Agenda

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C. 33

To:	Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board of Directors
From:	Lewis T. Broschard III, Chief, Contra Costa Fire Protection District
Date:	April 28, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Fire Station 70 Squad Funding Agreement Amendment and Extension

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 04/28/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

Contact:

Lewis T. Broschard III, Fire Chief (925) 941-3300

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 28, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to execute an amended agreement with the City of San Pablo to provide funding for Fire Station 70 personnel and to extend the termination date of the agreement from April 30, 2020 to June 30, 2025.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The agreement provides for $1,536,000 in funding for firefighter/paramedic and engineer positions in the first year of the extension and provides 5% annual increases to $1,867,018 in the fifth year of the extension. Costs for funding of the fire captain position would be the responsibility of the District and is included in the FY 2020/2021 budget.

BACKGROUND:

The City of San Pablo (City) and the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) entered into an agreement in 2015 for the City to provide funding for one Firefighter/Paramedic and one Fire Engineer position on each shift (six total positions) to staff an EMS squad to augment staffing at Fire Station 70. In addition, the City provided funding for equipment and for the procurement of the Squad 70 apparatus. Funds are provided by the City through a combination of proceeds from a sales tax initiative (“Measure K”) as well as City general funds.

In late 2007, following the death of two District firefighters in a residential structure fire in unincorporated San Pablo, a second staffed fire engine with three personnel was staffed at Fire Station 70. Known as Engine 70A, this unit served the busy City of San Pablo, the City of Richmond through automatic aid, and supported the Battalion 7 response area. As a result of the beginning of the Great Recession and budget reductions, Engine 70A was eliminated in 2008, leaving only Engine 70 to serve San Pablo and the surrounding communities. The elimination of this unit was essentially the first reduction in what would become a severe downturn in staffing and capacity through 2013.

As a result of the construction of a replacement for Fire Station 70, discussions about additional capacity and capability were initiated with the City. Through several discussions between City and District staff, a strategy was developed to address the potential for continuation of the funding for Fire Station personnel but shift the funding to personnel assigned to a ladder truck instead of the two-person EMS squad. This would increase capacity and capability within the City and surrounding communities.

Known as Truck 70, this unit would have the same capability as the current EMS squad with the additional capacity and capability available with our standard ladder truck equipment compliment. Truck 70 will continue to provide additional EMS response capacity, but will increase rescue and vehicle extrication capability, technical rescue, and fire suppression capability. With only one ladder truck available within the Battalion 7 response area, the addition of Truck 70 will not only provide direct benefit to San Pablo, but also to the surrounding communities served by the District. Truck 70 will be staffed with 4 personnel to be consistent with ladder truck staffing throughout the District. The District will provide funding for the third position, the fire captain, to be effective on, or about, the third quarter of FY 2020-21 as the station is planned to be opened in March or April, 2021. The District is already funding the fourth position, a firefighter, through a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant. That fourth position will be utilized elsewhere in the District until Truck 70 is ready to be staffed in 2021.

In addition, the increased staffing at Fire Station 70 will allow the District to potentially provide a wildland fire engine (Type 3 engine) to be cross-staffed by the Truck 70 crew during the summer months. This will provide a substantial increase to the firefighting capacity in support of San Pablo, El Sobrante, North Richmond, and East Richmond Heights during the fire season. The minimum commitment by the District would be to continue staffing a two-person EMS squad under the terms of the agreement.

The agreement will continue to provide funding for the original two positions, with scheduled annual increases, as well as continue funding for certain specific EMS, communication, and rescue related equipment. The original agreement has a five-year term that expires April 30, 2020. The amended agreement proposes a five-year extension to expire on June 30, 2025.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Without an extension to the current agreement, the funding for the two Fire Station 70 squad positions would cease and Fire Station 70 funding would revert to one three-person crew to provide all emergency response to the City and surrounding communities.

CLERK'S ADDENDUM

Written correspondence received from San Pablo City Manager Matt Rodriguez (attached).