CITY OF MELBOURNE, FLORIDA MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2015

Transcription

1 CITY OF MELBOURNE, FLORIDA MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2015 A special meeting of the City Council was held in the City Council Chamber, 900 East Strawbridge Avenue, and was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Mayor Kathy Meehan. 1. Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Roll Call. Present: Kathy Meehan Mayor Mike Nowlin Council Member, District 1 Betty Moore Vice Mayor, District 2 Dan Porsi Council Member, District 3 Debbie Thomas Council Member, District 4 Molly Tasker Council Member, District 5 Teresa Lopez Council Member, District 6 Michael McNees City Manager Shannon Lewis Deputy City Manager Alison Dawley City Attorney Kevin McKeown Assistant City Clerk Chuck Bogle Chief, Melbourne Fire Department 3. COUNCIL DISCUSSION RE: Equipment location and response protocols in the Melbourne Fire Department. City Manager Mike McNees referenced previous conversations by Council relating to the Fire Department s allocation of equipment, response time protocols and coverage areas. He advised that Council Member Mike Nowlin had originally suggested a workshop be held to allow Council to evaluate these issues. Mr. McNees introduced Fire Chief Chuck Bogle and stated Chief Bogle would be providing background and information on these issues. Chief Bogle recognized Fire Department staff present in the audience. He provided Council with an outline of his presentation (attached) which included a Fire Department organizational chart, a station location map (including Brevard County and neighboring municipal facilities), vehicle descriptions, and provided a brief description of each vehicle and its purpose. Chief Bogle remarked on the 2014 response statistics, notably: The value of property fire loss in 2014 was down to $759,205 as compared to $1,355,742 in The value of property protected in 2014 was $138,190,880. The department saved 94.5% of property it responded to. The department s response time in 2014 was four minutes and 31 seconds. He stated that what makes the Melbourne Fire Department so special is the quick response time, which is crucial in an emergency setting. Page 1 of 6

2 CITY OF MELBOURNE, FLORIDA MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2015 Chief Bogle reviewed call distributions by district and vehicle responses, noting that call volume has relatively increased each year since An increase in call volume impacts response time because vehicles may have to respond to calls out of their area based on the situation. Calls are typically the busiest during the middle of the day. Chief Bogle also pointed out that in 2014, there was a significant increase in calls from July through December. Additionally, the City of Melbourne has lower fire loss per capita ($9.85 in 2014) versus the national ($36.06 in 2013) and state ($23.65 in 2013) averages. Chief Bogle discussed regulations that the department follows during a response. The Florida Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that for every two persons inside a building, there must be two persons outside that building in the event that they need to respond to requests for assistance inside the building. This is put into place so that enough resources are available to assist both the citizens and the firefighters. Additionally, the Insurance Service Office (ISO) evaluates and critiques departments based on different criteria and ranks the department on a Class 1-10 scale (1 being the best, 10 being the worst). The City of Melbourne currently holds the rank of Class 2, and is only one of 55 Class 2 fire departments in the State of Florida, placing the department in the top ten percent in the state. For reference, there are only 14 Class 1 fire departments in the entire state. Receiving a higher class ranking comes with a cost. Chief Bogle referenced a 2007 ISO summary evaluation analysis in which the department received out of 100 (Class 2). The evaluation is based on the department s dispatching services, water distribution system, and department components. Chief Bogle cited improvements the department has made since this evaluation to help increase the department s credit. There is an economic component to having a favorable ISO score because it lowers the risk of potential property damage, which may attract voluntary annexations into the city due to potentially lower insurance costs. In response to Council Member Dan Porsi, Chief Bogle stated that ISO attempts to conduct evaluations every ten years, however, they are not always able to keep that schedule. Chief Bogle briefly described his history and experience dealing with ISO. Council Member Teresa Lopez referenced the evaluation and inquired as to whether or not the department has insufficient personnel. Chief Bogle stated that the department, as a Class 2, is ahead of most other departments since it runs a four engine company. Chief Bogle also confirmed that employees in the Code Compliance Division are state certified as fire inspectors. In response to Mr. Nowlin, Chief Bogle described the decision making process a lieutenant must engage in when responding to a call. Upon arrival, if the lieutenant determines that aerial coverage will be necessary in the form of a ladder truck, then apparatus placement becomes key. Additionally, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards state that the department needs to put a certain number of vehicles and persons (15 required) on scene in a certain amount of time (five minutes). The department meets those standards by placing the required number of vehicles and personnel on scene in less than five minutes. Page 2 of 6

3 CITY OF MELBOURNE, FLORIDA MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2015 Chief Bogle described the choreography necessary when approaching a scene and explained a hypothetical situation if there was a need for a response to Eastern Florida State College. Mayor Meehan asked about the annexation process. Chief Bogle confirmed that the department reviews each annexation to ensure that services can be provided to that area. In their current state, some of the larger annexation properties are sparsely populated. Therefore, the department foresees potential for wildfire type events rather than residential type events. When future development on those properties occurs, the development brings revenue that can pay for additional services to be established. There may be a short term deficit because the land is rural, but it brings the potential for an increased tax base in the future. Chief Bogle stated that NFPA and ISO provide assistance but do not require the department to do anything. However, there is an incentive to comply with those standards, especially for liability reasons. Chief Bogle discussed two ISO truck coverage maps, one with the placement of the ladder truck at Station 76 and one with the placement of the ladder truck at Station 71. He indicated that for a truck, the coverage area extends two and a half miles. By putting a truck at Station 76, it is located in the north central portion of the city. The area covered by placing the ladder truck at Station 76 is more inland and covers more area. The problem with placing the ladder truck at Station 71 relates back to the choreography upon approaching a scene. If the ladder truck is farther away from the scene, it may respond after an engine. If the engine were to set up in the wrong location, the department may lose the ability to fully utilize the ladder truck. Another factor is that three alternate ladder trucks belonging to other governmental entities are present beachside and can be utilized if called upon. This is another reason why it is not crucial to have the department s ladder truck placed at Station 71. Mr. Nowlin stated that his concern with this whole issue is that Station 71 was built with the intent to house an aerial apparatus that is what the extra money was for. If the ladder truck is housed at Station 76, it is not in its intended home and is buried in the middle of a residential area with limited access to major roads, unlike Station 71, which has direct access to Eau Gallie Boulevard and U.S. 1. The ladder truck cannot get to locations as fast as an engine could in such a residential area. Chief Bogle commented that by placing the ladder truck at Station 71, it is more exposed to narrower roads and can be hampered by the congestion at Eau Gallie Boulevard and U.S. 1 every morning and evening. In the years that Downtown Eau Gallie was built, roads were narrower and buildings were built closer to the road. The neighborhood on the southeast corner of Eau Gallie Boulevard and U.S. 1 (behind Walgreens) has low hanging trees and power lines and limited room to maneuver. It would be more challenging to take a ladder truck through this area than it would an engine. The residential area around Station 76 is not as congested and is more open. Operationally, the placement of the ladder truck at Station 71 poses more of a problem with maneuvering that truck. Mr. Nowlin reiterated that Station 71 was built for housing a rescue, an engine, and a ladder truck. If the department needs more people to man that equipment, then it should ask for Page 3 of 6

4 CITY OF MELBOURNE, FLORIDA MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2015 more staff. Council Member Nowlin said that basically the department is trading dollars for safety. Mr. McNees commented that when the initial decision was made to build Station 71 large enough to house the ladder truck, there was limited coverage beachside with an aerial apparatus. Since that time, things have changed. The need to have the ladder truck immediately accessible to beachside is not as great as it was at that time. Mr. Nowlin said that he cannot depend on the county or other municipalities to take care of residents of the City of Melbourne. We have the resources and the equipment and should be taking care of the residents who pay for the service. He stated that the city normally does not call other entities for help; they call us. Chief Bogle stated that the city receives mutual aid more than it gives mutual aid because of our auto aid agreements with other governmental entities. Station 63 (Brevard County Fire Department located on A1A across from the Crowne Plaza Melbourne Oceanfront) responds to more than 300 calls per year for the city because the city does not have a station beachside. In kind, the city responds to calls in the Aurora Road area. Mr. McNees referenced the truck coverage maps provided by Chief Bogle. They are simulation maps of response times for the apparatus measured by the ISO which measures their effectiveness in covering our responsible areas. The maps clearly show that the ladder truck goes where it needs to go more quickly and more often if it is placed in Station 76. While it seems that the Eau Gallie area is more commercial, in practice, it is more difficult to maneuver the ladder truck in that area than it is able to maneuver in the more residential area around Station 76. Chief Bogle clarified that the maps only show the response configurations for trucks, not for engines. Overall, the department has a very good coverage over the city. Chief Bogle stated the department s strategic plan has been revisited this year. Additionally, dialogue is happening with the labor union about where the department wants to be in five years. Being a Class 2 department costs money. Most municipalities are a Class 4 or above. Mr. Nowlin stated that no one has ever come forward expressing the need to hire more personnel. Chief Bogle stated that there is a budgetary process Council has to follow; tonight s meeting is an informational workshop. Council Member Molly Tasker stated that the map showcasing the ladder truck at Station 76 has more city area covered. She stated that the cooperation among the governmental entities in the area is sufficient. Chief Bogle clarified that Station 71 was built to have more apparatus and is a larger facility than Station 76. If there was a desire to make improvements to Station 76, there would be capital expense associated with that. Mr. McNees addressed the earlier implication that through the budgeting process, the city has somehow compromised safety for dollars. The fire department, as measured by the ISO, is in the top ten percent of fire departments in the state. Referencing the summary evaluation analysis, Mr. McNees stated that even if the department earned full credit in the area of company personnel, it would still be in the Class 2 bracket. The question would be how much would Council have to spend to get to Class 1 status and what difference that would make in Page 4 of 6

5 CITY OF MELBOURNE, FLORIDA MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2015 a hazard premium for people paying their homeowners insurance. It is not as simple as hiring more personnel; it is more complicated than that. Safety has been well evaluated and the department does a great job. There is always some compromising going on; however, the department undergoes a continual evaluation process to improve itself. Chief Bogle said that the city has to rely on other governmental entities for help in responding to calls for assistance. Mr. McNees stated that the departments that achieve Class 1 status (such as Orlando) are located in high property value densities per square mile that generate higher property tax revenue per piece of land. These areas have short response times because they generate more money per home per square mile of land and are able to put that money into the system. Mr. Nowlin expressed that his desire for this workshop is to understand the dynamics of the fire department. Ultimately, Mr. Nowlin wants to see the ladder truck moved to Station 71 and an engine returned to Station 76. There is no way that the department can get a ladder truck from Station 76 to the intersection of Post Road and U.S. 1 quicker than if it had left from Station 71. Chief Bogle offered that there are opportunities to do business more efficiently. The ability to examine those opportunities was hindered due to contract negotiations. The department continues to evaluate itself to determine whether or not it can deploy its resources to achieve better outcomes. Mayor Meehan stated that the biggest complaint she hears is sending out a truck and an ambulance. Chief Bogle explained that response time is critical. If a truck can get there quicker, we can provide medical services, and set the individual up for transport to the hospital. It s all about response times being as quick as possible. Roger Van Kramer, Melbourne Fire Department, provided a packet to Council and staff referencing the location of firefighting equipment. He referenced the welcome letter from the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)/Florida Professional Firefighters (FPF) Local 1951, and said the city has a good fire protection system. He commented that by replacing an engine with a truck at Station 76, the department has accomplished a task as far as ISO is concerned. However, he expressed that the task to place a special teams player on the scene of a fire call to help the engine companies do their job has not been achieved. He commented that the city has to get a truck to the call location as soon as possible so it can do the job it is meant to do. Mr. Van Kramer said that in the first quarter of 2015, a squad vehicle responded to roughly 400 calls while the truck responded to roughly 100 calls. He commented that the ladder truck in Station 76 cannot do the job it is supposed to do. He stated that if we want to have a ladder truck in a station and run it with the manpower necessary, it will have to be placed at Station 71 or Station 76 will have to be rebuilt to accommodate it. Another option would be to relocate a station somewhere out west due to the annexations. He referenced pictures showing cracks in the bay floor at Station 76, which he attributes to the weight of the ladder truck currently housed there along with the age of the building. He discussed station locations throughout the city including the design of Station 71. Page 5 of 6

6 CITY OF MELBOURNE, FLORIDA MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL APRIL 14, 2015 Ms. Tasker stated that having a station east of the railroad tracks is a key point. If that was ever moved, the city would not have any station east of the railroad tracks. Mr. McNees referenced the initial meetings with Council regarding strategies in dealing with the IAFF contract, which resulted in a management team agreement that it was not appropriate to run the fire department through the fire union contract. As a member of the fire service, Mr. Van Kramer just bypassed three levels of the command structure to come directly to the City Council with his issues. This action is in violation of the City Charter which says Council will deal with the administrative services of the city through the City Manager, who deals with the Fire Chief. Mr. McNees said the fire department should be run through the Fire Chief, not through the fire union. The city is happy to continue to collectively bargain for working conditions and issues that are in the purview of the fire union. Mr. Van Kramer needs to obey the chain of command. Mr. Nowlin responded that he is just using Mr. Van Kramer s handout for informational purposes only. Ms. Tasker agreed. In response to Mayor Meehan, Chief Bogle answered that he did not have an advanced copy of Mr. Van Kramer s handout and was not aware it would be provided to Council at the workshop. Ms. Tasker stated that she would defer completely to the Fire Chief and the City Manager as far as the running of the executive side of the city. 4. Adjournment Moved by Tasker/Thomas to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:19 p.m. Assistant City Clerk 4/20/2015 Approved by Council: April 28, 2015 Attachment: Melbourne Fire Department Council Workshop Package Page 6 of 6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20