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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-23-2005-w1ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 23, 2005 Action Agen~ Item No. SUBJECT: Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service Issues DEPARTMENT: Manager/Emergency PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No Management ATTACHMENT(S): 5/20/05 Staff Memo PowerPoint Slides 10/05/94 BOCC Agenda Abstract w/ Attachments INFORMATION CONTACT: Jahn Link or Rod Visser, ext 2300 Jack Ball, ext 3030 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To discuss various issues related to the structure and delivery of volunteer fire and rescue services and other related emergency services in Orange County. BACKGROUND: Volunteers continue to play a vital role in the delivery of fire protection, fire suppression, and rescue services throughout Orange County. This includes response not only during day-to-day emergency situations, but also during larger events such as manmade or natural disasters or hazardous weather situations. Stresses on volunteer agencies and individual volunteer emergency responders continue to grow, as demands on volunteer time needed far additional training and coverage expand. In recent years, these demands have led many volunteer departments to hire permanent and/or temporary staff to supplement the coverage that volunteers have been able to provide, particularly during normal weekday business hours. This in turn has placed more strain on volunteer departmental budgets, and has increased the competition for scarce tax dollars to address the increasing personnel, operating, and capital casts of providing high quality, effective, and timely emergency services,. This work session provides the Board of Commissioners an opportunity to receive a brief preview of same of the issues for FY 2005-06 related to volunteer emergency service provision that will be addressed in more depth during .June budget work sessions. It also gives the Board a chance to discuss in broad terms how the County might assist volunteer departments in areas such as training coordination, joint purchasing of supplies and equipment, crass-leveling to minimize duplication of resources, and similar issues. Staff have provided several attachments to this abstract to provide background information for the BOCC. A staff memo outlines in more detail some of the issues mentioned in this abstract. A handout comprised of PowerPoint slides describes some of the structure currently in place at the federal, State, and County level to provide assistance to volunteer departments. Previous BOCC agenda materials provide a discussion of the approach to rescue service provision in Orange County. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact directly associated with discussicn of these issues. However, direction the Board may provide to staff could have impacts on haw resources are expended for fire and rescue services, including equipment acquisition, joint purchasing, etc, RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board discuss the issues outlined in the accompanying materials, and other points of interest to the Board, and provide appropriate direction to staff, 3 MEMORANDUM TO: Orange County Commissioners John Link, County Manager rROM: Jack W. Ball, Emergency Management Director DATE: May 20, 2005 SUBJECT: Emergency Fire and Rescue Services Introduction This memo is intended to provide background information for the Board's discussion of volunteer fire and rescue service issues at your May 23 work session including: the current structure of fire and rescue services throughout Orange County; some observations about some of the challenges and opportunities facing the County and its volunteer emergency service agency partners; and some areas the Board may wish to have staff explore with agency representatives in more detail regarding enhanced County support to agencies, opportunities for efficiencies, and the like. Structure Orange County's emergency fire and rescue services consist of two municipal fre departments, eight volunteer fre departments, and two volunteer rescue departments. The volunteer organizations are incorporated tlu-ough the State, and where appropriate and applicable, are franchised by the County Commissioners to provide certain emergency services. Under the oversight of their respective Boards of Directors, these agencies act independently of each other in their operations. Each has a strong reputation in the community and each understandably takes pride in its own individuality. There is a strong network of mutual aid understandings between departments that assures Orange County residents that when additional resources are needed in one jurisdiction, say to fight a major fire, adjacent departments will respond immediately to assist in the incident or to provide interim coverage to the rest of that one jurisdiction. In the early 1990s, CoLmty staff and volunteers worked together to conduct an extensive assessment of and recommendations for the best ways to provide rescue services throughout Orange County. Generally speaking, the approach involved developing and enhancing in- Countycapabilities for high frequency rescue incidents through resources that would be deployed as necessary on a countywide basis. Low frequency or highly specialized rescue services would be solicited as needed from resources beyond Orange County. More than a decade later, we believe that the "rescue service matrix" developed as a part of that analytical process (and provided for reference elsewhere with your May 23 agenda materials) continues to provide a solid fraznework for rescue service provision in Orange County. T Challenges As the demand for service continues to grow, and the availability of volunteers to provide coverage in the fire districts declines, increased supplemental paid assistance to provide coverage during peak hours continues to emerge as a solution of choice. This method enables departments to cope with the growing demands. However, while individual departments provide for the hiring of personnel, disparities may arise between deparhnents in the benefits and salaries provided. Many departments face financial constraints that preclude their taking on added responsibilities such as retirement and workers' compensation associated with employees. As Orange County continues to grow and face the challenges of tomorrow, it is imperative to improve on our abilities to provide the best emergency services to our overall community. We must collectively look beyond "the way we've always done it" and expand our capabilities across and between service districts to address the demands of a progressive public safety system. In several meetings I have had with the administrative and operational officers of some of the fire and rescue departments, some departments have been very receptive to the notion of an integrated approach to providing the best emergency services to County residents. Others have expressed understandable concerns about the potential that their agencies may play diminished roles in providing countywide services. With multiple agencies providing similar services (such as light vehicle extrication) in some cases, there are legitimate concerns about balancing the need for adequate amounts of readily available, widely deployed, specialty tools with the interest of ensuring that scarce tax dollars are not expended um~ecessarily on duplication of services or equipment. I believe there is a clear need for a cooperative effort among volunteer agencies, the County, and municipal departments to determine a standard that would identify what tools and equipment should be purchased, by which departments, so as to ensure compatibility of equipment and training across agencies. In a recent conversation I had with the president of the Chiefs' Council, he identified the following as needs for volunteer agencies: 1) Face to face interaction with a representative of the Board of Commissioners; 2) A training facility in the central part of the County (I note het°e that House Bill 16.5.5, sponsored by Representatives Faison, Haclntey, artd Inslco has since been introduced mtd if approved, woasld eartnark $1,.344, D00 to acquire land at¢d consU~uct a regional fzre traiuit:g facility in Qt°ange Count~t;) 3) Input in fire protection needs for firture growth azid subdivision development; 4) Additional fire marshal staff to assist with fire insurance ratings of the fire depazttnents, granting, and County fire administrative issues; and 5) Representation from the Chiefs' Council on the communication upgrading project. Opportunities I have prepared a group of slides (provided separately as an attachment for this agenda item) that outlines some of the support that is cun~ently available at the federal, state, and county level to assist our volunteer agencies stretch their resources, In recent years, County staff have tried to improve assistance to various fire and rescue agencies in azeas of training coordination, incident reporting, and contracting and purchasing, among others. However, with the full participation and cooperation of the volunteer departments, there may be other things the County can do to assist the volunteer fire and rescue agencies to provide the best possible service in the most cost 5 effective manner. While there are different challenges and issues that affect operations in each department, many common challenges -and opportunities -exist. As part of your discussion at the May 23 work session, the Board may wish to consider whether some or all of the following undertakings might prove worthwhile: 1) An effort to build on opporrmities to address common challenges by considering the combined purchase and acquisition of equipment and supplies,. Results so far of the ongoing study by the Robert Segal CPA firm of County and school operations suggest that some of the cost saving methods applicable to the County and both school systems (particularly ttuough,joint purchases and contracts) may likewise be beneficial to the County and volunteer fire and rescue agencies. While some departments have already collaborated to purchase some items together, I believe that greater savings could be gained through a central purchasing point to ensure the best price is obtained. 2) As discussed previously, the establislunent of standards Countywide would ensure that every emergency responder is provided with the same quality of tools, equipment, and protective clothing. It would also ensure that the equipment would be compatible and if members from one department had to use equipment from another department, they would be familiar with the operations and could easily use it without delays. 3) As our county continues to grow and service demands continue to increase, it would be prudent to be proactive and plan for changes in our public safety delivery systems, County staff can assist volunteer departments through use of GIS tools and advice on the applicability of land use regulations regarding feasible and desirable locations for future fire and rescue stations. Staff can also work with departments as needed to help answer questions of what to do with buildings and assets if an organization can no longer meet growing demands and needs to disband. 4) Staff could undertake a dialogue with the leadership of the fire departments to discuss the long-term future of the delivery of fire services in the C_.ounty. A strategic plan could be developed to identify how the increased demand for' services will be met in the upcoming years. Any strategic plan should be developed through a coordinated effort from the volunteer depaztments and county representatives, but moderated through an independent agent that has experience and lanowledge in transitions of public safety systems.. The plan should address where we have been, where we are and where we want to go, and should complement the county's comprehensive planning. 5) Staff could review with fire and rescue service leaders the viability of the existing rescue service matrix to determine if it remains a valid framework for service delivery or if updates or modifications are in order. Conclusion All these issues are not unique to Orange County; counties throughout the state and country face these challenges every day. The way in which they are addressed means the difference in being proactive or reactive. A proactive approach delivers a better product and provides for a phased in approach in meeting the needs of the community. Volunteer Fire and Rescue Programs ~f jl_ i 1 -`-r i~~`~~ _> • Volunteer Assistance can Ue found on various levels of Govel-nment - Federal Assistance - State Assistance - Local Assistance Volunteer Fire and Rescue Programs • Federal Programs - Rural Conununity Pire Protection Programs • Serve communities 10,000 or less • Provides cost share for training, equipment and help organize rural/local volunteer dcparunenis - FIRE ACT GRANT • Matching grants for equipment, training, and safety programs Volunteer Fire and Rescue Programs • Federal Programs - Purchasing GSA Pire Equipment ushrg FEDSTRSP • When fire departments have cooperative fire agreements With Stale Forestry have access to fire equipment sources Cotnmm~ity Facility Program • Direct, guaranteed loans and grants for community facilities and equipment Volunteer Fire and Rescue Programs • Federal Programs - Surplus Personal Property Donation Program • Nonfederal organizations to obtain property no longer needed by Federat Goverrmrent • Small service charge for handling, transportation and administrative expenses - Federal Excess Personal Prnpcrty • Loan agreement of excess federal equipment obtained from military and other federal sources to state foresters Who sub-loan to local firefighting organizations Volunteer Fire and Rescue Programs • State Assistance - Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund • Matching grants up Co $15,000 - Volunteer Fire Departments Fund • Provide Matelung Grants to Volunteer Fire Departments - Grants not to exceed X20,000 00 Volunteer Fire and Rescue 3 Volunteer Fire and Rescue Programs It ~_~~/ fi~ ~~ ~~ti~j Z,ocal Assistance - Provide vehicles if available for attending training - Purchase of Office Supplies tluough Purchasing - Assist in deve]oping RFPs and obtaining services (i e. ground ladder testing) - Provide Hepatitis B vaccinations - Assist with paining needs - Work to establish fire tas rates for fwrding of budgets - Replace expended medical supplies I 4 ~o ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 5; 1994 Action Ageada Item No X-~ SUBJECT: Rescue Service Provision in Orange County DEPARTMENT Emergency Management/ PUBLIC HEARING YES County Manager -------------------------------- ------------------- ATTACHMENT (S ) 9/29/94 Staff Report Rescue Service Matrix Draft Agreement Between OCRS & SORS NO X INFORMATION CONTACT Nick Waters, ext 3030 Rod Visser, ext 2300 TELEPHONE NUMBER Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Mebane 227-2031 Durham 688-7331 PURPOSE: To receive a report on plans for the provision of rescue service throughout Orange County. SACICGROUND: At the April 19, 1994 meeting, the Board of Commissioners heard a request from the South Orange Rescue Squad to consider establishing a South Orange Rescue Service District. At that time, the Board asked staff to prepare a report after reviewing what rescue service needs exist in Orange County, what options exist for providing those services, and how might those alternatives be financed. In a series of meetings over the past several months, County staff and various emergency response agency personnel discussed historical levels of rescue service and incidence of rescue calls, desired levels of service, and options for providing rescue service. The most significant outcome of these discussions has been agreement by the South Orange Rescue Squad and the Orange County Rescue Squad that they will work and train jointly to provide basic and specialized rescue service throughout Orange County, with assistance on basic services from other emergency response agencies. Additional work remains to be done in identifying any pressing rescue equipment needs and how those needs could be funded. Following further discussions with rescue squad leaders, staff plan to present more specific recommendations concerning equipment needs and funding sometime during the next several months. RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board receive the report for information only at this time. U TO: Orange County Board of Commissioners John Link, County Manager FROM: Rod Vi.sser, Assistant County Manager Nick Waters, Airector of Emergency Management DATE: September 29, 1994 RE: Rescue Service Options During the last tew months, we have conducted a series of very productive meetings with various emergency service providers to obtain information concerning the provision of rescue service in Orange County. We have examined how rescue service is currently provided, what options exist for providing that service, and what we think is the best approach for providing rescue service in Orange County today. Our analysis included a review of the different categories of rescue service that are and should be provided; the historical and anticipated incidence of rescue calls in each of those categories; and the current, and desirable future, capabilities of agencies to respond to various categories of rescue calls. The matrix at Attachment 1 represents our effort to succinctly capture the main points of our analysis. During staff and agency discussions, widespread agreement emerged on a number of points and principles: * the driving force behind the structure of rescue service must be the best possible service to Orange County's citizens, regardless of which agencies provide that service; * the moat economical use of limited resources for rescue, being wary of unnecessary duplication of service capability; * the need for extensive coordination and cooperation between the rescue squads, volunteer fire departments, municipal fire departments, Orange County Emergency Management, and other emergency responders; * the focus of rescue service provision should be Countywide, rather than by individual response area; * resources should be allocated in priority to meeting the most likely and frequent categories of rescue calls (primarily light vehicle extrication) while ensuring that a capability to respond to any of the categories of rescue calls exists (among agencies either internal or external to Orange County). A strong spirit of cooperation among emergency response agencies has led to the development of a draft working agreement (Attachment 2) between the South Orange Rescue Squad (SORSj and Qrange County Rescue Squads (OCRs). OCRs has agreed to provide heavy rescue throughout Orange County, SORS will provide technical rescue services throughout Orange County, and the rescue squads and fire departments will work to provide light vehicle extrication, which is by far the most frequently required rescue service. County staff will work with rescue providers to augment their organic rescue capabilities with centralized resources. Centralizing certain resources should help ~L~J 3 minimize unnecessary duplication and provide a more economical approach to providing rescue equipment needed for less common rescue calls. As an example, staff will explore the possibility of storing and transporting hydraulic extrication equipment on a County vehicle which could be carried to an accident scene for use by trained rescuers from a volunteer fire department. We need to discuss rescue service financing further with the rescue squads, but we feel there i.s general agreement now that we should not pursue rescue service district taxes, since the planned focus is now on Countywide rescue service provision. Qne option we will explore carefully is that of appropriating funds annually through the operating budget or CIP of the Department of Emergency Management to address well-documented equipment or training needs to enhance Countywide rescue service provision. In the short term, we expect that the rescue squads will soon present a list of the most pressing rescue equipment needs. Both squads will be applying to the State for 1995 grant funds to cover some of those equipment needs. We recommend that the County review its sales tax revenue picture and at a future Commissioners' meeting, consider trying to provide matching funds for any State grant money received for recognized equipment needs. zn the longer term, we expect to work with the rescue squads to develop a multi-year plan for equipment and training needs that the County would review and consider during the annual operating and capital budget processes. We wi.11 be happy to respond to your questions and perform any additional research that you may find helpful.. / I i ~QCf mLi~ i \~ / N y n ~ rnM m H n E m rnx rnr z z ti ~ O rn xb n ~7 O ~' N xrn xN rn p ro N C b H ~ C m rn z z M H rn G] c H 7 z H G] a~ [n n ~ ~ m a b n Fi ~ ~ N H H C ~ ~ n N , ~ n z r n n rn ~ ~ ~ H d E C H cc H , ~ y [ ~7 '1 C ~1 y H H ~ H „^„ K ro z zn zn n z y G1 C C n C [~7 c~] rn rn nN n O N ~K O X7 rn W tJ1 O O W O N O CD ~ Ol O 27 "1. n rn ~ro 07 z u1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o N o o rs H H [n m H ~ x r N r N r N r r r N !/ r A 0 7 nz K K k nH t7 L~ C+1 K C H Ul N N o (JI (.J U7 W l.l1 ~ ~ W ~ 7 .~ H .{ .C ~C K K ~C ~ K C ~ [T7 ro ~ ~ ~ ~ n y y m ~ m ~ ~ ~ ~ K rn m vi ~ u i cn ~ v, m cn r n o m _ 0 o no m~an m o no no no n1 0 o c 0 nro n n oc o~-+o c n oC OG oc o n ~ n rn n '^ 7m ~ ' ~ CH ~.`1+'.~ rn '.b CH CH CH z A T7 ~ . l. rorn ^ U7 , U1 z CA C4 m .'17 CA z 2 z CA [!] CA G] K VI ,.~ VJ yO ti o-i HO HO HO N rn n ~ K M z •+i Q' K M K ''=J k of m P z Q' H o7 m r 0 0 ~o °z z ~ ~ K u1 ai z m v~ ~ cn a+ oaln oan o x1n m cnM off omm crnrn m~ rnrn zn rnrn v17 oc~ P~n rnen zn rnrn orn nz nM v c nrnrn pcnz nrnrn aCAZ c H rnrn u1z 67 X71 HCl7Z . 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HO d1 mz rn mz rn mz cn mz ro n rnz nc~ ~ E mz mrn ooo oro rn rnN m mn rnn rnn cnn vln c i~-+ rnn H cn P zroa rnN aH H P z ClT1 ~ M Hrn H Hrn H Hrn H rn H roO rnC rnM O Cz N Hrn H o`+`• ~_ ~""v yy Grojy CjN p YC t n -,G ~` 6'] ~~ ~M <y• h+ y~1p ~ roH ~ z z y y t" H ^ z 2 n ~ n O 7 N C n z rn z rn z rn C9 ~1 H rn t9 C [n E H Z O C H b O q ~ tT1 ^H O v rn fn \ I [T1 rn 5 Agreement Sn Principle Between South Orange Rescue Squad and ,;~ Orange County Rescue Squad on the Provision of Rescue Services Within Orange County 1. The Squads agree to work together to provide Rescue Services on a county-wide basis. Both Squads will provide Light Vehicle Rescue within their respective geographic areas due to the significant and demonstrated need for this service in both ends of the county. 2. OCRS will be the lead agency for the provision of Heavy Rescue within the county. They will. host the equipment, training and response team related to this service due to their proximity to both major interstates within the county. Their large rescue truck will serve as the platform for this service and wi12 be equipped as necessary. 3. 50RS will be the lead agency for the provision of Technical Rescue within the county, to include High-Angle, Swiftwater and Confined-Space Rescue. They will host the equipment, training and response team associated with these services due to their current level of training and equipment. 4. A member of either Squad may serve on either the Heavy Rescue and/or Technical Rescue response team. Any interested member would be required to be a member in `good standing of their respective Squad and would not be required to also join the other Squad in order to participate. All prospective response team members would have to meet the same minimum entry certifications and training standards as set forth by each response team. 5. The Squads will present a joint list to the County commissioners detailing their immediate equipment needs. They will also submit joint Rescue Service budget proposals in the future, detailing their projected equipment and training needs. 6. The Squads will work together to provide a joint initial training program for all new members of both organizations: In the future this program would be conducted in conjunction with the training of new members of OCEMS and would cover both EMS and Rescue skills. 7. The Squads will. work together to development common operational policies for Rescue Services, as related to each of the various services provided. 8. The Squads will work with the Fire Departments of the county to develop a common standard for training and equipping all Fire Department units which might respond to a .light vehicle accident. This standard would include specific pieces of equipment and skills required to perform certain basic automobile extrication techniques. ®RA-~T