Agenda - 03-03-2009 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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A4141.4.4410t4 2 9 MEMORANDUM TO: Orange County Board of Commissioners FROM John Link, County Manager DATE: June 20, 2005 RE: Suggested Approach to Initiating Fire/Rescue Service Study At the Board's work session on May 23,2005, Commissioners discussed a staff report and recommendations regarding how the County might assist the volunteer fire and rescue agencies to provide the best possible service in the most cost effective manner. The Board generally endorsed the initiation of a study of this subject during FY 2005-06. My recommended 2005-06 operating budget was on its way to the printer the very evening we had this discussion, so there was not an opportunity for me to specifically earmark recommended funding for this undertaking in next year's budget. However,I suggest that the Board consider using the$25,000 included in my recommended budget for"Manager's Miscellaneous" as a source for any funding that may be needed to initiate this study effort during the next fiscal year At this point,I do not believe that we can accurately estimate the cost of such a study,because we have not recently discussed with the volunteer agencies a realistic and prioritized list of the specific issues we collectively want to review. The cost of the work could range from a few thousand dollars to many tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the scope of work that the County asks an `- outside consultant to undertake. Emergency Management Director Jack Ball has brought to my attention a volunteer emergency service study in Montgomery County,Virginia that cost approximately$35,000,but I cannot say at this time whether the scope of work there parallels what we may ultimately determine should be reviewed in Orange County. A similar study was conducted in New Hanover County,NC about eight years ago at a cost of$25,000. Staff did have some informal discussions several years ago with volunteer agency representatives regarding topics that might be useful in helping to establish a study scope of work. A few of these 1. = are listed below,and might serve as a starting point for shaping the scope of a 2005-06 study: • : Identify areas where County fire service could be more proficient and effective. • : Improve County fire protection services by identifying areas with excessive response times and travel distances based on existing fire district boundaries and station locations. • Identify future recruitment, staffing and retention needs of the volunteer fire and rescue departments. • Identify future equipment needs of the volunteer fire and rescue departments with station locations in fire and rescue districts based on projected future residential and commercial growth patterns.