Item C: Metro Fire Department Merger Update

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Metro Fire Department Merger Update Meeting Date: April 17, 2013 Agenda Item Number: C Department: Eugene Fire & EMS Staff Contact: Randall B. Groves, Chief www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-7115 ISSUE STATEMENT In July of 2010, the City Manager and Fire Chief took steps toward a functional consolidation of the Eugene and Springfield fire departments as a means of reducing costs and providing improved metro-wide service effectiveness. This move was supported by a 2009 consulting report that determined the proposed merger was both feasible and advisable for the two cities. At this point, while the two departments are not yet fully merged, they have made steady incremental progress towards the goal of becoming a fully-merged, single metro fire service agency. BACKGROUND In an era of financial challenge, new and creative solutions are necessary for sustaining core community services such as fire prevention and suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services. To achieve this goal, the initiation of steps that feature new and more efficient ways to provide services includes the combining of strengths found in both the Eugene and Springfield fire departments, as well as the geographical positioning of response facilities and assets. The integrated system more efficiently utilizes multi-role, multi-skilled personnel and took advantage of attrition to eliminate a number of high-level positions that became redundant as the two departments evolve into one agency. The merger initiative has also taken advantage of the combining of resources to maintain a quality training program and leverages economies of scale in the purchasing of apparatus, equipment and supplies. To accomplish these purchasing efficiencies a set of common or, in some cases compatible, specifications were developed. 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 system is designed to dispatch the closest and most appropriate resource regardless of jurisdiction. This approach, known as the 3-Battalion Integrated Response System, has resulted in an improved initial response to emergencies as well as better backup coverage to ensure that a safe level of resources are available throughout the metro area. The only tangible costs have been a limited amount of staff time and the minimal one-time cost of renumbering fire stations and vehicles into a single cohesive system. To date, the departments have made significant progress toward a full merger of the two agencies. A majority of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been normalized between the two departments and provide a common set of operating standards. Employee development programs S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130417\S130417C.doc