HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-04-2011 - 5kORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 4, 2011
Action Agenda
Item No. 5- K
SUBJECT: Emergency Services Station Location Selection Authorization
DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services
PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No
ATTACHMENT(S):
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Clifton, County Manager
245-2300
John Roberts, County Attorney
245-2318
PURPOSE: To authorize the County Manager to select and negotiate the location of
Emergency Services substations.
BACKGROUND: Since 2005 Emergency Services has served 400 square miles from two
locations -Carrboro and Hillsborough. This contributes to poor response times, extra travel,
wear and tear on vehicles and personnel fatigue. Limited station locations also contribute to
extended scene times for fire suppression units and crews.. Stations are cramped and are not
conducive to a comfortable or efficient working environment. Further, the Carrboro station does
not provide sufficient parking or storage space. Crews practiced changing out units at the
department's former base (1914 New Hope Church Road) because of limited or no parking
space, causing further service delivery delays, additional mileage costs and equipment wear.
Emergency Services has provided several reports to the Board and to the County Manager on
moving units into more strategic positions throughout the County to improve response times.
Emergency Services has been researching low cost ways to use either County facilities or other
already established facilities to house emergency response units.
In 2009, in an agreement with the inactive Efland Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Efland
Volunteer Fire Department, Emergency Services (ES) relocated a unit to Efland to improve
response time in the northwestern portion of the County and provide backup to the Hillsborough
area. In 2010, a unit was relocated to the former Animal Services Building on Revere Road to
cover Hillsborough and the surrounding area.
In 2009, Emergency Services and UNC also began discussing situations involving inebriated
students that led to a more general discussion about EMS services on campus. UNC indicated
to Emergency Services that it was willing to provide a substation with parking for an ambulance
on campus in the married student housing section for the campus.
On September 20, 2011 the Board approved the location of a substation on the UNC campus
and authorized the County Manager to sign an agreement reflecting such. The Board directed
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the County Manager and County Attorney to return to the Board with modified language
addressing the County Manager's authority to locate and approve future ES substations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board:
• Authorize the County Manager to negotiate the location of ES substations, which
negotiations the Manager shall report to the -Board prior to concluding the negotiations;
and
• After such report is made and absent contrary direction from the Board, the County
Manager is authorized to enter and sign agreements related to the location of ES
substations.