Item B: Eugene-Springfield Fire Service Merger Update

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Eugene-Springfield Fire Service Merger Update Meeting Date: October 26, 2011 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Fire and EMS Department Staff Contact: Chief Randall B. Groves www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: (541) 682-7115 ISSUE STATEMENT In an era of financial challenge, new and creative solutions are necessary for sustaining core community services, particularly in fire prevention, suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS). To this end, completed elements of the functional consolidation feature new and more efficient ways to provide fire and emergency medical services by skillfully combining the strengths of the Eugene Fire & EMS and the Springfield Fire & Life Safety Departments through the use of multi-role, multi-skilled personnel and eliminating unnecessary duplication. BACKGROUND In June 2007, the two cities effectively eliminated jurisdictional boundaries for the purposes of emergency fire, rescue, first-response EMS, hazardous materials and ambulance transport. The closest and most appropriate resource is now dispatched, regardless of jurisdiction. This approach, known as the 3-Battalion Response System, has resulted in faster initial response to emergencies, as well as better backup coverage to ensure that a safe level of resources are available throughout the Eugene-Springfield metro area. The only tangible costs have been associated with a limited amount of staff time and the minimal one-time cost of renumbering some fire stations and vehicles into a single cohesive system. In 2009, the two departments commissioned a study of potential further collaboration by Emergency Services Consulting International (ESCI). The study results were presented to elected officials in June 2009, and discussed at a follow-up meeting in September. Elected officials also received, as background for the December 7, 2009, Joint Elected Officials Meeting, a detailed report explaining what the consolidation would entail in each functional area of both departments. At that meeting, members of the Springfield City Council voted unanimously in support of initial steps, while members of the Eugene City Council voted to consider the matter further while meeting as a single body. In July 2010, the two departments entered into a “functional consolidation” which involved the sharing of a number of key management and administrative positions through an inter-governmental agreement (IGA). This agreement allowed both cities to achieve a combined projected annualized savings of $562,000 beginning in FY11. At the close of FY11, these projections were exceeded with an actual savings of $606,999 (Attachment 1). These savings resulted from the elimination of a number of positions which were eliminated through attrition. This led to a reshuffling of responsibilities and a new organizational structure (see attached organizational chart) to manage the functional consolidation. S:\CMO\2011 Council Agendas\M111026\S111026B.doc