Full Text
Page 1 of 3 Ogden City Council Work Session: May 16, 2017 FY2018 BUDGET PROPOSALS – FIRE DEPARTMENT Purpose of Work Session: To review and discuss the Fire Department budget proposals for FY2018. Executive Summary The City Council will receive a presentation of budget proposals relative to the City’s Fire Department, including: administration, emergency management, medical services, operations, paramedics, prevention and training. Background General Budget Process Each year, the City Council is required to adopt an annual fiscal year budget, per Utah Code Ann. § 10-6-118. In preparation for this action, the Council requests information from the Administration including reports on current goals and past accomplishments, progress on management study recommendations, staffing issues, equipment needs and other relevant information. Administrative and Council staff meet regularly during the budget process to discuss and review the progress of the current year and significant changes that have been proposed to the budget. Staff meets with each department director regarding departmental budgets. The information discussed in these meetings is presented to the Council in a series of work sessions. FY2017 Budget Guidelines The Council’s FY2017 budget guidelines describe that the Fire Department will provide the Council with Emergency Preparedness Plan information in October. This was provided to the Council, during FY2017, along with a presentation of new appendices to the Plan. Fire Department Budget The Fire Department is responsible to manage the Fire Budget, within the General Fund, and the Medical Services Enterprise Fund. ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 2 of 3 Ogden City Council Work Session: May 16, 2017 Comparison of FY2017 Adopted and FY2018 Proposed Fund FY17 Adopted FY18 Proposed Change Amount % Fire Department $7,931,925 $8,326,400 $394,475 + 5% Medical Services Enterprise $7,299,425 $7,575,725 $276,300 + 3.8% The following are notable proposed changes for FY2018: Fire Department Compensation adjustments; Moving a Firefighter position to Medical Services; The addition of a new Fire Captain position, per management study recommendations; A $93,650 training budget, with operating supplies; and $5,000 for equipment replacement costs. Medical Services Fund Compensation adjustments; Moving a Firefighter position from the General Fund, and increasing payroll by $67,250; and A transfer of $276,300 to the Fleet Fund for the replacement of two ambulances. Proposed Structure and Staffing Red text indicating the difference between FY2017 and Proposed FY2018 Fire – General Fund Medical Services - Enterprise Chief 1 Deputy Chief – Medical 1 Deputy Chief – Operations 1 Battalion Chief 0.5 Battalion Chief 4.5 Paramedics 27 Captains 19 Firefighters 10 Deputy Fire Marshal 2 Total: 38.5 Firefighters 47 Office Supervisor 1 Senior Office Assistant 1 Total: 76.5 Capital Improvements The Fire Department is housed in six fire stations throughout the city. There are currently no capital improvement projects proposed for the Fire Department in FY2018. ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 3 of 3 Ogden City Council Work Session: May 16, 2017 Questions The Fire Department has been asked to address the following questions in the presentation to the Council. General 1. Please review the Fire Department’s FY2017 successes and any recent/ongoing challenges for the department. 2. How are things working with the new Public Safety Employee Appeals board? 3. Please provide a brief description of the number of fire and ambulance calls, and describe whether adequate resources are available to address current service needs. 4. Which equipment is anticipated to be replaced in the upcoming year with the $5,000 funding proposal? 5. Please describe any future plans to improve and/or upgrade Fire Station 4. Personnel and Staffing 6. Please describe the proposal to add a new Fire Captain and the anticipated impacts of this change. 7. Please briefly describe the reasoning for moving a firefighter position from the General Fund to Medical Services. Medical Services 8. Please describe the frequency of using ambulances for medical/mental health transports. 9. Why is the Medicaid assessment anticipated to increase $50,000 in the upcoming fiscal year? Fire Management Study 10. Please provide an update regarding items from the Fire Department management study that have been completed during the year and any items that are intended to be addressed in the proposed budget. Attachments 1. Memorandum – Council Information Request for Proposed 2017-18 Budget 2. 2016 Year End Report I Ogden City Fire Department Council Staff Contact: Amy Sue Mabey, (801)629-8629 ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- FUNDING SOURCES CHARGES FOR SERVICES FINES AND FORFEITURES INTEREST INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE LICENSES AND PERMITS MISCELLANEOUS OTHER FINANCING SOURCES TAXES OGDEN CITY 2017-2018 TENTATIVE BUDGET ALL FUNDS FUNDING SOURCES DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURES ATTORNEY BOO INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL FIRE MANAGEMENT SERVICES MAYOR NON-DEPARTMENTAL POLICE PUBLIC SERVICES 75,705,450 2,262,375 489,300 9,519,650 2,583,600 1,588,125 35,163,875 39,026,375 166,338,750 45.5196 1.3696 0.2996 5.7296 1.5596 0.9596 21.1496 23.4696 10096 • CHARGES FOR SERVICES • FINES AND FORFEITURES • INTEREST • INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE • LICENSES AND PERMITS • MISCELLANEOUS • OTHER FINANCING SOURCES 1,295,550 0.7896 15,287,825 9.19% 21,254,650 12.7896 1,156,825 0.7096 15,972,125 9.6096 21,463,975 12.9096 670,575 0.4096 9,027,875 5.4396 20,634,825 12.4196 59,574,525 35.8296 166,338,7SO 10096 DEPARTMENTAL EXPENDITURES 37 • ATTORNEY • BOO INFRASTRUCTURE • COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • COUNCIL • FIRE • MANAGEMENT SERVICES • NON-DEPARTMENTAL POLICE ---PAGE BREAK--- MEMORANDUM TO: Mark Johnson, CAO FROM: Mike Mathieu, Fire Chief DATE: May 1, 2017 RE: Council Information Request for Proposed 2017-18 Budget 2016-17 Responses to 2007 Fire Management Audit Recommendation The City should adopt revised performance measures to direct fire station location planning. The measures should take into account a realistic crew turnout time of 2 minutes and be designed to deliver outcomes that will save patients medically salvageable upon arrival; and to keep small, but serious fires from becoming greater alarm fires. Citygate recommends these measures be: 1.1 Distribution of Fire Stations: To treat and transport medical patients and control small fires, the first-due unit should arrive within 7 minutes, 90 percent of the time from the receipt of the 911 call. This equates to 1-minute dispatch time, 2-minutes crew turnout time and 4 minutes drive time spacing for single units. By relocating station #3 to its building location, we are within a couple blocks of “Location B” recommended within the study. This location allows us to decrease response times to the northeast section of the City without compromising response times to other portions. This is completed by adjusting boundaries of response areas of adjacent stations. We opened the new Station #3 on July 10, 2016 and it is fully operational. 1.2 Effective Response Force: To confine fires near the room of origin, to stop wildland fires to under 3 acres when noticed and to treat up to 5 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 I P a g e medical patients at once, a multiple-unit of at least 15 personnel should arrive within 11 minutes from the time of 911 call receipt, 90 percent of the time. This equates to 1-minute dispatch time, 2 minutes crew turnout time and 8 minutes drive time spacing for multiple units. We added the third firefighter on Ladder which started in 2008 with the SAFER grant. This allows us to dispatch the recommended “response force” of 14 to 15 personnel which may rise to 17 when we receive automatic aid from our neighboring jurisdictions. The old Computed Aided Dispatch (CAD) records system would not track segment response time intervals well enough for us to measure the performance standard of 11 minutes 90% of the time from call receipt to unit arrivals. The segment response time measurement is important to identify specifically where any deficiency is within the total amount of time recorded. We understand the new system launched county-wide in the last couple of months has the ability to build reports to collect this information for segmentation of portions of these response times so we can specifically deal with deficiencies. Recommendation # 2: The Department and Dispatch Center staffs need to focus on lowering, to the extent possible, dispatch and crew turnout times. In 2010, Ogden Fire successfully was awarded a Federal Regional Assistance to Firefighters Grant to replace the old alarm notification system. Because the 911 Center served all fire departments in Weber and Morgan County, this initiative needed to affect all fire departments and not just Ogden City. A significant amount of cooperation/coordination was led by Ogden Fire to accomplish this project that totaled over $846,579 ($677,264 Federal grant $169,315 local match by the 911 District). This technology coupled with policy and procedure change by the 911 Center management has allowed dramatic improvements in call processing times over what was identified in the audit. The 911 Center gives reports to their Administrative Control Board and Operations Board regarding their response time intervals. In 2006, their call processing time average for 90% of their calls was 2 minutes 15 seconds. Changes over the last 4-5 years in modifications in technology and procedure has lowered the 911 call processing time on medical emergencies to 27-30 seconds (National standard for medical call process time is 60 seconds) and for fires to 50-59 seconds each and every month. This improvement translates to an improved overall response time reducing life loss and property loss on these emergencies. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 I P a g e The crew turnout time is the interval time we are now able to measure with the new CAD system. Assistant Chiefs worked with the 911 Center Operation Manager to build this report capability. The audit of 2007 identified turnout time of 3 minutes 30 seconds for 90% of fire incidents to don emergency protective equipment prior to responding with a goal of dropping this time interval to 2 minutes. Although Department focus has been targeted in this area, the ability to objectively measure this interval has been absent in the past. As of April 21, 2017 we are measuring turnout times and allowing supervisors to review and educate the importance of improving where needed on those that do not fit within the recommended standard. No comparative reports are available as yet due to its most recent launch. Recommendation Quint/Ladder #4 should be staffed full-time with 3 firefighters. This would require filling three additional firefighter positions. The cost can be offset by savings from the temporary staff funds now budgeted to provide part-time staffing of the Quint with a third firefighter. The full-time staffing can be phased in by hiring possibly one new career position per year, with the costs partially offset by budgeting less temporary staff funds. This recommendation was completed in 2008 and is in place today. Recommendation The City should plan on re-locating Fire Station 3. This recommendation is in process with completion date targeted June 1, 2016. Move in occurred July 10, 2016. Recommendation The Department should restrict non-emergency medical transfers between the hours of 11 PM and 6 AM unless the patient’s life depends on it. We have had a department study committee working on this matter especially as it relates to sleep deprivation and coordination with the hospitals. Rotation of personnel assigned to ambulances, discussions with the hospitals, and schedule adjustments are all being reviewed. Negotiations between hospital officials and our medical captains occur when these requests come in and modification of desired time for transport is a concern for a multitude of reasons such as weather conditions and shift changes. Currently we are ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 I P a g e collaborating with police and mental health care officials on alternative mental health care provision. Recommendation Long-term the City should operate one dedicated ladder truck, in addition to the present engine companies, with its crew from Station 1 to provide timely, effective truck company operations to the higher fire and life risk commercial areas. This will also add another unit to cover simultaneous calls for service in the center of the City. This recommendation would take a minimum of 9 new personnel consisting of 3 firefighters, 3 driver pump-operators and 3 Captain positions. Currently this is cost prohibitive and we are dealing with this differently by maintaining the two quint (ladder/pumper units) in stations #1 and #4 along with automatic aid and mutual aid availability from our neighboring jurisdictions where cumulatively there are four ladder trucks within these four departments that potentially could assist the City. Recommendation As soon as fiscal resources allow, the City should add: 7.1 A full-time training and safety officer at the rank of Battalion Chief. We currently have a ½ time training officer split with a ½ time emergency program manager. Up until the compensation step plan became the #1 priority within the department, this position was the next highest priority. Within the fire department budget proposal this year there is provision to fund this position. It would be completed by transferring one firefighter from the general fund to assist with ambulance operations and use the savings from this position and roughly $28,000 in general fund allocation to complete the funding needed. However, the rank would be that of a captain, not battalion chief and be a subordinate position to our Emergency Manager/Training Officer currently. This position would be filled July-August 2017. 7.2 The clerical staff should be increased to a minimum of 3 full-time positions immediately, and when the training position is added, increased again to 4 full- time positions. We believe with modern technology and computer skills obtained within all administrative positions that this recommendation for additional clerical staff is ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 I P a g e not a high priority. We do not recommend adding additional clerical staff at this time. 7.3 The City should re-instate one disaster Preparedness position, at least at the pay level of coordinator, in a non-management position, reporting to the Fire Chief. This has been done at ½ time by splitting these duties with the department training officer activities. This issue will soon have to be addressed as this person is overloaded and essential tasks in both areas of responsibility sometimes are not completed. Our current Emergency Manger would no longer need to split duties between emergency management and training beginning July-August 2017. Recommendation The entry-level turnover issue needs immediate investigation, attention and remediation. Steps should include: 8.1 Continue to understand and continue to improve the pay and benefit needs. The separate memo detailing the continual problem with training firefighters for other departments and losing them is being addressed with the recommendation of the step plan compensation system. 8.2 Re-look at recruitment procedures to try to gain employees willing to commit to an Ogden career. Highly targeted recruitment in the immediate Ogden area using “career day” type workshops will assist in recruiting people who have a tie to the area and thus a reason to remain with the Ogden Fire Department Within one budget initiative proposed in last year’s budget is to re-create our firefighter reserve program. This program will target local recruitment of interested people who have no training or certifications within the fire service. Within two years of participation, the average reservist will be able to apply and compete for full-time positions. This program is in early stages of development. 8.3 As discussed elsewhere, improve the entry level training process, both to provide improved safety for employees, but also to give them a sense of being wanted and appreciated in the Department. The entry-level training process is addressed by our ½ time training officer but once this position is independently funded more focus can occur in this area. ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 I P a g e Recommendation #9 & 10: The City needs to find a way to re-invest in its fire stations, make them suitable for employees living in them 24-hours per day, and upgrade them to meet current seismic building codes. Fire Station 3 is too old and on too small a parcel to justify major repairs. It should be replaced at a location that will also improve northern city response times. The City should contract with a firm experienced in building evaluation and construction to provide a comprehensive evaluation and cost of rehabilitating Fire Stations 2, 4 and 5 and replacing/relocating Station 3. None of the capital requests and evaluations reflective in the requests to date represents a realistic assessment of complete need or cost. With this building plan, the City should establish a several year program to accomplish this important capital need. Station #5 was restored in 2008. Highlights of restoration included seismic enhancements to current building codes for essential facilities, fire suppression system, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing replacements, upgraded appliances and functionality such as individual dorms over common dorm areas. Station #2 was restored February of 2014 in the same fashion as station Station #3 is being relocated and rebuilt according to the audit recommendation with a completion date of July 2016. Station #4 is the one station left to restore or relocate depending upon capital funding availability and future growth activities at the airport. We hope to have a definitive plan in the 2018-19 budget. Recommendation #11: The City should provide email accounts to all Fire Department employees. This will increase communication and effectiveness in the Department. This recommendation was completed a few years ago and is working well as a communication and information tool. Recommendation #12: Ogden should commit more funding to establish a funded fire apparatus replacement plan that both accelerates the replacement of current high mileage equipment and also establishes a clearly identified and funded year of replacement for each vehicle. Replacement can then be postponed if ---PAGE BREAK--- 7 I P a g e equipment condition warrants, but funding is available if replacement is needed as scheduled. 1. Fleet Changes: a. Replaced one fire pumper (1991 pumper) which was a front-line engine located at station #2 (1185 East 21st Street). A new pumper was placed in service in the fall of 2008. b. Replaced one fire pumper (1990 pumper) which was a front-line engine located at station #3 (340 Washington Blvd.) A new 2010 pumper was placed in service 09/2010. c. An order and delivery for a third new pumper identified in the audit has occurred. The 2011 pumper has been placed in service at station #5 3450 Harrison Blvd. d. Replaced one fire pumper (1991 pumper) which was a reserve with a 2007 front line unit that had been located at station A 2013 pumper was placed into service at Station #2 in the first quarter of 2014. 2. At the completion of the audit, our first line fleet average age was 10.6 years. Best practices suggest first line apparatus life expectancy of 15 years, and 5 years of reserve status. Our first line fleet average age after delivery of the latest pumper is 9.2 years old. (St #1 2004, #2 2013, 2010, #4 2001, and #5 2011). The average age of our 2 reserve pumpers is 16 years (2007 and 1995). 3. We are looking at funding options to replace the 2001 Quint located at station #4 over the next year, as this is the most pressing front line unit. It has had 15 years of front line service and per NFPA recommendations should be in reserve status its last 5 years of service life. We are in the process of replacing this ladder with the additional funds allocated this last year. This will lower our average age of the front line and reserve fleet of Quint/pumpers. Recommendation #13: The City needs to survey the hydrants, determine a comprehensive plan to update their ability to function and then fund the repairs, starting in the higher- risk commercial building areas. The City should have in place an annual hydrant inspection and testing program to accompany this upgrade. In coordination with the water division, a hydrant maintenance program was started in earnest in 2011. In the spring every year between the months of April and May firefighters inspect all city hydrants and perform minor maintenance. ---PAGE BREAK--- 8 I P a g e Notations of significant problem hydrants are recorded and forwarded to the water division. The water division performs more elaborate maintenance where needed and replaces non-working or significantly damaged hydrants identified. During FY 2017, maintenance on 108 hydrants have been repaired at a cost of $50,236. This does not include hydrants that were replaced as part of mainline replacement projects. An additional component of the hydrant maintenance program is to actually flow hydrants to determine operational effectiveness. This year a program as started and thus far, 631 hydrants have been flushed. Recommendation #14: The City needs to fund at least a two-week, 80-hour new firefighter training orientation to Department procedures and equipment and to ensure the candidate knows what they should as stated on their resume. This time should not be spent as part of daily minimum staffing needs. Implemented the Entry-Level Training Orientation Academy for new-hires in 2007. It continually is modified and updated throughout the years to accommodate changing needs. Recommendation #15: The Department needs the staff resources to establish and operate a fire department specific risk management and employee safety program. This objective is being achieved through a group of Fire Captains, Battalion Chief and a Deputy Chief by our Health and Safety Team. They regularly review department operations and practices to recommend policy, equipment or operational changes to improve safety and lower risk. The Deputy Chief assigned also coordinates with the City Risk Manager and other City risk/injury prevention activities. ---PAGE BREAK--- 9 I P a g e 2016 Fire Department Annual Summary Fire Prevention 48 Fire Investigations 1,200 Business Inspections 300 Fire Building Plan Reviews 141Public Education Events 11,115 Students taught from Boots n’ Bunker 5,000 Students and Faculty taught through WSU Partnership Emergency Management Nine significant plan annex developments known as Emergency Support Functions were developed. and quarterly training for EOC Policy and Coordination group members. Continued exercise with outside partners and neighboring jurisdictions. Coordinated and responded to two unplanned emergencies and one planned where a high degree of coordinated response by multiple departments and agencies was necessary. o May 1st – Wind event o May 21st – Ogden Marathon o September 23rd - Tornado Developed Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan. Operation Responses ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK---