FLINT HILL

VOLUNTEER
FIRE COMPANY, INC
945 Fodderstack Road
Flint Hill, Virginia 22627

REVITALIZATION
PLAN

Author: Chief 1404, David Jarrell

Date: March 23, 2023

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PURPOSE
The purpose of this Revitalization Plan is to articulate ideas, plans, and a course of action to rebuild and
restore responsibilities to allow Flint Hill Volunteer Fire Company (FHVFC, or the “Company”) to provide
Fire and EMS services to Flint Hill, Virginia district and surrounding areas of Rappahannock County, and
beyond.

HISTORY
The FHVFC was founded in March 1954 with its official charter being issued in June 1955. The Company
failed to meet, or only minimally met, obligations as stated in regularly renewed Service Level Agreements
(SLAs) with Rappahannock County officials to provide emergency response and rescue support services.

The Rappahannock County, Board of Supervisors (BOS), held a special session on January 26, 2023. In
accordance with Virginia Code §27:13 the BOS passed a resolution appointing a new FHVFC Chief and
Board to lead the company.

Thirteen specific tasks were assigned to the newly appointed FHVFC Chief and Board members. This
Revitalization Plan inventories work done and being planned and to track progress associated with those
tasks.

LEADERSHIP
Leadership in a Fire and EMS company, like the FHVFC, is about much more than emergency incident
management. Leading such a company, or department, is about providing a clear and positive vision for the
fire department; communicating that vision to the first responders, community, and elected officials; and
then working every day to make that vision a reality. This is work a fire chief must do between fires and
other emergencies – during which time the department is training, recruiting, planning, budgeting,
preventing, and solving personnel issues, and preparing for future calls for service.

Strong fire department leaders understand and accept that that their job is about serving the community
and serving the community first responders. As you rise through the ranks and take on a greater leadership
role, you take on more responsibility for the success of the department, or company, and the safety of your
citizens. Company volunteers and the community we serve rely on strong leadership to accomplish our
mission.

As the newly appointed Chief of the FHVFC, it is my intention, whenever possible, to exercise servant
leadership.

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PATH FORWARD
The intent of this [Revitalization] plan is to focus a surge of energy to evaluate the current state of FHVFC,
assess the operational readiness of each organizational component, and revitalize the Company. The
expectation is that this will be done through a focused surge of energy, leveraging new membership, and
making sure that each element of the company’s operations is evaluated for readiness.

APPROACH
This plan will use a “CRAWL, WALK, RUN” approach with an expectation that each of these three phases
will yield positive benefits to the next phase until FHVFC is fully functional and operational on “both sides of
the House”, meaning operationally and within the administrative functions of the company.

For example, the newly appointed Chief cannot have full confidence that the Co 4 response team is fully
capable of an intense fire or rescue call without first knowing who-is-who, which fire/rescue certifications
have been earned in certified training, and the capabilities of each Co4 member.

As an administrative example, to have a detailed cost accounting system on day one is unrealistic. The
newly appointed Co 4 Board President, and other Co4 members who support financial matters must have
complete visibility into “what was” so that decisions can be made about “what will be.” Full transparency
into full cost accounting, Fire Levy Board (FLB) reporting requirements, meeting Rappahannock County
SLA requirements and other performance metrics, are needed to ensure compliance.

What follows is a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) to attain the aforementioned. This CONOPS will
describe the concepts and path forward and how the concepts will yield a viable FHVFC response in
Rappahannock County.

This overall plan also communicates a vision to the County’s Board of Supervisors, and Rappahannock
County at-large.

CRAWL, WALK, RUN PHASES (with examples)

This list contains an abbreviated inventory of actions, which is
considered throughout each phase. Keeping a focus on the big picture
will ensure that nothing is missed as each phase of work is engaged.
This inventory list of tasks is not intended to be all-inclusive, but rather focuses on primary tasks and
efforts. Details associated with each bullet item are provided in the attachment.

Crawl Phase (Day 1 - ~Day 60):

• Gain access to all FHVFC spaces
• Review membership roster and determine:
o active and administrative members
o life members
o inactive members
• Conduct an inventory at 945 Fodderstack Road property:

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 o Apparatus
o Response equipment
o Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
o EMS supplies
o Office files
o Personnel and Training files
o Miscellaneous, e.g., everything else
• Conduct a risk assessment of response apparatus, e.g., are they safe to operate for fire/EMS
personnel (Completed)
• Inventory all FHVFC financial accounts, gain control of financial accounts, debit & credit cards,
conduct an internal audit of everything, including any debt, to ascertain financial standing of the
company. (Completed)
• Meet and work closely with contracted Bookkeeper to ensure we have full accountability of FHVFC
books (Completed)
• Review personnel files to determine training and certification status (In progress)
• Quickly get to a point of minimum viability to run 911 fire calls (Completed)
• Begin recruiting new FHVFC members (In progress)
• Assess best approach to support EMS calls (Completed for Phase I)
• Create a list of Critical Success Factors and monitor progress (In Progress)
• Based on everything we learn, create a plan of action for operations, tactics, and administration (In
progress)
Walk Phase: (~Day 61 - ~1 Year)
• Host FHVFC membership meetings, at which time new applicants to the company are considered
for membership.
• Get newly recruited membership trained and certified in their chosen field of service
• Normalize bookkeeping efforts to leverage technology, which in turn should ensure repeatability of
reporting to external reporting groups like the County’s Fire Levy Board (FLB), County auditors,
and others. (In progress)
• Increase First Due community engagement, e.g., host open house, invite community to Co4
activities
• Everyone trains on every type of call possible, and when we get good at it, train again
• Makes 911 call response predicable by reviewing and update Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs) for all foreseeable calls, e.g., who does what. For instance, on an auto accident, driver
does “x”, Officer does “y”, firefighter does “z”.
• Seek Grants, donations, and other opportunities to enhance company services to the community;
and
• Pause for a moment of appreciation for everyone in the company who helped get us to this point.
Run Phase: (~1 Year – ~2 Years)
• Accelerate and optimize on what's working. Re-evaluate what is not working and change, as
needed.
• Continue to recruit membership based on momentum and success.
• Everyone keeps training. Sometimes in classroom settings, sometimes working together to create
team synergy.
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 • Work with “2nd Due” companies to bolster responsiveness outside of 1st Due areas.
• Remember the “Retention” part of “recruitment and retention”.
• Don’t just focus on “IQ”, remember about the “EQ”, e.g., don’t just focus on staff certifications and
qualifications, remember what motivates them and makes them want to volunteer.

BROAD CATEGORIES OF FOCUS FOR FHVFC LEADERSHIP

• Membership
o Active Members
o Inactive Members
o Life Members
o Prospective Members
• Membership Certifications and Requirements
• County and State Compliance requirements
• FHVFC Standard Operations Procedures review
• Required staffing for each Apparatus
• Facilities Management
• Financial Management
• Apparatus Management and Readiness
o Fire (Engine, Tanker, Brush)
o EMS (primary Ambulance, spare Ambulance)
o Utility
• Engagement in Chief and Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue Association meetings
• County
• FHVFC By-Laws review and edit. as needed
• Compliance with Circuit Court for the County of Rappahannock Consent Order until conclusion of
hearing(s)

CONCLUSION

This Revitalization Plan creates a perspective of the work performed in the first 60 days, which we call the
“Crawl” phase. While it is our impression as the newly appointed FHVFC Board that significant progress
has been made, we are not done.

As previously described, the next phase of the “Crawl, Walk, and Run” approach is the “Walk” phase, which
covers a period of ~61 days – ~1 year. The work planned by the newly appointed FHVFC Board is
dependent on the decision of the case filed in the Circuit Court for the County of Rappahannock, Case No.
CL23-000043, which is scheduled to be heard on April 21, 2023. The work to be performed under the
remaining two phases, e.g., “Walk” and “Run” phases of the FHVFC Revitalization is dependent on the
decision from that case.

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In this “Walk” phase, the FHVFC leadership will work with FHVFC to verify training and certifications of
existing membership, and new applicant, based on Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue Association,
Standard Administrative Policy (SAP), Number 202, effective date February 8, 2008.

We will work to “release” new emergency vehicle drivers who have satisfactorily completed required EVOC
training. During this Walk phase, we will also be focusing to educate, train, and release EMTs, firefighters,
and others based on SAP, number 2. Our goal is to ensure sufficiently qualified volunteers to predict
responsiveness of FHVFC, no matter the dispatch for service.

We will establish FHVFC working committees from membership representation to help inform and guide the
company in capital investment management, including the FHVFC property, facilities management,
apparatus management, and other areas of focus that will benefit from focused attention. Other areas like
small tools, e.g., chainsaws and other cutters, blowers, and a variety of other smalls tools used in the
performance of brush and other fire dispatch calls will receive attention by working groups.

This Co4 Revitalization Plan is not rocket science. It’s far more complicated than that. We are dealing with
people’s lives, their property, their families, and the health & well-being of our community.

We need to get serious about working together, putting down the rocks that some might want to throw, and
figure out a solution to work together, because this effort is going to take a village.

NOTE OF APPRECIATION
We would be remiss if not extending a hearty sense of appreciation to those who have worked closely with
the newly appointed FHVFC Chief and Board to make this Revitalization possible. The advice and counsel
of many is appreciated and helps to keep our focus on our goal.

REMEMBERING OUR GOAL

The goal of our newly appointed FHVFC Chief and Board is to ensure that Flint Hill Volunteer Fire
Company has the membership who are trained, equipped, and postured to be responsive to our community
when dispatched for emergency medical, fire, and rescue 9-1-1 calls. Everything that we do is in support of
that goal.

Attachments

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The following attachments are used to track each of the thirteen tasks assigned to FHVFC as identified in
the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors Resolution dated January 26, 2023.

Where appropriate, copies of forms, emails, and other information are attached for review.

The fire apparatus-designed gauges (below) represent an estimated “at- a-glance” illustration of progress
towards a specific task. Examples are provided here:

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BOS Resolution Task 1: Organizational Structure including both administrative and operational
appointments made by the office/Board of Directors appointed hereby.
Comment: An organizational structure has been drafted and is ready for membership discussion at the
next FHVFC membership meeting.

Once the pending case is heard before the Circuit Court for the County of Rappahannock, then it is
anticipated that FHVFC membership meetings will resume, per company Bylaws.

A copy of relevant Task 1 document follows…

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BOS Resolution Task 2: Uniform operational rank structure with documented chain of command
including defined roles and responsibilities of operational member assignments.
Comment: A uniform organizational rank structure with documented chain of command has been
developed. Once reviewed by FHVFC, defined roles and responsibilities of operational members will be
created.

This set of defined roles and responsibilities will inform officers and other members of the company on
job responsibilities.

Once the pending case is heard before the Circuit Court for the County of Rappahannock, then it is
anticipated that FHVFC membership meetings will resume, per company Bylaws.

A copy of relevant Task 2 document follows…

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BOS Resolution Task 3: Minimum required training/certification status for operational assignments and
minimum training/certification prerequisites for FHVFC member use of apparatus.
Comment: The attached table shows the uniform rank structure highlighting:
• Assignment
• Certifications
• Experience
• Delegation of Assignment, e.g., elected or appointed

This action is pending consideration by the FHVFC.

A copy of relevant Task 3 document follows…

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BOS Resolution Task 4: An analysis of compliance of current FHVFC bylaws and policies/procedures
with Virginia Code, Title 27, Chapter 2, and the Service [Level] Agreement, and a plan to amend bylaws
and policies/procedures to comply.
Comment: Previously issued FHVFC bylaws have been reviewed by the Chief 1404 and members of
the newly appointed FHVFC board. We will align future company bylaws to the proposed company
organization chart; to new county and state requirements, and to other current FHVFC service offerings.

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BOS Resolution Task 5: An analysis of current occupational safety compliance (such as SCBA fit
testing), and a plan to put in place policies to remedy compliance deficiencies.
Comment: Chief 1404 has drafted a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) SOP for review by
Operational & Tactical line officers. Once membership meetings are permitted to take place within the
FHVFC, this topic will be considered.

Further, Chief 1404 will check to determine if a Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue Association
SOP exists on the topic. If available, FHVFC will determine the usefulness of the SOP for FHVFC
“interior attack” firefighters.

A copy of the relevant Task 5 document follows…

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BOS Resolution Task 6: A financial management plan incorporating best practices in the following
areas: receipts funds, disbursement of funds, account reconciliation, credit card usage (cards and other
forms of credit), procurement, fixed asset tracking, financial reporting, and processes to ensure the
release of county payments as authorized by the fire levy board.
Comment: With regard to Financial Management, the following two primary topics are discussed:

1. FHVFC Requisition Forms – in past, there were only receipt, but no indication of what prompted
the purchase. Today, we can track the entire lifecycle of the purchase from who prompted the
purchase and when, through the approval cycle, and to purchase.
2. FHVFC Professional Bookkeeping Services – FHVFC has contracted with a Flint Hill area
professional service to ensure that we have quality bookkeeping of all accounts and
transactions, IRS filing of taxes and 501(c)(3) required forms, etc. A description of services is
provided in the following appendix, and copies of the U-Turn Bookkeeper certifications.

The FHVFC has established an internal policy requiring that there be a separation between the
Operational/Tactical side and the administrative side of the company.

Appointed Chief 1404 has created several FHVFC Requisition forms for use when an operational
member, e.g., firefighter, EMT, officer required equipment to be purchased or serviced. There is a
defined processing cycle associated with each requisition form to be submitted. For example:
• a firefighter/EMT prepares a requisition form, determines the need and priority of service or
purchase
• which then goes to one of their line officers, who validates the requirement
• which then goes to Chief 1404 for final approval
• Chief 1404 then transfers the requisition form from the Operational side to the administrative
side of the house

On the administrative side of the house, the President acknowledges receipt of the operational
requisition form before forwarding to the:
• Director – Finance who determines the method of payment for the item, then forwards to
• Treasurer – for payment or ordering through a FHVFC who handles scheduling the service or
making the purchase

This separation of duties ensures that no one person has full control of the entire purchase lifecycle and
keeps both the Operational and Administrative officers aware of financial activities.

Copies of FHVFC Requisition Forms samples, and Bookkeeper services & certifications are provided
below.

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BOS Resolution Task 7: An analysis of the FHVFC membership's ability to provide fire and rescue
services using only volunteer firefighters. If a need for paid firefighters is identified, then the plan shall
include requests for county funding to support the paid firefighters as part of a combined system and
include an estimate of the timeline for the use of the paid firefighters.
Comment: Slight progress is made in this area because of the Chief 1404 is prohibited to hold
membership meetings, per Consent Order – Case No. CL23-00043 (see below for more detail).

The Chief has determined preferred minimum staffing for each of FHVFC’s Apparatus compliant
Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue Association, Standard Administrative Policy (SAP), number
202, effective dated February 8, 2008. When such staffing is available for calls, preferred staffing
includes:

Ambulance 1404 • Driver: EVOC II (released)

• EMT-B (released)
Brush 1404 • Driver/Pump Operator: EVOC III (released), FFI
• Officer: Chief, Capt., Lt., Sgt., or FFII (preferred)
Engine 1404 • Driver/Pump Operator: EVOC III (released)
• Officer: Chief, Capt., Lt., Sgt., or FFII (preferred)
• Firefighter: FFII or FFI +1 (preferred)
• Red Hat (aka: Exterior FF): assists on exterior operations, e.g.,
placing ladders, stretching fire hose to entry point
Tanker 1404 • Driver/Pump Operator: EVOC III (released)
• Officer: FFII or FFI, or officer (preferred)
Utility 1404 No staffing requirement. Available EVOC I, or higher, released drivers are
eligible to drive Utility.

At present, it is difficult to assess the willingness of applicants and members to be either active or
support members of the company. This will be done after membership meetings can take place, which is
anticipated to begin in May 2023.

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BOS Resolution Task 8: A plan to restore EMS service using the ambulances housed in the station.
Comment: This BOS Resolution Task is covered in the four subsequent sub-tasks.

The overarching Strategic Plan to restore EMS service at FHVFC are included in multiple phases, as
follows:

i. Assess the readiness of Ambulance 1404 (A1404) for service. It was determined at the onset of
A1404 assessment that the unit was not ready for dispatch. This was due to countless EMS
supplies and equipment either being expired, out of service, or simply items not available on the
unit. Chief 1404 worked closely with Chief, Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue Department
to have the Ambulance inventory inspected by multiple personnel include Advance Life Support
Paramedics, EMTs, and three County Chiefs. The basis of these inspections was leveraging the
Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services, Virginia Department of Health – Transport EMS
Vehicle Supplies – Quick Reference Guide. (See guide below)
ii. Chief 1404 requested that the BOS grant permission to allow FHVFC to operate A1404 while
running “under” the Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue Department EMS Agency License.
Requested at the BOS February 6, 2023, monthly Board meeting.
iii. Chief 1404 requested that the BOS grant permission to allow Advanced Life Support 1400 (ALS
1400) to stage at FHVFC during daytime hours. Proposed 6am-6pm. (See Attached Letter from
Chief 1404 to Rappahannock County representatives. The premise of the letter is that staging
ALS1400 at Co4 was overcome by events, in that, Chief 1404 worked closely with the County’s
Emergency Services Coordinator, the Operational Medical Direction (OMD), and Virginia Office
of Emergency Management Services (VA-OEMS) and within a very short period was able to
place A1404 back in service.
Special Note: Request to have ALS1400 stage at FHVFC was rescinded because of the very quick, and
successful, progress made to ready A1404 for service as a dispatch unit. (see attached)

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BOS Resolution Task 9: Identify the need to use Rappahannock County's EMS license. The County
Board of Supervisors will not unreasonably withhold the use of said license.
Comment: In a letter submitted to the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors, Chief 1404
requested FHVFC be allowed “to operate under Rappahannock County EMS Agency License”. Chief
1404 went on to write that this service “enables FHVFC to respond to EMS 9-1-1 dispatch calls
immediately while working to resolve issues that previously caused the loss of EMS Agency License.”

The BOS agreed by vote to allow Chief 1404 to proceed and work with the County’s Emergency
Services Coordinator to enable FHVFC to operate under the County’s EMS Agency License. See
attached letters to/from Chief 1404 and the County Administrator on this topic.

Copies of relevant Task 9 documents follow…

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BOS Resolution Task 10: Identify the need to supplement FHVFC volunteer staffing with paid providers
and how these providers will be funded.
Comment: This action is pending further review by FHVFC leadership to determine the certifications,
eligibility, and willingness of members and applicants, to be trained in EMS response.

At present, Ambulance 1404 (A1404) is dispatched on EMS calls within Rappahannock County. As
required on a call-by-call basis, FHVFC can have “driver only” Emergency Vehicle Operator Course II
(EVOC II) members drive A1404 to the scene as a patient transport, so long as ALS1400 Paramedic or
other paramedic is on the scene.

To date, this approach has resulted in FHVFC to respond to multiple EMS calls.

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BOS Resolution Task 11: Identify the reasons for reestablishing FHVFC as an EMS agency pursuant to
and in accordance with § 32.1-111.4:7.
Comment: The Flint Hill/Huntly districts of Rappahannock County depend on timely and responsive
emergency medical services (EMS) for its citizens.

Re-establishing a viable EMS capability at Company 4 is vital to the well-being of everyone in the area.

As part of Phase I of the EMS Plan, the newly appointed FHVFC Chief 1404 and Board have engaged
numerous individuals, to include the County Administrator, the Emergency Services Coordinator, several
of the Advanced Life Support – ALS 1400 paramedics, the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical
Services (VAOEMS), Virginia Department of Health, and the Operational Medical Direction program with
Dr. Michael A. Jenks, MD., and others.

The goal in this network of communication is to get it right as FHVFC re-engages in providing EMS
support services to Rappahannock County.

The station is equipped and postured to provide EMS support to the community, as delegated through
the Rappahannock County Services Level Agreement.

Phase II will focus to ensure that consistent, repeatable EMS services can be predicted of FHVFC.

The determinations required to allow FHVFC to run EMS independently, e.g., fully staff A1404, remains
in the hands of the County’s Emergency Services Coordinator, Dr. M. Jenks M.D., and the VAOEMS.
Once satisfied that we can sustain high quality EMS services, FHVFC Chief 1404 anticipates being
returned to full operational status while FHVFC operates under its own EMS Agency License.

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BOS Resolution Task 12: Include a timeline of actions necessary to provide EMS service both in the
short term and long term.
Comment: At this BOS meeting held on February 6, 2023, Chief 1404 requested that FHVFC be allowed
to operate the company’s ambulance while operating under the Rappahannock County Fire and Rescue
Department (RCFRD) EMS Agency License. The BOS authorized RCFRD and FHVFC Chief 1404 to
work together to enable the service.

On the afternoon of March 3, 2023, Ambulance 1404 went into operation. In the agreement, FHVFC
provides “driver only” Ambulance 1404 to the scene of dispatched calls so long as ALS1400 Paramedic
is at the scene of the call. This agreement has been successfully dispatched to multiple EMS calls in
Rappahannock County.

The goal of FHVFC is to regain its own EMS Agency License after an unspecified period of monitoring
by the County’s Emergency Services Coordinator, the Operational Medical Direction of Dr. M. Jenks
M.D., and the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (VAOEMS).

Chief 1404 created a linear timeline of events was created for the BOS meeting. This timeline provided
key events in the lifecycle of revitalizing EMS services provided by FHVFC.

Copies of relevant Task 12 documents follow…

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BOS Resolution Task 13: FHVFC Board of Directors appointed hereby shall be responsible for the
implementation of the [Revitalization] plan. Nothing herein shall prohibit FHVFC from amending the plan
and submitting an amended plan to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.
Comment: The newly appointed Chief 1404 and FHVFC Board work every day to revitalize the FHVFC.
Work spans from managing finances, to recruiting new members to the company, to being responsive to
FHVFC dispatched 9-1-1 calls.

Over the course of the previous 12 Tasks assigned in the BOS Resolution, the appointed leadership of
the FHVFC have articulated work as completed, in progress, and work impacted by Consent Order,
Case No. CL23-000043.

The appointed Chief 1404 and Board are determined to ensure that the Flint Hill community, and other
areas of dispatch responsibility are served by responsive and professional volunteers from the FHVFC.

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