HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07242007 - SD.11 GE- L Contra
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Costa
FROM: JOHN CULLEN, County Administrator
DATE: JULY 24, 2007 Count
SrA'cou-
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT NO. 0707, ENTITLED
S D.
"1'IJE WEST COUNTY FIRE PRO"I'EC"PION MONTAGE REPORT 11
BY THE 2006-2007 CONTRA COSTA GRAND JURY"
SPECIFIC:REQUEST(S)Olt RECOMMENDATION(S)&BAC KGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE response to Grand Jury Report No. 0707, entitled "THE WEST COUNTY FIRE
PROTECTION MONTAGE REPORT BY THE 2006-2007 CONTRA COSTA GRAND JURY" and
DIRECT the Clerk of the Board to i:orward the response to the Superior Court no later 'than August 14,
2007.
BACKGROUND:
On May 18, 2007, the 2006/2007 Grand Jury tiled the above-referenced report, which was reviewed by the
Board of Supervisors and subsequently referred to the County Administrator, who prepared the attached
response that clearly specifies:
A. Whether a finding or recommendation is accepted or will be implemented;
B. If a recommendation is accepted, a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation
and by what definite target date;
C. A delineation of the constraints if a recommendation is accepted but cannot be i►nplemented
within a six-month period; and
D. The reason for not accepting or adopting a finding or recommendation.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: OUc�i
-----------------------------------------------------�----------------------------------------- - -------- -I---- ----- - -------------------
_yGRECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BO D COMMITTEE
.. f FPROV OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
-------------------- - - -^^,,---- ---- ti ---- -- -- --- -- --- --- ----- -------------------------------------
ACTION OF BO R ON—?) �� APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
AYES: NOES: SHOWN.
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: l�
ATTESTED:
CONTACT: SARA HOFFMAN(925)335-1090 JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
CC: PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE GRAND JURY .
GRAND JURY FOREMAN
ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Y EPUTY
CCCFPD FIRE CHIEF i
EMS DIRECTOR
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RESPONSE TO
GRAND JURY REPORT NO. 0707:
THE WEST COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION MONTAGE REPORT
BY THE 2006-2007 CONTRA COSTA GRAND JURY
FINDINGS
1. The fire-member elected County Board of Supervisors is the governing bode of the Contra Costa County
Fire Protection District. San Pablo and nearby unincorporated areas, including much of El Sobrante, are
within the jurisdiction of CCCFPD.
Response: Agree.
2. The nine-member elected Richmond Cite Council is the govertung body of rhe Richmond Fire
Department.
Response: Required from;the Riclimond City Council..
3. 'Fhe Kensington Fire Protection District is governed by a five-member elected board. By contract, the Fl
Cerrito Fire ire llepartment provides emergency sen-ices to the Kensington district as well as to the City of El
Cerrito; ha Cerrito is governed by a five-member Citi- Council. The five-member elected Pinole City
Council is the governing body of the Pinole Fire Department. 7'he five-member elected board of the
Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District is the governing body of the Rodeo-Hercules Fire Department.
'flic Crockett-Carquinez Fire District has a volunteer fire department.
Response: Required from the Kensington Fire Protection District Board of Directors, EI Cerrito
City Council, Pinole City Council, Rodeo-Hercules Fire Protection District Board of Directors
and Crockett-Carquinez Fire District Board of Directors.
4. By agreement with CCCFPD, the Pinole and El Cerrito hire Departments provide fire protection and
emergency medical response to their respective cities and to adjacent unincorporated areas.
Response: Agree.
5. All West County fire protection agencies, with the exception of Richmond frotii 2002 to 2006,
automatically respond to fire or medical emergency calls without regard for geographic or jurisdictional.
boundaries. By long-standing agreement among these agencies, the closest engines respond to calls. 'l.,lus
system is referred to as "automatic aid." Automatic aid is distinguished from "tnunial aid," which requires
the agency where the call originated to evaluate the situation, and then call for help from adjoining
departments, a process that takes additional time. Some of the West Count.), automatic aid agreements are
not in writing.
Response: Agree.
6. In all West County departments, an engine company is made up of a captain, an engineer, and a firefighter.
Response: Agree.
7. Excluding non-emergency calls, approximately 90% of calls to West County departments are for medical
emergencies rather than fires.
Response: Agree.
The West County Fire Protection Montage Report by the 2006-2007 Contra Costa Grand Jury .July 24,2007
County Response to Grand Jury Report No.0707 Page 2
8. One member of each Richmond fire engine. company is also an emergency medical technician ("EMT").
FNITs have completed a minimum of 120 hours of classroom anis clinical trauvng, and hold an L,N11"
license. The County's ambulance franchisee, American Medical Response, responds to Richmond calls
with its paramedics, but fire engines usually arrive first.
Response: Agree with regard to American Medical Response responding to Richmond calls.
Response for the remainder of the finding required from the Richmond City Council.
). Other than Richmond, all other. West County engine companies include a paramedic. unlike F_MTs,
paramedics have completed a minimum of 1,100 hours of classroom and clinical training, involving
supervised experience in an ambulance, and are trained in advanced life support protocols, including
cardiac, and drug administration.
Response: Agree.
10. The Count\. Emergency ,Medical Services agency ("E'AIS") provides a $30,000 annual subsidy for each
engine company with a paramedic. For the past two years, the FMS has been holding Richmond's
subsidy. These funds, which now total approximately $360,000, could be used by Richmond to help with
the start-up costs for providing paramedic services.
Response: Agree.
11. When other departments respond to calls in Richmond, they arrive with paramedics, but when Richmond
responds to calls in neighboring areas, they do so without paramedics.
Response: Agree.
12. T vpicall)y, the first response to a structure fire call includes three engines--two pumpers with hand tools
and medical supplies, a.truck with ladder and heavy tools, and a battalion chief. Because of thew- modest
size, all West County fire departments are dependent on each other for assistance with structure fires and
other large blazes.
Response: Agree.
13. Richmond personnel and equipment respond to fire and emergency calls ui (:CCFPD's jurisdiction twice
as often as CCCFPD responds into Richmond.
Response: Agree.
14. Richmond and CCCFPD respond to alarms differently. 1f the request for aid comes from a fire alarm
instead of from an individudl's call, CCCFPD sends only one engine company. This policy results from
the number of false alarms. All other West County departments, including R]chmond, 'send three engines
and a truck to all. structural fire calls or alarms.
Response: Partially agree. Richmond and El Cerrito Fire dispatches three engines and a truck to
Fre alarms. The other agencies dispatch a single engine to a residential fire alaim sounding and
two engines to a commercial structure Fre alarm.
The West County Fire Protection Montage Report by the 2006-2007 Contra Costa Grand Jury July 24,2007
County Response to Grand Jury Report No. 0707 Page 3
15. The CCCFPD, Pinole, and Rodeo-Hercules fire departments use a very high frequency ("VHF") radio
communications system. Richmond, Ll Cerrito, and Kensington use an 800-1negahertz system ("800
,�IHz"). All West County engines can communicate on either system; firefighters use the system on which
the call originated.
Response: Agree.
16. Each communication system, VHF . and 800 MHz, has its .respective technical advantages and
disadvantages, with neither being markedly superior to the other. Having more than one system is not
necessarily a shortcoming since redundancy could be vital if one system suffers an outage.
Response: Agree.
17. All engine companies un the Counq, and most throughout the state, can cominunnicate with each other
using the VHF system. Most mutual aid situations are handled using VHF.
Response: Agree.
18. lin East Bay taskforce has been studying"inter-operabiliti;;' i.e., police and fire communications in Contra
Costa and Alameda counties. Resulting recommendations and associated equipment upgrades will be
partially funded using federal I Iomeland Security funds. 1 draft joint Powers Agreement sh(--)uld be ready
to distribute to all agencies as early as April 2007. I.-VI inter.-operability is expected within five years.
Response: Agree.
1.9. The Richmond police and fie communications staff dispatches Richmond, Ll Cerrito and Kensington fire
personnel. Richmond also' dispatches many lav ennforcement agencies operating in West County.
CCCFPD dispatches fire companies only, including Pinole, Rodeo-Hercules, and Crockett.
Response: Agree.
20. When Richmond dispatchers are busy with police calls, there can be a delay in dispatching fire engines. A
delay of even a few minutes can lead to the loss of.life and/or property, since within six.or seven minutes,
the interior temperature can rise until the entire space is engulfed in flames.
Response: Required from the Richmond City Council.
21. The location of each West County fire engine is tracked by satellite using a system called Automatic
Vehicle Locator ("AVL"). The AVL system is subsidized by voter-approved Measure.H funds (a $10 per
parcel property tax). Funds are administered by the County Emergency Medical Services agency. When a
call for aid is received by CCCFPD, the engines expected to arrive in the shortest time based on their AVL
location are. dispatched. However, since Richmond dispatchers do not use AVL, firefighters assigned to
the nearest station are dispatched,`rcgardless of engine location. This has occasionally resulted in some
delays.
Response: Agree.
22. l4ach Wcst County fire department is dependent on its governing body for funding, and therefore handing
varies among the agencies.
Response: Agree.
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The West County Fire Protection Montage Report by the 2006-2007 Contra Costa Grand Jury July 24,2007
County Response to Grand Jury Report No. 0707 Page 4
23. Historically, the San Pablo mire District included the incorporated city of San Pablo and some adjoining
unincorporated areas. In 1975, the San Pablo Fire District was annexed with the El Sobrante Fire District
into the West County Fire District. This consolidated district was dissolved in 1994 and betaine part of the
CCCFPD. As a result of the post-Proposition 13 tax allocations, the area formerly covered by the San
Pablo District contributes only about one-third of its costs of operation, equipment, and capital needs.
Response: Agree.
24. San Pablo's Redevelopment Agency encourages real estate development. Yet, while fire agencies are
charged with protecting new developments, the tat increases generated by die developments go to the
Redevelopment Agency,. Some of the new tat increases are passed through to CCCFPD by negotiation or
by statute, but they are insufficient to support the city's needs related to fire and medical emergency
protection.
Response: Agree.
25. The CCCFPD's single engine company located in San Pablo is the busiest in the County, and one of the
busiest in California. It has three firefighters on duty at any given time, who respond to a population in
excess of 35,000 people. 771iree firefighters are not sufficient to fight a structure fire, so in every case, the
occupants, contents, and structure are at risk until firefighting crews and equipment arrive from other
departments in West County.
Response: Agree.
26. In West County, El Cerrito and Kensington maintain a ratio of one firefighter for every- 3,400 in
population. Richmond's ratio is about one for 5,300. Pinole and Rodeo-Hercules maintain one for ever,
6,000 people. The San Pablo station would require two more engine companies to snatch Richnhond's
ratio. Meanwhile, it falls to the agencies adjoiihiing die San Pablo area to answer calls on a regular basis in
San Pablo and environs.
Response: Agree. In addition, the presence of Casino San Pablo has increased the number of
calls. In 2004, CCCFPD responded to 28 emergency calls at the Casino. As the Casino expanded,
the number of required responses increased, with 101 responses in 2006.
27. The CCCFPD engine companv in San Pablo is housed in temporary structures. It is inadequate to house
an additional truck or engine, and another engine company.
Response: Agree.
28. Richmond terminated its automatic aid agreement with CCCFPD, effective August 1, 2002. The initial
reasons given by Richmond were that the assumption of control of two Ll Sobrante stations by CCCFPD,
and C.CCFPD's refusal to utilize Richmond's 800 MHz radio, were somehow."unsafe." Later, Richmond
claimed it was financially subsidizing CCCFPD, by virtue of its need to respond to an excess number of
calls in and around San Pablo, along with dispatching greater numbers of personnel and equipment to the
emergency scene. .Automatic aid was resumed in July 2006 based upon a written one-rear agreement. The
agreement requires the agency responding more often to the other agency's calls to reimburse that agency
based on an hourly formula that includes the number of firefighters dispatched.
Response: Agree.
4
The West County Fire Protection Montage Report by the 2006-2007 Contra Costa Grand Jury July 24,2007
County Response to Grand Jury Report No. 0707 Page
29. In 2007, San Pablo agreed to,reimburse CCCFPD up to $150,000 annually for fire and medical emergency
service costs incurred within the circ-, because of the formula un CCC1'PD's written agreement with
Richmond. CCCFPD has agreed to augment this sum with up to $70,000 annually, such funds available
for reimbursement to Richmond.
Response: Agree
30. Consolidation of all West County fire departments has been studied a number of times,but never adopted.
Currently there is not sufficient political support for a total consolidation. Most of the perceived benefits
of consolidation can be accomplished by agreements among the West County departments, as has been
done so successfully for the coverage of geographic areas.
Response: Agree
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That agreements to respond across agency, boundaries be put in writing.
Response: Has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented by November 22, 2007.
2. That Richmond implement a plan within six months of this report to lure paramedic freighters, and/or
provide paramedic training for some of its firefighters, with a goal of staffing each of its engine companies
with a paramedic.
Response: Required from the Richmond City Council.
3. That Richmond and CCCrPD participate in the inter-operability studies currently undenvav, or anv that
may be undertaken,with the goal of improving inter-agency communications for use in the event of large-
scale public emergencies.
i
Response: Has been implemented. Contra Costa County Fire District is an original.member of
the task force working to develop a regional communications system and the County Board of
Supervisors has already signed a letter ofintent to participate in the project.
4. That Richmond and Contra Costa County budget the fiends necessary to implement the recommendations
resulting from the inter-operability studies done pursuant to Recommendation #3 or otherwise.
Response: Has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented at the appropriate time when
the system costs are identified for each agency.
5. That 1tic.lim.ond complete its study of the AVE. system, and join the.1VI, system within six months of this
report.
Response: Required from the Richmond City Council.
5
oz
The West County Fire Protection Montage Report by the 2006-2007 Contra Costa Grand Jury July 24,2007
County Response to Grand Jury Report No. 0707 Page 6
6. That Contra Costa Counts-1 and Richmond, within six months of this report, enter into a long-term
agreement that will fairly compensate for the net difference un cost of emergency responses across
Richmond's city limit lines.
Response: Has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented as soon as possible. A
temporary agreement is currently in effect between Contra Costa County Fire District and
Richmond Fire.
7. That Contra Costa County, and San Pablo, within six months of this report, enter into an agreement that
will provide that San Pablo pay the approximate net difference in costs of automatic aid responses into the
city by other agencies.
Response: Requires further analysis. The mutual/automatic aid system is designed to provide
assistance to other agencies without compensation. The system has worked successfully for
decades, and has leveraged the resources of fire districts to the benefit of all. The current one
year agreement with they City of Richmond is an anomaly. If a contractual relationship is
necessary to assure automatic aid response upon expiration of the contract with the City of
Richmond, then the Fire District will conduct an analysis to identify available options.
S. That Contra Costa County, within sit months of this report, publish, and within one year adopt, a plan to
increase from one to two engine companies within the city- or en- runs of San Pablo.
Response: Requires further analysis. The Fire District will invite the City of San Pablo to join
with them in assessing the Fre protection and .medical emergency response needs of the city of
San Pablo, including Casino San Pablo. Within six months, the Fire District will produce a plan
on how-to meet those needs, including capital improvement, staffingand financing options.
). That Contra Costa County, within six months of this report; publish, and within one rear adopt, a plan for
fire station construction in San Pablo which will proN-ide adequate housing for at ]cast two engines and
crews.
Response: Has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in accordance to the Grand
jury recommended time frame. The Fire District will invite the City of San Pablo to join with
them in assessing options for constructing and financing a new fire station in San Pablo. The
District will formulate its recommended plan within six months.
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