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Commission discusses call-count methodology after shift changes raise reporting questions
Summary
Commission members asked whether the meeting packet’s calls-by-agency totals reflect unique incidents or multiple agency credits after a 24-hour shift conversion; staff said departments’ reporting methods can skew totals and can be changed if governing bodies request it.
Commission members asked for clarification about the meeting packet’s reported call totals after a department converted to 24-hour shifts. One member asked whether the packet’s listing of 25 calls for Elston Fire Department and 14 for McPham’s Fire represented unique incidents or multiple credits for the same incident. A commission member explained that departments receive credit for every call they respond to; after the shift conversion the reporting captured additional hours and therefore appeared to increase totals.
Staff warned that the current method can skew aggregate counts because a single incident may be recorded under multiple agencies when those agencies all respond; staff said the commission has debated the reporting convention and can change it if governing bodies request a different approach. The clarification was presented as guidance for members preparing administrative reports and not as a formal policy change.
No motion was made to alter reporting at the meeting; commissioners were advised to take the question back to their governing bodies if they want a different counting convention implemented in future reports.
