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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-01-12 City CouncilCity City of Palo Alto Manager’s Report 7 TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL, PALO ALTO CALIFORNIA CITY MANAGER JANUARY 12, 1997 DEPARTMENT: FIRE CMR: 468:97 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND THE WOODSIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR AUTOMATIC AID INTO INTER JURISDICTIONAL FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE ZONE. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the attached Agreement between the City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District for automatic aid into interjurisdictional fire protection service zone. BACKGROUND Automatic aid agreements are between individual jurisdictions and are reciprocal and mutually beneficial in nature. They provide an ability for the closest unit to respond on the "first alarm assignment" regardless of jurisdiction. This occurs when a fire station from another jurisdiction is closer to parts of the other jurisdiction. Automatic aid agreements will allow for the nearest fire apparatus (engine company) to respond to an incident regardless of whose jurisdiction the incident is in. Often times a neighboring jurisdiction’s resources are closer than the second or third due units from the responsible jurisdiction. By utilizing nearest resources, valuable time is saved in placing the appropriate type and number of resources on scene. Extended response times associated with situations where automatic aid is not available not only jeopardize the safety of the incident victims, but also the safety of firefighters performing initial attack tasks. On July 7, 1997, the Council approved a formal automatic aid agreement with the Santa Clara County Fire Protection District for reciprocal fire protection response into areas of the City of Los Altos which border the City of Palo Alto. In return, fire units from the Santa CMR:468:97 Page 1 of 4 Clara County Central Fire Protection District respond into areas of the City of Palo Alto which border the City of Los Altos. The City currently utilizes informal arrangements for automatic aid with the jurisdictions of Woodside, Mountain View and Menlo Park. In the near future, the Fire Department will be presenting, for Council approval, the Mountain View and Menlo Park Automatic Aid Agreements. With the exception of different boundaries, this agreement is identical to the current City of Los Altos automatic aid agreement. DISCUSSION Palo Alto Fire Station Number 8 is located in Foothills Park and is staffed from approximately June 15 thrOugh October 15. 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 Woodside) may spread to the adjoining jurisdiction, if rapid intervention is not forthcoming. A similar situation exists in the area protected by Palo Alto Fire Station Number 7 at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). There is a vast amount of wildland around SLAC which poses a threat to both jurisdictions if a fire in that area is not contained in a timely manner. The Fire Chiefs of Palo Alto and Woodside have met to develop an automatic aid agreement which would be mutually beneficial to each jurisdiction and provide for the rapid response of emergency personnel. This Automatic Aid Agreement with the Woodside Fire Protection District will provide a more timely response into some of the areas protected by Fire Station Numbers 7 and 8 than other City of Palo Alto fire units may be able to provide. The implementation of an automatic aid agreement with the Woodside Fire Protection District will impact Palo Alto fire resources in the following manner: If the automatic aid response is into jurisdictions protected by the City of Palo Alto Fire Department, the closest Woodsideunit will respond in lieu of a Palo Alto unit which would have a response time greater than the Woodside unit. In essence, a Woodside unit replaces a PalOAlto unit, leaving that unit available in the City to respond to other emergency calls. The reverse will hold true for responses into jurisdictions protected by the Woodside Fire Protection District. A Palo Alto fn’e unit will replace a Woodside fire unit which would have a longer response time to the incident. If a response occurred in the ftrst- in area covered by the Palo Alto fire unit on automatic aid in Woodside, the call would be handled by another Palo Alto fire unit. If either Palo Alto Engine 7 or Palo CMR:468:97 Page 2 of 4 Alto Engine 8 are involved in an automatic aid response into Woodside, other Palo Alto fire engines will automatically relocate to cover those stations per existing Agreements. With the current placement of fire stations and apparatus in the City of Palo Alto, there should not be detrimental delays in response to incidents in Palo Alto because of the automatic aid agreement. RESOURCE IMPACT There is no direct fiscal impact to the City resulting from the agreement for automatic aid between the City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District. The agreement utilizes existing resources on an "closest resource" basis and does not require additional staffing (overtime) to implement. POLICY IMPLICATIONS This recommendation is consistent with existing City policies and within the Comprehensive Plan Section, Fire Hazards, Program N-73: "Evaluate measures to offset funding cuts and reduced response capability, including consolidation of services with other jurisdictions and automatic or mutual aid agreements with other jurisdictions." 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. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Attachment B: Automatic Aid Agreement- "Agreement between the City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District for Automatic Aid Into Interjurisdictional Fire Protection Service Zone". Automatic Aid Response Map Prepared by:Judith A. Jewell, Deputy Fire Chief CMR:468:97 Page 3 of 4 Department Head Review: RUBEN ’ire City Manager Approval: FLEMING City Manager CMR:468:97 Page 4 of 4 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND THE WOODSIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR AUTOMATIC AID INTO INTERJURISDICTIONAL FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE ZONE This Agreement, made and entered~ into on 1997, by and between the CITY OF PALO ALTO and the WOODSIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT. RECITALS: WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto provides fire protection services within its municipal boundaries; and, WHEREAS, the Woodside Fire Protection District provides fire protection services within its special district boundaries; and, WHEREAS, the legislative bodies of the parties to this agreement have determined that the most efficient use of available fire suppression resources of the parties would be made through assured mutual response into a fire threat zone overlapping City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District boundaries; 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: A.Type of Assistance This agreement is intended.to provide for automatic response by the closest emergency response apparatus for use in fire suppression and first responder medical emergency ~ncidents within an overlapping area of City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District jurisdiction described as the automatic aid zone identified in this agreement. For purposes of this agreement, the party providing automatic aid into the adjacent jurisdiction shall be identified as the "assisting agency", and the party receiving automatic aid shall be identified as the "jurisdictional agency." The automatic aid response shall consist of the closest engine company, regardless of jurisdiction. A unit from the Woodside Fire Protection District will respond into Palo Alto when the regularly assigned Palo Alto unit for the designated area is determined by the Fire Chief in Palo Alto to be unavailable 971105 syn 0043155 1 to respond. A reciprocal arrangement will apply to a Palo Alto unit responding into areas normally protected by the Woodside Fire Protection District. Should the closest automatic aid unit be unavailable, the assisting agency will promptly advise the jurisdictional agency that automatic aid will not be provided. Code 3 emergencies which require the use of red lights and sirens by responding fire units are the only incidents for which provisions are made for automatic aid under this agreement. Calls for public service, post-fire investigations, and similar responses which do not require the use of red lights and sirens by the responding fire units are not incidents for which provisions are made for automatic aid under this agreement. These calls shall be handled by the jurisdictional agency. Paramedic services are not provided for under this agreement. Fire suppression and first responder medical emergency services in excess of those provided for under this agreement or other specific agreements must be requested through the existing mutual aid arrangements. B.Response Areas The City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District shall respond in%o each others designated areas as follows: i. The woodside Fire Protection District shall respond into those areas of Palo Alto delineated and enclosed by a solid line on the map identified as "Area A" incorporated by reference herein. "Area A" consists of the following City of Palo Alto fire districts: District 6A (Los Trancos Woods) -- bordered on the north by Alexis Drive, on the east by Page Mill Road, on the south by Adobe Creek, and on the west by Los Trancos Road; District 6B -- bordered on the north by Arastradero Road, on the east by the Los Altos city limits, on the south by Page Mill Road~, and on the west by Alpine Road; District C-5 (Stanford Linear Accelerator) -- bordered on the north by Sand Hill Road, on the east by Alpine Road, on the south by the San Francisquito Creek, and on the west by Sand Hill Road; District C-9 (Jasper Ridge) -- bordered on the north by Sand Hill Road, on the east by Alpine Road,~ on the south by San Francisquito Creek, and on the west by Sand Hill Road; District ~C-3 -- bordered on the north and west by Interstate 280, on the east by Alpine Road,.on the south by Arastradero Road, and on the west by the Los Altos city limits. 971 I05 syn 0043155 2 2. Palo Alto shall respond into those areas of Woodside delineated and enclosed by a solid line on the map identified as Area B incorporated by reference herein. Palo Alto will respond into the area of Woodside as follows: The area bordered on the North by a line from Morro Vista to the Santa Clara County Line, on the East by Alpine Road, and South by the Woodside City Limits, and on the West by the Woodside City Limits. Additionally Palo Alto will respond into the area bordered by the Woodside City Limits on the North, Alpine Road on the West, the San Mateo/Santa Clara County Line on the East and Page Mill Road on the South. C.Training Periodic interagency training shall be conducted for the purposes of improving working relationships and operational coordination between Palo Alto and Woodside Fire units. Training exercises shall be scheduled at mutually agreed upon times and locations. D.Response Maps and Preplans Upon execution of this agreement, the City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District shall provide each other with current standard response maps and preplans for the designated areas, and shall provide updated versions within 14 calendar days of changes which may occur. E.Operational Command Guidelines i. The highest ranking officer of the jurisdictional agency will have operational responsibility and the final authority as to strategy and tactics deployed at the incident once an officer for the jurisdictional agency assumes command of the incident. The first arriving officer from the assisting jurisdiction will~assume command until an officer from the jurisdictional agency responds to the incident and assumes command. 2. It shall be the responsibility of the officer in command to summon additional personnel and equipment, if needed, to handle the emergency. 3. As soon as the officer in command determines that n6 further assistance is required, the officer in command will inform the jurisdictional dispatch center, canceling any other responding units. 4. It shall be the responsibility of the officer in command to utilize the staffing and equipment from the assisting jurisdiction only to the extent required to bring the emergency under control. The assisting jurisdiction shall not be required to provide assistance for overhaul and clean up operations after a fire. The resources from the assisting jurisdiction shall be released from the scene of the emergency as soon as practical. 971107 syn 0043155 ~ F.Fire Incident Reporting The jurisdictional agency, if it responds to an incident, will be responsible for completing, filing, recording, and storing all reports including reports mandated by loca! and state governments and agencies. If the jurisdictional agency does not in fact respond to an incident, the assisting jurisdiction will be responsible for completing, filing, recording, and storing all reports (unless otherwise provided by law) and shall additionally transmit a copy of each report to the jurisdictional agency upon request. G.Compensation All services provided by either the City of Palo Alto or the Woodside Fire Protection District under this agreement shall be performed without monetary compensation. The mutual advantages, protections and services afforded by this agreement are mutually agreed to be adequate compensation to both jurisdictions. H.Evaluation The effectiveness of the procedures contained in this agreement shall be evaluated at least annually by the respective Fire Chiefs for both the City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District. I. Term This agreement shall commence upon execution of the agreement by all parties, and shall continue in full force and effect unless terminated as provided herein. This agreement may be terminated without cause by any signatory party upon written notice of termination given to the other parties at least thirty (30) days in advance of the effective date of termination. Notice of termination shall be personally served or mailed to each of the ~ther parties to this agreement. J.Amendments to Agreement I. This Agreement contains all of the terms and conditions agreed to between the parties. Except as otherwise specified, this agreement shall not ~be amended or altered without the written consent of each party. 2. The .Fire Chiefs of the parties to this agreement shall have the authority to make minor corrections to the boundaries of Area A and Area B and to execute any documents required to implement such 971 I05 syn 0043155 amendments. Any such corrections shall be mutually agreed upon in writing by the Fire Chiefs of the parties. K.Operational Protocols Implementing details for the fire suppression and first responder medical services provided pursuant to this agreement shall be established by a written operational protocol between the Fire Chiefs of the City of Palo Alto and the Woodside Fire Protection District, and the terms of that operational protocol shall be incorporated herein and binding upon the parties. L. Legal Relationships I. While the City of Palo Alto’s personnel are responding into the Woodside Fire Protection District pursuant to this agreement, the parties concur that the City of Palo Alto’s employees so assigned shall not be considered to be either general or special employees of the Woodside Fire Protection District for purposes of the workers’ compensation laws. While Woodside Fire Protection District personnel are responding into the City of Palo Alto pursuant to this agreement, the parties concur that Woodside Fire Protection District employees so assigned shall not be considered to be special employees of the City of Palo Alto for purposes of the workers’ compensation laws. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. This agreement is intended to supplement rather than supplant any agreements or arrangements between the parties for automatic aid or mutual aid in emergencies requiring fire protection, fire suppression, or first responder medical care into the areas covered by this agreement. 5. This agreement shall not be construed to create any joint powers entity under the provisions of Government Code §6500, et seq. Notwithstanding the provisions for allocation of loss or 971 I05 ~]n 0043155 liability provided therein, the provisions of this agreement for loss allocation shall govern. ATTEST:CITY OF PALO ALTO City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Mayor Senior Asst. City Attorney APPROVED: Assistant City Manager Fire Chief Acting Director of Administrative Services Risk Manager WOODSIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT President, Board of Directors ATTEST:APPROVED AS TO FORM: Clerk of the Board 971105 s[cn 0043155 6 t