HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-19-1994-X-D ' 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No X•D
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 19, 1994
SUBJECT: South Orange Rescue Squad - Rescue Service District Proposal
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DEPARTMENT Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING YES NO X
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ATTACHMENT(S) INFORMATION CONTACT
3/30/94 Letter from SORS Nick Waters, ext 3030
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
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PURPOSE: To receive a report from representatives of the South Orange
Rescue Squad (SORS) concerning their proposal for the creation of a
South Orange Rescue Service District.
BACKGROUND: The Board of Directors of the South Orange Rescue Squad
has proposed the creation of an ad valorem tax supported rescue service
district that would encompass the southern portion of Orange County,
including the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill. SORS representatives
will briefly explain their proposal and be prepared to respond to any
questions from the Board of Commissioners.
The proposal from the South Orange Rescue Squad suggests a number of
points that merit further examination, including:
* What specific rescue service needs exist in Orange County, what
options exist for providing each of those services, and what financing
alternatives are there?
* What are the implications of the creation of a South Orange Rescue
Service District for rescue service elsewhere in the County?
* Would the proposal be viable if either Chapel Hill or Carrboro, or
both, declined to participate (since inclusion of a municipality in a
rescue service district would require approval from the governing board
of that jurisdiction) ?
* How do rescue services and emergency medical services (EMS)
interrelate, and in what ways are they distinct? Do citizens
understand the differences, and if not, how does one effectively inform
the public?
If the Board would like additional information about rescue service
needs and options, the Manager suggests that staff prepare an analysis
with assistance from the Orange County Chiefs' Council and rescue squad
personnel, and report back at a future Commissioners ' meeting.
RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board receive the
report as information, and direct follow up action as appropriate.
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SOUTH ORANGE RESCUE SQUAD
0413ox A Carrboro, North Carolina 27510
March 30, 1994
Mr. Moses Carey, Chairman
Orange County Board of Commissioners
P.O.Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Dear Moses:
On October 24 of last year, we sent to your attention a letter from
South Orange Rescue Squad requesting that the Commissioners
initiate the process to establish a Rescue Service District for the
area of the county currently covered by the Squad. The NC General
Statute under which this Service District would be authorized is
G.S. 153A-300, "The County Service District Act of 1973 . " Our
letter addressed, in general, the purpose of the proposed district
and how it would be administered.
Our request for the establishment of a Rescue Service District has
nothing to do with the Emerciency Medical Services we currently
provide. Rescue is a totally different service under the
definition provided by North Carolina law. South Orange Rescue
Squad currently provides both Rescue and Emergency Medical
Services. The funds obtained by the creation of a Rescue Service
District could only be used to provide Rescue Services. These
funds would not and cannot be used to provide EMS or ambulance
services if the stated purpose of the service district is to
provide Rescue.
Your response dated November 17 of last year, stated that you
wished to await the final recommendations of the Strategic Planning
Committee. The committees developing the Orange County Emergency
Medical Services Strategic Plan, which has been in development
since January of 1992, have not been considering the topic of
Rescue Services in their deliberations. During the initial
Environmental Scan meeting of January 26, 1992 , which began the
planning process, it was specifically discussed and decided that
Rescue Services would not be considered in this particular
strategic plan. It has been well over two years since this
planning process was begun, with no final strategic plan as yet
recommended. In fact, it has been over a year since some of the
planning committees have held a meeting. Due to this situation, we
do not feel that the Squad or the citizens to whom we provide our
services can afford to await the initiation and final outcome of
another strategic planning process to consider the topic of Rescue
Services. We have urgent needs in regards to our Rescue Services
that need to be addressed today, not at some indefinite point in
the future.
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Mr. Moses Carey
March 28, 1994
page 2
Attached to this letter is a report detailing the current level of
Rescue Service we provide, why it needs to be immediately improved,
our plan for improving the service and the possible consequences if
the service is not improved. The current operational budget of the
Squad does not permit us to improve Rescue Services, particularly
in light of our declining community fund drive results over the
past several years. We feel that the establishment of a Rescue
Service District is the best means to allow us to make these needed
improvements and provide for the long term, high quality Rescue
Services which the citizens in our area deserve and expect. The
funds generated by this district would alleviate the need to spend
donated monies for Rescue purposes, thereby removing the pressure
on the Squad's extremely tight EMS budget.
We request that the subject of our proposed Rescue Service District
be placed on the agenda of the next Commissioners meeting, in order
to be discussed as early as possible. We also ask that the impact
of this district be included in the current budget planning
process.
We look forward to your response. Should you, the other
Commissioners, or members of your staff have any further questions
about our proposal, please contact me right away. Thank you.
S ' cerely,
R 6�pde ries L
Robert . Green
Chief Asst. Chief
South Orange Rescue Squad, Inc. Rescue Div. - SORS
H) 563-2594 H) 942-3831
W) 800-642-0640 W) 489-4840
P) 216-0424 P) 216-0432
cc: Alice Gordon Nick Waters
Steven Halkiotis Mike Bordeaux
Verla Insko Tommy Holmes
Don Wilhoit Dan Jones
John Link Jerry Lloyd
Calvin Horton Rodney Murray
Robert Morgan Tom Gurganus