Why this Audit Matters

This audit evaluated Brampton Fire and Emergency Services’ fire fleet asset management practices within the Apparatus and Maintenance Division. Addressing operational deficiencies is essential to ensure the reliability of emergency response vehicles, improve asset lifecycle planning, and strengthen compliance with City policies and safety regulations. Enhancing internal processes—such as preventive maintenance, equipment tracking, and system utilization—will reduce operational risk, support informed decision-making, and improve the overall effectiveness of fleet operations that are vital to public safety.

​Brampton Fire and Emergency Services (BFES) is an emergency response department providing fire protection services to all residents living, working and studying in the City of Brampton. The Apparatus and Maintenance Division of BFES manages fire fleet assets throughout their lifecycle, covering planning, acquisition, usage monitoring, maintenance, and disposal. While most maintenance is conducted in-house, specialized services are occasionally outsourced due to limited internal resources. The division adopted the M5 fleet management system to monitor fire fleet assets. As of June 2024, BFES assets total $30.76 million in purchase value, with the fire fleet accounting for 96.8%.

​1. ​​​Strengthen Preventive Maintenance Practices

  • The PM interval, established prior to 2015, has not been explicitly documented in the PM SOG.
  • Preventive maintenance is not being consistently completed at the required interval.
  • Testing noted 32 frontline apparatus had oil changes performed at intervals exceeding recommended intervals (some exceeding 14,000 KMS).
  • 30 support vehicles had oil changes conducted well beyond recommended intervals.
  • Currently no formal policy confirming maintenance intervals align with manufacturer recommendations.
  • Limited availability of spare apparatus makes it challenging to remove frontline equipment for scheduled oil changes

2. Improve M5 Usage for Effective Fire Fleet Asset Management

  • The M5 system has yet to be fully utilized as an effective fire fleet asset management tool.
  • Fleet asset information has not been consistently recorded throughout each asset's lifecycle.
  • Critical records (e.g., annual inspections) largely remain in physical format outside the system.
  • M5 lacks comprehensive data on current inventory levels, detailed vehicle maintenance records, and external vendor services.
  • Challenges exist in oversight of asset acquisition, maintenance, and disposal impacting replacement planning.

3. Improve Documentation on Asset Planning and Disposal

  • 2024 asset acquisition documentation could be strengthened to better support identified acquisition needs.
  • Documentation for 3 out of 10 car disposals under By-law #19-2018 not on file.
  • Staff uncertain where documentation was saved due to turnover.

4. Improve Equipment Tracking

  • ​Some equipment stored in the garage, such as electric truck chargers and refrigerators, was not recorded in the M5 system.
    • Examples include Refrigerator, Electric Truck Charger, Parallelogram, and Tire Changers.
    • This results in maintenance delays, increased risk of asset misappropriation, challenges in informed decision-making.

5. Strengthen Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs)

  • 18 of 22 related SOGs not recently reviewed; last updated in 2019 or earlier.
  • SOGs lack detailed procedural information.
  • Several SOGs are outdated, referencing hard copy logs rather than the M5 system.

6. Enhance Fire Vehicle Inspection Record Retention

  • Difficulty locating and retrieving inspection records due to unfamiliarity with SharePoint.
  • New vehicles not assigned fixed fleet IDs; vehicle IDs may change over service life.
  • Deployment of spare vehicles not consistently documented.

​Background & Context:

  • BFES assets total $30.76 million in purchase value, with the fire fleet accounting for 96.8%.
  • BFES has over 500 staff members.
  • BFES responds to over 20,000 calls annually.
  • The Apparatus and Maintenance Division consists of 10 Emergency Vehicle Technicians and 3 Supply and Equipment Officers.

Preventive Maintenance Practices:

  • PM intervals require oil changes and inspections at the lesser of every 7,000 kilometres or once per year.
  • Testing noted that 32 frontline apparatus (including aerials and pumpers) had oil changes performed at intervals exceeding recommended intervals, with some exceeding 14,000 KMS.
  • Additionally, 30 support vehicles had oil changes conducted well beyond the recommended intervals.
  • Older spare aerial units equipped with Detroit Diesel engines (models 252, 257, 259); some support vehicles use Ford and Caterpillar engines.

M5 System Usage:

  • M5 System (FleetFocus) adopted in 2017.
    Review of 25 corrective work orders revealed 4 missing complete documentation of parts and labor hours.
  • 24 out of 25 preventive maintenance work orders did not have attached checklists.
  • Testing of 10 asset disposals (trucks and cars) revealed delays updating M5 for 4 assets, with delays extending up to 11 months.
  • PeopleSoft records indicated payments for external vendor services from late 2022 to 2024, which were not reflected in M5.
  • A review of five vendor services recorded before 2022 turnover found no purchase orders in M5, with four invoices missing from respective work orders.
  • Primary contact information in M5 was last updated in 2022.

Equipment Tracking:

  • ​Inventory count included selecting 30 firetrucks, cars and equipment from the M5 system—all were located.
    15 equipment items sampled from the garage included items not recorded in M5:
    • Refrigerator
    • Electric Truck Charger
    • Parallelogram
    • Tire Changers

Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs):

  • Reviewed 22 related SOGs; 18 out of 22 were last updated in 2019 or earlier.
  • Outdated SOGs referencing hard-copy logs include:
    • Periodic Mandatory Commercial Vehicle Inspection (#32-07)
    • Preventive Maintenance of All Vehicles (#32-10)
    • Frame and Suspension Service (#32-05)

Inspection Record Retention:

Vehicle identification example provided: Pumper 201 renamed Pumper 251.​​

​Implementing these recommendations will benefit the City by improving fire vehicle reliability, reduce maintenance costs, and ensure emergency readiness. Centralized and accurate asset records will support better planning, decision-making, and compliance with policies and regulations. Updated procedures and training will help staff work more consistently and efficiently, while improved equipment tracking will enhance accountability and protect city assets​​

Appendices

Contact Internal Audit

Mailing Address:
Brampton City Hall
2 Wellington Street West
Brampton, ON L6Y 4R2

Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm

internalaudit@brampton.ca