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C.3

To:	Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board of Directors
From:	Jeff Carman, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Date:	April 18, 2017

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Fire and Emergency Medical Dispatch Services for El Cerrito and Kensington

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 04/18/2017

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, Director
Diane Burgis, Director
Karen Mitchoff, Director
Federal D. Glover, Director

ABSENT:

Candace Andersen, Director

Contact:

Lewis Broschard, Deputy Fire Chief (925) 941-3501

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: April 18, 2017
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or his designee, to execute an agreement with the City of El Cerrito Fire Department for the provision of fire and emergency medical dispatch services for the term July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2020.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The anticipated revenue, on an annual basis, is expected to be approximately $122,000 in the first full year of operations. Payments may be increased, per the agreement, to cover costs of providing the dispatch services. The payments from the City of El Cerrito are intended to offset the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District's cost of providing the service.

BACKGROUND:

The El Cerrito Fire Department currently contracts with the City of Richmond for the provision of fire and emergency medical dispatch services. The most recent agreement between these parties expired on June 30, 2014, however the City of Richmond continues to provide these services to the El Cerrito Fire Department.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

In July 2016, representatives from the City of Richmond and the Richmond Police Department held a meeting to inform the partner agencies in the West County Consortium that the City of Richmond was withdrawing from the consortium created to support fire dispatch services. The City of Richmond expressed an interest in continuing to provide dispatch services under a different cost and contract structure. The City of Richmond informed the City of El Cerrito that it intended to increase the cost of dispatch services for the police department and to begin charging a fee for fire dispatch services.

The City of Richmond notified the City of El Cerrito that it intends to stop providing dispatch services on July 1, 2017, unless the City of El Cerrito signs a new dispatch agreement at a significantly higher cost. Following that meeting, city staff explored dispatch options with other emergency dispatch centers in the region. City staff also evaluated the costs associated with switching dispatch software and records management software.

On December 20, 2016, the City Council approved a resolution to allow the City Manager to enter into negotiations with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) for the provision of dispatch services. In January 2017, the City of El Cerrito began negotiating with the District.

In February 2017, the District presented an proposal to the City of El Cerrito for the provision of fire and emergency medical dispatching services. This proposal mirrors existing and long-standing agreements wherein the District already provides these services to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District, Crockett-Carquinez Fire Protection District, Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District, and the City of Pinole Fire Department.

The El Cerrito City Council approved the proposal at their March 21, 2017, meeting.

El Cerrito will be charged a proportionate rate for the District to provide dispatch services that is representative of the workload created by the El Cerrito Fire Department. It is anticipated that the El Cerrito Fire Department will generate an additional 3,000 emergency incidents, along with a commensurate amount of increased incoming 911 phone calls received in the center. This represents an approximate 3.5% increase in call volume and a corresponding annual charge of approximately $122,000 to the City of El Cerrito to cover the costs of providing services under the current rate structure.

The addition of the El Cerrito Fire Department to the list of agencies within the County who are dispatched by the District will enhance communications within the West County area and create efficiencies in ambulance dispatching to El Cerrito with the elimination of the Richmond PD dispatch center. 911 calls will be routed directly from the primary safety access point (police dispatch center) to the District’s Communication Center, which will be responsible for both the fire and ambulance dispatching to El Cerrito and Kensington.

The District anticipates providing full fire and emergency medical dispatching to the El Cerrito Fire Department, which includes the Kensington Fire Protection District under contract with the El Cerrito Fire Department, by July 1, 2017.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The City of El Cerrito Fire Department and Kensington Fire Protection District will be forced to seek alternative fire and emergency medical dispatch services and efficiencies in fire and ambulance dispatching will not be realized.