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Rod Visser said that they hope to have the selection of the consultant to come <br />back at the January meeting, and then they could have results from the study back by <br />April. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis made reference to the rescue squad on Churton Street <br />and said that it is in pretty bad shape. He thinks that the program is strapped financially. <br />He hopes that part of this plan is to study the issue of rescue squad services and how <br />the County can help them. He asked how much the County was giving them and it was <br />answered $2,200 a month to offset expenses for utilities, etc. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he and Chair Carey did a walk through at the <br />rescue squad and they have aging equipment and he is concerned about the expensive <br />pieces of equipment that fire departments and rescue squads have. He wants to make <br />sure that purchasing decisions are being made in an appropriate manner. He would <br />suggest having someone like Mr. Segal to come in and look at these departments. He <br />asked what they were looking for in a consultant and Jack Ball said that they would like <br />to insure that a consultant had a background in fire and rescue services. Usually a team <br />will come along with the consultant that has expertise in this area. <br />Chair Carey said that they should not assume that because an expert writes a <br />report that everyone will agree on it. He wants to look at coming to some degree of <br />consensus when the information is brought back. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he went to the recent Chief's Council meeting <br />and they let him talk about this issue and there were a number of questions. He said <br />that although same people were skeptical, they saw some advantages such as the <br />opportunity to have some of their firefighters be covered by County insurance, and the <br />opportunity to have someone work as part of the Fire Marshall staff who could help them <br />get their IPO ratings down. He thinks that it can be pursued in a way that is mutually <br />beneficial. He would hope that the County's liaison to the Chief's Council is included <br />with the consultant process. He would like to look at the passibility of having audits for <br />the departments every few years. <br />Chair Carey agreed that all of these issues need to be discussed, and to have <br />recommendations come back in tiers. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked if there was a written plan for either a natural <br />disaster or terrorist attack. She said that everyone assumes that there is a plan, but she <br />does not know the details of the disaster procedures, including evacuation procedures. <br />Rod Visser said that there is a plan but there are updates that Emergency <br />Management Specialist Eric Griffin will be working on in the next 6-$ months. He said <br />that there was a study 3-4 years ago with several counties, including Orange County, <br />and it pointed aut that there would be problems with evacuation procedures. <br />Jack Ball said that at their Triangle J meeting, his counterparts from Durham and <br />VIlake Counties spoke about a joint evacuation plan. There have also been some new <br />federal requirements and they will be working on this. <br />Eric Griffin said that they have met with their partners such as Red Cross and <br />County departments, and they want this plan to be realistic and implemented in a timely <br />manner. They will also have a regional approach. They are laoking at non-traditional <br />methods of evacuation such as a train system. The school systems are very heavily <br />involved and willing to participate. They are also looking at Chapel Hill Transit, Orange <br />Public Transportation, and taxis and private buses in the County. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked if they were prepared to do something in the short <br />term if something were to happen before the plan is finished. Jack Ball said that the <br />multi-hazard plan is on the EMS website. <br />Eric Griffin said that part of the plan is to get communication devices to the <br />County Commissioners. Jack Ball said that the short-term plan is to provide the County <br />