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ORANGE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE STUDY COUNTYWIDE RECOMMENDATIONS 1 Overaiew 2 3 This section provides recommendations that apply to multiple departments or are 4 Countywide. The rationale/support for these recommendations is found witlvn the 5 depart-ment profiles. 6 7 8 Observations and Recommendations 9 10 Overall ll 12 As a result of our study, without a significant investrnent in infrastructure, we are 13 convinced that the County will need to remain committed to its cunent system for 14 delivering both EMS and fire-rescue services. 15 16 The County's current approach of relying on the services of volunteer departrnents 17 that have fire apparatus capable of hauling water to the scene is necessary unless 18 the County commits to a massive capital infrastructure program for installing water 19 lines and hydrants Countywide. While it may appeaz expensive to support the 20 purchase of apparatus ranging from $175,000 to $350,000 in price, the cost is 21 substantially less than such a program. In addition to the capital investment, 22 moving from a volunteer based system where human resource expenditures aze 23 nLnimal reflecting the need for week day daytime coverage and volunteer 24 reimbursement/incentives, the personnel cost to migrate to an all paid or even 25 mostly paid supplemented by volunteers (a system that often does not work) are 26 also very high and would result in a large tax rate increase. 27 28 The same principle holds true for EMS but in a different way. Orange County EMS 29 relies on the IRV program to meet the County's emergency medical response needs. 30 This program allows the EMS Division to work with a lower level of staffing and 31 fewer transport vehicles. To migrate to the traditional urban/suburban approach 32 adopted by many neighboring counties, the County would have to invest in many 33 more personnel (both at the pazamedic and EMT level) and signi.ficantly more 34 transport ambulances. 35 36 97