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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-07-06 City Council (10)City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: FIRE AGENDA DATE: JULY 6, 1998 CMR: 295:68 SUBJECT:AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND THE LOS ALTOS HILLS COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT FOR INTER JURISDICTIONAL FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE SERVICE FROM CITY OF PALO ~ALTO FIRE STATION NUMBER 8. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the agreement between the City of Palo Alto and the Los Altos Hills County Fire District for interjurisdictional fire protection and emergency medical response service from City of Palo Alto Fire Station Number 8. BACKGROUND On July 7, 1997 the Council approved formal agreements with the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District and the Los Altos Hills County Fire District for reciprocal fire protection response into areas of the City of Los Altos and the City of Los Altos Hills which border the City of Palo Alto (CMR 323:97). In return, fire units from the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District would respond into areas of the City of Palo Alto which border the City of Los Altos and into the Palo Alto Hills area. There were two agreements, one addressing responses specifically in the Los Altos Hills/Palo Alto Hills area during fire season, where the City of Palo Alto would be reimbursed one-half of the staffing costs for the operation of Fire Station Number 8; and a second, more general agreement addressing responses along the border of the City of Los Altos, the City of Los Altos Hills (during non-fire season times), and the City of Palo Alto. The agreement for emergency response from Fire Station Number 8 during fire season was entered into to cover a specific time period (the approximately 120 days from June 15 to October 15 which constitute fire season) and was set to terminate effective June 1, 1998. At that time a new agreement could be negotiated or the parties could elect to explore other options. CMR 295:68 Page 1 of 4 In spring 1998, the Los Altos Hills County Fire District requested a cost projection fi’om Palo Alto reflecting the costs associated with providing emergency services during the upcoming 1998 fire season. Upon review of the projected costs for services, the Los Altos Hills County Fire District opted to explore other means of providing emergency services in its service area, including contracting with Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District to provide a service similar to that previously provided by Palo Alto. While the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District (CNT) does provide emergency personnel staffing at CNT Fire Station number 14 in Los Altos Hills, there are still several areas of the Los Altos Hills which can be better served (quicker response times) by personnel responding from Palo Alto Fire Station Number 8. Therefore, the Los Altos Hills County Fire District directed the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District to renegotiate an agreement for emergency response services into the Los Altos Hills from Palo Alto. Palo Alto Fire Station Number 8 is located in Foothills Park and staffed from approximately June 15 through October 15. It is entirely staffed on an overtime basis utilizing funds budgeted within the Fire Department at an approximate cost of $218,000 for that period. This period has historically been the peak time for wildland fires in that area. Fires, whether structural or wildland, originating in either jurisdiction (Palo Alto or Los Altos Hills) may spread to the adjoining jurisdiction if rapid intervention is not forthcoming. DISCUSSION The Fire Chiefs of Palo Alto and Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District have met to develop an agreement which would be mutually beneficial to each jurisdiction and provide for the rapid response of emergency personnel. The proposed agreement provides for more equitable cost sharing based on the actual number of calls into each jurisdiction from Fire Station Number 8 during the operational period. The agreement between the two jurisdictions, while beneficial to both, is not equally reciprocal in nature during the fire season, based on call volumes and response locations. Therefore, financial considerations are provided by the Los Altos Hills County Fire District to the City of Palo Alto for these response services. The agreement provides for the closest unit to respond regardless of jurisdiction. This occurs when a fire station from another jurisdiction is closer to parts of the other jurisdiction. The City currently utilizes similar arrangements with the cities of Los Altos, Menlo Park, and Mountain View, although none of the services are provided utilizing overtime staffing from a seasonal fire station. In addition, response volumes and proximity are more equitable in most cases. Fire Station 8 responds to approximately 40 calls per year during its annual operational period. In reviewing incident response data from the previous four years, 20 to 25 percent of the total responses from Palo Alto Fire Station Number 8 have been into the Los Altos Hills area. CMR 295:68 Page 2 of 4 This includes responses where Engine 8 was the first or second arriving unit into the response area. This translates into approximately 10 responses per annual operational period. The low call volume allows for the sharing of this resource without significant risk to Palo Alto residents. RESOURCE IMPACT The agreement specifies that the Los Altos Hills County Fire District will pay a percentage of the personnel costs (consisting solely of base salary and. overtime costs) for personnel assigned to Palo Alto Fire Station Number 8 during the operational period. The percentage will be based upon the actual total responses into Los Altos Hills County Fire District jurisdiction as compared to the total responses for Fire Station Number 8. The exact amount to be reimbursed, plus a 15 percent administrative fee, will be calculated and invoiced to the Los Altos Hills County Fire District at the close of fire season (approximately October 15), and would be payable to Palo Alto within 45 days of receipt of invoice. The 1998/99 adopted Fire Department budget includes planned revenues of $109,000 for reimbursement of Station 8 staffing. Revenues from the proposed agreement, on’a call- reimbursement basis, will be lower than originally budgeted (about half). Revenues received from the Los Altos Hills County Fire District will be accounted for after the 1998 fire season and a mid-year adjustment to the Fire Department budget will be made at that time, if necessary. POLICY IMPLICATIONS This recommendation.is consistent with existing City policies. The City currently has a formalized automatic aid agreement with the Woodside Fire Protection District and Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District (City of Los Altos), and is in the process of revising agreements with Mountain View and Menlo Park for fire protection and emergency medical. TIME LINE If approved, the agreement will commence on the date of approval and end approximately 120 days later, or at the close of fire season: The terms of the agreement may be extended and services provided beyond the normal 120-day operational period if fire conditions warrant and by mutual agreement of the Fire Chief of Palo Alto and theFire Chief of Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District. The agreement, in any case, will terminate on June 1, 1999. Any agreement for the 1999 fire season will be re-negotiated at that time. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This project is categorically exempt under the provisions of California Environmental Quality Act as a use of existing facilities without the expansion beyond the applications now existing. CMR 295:68 Page 3 of 4 ATTACH1V~ENTS Attachment A:Agreement Between the City of Palo Alto and the Los Altos Hills County Fire District for Interjurisdictional Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Response Service From City of Palo Alto Fire Station Number 8. Attachment B:Automatic Aid Response Map Prepared by:Judith A. Jewell, Deputy Fire Chief Department Head Review: RUBF_/N/GRIJALVA Fire ¢.,tiief City Manager Approval: Y HARRISON Assistant City Manager CMR 295:68 Page 4 of 4 ’AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALOALTOAIqD THE LOS ALTOS HILLS COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT FOR INTERJURISDICTION/J~ FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICItL RESPONSE SERVICE FROM CITY OF PALO ALTO FIRE STATION ~ER 8 This Agreement, made and entered into on June , 1998, by and between the CITY OF PALO ALTO and the LOS ALTOS HILLS COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT. RECITALS: WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto provides fire protection services within its municipal boundaries; and, WHEREAS, Los Altos Hills County Fire District provides fire protection services within its district: boundaries through contract with the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District; and, WHEREAS, Palo Alto owns Fire Station Number 8, located in the Palo Alto Foothills Park at 3300 Page Mill Road, adjacent to the boundary of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District, and Fire Station 8 is operated during the summer fire season, which normally commences on or about June 15th and continues through approximately October 15th; and, WHEREAS, thelegislative bodies of the parties to this agreement have determined that the most efficient use of available fire protection and emergency medical response resources of the parties would be made through assured response into a fire threat zone within the Los Altos Hills County Fire District boundaries from .City of Palo Alto Fire Station Number~8 during the_summer fire season; and, WHEREAS, the parties therefore desire to exercise jointly their powers to~ provide fire protection and emergency medical response pursuant to Government Code section 6500, et seq., under the terms and conditions set forth below. NOW, THEREFORE, it is agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows: i. Operational Dates and .Times (a) During the fire season, which extends roughly from June iSth through October 15th but may be declared by the Fire Chiefs of Palo Alto and Santa Clara County Fire by their concurrence to begin earlier or extend to a later date if fire conditions warrant (or to begin later or extend to an earlier date if appropriate), Fire Station Number 8 shall be fully staffed by Palo Alto to the extent and under the conditions provided.below. 980604 syn 0043404 (b) Fire Station 8 will be operated by Palo Alto on a 12 hour basis (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) on every day (including holidays and weekends) during the fire season; operational hours may be extended by concurrence of the Fire Chiefs of the Palo Alto and the Santa Clara County Fire whenever conditions warrant. 2. Staffinq Station 8 shall be staffed by Palo Alto at all times the station is operational with fully-trained, permanent-status city employees in the following classifications: one Captain, one Apparatus Operator, and one firefighter. All personnel staffing Station 8 shall be EMT-D certified and shall be fully trained in wildland firefighting operations prior to serving at Station 8. Costs of said training prior to assignment to Station 8 shall be incurred solely by Palo Alto and not passed on in any manner to Los Altos Hills County Fire District. 3. Equipment Station 8 shall be equipped by Palo Alto with a fully- functional Type 3 engine during all. hours when the Station is operational. Whenever the designated engine is outside the service district for Station 8 or otherwise unavailable for deployment in excess of twenty minutes, Palo Alto will reposition another engine within the Station 8 service district, and that substitute engine shall also be a fully-functional Type 3 engine or a Type 1 engine if no Type 3 engine is temporarily available. 4. Operations Fir~e Station Number 8 operations pursuant to this agreement shall include both fire suppression activitiem as well as first responder medical aid, within an area designated the mutual threat zone, which is delineated on the attached map and generally encompasses that portion of Palo Alto from Interstate 280 to Skyline Boulevard and that portion of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District bounded on the west along Page Mill Road, on the south by Moody Road to Elephant Mountain, on the north by Deer Creek Road to Arastradero Road and along Foothill Expressway, and on the east from Foothill Expressway at Miranda Road to Fremont Road westerly to the intersection of Interstate 280 at Arastradero Road and then southerly to Elephant Mountain. Station 8 will respond into the mutual threat zone as the first responding unit on any emergency requiring fire suppression Or first responder medical aid. 5. ~_a_vme~% (a) Los Altos Hills County Fire District agrees to pay to Palo Alto a percentage of total Station 8 personnel costs during the fire season derived by comparing the number of incident 980604 sy~ 0043404 2 8. OPerational Protocols Implementing details for Palo Alto’s response from Fire Station Number 8 pursuant to this agreement shall be established by an operational protocol between the Fire Chiefs of Palo and Santa Clara County Fire, and the terms of that operational protocol shall be incorporated herein and binding upon the parties. 9. Term The term of this agreement shall commence upon execution .by all parties and shall terminate June i, 1999, unless sooner terminated by any of the parties by written notice given at least thirty days prior to the date of such early termination. I0. Legal Relationshim~ (a) While. City’s Fire Station Number 8 personnel are responding into Los Altos Hills County Fire District pursuant to this agreement, the parties concur that Palo Alto’s employees so assigned shall not be considered to be either general or special employees of Los Altos Hills County Fire District or Santa Clara County Fire for purposes of the workers’ compensation laws. (b) Except as otherwise provided herein, each party agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the other parties, their officers, agents, and employees from any and all demands, claims, or liabilities of any nature, including death or injury to any person, property damage, or any other loss caused by or arising out of the performance or failure to perform the obligation assumed under this agreement. (c) This agreement is entered into solely for the mutual benefit of the signatory parties and not for the benefit of any resident or other person or entity. No person or entity not a party hereto shall have any right to enforce this agreement or bring any action as a consequence of this agreement arising out of a failure or omission on the part of any of the parties to provide the services described herein. (d) ~his agieement is intended to supplement rather than supplant any agreements or arrangements between the parties for automatic aid or mutual aid in emergencies requiring fire suppression or first responder medical care into the areas of Los Altos Hills County Fire District covered by this agreement. (e) This agreement shall not he construed to create any separate joint powers entity under the provisions of Government Code §6500, et seq.. Notwithstanding the provisions for allocation 980604 syn 0043404’ 4 responses into Los Altos Hills County Fire District jurisdiction from Station 8 to the total number of incident responses from Station 8 during the fire season. For purposes of this agreement, an incident response shall be counted as such even if cancelled en route. In addition, Los Altos Hills County Fire District agrees to pay to Palo Alto a fifteen percent surcharge for administrative costs allocable to the percentage of personnel charges attributable to the Los Altos Hills County Fire District as calculated above. (b) Palo Alto will provide Los Altos Hills County Fire District with an invoice for personnel costs incurred by Palo Alto, itemized as to hours worked by each employee at regular and overtime salary rates, no later than fifteen days following the end of the fire season for Station 8. Personnel costs submitted for payment shall consist solely of base salary and overtime costs and shall not exceed those of comparable personnel performing comparable work at other Palo Alto fire stations. (c) Los Altos Hills County Fire District will pay the full amount of the invoice within 45 days following receipt of the invoice. (d) Palo Alto shall retain the obligation to provide all salary and employee benefits required by contract or by law (including workers compensation benefits) for its employees assigned under this agreement. Each employee assigned under this agreement shall be subject to Palo Alto’s personnel rules, regulations, and processes, as well as any labor contract provisions applicable to that employee, provided by Palo Alto for that employee. 6. Weather Station In further consideration for the services provided by Palo Alto under this agreement, the Los Altos Hills County Fire District will maintain a weather station at a location suitable for use under this agreement. City shall be afforded access to the weather information and forecasts from this weather station at all times that Station 8 is operational. 7. Reports Palo Alto shall provide Los Altos Hills County Fire District with an annual summary report of all services provides from Station 8, itemized as to the type of each call and whether the call was in Palo Alto or in Los Altos Hills County Fire District. Palo Alto shall also provide Los Altos Hills County Fire District with monthly interim reports. 980604 syn 0043404 ¯ 3 of loss br liability provided therein, the provisions agreement for loss allocation shall govern.of this ATTEST:CITY OF PALO ALTO City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Mayor Senior Asst. City Attorney APPROVED: Assistant City Manager Fire Chief Director of Admin. Servlces Risk Manager LOS ALTOS HILLS COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT ~’i(~.:-President, Board of Directors ATTEST : APPROVED AS TO FORM: 920604 syn 0043404. 5