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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08041998 - D2 Contra Costa TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: FINANCE COMMITTEE County SUPERVISOR GAYLE B. UILKEMA SUPERVISOR JOE CANCIAMILLA DATE: August 4, 1998 . SUBJECT. COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE MANAGEMENT AUDIT AND THE DAVIS COMPANY STUDY OF THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT Specific Request(s) or Recommendations) & Background &Justification RECOMMENDATIONS. 1. ACCEPT the County Administrator's Management Audit report and recommendations regarding the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and DIRECT staff to implement all recommendations except those that require implementation of the meet and confer process with the United Professional Fire Fighters, Local 1239 and AFSCME, Local 2700. 2. ACCEPT the Davis Company report and DIRECT staff to pursue the implementation of all recommendations except those that require initiation of the meet and confer process with the United Professional Fire Fighters, Local 1239. 3. DIRECT the County Administrator, the Fire Chief and the Health Services Director to work with AMR, the County ambulance contract provider, to prepare and submit a plan to the Board of Supervisors that integrates fire district paramedics and the private ambulance system into a single system, conditioned upon the identification of viable, realistic funding and to report back to the Board on the progress of the plan in September 1998. FREEZE.the pilot paramedic program at the current level of four units (four paramedic engine companies) and defer deployment of the remaining four pilot units until a decision is made regarding the future of the program and funding for the program is identified. 4. ACKNOWLEDGE the recommendations of the Fire Chief regarding both subject reports (Attachments A-1 and A-2). 8. ACKNOWLEDGE the recommendations of the Fire Advisory Commission regarding both reports (Attachment B) and refer the Commission's recommendations to the Fire Chief for consideration. Continued on Attachment:—X— YES Signature: Recommendation of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee Approve Other Signature(s): Action of Board on: .. ° ` Approved as Recommended A"IDthw x Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPYOF AN ACTION TAKEN (Unanimous(Absent } AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes:- --- - Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Contact: Terry McGraw(335-1055) Attested: cc: County Administrator Phil Bat (rk Contra Costa County Fire Protection District the Beard of Supervisors Contra Costa County Fire Advisory Commission an County Administrator Contra Costa County Taxpayer Association r County Grand Jury By, ' A ✓ DEPUTY I-ocal 1230 �,/ County Administrator's Office Management Audit and The Davis Company Study of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Page 2 August 4, 1995 REMONS-FQIRRECOMMENDAT191419ACKGROUND: The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District is running out of money. For the 1997-98 fiscal year the District budget included expenditures of approximately$46.8 Million but anticipated revenues of only about $43.0 Million, leaving an ongoing shortfall of$3.8 Million. Between September 1997 and February 1998 the Finance Committee of the Board of Supervisors considered four reports prepared by the County Administrator and the Fire Chief concerning the financial status of the District. The last of these reports, unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors on February 3, 1998, included "Phase I" expenditure reductions estimated to save a total of$2.1 Million in 199798 but only $1.3 Million on a continuing basis. The District still suffers a $2.5 Million annual operating shortfall. Still to be considered are "Phase 11"reductions which, if implemented, would further reduce expenditures but have a significant impact on service levels. Because of the District's precarious financial condition, any action increasing expenditures that has not been included in the budget (without an accompanying increase in revenue) will add to the operating deficit of$2.5 Million. Such actions include increases in salaries and in benefits such as health care premiums or retirement cost increases required by the retirement Board, as well as the addition of new or enlarged service programs. The report approved by the Board of Supervisors on February 3, 1998 acknoAdged that the County Administrator had initiated a management audit of the District and approved the hiring g of The Davis Company to conduct a study and report on certain issues related to the District's staffing, compensation and financing. The management audit addresses organizational and procedural matters, some of which originated from the major fire district consolidation of Riverview, West County, Pinole and Oakley Fire Districts into the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, which occurred in 1994. It also addresses some issues related to the way in which the District administers certain functions. The pilot paramedic program was initially frozen at eight units (engine companies) in the Phase I Budget Reductions approved by the Board on February 3, 1998. The eight units were to include the four units currently deployed and four additional units to be established when the additional paramedics complete training. The Finance Committee received the Management Audit report on June 15, 1998 and The David Company report on June 22, 1998 and referred both reports to the County Administrator, the Fire Chief and the District Fire Advisory Commission for review and recommendations back to the Finance Committee on July 13, 1998. On July 13, 1998 the Finance Committee met to consider the reports of the County Administrator, the Fire Chief and the Fire Advisory Commission regarding the County Administrator's Management Audit Report and The Davis Company report. The recommendations to you today were determined after extensive presentations by the County Administrator's Office and The Davis Company and after providing opportunity for comment from the Fire Advisory Commission, Local 1230, City Managers (Lafayette, Pittsburg) and other interested parties. b TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �� _ `�• FROM: Phil Batchelor ta:' County Administrator :. Q DATE; August 4, 1998 SUBJECT: Response to Grand Jury Report#9802 The Cast Contra Costa County Fire Protection District SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION(S): Adopt proposed response and forward to The Preceding Judge of Superior Court. BACKGROUNDIREA SONS) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): The Grand Jury filed report #9802 on April 22, 1998. In accordance with Venal Code Section 933.05, the Fire Chief filed his response to the finding and recommendations. The Board of Supervisors as the governing body of the Fire District must also file its response. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: ' _ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR—RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD CO ,MITTE-E APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED_11�_ Tjizw VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS(ABSENT p TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact:Sara Hoffman,335-1090 r ATTESTED .- PHIAT ELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ICAO BY .,4 r ' _✓,DEePTY C.65 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CALIFORNIA Adoptea this Order on May 5. ,.1998 by the f011Owing votes AYES: Supervisors Ui.lkema, Gerber, DeSaulnier, Canciamill.a, Rogers NOES: None ABSENT: Nene ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: GRAND JURY REPORT NO. 98032 IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the 1997-98 Contra Costa Grand Jury Report No. 98032, "The Costly Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, " is REFERRED to the County Administrator and the County Counsel Department. I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: May 5, 1998,_- PHIL 998PHIL BATCHELOR, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator By { t fxr:s i _,4 aDeputy cc: CAD County Counsel rl C.C.C. fire Protection District Grand Jury Grand Jur1020 Ward street I Contra Martinez,Calitcsrnia 84553 Costa Court f j 4 RECEIVED April 22, 1998 APR 2 2 1998 CUAK BOARD OF SUPERViSC)p CONTRA COSTA Co, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors 651 Pine Street Martinez, CA.94553 ATTN: Supervisor Rogers, Chairman Enclosed is a copy of Report #9802, "The Costly Contra Costa County Fire Protection District," prepared by the 1997-98 Contra Costa County Grand Jury, for your information prier to its public release. In accordance with California Penal Code Section 933.05, this report is being provided to you at least two working days before it is released publicly. Please be reminded that Section 933.05(f) specifies that no officer, agency, department, or governing body of a public agency shall disclose any contents of the report prior to its public release. Response to the report is to be in accordance with Penal Cade Section 933.05 (a), (b), and (c). Please note that response requirements have been revised for 1998. The report will be disseminated to the public on April 28, 1998. Sincerely, John Hunt, Foreman Contra Costa County Grand Jury cc: Supervisors Ulkerna, Canciarnilla, DeSaulnier, Gerber County Administrator RECEIVED A P P 2 2 1998 CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS A REPORT BY CONTRA COSTA CO, THE 1997-98 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GRAND JURY 1020 Ward Street Martinez, California 94533 Report No. 9802 THE COSTLY CONTA COSTA COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT APPROVED BY TIE GRAND JURY: Date: r 49�� JOHN Nf HUNT GRAND JURY FOREMAN ACCEPTED FOR.FILING: Date: JO VAN DE POEL JUDG OF THE SUPERIOR.COURT f .:f Section 933.(0) & 933.05 California Government Coale Section 933. Cornments and Reports on Section 933.05 Resgonse to.,-Grand Jury Grgndju_ry Recommendations Recommendations-Content (C) No later than 90 days after the Reguirernents Persongt AM&aronce by grand jury submits a final report on the Respopding Party: Grand Jur} Retort o operation of any public agency subject to Affect d Agency. its reviewing authority, the governing (a) For purposes of subdivision (c) of body of the public agency shall comment Section 933, as to each grand jury finding, to the presiding judge of the superior court the responding person or entity shall on the findings and recommendations indicate one of the following, pertaining to matters under the control of (1) The respondent agrees with the finding. the governing body, and every elective (2) The respondent disagrees wholly or county officer or agency head for which partially with the finding, in which case the the grand jury has responsibility pursuant response shall specify the portion of the to Section 914.1 shall comment within 60 finding that is disputed and shall include days to the presiding judge of the superior an explanation of the reasons therefor. court, with an information copy sent to the (B) For purposes of subdivision (c) of board of supervisors, on the findings and section 933, as to each grand jury recommendations pertaining to matters recommendation, the responding person under the control of that county officer or or entity shall report on of the following agency head and any agency or actions, agencies which that officer or agency (1) The recommendation has been head supervises or controls, in the findings implemented, with a summary regarding and recommendations, All such comments the implemented action. and reports shall forthwith be submitted to (2) The recommendation has not yet been the presiding judge of the superior court implemented, but will be implemented in who impaneled the grand jury. A copy of the future, with a timeframe for ail responses to grand jury reports shall be implementation. placed on file with the clerk of the public (3) The recommendation requires further agency and the office of the county clerk, analysis, with and explanation ofIhe or the mayor when applicable, and shall scope and parameters of an analysis or remain}on file in those offices. One copy study, and a timeframe for the matter to shall be placed on file with the applicable be prepared for discussion by the officer grand jury final report by, and in the or director of the agency or department control of the currently impaneled grand being investigated or reviewed, including jury, where it shall be maintained for a the governing body of the public agency minimum of five years. Leg.H.1961 ch. when applicable.This timeframe shall not 1284, 1963 ch. 674, 1974 chs. 393,1396, 1977 exceed six months from the date of chs. 107, 187, 1980 ch. 543, 1981 ch. 203, publication of the grand jury report. 1982 ch. 1408 sec. 5, 1985 ch. 221 sec.1, eff. (4) The recommendation will not be 7/12635 ch 6901 sec. 1, 1988 ch. 1297,1997 implemented because it is not warranted ch.443 or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefor. The foregoing are portions of Section 933, the responding party is responsible for compliance with all of the requirements. The Costly Contra Costa County Fire Protection District 9842 Background: The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District(ConFire)was formed in the mid-1960s, and the boundaries were enlarged in July 1994 by functionally merging the Oakley, Pinole, Riverview, West County, and a portion of Bethel Island Fire Protection districts with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors (Board) serves concurrently as the Governing Board of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. The 199.293 grand Jury issued Report#9315 Fire Protection Personnel Casts. This report noted the Beard had agreed to a salary"ratcheting"formula for firefighter salaries based upon the "average of the Top Ten Fire Districts in the Bay Area." The report concluded the Board lost the flexibility to set salaries according to ConFire's ability to pay by agreeing to this formula. Findings. 1. The Board of Supervisors is also the Board of Directors of Contra Costa Consolidated Fire District. As such, it is the approving authority for all expenditures. 2. Previous Boards and the current Board have approved labor contracts containing pay increases, Subsequently,budgets have contained deficits resulting in the need to deplete the capital reserve accounts. 3. ConFire's budget for 1997`98 is $46.2 million. Personnel costs are 39.9 million, 86.3% of the operating budget. 9802-1 ATTACHMENT B D.2 a 8-4-98 RESPONSE TO DAVIS REPORT Topic No. Recommendation CommissionPosi70fde7terentJs Compensation 1 revise Work Assignment Support, requires elimination Practices to Limit in the M.O.U. through negotiations. Unscheduled Overtime 2 renegotiate Local 1230 Support Sar aining Agreement 3 Create New Fire Fighter Disagree. Further study required. We Trainee Position support increased use of Paid-On-Call/ Reserve ersonnel. 4 Implement Recommend- Support ations to Balance Budget. Consider Deferring Wage Adjustments in the Future if Significant cost reductions and Revenue Options Cannot Be Achieved. 5 Immediately Begin Support. Management decisions/functions Negotiation Process With should be eliminated from the M.O.U. Local 1230) through negotiations. Fire Fighter 6 Completion of Basic Support continuation of Human Resources Employment Paramedic Training as Study of Firefighter position requirements Standards Perquisite and pending Board of Supervisor's decision. 7 Increase Focused Support. Includes Paid-On-Call/ reserve Recruitment of Minorities personnel. and Females Services, 8 Explore Outsourcing of Currently light trucks and cars are Operations, Vehicle Maintenance outsourced. Fire Apparatus is maintained & Staffing in-house, with occasional outsourcing when appropr ate. g Renegotiate Minimum Support Staffing Requirements with Local '12313 10 restructure Training and Support. Current practice. Operations Support Work 11 Limit Overtime Support. Current practice. 12 Deploy Trainee Fire No recommendation. Further study Fighters and Reserves to required. We support increased use of Meet Needs Paid-On-Gall/Reserve personnel, 13 Utilize Units at Two Under Fire Chiefs Discretion. Utilized Stations for Redeployment to Meet Expansion Needs Reduce Stafl7 Fire Chiefs Discretion. U:FCZAv1SAU0. Vr ATTACHMENT B Topic No. Recommendation Commission Position Emergency 14 County in EMS Business The department is committed to EMS Medical Only if Long Term Functions at some level, respective of the Services Financing Put in Place Paramedic decision of the Board of Supervisors. Additional Measure H funding is required to support current or future levels of EMT Service. 15 Defer Deployment of Recommend retention of four(4) pilot Units Remaining Four Pilot Units at Stations 1, S, 14, and 15. Further deployment of Paramedic based engine Consider Suspending First companies is predicated upon Board of Four Units Already in Place Supervisor's decision and allocation of necessa funding, 15 Development of New Support Emergency Medical Service Plan District 17 Review Financial Condition Support. Partnership agreements with Financing and Engage Cities in cities serviced is encouraged. Funding Discussions 15 Consolidation of resources Support should be pursued 10 Update Fees & Charges Support Consideration and Adoption Support consideration, not adoption. of Vehicle Leasing Program Stronger Coordination with Support and encouraged. Local Governments 20 Collect First Responder No recommendation. Further study Fees required. Reallocate a Share of Support and needed Measure H Funds a :FC0A\ASAuc.$Mr REQUEST TO SPEAK TORM (THREE (3) MINUTE LIMIT) Complete this form and place it in the box near the speakers' rostrum, before addressing the Board. Name ` ` y Phone: Address: City: I am speaking for myself or organization: (rAft► of of®enization) CHECK ONE: I wish to speak on Agenda Item .h Trate: My comments will be: general for against I wish to spews on the subject of I do not wish to speak but leave these comments for the Board to consider: f^'ri Board of Supervisors Response to Grand Jury Report No. 9802 Contra Costa County Fire protection District Findings 1 a Response: Agree 2. Response: Disagree partially with respect to the second sentence. There has never been a true capital reserve fund.. Budgets have been balanced by prior year fund balances. The fund balance has been depleted because of revenue shortfalls as well as the cast of salary increases. 3. Response: Disagree partially. The nwnbers do not reflect phase I redactions adopted by the Board of Supervisors on February 3, 1998. The revised budget is $45.3 million. Personnel costs are $38.8 million or 85.75% of the budget. 4. Response: Agree. However, although the figures appear to be within an acceptable range of accuracy, we are unable to verify the figures with the information given in the schedule. It appears that the base data was adjusted prier to calculating the above figures by deleting data for positions that were vacant for approximately half of the year. 5. Response: Disagree partially regarding the stated cast to staff a single fire vehicle (this should be stated as the cost to staff a fire station, not fire vehicle) as being in excess of $900,000. The personnel cost of operating one three-person crew (Captain, Engineer and Firefighter) in calendar year 1977 was approximately $1,011,000. The $900,000 figure does not take into account the cost of relief personnel to cover absences due to vacation, sick leave, etc. 6. Response: Agree 7. Response: Agree 8. Response: Agree 9. Response: Disagree partially: The pay fannual is still included in the MOO, but has not been utilized in determining salary adjustment in recent years. The firefighters' union may still collect the pay data, but this is unknown to the District. 10. Response: Agree. The "Built-In Overtime" is required by the .Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). 11. Response: Agree. 12. Response: Agree. 13. Response: Disagree partially. At the time the Grand Jury Report was written, this item was correct with the exception of the deferred capital amount. The correct deferred capital account is $25.4 million. Recently the District requested that some of the listed vehicles be declared surplus and sold at auction. This action reduces the number of pumper tracks to 27 and the number of sedans to 22. The reduction in the vehicle fleet will reduce the equipment replacement schedule by approximately $600,000. 14. Response: Disagree. The "Fire District Tax" is acutally a portion of the total property tax dedicated to fire districts. The tax was reduced and Frozen by Proposition 13 in 1978. Property tax is not a "Benefit Assessment." The 1993 election was to establish a benefit assessment for Contra Costa County Fire Protection .District which did not have a benefit assessment. This was before the consolidation of Contra Costa County Fire with Riverview Fire and others. Riverview had an existing benefit assessment that was due to expire. The election in the Riverview District was to continue and increase the benefit assessment. 15. Response: Agree. 16. Response: Disagree. The pilot paramedic program staffing consists of a combination of employees that were paramedics prior to the start of the program, newly-hired paramedic firefighters and the training of existing firefighters. Paramedic trainees are paid for attending the training on normally scheduled duty days, but do not receive pay for attending training on their days off. The 10% paramedic pay differential is not given until an individual is actuary assigned to a paramedic unit. 17. response: Agree. 18. Response: The facts and particulars of this finding are unknown to the Board of Supervisors. Conclusions I. Disagree partially. Operating expense has depleted general reserves (prior year fund balance) not capital reserves. 2, Disagree. This is a subjective conclusion apparently based on conjecture. 3. .Disagree partially. As previously stated, the 1993 ballot measure was to establish, not increase, a benefit assessment. 4. Agree. Disagree. The wage and benefit costs are approximately 85% of the budget, not 90%. Some of the Phase 1 budget reductions are on-going reductions. Personnel costs are not the only problem. The cost of the pilot paramedic program and revenue shortfalls are also causes of the budget problem. 6, Disagree partially. The .Davis Company, hired by the Board of Supervisors, conducted a study of compensation including benefits. The pay formula was not removed from the MOI.,I, but is currently inoperative. 7. Disagree partially. There are only 27 pumpers and 22 sedans that should be replaced, as discussed in Finding 13. 3. Agree. 9. Disagree. Thorn are currently three Battalion Chief positions that are on duty each day to respond to emergencies. Each officer has a response area of approximately 100 square miles. It is not unusual to conunit two and, sometimes, tluee officers to a large-scale incident. The number of officers on standby are required to provide timely response to the three geographic areas of the District which span the entire County. The 5% recall pay is warranted because the officers are available for emergency response at least 50% of their off-duty time. The degree of need for recall is also impacted by seasonal and weather-related conditions. 10. Disagree. County department heads and the Fire Chief are appointed by the Board of Supervisors after recommendation by the County Administrator, and are subject to an annual performance evaluation. No change is completed at this time, Recommendations A. This recommendation requires further analysis. An independent consultant was hired to review district compensation practices. Recommendations are being considered to revise the Minimum Staffing, and Holiday provisions. Pay and benefit levels were found by the consultant to be within reasonable limits compared to II other agencies, and will be the subject of the meet and confers process. Capital needs for facilities and equipment will be taken into account. B. This recommendation has been implemented. Again, an independent consultant was hired to review staffing, pay scales operations and existing financing. In addition, the County Administrator conducted a management audit of operations, staffing, policies and procedures. All recommendations are being implemented. that do not require the meet and confer process. C. This recommendation has been implemented. A new Fire Chief has been hired effective May 1, 1998. Chief Keith Richter is implementing recommendations of both the Davis Company Study and County Administrators Management Audit. D. This recommendation has been implemented. The new Chief has contacted the California Division of Forestry to determine the State's interest in providing services. The State has expressed no interest at this time. B. This recommendation will not be implemented. County department heads and the Fire Chief, are appointed by the Board of Supervisors after recommendation by the County Administrator, and are subject to an annual perfonnance evaluation. No change is contemplated at this time. F. This recoanmendation will not be implemented. The Board has invested a great deal of time in evaluating fiscal and operational issues at the .District. The new Chief has taken charge and is implementing recommendations. The Board has directed that proposals be placed on the negotiating table to reduce labor costs. invitations for proposals from private operators are not contemplated at this time. L g� PA The Davis Company ■ Final Report An Evaluation of Fire Services and Financing for Contra Costa County t om, i E i a 1 i Final Report An Evaluation. of :dire Services and Financing for Contra Costa County submitted by: Ile Travis Company 555 University Avenue,Suite 116 Sacramento,California 95825 9161567-9510 June, 1998 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Executive Summary 1 11. Evaluation Background and Objectives 9 III. Centra Costa County's Fire Service Delivery System. 13 IV. Fire Fighter Compensation 17 V. Services & Staffing 29 STI. Emergency Medical Services 34 VII. Financing of Services 39 Appendices A. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Operations Division-Organization Chart A-2. 1997 Incident by Station B. Summary Report of County Fire protection Employee Earnings I/l/97-1.2!31/97 C. Contra Casts.County Benchmark Outline/Fire&EMS Services Summary Benchmark Outline& Overview of Agencies D. Contra.Costa County Benchmark Outline/Fire&EMS Services Detail Benchmark Outline&Overview of Agencies E. Summary of the Fire Protection Compensation Comparative Analysis F. Summary of the Fire Protection Compensation Comparative Analysis (Without Retirement) G. Fire Protection Compensation P Agency Worksheets I3. Contra Costa County Benchmark Outline and Contact better L EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, County Administrator, and Fire District are engaged in an ongoing organizational, service practices, and financing review of the District. The broad goal for this review is to find ways to reduce District expenses to conform with revenue, while ensuring continuation of an acceptable level of service to communities that are served by the District. This review has also looked at potential new revenues, though options are severely limited due to tax limitations on local governments. This report pertains to the review of service practices and financing that has been conducted by The Davis Company. This study has focused almost entirely on. those activities that occur at the level of the "fire station". These activities represent most of the cost to operate the District. Compensation that is paid to fire fighters was also a part of the study. A more comprehensive review of study objectives and methodology is discussed in the following Section. A separate organizational audit of the Fire District has been undertaken by the County .Administrator's Office. This summary describes our major findings and recommendations, all of whish are discussed in greater detail in latter sections of this report. To a great extent, our evaluations were based on a comparative review of industry compensation trends, and by applying a `best practices"review to the District's operations. General Observations Before listing our specific findings and conclusions, we offer some general background observations about the Contra, Costa County Fire District based on our experience evaluating similar departments on the west coast. `ire departments are by their very nature an expensive service due to 365 day, 24 hour service delivery, the complicated and costly equipment that is requires', and the extensive and on-going amount o,f`training that is neededfor or a high state off'readiness. For every twenty-four hour duty position (referred to as a "post position") at least three full- time employees, plus relief for leave-time is required. The twenty-four hour nature of the work also complicates the management role when compared to more traditional eight hour daily work schedules. Contra Costa County. Fire Services&Financing Page 1 4 The considerable added costs of`expanding services requires that fire departments, and the communities they serve, be extraordinarily clear about thefre department's service mission. The service program profile for most urban and suburban fire departments is changing, sometimes at a rapid pace. Expansion of the "first responder" role to include emergency medical service (e.g. both basic and advanced life support), hazardous materials containment and for some jurisdictions management of the hazardous materials regulatory process, search and rescue, and numerous other specialized services are changing the staffing requirements and financing needs of fire departments. Some of these trends are clearly present in Contra Costa County. • As the scope and complexity of f re departments' service role changes, the jobs of the fare fighter and those who support them are also changing. Mandated training for fire fighters has increased by approximately 5-30%within the past 15 years depending on whose estimates are used. Personal safety training, as well as the acquisition of new skills to better serve the public, are a part of the enhanced training. The cost to train one paramedic will normally exceed.$40,000. • It is especially imperative that local officials take revenue trends and resources into account when managing the cast of services, especially emergency medical services as they are highly valued by the public. However, the District's problem is neat just one o,f revenue. Numerous operating and compensation practices have made the cast of service too high. Local government officials have ygaLIdle revenue raising authority due to tax limitations. This is why arguments that fare department funding problems are "revenue" challenges are simply wrong. In Contra Costa County, the fire department budget increased approximately 7.5% between July, 1994 and June, 1997 (i.e. before Phase I reductions). Nage and benefit adjustments equal to approximately 13.7%net of incentive pay conversions were granted during this same period. The Bay Area cast of living, as reported by the US, Department of Labor, increased 10.7% during the same period. The County's property tax base, the primary revenue source for the District, increased 7.7% Contras Costs County: Fire Services&Financing Page 2 In general, the property tax is an increasingly unreliable funding source when it is the predominant or only resource that is available. While there are exceptions to this trend for areas that contain mostly high value property and improvements, fire departments, in particular county wide departments, are finding that the property tax is not a sustainable funding source. ,Findings, Conclusions & Recommendations This report includes numerous findings, conclusions and recommendations that, based on our experience, if implemented, will help restore fiscal balance to the Fire District. Due to the severity of the problem, this task requires both short-term, and longer-tern solutions. The County's administrative audit is addressing the short-term issues. While our analysis focuses heavily on longer-term solutions, some actions require the Board of Supervisors' immediate attention. Our findings, and recommendations specifically deal with five topics: Fire District compensation, the operations and service activities at fire stations, the District's paramedic program, employment standards for the fire fighter, and District revenues. Compensation • Finding: Total compensation for District fire fighters is near the median of the market that we surveyed. District compensation (excluding pay for unscheduled overtime and retirement) ranks third out of eleven employers. Including retirement, the District ranks sixth. Comparisons were made with and without retirement costs because pension plans and payment methods vary considerably among employers. o Ejndi Average annual wage increases for fire fighters in recent years have exceeded the annual cast of living for the Bay Area. Since 1994, the Cpnsumer Price Index increasers an average of 2.67% annually, and the District granted salary increases to fire fighters that averaged 3.4°1 annually. Even more importantly, District compensation has exceeded its ability to pay. • Finding: Certain methods of calculating pay are too lucrative and should be reconsidered. For example, in-lieu holiday compensation is paid at the oygrfi=rate, even if a holiday does not occur on the employees duty shift. FLEA pay is calculated at the overtime rate even if the employee is not present during the duty period.. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 3 • Finding: Total overtime expenses are too high representing about 12% of every payroll dollar. Unscheduled overtime in particular is largely due to stringent minimum staffing provisions that are contained in the bargaining agreement with Local 1230, unusually high position vacancy rates, training and committee work that is paid at the overtime rate, and the way that staffing is managed and controlled generally, • Recommendation: Revise work assignment practices to strictly limit unscheduled overtime. • Recommendation: Renegotiate key provisions of the Local 1230 bargaining agreement, related to FLSA and holiday pay calculations, and minimum staffing standards. • Recommendation: Create a new fire fighter trainee and/or an itinerant fire fighter classification. Use this classification and/or reserve fire fighters as needed to meet the District's staffing requirements. • Recommendation: Wages represent 85% of the District's operating budget. Strive first to balance the District's budget by implementing the recommendations for operating cost reductions, compensation policy changes, and new revenue proposals that are contained herein. If significant cost reductions and revenue options cannot be achieved, then strong consideration should be given to deferring wagb adjustments in the future. • Itecoram.endation: Immediately begin the process of negotiating a new labor agreement with the Local 1230 (the current agreement expires on 12/31/98). Direct the District's labor relations staff to develop specific proposals related to compensation and minimum staffing and to share these proposals with Local. 1230 in preparation.for bargaining. .dire Fighter Employment Standards • Finding: Entry level training standards for fire fighters are the cause of serious inefficiencies in the recruitment process due to an average of 3,000 applicants per vacant position. Other departments are managing this condition by raising entry level standards in ways that also helps to reduce on-the-job training cost for new fire fighter, some of which is paid at an overtime rate. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 4 a 2 5�_ 4Y • Recommendation. Require completion of basic paramedic training as a prerequisite, if the Board of Supervisors decides to continue providing advanced life support emergency medical services with paramedics. • Recommendation: Increase focused recruitment of minorities and females as needed to achieve the department's diversity goals. Use the proposed new itinerant employee, or trainee firefighter work classification as needed to achieve this objective. Services, Operations& Staffing • Finding: The District's "adaptive staffing" practice to cross train fire fighters on all essential fire apparatus is an efficient and reasonably streamlined practice compared to many other fire departments. • indin : In general, the District's four "two-company" fire stations serve a useful purpose and should be retained. However, two of the stations show relatively low call volumes and the strategic mission for the enginelladder truck combination is questionable. These units could be re-deployed to meet expansion needs in other areas, or staffing could be reduced to 5 instead of 6 fire fighters through shared unit staffing. • Einding: The Department's practice of minimum staffing at the lowest operating; unit level is too costly, not efficient, and does little to improve public safety. • Fines: Much of the District's heavy equipment fleet is in an advanced aging status because funds are not set aside for regular equipment replacement. Approximately 22% of the District's fire apparatus is overdue for replacement. • Finding: Maintenance for the District's equipment fleet, especially light vehicles, is highly susceptible to outsourcing. Other agencies are reporting savings through this strategy. So far, the District's evaluation of this opportunity has analyzed only labor costs. • Recommendation: The District should explore outsourcing of its vehicle maintenance functions,possibly through contracts with other public agencies. Outsourcing should not just transfer the maintenance responsibility, it should reduce cost. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 5 • Recommendation: Renegotiate minimum staffing requirements with I .FF, Local 1230. Modify the present policy to give management greater flexibility to assign staff where needed most on a daily basis to meet all of the District's fire protection mission. • Recommendation: Restructure training and operations support work so that most all of it occurs during normal duty time, not on overtime. • Recommendation: Limit overtime to that which is essential to meet a revised minimum staffing policy. • Recommendation: Deploy trainee fire fighters and reserves as needed to meet the District's staffing requirements. a Recgiri riendation: Linder utilized units at two station should be re-deployed to meet expansion needs in other areas, or staffing should be reduced to S instead of 6 hire fighters through shared unit staffing. Emergency Medical Services: • Fi_ nom: The Fire District's advanced life support emergency medical service program (i.e. paramedics) is substantially redundant because similar service is already in place thorough the County's private ambulance contract. • Finding: The District has begun its pilot paramedic service without a viable financing plan, and is funding this program with District property taxes. Four units of the pilot paramedic program have already been deployed, and four additional paramedic units will be placed in service soon. • Finding: A number of EMS models include a role for hire department paramedics. San Diego, San Mateo, and Orange County all represent distinctly different models. Fire engine based paramedics hold the promise of being an effective and efficient way to provide this essential service Lf District paramedics are properly and cost effectively integrated into the private emergency medical service, and new revenue is provided. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 6 * Recommendation: The County should be in the emergency medical care business only iif a responsible long term financing strategy can be put in place to pay for the service. An acceptable service plan is one that integrates public and private units (i.e, private ambulances and paramedic fire engines) into a single system with new funding for start-up, training and on-going operations costs. Unless an acceptable plan can be constructed, the District should withdraw from this service area. • Recommendation: Defer deployment of the remaining four pilot units until a long range, financially sustainable strategy is designed. Consider suspending the first four units that are already in place until a decision is made to "get in", or "out of' the emergency medical service business. • Recommendation: Direct the County Health Services Department, working with the fire department and local ambulance providers, to prepare and submit a new Emergency Medical Service plan to the Board of Supervisor's within 120 days that integrates fire district paramedics and the private ambulance system into a single emergency system - if viable financing can be demonstrated. District Financing • Finding.' The property tax is increasingly inadequate when it is the predominant source of revenue for fire departments. The District serves a largely incorporated population, including nine cities. • Finding: There is no significant statewide precedent for allocating Proposition 172`funds to fire protection. Many legislators note that fire districts were specifically spared from many of the drastic revenue shifts that occurred during the early 1990's. If Prop 1.72 resources are to be redistributed or enhanced for fire protection, it is likely that this change must come about through new state legislation. ® Finding: Due to statewide tax limitations, there is no easily accessible source of new revenue for the Fire District. * Recommendation: The Department should actively review its financial condition with those it serves, and should engage the cities in funding discussions especially for one-time expenses. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Fuge 7 �v eL, • Recommendation: District assets should be closely examined and consolidated to the extent practical. Assets no longer needed should be converted, including any excess land and buildings. Consolidation of resources, especially for administrative and support functions that can be outsourced, should be aggressively pursued. • Recommendation: A supplemental financing program built around the department's five year projection of district growth should be pursued that includes: — a comprehensive updating of all fees and charges at least once every two years; — consideration and adoption of a vehicle leasing program; — stronger coordination with local governments, especially, during the permitting process, to install fees that support system expansion- especially for one-time costs. • Recommendation: Restructure financing of the emergency medical system in the following ways: Collect a first responder fee for medical calls to which fire department units respond, regardless of whether the District remains in the ALS (paramedic)business; and Reallocate a share of Measure H funds to the District as part of a system wide redesign if the Board of Supervisors chooses to remain in the paramedic business Centra Costa County- Fire Services&Financing Page 8 IL EVALUATION.BACKGROUND ANIS OBJECTIVES Historical Background The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District), governed by the County Board of Supervisors, was consolidated in the mid 19603's, providing services to the majority of the County. In July, 1994, the boundaries were expanded to include Oakley, Pinole, Riverview, West County and a portion of Bethel Island. Currently, the District service area covers 336 square miles, which includes a population of approximately 580,040 within nine cities and adjoining unincorporated areas. The District occupies 30 stations within nine cities that include Antioch, Clayton, Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Pittsburg, San Pablo and Walnut Creek.. The District's annual 1997-98 fiscal year budget of$46,841,110. The budget is funded almost entirely with a fixed share of local property tax revenue. The District's fire department is comprised of five divisions: emergency operations, fire prevention, support services, personnel and finance, and employs approximately 444 full-time positions, with 65 positions being vacant. Fire Fighters Union Local 1230 represents 322 authorized positions in 12 classifications. District reserves, which are rapidly dwindling according to studies conducted by County fiscal analysts, are being used to subsidize the operating budget. In response to this structural budget dilemma, the County Board of Supervisors has canceled all capital projects, eliminated vacant funded positions, reduced certain budget expenditures, and frozen any further expansion of the District's pilot paramedic program. These initial Phase I cost-saving measures are estimated by County fiscal analyst to save the .District approximately $1.3 million per year. However, these actions will not resolve the foreseeable deficit in the subsequent fiscal years. In addition, the Phase I measures will not allow the District to replace much needed equipment and apparatus, some of which date back to 1954. Contra Costa County. Fire Services&Financing Page 9 D .Project Objectives The Davis Company was hired by the County Board of Supervisors to examine three major issues that confront the Fire District: compensation, service delivery and staffing levels, and financing. The project objectives focused on finding ways to reduce operating costs while maintaining acceptable levels of service, and on identifying potential new revenue sources. This was.accomplished through a detailed and comprehensive review of • District fire fighter compensation(i.e. 85% of the budget); • District service and staffing practices, including the pilot paramedic program.; and • The District's revenues, including potential revenue enhancements. Compensation The District's total compensation package, including fully burdened compensation, benefits and premium pay elements was analyzed. This part of the work plan included an extensive analysis of current District compensation. An analysis, of when, why and how compensation is paid was conducted. Work unit staffing practices, overtime policies, and employee options regarding leave and shift assignments are a few examples of issues that were analyzed. Finally, a benchmark survey of the compensation practices of ten similar employers was completed. Pay practices of the benchmark employers were then compared and contrasted to the District's practices and pay rates. The benchmark employers included in the survey are: CountteslDistricts: • Alameda County Fire Department • American River Fire Protection District • Orange County Fire Authority • Ventura County Fire Department • San Bernardino County Fire Department • San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Wage 10 D.Z a 8-4-98 Cities; • Hayward • Sacramento • San Mateo • San Jose Staffing and Services Analysis The objectives for this component of the project were to examine staffing practices for all r service activities, examine work load for all parts of the service delivery system, and evaluate alternatives to the current pilot paramedic program.. This phase began by conducting work sessions with the Fire District's administrative staff to obtain and examine operational deployment, staffing and service practice data. Station assignments, personnel deployment, alarm, assignment response standards are just a few of the elements that were examined. An analysis of staffing practices for all service activities (i.e., engine companies, truck companies, ISMS services, support units, and special units such as search and rescue) was completed. Incident response requirements were also examined. Specifically, the deployment of fire resources and personnel were identified as well as minimum staffing levels and practices. In order to objectively analyze the staffing and service data, three regional fire departments were compared to Contra Costa's operational practices. Contacts were made with these departments to compare service delivery, staffing and operational controls. The feasibility of cross-staffing, incident command practices, engine company staffing levels, and EMS service strategies were also explored. Evaluation of Financing In California, statewide tax limitations have all but eliminated any discretion for local governing boards has to generate additional revenue to support normal or exceptional service enhancements. This is why arguments that funding fire protection is a"revenue", not an expense problem,, are both specious and wrong. Local governing boards do not have the authority to raise much new revenue, and in the recent past local voters have not supported neva revenue proposals.. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page I 1 Dat a g-4-98 Even so, there are a few non-tax captions that potentially could expand the District's revenue. Revenue captions, especially for the pilot paramedic program, were also identified and examined. Contra Costa County- Fire Services&Financing Page 12 D.2 a 8-4-98 III CONTRA COSTA TIRE SERVICE DELI�',�RYSYST.E1tf The District operates 30 fare stations. Paid staff are stationed at 26 stations and reserves are called rap at the remaining four. Two of the reserve stations (93 and 94) in the Oakley — K-aightsen area serve routine fire suppression and medical first response demand in those areas. These two stations handled over 1,100 calls in 1997. Stations 18 and 19 are reserve stations that facilitate the call tap and equipping of additional firefighters and volunteers for major incidents. The District dispatches emergency calls to all but two of its stations from its communication center in Pleasant Hill. The west county stations, 69 and 70, are dispatched from the City of Richmond under a contract with The District. Richmond also provides incident command services beyond the normal 40 hour work week. The City of Pinole provides additional fire services to The District in west county. Staffing The basic staff unit is a fire company that includes a fire fighter, fire engineer and a captain. The District staffs 26 stations with 30 fire companies. Four additional stations house two companies each. In addition, a paramedic unit is located at station 15 and a breathing support unit is located at station 7. The District maintains a minimum staffing level of 92 station personnel, 4 dispatch staff and 3 battalion chiefs for each shift. Minimum staffing levels are specified in the current memorandum of understanding with IAFF, Focal 1.230. The .District's pool of` 18 replacement fire fighters is used to backfill daily absences. That pool is partially depleted because of current faze fighter vacancies and long term worker compensation absences. If the pool is unable to meet the minimum staffing levels, regular employees are called back on overtime to bring staffing up to the specified minimum level. This occurs extensively,and too often. The District operates with an "adaptive response" policy. All station personnel are trained to respond with any equipment housed at the station as directed by dispatch. The District achieves improved response times and reduces the number of staff required by a high level of flexibility in response types from all station locations. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing - - Page 13 D.2 a 8-4-98 Apparatus The District maintains a 125 unit fleet assigned to fire stations. The fleet is composed of 52 engines, 8 trucks, 23 light and 4 heavy wild land units, 7 water tenders, and other vehicles and equipment. The median age of the fleet is 16 years. 55 vehicles are 20 to 30+years old. The district has established guidelines for heavy apparatus replacement based on mileage and age guides for different equipment types. The District's heavy equipment replacement guidelines are shown below. Table 1 Heavy Equipment Replacement Guidelines Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Age Mileage 30 Regardless of mileage 25+ 25,000 20+ 50,000 15+ 75,000 10+ 100,000 Contra Costa County: Fixe Services&Financing Page 14 8-4-9F Table 2 Contra Costa County Fire Protection District District Equipment Overdue for Replacement Station Unit Year Make Model Type Mileage Age 10 E 110B 1977 Ford Howe E 120,155 21 11 El 11R. 1977 Ford 08000 Howe E 66,994 21 12 El 122 1977 Ford 08000 Howe E 58,851 21 14 El 14R 1977 Ford 08000 Howe E 66,371 21 14 El 14B 1977 FORD V.P. E 83,124 21 15 El 15R 1977 Ford 08000 V.P. E 57,220 21 15 El 15E 1977 Ford 08000 Howe E 93,205 21 15 PU15 1977 Dodge D150 PU 95,090 21 18 El 18 1977 Ford 08000 V.P. E 60,919 21 81 F181 1977 I.H. Howe Foam E 59,060 21 9 PU9 1976 Ford 112 T PU 72,231 22 17 PU17 1976 Ford 112 T PU 84,381 22 10 El 10C 1975 Ford Howe E 1016,933 23 2 CV10 2 1971 Chev. Van U 52,746 27 5 E105E 1971 IHC V.P. E 89,548 27 10 T110 1970 V.P. Snorkel 85' TK 40,328 28 20 E120C 1969 IHC V.P. E 91,347 29 3 T103E 1965 Snorkel 85' V.P. TK 27,692 33 12 E312 1965 Dodge 4x4 Coast PW 16,300 33 12 PL;U12 1965 Ford 112 T PU 117,484 33 19 E319 1965 OMC 4x4 Howe PW 15,050 33 20 E120A 1965 Ilia T V.P. E' 92,147 33 83 T183 1965 Crown Snorkel TK 85,875 33 16 E316 1964 IHC 4x4 V.P. PW 12,878 34 94 WT294 1964 I.H. R.a-190 WT 20,870 34 6 T106 1963 LaFranc Lad 100' TK 27,684 35 10 WT10 1958 REO 6x6 WT Surplus 44,556 40 15 T1 15B 1958 LaFranc Lad 85' TK 26,797 40 Replacement for at least 28 vehicles (22%of the operation fleet) is overdue. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 15 Response Policies The District dispatches units to emergency incidents according to a set of response policies. Units dispatched to common incidents are: • Residential fires: 3 engines, 1 truck, battalion chief • structure fires with rescue: 3-4 engines, 1 true.,breathing support and battalion chief • Mild land fires. 4 units a Medical emergency: 1 unit The District establishes "targets" for special occupancies such as convalescent hospitals, schools or other sensitive areas with response specifically designed to contain damage and prevent injury. Station Utilization Appendix A-2 shows incident type by station for 1997. stations 18 and 19 are reserve stations and 21 is a the designated service area for a potential new fire station that is yet to be funded. Stations 93 and 94 are staffed by reserve personnel. Stations are listed in ascending order in Apprendix A-2. Stations with high activity (1, 85, 70, and 6)-are 2 to 3 tunes as busy as the average station and about 12 times more active than the least active staffed stations (17 and 16). Medical calls outnumber fires of all types by about 6 to 1. False and mistaken alarms are about 2010 of calls. Centra Costa County. Fire Services&Financing Page 16 D.2 a 8-4-48 V. FIRE FIGHTER COMPENSATION There are three major components of compensation for the District's firefighters as follows: • Cash includes base salary, cash that is paid in lieu of holiday time off (since fire fighters work on holidays), and a Fair Labor Standards Act(FLSA) scheduled overtime pay element. • Health and welfare benefits include items such as retirement and insurance benefits. This segment of compensation also includes a uniform allowance that is paid in cash. : Incentive.pay is also earned in the form of cash for certain special duty assignments or for added experience or qualifications that enhance job performance. In 1996, several incentive pay items were rolled into the base salary for all the District's line suppression personnel and no longer exists as separate pay categories. Paramedic pay is still a separate incentive pay component for those assigned to this duty, and fare managers (i.e. Battalion Chiefs) are still eligible for several incentive pay categories. All compensation is paid in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding (i.e. a bargaining agreement)between the District's and the fare fighters' labor union, IAFF focal 1233. Cash Payments In recent years, the annual adjustments to a fare fighter's base salary have exceeded changes in the cost of living. The District's base for fire fighters increased from $4, 018 monthly (July, 1994) to $4,877 (1998) monthly during the past four years. After deducting conversions of other pay categories to salary, the-average annual increase has been 3.5%. wring the same period of time, the cost of living, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, increased an average of 2.7% annually. Contra Costa County; Fire Services&Financing Page 17 n.z 8-4-98 Holiday Pay: Contra. Costa County recognizes thirteen holidays. Personnel who work a standard forty hour week receive holidays off with pay. Fire fighters who are assigned to 24 hour duty shifts are paid a fixed amount in cash in-Lieu of holiday time off. This pay component includes 156 hours annually that is calculated at the rate of 1.5 times the standard hourly rate. Accordingly, a top-step fire fighter will earn approximately $4,703 per year in holiday pay, or about 8.0% in addition to the regular monthly base salary. The payment is calculated at the 1.5 overtime rate whether or not a holiday actually falls on the employees assigned work shift. This provision is reasonably typical of fire fighter labor agreement provisions related to holidays. LSA Overtime: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was established in the 1930s to protect workers from substandard wage and working conditions. In 1985, Congress amended the Act to cover government employees. In order to address unique aspects of public safety employment, especially for those employees whose average work week exceeds 40 hours, certain amounts of time worked are required to be paid as overtime. Contra Costa County fire fighters, like most suppression personnel in California fire departments, are assigned to work an average of 56 hours per week for a maximum of 2,912 hours per year. Under the FLEA rules, approximately three hours per week (the number may vary slightly among employers) of scheduled duty time is paid as FLSA overtime. Some labor agreements require (and FLEA rules allow) the employer to pay the extra 1!2 time rate only if the employee is actually present on duty during the earning period. The Contra Costa County MOU provides that the amount is paid automatically, even if the employee is on paid leave. Unscheduled Overtime: Overtime is considered time worked outside a normal shift schedule, and is compensated at a rate of 1.5 of the standard hourly rate of pay. This does not include incentive pay or other differentials. The District maintains an overtime recall list which is used to fairly distribute work that is paid at an overtime rate. The recall list is not used for emergency overtime or specialized duty assignments. When a safety employee is called back to work, the employee is paid for a minimum of two hours at the higher rate. Overtime earnings for reasons other than holidays and FLEA pay are referred to as "unscheduled overtime". Although unscheduled, this is a significant component of pay in many California fare departments due to minimum staffing practices that require replacement personnel any time a vacancy exists. Last year (1997), unscheduled overtime for all purposes represented approximately$3.9 million or about 10.0%of the department's total payroll of$39,965,200. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 18 D.2 8-4-98 Benefits: Health & Welfare benefits include a variety of items such as retirement, insurances and other incidentals. Retirement: The District pays 18.36% of a firefighter's cash compensation for retirement. This includes the employer contribution to retirement, and one-half of the employee's normal share of retirement costs. In addition, the District and current employees also pay an amount to keep "retired employees" pension payments up-to-date with inflation. The District's obligation for retired employees is a maximum additional 10.3% over the 18.36% amount for a maximum total of 28.39%. However, in recent years, a portion of the District's contribution has been paid from "excess retirement system earnings". During 1997 and 1998, 100% of the District's retiree obligation is paid from excess earnings. In 1996, the District paid the full 10.03%. In other years,the District paid some,but not all of the amount. In. 1997, the California Supreme Court, in the case of Ventura Co= Denuty Sheriff's .Association v. Board of Retirement of Ventura County Retirement Association determined that special pay allowances, bonuses, pay incentives, and other forms of special compensation, when paid in cash are to be included in the calculation of retirement pensions. As a result of the Ventura County Decision, the definition of "compensation earnings" was expanded to include other pay elements. Those pay elements include(but are not limited to): • Base salary ® Bonuses,premiums, incentive payments, and allowances • Overtime required by the employer of an entire grade/class Compensatory time Flexible benefits paid in cash to employees who retired before January 1, 1991 m Accrued vacation and holiday pay (note: some accrued sick leave when paid is included; this sloes not apply to the District) Some public agencies are still in the process of implementing the changes required by the Supreme Court's decision. It appears that the District's retirement plan administrator had already been substantially complying with this ruling. Insurances - Health benefits are paid at varying rates depending on the employee's family status, eligibility, and the specific health plan, The maximum rate that is paid by the District for health benefit is$386.96 per month per employee(average cast per employee is less). The District pays Contra Costa County: Fire services&Financing Page 19 D.2 8-4-98 $1.00 per month for life insurance, and up to $45.40 per month for dental insurance. The actual dental premium that is paid by the District is also used on the designated dental plan. Uniform Allowance - An allowance for all safety and non-safety officers who are required to wear a uniform is paid at the rate of$50 per month. Personnel are responsible for buying and maintaining their uniforms. Incentive Pay Since the conversion of most incentives to base salary for rank and file fire fighters, the only remaining incentive pay element is for paramedic duty. Fire fighters that are assigned as paramedics earn 10% over the base rate for the class. Management employees above the Fire Captain rank are not assigned as paramedics,and therefore are not eligible for this incentive. Employees in the Fire Management classifications receive a variety of other pay incentives including: • Educational ,pay from 2.5 % to 7.5% of their base salary if they obtain certain education/training levels. • Longevity Pay is provided at the rate of 2.5%above base for ten(10)years of service. • Deferred Compensation - fife District contributes $50 per month to fire management staff towards the deferred compensation program. Employees roust also contribute a blase contribution amount and maintain a minimum monthly contribution to the deferred compensation plan.. • Emergency Recall and Standby Pay - Eleven Battalion Chiefs who are assigned to shift duty are paid a 5.0% differential for recall or standby assignments. This differential is given to an officer who is called on duty to cover emergencies and is paid at the rate of 2.5% for standby for one out of four weeks and 5% for standby.for two out of four weeps. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 20 D.2 a 8-4-98 Benchmarking Methodology A major objective of this assignment was to determine how the District's pay practices compare to ether agencies. This was done by first defining and calculating "total compensation" that Contra Costa County pays to fire fighters based on the compensation components described above. Subsequently, pay and benefit data was collected from other comparable fire departments and analyzed in the fashion so that benchmark measurements could be made. Several approaches were developed to ensure that total compensation of fully burdened costs of fire safety personnel were identified and analyzed. For example: • Work sessions were conducted with the Human Resources Department, the Auditor- Controller's office and Centra Costa County Employment Retirement Association (CERA) retirement office, and with District fire managers to obtain the data needed for an in-depth analysis of fire fighter compensation. • Once the information was obtained, several analytical models were developed and reviewed with County staff For instance, a Total Compensation Analysis Worksheet was developed that demonstrates the components of pay elements for Battalion Chiefs, Captains, Engineers and Firefighters. Chace the analysis was complete; the payroll unit and the,fire department reviewed the information and made changes accordingly. ® The elements of total compensation that were carefully scrutinized were leave and work assignment policies and bargaining agreements, such as base pay, incentive pay, planned and unplanned overtime pay, leave, and health and welfare benefits. Prior Benchmarking Efforts • In 1997, the Fire District, with input from focal 1230, conducted a salary survey at the request of the Board's Finance Committee. This effort ranked the District's total compensation in eighth place out of eleven jurisdictions, including the District, as shown blow. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 21 D.2 8-4-98 Table 3 .Taint District, Local 1230 Survey Agency Total Compensation Santa Clara, City of $6,102 Vallejo Fire, City of $5,752 Richmond Fire, City of $5,646 Oakland Fire, City of $5,545 Santa Clara, County of $5,523 San Jose, City of $5,307 San Ramon Valley FPI $5,261 Contra Costa County FPD $5,215 Menlo Park FPD $5,138 Alameda, County of $5,131 San Francisco, City of $4,869 The benchmark survey that was conducted for this study was similar, but not exactly the same. The results of these two efforts were not highly inconsistent. However, the survey reviewed in this report included more pay and benefit categories, and sought to present a more comprehensive view of total pay and benefit relationships, i.e. total compensation. Fourteen potential fire agencies were chosen for this survey based on a variety of factors. Significant factors were (1) comparable fire department size and complexity in order to maximize the amount of direct pay comparisons; (2) collection of data from both cities and counties in order to determine if ability to pay, or the governmental funding base, has any impact on compensation; and (3) the need to maintain reasonable consistency with the list of prior benchmark agencies. Seven of the fourteen agencies included in the list of benchmark agencies for this survey were also part of the 1997 survey that was conducted by the District. However, only three of those seven employers chose to participate in this survey The reasons given by those who chose not to participate were: (1) there was not a mutual need for the data at this time because bargaining is complete and a concern that the data would be out-of-date by the time, it would be needed by the survey employer; and (2) the scope of this survey was too large, therefore Centra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 22 8-d-98 requiring too much of an effort by agency staff. Based on our experience with similar efforts, these justifications are normal, and were not unexpected. The goal was to obtain complete data from at least ten comparable city and county agencies. Tera agencies did respond with enthusiasm. The agencies are: CountieslDistriets Cities Alameda County Fire Department Hayward American.River.Fire Protection District Sacramento Orange County Fire Authority San Mateo Ventura County.Fire Department San Jose Sara Ramon Valley.Fire Protection District San Bernardino County Fire Department Cance all data was collected and verified, it was placed into various analytical models for comparison purposes. Once those models were developed, they were forwarded to each participant for final verification. Summary models were then formulated based on the total compensation analysis worksheets and are shown as Appendix G. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 23 D.2 8-4-98 Overtime Since overtime cast was an important issue for this study, information on overtime expenditure and management control practices was solicited from all benchmark participants. Four agencies were able to provide sufficient data for comparative analysis. Discussions with fire managers in these four agencies centered on minimum staffing levels, specific practices to reduce overtime, and functions or activities that were performed by safety personnel that could cause overtime. Approach to Compensation Data Comparisons The comparative analysis centered on three components: (1) cash including regular overtime payments for holidays and to meet FLSA requirements, (2) health and welfare benefits, and (3) incentive pay. For the purpose of comparing accurate monthly base salary among the benchmark agencies, EMT and Hazardous Materials incentives were incorporated into each base salary since these incentives are given to a majority of safety personnel by the benchmark employers. Certain pay components that apply to captains, engineers and firefighters do not apply to Battalion Chiefs due to their fire management status. These differences were noted and analyzed. Most Battalion Chiefs do not receive paramedic pay, do receive a variety of other incentives such as education and longevity pay, and are generally exempt from FLSA standards -with the exception of the San Mateo Fire Department the San Ramon Fire protection District. Two total compensation comparisons were made, one with and one without retirement costs. Retirement benefits and cost components vary widely between employers and highly accurate comparisons were difficult to obtain within the scope of this study. A summary of total compensation without retirement is shown in 'Fable 4 below. Total compensation, including retirement, is shown in Table 5. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Wage 24 D.2 8-4.98 Table 4 Ranking of Total Monthly Compensation (Without Retirement) Rank Median Contra Costa Ranking (1-11) Battalion Chief $7,873 $8,088 4 Captain $6,801 $7,147 3 Fire Engineer $6,129 $6,388 2 Fire Fighter $5,508 $5,837 3 The comparative analysis, excluding retirement costs, shows that Contra Costa County ranks slightly above the median for the majority of its work force. Engineers are paid approximately 4.2% above the median. Fire fighters are paid about 5.9% above the median. Captains are paid approximately 5.1 % above the median. The District's pay for a Battalion Chief is 2.7%above the median. The second analysis shows total monthly compensation with retirement cost included. Contra Costa's pay is slightly below the median rate for benchmark employers for all classes. Table 5 Total Monthly Compensation Comparison (With Retirement) Rank. Median Centra Costa Ranking;(141) Battalion Chief $9,509 $9,494 7 Captain $8,421 $8,380 7 Fire Engineer $7,523 $7,482 7 Firefighter $6,830 $'6,830 6 A third analysis was also completed taking only"cash"into consideration. In this comparison,pay relationships to the market are also above the median rate. Fire fighters and Battalion Chiefs rank fourth. Engineers and Captains rank third. Centra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 25 D.2 8-4-98 Table 6 Cash Compensation Rank Median Contra Costa Ranking-(1-11) Battalion Chief $7,320 $'7,655 4 Captain $6,261 $6,714 3 Fire Engineer $5,624 $5,955 3 Firefighter $5,043 $'5,404 4 Minimum Staffing and Unscheduled Overtime Minimum staffing is the minimum number of people needed to be on duty each day to provide 3-person companies in responding to various emergencies. The minimum station staffing for the Department is 276 positions {92 positions per shift, with 3 existing shifts. In order to provide coverage for work absences due to variables such as sick leave, vacation, workers compensation injuries and training, there are an additional 18 positions in a relief staffing pool. The District's unscheduled overtime was $3,868,785 for calendar year 1997, or approximately 10% of the total payroll costs during 1997. The District's unscheduled overtime .Annual unscheduled overtime costs were collected from 4 additional agencies to determine the percentage of unscheduled overtime to total payroll casts. .A summary of this data is shown in Table 7 below. A more comprehensive review of minimum staffing and overtime is included in the following section. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 26 D.z a 8-4-98 Table 7 Unscheduled Overtime f Total Unscheduled Total Safety % of Total Payroll Overtime Officers Payroll Costs* Sacramento $42,436,748 $1,895,013 480 4.47% Hayward $13,977,906 $1,379,385 130 9.87% American River $17,431,387 $765,400 268 4.39% Contra Costa $39,965,200 $3,868,785 314 9.68 % San Ramon $8,306,124 j $907,504 144 1.0.93% *Payroll Costs include reeular salaries, benefits and overtime Total overtime incurred by the District for the first ten months of the current fiscal year is $3,7774,179: This amount is roughly equivalent to the cost of paying the District's entire annual sick leave and vacation obligation at an over time rate. If overtime accrues at this rate for the entire fiscal year, approximately $4.7 million will be expended. According to overtime utilization records that are maintained at the Fire District, approximately $2.7 million is attributable to minimum staffing. The District's 10 month costs were due to minimum staffing policies. Table 8 Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Program Overtime 1997-98 10 Month Actual Staff'Committees $104,966 FLSA $491,162 ALS $110,130 Cather Operations Support $220,480 Minimum Staffing $2,736,631 Training $89,781 Weed Abatement $823 -Miscellaneous $20,206 ?Total S3,774,179 All agencies maintain a minimum staffing level, however some agencies make a concerted effort to reduce or manage overtime by closely monitoring their minimum staffing practices. For instance, American River Fire has a relief pool similar to that of Contra Costa. If a Contra Costa County; Fire Services&Financing Page 27 D.2 a 8-4-98 fire fighter calls in sick or is on vacation, an alternate fire fighter is called in to cover that particular shift. Ifs.second fire fighter cannot report for his/her shift, a second alternate is called in to cover. If a third fire fighter cannot come to work, an entire engine company is canceled for that day. American River will cancel a maximum of two engine companies per shift. As a result, their unscheduled overtime is approximately 4.4% of their total payroll costs, The Orange County Fire Authority is also making strides to reduce overtime. Most training is done on-duty. Therefore, overtime costs are not applied during these hours because fire fighters are not attending training classes during their regular shifts. Instructional costs have also decreased. OCFA has partnered with some community colleges in jointly providing instruction, therefore sharing in the costs. Ability to Pay One of the project components was to address the question of ability to pay. Since cities are generally regarded as having a strong, and more flexible revenue base, the hypothesis was that cities are higher payers. Ability to pay, at least expressed in these terms is not a factor in the market place of the agencies that were surveyed. In fact, just the opposite is shown in the analysis below; counties and districts are higher payers than cities. Table 9 Summary of Total Compensation by Employer CountiestDistricts Rank Top of Total Comp Range .Battalion Chief$11,640 Captain $9,070 Engineer $8,088 Firefighter $7,563 cities Rank Top of Total Comp Range Battalion Chief $10,562 Captain $8,675 Engineer $7,694 Firefighter $7,279 Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 28 �.2 a 8-4-98 V. ASER VICES & ,STAFFING The methodology, analysis, findings and conclusions for the review of Fire District services and staffing practices are described below. Methodology The following steps were taken to examine service demand and staffing practices within the Fire District: 1. Current locations and response districts for the District's 30 fire stations were identified. Engine/truck company work load data was then obtained from the Fire District's CAD system(i.e. dispatch records of incidents, and response times) for each response area. 2. .Engine and truck company staffing standards and practices were identified and examined, including the .District's deployment of two engine/truck companies at four stations (Stations 1, 6, 14, 84) 3. Equipment/apparatus records were reviewed for annual maintenance costs, aging conditions, and status. 4. Emerging station needs and agreements with communities were identified through discussions with District star A review of the 5 year plan was made, including progress toward planned expansions. 5. Key departmental operating practices and cost indicators (especially related to staffing, deployment, and incident command ) were compared to three other fire departments of comparable size and complexity. The review also included the District's role in specialized emergency medical services (EMS), urban search and rescue (USAR.), and hazard only materials containment, and scheduling and duty assignments for the District's incident commanders (i.e. Battalion Chiefs). Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 29 D.2 a 8-4-98 Unit Staffing The District's fire company staffing philosophy, called"adaptive staffing", is an efficient and reasonably streamlined practice compared to many other fire departments. For example: • A(3)person engine or truck company is the basic service unit - (1) Captain(crew leader), (1) Engineer(equipment driver/operator), and (1) Fire Fighter. Many urban and suburban fire departments assign 4 to 5 fire fighters to ladder trucks, and 2 to 3 fire fighters to engines (pumpers). The key is to maintain enough flexibility in staffing so that personnel can be deployed where and when most needed,without an undue overtime expense. • Unit personnel are crass trained to operate with essentially all equipment/apparatus within the District (adaptive staffing). This practice is in contrast to the practice of some departments to assign full-time personnel to `special call" units such as hazardous materials units, air and light units, etc. inrmtrrtz Staffing The District's "minimum staffing policy", as prescribed in the County/1230 labor agreement, is too stringent, and is a major culprit related to overtime as referenced in the preceeding section on compensation. The policy sets minimum station staffing for each shim. .wring the first ten months of 1997-98, the District's overtime expense for "minimum staffing' averaged about $274,000 per month. One reason for this rate of expense is that the minimum staffing standard that appears to be applied in the District is a "3-person per fire company unit", rather than "total staffing per shift" as still exists for .many fire departments. Staffing 100% of the time to the smallest work unit is an outmoded concept, though still extensively prevalent in fire bargaining agreements. It does not allow management to place personnel where most needed. More modern deployment concepts tend to emphasize numbers of staff required to get the "job done"rather than"full staffing of every unit at all times". We are unaware of any strong evidence that minimum staffing, as practiced in Contra Costa County, is a significant safety or service level requirement. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 30 D.2 a 8-4-98 Suppression Vacancies The D'istrict's basic staffing plan, in combination with its constant staffing practice, essentially guarantees that a major share of all vacancies must be replaced at an overtime rate. Therefore, when a higher than normal vacancy rate occurs (normal vacancies are due to vacation and sick leave) the impact is more severe. A significant portion of the District's 18 position relief pool are vacant due to retirements, resignations, and injury. This situation also increases operating costs unnecessarily. Overtime Management Although most overtime is due to minimum staffing and abnormal vacancies, too much of the District's "non-emergency" work load is also performed by fire company personnel working in an overtime pay status. Staff planning committees, training, and certain operations support activities combined have resulted in an overtime expenditure of approximately $546,386 during the first ten months of this fiscal year. This suggests that non-incident response work can be more effectively managed to reduce overtime costs. Two Unit Fire Stations Two of the District's four "tyro company fire stations" (Stations 1 s 6) have a call volume and strategic mission that warrant retention of these units in their current configuration. These stations rank first and fourth in incidents reported and in overlapping incidents (i.e. the frequency that the duration of one incident exceeds the time of the next incident). Each station includes staffing to support two ladder truck/engine company units. While ladder trucks are specialized fare attack units that typically work in tandem with a pumper or engine, the advantage of multiple unit staffing is that the station can generate a variety of tactical response configurations. The remaining "two company fire stations" (Stations 10 & 84) have medium to low call volumes and their strategic mission as ladder units appears questionable. The frequency that overlapping emergency incidents occur is about one out of every ten shifts. While we do not propose immediate elimination of these units, it is recommended that (1) they be considered candidates for meeting station needs in expansion areas; and (2) until needed for future deployment that the units be selectively decommissioned as active units when staffing is needed Contra Costa County: Fire Services&financing Page 31 ID.2 a 8-4-98 due to ether vacancies. In the alternative, assigned staffing for these two stations could be reduced to five instead of six fire fighters. Fire District Services In West County Stations 69 and 70 serge San Pablo, BI Sobrante and the unincorporated areas of Montalvin Manor-'Para Hills. The stations are cut off from the rest of the balance of the District's service area by the Briones Regional Open Space. Richmond and Pinole essentially surround these station service areas. The District already contracts with both cities for service including dispatch and incident command. Pinole is the first responder to Tara Hills and Montalvin Manor. It is likely that these cities could serve these areas more economically than does the District. It is recommended that the District explore outsourcing options with these cities. Other Service Issues Fire station closures are a difficult service issue to confront due to public perception that services will be reduced and residents will be less safe. In fact the reverse is often the case since re-deployment of assets can often improve service to an entire service area. The District's service area has evolved over time, and is the result of multiple district consolidations. This often means that stations were originally located without regard to an overall plan for current service areas. This study has not included a comprehensive, district wide deployment evaluation. However, there are trends and conditions that suggest such an evaluation might be helpful, and result in greater efficiencies. For example; Stations 12 and 14 in Martinez have about 80% overlap in service areas and are less than one mile apart. Both stations are about two miles from station 13. Station 84 in Pittsburg(2 companies) is located about 1.1 miles from station 85. Western Bay Point has poor coverage (ranging 3 to over 4 miles) from station 86. Station 18 on the west edge of Bay Point is a reserve station. In,Antioch stations 81, 82 and 83 have significant overlap in service areas. The currently planned station relocations should relieve these conditions. Contra Costa County: Fire Servim&Financing Page 32 D.Z a 8-4-98 Station 17 serves Layfayette and is about 0.5 mile from the Moraga boundary. Its service area is overlapped about 4O% by station 15. About 25% of the service radius is outside district boundaries, and a maximum of 35% of Station 17's in-district service area is in the district and is not significantly overlapped. Station 17 has the lowest level of activity of all staffed stations. In 1997, 229 incidents were reported, including 19 fires. The District's five-year growth projections anticipate about 5,600 new units in Pittsburg and almost 7,9001 new units in Antioch. Given the overlap of service areas today, relocating existing stations should provide significant added service capacity as growth occurs. Outsourcing Opportunities Vehicle maintenance is one of the few fire department activities that is especially susceptible to outsourcing. The District's analysis to date has looked only at labor costs. The review did not take into account the full cost of fleet maintenance, including the lost opportunity on the land, equipment, insurance, injury losses and other fleet cost components. The City of San Clemente saves about $100,000 per year by contracting with Ryder/MZ:S for fleet management. The Grange County Fire Authority uses the same vendor for'a portion of its fleet maintenance program that is equivalent to about half of Contra Costa's meet. Contra Costa County: Fire Services aha Financing Page 33 D.2, a 8-4-98 VZ EMERGENCYMEDICAL SERVICES The District's EMS (paramedic)pilot program was examined to identify issues, opportunities and costs associated with continuing, or eliminating the emergency medical services program. The analysis focused on: • a review of strategies and plans that have been implemented so far; • analyses of program expenditures and projections to date including one-time training and start-up costs, and on-going operating costs; Y • review of current EMS ambulance contracts, service standards and deployment practices; and • identification of trends in other counties with EMS administrators and fire chiefs. The District entered into an engine company based paramedic delivery program in 1997. Eight identified companies are in the process of being strategically placed within the system. The District has trained personnel mostly through the use of overtime in the paramedic function. The EMS program is funded almost exclusively through the District's operations budget. Four units have been deployed so far. The remaining four are scheduled to be deployed this summer, or in the early fall. Due to fiscal concerns, the Beard of Supervisors has suspended any plans to expand the EMS program beyond the currently designated eight units. Our analysis of the current EMS system revealed the following: 1. 'while there are certain service delivery weaknesses that are confined mostly to specific areas,a private paramedic system is already in place in most of the District's service area. I In Contra Costa County the current program of deploying fire company based paramedics is without a funding plan, is not sustainable in the long run, and contributes significantly to the District's current negative fiscal condition. Taxpayers are farther subsidizing a service that already has a subsidy through the allocation of Measure H funds to private ambulances. 3. Other counties are learning that through EMS system redesign, there is potential to significantly improve service to the public while funding public participation in the service with mostly new revenue. This occurs effectively integrating the Fire District's Contra Gosh County: Fire Services&Financing Page 34 D.2 a 8-4-98 prior paramedic program with the private emergency medical care service that already exists, 4. Without proper funding and system redesign to avoid duplication of services, the District is risking resources that it does not have by proceeding to install a fire department based paramedic service. 5. If the District continues on its present course, the implications of a retaining a small District paramedic program are: unit costs for program administration are increased; paramedics would be limited in their overall usefulness; there will be competition with private ambulance paramedics due to public/private redundancies, operational challenges in the area of fire staff scheduling will increase significantly; and there is not a sufficient source of revenue to fund the public system. 6. The Board of Supervisors has substantial authority to exercise leadership to achieve the changes that are needed to stay in the paramedic business. Considering the above, we recommend that the Board of Supervisors take immediate further actions as follows: 1. Defer deployment of the second four paramedic units until a comprehensive re- evaluation of programmatic options and funding options has resulted in a long range BMS flan for the County. 2. Consider suspending operation of the initial four units until a decision is made to "stay in", or"get out"of the business. 3. Request the District and the County Health/EMS Officer to present a further briefing on emergency medical care service delivery options that are discussed in this report. Any other options and issues these officials consider essential should also be included in the briefing. 4. Direct the County Health Officer, working with the Fire District and private ambulance providers, to present a comprehensive proposal and plan for integrating fire district paramedics with the private medical emergency care system in a way that eliminates present system redundancies and provides adequate fundingfor the District's participation in the service. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 35 U.2 a 8-4-98 5. After considering more fully the feasibility of various service delivery models that are available to the County, make one of the following policy choices: • Expand the current emergency medical care service delivery program to the Fire District's entire service area as part of a total public/private system redesign that provides adequate revenue to fund the County's capital and operating costs (after discussing service issues and preferences with the cities and fire departments in the west county). • Stop providing advanced life support with County forces while retaining the needed services through private operators. An.integrated Emergency Medical Service System Numerous other counties are finding that a fire company offers the promise of providing a significant benefit to the emergency medical care delivery system, when the public paramedic is deployed as part of an overall public/private system design. Providing engine company based paramedics allows the ambulance transport system (normally a private service provider) more flexibility in staffing levels, response times, and availability for other uses. For example, the current response time standard of providing an advanced life support (AIDS) from a private ambulance within 10 minutes 95% of the time, could be increased to 12 to 15 minutes, thus potentially reducing the number of ambulances required to be available in the system. The full scope of any reductions in the number of ambulance is dependent on geography, travel capacity, and loading factors. Fire departments that have closely studied the integration of public/private EMS services also report ether direct benefits to private ambulance providers. According to departments in Orange, San .Diego, Alameda, and San Mateo counties, they believe that transport ambulances can then be further utilized to provide inter facility transports, thereby, reducing the financial burden on the emergency transport systems. Additionally, departments in these counties believe that by altering the private ambulance staffing to one paramedic and one emergency medical technician(EMT), instead of two paramedics, the cost to the transport system can be reduced. It should be emphasized that new systems are not fully installed in the counties listed above. Accordingly, actual performance, especially revenue performance is difficult to validates Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Wage 36 D.2 a 8-4-98 However, these are examples of fire departments that have extensively studied this service in recent years, and they are moving forward with varying models that integrate public and private paramedic systems. We discussed the current EMS pilot program with Mr. Art Lathrop of the County Health Services Department. The Health Department is aware of potential public/private benefits and structured the last private ambulance contract renewal to include the option of shared revenue with the ambulance provider. Specifically, during the last contract negotiations with American Medical Response (AMR- the current private ambulance and paramedic service provider), ATMR - offered to reduce it share of the measure H subsidy by approximately $1.0 million if certain service responsibilities now assigned to AMR were re-assigned to others. This part of an EMS system redesign would allow AMR to reduce its operating cost. A share of the Measure H fiends (estimated at between $600,000 and $650,000 annually) would then be to fund fire department EMS services. If the current program is to be expanded it should be done in the context of a recall system re-design. The Department should work with the County EMS Agency to insure that the ambulance contract is re-negotiated to support the proposed changes and the revenue that is needed. Increasing the number of paramedics in the fire department is an essential element of the program. The current program of training in house firefighters is cost prohibitive, and should be discontinued. The department should hire paramedics as part of their normal recruitment process, thereby substantially lowering training costs - much of which is occurring on overtime at present. EMS Revenue Options There appears to be only two viable sources of revenue available to fund the EMS program. In some jurisdictions the private ambulance provider has partnered with the local agency to fund start up costs for the fire department(e.g. Rural Metro & San. Diego). This would have to be included as part of a contract re-negotiation with either the current or a new ambulance provider. Contra Costs County: Fire Services&Financing Page 37 D.2 a 8-4-98 The second source of revenue would be a voter approved assessment similar to proposition "H" which currently provides some revenue to the system. In Alameda County, following approval of Proposition 218, cities and the County jointly went to the voters with ballot measures to secure existing assessments (i.e. Measure H type) and provide additional funding for fire department paramedic programs. They received overwhelming approval, as an example the City of Oakland asked voters on rine ballot to approve $21.14 County-wide, $9.90 for EMS supplemental services; and $7.00 for paramedic. All three passed with over 80% approval. Contra Costa County; Fire Services&Financing Page 38 D.2 a 8-4-98 VII. FINANCING OF SER VICES Three types of fiscal challenges confront the Fire District as follows: m Revenue growth from property taxes within the district has not kept pace with costs causing near depletion of reserve funds. This condition is being temporarily abated through a series of cost reduction measures. • The pilot paramedic program has been started without adequate revenue to either start the program., or complete it. • There is no systematic financial plan for replenishing district assets, especially high priced fire apparatus. Approximately 22 % of the fleet is severely over-due for replacement. General Background fie: Fire District Financing Fire departments generally are experiencing two significant trends that are operating at cross purposes. Traditional revenue sources for fire protection are declining. Yet, the very nature of the service itself is changing at a fairly rapid pace. Revamping and reinvesting in fire and other emergency incident response systems without revenue is a challenging task. Consequently, alternative service delivery systems including private services,joint public/private partnerships, and new service standards and operating practices are emerging. Fire protection today must function in a competitive environment. California.counties=not required by law to provide fire protection. Special districts and cities provide this essential service. Accordingly, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District not the County government, is the jurisdiction, with the Board of Supervisors as the governing body, that is responsible for resolving these fiscal dilemmas. The District has essentially only one significant source of funding - the property tax.. This resource cannot be enhanced without voter approval, except through assessed value growth. Friar to the passage of Proposition 218 in 1996, numerous fire districts had adopted special assessments to support fire protection. Today, under Prop 218, such assessments are treated as special taxes and require a 2/3 vote to be established or increased. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 39 D.2 a 8-4-98 In 1994, California's voters approved Proposition 172 setting aside special revenues for public safety. Considerable controversy has since occurred within local government circles over distribution of the funds. Essentially all Prop 172 funds are directed into the justice system. Fire fighters in particular argue that the current allocation is one-sided and was never intended. Yet, there does not appear to be any significant statewide precedent for allocating Prop 17.2 funds to fire protection. In fact, many legislators will note that fire districts were specifically spared from many of the drastic revenue shifts that occurred during the early 1990's. If Prop 172 resources are to be redistributed or enhanced for fire protection, it is likely that this change must come about through new state legislation. The conditions described above and our evaluation of the Fire District's fiscal condition indicate the following conclusions: 1. Costs must be more tightly managed than in the past. To do this means closely monitoring the department's payroll cost for this is where over 85% of all costs are incurred. 2. District assets should be closely examined, and consolidated to the extent practical. Assets no longer needed should be converted, including any excessland and buildings. Consolidation of resources, especially for administrative and support functions that can be outsourced should be aggressively pursued. 3. A supplemental financing program built around the department's five year projection of district growth should be made. At a minimum, this should include: • a comprehensive updating of all fees and charges at least once every two years; • consideration and adoption of a vehicle leasing program; • coordination with local governments to install a stronger system of development fees to support system expansion- especially for one-time casts. 4. If the district is to pursue continued installation of a paramedic program, this should be done in tandem with a new EMS revenue stream. Options to generate added EMS revenue are outlined in the preceding section. Contra Costa County: Fire Services&Financing Page 40 D.2 a 8-4-98 APPENDIX A-1 W i U a. i z ,- 0 0, 9 i tu' w U SM: i 0 w M U ;- tdp L w C3 � 3 , z i 0 i � 0 U U z0 z Z w t'3 cry d timet 0 mul ca i z a -j J U. z U � 1 mow , ; sn sv ry v LO r- D.2 a 8-4-48 APPENDIX A-a 1997 Incident Type by Station Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fires j Station :!Struc- Veget Other Sub-_ !FMS/ Hazard- Pub- Mis- False Total Calls aures a-tion total lltescue ous lic taken Alam. Inci- per Condi- Ser- Alarm dents Day tion vice 1 2 1 - - 5 0.01 191 - - - i 3 4 - 1 - 8 0.02 21 5 1 4 10! 74 5 13 16 7 125 0.34 17: 6 4 9 191 121 16 44 20 9 229 0.63 161 8 3 10 211 104 23 32 32 39 251 0.69 r 94 43 27 42 1121 69 32 19 21 10 263 0.72 4, 5 9 18 321 174 48 50 57 24 385 1.05 881 16 21 44 811 242 8 31 141 26 529 1.45 131 6 7 31 441 303 32 52 78 44 553 1.52 71 10 8 28 461 305 29 61 67 54 562 1.54 111 12 20 44 761 384 14 60 67 23 624 1.71 15' 12 5 33 504 336 78 64 109 28 665 1.82 14 7 10 41 581 441 18 86 62 27 692 1.90 12 13 19 61 931 373 27 101 112 38 744 .2.04 931 22 31 80 1331 534 54 87 71 14 893 2.45 101 IS 10 45 701 575 35 86 95 46 907 2.48 21 17 6 54 77; 548 44 107 161 69 1,006 2.76 691 36 37 75 1481 421 25 85 255 76 1,010 2.77 841 22 46 102 1701 680 19 108 213 10 1,200 3.29 82 23 35 89 1471 681 17 122 206 37 1,210 3.32 3; 10 1 8 191 846 24 45 397 27 1,358 3.72 83' 33 37 105 1751 783 25 85 282 33 1,383 3.79 81 23 21 59 1031 984 39 109 145 45 1,425 3.90 91 14 -19 65 981' 829 109 127 213 89 1,465 4.01 811 30 47 113 190 915 43 111 236 66 1,561 4.28 51 27 20 68 1151 1,041 57 137 153 73 1,576 4.32 86 32 fit 173 2671 1,190 54 108 215 86 1,920 5.26 1 16 12 84 1121 1,136 99 187 349 151 2,034 5.57 85 58 53 156 2671 1,385 42 156 318 48 2,216 6.07 701 105 46 168 3191 1,636 71 235 737 172 3,170 8.68 6i 60 47 166 273; 2,012 132 335 560 193 3,505 9.60 Totall 687 664 1975 3 3261 13 126 1,225 _2,844 5,391_ 1,564 33,476 91.72 Median! 15.50 19 49.50 871487.50 30.50 85.50 126.50 37.50 900 Per Day 0.04 0.05 0.14 0.24; 1.34 0.08 0.23 0.35 0.10 2.47 Per Wk 0.30 0.37 0.95 1.671 9.38 0.59 1.64 2.43 0.72 17.31 Average! 21.47 20.75 61.72 103.94 597.69 38.28 88.88 168.47 48.88 1,046.13 Per Day; 0.06 0.46 0.17 0.28 1.64 0.10 0.24 0.46 0.13 2.87 Per W 0.41 4.44 1.19 2.001 11.49 0.74 1.71 3.24 0.94 20.12 D.2 a 8-4-98 cd +r mC}w C�C3w .q ILI to O r vi N tl�213 '� Mr M p r i G5{h O CV IF ye� b d7 w 9 C7Cof kh fU et' ti?. CV t+l t8 f�S C7 6 © - tom � adC �C50 10"A wa CC)CVM 004M'.0 E E7 r C7 4S ttj'dam) w . CQ C4 Q k r y-TOM M �45 ci t� a .Y P 4Z } ram W3 u us ev.t u! M M w ut � �, sczrCQr w Z �7 c�c3 e3 ti 'ta; as M M U. mod z tt7 O�C1 o a �` 0 r r IE r ffi IR r I "Mo 0 $M r r to a.t D.2 a 8-4-98 APPENDIX C-1 Centra Casts County Benchmark Outline/Fire EMS Services Summary Apprvd gen Budget for #of #of Safety salary€ncr 97-98 fire svc stations Personnel beyond 98 Formula based ALAMEDA CO. on Fall survey & FIRE DEPT $30M (est) 16 241 CPl Predicated on AMERICAN prop tax F- RIVER FPD $25,834,554 18 258 adjustments ORANGE CO. FIRE DEPT. $101,643,852 61 728 3% U3 Contract expires 6/30/98. No .o VENTURA CO. Increase z FIRE DEPT. $50,544,700 33 356 expected. :3 eased on CP1 0 SAN RAMON Estlmafe 3% VALLEY FPD $21,403,273 8 144 7/1/98 1/2199:2.5% SAN 7/3/99:2% BERNARDINO 1/1/00.2% CO. FIRE DEPT. N/R 67 7/2100: F-step HAYWARD $14,873,993 7 130 3% SACRAMENTO $50,3100,000 22 480 2.5% SAN JOSE $77,000,000 30 683 4% w 1999 =3% plus w additional adjustments by SAN MATEO $8,215,075 6 80 rank CONTRA COSTA $46,841,110 30 314 D.2 a 8-4-98 APPENDIX a D- 3 i h,1 PI E x� i i 3 ! $ � I ug v xT I a i i E i �g11 yy S l g'e J•.��•x �.€�� � Y 14 n OR, .� 3 RiP� � �t gig 4 w x � � � ��� x�l� Cn1s; i a �{ x ads gas'. 9 15 121 V aYvk ski sit s � tit E! x fit Alifr $x VMS$ I 9 24 rt s gill D.2 a 8-4-98 : APPENDIX D. s � � s 9 5 al S s i r f a arswJi'w ii pi ikw j w a .4aw; t �I A w w 6 m x° S � f eta' .,.- Moe.. w SIB � w D.2 a 8-4-98 APPENDa E-1 BENCHMARK AGENCY ABBREVIATIONS Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Study ARFP - American River Fire Protection District San Jose- The City of San Jose Fire Department Sacto - The City of Sacramento Fire Department Hayward - The City of Hayward Fire Department OCFA v Orange County Fire Authority San Bern - San Bernardino County Fire Department Alameda - Alameda County Fire Department Ventura- `'Ventura County Fire Department San Mat- The City of San Mateo Fire Department San Ram - San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District ConFire - Contra Costa County Fire Protection District D.2 a 8-4-98 APPENDIX E-Z M — 6%ars H? N OS EE 61%� zgI d cyst :' ' � en t» in us r °to r. o cp e 44 rz o � A- r- w ca c�c 11:1:1x° 00 m 1 � z C% 00 °` o ve," n 14 NO Ln in to N0 en in ZZ 10 CD +�► `� .�- rma ,� it tti�ss � 4 e 7, to t Asda wto tC+ a wv�s karrr" tm 'r 2Ati LL- CCQO 00 as00 ca 410.40* art aw W ams » + . it 40 co r � ro-, a � %�. CL L cis ,� �' �.. 4-- w - o c ns � cam . Via, 70 16 49 MPE M a- C+l M •a}' z D.2 a 8-4-98 OPENDYX E C14 m 60 60a a3 1 vim,, — 10 Hca rr ' M � M 6% w '+ten °bra a9 +a C6 grj i9 69 °,,,; era ba e.s a '> , C) � 0 n � � srr 0 N to .e t N es spa w ds is r 19 Er- Yco ° QS O CY '� CSS �t Yom•. +�`r .� to h y, • Q] 69 �y to C: CL _ to c _ d `t3 '8 f3 coo u� CJ VS �t3 E t: "" ea C U-) cc m f3 � g� t�gt 3.3.. eD h 'd� 'cl tei co t�`�„t�. coCr. U v � tCj f4 tR GS � t9 •'9 � tff M.h .,� � m i 40 yy Cr� am'' sl_ ., Zor f$ C N too W eA x G t.. co CF 0 a = t�- `a . era en ry .-- i3 a. is :pg C1 WZ � CoCL 2 87S m cc s* s�. F3eu `ate RC1 xca � Ate. Wi =cvca 13,2 .q 8-4-98 APPENDIX I r o � 00"SI - m crz oi ( t� e+r ,. � �res as � b$ 6% w �a Ch rto CO ` c q z y w CO a� % CONO 61. S4 m � a�ict - 0 0) toy C11 t., cv M r aRr ba OF rs ri vs a ca rt .s 40-k y 44co �l CL tE Q CV iXS r^ 6p tdS C b d '�{ 0 L 03 P Cif v- GS Q 4'S r+y 7w.�.' ift dS M � � Vb M N g �N y,_r w ..� CC Z $ a VS C3 ce) d wig. ++ . � �}• "� r�+� ��i .�. se�y CPS ffioi t� 0- LL J., {j R N !� '� 4& tow US a= ad rit +o H IN i4 fA +4 Ub aq W (x, r b G � i. G7 Ggga,,, 47 co � ;e.-. 1�-- N� +CYr �" b tom`. `ri+ � t r CSS W ti3 �S .� � dA cc L r Aes. G .S D.2 a 8-4t-98 APPENDIX E_E Ca'at' L7Y N t•.. ° t+ ate-- " 0064 to a tiVV i`° 5 co co CD t V co 4U t"4 VI 6,v �' f'r'( '� ►9 COa r. r CO H It0) +; tlitt7 i0 C-4 CS h to hti a CO It V to zto ¢ i� c+t��9 csg a tV �n o, +cern sin vx c C CSV M tt � 64 � ty e cv r r� ry t�w1 a •c --? LL 0 3 � ifl Ccsd ti) D 'may co 4! M N � t- 6!r zy ert �.yxi M' tr` .r 809, E$ 0 C rn m 05i,to �>Y 00 CC37 ci`91 N$ 4`t S3 Mv7! C!5 U- M b9 � o Mt mm C5 >, .On 10 41 3- t is E t-. cy 8 r- ty ro ar ro � � � � 9 8 � to D.2 a 8-4-98 APPENDIX P-I tfi 00 wCS K'S E CQ ay 4j is iJ tLS 4 t75 ca sy a C5 t57 t� fK3 tom., 'Q• 6$iP! b � � ��y, W V! � K AS EE e E d in J. Y b G3 ;«•y dry "w s C V4 �Sj c LL to to cq �i ��v� � ars mrs +v � � ,, w► to — rL.. Itz v� yrs W` � est v► ��x` a� w +�i 64ASie ^t3 4m LL wrr ` .a .0 °L w c ID � 79c CT Fn t N D.2 a 8-4-98 APPENDIX F-2 co � a g 95 cq r C u as as y S; cc IRS cc ZL zn Y r. cls srs us rm y E it CL rs► *+a H Ca E su tL m V LL CL E 9 0 < 15wrcvr rsn 9 � fl 0.I m6 _ m C B 10to C3 C d` C A-PPE 8-4-98 LV (D w e,. tJ 1'- 0 f- N W C'q o " ft ak _ fa 40% 6% a, r— res r r 69, Cc - , ... CO r i";5 C`I evb 4m 6% LV ry Fri 00 N CES fi�e V• �"3�k P% yam} co in gn ry 6 69' 640. 619. cato C K E t 4� r 3�- p� � 6 Otl �" £u CL CCS ' 6d¢ �p r+t eq £L � 6440 -a co 0 CIO to N �+ ..r � za+s M •F�... � w 5t cu cu C) av - o, EL ESL a: 6 de irs LL C14 co co w 00 sem, Cervi t-! 00 ,, y •C en s as co �. �c do w CJ b tea „ L. c 0 r co A-PP - . 0 0 ' cis r` to r, c", 0 W. N �� +waft 0 to w OT u61, w to E car. � r°c'. � cli e 61* � &9 ty c tib '„p coIt co m Q�m 44 � 5 h. (13 Mei . to CO $i} LS"t aj Ch 4l �wy Ok CCS w9 yq t4 4rO Me 61j, -� b9 ±' CL 0 co co co Q ag a %E itrIftIto U. to in eta s> 4 �` a w► LL 14 A cc 03 at 04 44 00 4) _ C3S tYs w 4& cid N c rv� C rNtt+f ht tv tld ,C c 0d > � N C11 x c.3 ' w CL eo as lu to i ce' c a C NO s t t + tII tt! A-P NM F,-1 8-4-98 Fire Protection Compensation Contra Costa County Fire protection (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer Duty Hours Duty Hours without Leave Average duty hours per week id 56 Compensation Detail-Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain Engineer Firefighter Monthly Base Salary $7,655 $6,059 $5,374 $4,877 Holiday Pay $0 $487 $432 $392 FLSA Overtime $0 $168 $149 $136 p�p� $,} Total Cash $7,655 $6,794 $5,955 $5,404 Seneflrs Retirement @ 18.36% $1,405 $1,233 $1,093 $992 Insurance -Medicare* rx 1.45% $0 $98 $87 $79 -Health $387 $387 $387 $387 -Life $1 $1 $1 $1 -Dental $45.40 $45.40 $45,40 $45.40 -Vision a Long Term Care Uniform Allowance $50 $50 $50 $50 Other Total Benefits $1,889 $1,814 $1,684 $1,555 Total Compensation $9,544 $8,529 $7,619 $6,959 * District paid$0 for safety officers hired before April 1, 19€36 Incentive Pay Avallable(yes or no) cram is Pay 1 $606 $537 $488 Bilingual Pay EMT Hazardous Materials Educational Incentive up to 7.5%d $574 Training Longevity aQ 2.5% $191 Other -Deferred Compensation Incentive $50 -Recall/Standby @ 5% $383 D.2 $ APPENOMb-2 Fire Protection Compensation American River Fire Protection (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer tufy Hours Duty Hours without Leave Avera e duty hours per week 56 Compensation Detail-Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain En Inger Firefighter Monthly Base Salary $6,097 $4,645 $4,145 $3,720 Holiday Pay $352 $191 $171 $153 FLSA Overtime $88 $115 $102 $92 Total Cash $6,537 $4,959 $4,418 $3,9615 Benefits Retirement @ 25.00% $1,634 $1,238 $1,105 $991 Insurance Medicare @ 1.45% $88 $67 $60 $54 -Health $387 $387 $387 $387 -Life -Dental $71.63 $71.63 $71.63 $71.63 Vision $11.50 $11.50 $11.50 $11.50 -Lang Terra Care Uniform Allowance $50 $50 $50 $50 Other Total Benet<ts $2,243 $9,825 $1,685 $1,565 Total Ccmpensatlon --$8,779, $6,777 $6,103 $5,531, Incentive Pay Available(yes or no) Paramedic Pay $0 $375 $.375 $375 Bilingual Pay EMT (cannot receive medic&EMT) $0 $125 $125 $125 Hazardous Materials Educ. Incent(BCs rive) 1.5%: @ 5.5% $91 $255 $228 $205 Training Longevity Other APPENN G-.3 8-4-98 Fire Protection Compensation San Jose Fire Department (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer Duty Hours Dutv hours without Leave Average du: hours 2er week - 56 Compensation detail-Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain Engineer vire 3�ter Monthly Base Salary $7,488 $5,982 $5,185 $4,663 Holiday Pay $421 $336 $292 $262 ELSA Overtime $0 $148 $128 $115 Total Cash $7,909 $6,466 $5,605 $5,040 Benefits Retirement @ 21.00% $1,661 $1,358 $1,177 $1,058 Insurance -Medicare @ 1.45% $109 $87 $75 $68 -Health $225 $225 $225 $225 Life $1 $1 $1 $1 -mental -Vision Long Terra Care Uniform, Allowance $41 $41 $41 $41 Other Total Benefits $2,1737 $1,712 $1,519 $1,393 Total Compensation $9,946 $6,177 $7,124 $6,433 Incentive Pay Avallable(yes or no) arameMc Pay 1.50% $0 $688 $596 $536 Bilingual Pay $46 $46 $46 $46 EMT @ 3.00% $226 $179 $156 $140 Hazardous Materials @ 5.00% $374 $299 $259 $233 Educational incentive Training Longevity Other -Administrative Pay for BCs $78 $0 $0 $0 D.2 a APPENDIX G-4$ Fire Protection Compensation Sacramento Fire department (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer Duty Hours DutZ Hours without Leave Avera e du hogs er week 56 Compensation Detail-Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain___ Engineer Firefi titer Monthly Base Salary $8,392 $5,559 $4,947 $4,445 Holiday Pay $280 $243 $216 $194 r LSA Overtime $0 $149 $133 $119 Total Cash $6,672 $5,951 $5,296 $4,758 Benefits Retirement c@ 26.50% $1,768 $1,577 $1,403 $1,261 Insurance -Medicare @ 1.45% $93 $81 $72 $64 -Health $158 $158 $158 $158 -Life $28 $28 $28 $28 -®entai $158.33 $158.33 $158.33 $158.33 -Vision - Lang Term Care Uniform Allowance $21 $21 $21 $21 Cather Total Benefits $2,226 $2,023 $1,840 $1,691 Total Compensation $8,898 $7,974 $7,136 $6,449 Incentive Pay Available(yes or no) Paramedic Pay9. 0 . $0 $278 $247 $222 Bilingual Pay PMT (�,`1¢ 7.50% $479 $417 $371 $333 Hazardous Materials @ 1.00% $64 $56 $49 $44 Educational Incentive up to 20.00% $9,278 $1,112 $989 $889 Training Longevity Other APPENUX -5 8-4-98 Fire Protection Compensation Heyward Fire Department (Totals may not add dire to rounding) Suppression Officer Duty flours Duty Hours without Leave Average duty hours per week 56 Compensation detail-Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain Engineer Firefighter Monthly Base Salary $6,349 $6,004 $5,302 $5,004 Holiday Pay $280 $346 $306 $289 FLSA Overtime $0 $148 $131 $124 Total Casty $6,629 $6,498 $5,739 $5,417 Benefits Retirement @ 26.13% $1,732 $1,695 $1,499 $1,415 Insurance Medicare @ 1.45% $92 $87 $77 $73 Health $205 $205 $205 $205 Life Cental $83.17 $83.17 $83.17 $83.17 ®Vision $22 $22 $22 $22 Lang Term Care Uniform Allowance $30 $30 $30 $30 Other Total Benefits $2,964 $2,925 $9,917 $1,828 Total Compensation $8,793, $8,624, $7,656, $7,245 Incentive Pay Avallable(yes or no) arame Mc Pay Bilingual Pay BMT @ 2.00% $127 $120 $106 $100 Hazardous Materials Educational Incentive @ 7.50% $476 $450 $398 $375 Training Longevity Other 3 D.2 a 8-4-98 Fire Protection Compensation APPENDIX G-6 Orange County Fire Authority (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer fluty!-lours Duty Hours without Leave Avera e duty hours 2er week 56 Compensation Detail F Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain- lvn irieer Firefighter Monthly Base Salary $6,531 $5,228 $4,581 $4,025 Holiday Pay $289 $221 $194 $170 FLSA Overtime $0 $140 $,23 $108 Total Cash $7,120 $5,589 $4,898 $4,303 Benefits Retirement @a 34.36% $2,446 $1,920 $1,683 $1,478 Insurance -Medicare @ 9.45% $99 $76 $66 $58 Health ($300 inc. as Cafeteria Pian) $300 $300 $300 $300 -Life (included in plan) -Dental ($302 inc. as Cafeteria Flan) $302 $302 $302 $302 -Vision (included In plan) -Lang Terra Care (included In plan) Uniform Allowance $0 $0 $0 $0 Other Total Benefits $3,147 $2,598 $2,351 $2,139 Total Compensation $103,267 $8,1871 $7,249 $6,442 Incentive Pay Avallable(yes or no) €cram is ay - - $430 $430 $430 $430 Bilingual Pay $35 $35 $35 $35 EMT Hazardous Materials $215 $215 $215 $215 Educational incentive $900 $100 $100 Training Longevity Other -ARFF Pay $215 $215 $215 $215 APPENDIX G- 8-4-98 Fire Protection Compensation San Bernardino Consolidate Fire District (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer Hours Worked Work Hours without Leave Average hours 56 Compensation Detail-Monthly Cash Capt 11 Captain l En ineerFiref[ titer Monthly Save Salary $5,191 $4,720 $4,084 $4,652 Holiday Pay $276 $251 $217 $248 Planned Overtime FLA a $128 $117 $101 $115 Total Cash $5,596 $5,088 $4,402 $5,015 Benefits Retirement c@ 29.09% $9,628 $1,480 $1,281 $1,459 Insurance -Medicare @ 1.45% $75 $68 $59 $67 -Health (Cafeteria Plan) $450 $450 $450 $450 Life (included In Cafeteria Man) -Dental (included in Cafeteria Plan) -Vision Long Term Disability Uniform Allowance Other Retiree Medical Contributions Total Benefits $2,153 $1,999 $1,790 $1,976 Total Compensation 1 $7,749 $7,0861 $5,192 $6,9911 Incentive Pay Avallable(yes or no) arame is Pay $323 $823 $323 Bilingual Pay EMT Hazardous Materials Educational incentive Training Longevity Other Deferred Compensation Incentive ®Professional Development Emergency Recall &Standby Standby. minimum wage under FLSA Staff Capt. D.2 a APPS S-8 Fire Protection Compensation Alameda County Fire Department (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer Hours Worked Work Hours without Leave Avera e hours 56 Compensation Detail-Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain En ineer Firefighter Monthly Base Salary* $7,594 $6,058 $5,360 $4,987 Holiday Pay $427 $340 $301 $280 Planned Overtime FLSA a $0 $950 $133 $123 Total Cash $8,021 $6,548 $5,794 $5,390 Benefits Retirement r@ 23.47% $1,882 $1,537 $1,360 $1,265 Insurance -Medicare @ 1.45% $110 $88 $78 $72 -Health (maximum payment) $409 $409 $409 $409 - Life $5/employee for$1 OK -Dental $105 $105 $905 $105 -Vision $6.25 $6.25 $6.25 $6.25 Long Term Disability $12 $12 $12 $12 Uniform Allowance $46 $46 $46 Other Retiree Medical Contributions $0 $16 $16 $16 Total Benefits $2,525 $2,203 $2,016 $'1,916 Total Compensation $14,545 $8,751 $7,849 $7,346 * Includes EMT incentive pay Incentive Pay Avallable(yes or no) Paramedic Pay .11% $612 $542 $504 Bilingual Pay EMT Hazardous Materials @ 5.40% $327 $289 $269 Educational incentive $30 $30 $30 $30 Training Longevity Other - Deferred Compensation Incentive -Professional Development - Emergency Recall &Standby APPS 8 � Fire Protection Compensation Ventura County Fire Department (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression officer Hours Worked Work flours without Leave Average hours 56 Compensation Detail Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain lin ineer Firefighter Monthly Base Salary $6,643 $4,960 $4,274 $3,684 Holiday fray $373 $279 $240 $207 Planned Overtime FI-SA a $0 $123 $106 $91 Total Cash $7,316 $5,361 $4,620 $3,982 Benefits Retirement @ 9.74% $683 $522 $450 $388 Employer Fick-Up Insurance -Medicare @ 1.45% $96 $72 $62 $53 - Health (Cafeteria Pian) $198 $163 $163 $163 - rife ($513,000 policy) Dental (included in Cafeteria Plan) -Vision Long Terra Disability Uniform Allowance $67 $56 $56 $56 Other Retiree Medical Contributions Total Benefits $1,044 $813 $731 $661 Total Compensation $8,061_1___._ $6,1751 $4,643_1 Incentive Pay Avallablel yes or no) Bilingual Pay $90 $90 $90 BMT c@ 4.00% $266 $198 $179 $147 Hazardous Materials @ 5.40% $268 $231 $199 Educational Incentive t@ 5.00% $332 $293 $252 $297 Training Longevity Other -Deferred Compensation Incentive -Professional Development -Emergency Recall&Standby Staff Pay $224 $224 $224 Supv.Premium $1 APPS - G-1+ Fire Protection Compensation Sen Mateo County Firefighters (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer Hours Worked `,Nork Hours without Leave Average hours 56 Number of employees Compensation detail-Monthly Firefighter- Engineer Cash Batt Chief Captain combined Monthly Base Salary $6,622 $5,089 $3,497 Holiday Pay $164 $126 $86 Planned Overtime FLEA a $164 $126 $86 Total Cash $6,949 $5,341 $3,670 Benefits Retirement(Annual) @ 23.61% $1,641 $1,261 $866 Insurance -Medicare @ 1.45% $96 $74 $51 - Health (maximum payment) $95.56 $95.56 $95.56 -Life $30K life& $30K AD&D $7.50 $7.50 $7.50 - Dental -Vision Flexible Benefit $419.86 $419.66 $499.86 Lang Term Disability Uniform Allowance 50 $50 $50 Cather Retiree Medical Contrlbutlons Total Benefits $2,390 $1,908 $9,450 notal Compensation $9,259 $7,248 $5,160 Incentive pay Available Paramedic Pay 8. o $294 Bilingual Pay $180 $180 $180 EMT $127 $87 Hazardous Materials Educational Incentive $200 $200 $200 Training Longevity Other -deferred Compensation Incentive Employer contribution of 24 hrs annual sick leave -Professional Development -Emergency Recall&Standby Staff Capt. APPEND Q-1 1 8-4-98 Fire Protection Compensation San Ramon Fire Protection District (Totals may not add due to rounding) Suppression Officer Hours Worked Work Tours without Leave Average hours 2er week 56 Compensation detail-Monthly Cash Batt Chief Captain___ Engineer Flrefi titer Monthly Base Salary $7,707 $5,772 $5,468 °$4,849 Holiday Pay $462 $346 $304 $279 Planned Overtime (FLEA a $191 $943 $925 $115 Total Cash $8,360 $6,269 $5,497 $5,043 Benefits Retirement @ 22.69% $1,897 $1,421 $1,247 $1,144 Employer Pick-Up Insurance - Medicare @ 1,45% $112 $84 $73 $67 - Health (maximum payment) $705 $705 $705 $745 - Life $7 $7 $7 $7 - Cental $124 $124 $124 $124 -Vision $28 $28 $28 ' $28 Lang Term Disability Uniform Allowance Other Retiree Medical Contributions EAP $5.80 $5.80 $5.801 $5.80 Total Benefits $2,879 $2,375 $2,191 $2,082 Total Compensation 1 $99,239 $8,536 $7,688 $7,925 incenfive Pay Avallable(yes or no) arame Ic Pay 11717. $634 Bilingual Pay EMT @ 5.00% $385 Hazardous Materials Educational Incentive Training Longevity Other APPLNL) got Contra Costa County 8-4-98 Benchmark Outline/Fire &:EMS Services May 8, 1998 Benchmark Participants Counties/Districts: Alameda County Fire Department American.River Fire Protection District Orange County Fire Department Ventura County Fire Department San Francisco County Fire Department San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District San Bernardino County Fire Department r Cities: Hayward Oakland Richmond Sacramento San Mateo San Jose Santa Clara Total Compensation Survey Data (See attached survey data outline) General Information e Classification specs for firefighter,engineer, captain, &battalion chief • Current Memorandum of Understanding • History of general salary increases for specified classes from 1994-98 • Approved general salary increases beyond 1998 • Vacation accrual rates • Sick leave accrual rates • Actual 1996-97 fire service expenditures budget • Budget for 1997-98 for fire service • Number of holidays ® Number of Stations/Fire Companies • Papulation • Scope of Fire Marshal/Fire Warden Responsibility 8-frEINDtA ti- D.2 a 8-4-98 Other Subiect Areas: Retirement 37 Act or PERS? 8 Any unfunded liability?If so,how is it paid? • Percentage of disability retirement for fire safety personnel W'orker's Compensation • Self fimded, insurance or other? • Percentage of total claims that are for fire service safety employees Human Resources and/or Operations • Are battalion chiefs exempt ftom FLEA?How are they compensated? • FLSA designated work periods for fire service safety employees • Policies and practices used to reduce overtime(move-up, sleep time, etc.) • Unusual or one-tune projects that have contributed to overtime • Who pays for paramedics in these specific areas: • tuition and costs • salary(i.e. on-duty training) • Is paramedic premium received while in training? • What are the training requirements for other safety classes?How are these requirements provided? • Describe recruitment procedures for firefighter candidates • Describe testing requirements for paramedics • Length of probationary period for each class • Do you use special trainee classes while new recruits are in academy training? • How are fire safety personnel compensated for holidays? • Ratio of,40 hour work week of fire safety employees vs. suppression(56 hour)shift employees • Typical 40 hour work week assignments for fire safety employees • Ratio of Safety/Non-Safety • Functions/Activities managed by fire department(e.g. dispatch, equipment,maintenance,etc.) • Hew are these functions staffed? (safety vs.non-safety personnel) D.2 a APPF H-: Fire Protection Compensation Contra Costa County Fire Protection Mork Hours Premium Pay-Annual Hours per week Bilingual Hours per year Paramedic Vacation Annual Hours-(Maximum) Longevity Sick Leave Annual Hours-Ni aximum) Educational:incentive EMT Cash-Annual Other(please sptciYy) Base Salary FLSA Overtime Non-I LSA Overtime Holiday Pay Vacation Pay Off Benefits-Annual Retirement(Employer&Pick-up) Insurance(Employee&Vick-up) -Medicare -Health -Life -Dental -Vision -bong Term Care Benefits for Retirees Tuition Reimbursement for paramedic Training Uniform Allowance Mileage Reimbursement Unernploymert m APPENDIX HJ42 a 8-4-98 Date «I`i.rstName>> «Company7> <(Address l» (<City>>, CA,.«Zip» Dear«LastName»: I am writing to ask for your participation in a compensation benchmarking project for the Contra.Costa County Fire Protection District. The Davis Company has been hired to assist the County in completing a comprehensive review of its compensation, operational, and financing practices. Attached is a compensation benchmarking outline, which also indicates the participants that the County has chosen to contact, total compensation information and general questions regarding retirement, worker's compensation and training requirements of safety officers. Our aim is to minimize any impacts on your staff and to not interrupt or delay any of your internal work priorities. We believe that most of the information can be obtained during one or two telephone interviews or a personal visit. We would like to conduct these interviews as follows: during the week of May 11, we would contact the appropriate staff person in your organization to review the data requests and verify the type of information needed, and — during the week of May 18, we would conduct the second interview to clarify any questions we may have of the data collected. If you can participate in this project, please review the information and send to us a copy of your current Memorandum of Understanding and classification specs for your top-step firefighter, engineer, captain, battalion chief, and paramedic classes. Either Amy Brown or Judy Davis of my staff will contact you to discuss your agency's participation. Please call me at (916) 567-9510 if you have any questions. Again, thank you for your consideration in participating in this valuable project. Michael Davis Principal