Richmond's Department of Fire and Emergency Services won the 1999 Fire Service
Excellence Award and the 1998 Public Service Excellence Award from the Public Employees
Roundtable for its Total Quint Concept, which dramatically increased performance
while reducing costs. The Quint Concept integrates state-of-the-art firefighting
equipment with extensive personnel training, creative resource deployment, and fiscal
management. The Department of Fire & Emergency Services also garnered a Life Safety
Improvement Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
The Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services is the only fire department
in the United States that operates under the Total Quint Concept.
What is a Quint?
A Quint is a state-of-the-art firefighting apparatus that has the ability to:
- Deploy a 75 to 105 Foot Aerial Ladder
- Pump water
- Carry hoses
- Carry a booster tank
- Carry ground ladders
The Total Quint Concept plan enables the department to have a substantial reduction
in personnel, yet keep all 20 fire stations operating, with resources and apparatus
that personnel can utilize more effectively and efficiently.
The plan ensured that the department will have the resources to respond to any
fire emergency or disaster that may occur in the city. The proposal included:
- Replacing the department's aging fire suppression fleet with state-of-the-art
Quint vehicles - Adding three heavy rescue vehicles that specialize in water rescue, hazardous
materials response, and search and rescue operations - Adding nine rapid-response vehicles for the first-responder/EMS calls and
small fires - Reducing the department by 50 positions through attrition
- Maintaining a reserve fleet of six engines and three aerial ladder trucks
- Selling older vehicles for approximately $900,000.
It is estimated that the "Total Quint Concept" saved the city approximately $13
million.
Quint Concept From: http://www.richmondgov.com/fire/QuintConcept.aspx
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