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Executive Summary o Portions of southeast and south central Eugene are located in a wildland/urban interface fire zone and have poor transportation routes and access limitations related to topography. o The number of on-duty fire and EMS resources is not keeping pace with community growth and demand for services. This is apparent in the declining response reliability figures citywide. Historical Performance Since 1980, Eugene's population has risen from just over 100,000 to approximately 143,000 residents today. During this time, the number of calls per year for fire and EMS service has risen from around 3,000 to more than 17,000. This is due primarily to a steady rise in demand for medical services. Over the same 20-year period, the number of firefighters on duty has dropped from 45 to 43, meaning the ratio of firefighters per 1,000 of population has declined from 1.43 to 1.10, or 23 percent. Recommendations On the basis of the analysis of coverage currently being provided by Eugene Fire & EMS, the department makes the following recommendations: 1. RestaffEngine 9 at the Valley River Station. The analysis shows a response time coverage gap in the area, plus a systemwide drop in reliability and response time performance that can be attributed to the absence of a staffed fire company in that neighborhood. 2. Continue to staff ambulances according to temporal demand. Take steps to stabilize funding sources to support ongoing ambulance transport operations. Analyze the potential of dynamic deployment strategies across the service system. 3. Retain at least the current number of on-duty firefighters (including Eugene 9) in order to address current need and near-term growth potential. 4. Continue analysis of the ambulance transport system and firefighter staffing levels to maintain system sustainability without further weakening firefighter deployment capabilities. 5. Continue to evaluate Engine 1 O/Medic 10 combination company utilization and its impact on fire and EMS first response. 6. Continue to measure the department's goals and performance against our adopted Standards of Cover and the NFPA 1710 standard. 7. Plan for the infrastructure to support response into the underserved portions of the service area. In the near term, purchase property for a fire station on Eugene's rapidly developing far west side.