operational
for more than 30 years. The goal in locating these fire station sites is to provide
equitable services and response times to all parts of the City. During the
interviews for this study, several locations were suggested based on the
individual's opinion and knowledge of available land to build on. The locations
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
48
Page
36
suggested by this study are based on objective data analysis.
• How big should new fire stations be?
This question was asked frequently. The size of the new fire stations in Tukwila
should be determined by evaluating several factors including services to be
delivered, the impact of future growth and development, the number of
anticipated firefighters assigned to each station over the next 30 years, the
anticipated fire apparatus assigned to each station, the functions needed at each
station, co -locating additional services or functions at stations, and several other
factors. The ultimate decision on size will be based on the needs of the
community and the funding available to construct the new fire stations.
Summary of Interviews
Information collected during the interviews and answers to some of the questions,
included in this report, provided the consultants with the history and background
information in Tukwila to understand the critical nature of this report and effect on the
City of Tukwila in the near future and well beyond. Fire stations can be operational for
more than thirty -years and must be located in a strategic manner for current incident
response as well as future incident response predictions. Almost everyone interviewed
mentioned growth and increased daytime populations and its impact on traffic in general
as well as the impact on emergency responses. The uniqueness of the City was also
mentioned by most participants interviewed including topography, transportation
barriers, multiple critical infrastructure, especially utilities, data centers, military projects,
and the work at Boeing. Several of those interviewed provided locations for potential fire
station sites based either on their knowledge of available property or their interpretation
of response volume and access to emergency incidents. The questions raised in the
interviews are addressed in this report.
Geographical Information System (GIS) Analysis
Key to this study is the analysis of current and historical data collected by the City of
Tukwila, King County and the Tukwila Fire Department. This data analysis is conducted
using a computer software program called ArcGIS for Desktop. The Network extension
of the software contains the Location -Allocation tool, which is utilized to solve fire station
location problems by choosing locations that includes all or the greatest amount of
demand within a specified impedance cutoff. The impedance cutoff is travel time, 4-
minutes for engine analysis and 8-minutes for ladder analysis. Included in this analysis
is the Tukwila street network. The Tukwila street network is built by combing street
segment, intersection characteristics and special accommodations. Existing attributes
and street segment attributes in the GIS data, such as length, speed, direction of travel,
and calculated slope. Intersection attributes are also incorporated such as elevation (for
over/under passes) and turn delay (left-4 seconds, right-2-seconds, and straight-0.5
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
49
Page
37
seconds). Special accommodations include speed bumps, street closures, and school
zone modifications (20 MPH), and apparatus restrictions.
This is the same software used by the International Association of Firefighters
conducting GIS related analysis studies for communities.
Data Issues and Delays:
This report was delayed approximately 60 days related to the data analysis portion of
this study. The reasons for the delay are listed below.
• CAD Data
- Last CAD data component received on: 04/20/2017
- CAD Data Analysis Delays:
• Duplicate apparatus deletion
• Invalid XY Coordinates
• Aid Given Data merging
• CAD Data General Issues:
• No AVL
• Invalid XY Coordinates
• Truncated data (between systems)
• Send to wrong call type
• Direct export from CAD unreliable
• Original data received from Tami contained invalid XY coordinates
• Routing
- Last street modifications received on: 04/20/2017
• Routing Delays
o Street network modifications
• Addition of speed bumps, delays, and closures
o Street network customizations
Two network versions for separate engine and ladder
routing.
With the assistance of TFD members with GIS experience, the FACETS GIS Analyst
corrected all five years (2012 — 2016) of the incident response (CAD) data as well as
the street network data. The clean data is available to the City of Tukwila to use as
needed. Steps should be taken to eliminate the data inaccuracies/errors from the data
bases for future GIS related studies.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
50
Page
38
Fire Station Location Recommendations
Several scenarios for fire station locations were calculated and over 200 maps were
created. Maps were developed for daytime, night time and combined day and night
times. The locations for fire stations shift between day and night because of incident
volume and traffic considerations. Recommendations for fire stations for this study are
based on the combined day and night call volume and traffic.
The consultants developed maps with locations for three, four or five fire stations if
Tukwila was an island to itself without any fixed fire stations or automatic aid. Maps 10 —
12 are based on combined day and night factors.
Map 10 shows that the best locations for three fire stations that would be at or near the
following locations:
• Fire Station 1 — Interurban Ave S. & Gateway Dr.
• Fire Station 2 — Tukwila Parkway, S. of the 1-405 Ramp
• Fire Station 3 — Southcenter Blvd. & Western City Boundary
Map 11 shows the best locations for four fire stations that would be at or near the
following locations:
• Fire Station 1 — Boeing Access Rd., S. of Airport Way Intersection
• Fire Station 2 — S. 133' St. & 134t' PI.
• Fire Station 3 — Southcenter Blvd. & S. 154th St.
• Fire Station 4 — Tukwila Parkway, S. of 1-405 Ramp
Map 12 shows the best locations for five fire stations that would be at or near the
following locations:
• Fire Station 1 — Boeing Access Rd., S. of 1-5 Ramp
• Fire Station 2 — S. 133rd St. & 134th PI.
• Fire Station 3 — Southcenter Blvd. & Western City Boundary
• Fire Station 4 — Southcenter Blvd. & 65th Ave S.
• Fire Station 5 — 53rd Ave. S & S. 160' St.
Based on the travel time of four -minutes and the historical incident volume a minimum
of four fire stations are needed to continue to provide effective fire service delivery, five
stations would be ideal if Tukwila were an island to itself.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
51
Page
39
Map 10 — Tukwila as an Island with Three Fire Stations
Burien
5:111 •-sg
Fire Stations
ir!
V110
Potential
+Automatic
SeaTac
elte
Other
Potential Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
EN 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
City Limits
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario 3 Engines [map].
Scale 160,060. Data layers: City &Tukwila, WA Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surround Jurisdictions: King County Portal' Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer Nes]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Eli. Fisher, April 26, 2017. Using:
AroGIS for Desktop Basic [GIS). Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Eon, 2014..
or
Potential Station Locations:
Station 1- Interurban Ave S 8 Gateway Dr
Station 2 - Tukwila. Parkway, S of the 1-405 Ramp
Station 3- Soulhcenter Blvd 8. Western City Boundary
[A,
Kiirqj County,
Kent
0 5
Rist
2
Miles
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
52
Page
40
Map 11 — Tukwila as an Island with Four Fire Stations
ntv
Fire Stations
.1. Potential
Automatic
SeeTae
Bee
Other
Potential Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
3 Minutes
4 Minutes
City Limits
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario 4 Engines [trap].
Scale 160,060. Data layers: City &Tukwila, WAt Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surround Jurisdictions: King County Portal' Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer Nes]. SF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, April 26,2017. Using:
AroGIS for Desktop Basic (GIS). Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esr], 2014.
e
SAM
Potential Station Locations:
Station 1 - Boeing Access Rd, S of Airport Way Intersection
Station 2.- S 133rd St & S 134th PI
Station 3- Seuthcenter Bed & S 154th St
Station 4- Tukwila Parkway, S of I-405 Ramp
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
53
Page
41
Map 12 — Tukwila as an Island with Five Fire Stations
Burien
5:111
iii
51
Fire Stations
MIMPotential
41Automatic
,KtK
Other
Potential Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
NE 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
City Limits
iltaaddiViallate
t
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario t 5 Engines [map].
Scale 160,000. Data layers: City &Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surround Jurisdictions: King County Portal' Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer Steel. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, April 26,2017. Using:
ArcGIS for Desktop Basic (GIS). Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
Sedrac
Station 1 - Boeing Acces Rd, S of 1-5 Ramp
Station 2-0 133rd St & S 134 Pi
Station 3 - Southcenter Blvd & Western City Boundary
Station 4 Southcenter Blvd & 65th Ave S
Station 5 - 53rd Ave S OS 160th St
King County
ciEl SPit
Keru
0 0 5
2
to
Miles
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
54
Page
42
The next maps were developed to determine the location of ladder trucks based on the
NFPA 1710 Standard. Map 13 shows the best location for one ladder truck with
automatic aid at or near S. 140th St. & 38th Ave. S.
Map 14 shows the eight -minute travel time if the ladder was located at 65th Ave. and
Southcenter Blvd.
Map 15 shows the best locations for two ladder trucks located in the west at or near:
• 37th Ave. & 133rd St.
• 42"d Ave. S. & Southcenter Blvd.
Map 16 shows the best location for two ladder trucks if the west is not the determined
location. These locations are at or near:
• S. Ryan St. at Eastern Border
• 42nd Ave. S. & Southcenter Blvd.
Maps were developed showing the impact of closing PSRFA fire station 47. Map 17
illustrates the impact to effective firefighting force if Station 47 was closed.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
55
43
Map 13 — Best Location for 1 Ladder Truck — 8 Minute Travel Time
Kin E,, i6�1t dy
Un
Fire Stations
Tukwila
Automatic
Other
Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
s' 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
5 Minutes
6 Minutes
7 Minutes
ai 8 Minutes
City Limits
rTukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario - 1 Ladder With
Automatic Aid [map] Scale 1:60,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA:
Street Centerline, City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County
Portal: Fire Stations, and Street Centerlines; ES RI: Highways [computer
Iles]. EF Geographic, Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June
2, 2017. Using: ArcGIS for Desktop Basic [GI5]. Version 10.4.1, Redlands,
CA: Esri, 2014.
Dnar
.palr�
h Automatic Aid
Potential Station:
-S 140th St & 38th Ave S
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
56
Page
44
Map 14 — 8-Minute Travel Time: 1 Ladder Located at 65th Ave. & Southcenter Blvd.
oIi
sob
Fire Stations
Potential
Automatic
Os
Other
Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
II i 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
5 Minutes
6 Minutes
IL 7 Minutes
Minutes
City Limits
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario.- 1 Ladder [map]. Scale
160,000. Data layers, City of Tukwila, WA; Street Centedine, City Limits,
and Surrounding Jurisdictions: King County Portal: Fire Stations, and
Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer liIei, EF Geographic,
Gunned°, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3.2017. Using: ArcGOS
for Desktop Basic [GISI. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA; Es°, 2014.
Potential Station:
-65th Ave S & Southcenter Blvd
K mg County
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
57
45
Map 15 — Best West Location for Two Ladder Trucks — 8 Minute Travel Time
Potential Station:
- 37th Ave S & S 133rd St
- 42nd Ave S & Southcenter Blvd
Fire Stations
♦ Potential
Min Automatic
Other
Travel Time
111 Minute
2 Minutes
Minutes
4 Minutes
5 Minutes
6 Minutes
• 7 Minutes
$ Minutes
City Limits
rf
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario - 2 Ladder [map[. Scale
1.60,000. Data layers' City of Tukwila, WA. Street Centerline, City Limits,
and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations, and
Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer files[. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher. June 3, 2017. Using: AroGIS
or Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands. CA. Esri, 2014.
�Ycett 1 .
m uuumlVuuuViVd,,,dii I.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
58
Page
46
Map 16 — Best Citywide Location for Two Ladder Trucks — 8 Minute Travel Time
King county
Fire Stations
+Potential
Automati
Other
Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
Ktigi 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
5 Minutes
6 Minutes
7 Minutes
8 Minutes
City Limits
111
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario -2 Ladder frnapl. Scale
1:60,000. Data layers. City of Tukwila, WA, Street Centerline, City Limits,
and Surrounding Jurisdictions: King County Portal: Fire Stations, and
Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer tiles]. ER Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017. Using: ArcGlS ' •
for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Eon, 2014.
Potential Station:
- S Ryan St, at Eastern Border
- 42nd Ave S & Southcenter Blvd
0 5
2
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
59
Page
47
Map 17 - Impact of Closure of PSRFA Fire Station 47
Fire Stations
+ Tukwila
+ Automatic Aid
+Other
Effective Response
=City Limits
11111111111111111111111mm
Tukwila Fire Department Effective Reson. Force 8-Minute 17 Foe
Fighters - Original Stations With Automatic Aid [map]
Scale 1:60,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions: King County Portal Fire Stations,
and Slreel Centerlines; ESRI' Highways [computer tiles] EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA. Generaled by Elise Fisher, June 2, 2017. Using: ArcGlS
for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA. Esri, 2014
Tukwila Fire Department
Effective Response Force 8-Minute
17 Fire Fighters - Original Stations - Automatic Aid - Merged Stations 46 & 47
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
60
Page
48
Map 18 was developed with Station 51 located at the new location of 180th St. and
Southcenter Blvd. and Station 53 at its current location to determine the location for two
new station locations for Station 52 and 54. The best coverage was determined to be at
or near the following locations:
• Fire Station 52 - 65th Ave. S., North of Southcenter Blvd.
• Fire Station 54 — 51st Ave. S. across from S. 146th PI.
In consultation with City officials the 51 St Ave. location was deemed not to be a good
location because of severe uphill slopes.
Map 19 was developed with Station 51 located at the new location of 180th St. and
Southcenter Blvd., Station 53 at its current location, and Station 54 at its current location
to determine the location for one new station locations for Station 52. The best coverage
was determined to be at or near the following location:
• Fire Station 52 - 65th Ave. S., North of Southcenter Blvd.
Map 20 was developed in response to the possibility of PSRFA Fire Station 47 closing.
The map was developed with Station 51 located at the new location of 180th St. and
Southcenter Blvd. and Station 53 at its current location to determine the location for two
new station locations for Station 52 and 54. The best coverage was determined to be at
or near the following locations:
• Fire Station 52 - 65th Ave. S., North of Southcenter Blvd.
• Fire Station 54 — 51st Ave. S. across from S. 146th Pl.
As previously mentioned, the 51st Ave. location is not a good option.
Map 21 was developed to identify a secondary location, excluding 51st Ave. S. across
from S. 146th PI., for Stations 52 and 54 with Station 51 located at the new location of
180th St. and Southcenter Blvd. and Station 53 at its current location to determine the
location for two new station locations for Station 52 and 54. The best coverage was
determined to be at or near the following locations:
• Fire Station 52 — 65th Ave. S., North of Southcenter Blvd.
• Fire Station 54 — 53rd Ave. S., North of S. 160th St.
Map 22 was developed to identify two alternate locations using the new location for
Station 51 and existing location for Station 53. The best coverage was determined to be
at or near:
• Fire Station 52 — 55th Ave. S & 144th St.
• Fire Station 54 — 53rd Ave. S. North of S. 160th St.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
61
Page
49
Map 18— Existing sites: Station 51 & 53 — 2 potential new sites for Station 52 & 54
Fire Stations
Tukwila
Automatic
Other
Potential Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
MI 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
City Limits
Fannin
00S
A!LIIW
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario -4 Engines with
Automatic Aid [map]. Scale 1.60,000, Data layers, City of Tukerila, WA:
Street Centerline, City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County
Portal: Fire Stations, and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer
flies]. OF Geographic, Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, May
4, 2017, Using: ArcGIS For Desktop Basle [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands,
CA: Esti, 2014.
0.
Potential Station Locations:
-65th Ave S, North of Soutncenter Blvd
-51st Ave S across from S 146th PI
0
2
Departmentkwila Fire tion Scenario -4 Engin
With Automatic Aist
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
62
Page
50
Map 19 — Existing sites: Station 51, 53 & 54 — 1 potential new site
Fire Stations
+Potential
Automatic
Other
Potential Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
•• 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
!Citv Limits
%0',110
hitK14
„Sea Tzu
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario -4 Engines Automatic Aid &
Stations New 51, 53, and 54 [map]. Scale 1:50,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila
WA: Street Centerline, City Limits, and Surround Jurisdictions; King County
Portal: Fire Stations, arid Street Centerlines, ESR.I. Highways [computer files].
EF Geographic, Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, May 26, 2017.
UsThg,ArcGIS for Desktop Basic [GI5]. Version 10,4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri. 2014,
Des MoThesW
50
i a Fire Depart
a ioit Scenario -
lc Aid & Sthtions New Si,
Potential Station Location,
Station - 65th Ave S, North of Southoenler Blvd
Kent
uhf
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
63
Page
51
Map 20 - Existing sites: Station 51 & 53, Station 47 Closed: 2 potential new sites
Fire Stations
+Potential
Automatic
SeaTac.
Other
o ential Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
glit 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
City Limits
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario -4 Engines - Day/Night
Automatic Add Excluding Station 47 tinapj, Scale 1:60,000 Data layers:
City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline, City Limits, and Sugounding
Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations, and Street Centerlines;
ESP', Highways leomputerhlesL SF Geographic, Coronado, CA: Generated
by Else Fisher, May 1, 2017. Using: AroGIS for Desktop Basic, IGIS].
Version 10.41. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2214.
j..eatVe, —
/
Potential Station Locations:
-65th Ave S, North of Southcenter Blvd
-Slot Ave S across from S 146th PI
1%-
44,
tftiPri
414
4i,<A4
"Mu*,
atioVik,
Kent
alnieDo :MOrt
on Scenario -4 Engines :-
AutOmatic,Aid',ExcludingStatiOn 47::'
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
64
Page
52
Map 21 — Existing sites: Station 51 & 53 — 2 potential new sites
Is
Fire Stations
+Potential
Automatic
Travel Time
1 Minute
UU 2 Minutes
1.ViY.4" 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
CityLimits
iiidiit lit
war'
Akwoop,
ma,nv
SeaTss
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario -4 Engines
Stations Nev 51 and 53 With TwoAdditional Stations [map]. Scale 1:60,000.
Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline, City Limits, and Surround
Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations, and Street Centerlines;
ESRI: Highways [computer files], EF Geographic, Coronado, CA: Generated
by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017. Using: ArcGIS for Desktop Basic [GIS].
Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA. End, 2014.
Des Moines
a Fire Der*
Potential Stabon Location:
- 65th Ave S. North of Southcenter Blvd
- 53rd Ave S. North of S 160th St
Kent
Ines
ations New 51 and 63 With Two Additional Stations
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
65
Page
53
11111111111111111
Map 22 — Existing sites: Station 51 & 53 — 2 potential new sites Map 22 — Existing
sites: Station 51 & 53 — 2 potential new sites
Fire Stations
+Potential
Automatic
Other
Travel Time
1 Minute
2 Minutes
:,cqg 3 Minutes
4 Minutes
City i i
e'itSec
4414111,„
4MAUSIfeip
Potential Station Location:
- 55th Ave S & S 144th St
- 53rd Ave S, North of S 160th St
ScaTac
It
„411f.iiIVICL „
Tukwila Fire Department Fire Station Scenario - 4 Engines
Stations New 51 and 53 With TwoAdditional Stations [map] Scale 1.60,200.
Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline. City Limits, and Surround
Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations, and Street Centerlines;
ESRI: Highways [computerfiles] SF Geographic, Coronado, CA: Generated
by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017_ Using: ArcGIS for Desktop Basic [GIS].
Version 16.4.1. Redlands. CA: Esri, 2014.
I Des 111one -147'7
Tukwila Fire Depa
Fire Station Scenario -4 Engines
tations New61 and 63 With Two Additional Stations
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
66
Page
54
Fire Station Design Considerations
The consultants were asked about recommendations related to the size and design of
the new fire stations. TFD currently has an employee -management committee that has
been discussing and identifying various options and functions for the City and its
architects to consider including in the fire station design and construction. The
committee has prioritized the following:
• Enhanced response times
• Health and Safety of firefighters, minimize exposures
• Security
• Low maintenance facilities
TFD personnel have also conducted site visits to recently constructed fire stations in
King County and in other jurisdictions for ideas and best practices related to their
identified priorities. The committee and its leadership have a good grasp of
understanding constraints related to land acquisition and construction costs. Since the
scope of this study does not include the specific design of the new fire stations, this
section will provide general and standard information related to fire station construction.
Fire station sites should be at least two -acres in size or approximately 90,000 square
feet. The site size can shrink or grow depending on the project program/design criteria,
however two -acres or more allows room for future growth. Anything smaller than 1.5
acres should be avoided.
Appendix III, Fire Station Room Data Sheets, provides information for a common one-
story fire station design commonly required to meet the operational and deployment
requirements for a career fire department. As the City pursues property for the
replacement fire stations, the data will aid in the filtering of potential sites. These
calculations also assume a rectangular shaped site. Odd shaped sites and two-story
stations add cost and complexity that are not depicted in the tables listed in the
Appendix.
Based on the final decision on station size, potential sites should take in consideration
the following:
• 75' front apron + 75' deep bay + 75' rear apron = 225' deep site
• 225' deep x 275' wide = 61,875 sq. ft. (divided by 43560) = 1.4 acres
• 225' deep x 350' wide = 78,750 sq. ft. (divided by 43560) = 1.8 acres
• Sites should be no smaller than 1.5 acres
• Sites averaging 2 acres allows for future growth
In addition to the appropriate size and location for these new fire stations, there are
several opportunities to incorporate other function/services within the new stations.
There are several examples across the country where fire stations are combined with
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
67
Page
55
other uses or functions, including public/private ventures that generate revenues. City
leaders have stated they want creative, cost effective facilities that not only meets the
needs of the fire department, but the public's needs at large. The following
considerations are offered:
• Community rooms for public meeting and use by groups — may or may not
involve fees for use
• Police report area or mini -substation
• Co -location of radio or cell towers — fee based
• Incorporation of fire station with commercial use structures
There are two national fire conferences specifically related to fire station design
considerations. TFD shoulder consider attending or having their construction team
attend one or both conferences.
Fire Station Headquarters Location
There are no national standards or practices for the location of fire department
headquarters locations. The location for headquarters is a policy decision based on
various factors. In general, the headquarters location should be close to City Hall so that
the fire administration team can interact with City staff, City officials, and City
Department Directors from various City Departments. If the headquarters location is
isolated from where the City does its business, the fire department chief may not be
able to participate effectively in City business that benefits both the City, the fire
department and its citizens. The fire department is one of several City departments that
must work together to meet the City's mission and vision. There is value to locating the
fire administration headquarters within a fire station and not in a separate facility. This
co -location of headquarters within an operational fire station allows fire administrators to
interact with rank and file firefighters daily.
Conclusion
In government services, as in life, we do not always get what we pay for. This is not the
case for the citizens of Tukwila as they receive excellent service from Tukwila Fire
Department at very reasonable cost. Such a high ratio of cost -benefit cannot continue
indefinitely. As demand for emergency services continues to increase, TFD will need
additional resources to keep the current level of services.
The point of this study is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Tukwila Fire
Department station locations and deployment and identify directions that will enable it to
improve, not only in customer service, but also as a growing, learning community of
firefighters dedicated to the safety of the city and its citizens. Both the FACETS team
and TFD command staff recognize that improvement is a continuous process. As goals
are achieved, new ones are established and managed through the strategic planning
process. As the community grows and changes and as technology evolves in ways that
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
68
Page
56
impact fire risk, such as new forms of energy for vehicles and buildings, there will
always be something new to prepare for.
Based on its comprehensive review, the FACETS team perceives an organization that
has intelligently examined the risks the City faces, and, given its limitations, has
deployed its available resources to the best advantage. At all levels, TFD members
have cultivated good relations with the other public safety agencies with whom they
work, to the betterment of not only the members themselves but also to the community
they serve.
The FACETS team found the City of Tukwila and TFD to be a progressive organization
open to positive change. The Mayor, elected officials and the City Administrator are
extremely supportive of the TFD and committed to the public safety of Tukwila residents
and visitors.
The observations of the FACETS team, both staff and facilities and of the relevant
documents, lead to the conclusion that TFD provides excellent value in services but is
facing increased growth resulting in additional demand for services. The City can meet
the challenges related to the increased demand for services through appropriate
locations for fire stations related to equitable response times and effective firefighting
forces to mitigate all -hazards incidents.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
69
Page
57
APPENDIX I
List of City of Tukwila Documents/Reports Received
1. "Headquarters Fire Station Location Analysis — City of Tukwila" — TCA
Architecture Planning: November 30, 2009
2. "Headquarters Fire Station Location Analysis Amendment — City of Tukwila" —
TCA Architecture Planning: March 25, 2013
3. "Investing in Tukwila — Essential Government Services Facilities Plan 2015 —
20140 DRAFT — City of Tukwila: December 14, 2015
4. "Cities of SeaTac and Tukwila — Opportunities for Partnership Efforts" — ESCI:
October 2008
5. "Tukwila Fire Department Master Plan" — Tukwila Fire Department: August 2008
6. "Kent Regional Fire Authority Annexation Review" — Tukwila City Council:
December 2015
7. "Tukwila City Council Work Session Agenda: Public Safety Plan: January 10,
2017
8. "RFA Capital Planning Workbook — September30, 2015
9. "Public Safety Plan Summary"
10. "City of Tukwila Comprehensive Plan 2015"
11."Mayor's Fact Sheet About Tukwila's Public Safety Plan"
12."PSP Service Level Impact" — Power point
13."Tukwila Facilities Cost Estimates" — May 3, 2016
14."Regional Fire Authority Annexation Review" — City of Tukwila: December 3,
2015
15."Exhibit A to Resolution 1784: City of Tukwila Strategic Plan"
16. Response Time Maps (2 files)
17.2016 TFD Call Data
18.Tukwila CAD Data
19. City of Tukwila: Background Report for the Transportation Element of the
Comprehensive Plan Update Transportation Analysis and 2030 Improvements
Recommendations — Fehr & Peers: May 2012
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
70
Page
58
20.AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF TUKWILA AND SEGALE
PROPERTIES LLC, FOR THE TUKWILA SOUTH DEVELOPMENT — October
2013
21. UTILITY RELOCATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF TUKWILA,
SEGALE PROPERTIES LLC, AND PUGET SOUND ENERGY, INC. — April 2014
22.Additional documents not listed.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
71
APPENDIX II (Source City of Tukwila)
Private Development Projects
Tukwila Village 144Ch and TIB
Tukwila Village will include a branch of the nationally recognized King County Library
System and the City's neighborhood police resource center in combination with other
retail, office, live/work, or residential space.
Tukwila South Project
The Tukwila South agreement set the stage for the development of 512 acres of land,
five minutes from SeaTac International Airport and adjacent to 1-5. The boundaries are
approximately S 180th Street on the north, the Green River on the east, S 204th Street
on the south, and Orillia Road/l-5 on the west.
Woodspring Suites 15643 West Valley Highway
Construction of a four-story, 110-room hotel and associated site improvements to
include parking, open space, pedestrian connections, shoreline and wetland buffer
mitigation, public access to the shoreline, and landscaping. The James and Mary
Nelsen House will remain on the front parcel and the on -site barn will be demolished.
Quail Park 13112 Military Road South
145 units of senior housing with some memory care units. Parking will be broken up into
four different locations on the site, including tucked under the building, to avoid the
impact of large parking lots. Plans call for significant landscaping and fencing on the
south side of the project to visually buffer the project from adjacent homes. This project
is currently under review.
Urban Center
Washington Place Andover Pk E between Strander and Baker
Washington Place is a 19 story apartment and hotel project currently under construction
at 223 Andover Park E. It is planned to have 370 apartments as well as 189 room
business hotel with meeting space and a restaurant.
Holiday Inn Express 90 Andover Park East
Construction of a 62,337 sq. ft. five -story, 92-unit Holiday Inn Express hotel. The project
includes frontage improvements along Andover Park E. and Christensen Road, 98
parking spaces including a shared parking lot along Christensen Road for hotel guests
and access to the Green River Trail, landscaping, and improvements to the vehicular
and pedestrian circulation.
Twin Peaks Restaurant
Demolition of the existing Newport Bay restaurant and construction of a new Twin
Peaks 6,929 sq. ft. restaurant and bar, with 1,399 square foot covered patio.
Olympus Spa Andover Park E and Industry Dr
24,900 square foot women -only spa, and will include a public restaurant and space for
one or more retail suites. The building is intended to have modern, clean lines, with
72
well -designed planting and landscape treatments. Parking will be primarily located to
the rear of the building. This project is currently under review.
DiagnosTechs 950 Andover Park E.
Proposed 2-3 story testing laboratory.
Broadstone Apartments 415 Baker Blvd.
Proposed 7 story, 160-unit age restricted apartment community. This proposal will have
5 stories of residential units (studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom) over 2 levels of
parking.
Family Fun Center: Builvvinkle's Route 66 Addition
Construction of a 12,386 sq. ft. addition for a bowling alley and 1,646 sq. ft. second floor
addition off the northeast corner of the existing amusement center.
Residential
Boulevard Townhomes 3726 Southcenter Boulevard
Development of five townhomes along with associated access, parking, utilities, and
landscaping.
Foster Short Plat 14418 44th Avenue South
Development of eight new single-family homes.
Osterly Park Townhomes 14401 34th Avenue South
Development of 31 townhomes in two phases, with associated parking, landscaping,
and recreation space. Phase 1 includes 8 homes; Phase 2 includes 23 homes.
acadam Short Plat 13816 Macadam Road South
Creation of seven new lots to build seven new single-family homes, along with
installation of wetland and watercourse buffer plantings.
51" Avenue S Townhomes 5002 S 109th St, Tukwila
Development of eight new townhomes along with associated access road, parking,
utilities, landscaping, and recreation space.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
73
Page
61
APPENDIX III
Fire Station Room Data Sheets
Type
Private Spaces
Min.
Room Name Min. Sq. Ft. Dimensions
Captains Dorm 140 10' x 14'
Firefighters Dorm 100 10' x10'
Unisex Bathroom (1 per 3
FF's) 60 6' x 10'
Mens Gang Bathroom 324 18' x 18'
Womens Gang Bathroom 180 10' x 18'
Semi -Private Spaces Day Room 225 15' x 15'
Kitchen 120 10' x 12'
Dining 225 15' x 15'
Laundry 80 8' x 10'
Office / Study 100 10' x 10'
Weight Room / PT. 625 25' x 25'
Semi -Public Spaces Apparatus Bay 1680 24' x 70'
Turn -outs 150 10' x 15'
Shop 100 10' x 10'
SCBA 100 10' x 10'
CAD Radio & Comms. 100 10' x 10'
Public Spaces Public Entries 144 12' x 12'
Community Room 1000 25' x 40'
Public Rest -room 36 6' x 6'
Site Spaces
Trash Enclosure 128 8' x 16'
Outside Storage 144 12' x 12'
Generators / Fuel Site 120 10' x 12'
Fire Station Types
Description Min. Spaces Min. Sq. Ft. Total Sq. Ft.
Infill Station - Small 2 Captains Dorms 140 x 2 280
6 Firefighter Dorms 100 x 6 600
3 Unisex Restrooms 60 x 3 180
Day Room 225 225
Kitchen 120 120
Dining 225 225
Laundry 80 80
Office / Study 100 100
Weight Room / PT. 625 625
Apparatus Bay 1680 x 2 3360
Turn -outs 150 150
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
74
Page
62
Shop 100 100
SCBA 100 100
CAD Radio & Comms. 100 100
Public Entries 144 144
Public Rest -room 36 36
Minimum Square Footage 6425
Typical Station - Medium 3 Captains Dorms 140 x 3 420
9 Firefighter Dorms 100 x 9 900
4 Unisex Restrooms 60 x 4 240
Day Room 225 x 50% 340
Kitchen 120 x 50`)/0 180
Dining 225 x 50% 340
Laundry 80 80
Office/Study 100 100
Weight Room / PT. 750 750
Apparatus Bay 1680 x 3 5040
Turn -outs 150 x 50% 225
Shop 100 100
SCBA 100 100
CAD Radio & Comms. 100 100
Public Entries 144 144
Public Rest -room 36 36
Multi -Company Station -
Large
Minimum Square Footage 9095
4 Captains Dorms 140 x 4 560
11 Firefighter Dorms 100 x 11 1100
5 Unisex Restrooms 60 x 5 300
Day Room 225 x 75% 400
Kitchen 120 x 75% 210
Dining 225 x 75% 400
Laundry 100 100
Office / Study 100 100
Weight Room / PT. 1000 1000
Apparatus Bay 1680 x 4 6720
Turn -outs 150 x 75% 265
Shop 100 100
SCBA 150 150
CAD Radio & Comms. 100 100
Public Entries 144 144
Public Rest -room 36 36
Minimum Square Footage 11685
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
75
Page
63
Battalion Station - Extra
Large
4 Captains Dorms
11 Firefighter Dorms
1 BC Dorm, 1 FIT Dorm
6 Unisex Restrooms
Day Room
Kitchen
Dining
Laundry
Office / Study
Weight Room / PT.
Apparatus Bay
Turn -outs
Shop
SCBA
CAD Radio & Comms.
Public Entries
Public Rest -room
140 x 4
100 x 11
140x2
60x6
225 x 100%
120 x 100%
225 x 100%
100
100
1000
1680 x 4.5
150 x 100%
100
150
100
144
36
560
1100
280
360
450
240
450
100
100
1000
7560
300
100
150
100
144
36
Minimum Square Footage
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
13030
76
Page
64
APPENDIX IV - Additional GIS Maps of Interest
King County
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
Automatic Aid
Number of Runs
o 5
SeaTsc
50
100
City
Tukwila. Fire Department All Apparatus Runs - Freeways 2012 - 2016 [map].
Scale 150,000. Data Layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines, ESRI: Highways [computer files]. SF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017, Using: ArcGIS
for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
Dent •MoinciEi
King County
are
Kent
N.
2
Miles
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
77
Page
65
Fire Stations
*Tukwila
Automatic Aid
Tukwila Fire Department Historic Runs -10 or More Minutes of Response
2012 - 2016 [map]. Scale 1:60,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA:
Street Centerline, City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County
Portal: Fire Stations, and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer
files]. EF Geographic, Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3,
2017. Using: ArtGlSfor Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands,
CA: Esri, 2014.
iI
201 2C
2
Miles
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
78
Page
66
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
+Automatic Aid
Tukwila Fire Department Historic Incidents- Day 2012 - 2016 [neap[.
Scale 1:60,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila., WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer files[. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA. Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017. Using: ArcGIS
for Desktop Basic [GIS[. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
79
Page
67
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
+Automatic Aid
Other
Incident Count
e 5
10
+50
100
City Limits
Se tTac
e Department Historic Incidents - Night 2012 - 2016 [map].
0,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila. WA: Street Centerline,
ily Ldrnils, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal; Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines; ESRI; Highways [computer hies]. EF Geographic,
oronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017. Using ArcGIS
or Desktop Basic (GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
Dey h�o.finer
b9nty
kertt
2
le
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
80
Page
68
y
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
+Automatic Aid
Other
Incident Count
®
o 5
10
0
00
City Limits
Sean tt
Tukwila Fire Department Historic EMS Incidents - Day 2012 - 2016 [map].
Scale 1:60,000. Data layers: City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal' Fire Stations,
and Street Centerlines: ESRI: Highways [computer files]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017. Using:ArcGIS
for Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
I t
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
81
Page
69
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
+Automatic Aid
Tukwila Fire Department Historic EMS Incidents- Night 2012 - 2016 [map].
Scale 1:60,000, Data layers. City of Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits, and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Fire Stations.
and Street Centerlines; ESRI: Highways [computer files]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017. Using: ArcGIS
tar Desktop Basic [GIS]. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Esri, 2014.
i u
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
82
Page
70
Fire Stations
+Tukwila
Automatic Aid
Tukwila Pire Department Historic Fire Incidents - Day 2012 - 2016 (map].
Scale 1.60,000. Data layers: City or Tukwila, WA: Street Centerline,
City Limits. and Surrounding Jurisdictions; King County Portal: Firs Stations,
and Street Centerlines; E.SRI: Highways [computer Has]. EF Geographic,
Coronado, CA: Generated by Elise Fisher, June 3, 2017. Using: ArcClS
for Desktop Basic [GIS(. Version 10.4.1. Redlands, CA: Eari, 2014.
Tukwila Fire Department — Station Location Study
June 2017
83