CC Minutes - 02/27/02 Work Session

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Chief Tallon called the council's attention to the completed Emergency Medical Services Study, and said it was excellent work that accurately reflected the current situation and contained recommendations for the future. Chief Tallon discussed the National Fire Protection Association Provision 1710 on safety standards for firefighters, saying it was a national document that staff referred to in helping it set standards. He said that the department also used the Oregon Deployment Standard to help it evaluate the risk that existed, the coverage being provided, and what coverage would be needed in the future. He said that it would take the department a year to complete the evaluation process of community need before command staff could make long-term recommendations to the council. In the meantime, it used the standards cited to make decisions about resource deployment. Chief Tallon said that the City had also hired a consultant, Jack Snook of the Emergency Service and Education Company, to evaluate its fire department independent of City staff. The consultant would evaluate both the Eugene and Springfield departments to determine if they were doing an adequate job, if they should stay independent, if should they combine some functions for better efficiencies, and if the community should consider providing fire services through a special district rather than through the municipality. Chief Tallon briefly reviewed the contents of a packet distributed to the council prior to the meeting, which included four memorandums: 1) a memorandum dated February 27, 2002, from Chief Tallon to the mayor and council, entitled Fire Station Response Time Information; 2) a memorandum dated February 27, 2002, from Management Analyst Josie Van Scholten to Chief Tallon entitled Call Volume and Fire Activity in Santa Clara and Valley River/Station 2; 3) a memorandum dated February 27, 2002, from Deputy Chief Randy Groves to Chief Tallon entitled Response Time and Distance Study: Valley River Area; 4) a memorandum dated February 27, 2002, from Planning Chief Ruth Obadal to Chief Tallon entitled Maps of Fire Station Coverage Areas; and 5) a memorandum dated February 27, 2002, from Planning Chief Ruth Obadal to Chief Tallon entitled National Response Time Guidelines. Chief Tallon called attention to maps requested by the council that projected the four-minute response coverage for different station configurations. He also called attention to a map that illustrated the coverage areas for the different fire stations, and said that it indicated the Station 9's first-in response area was the smallest of all stations, and the reassignment of the fire engine would create a lesser service level gap that now exists in portions of Eugene's south hills. Chief Tallon reiterated that the command staff had responded to the decision of the Santa Clara Fire Board not to work with the department on a contractual basis by putting together a plan to provide good protection and fire coverage to every City resident. Mayor Torrey called for a first round of council comments/questions. Mr. Fart indicated that the chief had already responded to one question he had, that of the response time. He said he appreciated the testimony that Gary Nauta of the Eugene Firefighters had provided the council on February 25, and thought it important to listen to that testimony and investigate any requests the firefighters made. However, he was satisfied with the command staff recommendation opposing a serial levy. Mr. Kelly thanked fire command staff for the information provided, and thanked the firefighters union for the information it provided. He said that he had been disappointed in the tone he had MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 27, 2002 Page 2 Work Session