Item B: Eugene-Springfield Fire Service Merger Update

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Current shared positions include: Chief of Departments (Eugene) Deputy Chief of Operations (Eugene) Fire Marshal (Springfield) Administrative Services Director (Springfield) -At this point limited to ambulance billing oversight Deputy Chief of EMS and Community Relations (Springfield) Deputy Chief of Special Operations (Eugene) EMS Chief (Eugene) Emergency Medical Services Officer (Springfield) Training Chief (Springfield) By sharing these key positions, a more unified system has been established in delivering fire prevention, suppression, rescue and emergency medical services in the Eugene-Springfield metro area. Recent Progress In July 2011, the two departments began the second year of functional consolidation with an annual projected savings of $876,239 (Attachment 1). Since July 1, a number of steps have been taken to progress the merger initiative including cross assignments of some Battalion Chief positions (shift supervisors) between the two cities. An integrated Strategic Plan and Work Plan, as well as an integrated Standards of Cover Report and Annual Report, have also been completed. These documents were distributed to both councils earlier this year. An integrated training schedule has been developed and an additional IGA has been signed by the two city managers authorizing the first joint firefighter recruitment and selection process which is currently under way. This will produce additional savings and reduce each city’s level of staff time previously devoted to the process. Both departments were successful in being jointly awarded a $405,000 (with a 20 percent match) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to replace and standardize aging metro area hydraulic extrication equipment. The new equipment should be in place sometime in early 2012, and will bring this essential equipment up to current standards and promote utility and commonality within the larger protection area. An additional memorandum of understanding between the two fire unions, IAFF Local 851 (Eugene) and IAFF Local 1395 (Springfield) was successfully signed, allowing the Deputy Fire Marshals to move between the two cities and assign work in a manner that makes more sense for the Metro area. The first joint firefighter recruit class graduated in June 2011, and the first combined recruitment and selection process is currently under way adding to the savings produced under the merger initiative. More detail on current activities and accomplishments is provided in Attachment 1. In August, managers from both cities’ finance, information technology and human resources offices came together to determine how best to support a merged fire service organization shared by the two cities. This work, especially the work of the finance and human resource offices, is a precursor to the work that needs to be done with labor. S:\CMO\2011 Council Agendas\M111026\S111026B.doc