Agenda - 10-06-2009 - Information

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;:~; ' ~~f 3 2 ~` • Iden ' areas where group purchasing for equipment and personnel benefits costs could be .y ~` ~'==: implemented. to reduce expenditures. ~;''z~ • Make recommendations on improvement to district boundaries based an Department of .- Insurance and/or Insurance Services Office (ISO} requirements for insurance grading. + On May 23, we talked about the following considerations related to strengthening volunteer fire and rescue service: . • Combined purchase and acquisition of equipment and supplies where feasible. • Establishment of standards Countywide that would ensure that every emergency responder is provided with the same quality of tools, equipment, and protective clothing, compatt'ble between departments. • Plan for changes in our public •safety delivery systems through use of GIS• tools and advice an the applicability of land use regulations regarding feasible and desirable locations for fuivre fire and rescue stations. • Undertake a dialogue with the leadership of the fire departments and rescue squads to discuss the long-term future of the delivery of volunteer emergency services in the County and develop a strategic plan to identify how the increased demand for services will be met in the upcoming yeazs. ® Review with fire and rescue service leaders the viability of the existing rescue service matrix to determine if it remains a valid framework for service delivery or if updates or modifications ate in order. I recommend that during the remainder of calendar year 2005, staffproceed to work with the volunteer and municipal emergency response agencies to perform an inventory bf the available personnel, equipment, and facilities resources throughout the County. Simultaneously, we can review the 1994 rescue service matrix and update it as necessary. We would use the info~matian thus gained to develop, with input from volunteer emergency service leaders, a scope of work to be approved by the BOCC for a study.of the best future approaches to providing for the continuation of high quality emergency services in Orange County. As the Board has suggested, we will also coordinate with the North~Cazolina Department of Tn~~rance to ascertain the degree to which they maybe able to provide free or low-cost technical assistance to the County staff in a study effort. If the $25,000 set aside in Manager's Miscellaneous proves to be inadequate to carry out the study scope of work desired by the Soazd, we would recommend additional funding in the 2006-07 budget, to include Commissioner Jacobs's suggestion that we consider earmazking a small contribution from the tax proceeds of each fire district to help complete a study. -~a ~ie ~~: ~~: :.~ ~.