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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin 11-22-05 (FD Master Plan) CITY OF UKIAH CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FIRE DEPARTMENT MASTER PLAN WORKSHOP CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 300 SEMINARY AVENUE UKIAH, CA 95482 November 22, 2005 ROLL CALL: Convened at 4:15 p.m. Present: Councilmembers Crane, McCowen, Baldwin, Mayor Ashiku, At the invitation of the City Council, Mendocino County Supervisor Wattenberger joined the Council at the dais and participated in the discussion. Absent: Councilmember Rodin Fire Department Staff in attendance: Fire Chief Latipow, Pete Bushby, Mark Hilliker, Kevin Jennings, Skip Williams, Larry Goodman, Charlie Miller, Jeff Riddleberger, Kevin Zumstein, Nathan Vagt, Fire Department Secretary Stanford INTRODUCTION OF ESCl STAFF- INTRODUCTION OF MASTER PLAN PROCESS: Ronny J. Coleman, Project Manager- Presenter Robert Marcucci Tom Forster Mr. Coleman gave a brief introduction of himself and his assistants Roberts Marcucci and Tom Forster. Mr. Coleman explained that the process we are engaged in is a collaborative effort whose function is to determine challenges, risks, opportunities and weaknesses in the community and the Fire Department, and then project the Department into the next 10-15 years. The Master Plan appraises Department programs, practices, acceptable levels of service, including water supply, and infrastructure, to see if it is compatible with the City's needs. The Plan then formulates and develops options and/or alternatives to assist in formulating and implementing decisions about the community's future. Members of the audience that spoke to the issue: Paul Tichnin, Jim Rickle, Hesch Kaplan, John Mayfield, Mark Hilliker, and Pete Bushby. WORKSHOP - FIRE DEPARTMENT MASTER PLAN PUBLIC HEARING OPENED The following is representative of the discussions which took place. 1. What do you believe should be the mission, goals, objectives and priorities for the Ukiah Fire Department? · Service · Prevention · Delivery of Emergency Rescue and fire suppression · Prevention services · Prevention of injury and death · Preservation of life · Protection of property · Setting the example for the community, children, etc. . What do you believe is a reasonable expectation of the types and quality of services to be provided to the City of Ukiah by the Fire Department? · Not every event can be anticipated or prepared for · Balancing risk versus cost, cost/benefit risk analysis · What is reasonable to provide · How do services benefit individual property owners, i.e., insurance costs · Local issues for the city, i.e., putting out fires, hazmat, medical emergencies, joint agreements with other agencies issues brought forward by Katrina. The issue of emergency services cooperation to make it possible for people to assist in helping themselves. · Same issues for the region · Community preparedness for disasters (inventory of contractors, grid of resources) · Disaster services · Major earthquake event- Department involvement in Disaster/Emergency planning and response · Coordinated services with other agencies · The highest level of training for firefighters/paramedics · Highest possible level of quality of services in Mendocino County · Professional Services · Timely response · Basic fire prevention services · School programs · Building code inspections · Firefighters view on this is very important · Should Ukiah be in the ambulance business, or just in fire suppression business · Tolerance of the community that the Fire Department cannot protect against every type of event, or prepare for them. A risk/benefit ratio cost of operation/benefits. How do we compare with like communities · Quality of service is important · Training is important · Expect a high level of quality service · Ambulance service -is full cost being recovered (engine response etc) - are there any comparisons with the private sector · Staffing issues regarding level of service versus level of effort , What are the challenges and opportunities that you see for the Ukiah Fire Department? · The graying of the staff- many retirements, how do you successfully backfill (succession planning) · How do we stay competitive (pay and benefits) being so close to the Bay Area? · How do we retain our volunteer pool and keep up the training · Having a fire department that is "lean and mean" · Prioritizing mutual aid responses, are they excessive? , · Educating the public on service availability and what they can do for themselves · Take advantage of local expertise for disaster preparedness · Graying of the population -more demand on ambulance services with respect to elderly · Active volunteer program - challenge is State/OSHA regulations that may be imposed on volunteers. · challenged by state training requirements · Working with our neighbors for a more cohesive and coordinated response · Potential rapid expansion of housing outside of city will create more demand on city services, what are the costs? · Ever increasing amount of training of volunteers and increased cost of housing · Decreased number of large employers that will allow volunteers to respond · Continue demand for fire service to fill service voids · Sharing equipment with other agencies · Countywide purchasing-cooperation on joint purchasing · Manpower utilization - how are people being used, how do we determine optimal performance · Severe traffic issues in 8 -12 years on all major thoroughfares, how are we going to get to emergencies · Relationship of traffic calming measures versus FD response · How department works with neighbors, City of Ukiah and Ukiah Valley FD's · Solicit ideas from FD personnel · How can we work more closely together · How to evaluate fire flow needs · Response availability of second alarm response, personnel living farther and farther away · Opportunity for FD to contribute to planning effort for parking, especially in new developments- serious access problems · Do we really understand our water and hydrant system What do you think is the community's expectation of the amount of time that should transpire between requesting a fire department response and their arrival at your residence or business? · Our response time to emergencies is excellent · Can we approve upon it? · Professionalism and quality of service is high · Good auto aid system · Four minute response time · Are all responses the same? Is something that is urgent necessarily an emergency? · Amount of personnel? If we got out of the EMS service will the amount of personnel decline? · What is the appropriate number of people to respond to various types of calls , What do you believe are going to drive the future demands on the Ukiah Fire Department? · FD may need to make requests for mitigation on new development · Is current location of fire house acceptable in 8-12 years · How will development impact FD costs · Increase population, increase development, increase traffic, language barriers, communication issues with the citizens (technology, wireless, etc) · Growth issues · Infill versus annexation · Increased height of buildings as redevelopment occurs · Prop 63 mental health - will this create a new demand on Fire Service EMS · How well does present station serves needs today · There are not unlimited resources - always a balance that must be achieved between finances and tremendous responsibilities/services, · Being conservative is really important · Annexation will place enormous demands on city services without cost recovery · Must have a balance · We need to be prepared for cost impacts · We actually have fewer city personnel today than in 1995 · Infrastructure needs and costs must be balanced with employee wages to attract and keep good people · The plans of the planners will impact the fire department. This must be taken into account . What individual needs or services do you or this community have or envision that a public safety agency/fire department might be able to fill or accept responsibility for? · Essence of job is public service · Fire Department staff is community minded and takes action without having to be asked · Sensitive and caring concern for all, especially elderly and children · Fire Department staff to go that extra step NEXT STEPS: Mr. Coleman and his associates will perform interviews with key personnel, review data submitted by the Fire Department, and conduct follow-up telephone interviews with Fire Department staff, citizens and other agencies. They will present a draft Plan for Fire Department and City Council review, the results of which will be presented in a Final Plan. This process will take approximately 120 days to complete. Anyone wishing to contact Mr. Coleman or send additional comments/information please do so at: Ronny J. Coleman 8866 Saint Anthony Court Elk grove, CA 95624 Phone: (916) 689-5363 Fax: (916) 689-4998 Ronny.coleman~esci.us The deadline for input is within the next 45 days or by the first of the year. WORKSHOP ADJOURNED: 5:50 p.m. Cindy St, 'rd, Recor ing cretary '