SAN DIEGO -- In response to Mayor Dick Murphy's demand for answers, the San Diego Fire Department submitted a draft report to the city manager's office. During a telephone conversation, San Diego Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Tracy Jarman read the draft report to 10News. The final report will be released next week.

The following notes were taken from that telephone conversation.

Mayor asks: What did you do right?

At 2 p.m. Oct. 25, all the zone chiefs agreed during a conference call to not send any more strike teams out of the county.
Late Oct. 25, the fire dispatch realized the threat of fire to Poway and East County. Two strike teams were sent out to try and head off the Cedar Fire.
Reserves were called up for stations.
By 3 a.m. Oct. 26, three senior staffs were at the communication center on Kearny Villa Road to see if rigs were in place and what crews were available.
At 7:30 a.m. Oct. 26, the administrative city was contacted and the Homeland Security Office activated the Emergency Operations Center.
Mechanics worked all night to get fire engines that need maintenance up and running. Chief Jarman told 10News, "We wanted to be prepared."
At 7 a.m. Oct. 26, Miramar Fire chief asked for a meeting with San Diego Fire. They got it, and SDFD then deployed three strike teams into the area.
An additional 40 strike teams were requested for the incident -- five engines capable of fighting structure fire or five brush rigs with five firefighters. Requests went through Monte Vista dispatch center, California Department of Forestry and area coordinator.
San Diego Medical Enterprises sent two paramedics with each ambulance. Thirty-six ambulances were ready, plus 22 basic units prepared with two emergency medical technicians on board
Copter One left at 2 p.m. Oct. 26, and returned Oct. 27 at 7:30 a.m.
Out-of-town strike teams return to San Diego County. One brush team was pulled back from San Bernardino and headed back to San Diego County at 4 a.m. Oct. 26.
Two strike teams in San Bernardino headed back to San Diego County the evening of Oct. 26.

Mayor asks: What mistakes were made and what do we need to change?

Kearny Villa Communication Center was the command post for this fire. The Center was overwhelmed. For an incident of this magnitude, the center was just too small.
Not enough depth in command staff -- some worked up to 36 hours. Tired firefighters make mistakes like anyone.
There were 500 people on the lines. More personal fire shelters are needed. They're tent-like coverings providing protection for firefighters in case they get trapped by the flames. The report said, in a perfect world every firefighter should have these.
Fire Department Operations Center should have been activated earlier. Fire Department should have gotten personnel back to San Diego quicker.

Mayor asks: What changes should we consider making in the cities fire code?

Area homes should have fire shutters, non-combustible roof and box-in the eves of all residences.
All home add-ons (i.e. gazebos and decks) can be an ignition source. What should we do about this?
Area homes should have more restrictive vent systems on homes so sparks can't get in under the roof.
The community needs to decide on what is an acceptable clearance around homes. State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi thinks San Diego County and city clearances are inadequate. This should be standardized across the county.

Mayor asks: Do we need any changes in our force composition?

Insufficient staff in most divisions, particularly the command staff
Brush management program has just two personnel assigned. After the Normal Heights Fire there were eight-code enforcement and two supervisors.
Park and Recreation Department should actively help reduce fire hazards in parks
Paramedics should assigned to aerial ladder trucks -- they aren't now
The Fire Department is just undergoing an 18-month accreditation study, where 108 different areas need to be evaluated. This was beginning before the fire. The study is in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the City Manager's Association -- a panel of professionals familiar with large metro cities. We should see what the study finds, how we stack up against other similar jurisdictions. Phoenix? Glendale?
We should probably have 11 engines, three trucks and two additional battalions/based on population growth, density, etc. li />Response time should be studied. The National Fire Protection Association standard of coverage is much tougher than San Diego County response.
Consider implements community emergency response teams, like in Oakland.

The Mayor asks: Do we need additional equipment?

Put crews in enclosed cabs as a last means of escape. Our 20-year-old fire trucks have open cabs. Specifically 14 engines, 5 trucks, 3 brush rigs are open cabs
Regional helicopter program/bringing in consultant to consider options.
Don't have multi-casualty apparatus -- didn't need it but what if we ever did, like in an earthquake?
14 reserve engines were deployed, should raise our reserves to 16-fully outfitted engines. In addition, these rigs are usually stripped for parts, we can't do that anymore.
We need radio battery chargers and conditioners
We need additional command vehicles -- some of the command officers went out in sedans and couldn't carry necessary gear.
Need bigger department operations center, like a police and fire communications center--we realize this is a long-term issue.

Again, this is a draft report, the full report is presented to the City Council and the public the week of November 23rd.