Public Safety: Fire Response

Definitions

Incidents versus Response

An incident is every event SAFD is requested for. The response is every vehicle that was dispatched to an incident, regardless of if they made it on scene.

Fire/Rescue Incident Category

A "Fire/Rescue" incident is when SAFD is dispatched to mitigate a threat to life, property, or the environment caused by fire, entrapment, or hazardous conditions.

Medical Incident Category

A "medical" incident is an SAFD response-type where the primary objective is to provide pre-hospital medical care, stabilization, or rescue of a person suffering from illness or injury.

Other Incident Category

The "Other" category on the Incidents & Response page includes any incident type that does not fall under the "Fire/Rescue" or "Medical" incident types. Some examples include lift assists, gas leaks, and water evacuations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is "Mobile Integrated Health" in the Medical incident group?

SAFD's Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program is a proactive community health service that uses specialized paramedics to provide in-home, non-emergency care, aiming to reduce ER visits, prevent 911 misuse, and bridge gaps in care for vulnerable populations

Why are additional details not included for the medical incident types?

Additional details for medical incident types are not included as per HIPAA guidelines regarding Protected Health Information (PHI).

Who do I contact for EMS billing related questions?

Questions related to EMS billing can be answered by calling 210-227-7252.

How are response times calculated?

Response time is measured as median time from phone pickup to time first unit arrives. It does not include incidents that only spoke to a Clinical Dispatcher or where a Clinical Dispatcher escalated a call. It also does not include any incidents that include Right Site, a virtual outside medical professional. After analyzing the response times for the 3 previous years, the top 1% of response times were filtered out of the median calculation due to their nature as statistical outliers.

Why is median used instead of average when looking at time-based metrics?

In datasets where there are extreme outliers, median presents a more accurate representation of the ‘true center’ of the dataset. Sometimes the Fire unit GPS fails to capture when SAFD arrives to the location of a call for service and this can lead to extremely long response times that are inaccurate. Median accounts for these anomalies more accurately than average.

What factors can affect response times across different service areas?

Factors such as geographic size, construction, and traffic congestion can impact response time. If many calls for service are received at the same time, then response time will be affected as calls are handled by order of priority.

Why are the response times on the Dashboard different than what the department has reported in the past?

The Dashboard reflects the median, where the department has historically used average. Additionally, the Dashboard calculates response time over the calendar year (January to December) whereas Fire Department response times are often calculated over the fiscal year (October to September).

What is the difference between a "pass" and a "phased pass?"

A "pass " inspection result is given when the facility met all fire code requirements during the initial visit. A "phased pass " is given when the facility is approved in stages but may require further inspections for total completion. A "phased pass " is common in large construction projects.

How can someone request a fire prevention inspection?

Inspection schedule requests and permit applications can be found here: Permits & Inspections

Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system

The Fire Department's Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system is a sophisticated geospatial and rules-based platform that evaluates numerous operational factors to determine the best emergency response unit for a call.

CAD performs high-speed geospatial analysis, predictive modeling, and risk balancing within seconds, making it one of the most critical and complex operational systems in municipal emergency services.

Program enhancements such as clinical dispatch, telemedicine integration, and alternative response models are transforming CAD into a broader survivability and resource-management system.

Emergency Call Processing

When a 911 call is initiated, CAD:

• Processes structured incident details.
• Validates geospatial information.
• Applies run-card logic.
• Classifies the event using established procedures and compliance models.

It then analyzes GIS data, road networks, traffic conditions, unit capabilities, and real-time unit availability to recommend the most appropriate resources. Advanced components such as Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), machine-learning travel time prediction, and dynamic routing ensure that CAD selects the unit with the fastest and safest predicted response time rather than simply the nearest one.

Beyond automated logic, CAD integrates complex response matrices for specialized incidents like high-rise fires, hazardous materials events, and mass-casualty situations.

Dispatcher Authority

Despite its sophistication, human dispatchers maintain override authority. This allows dispatchers to apply professional judgment to account for factors CAD cannot fully interpret, such as crew expertise or evolving tactical conditions.