>> I CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM ON AUGUST 25TH FOR THE FIRE STUDY SESSION.
[Items 1 - 3: 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL: Council Member Lau, Council Member Crosby, Council Member Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Carder and Mayor Hepburn.]
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I'D LIKE US ALL TO RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.THANK YOU. I'LL CALL MR. RUSSI.
>> YES, THERE WE GO. COUNCIL MEMBER LAU.
>> OKAY. WE'RE ALL PRESENT IN ACCOUNT.
>> WE'RE ALL PRESENT. WE WILL MOVE TO THE ITEM.
MR. RUSSI, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT FROM HERE,
[4. The City Council will meet in a study session to receive a report regarding the delivery of the fire and EMS services - Messina & Associates will present the City Council with their findings on the evaluation of the County’s Fire Feasibility study for providing fire service as well as a review of the City’s existing Fire and Emergency Medical Service operations and strategies for improvement.]
AND INTRODUCE STARTUP PEOPLE; IS THAT CORRECT?>> YES, I WILL, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.
AS YOU NOTED, THIS IS THE COUNCIL STUDY SESSION REGARDING THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY, REGARDING FIRE SERVICES THROUGH LA COUNTY.
IN JUNE OF 2019, AS THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, THE CITY FORMALLY REQUESTED AN INITIAL EVALUATION FROM LA COUNTY ON THE COUNTY PROVIDING FIRE PROTECTION AND EMS SERVICES IN LA VERNE.
THE RESULTS OF THAT REPORT WERE RECEIVED TO THE CITY THIS PAST APRIL.
AT THAT TIME, THE CITY ENGAGED MESSINA AND ASSOCIATES TO EVALUATE THAT REPORT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY DO AN ANALYSIS OF THE CITY'S CURRENT OPERATIONS ON WHAT PARTICULAR ASPECTS COULD WARRANT IMPROVEMENT IF WE LOOKED AT IN-HOUSE OPERATIONS AS WELL.
JUST TO GIVE A BRIEF ON WHY MESSINA AND ASSOCIATES AND MIKE MESSINA SPECIFICALLY HAD BEEN ENGAGED OVER A YEAR AGO BY THE CITY TO ASSIST WITH IMPROVING COMMUNICATION AND HELPING TO BRIDGE THE GAP THAT EXISTED WITH THE FIRE ASSOCIATION.
HE WAS VERY IN TUNE TO SOME OF THE ISSUES I THINK THAT WE FACE AS A DEPARTMENT AND AN ORGANIZATION IN THAT REGARD, AND SO IT WAS DEEMED APPROPRIATE AND HIS FIRM HAS DONE SIMILAR ANALYSIS IN THE PAST.
THEIR SCOPE OF WORK WAS TO PROVIDE THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND THEIR RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS THE COUNCIL WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF FIRE OPERATIONS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CURRENT OPERATIONS.
THAT ANALYSIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND A COPY OF THAT REPORT, IN ADDITION TO BEING MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL, HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK.
TYLER JOHNSON, WHO I WILL SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON HIS QUALIFICATION IN A MINUTE, HAS BEEN TASKED WITH THAT EVALUATION.
THANK YOU TO TYLER FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WILL BE SUMMARIZING THE FINDINGS FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TONIGHT.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE AND GIVE CONTEXTS THAT THIS REPORT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS ON THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
THAT'S A MUCH MORE THOROUGH STANDARD OF COVERAGE THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO TAKE.
THIS IS MORE TO LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS AT A HIGHER LEVEL AND LOOK AT THEIR BENEFITS, THE ISSUES OF EACH APPROACH, AS WELL AS WHAT NEXT STEP SHOULD BE INITIATED ON EITHER COURSE BASED ON THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION THAT THEY TAKE.
AS FAR AS TYLER JOHNSON, AND IN ADDITION TO HAVING A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN FIRE SCIENCE, HE HAS 34 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE.
DURING HIS TENURE WITH FIRE AND FIRE ADMINISTRATION, TYLER'S PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE HAS INCLUDED LARGE-SCALE CONVERSION OF DISPATCH OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE STANDARD OF COVERAGE ANALYSIS.
HE'S ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCE TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY.
JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY'S PROCESS.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, AND I KNOW THE COUNCIL DOES THAT.
NO DECISION WILL BE MADE TODAY.
THIS MEETING IS ONLY TO SET UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO HEAR THE REPORT, TO ASK ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE OF TYLER OR MIKE AND TO TAKE PUBLIC INPUT AS TO THE INITIAL STAGES OF THIS REPORT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL NOT BE RESPONDING TO THE COMMENTS THAT DO COME FROM THE PUBLIC, BUT SIMPLY TAKING THE INPUT AS PART OF THIS EXTENDED ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, AND I SAY AN EXTENDED ENGAGEMENT PROCESS BECAUSE WE FELT THE COUNCIL AGREED THAT LEAVING THIS DOCUMENT OUT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE SUBJECT AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT [NOISE] EXIST WITH THIS SUBJECT WAS NECESSARY.
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WITH THAT, THIS REPORT WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENTS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28, A LITTLE OVER 30 DAYS, AT WHICH TIME THE COMMENTS WILL ALL BE RECEIVED AND INCORPORATED INTO A FINAL DOCUMENT.SOME OF THOSE WILL BE RESPONDED TO AS APPROPRIATE.
SOME OF THEM WILL JUST BE SHARED WITH COUNCIL FOR THEIR INFORMATION ON WHERE THE THOUGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES OF THE COMMUNITY EXIST.
THEN THEY WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL AND THE FINAL REPORT THAT WE EXPECT TO BE GIVEN TO THEM SOMETIME IN OCTOBER.
I WANT TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE THAT WE HAVE SET UP A SPECIAL EMAIL ADDRESS TO RECEIVE THESE COMMENTS, AND SO YOU CAN DIRECT FURTHER COMMENTS, TONIGHT YOU CAN STILL EMAIL IF YOU WENT PUBLIC COMMENT AS YOU WOULD TO THE CITY CLERK.
BUT EMAILING IN COMMENTS OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS SHOULD GO TO FIRESTUDYCOMMENTS@CITYOFLAVERNE.ORG.
WITH THAT, I WILL JUST MOVE TO COUNSEL AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THE INITIAL SIDE.
OTHERWISE, I KNOW TYLER HAS A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE HIGHER LEVEL OF HIS REPORT, AND THEN BE PREPARED FOR QUESTIONS AFTER.
>> COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR MR. RUSSI AT THIS POINT? NONE BEING TAKEN THEN.
>> JUST AFTER THE PRESENTATION, I APPRECIATE OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU.
>> MR. RUSSI, WE SHOULD MOVE AHEAD THEN WITH THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, MR. RUSSI. MAYOR HEPBURN, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
BOB DID GO OVER SOME OF THE BASICS OF WHAT WE WERE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY AND MAKE SURE IT'S STATED AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC THAT MAY BE TUNING IN THAT THIS STUDY WAS DONE AS A DECISION-MAKING TOOL FOR THE COUNCIL.
IT LOOKS AT THINGS FROM A LESS DETAILED, MORE BROAD SCOPE LOOK, BUT THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF DETAIL INCLUDED IN THIS.
SO ANYTIME THERE'S A FURTHER DETAIL REQUIRE US, WE'LL NOTE EXPLICITLY THAT, THAT WOULD COME IN A DIFFERENT TIME, DIFFERENT PLACE, WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF REPORT.
WHERE I COULD, I DID PROVIDE THE DETAIL TO THE GREATEST DEGREE POSSIBLE WHILE STILL TRYING TO MAKE THIS A MANAGEABLE REPORT IN THAT IT TURNED OUT TO BE ABOUT 52 PAGES LONG.
IT'S DEFINITELY A SIZABLE REPORT.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT A PROPONENT OF DEATH BY POWERPOINT, SO I'VE DONE AS GOOD A JOB AS I COULD TO KEEP THE POWERPOINT LIGHT AND MORE OF A TOOL TO WALK US THROUGH THE REPORT.
WITH THAT SAID, I MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY COVER EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED IN THIS REPORT.
PLEASE, FEEL FREE AT ANY POINT TO BRING THOSE THINGS UP TO ME DURING THE PRESENTATION ITSELF.
WITH THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT IS IN THIS REPORT, THERE ARE A FEW SLIDES THAT ARE A LITTLE LENGTHY, SO I DO APOLOGIZE UP FRONT FOR THAT.
BUT I'LL TRY AS BEST I CAN NOT TO INUNDATE YOU GUYS WITH POWERPOINT.
SO WITH THAT SAID, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I GET STARTED, I'LL GET SET UP HERE, AND WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO THE PRESENTATION.
>> OKAY. IS EVERYBODY SEEING MY SCREEN NOW?
>> OKAY. GOOD. FIRST PART IS THE SUCCESS.
WE TESTED THIS EARLIER TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS.
LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS STUDY WAS DONE AS A TOOL FOR THE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT WHAT THE FUTURE OF DELIVERY OF FIRE EMS SERVICES IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE MAY LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS OPTIONS, BEING THAT THE CITY DID ASK FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY FROM LA COUNTY, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT WHAT POTENTIAL LAY AHEAD TO CONTINUE THE CURRENT LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT MODEL.
WITH THAT, BOB DID GO OVER A QUICK BIT OF MY QUALIFICATIONS.
I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 34 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIRE EMS SERVICE INDUSTRY.
THAT STARTS WITH, PICK CALL, FIREFIGHTING TIME, PRIVATE AMBULANCE EXPERIENCE.
I WAS A PARAMEDIC UP UNTIL JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
MY PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATE FINALLY EXPIRED.
I WAS A PARAMEDIC FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I HAD 19 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN LINE SUPERVISION, MIDDLE MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT.
ALSO SOME EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN EMS DELIVERY, AS WELL AS TRAINING SINCE I WAS A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, AND CONTINUED MY PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION ALL THE WAY THROUGH MY CAREER.
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MY LAST ASSIGNMENT WAS THE DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF OF CHINO VALLEY FIRE DISTRICT AS THE EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPUTY CHIEF, WHICH IS A FANCY TERM FOR WHAT WE CALL HAWK OPERATIONS.I HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I DO HAVE A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD, AND I HOPE THAT I BRING THAT TO BEAR HERE FOR YOU ALL TONIGHT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL GET STARTED RIGHT IN.
I'VE ALREADY COVERED THIS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE.
AGAIN, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REITERATE AGAIN THE HIGH-LEVEL NATURE OF THIS REPORT, IT'S REALLY DESIROUS TO GET INTO THE WEEDS AS WE START EXPLORING SOME THINGS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS A HIGH-LEVEL REPORT AND THE REPORT IS OUT THERE FOR THEM TO READ IF THEY CHOOSE TO.
SINCE WE'RE ALL IN COVID LOCKDOWN, MAYBE THEY GOT SOMETHING TO DO NOW THEY CAN READ THIS 52 PAGE REPORT.
I THINK IT'S QUITE INTERESTING.
WE'LL GET STARTED AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
THE BIGGEST PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN I WAS ENGAGED, WAS TO PROVIDE A LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL, IN ORDER TO ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THE MOST EFFECTIVE DECISION FOR THE FUTURE OF FIRE SERVICE, FIRE EMS SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE CRUX OF THIS REPORT.
THE OTHER STUFF IS ADD ON TO IT, BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL WAS TO GIVE YOU, THE COUNCIL, THE ABILITY TO BE AS INFORMED AS POSSIBLE AS YOU GO ON AND MAKE THIS IMPORTANT DECISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO JUST SPEND A QUICK MINUTE ON IS THE RESEARCH MODALITY, NOTHING TOO CRAZY HERE AS FAR AS DATA.
BUT THE FIRST PLACE WE STARTED WAS STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND THAT INCLUDED LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, THE COMMAND STAFF, THE CURRENT INTERIM FIRE CHIEF AT THE TIME.
I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS ARE ONTO ANOTHER INTERIM FIRE CHIEF AT THIS POINT, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER AND ALL OF YOU THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND ASK QUESTIONS AND ALLOWED ME TO GATHER QUITE A BIT OF DATA FROM JUST THOSE INTERVIEWS ON HOW OPERATIONS ARE WORKING AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL, SOME OF THE ISSUES.
IT WAS A QUITE PRODUCTIVE MEETING, I BELIEVE.
WITH THAT, I ALSO WENT THROUGH AND I DID A REVIEW OF BASIC RESPONSE DATA, NOT AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW, JUST A BASIC REVIEW OF RESPONSE DATA.
CURRENT AGREEMENTS OR ENFORCE WITH YOUR SURROUNDING AGENCY, AS WELL AS ANY OF YOUR CONTRACTS AND FINANCIAL DATA PROVIDED TO ME BY THE CITY FINANCE DEPARTMENT AS FAR AS COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRE SERVICE DELIVERY, WHETHER IT BE THE PROJECTED COSTS OF AN LA COUNTY MODEL, OR THE PROJECTED COSTS OF THE CURRENT LVFD MODEL.
THEN I ALSO WENT THROUGH THE ACTUAL FEASIBILITY STUDY PROVIDED BY THE FIRE DISTRICT, AND I'LL BE REFERRING TO LA COUNTY FIRE AS THE FIRE DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THIS REPORT.
THAT IS TECHNICALLY THEIR TERMINOLOGY.
THEY ARE THE CONSOLIDATED FIRE DISTRICT OF LA COUNTY.
TO ELIMINATE ANY CONFUSION, THAT'S WHAT I'LL BE REFERRING TO WHEN I SAY THE FIRE DISTRICT AS LA COUNTY FIRE.
FORTUNATELY FOR US, IT WAS WELL TIMED THAT THE LA COUNTY GLASGOW HAD IMPLEMENTED A MULTIPLE SYSTEMS REVIEW, SPHERE OF INFLUENCE REVIEW ON LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, SEEING THAT THERE ARE SIX AGENCIES CURRENTLY IN DISCUSSIONS WITH LA COUNTY FIRE FOR THE PROVISION OF FIRE EMS SERVICES.
IT WAS NOT ANTICIPATED THAT I WOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO ME.
HOWEVER, IT DID LEND A LOT OF INFORMATION TO THE REPORT AND IT HELPED ME GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE LA COUNTY FIRE IS TOO.
I THINK IT'S A VERY CRITICAL REPORT FOR EVERYBODY TO TAKE A LOOK AT BECAUSE IT DOES DO AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF LA COUNTY FIRE, WHICH WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT PERSPECTIVE TO HAVE A BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.
WITH THAT, I TOOK ALL THAT TOGETHER TO FORM THIS REPORT.
THROUGHOUT THIS REPORT AND THROUGHOUT THIS TALK, I'M GOING TO USE TERMS AND CONCEPTS THAT MANY OF THEM ARE PROPRIETARY TO FIRE INDUSTRY, AND MUCH OF THEM ARE PROPRIETARY TO CITY GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC GOVERNMENT.
I DID PROVIDE A LIST OF TERMS AND CONCEPTS.
I DID AS BEST I COULD TO ANTICIPATE ALL OF THE ONES IN THERE.
IF I DID MISS SOMETHING AND I MENTIONED A TERM THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AND ASK ME WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
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WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME ON HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.I THINK YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF LA VERNE FIRE.
IT'S A STORIED FIRE DEPARTMENT, HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1911.
STARTING AS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S MOVED THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF ITSELF TO FORM INTO ULTIMATELY A PROFESSIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S BEEN OPERATING AS PROFESSIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR SOME TIME NOW.
REALLY CURRENTLY, IT SEEMS THAT THERE HAS BECOME ISSUES THAT ARE CONCERNING TO THE COUNCIL ENOUGH TO START LOOKING AT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.
UP UNTIL THAT POINT, LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BEEN A CLOSE ENOUGH AGENCY, NOT NECESSARILY IN LA COUNTY BUT RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF LA COUNTY AND CERTAINLY KNOWING A LOT OF FOLKS AT LA VERNE.
IT ALWAYS HAD A VERY GOOD REPUTATION FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FOR MANY YEARS.
UNTIL RECENTLY WITH A LOT OF THE VERY PUBLIC ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, IT'S BEEN A WELL-RUN, WELL-ORGANIZED EFFECTIVE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM WHAT I CAN TELL.
THERE MAY BE PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT FROM AN OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S WHAT I SEE.
NOW, AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS, THIS WHOLE PROCESS ITSELF, THERE'S A DIFFERENT STORY EMERGING.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT WAS NOT A GOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT, DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE A GOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT AGAIN.
WITH THAT, THESE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BROUGHT US HERE ARE MANY.
THE THING IS WE COULD TALK OPERATIONALLY ALL DAY LONG.
MANY OF THE ISSUES, HOWEVER, BECOME MORE PERSONNEL RELATED AND MORE CULTURE RELATED.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT DOWN THE ROAD HERE IN THE REPORT, AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF, DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENTS, CORPORATIONS, BUSINESSES.
ANYTIME A NEGATIVE CULTURE SETS IN, IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT FOR ANY ORGANIZATION TO REMAIN SUCCESSFUL, OR BECOME SUCCESSFUL, OR LIVE UP TO THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL.
WITH THAT WHAT I DECIDED TO DO HERE IS, GOING TO BREAK A LITTLE BIT FROM THE REPORT JUST BECAUSE I WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS WITH THE VAN AS FAR AS STAFFING.
THE TRADITIONAL STAFFING MODEL CONSISTS OF 11 SUPPRESSION PERSONNEL ON DUTY PER SHIFT.
THAT INCLUDED TWO TYPE 1 FIRE ENGINES, TWO RESCUE AMBULANCES STAFFED BY FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS BY THE CITY OF WOBURN, AS WELL AS A BATTALION CHIEF.
AS THE COUNCIL'S AWARE AND MANY IN THE PUBLIC ARE AWARE WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT LATER IN THE REPORT ABOUT EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT, WOBURN FIRE DEPARTMENT FOUND ITSELF IN A PLACE WHERE IT WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME RECRUITING AND RETAINING PERSONNEL.
THIS PUT A PARTICULAR STRAIN ON WHAT IS CONSIDERED A CONSTANT STAFFING MODEL OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF KEEPING 11 PEOPLE IN QUARTER OR ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES 24-7.
THAT LED THE FIRE CHIEF AT THE TIME TO START LOOKING AT SOME OPTIONS ON WHAT TO DO.
BASICALLY WHAT OCCURRED THERE IS, ONE AMBULANCE GOT BROWNED OUT INITIALLY AND THEN COVID HIT.
THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH THE CONTINUITY OF SERVICE PLAN THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED BY THE LAST FIRE CHIEF IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF SERVICE AT WOBURN FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE FACE OF SEVERELY REDUCED STAFFING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'LL SEE TODAY AND I'LL GO OVER AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
WITH THAT, THAT ULTIMATELY ENDED UP BROWNING OUT, WHICH IS A TEMPORARY SHUTDOWN OF BOTH RESCUING AMBULANCES, AND THEN MOVING THAT PROVISION OF SERVICE THROUGH A CONTRACT OVER TO CURING AMBULANCE TO PROVIDE A BASIC LIFE SUPPORT LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.
THEY'RE NOT PARAMEDIC AMBULANCES.
THEY ARE EMT BASED AMBULANCES THAT ARE BASIC LIFE SUPPORT.
THEY SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW AND THEY DO THE TRANSPORT.
HERE'S THE CURRENT TRADITIONAL MODEL THAT YOU'RE ALL USED TO THAT, IT HAS BEEN IN OPERATIONAL IN WOBURN FIRE FOR SOME TIME NOW.
THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH THE 11 TOTAL OF SUPPRESSION PERSONNEL.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THAT CONTINUITY OF SERVICE STAFFING THAT IS BASICALLY AN EMERGENCY STAFFING LEVEL BASED ON CURRENT ISSUES GOING ON WITH THE EMPLOYEE GROUP AS FAR AS HAVING ENOUGH PHYSICAL BODIES ON HAND TO FILL ALL THOSE NECESSARY SPOTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU'RE DOWN TO NINE PERSONNEL, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MOVE FROM IF YOU LOOK, YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU WENT FROM THREE INDIVIDUALS ON EACH ENGINE UP TO FOUR ON EACH ENGINE,
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AND THEN BROWNING OUT BOTH RESCUING AMBULANCES.CURRENTLY, UNLESS SOMETHING HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, THE WOBURN FIRE DEPARTMENT IS OPERATING OFF A FOUR-INDIVIDUAL STAFFED ENGINES AND ONE BATTALION CHIEF 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THAT'LL BRING US INTO A DESCRIPTION OF NFPA 1710.
THE REASON THAT'S HERE IS BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HOTTER BUTTON TOPIC IN THE FIRE INDUSTRY.
ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER LEVEL FIRE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE MINIMAL STAFFING LEVELS, THIS NFPA 17 IS OFTEN REFERRED TO QUITE A LOT BY THE LABOR UNIT.
IT'S A CONCERN FOR THE CITY LEADERS.
IT'S A CONCERN FOR THE PUBLIC.
BASICALLY WHAT IT IS, IS IT'S DONE BY THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITHIN THE FIRE INDUSTRY.
THAT WORKS WITH FIRE INDUSTRY LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS A LOT OF INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FIRE PROTECTION INDUSTRY, IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY, IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
THEY BUILD RECOMMENDATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND STANDARDS FOR A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES WITHIN ANYTHING THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THE SCOPE OF FIRE PROTECTION.
1710 IS THE SPECIFIC STANDARD OR RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY REFER TO, THAT IS FOR STAFFING OF PROFESSIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
WITH THAT, IT PROVIDES YOU RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES, NOT JUST FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION INCIDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR EMS INCIDENTS, AS WELL AS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT WE WON'T BE DISCUSSING THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A DIFFERENT NFPA SECTION GAS FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS VERSUS PROFESSIONAL.
IT ALSO ESTABLISHES SOME STANDARD GUIDELINES FOR RESPONSE TIMES FOR ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE, WHICH IS BASICALLY BUILT AROUND THE WEIGHT OF THE RESPONSE.
WHEN I SAY WEIGHT OF THE RESPONSE, I MEAN HOW MANY PEOPLE AND HOW MANY PIECES OF APPARATUS ARE YOU SENDING ON THAT RESPONSE? THAT'S THE WEIGHT OF THE RESPONSE AND THAT ALSO DISCUSSES THE SPEED OF THE RESPONSE.
HOW FAST CAN YOU GET THAT EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE ON SCENE? A LOT OF STUDIES WERE DONE OVER THE YEARS TO DEVELOP WHAT AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE IS AS FAR AS SIZE.
AS TIME GOES ON AND AS THE FIRE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GROW, AS FAR AS WHAT FIRES LOOK LIKE TODAY IN RESIDENCE, IN STRUCTURES, THEY BURN HOTTER AND FASTER.
THOSE NUMBERS IN EACH REVISION TEND TO CLIMB A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS HOW MANY PEOPLE MAKE UP AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE, WHICH OFTENTIMES PUTS THE CITY COUNCILS, THE CITY LEADERS, FIRE DISTRICT LEADERS IN TOUGH PLACES WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO BALANCE WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE AGAINST WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO PROVIDE, AND WHAT MAKES SENSE TO PROVIDE FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT.
NFPA DOESN'T NECESSARILY TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.
THEY LOOK MORE THAN NUTS AND BOLTS OF FIRE SUPPRESSION INCIDENTS AND RESPONSES TO THEM.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THESE STANDARDS, I WILL CALL THEM STANDARDS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TERMED.
BUT REALLY WHAT THEY BOIL DOWN TO IS, IS THEY ARE RECOMMENDATIONS OR GUIDELINES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT MANDATORY IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM AS FAR AS IS A FORCE OF LAW BEING IMPLIED OR APPLIED AGAINST A JURISDICTION TO SAY YOU MUST STAFF TO THIS LEVEL AND YOU MUST GET THERE IN THIS TIME.
RATHER, IT JUST SETS UP AN INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE IS REALLY WHAT IT DOES.
THERE'S A LOT OF IMPORTANCES BEHIND IT, BECAUSE THEY DO WORKS STUDIES TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH WORK ONE INDIVIDUAL OR ONE COMPANY CAN GET DONE IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE IS NO FORCE OF LAW THAT REQUIRES AUTHORITIES HAVING JURISDICTION TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC LEVEL OF SERVICE.
[NOISE] DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? GOOD? OKAY.
REAL QUICK, WE'LL JUST GO OVER THE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE SIZE.
THIS IS RIGHT OUT OF THE NFPA 1710 2020 VERSION.
IT'S EITHER EVERY THREE OR FOUR YEARS, THEY UPDATE.
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I THINK IT'S EVERY THREE.THIS IS THE NEWEST LATEST VERSION.
AS YOU CAN SEE FOR A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING, WHICH IS YOUR TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL SINGLE OR TWO STORY HOME.
THAT IS MEANT TO HOUSE ONE FAMILY, WHICH WE SOMETIMES KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.
THERE ARE SOME MULTIPLE FAMILIES LIVING IN SOME OF THESE SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS.
THAT IS 16 SUPPRESSION PERSONNEL AND 17 IS NEEDED IF YOU'RE USING AN AERIAL DEVICE.
AN AERIAL DEVICE IS A TRUCK COMPANY WHICH HAS THE BIG GIANT LADDER ON THE TOP THAT GETS TO GO UP AND DOWN AND ALL THAT FUN STUFF.
IN THE CASE OF LAVERNE, YOU HAVE THE DRIVER IN THE BACK AND IT'S ALL REALLY EXCITING FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE SEINFELD FANS, THE BEST SEINFELD EVER WAS WHEN KRAMER WAS THEN DRIVING THE BACK OF THAT THING AND TRIED TO DIRECT THEM WHERE TO GO.
AS YOU CAN SEE, ANECDOTALLY SPEAKING, THE MAJORITY OF THE FIRE PROBLEM IN LAVERNE IS LIKELY GOING TO BE SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGS FOR THE MOST PART, YOU DO HAVE SOME WHITE INDUSTRIAL.
YOU DO HAVE OBVIOUSLY SOME OPEN AIR STRIP MALLS AND SOME OTHER BIGGER BUILDINGS AROUND YOUR UNIVERSITY.
HOWEVER, YOUR BASIC LEVEL IS 16 SUPPRESSION PERSONNEL, 17 IF YOU'RE USING AN AERIAL DEVICE.
AN OPENERS STRIP SHOPPING CENTERS, FOR AN EXAMPLE, YOUR DOWNTOWN AREA THERE WHERE THE [INAUDIBLE] RESTAURANT ROW IS.
THAT'S AN OPEN-AIR STRIP MALL.
THAT TAKES FOR AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE IS 27 SUPPRESSION PERSONNEL AND ALWAYS ADD ONE IF YOU'RE USING AN AERIAL DEVICE.
THEN YOU MOVE INTO APARTMENTS IS THE SAME AS A STRIP MALL AND THEN HIGH RISE REQUIRES 42 PERSONNEL, 43 IF IF AN AERIAL DEVICES UTILIZED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, ANY ACTUAL FIRE INCIDENT WITH ACTIVE FIRE IN IT THAT PROVIDES FOR [INAUDIBLE] ATMOSPHERE WHICH IS IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS TO LIFE AND HEALTH.
THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF PEOPLE TO OPERATE SAFELY AND IT PUTS A STRAIN ON SMALLER FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO REVIVE THOSE PERSONNEL WITHIN THE TIMELINES THAT ARE ESTABLISHED BY 1710, WHICH ARE HERE.
THIS IS THE INITIAL FULL ALARM ASSIGNMENT RESPONSE TIME, NOT THE FIRST ENGINE ARRIVING ON SCENE BUT THE TIME THAT YOU GET THAT INITIAL FULL ALARM ASSIGNMENT WHICH IS YOUR EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE ON SCENE.
THE GOAL IS 480 SECONDS, 90% OF THE TIME FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN HIGH-RISE.
THEN IT'S 610 SECONDS FOR 90% OF THE TIME FOR ANYTHING THAT'S A HIGH RISE.
I'M ONLY DEALING IN THIS PRESENTATION WITH TRAVEL TIME.
I'M NOT DEALING WITH THE TOTALITY OF RESPONSE TIME, I'M NOT DEALING WITH THE CALL HANDLING TIME, THE CALL PROCESSING TIME, THE TURNOUT TIME TURN OUT.
IT'S OBVIOUS CALL HANDLING AND CALL PROCESSING IS THE TIME IT TAKES AND IN NFPA, IT LAYS IT ALL OUT WHAT THAT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S THE TIME IT TAKES FOR THE CALL TAKER TO HANDLE THE CALL AND GET IT PASSED OFF.
THEN THE CALL PROCESSING TIME HAPPENS IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE RESPONSE FORCE THAT THEN GETS DISPATCHED.
THEN THE DISPATCH TIME IS THE TIME THAT THE CREWS RECEIVE IT.
FROM THE TIME THAT CREWS RECEIVE IT TO THE TIME THEY START ROLL ON THE WHEELS IS THE TURNOUT TIME.
THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER DISCUSSION AND FRANKLY TURN OUT TIME IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS IN THE INDUSTRY THAT'S ALWAYS FRUSTRATING US A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE CAN REALLY MAKE UP TIME.
THE MODERN DISPATCH CENTERS TODAY, LA COUNTY INCLUDED WHO IS CURRENTLY HANDLING YOUR DISPATCH.
THEY'RE TYPICALLY PHENOMENAL AT THEIR CALL HANDLING CALL PROCESSING, AND DISPATCH TIME.
THEY'RE GENERALLY RIGHT IN THERE FOR THE MOST PART WITH SOME ANOMALIES HERE IN THERE.
YOU CAN'T DRIVE FASTER, YOU SHOULDN'T DRIVE FASTER.
YOU CAN MAKE UP TIME ON THE ROAD.
THEREFORE, IT'S IN THAT TURNOUT TIME THAT IS WHERE WE MAKE OR BREAK A LITTLE EXTRA TIME.
AGAIN, WE'RE STAYING HIGH LEVEL THIS, THIS DOESN'T GET INTO WHAT YOUR AVERAGE RESPONSE TIMES ARE.
WE DIDN'T TAKE A LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER DISCUSSION.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO HAVE IN THE EVENT THAT THE CHOICES MADE TO CONTINUE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT VERSUS LA COUNTY FIRE OR THE FIRE DISTRICT.
FOR THIS REPORT, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF CALLS THAT YOU RESPOND OR THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS ON.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S QUITE INTERESTING.
AS YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART, YOU MAY BE THINKING YOURSELF AND I KNOW WE'VE ALL HAD DISCUSSIONS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MEETINGS HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS AND YOU'RE AWARE OF THESE NUMBERS.
I'M GOING TO REITERATE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ANOMALY IN THE FIRE SERVICE,
[00:30:05]
YOU GUYS ARE NOT AN ANOMALY HERE.THIS IS A PRETTY STANDARD LOOK AT WHAT AN AVERAGE CALL LOAD IS AT MOST MUNICIPAL PROFESSIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS, EVEN THE BIGGER ONES.
IF YOU REALLY [INAUDIBLE] THROUGH THEIR DATA, YOU WILL PROBABLY FIND SOMETHING SIMILAR.
THAT IS THAT ANYWHERE FROM ONE AND A HALF TO TWO PERCENT OF YOUR CALL LOAD IS A FIRE CALL OF SOME SORT.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S A BUILDING FIRE OR A STRUCTURE FIRE.
IT'S ANY NUMBER OF FIRE CODES.
THERE'S OUTDOOR FIRES, THERE'S VEHICLE FIRES, THERE'S RUBBISH FIRES, THERE'S COOKING FIRES.
THERE'S ALL SORTS OF LITTLE FIRE CODES THAT WE USE WHEN WE'RE DOING A REPORT TO TRY TO GIVE MORE SPECIFICS SO THAT DATA COLLECTION CAN BE MORE SPECIFIC AS TO WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RESPONDING ON.
THAT'S THROUGH THE NATIONAL INCIDENT FIRE REPORTING SYSTEM [INAUDIBLE].
IT'S A NATIONAL STANDARD THAT ALL FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY USE.
AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE, YOU'RE AVERAGING OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME, 1.59 PERCENT FIRE CALLS A YEAR OUT OF YOUR ROUGHLY AVERAGE OF 3500 CALLS A YEAR INCIDENTS.
BUILDING FIRES ACCOUNT FOR ON AVERAGE 0.13 PERCENT AND REALLY WHAT THAT WORKS OUT TO, I ROUNDED UP FOR THIS IN THE REPORT, BUT 4.5 BUILDING FIRES ON AVERAGE A YEAR OCCUR IN LAVERNE.
NOW, AGAIN, AS PART OF A HIGH-LEVEL REVIEW, WE DID NOT GO INTO DEPTH ON TO WHAT THOSE FIRES LOOK LIKE.
WE DIDN'T LOOK AT HOW WAS THE CALL DISPATCHED? WHAT WAS FOUND ON ARRIVAL.
WHAT THE LEVEL OF THE ACTUAL BUILDING FIRE WAS, WHAT TYPE OF BUILDING IT WAS.
WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR THE EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE TO GET THERE.
WE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK INTO WAS THERE AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE EVEN NEEDED? WAS IT TURNED AWAY BEFORE IT GOT THERE BECAUSE THE FIRE WAS HANDLED BY THE INITIAL RESPONDING UNITS THAT ARRIVED ON SCENE? THOSE WOULD BE IMPORTANT THINGS AS PART OF A MORE DETAILED REVIEW, SOMETHING SIMILAR THAT YOU WOULD GET WITH THE STANDARDS OF RESPONSE COVERAGE STUDY IF THAT WAS TO BE DONE FOR THE CONTINUATION OF LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHICH WE'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
THE OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBER HERE IS YOUR EMS SLASH RESCUE AND RESCUE'S IN THERE BECAUSE THAT INCLUDES YOUR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
ANYTHING WITH A MEDICAL COMPONENT FALLS INTO THIS CATEGORY AND THAT NUMBER IS QUITE A BIT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER OBVIOUSLY AT 72, ALMOST 73 PERCENT ON AVERAGE.
[NOISE] REPRESENTING BY FAR YOUR LARGEST CALL LOAD WITHIN THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT PROFILE.
NOW AGAIN, IF YOU WERE TO DO A DETAILED LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS TO SEE NOT ALL 72 PERCENT OF THOSE ARE ALS OR ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT TYPE CALLS.
THERE'S A LOT OF VARIATION WITHIN THAT NUMBER AS FAR AS THE URGENCY OF THAT CALL OR THE ACTUAL MEDICAL PROBLEM THAT'S GOING ON.
THEN WE JUST CLASSED THE OTHER CALL TYPES, WHICH ROUGHLY MEET 25 PERCENT.
THAT'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CALL TYPES.
THERE'S FALSE ALARMS IN THERE, THERE'S CANCELED CALLS, THERE'S JUST GOOD INTENT CALLS, THERE'S PUBLIC ASSISTS.
THERE'S SOME [INAUDIBLE] AN INCIDENCE WHICH YOU GUYS DID NOT HAVE TOO MANY THAT I SAW.
THAT'S A WHOLE VARIETY OF CALLS THAT WOULD JUST GET REALLY COMPLICATED TO GO THROUGH AND TRY TO LIST ALL THOSE SO WE TYPED THEM AS OTHERS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT PAINTS A PICTURE OF WHAT A LOT OF YOUR COMMUNITY RISK PROFILE LOOKS LIKE JUST BY LOOKING AT RAW NUMBERS.
OBVIOUSLY, ANYTIME YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A TRUE COMMUNITY RISK PROFILE, THAT SHOULD AND COULD BE PART OF A STANDARDS COVER STUDY WHERE THEY ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT IS ACTUALLY THE RISK PROFILE THAT YOU'RE FACING IN ORDER TO HELP YOU MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ON HOW YOU DEPLOY YOUR FORCES.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE RESPONSE DATA? GREAT. THIS IS JUST BACKING UP WHAT I SAID ABOUT WHAT YOUR AVERAGES IS.
YOU HAVE 56 FIRE SUPPRESSION TYPED INCIDENTS.
DOESN'T REFER TO THE SEVERITY, DOESN'T REFER TO ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN THE INDIVIDUAL DOING THE REPORT AT THE END OF THE INCIDENT, DECIDED TO TYPE IT IN THE FIRE CATEGORY OF SOME TYPE.
THEN YOU HAVE THOSE BUILDING FIRES COMING IN AT ABOUT 4.5 EVERY YEAR,
[00:35:02]
ROUGHLY, SOME YEARS HIGHER, SOME YEARS LOWER.AS WE MOVE THROUGH, AFTER THE RESEARCH THAT I ACCOMPLISHED, THE STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS, LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT REPORTS AND THE DIFFERENT DATASETS THAT I WAS PROVIDED AND THAT I DUG UP ON MY OWN.
OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE QUITE A FEW FINDINGS.
WE'LL GO OVER A POINT-BY-POINT HERE.
I'M COVERING THE MAJORITY OF THEM.
THERE ARE SOME MORE MINOR ONES THAT I LEFT OUT OF THE POWERPOINT.
I JUST DIDN'T FEEL THAT THEY WERE THAT CRITICAL TO BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.
BUT THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY THERE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO BACK TO THE DOCUMENT ITSELF AND LOOK INTO THE DOCUMENT FOR A MORE THOROUGH DISCUSSION OF EACH KEY FINDING AS WELL AS A THOROUGH LIST OF ALL THE KEY FINDINGS.
BUT TO START WITH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STUCK OUT THE MOST AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THEMES THAT I NOTED, MOSTLY THROUGH MY STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH COMMAND STAFF WITH THE FIRE CHIEF IS THEY JUST EXISTS IN MY OPINION, BASED ON THOSE INTERVIEWS, A TRUST DEFICIT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THIS EXISTS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE ACTUAL LABOR UNIT, BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMAND STAFF, BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE COMMAND STAFF AND THE SUPPRESSION STAFF, AND CERTAINLY SOME TRUST ISSUES WITH THE FIRE CHIEF.
EVEN THE LAST END TERM FIRE CHIEF, THERE WAS SOME DECLARED TRUST ISSUES WITH HIM AS WELL DURING MY INTERVIEWS.
THAT IS CONCERNING WHEN THERE'S THAT MUCH OF A LACK OF TRUST THAT IT WILL AFFECT THE OPERATIONS.
IT AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF THE WORKPLACE.
NOW, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE FOLKS THAT WORK FOR LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB, I BELIEVE THEY ARE.
I BELIEVE WHEN THE DUTY CALLS, THEY GO OUT AND THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LA VERNE.
BUT I THINK WHEN THE ALARM IS OFF, THE DYSFUNCTION COMES BACK, AND I THINK IT EXISTS PRETTY DEEP WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
NOW AGAIN, THIS IS STUFF THAT I LEARNED THROUGH MY INTERVIEW PROCESS AND THIS TRUST DEFICIT AND THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAT I HAD MENTIONED, A LOT OF IT WAS POINTED BACK TO THE POST MONETARY SETTLEMENT FROM THE RECENT SETTLEMENT WITH THE CITY AND THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ONCE THAT OCCURRED, IT REALLY CHANGED THE FACE OF THE SUPPRESSION STAFF FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, AND THAT AGAIN IS CONCERNING.
THESE FOLKS HAVE TO LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER FOR 24/7.
IF THERE IS A LACK OF TRUST AND A DYSFUNCTION WITHIN THEM, IT'S CONCERNING TO ME FOR THE HEALTH OF THE ORGANIZATION, THIS LEADS TO AN OVERALL NEGATIVE CULTURE.
THERE'S A NEGATIVE CULTURE RUNNING THROUGH THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I'M NOT HERE TO TRY TO DO A POSTMORTEM AS TO WHY THAT IS, I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU, THAT'S WHAT I LEARNED THROUGH MY PROCESS, IS THAT THIS NEGATIVE CULTURE EXISTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, NATIVE CULTURES, THEY'RE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN AROUND.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN THE CORPORATE WORLD ABOUT THIS.
TRYING TO CHANGE NEGATIVE CULTURES AND TRYING TO ESTABLISH POSITIVE CULTURES.
THERE'S A WHOLE FIELD THAT IS DOING NOTHING BUT THIS WORK BECAUSE IT'S HUMAN NATURE.
NEGATIVE CULTURES CAN GET BUILT AMONGST HUMANS WHEN YOU START LOSING TRUST IN EACH OTHER, AND THAT'S JUST A REALITY.
THIS BRINGS ME BACK TO OUR DISCUSSION THAT WE WERE HAVING ABOUT THE NFPA 1710.
CONCERNS REGARDING THE ABILITY FOR THE LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THAT EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE IN WHAT WE TERM HIGH RISK, LOW FREQUENCY EVENTS.
THAT'S FAIRLY SELF-EXPLANATORY, IT IS 4.5 BUILDING FIRES A YEAR.
THAT'S A HIGH RISK OPERATION, I CAN'T SUGARCOAT THAT, THEY'RE HIGH RISK OPERATIONS AND THEY HAPPEN AT A LOW FREQUENCY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS EXPRESSED TO ME THROUGHOUT MY INTERVIEWS WAS THE FACT THAT THE SUPPRESSION STAFF DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY HAD AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE AVAILABLE TO THEM WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIME-FRAME THAT MADE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE.
THAT WAS RUNNING THROUGH ALL OF THE INTERVIEWS I HAD THROUGH THE COMMAND STAFF AND THE LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS' ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES.
[00:40:08]
WHOOPS, A LITTLE TYPING ERROR. SORRY ABOUT THAT.THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE 2004, I ADDED A ZERO INSTEAD OF CLOSING MY PARENTHESES.
I TOOK A LOOK AT THE CURRENT AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENT WITH LA COUNTY, AND I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME TO ESTABLISH THIS DEAL WITH THE FIRE DISTRICT.
THE INTERESTING PART ABOUT LA VERNE, THE CITY ITSELF IS, THE CITY ITSELF IS SURROUNDED ON THREE OF ITS FOUR MAJOR BORDERS BY THE FIRE DISTRICT, LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT REALLY IMPACTS YOUR ABILITY OF WHO YOU CAN HAVE AUTOMATICALLY AID AGREEMENTS WITH.
YOU DO HAVE FOUR SERVICE ON YOUR NORTH END, BUT THAT'S A LIMITED AREA AND AND THEY GENERALLY DON'T GET INVOLVED IN AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENTS ON THE LEVEL THAT YOU DO.
THEIR MISSION IS MORE IN THE WILDLAND, INTO THE NATIONAL FORESTS AND NOT INTO EVEN THE LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY AREA OR INTO THE MUNICIPAL AREAS AT ALL, OR THE WUI ENVIRONMENT THAT WE CALL IT THE WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE ENVIRONMENT.
INTERVIEW FEED IT BACK TO 2004, AND IT IS NOT A WHOLE AGREEMENT IN MY OPINION THAT PROVIDES CITYWIDE COVERAGE OF AUTOMATIC AID RESOURCES TO HELP LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT, GET US EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE UP TO A LEVEL THAT MEETS THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM NFPA.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS TOLD DURING THE INTERVIEWS THAT THE CHIEF WAS LOOKING INTO TRYING TO GET A RENEGOTIATION DONE.
BUT NOW THAT YOU'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH A FEASIBILITY STUDY, THOSE THINGS ARE ON HOLD AT THE MOMENT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
THEN THAT BRINGS US TO EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ISSUES.
I'D LIKE TO START WITH RECRUITMENT A LITTLE BIT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS STUFF.
BUT I LIKE TO JUST POINT THESE IMPORTANT POINTS OUT WHEN THEY POP UP. EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND.
AGAIN, LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT ON ITS OWN WITH EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT.
THIS IS AN INDUSTRY-WIDE PROBLEM.
IT'S A PROBLEM WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A PROBLEM WITH OTHER SECTORS OF CITY AND PUBLIC WORK.
EVERYBODY I'VE TALKED TO IN THOSE AREAS, THEY ALL COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO THEIR POSITION.
STARTING IT AT A BASE LEVEL, IT'S A PROBLEM.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING MY OLD DEPARTMENT, WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO HELP MITIGATE THAT ISSUE AND ATTRACT AND BRING MORE PEOPLE, NOT JUST INTO OUR SPECIFIC FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT INTO THE INDUSTRY ITSELF BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LACKING.
WE'RE LACKING THAT INTAKE OF NEW RECRUITS INTO THE INDUSTRY, WHICH IS HAVING A NEGATIVE OVERALL IMPACT ON RECRUITMENT.
THEN WHEN YOU COUPLE THE RETENTION ISSUES THAT ARE OCCURRING WITHIN LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE OTHER HOST OF ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON THERE, THAT STARTS TO BREED A RETENTION ISSUE.
SINCE 2017, FROM RECORDS PROVIDED ME BY THE HR DEPARTMENT AT LA VERNE, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT A MINIMUM OF 10 INDIVIDUALS HAVE WILLINGLY SEPARATED THEIR EMPLOYMENT TO GO AFTER OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT JUST LEFT THE INDUSTRY ALTOGETHER, WHICH THERE WAS ONE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYBODY THAT WAS TERMINATED, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE LET GO, THAT WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL ON PROBATION.
I'M TALKING ABOUT 10 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OFF PROBATION LEFT TO GO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR FIRE INDUSTRY WORK WITHIN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AT LA VERNE.
WHEN YOU HAVE A TOTAL STAFFING OF 34 INDIVIDUALS, WHEN YOU'RE FULLY STAFFED, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT HIT, IT REALLY IS.
THERE'S A LOT OF VARIABLES THAT GO INTO WHY IT IS THAT ISSUE EXIST FOR LA VERNE.
FRANKLY, A LOT OF IT IS ANECDOTAL, BUT WE'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER HERE.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT DOES PLAY INTO THAT IS, THE POTENTIAL THAT PAY AND BENEFITS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER YOUR MEDIAN MARKET WHICH YOU HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH, THE LVFA, THE LA VERNE FIREFIGHTERS' ASSOCIATION, ABOUT A MEDIUM PLACEMENT IN THE PAY AND BENEFITS AREA.
I DO KNOW THAT A RECENT CONTRACT WAS SIGNED, I'M NOT 100 PERCENT CLEAR ON WHERE THAT BRINGS THE LVFA INTO THAT MARKET.
[00:45:05]
BUT ANECDOTALLY SPEAKING, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN FACTORS THAT WAS POINTED TO ME DURING THOSE STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AS THE PAY AND BENEFITS ARE UNDER THE MEDIAN MARKET FOR THE SURROUNDING AREAS.ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT I FOUND WAS TRAINING CONTINUITY AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN BROUGHT TO ME OVER THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO IN-HOUSE TRAINING FACILITY AND THERE'S NO DEDICATED TRAINING DIVISION.
RIGHT NOW A SHIFT BC HANDLES THE OVERALL TRAINING DUTIES AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THAT BC IS NOT CAPABLE OF HANDLING THOSE DUTIES ABSOLUTELY IS.
HOWEVER, THERE'S A BENEFIT TO A DEDICATED TRAINING DIVISION THAT BREEDS TO A SOLID, REALISTIC, VERIFIABLE, ONGOING TRAINING BIT.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE FOR ANY FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WORKS THE FIREFIGHTER SCHEDULE TO BE IN CHARGE OF TRAINING ALL THREE DIFFERENT SHIFTS.
IT DOES INCREASE THE WORKLOAD AND IT DOES POTENTIALLY AFFECT THE CONTINUITY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT TRAINING.
THIS IS FIRST PLACE WE START TALKING ABOUT THE STANDARDS OF RESPONSE COVERAGE AND COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT ALONG WITH A MASTER PLAN.
NOW AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I REITERATE IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO DECIDE TO GO TO LA COUNTY TO THE FIRE DISTRICT AND HAVE THE FIRE DISTRICT ANNEX, THE FIRE EMS SERVICES INTO A FEE FOR SERVICE MODEL AND THIS IS A MOOT POINT.
YOU WOULD NOT NEED TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD.
YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN A ROAD WITH THEM OF A FURTHER STUDY THAT WILL HAVE A COST TO BACK TO THE CITY TO FINALIZE ALL THE AGREEMENT, FIGURE OUT WHAT THE COSTS ARE TO DO THE FINAL EQUIPMENT CHANGEOVERS AND THAT THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
I WON'T EVEN QUOTE THE COST BECAUSE I WOULDN'T BE GIVING YOU FACTUAL INFORMATION THERE.
IF THE DECISION WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CONTINUING OLIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT, THIS IS AN AREA THAT I BELIEVE WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY TO ENGAGE IN.
THAT IS A STANDARDS RESPONSE COVERAGE COUPLED WITH A COMMUNITY RISK ASSESSMENT.
WE WILL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT I'LL JUST SAY IT OUT RIGHT NOW.
IT IS A HIGHLY DETAILED REPORT, ESPECIALLY BASED ON WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE LOOKED AT AND STUDIED.
BUT IT IS A HIGHLY DETAILED REPORT THAT WILL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WHERE YOU SHOULD PUT YOUR FIRE STATIONS, ROUTING.
THEY DON'T LEAVE ANY STONE UNTURNED.
THEY LOOK AT ALL OF YOUR DATA AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THEY LOOK AT YOUR COMMUNITY RISKS.
THEY LOOK AT YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS.
THEY TAKE ALL THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
YOU DON'T NEED TO EVEN GO SO FAR AS DEPENDING ON THE COMPANY YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE CELL PHONE DATA ENCAPSULATED IN IT TO HELP YOU LOOK AT TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST ROUTE IS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PROBLEM IN LA VERNE OR NOT BUT I DO KNOW IT WAS AN ISSUE FOR CHINO AND THEY DID UTILIZE THAT LEVEL OF DATA TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT, HEY, HOW WE BEST ROUTING THESE ENGINES? SHOULD DECISION BEING RESPONDING TO THAT AREA AT THAT TIME A DAY OR SHOULD WE BE SOON IN ANOTHER ONE WILL BE QUICKER? THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE TWO THINGS, YOU ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP A REALISTIC, EFFECTIVE MASTER PLAN.
THAT MASTER PLAN IS A LONG-TERM GOAL SETTING PLAN FOR 25 YEARS OUT WITH TYPICALLY 10-YEAR UPDATES.
THEN ALL OF THAT, YOU DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN OUT OF THAT.
NOW, THE CITY OR FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN AND IT WAS COMPLETED BY THE LAST FULL-TIME FIRE CHIEF.
IT WAS COMPLETED IN 2017 AND IS A VERY AMBITIOUS PLAN WITH VERY AMBITIOUS TIMELINES ON IT.
IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME AND THE PEOPLE, THE INDIVIDUAL STAKEHOLDERS I TALKED TO.
IT'S UNCLEAR. WHAT ACTUAL DATA WAS USED TO BUILD THAT PLAN.
THE QUESTION COMES FOR ME IS, WELL THEN, IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS USED TO BUILD THAT PLAN, IS IT A REALISTIC PLAN? IS IT ATTAINABLE? CAN WE MAKE IT HAPPEN? TO DATE, FROM THE KNOWLEDGE I GAINED, NO IMPLEMENTATION HAS STARTED.
NOW OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS RIGHT IN THE TIMELINE WHEN THE OTHER ISSUES STARTED HAPPENING.
THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BUT YOU HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN NOW THAT'S THREE YEARS OLD ESSENTIALLY JUST BEEN SITTING THERE.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT BECAUSE THE FIRST THREE I JUST TALKED ABOUT WITHOUT A STRATEGIC PLAN, THEY'RE REALLY USELESS.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS ACTUALLY THE WAR PLAN.
[00:50:03]
THAT'S OKAY. HEY, THIS IS WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE.THE OTHER FIRST THREE, THAT'S YOUR TEXTURE MAP, THAT'S LAYING OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, WHERE YOU NEED TO GET AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS WHAT YOU USE TO GET THERE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S A REASONABLE PLAN THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY.
OTHERWISE YOU'RE JUST WASTING TIME AND MONEY.
ANOTHER AREA IS THE POLICY SESSION DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A NEWER THING IN THE FIRE INDUSTRY.
MIKE [INAUDIBLE] BROUGHT THIS TO CHINO YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO.
IT'S NOT NEW TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, BUT TO THE FIRE INDUSTRY IT'S NEW.
REALLY IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S BUILT TO HELP IDENTIFY YOUR NEXT FIRE CHIEF AND YOUR NEXT COMMAND STAFF FROM THE DAY THEY WALK ON THE FLOOR.
THEN HELP GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING THE FUTURE LEADERS OF YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ASSIST THEM IN ATTAINING THAT GOAL AND MOVING THROUGH THE THROUGH THE RANKS AND BEING EFFECTIVE IN ALL THE RANKS, BUT ALSO DEVELOPING THOSE PEOPLE FOR YOUR FUTURE LEADERSHIP.
CURRENTLY OLIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT IMPLEMENTED A SECESSION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND THEN A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
NOW, A LOT OF TIMES SECESSION DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT GET MIXED UP.
SECESSION DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY, YOU'RE STARTING FROM THE ROOKIE FIREFIGHTER COMING IN THE DOOR.
YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN JUMP ON IT, THE ESCALATOR AND WORK THROUGH A PROGRAM THAT HELPS THEM GOAL SET, HELPS THEM PLAN, AND SUPPORTS THEM THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY SO WHEN THEY'RE ON 20 YEARS, THEY'RE A CAPTAIN OF THE TIME CHIEF AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS THEY CAN BE COUPLED WITH SECESSION DEVELOPMENT BUT RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I FEEL IS GOING ON IN OLIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS THERE'S A LACK OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP AS WELL.
IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO IMPLEMENT A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR YOUR CURRENT LEADERS.
TO GET YOUR CURRENT LEADERS UP TO A PLACE THAT THEY ARE AS EFFECTIVE AS THEY CAN BE FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND FOR THEMSELVES.
WORK INTO AN EFFECTIVE COMMAND STAFF WITH THE NEXT FULL-TIME FIRE CHIEF, WHICH WILL BE CRITICAL TO SUCCESS IF OLIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS TO CONTINUE IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER.
THEN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN.
NOW AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER NEW THING FOR A LOT OF THE FIRE INDUSTRY, BUT SOME OF YOUR BIGGER DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN UTILIZING STRATEGIC MARKETING PLANS FOR YEARS.
I KNOW CHINO VALLEY FIRE IS REALLY STARTING TO HIT IT HARD WITH THEIR STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN.
TRYING TO MARKET THE DEPARTMENT AS, HEY, THIS IS THE PLACE YOU WANT TO COME WORK, AND IT'S REALLY STARTING TO PAY OFF FOR THEM.
IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT PROCESS.
IT TAKES A LOT OUT OF THE BOX THINKING THAT WE'RE NOT USED TO IN THE FIRE INDUSTRY.
LET'S FACE IT, IN THE FIRE INDUSTRY? WE USED TO JUST SIT BACK AND RECRUITS CAME.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
WELL, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS OF ABOVE AND BEYOND THE LACK OF RECRUITS IS PLACES LIKE OLIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT, PLACES LIKE CHINO VALLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE SUCH HIGH CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR ENTRANCE.
WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE A FIREFIGHTER, ONE, WHICH MEANS TO WORK HAS HAD HAVE BEEN DONE ON THE PART OF THE PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEE TO GET THAT CERTIFICATION ACCOMPLISHED.
THEY HAVE TO BE A LICENSED PARAMEDIC IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH TAKES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK ON THE PART OF THE APPLICANT TO EVEN MEET THE BASIC MINIMUM STANDARDS OF APPLYING.
IT WOULD BE IMPERATIVE THAT INEFFECTIVE MARKETING PLAN IS PUT IN PLACE AND NOT JUST FOR HIRING, BUT ALSO TO SELL THE DEPARTMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, INTO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
IT CREATES A BURST THAT, HEY, YOU'RE THIS TYPE OF PERSON? YOU WANT TO COME WORK AT OLIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT COULD BE A LARGE BENEFIT.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FINDINGS.
OBVIOUSLY, FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION, YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE DOCUMENT.
BUT WHAT THAT BRINGS US TO IS OUR SERVICE DELIVERY OPTIONS.
REALLY IT COMES DOWN TO THE IDEA OF THIS REPORT AND THIS PRESENTATION IS, THIS IS NOT ABOUT, WHAT LEVEL OF STAFFING DO WE PUT AT EACH STATION? HOW DO WE HANDLE THIS AMBULANCE OR THIS ENGINE?
[00:55:03]
I'M GOING TO PROPOSE SOME IDEAS.BUT REALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO IS, DO YOU CONTINUE IN THE PROCESS WITH THE FIRE DISTRICT FOR ANNEXATION OF SERVICES OR DO YOU CONTINUE WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IN SOME FORM OR FASHION? THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LA COUNTY OFFERS, AND WE'LL GO OVER SOME ADVANTAGES HERE, BUT THEY'RE PROPOSING TWO DISTINCT OPTIONS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY, WHICH I'LL EXPLAIN.
WITH LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH THE FIRE DISTRICT, YOU ARE GOING TO RECEIVE A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH ACCESS TO THEIR ABSOLUTE AMAZING ROBUST LEVEL OF SERVICES, EQUIPMENT, AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH ITS STAFFING FAIRLY IMMEDIATELY WITH, I DON'T WANT TO SAY NO IMPACT, BUT CERTAINLY THERE'S A WORK INVOLVED.
BUT FROM DAY 1 OF ASSERT TRANSITION OF SERVICES, YOU ARE GOING TO RECEIVE A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, PERIOD.
THEY'RE ONE OF THE BIGGEST FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY.
THEY'RE WELL-RUN, THEY'RE WELL-ORGANIZED.
I'VE WORKED WITH THEM FOR YEARS, THEY'RE A PHENOMENON FIRE DEPARTMENT OVERALL.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOUR OPTIONS ARE LIMITED AS FAR AS OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE FOR AUTOMATIC AIDED MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS BECAUSE OF YOUR GEOGRAPHY, WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED, AND YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY ALL AREAS AROUND, YOU HAVE ANNEX THEIR FIRE DELIVERY SERVICES OVER TO THE FIRE DISTRICT.
THE FIRST OPTION IS OPTION A. I CALL IT OPTION 1-A IN THE REPORT, SO WE CAN KEEP THEM IN ORDER.
IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FROM THE FIRE DISTRICT, THIS IS OPTION A.
THIS IS THE HIGHER END OPTION, AND WE'LL GO OVER COSTS HERE IN JUST A FEW.
BUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO HERE IS THEY'RE GOING TO STAFF IN THE STATION 1 AND STATION 2, EACH WITH A THREE PERSONNEL ENGINE.
ONE OF THOSE ENGINES BEING WHAT THEY CALL A PA, A PARAMEDIC ASSESSMENT UNIT.
THAT MEANS AS AN LA COUNTY SPECIFIC TERM AS FAR AS I CAN UNDERSTAND, I WOULD CALL THAT A MEDIC ENGINE IN MY PARLANCE.
BUT LA COUNTY CALLS THEM A PARAMEDIC ASSESSMENT UNIT BECAUSE IT TYPICALLY WILL ONLY INCLUDE ONE PARAMEDIC, A SINGLE PARAMEDIC, AND IT HAS BASIC LEVEL ALS HERE, AND THEIR JOB IS TO ARRIVE ON SCENE, ASSESS, HANDLE THE INCIDENT IF THEY'RE CAPABLE OF IT BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME THEY PROBABLY ARE, AND IF NOT, THEY CAN CALL IN MORE RESOURCE TO HELP MITIGATE THAT PROBLEM.
THEN THE ENGINE IN STATION 1 WOULD BE A FULLY BLS, BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, EMTS, NOT PARAMEDICS WITH THREE PERSONNEL, WITH THE ADDITION OF A MEDIC SQUAD AT STATION 1 WITH TWO PERSONNEL.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MEDIC SQUAD IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, THE FIRE DISTRICT IDENTIFIES THAT SQUAD AS A SHARED RESOURCE.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, IT TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE FIRE DISTRICT WILL BE COVERING 20 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL COST OF THE MEDICS SQUAD.
NOW, WHY IS THAT? IT'S FAIRLY SIMPLE.
IT'S BECAUSE THAT UNIT, WHAT IS GOING TO BE AN ADVANTAGE TO THE CITY OF LA VERNE IS ACCESS TO ALL THE SURROUNDING RESOURCES.
ALSO MEANS THAT THE RESOURCES IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE ARE ACCESSIBLE WHILE ALL THE OTHER SURROUNDING THEY'RE CITIES THAT ARE PROVIDED SERVICE BY THE FIRE DISTRICT, SO THAT SQUAD COULD BE CALLED INTO OTHER AREAS FAIRLY FREQUENTLY AND NARROWER ESTIMATING 20 PERCENT OF THE TIME.
A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS WHEN THAT SQUADS IN ROUTE BACK FROM AMMAN VALLEY HOSPITAL FOR INSTANCE, IT MAY CATCH ANOTHER CALL IN [INAUDIBLE] .
THE AVAILABILITY OF THAT SQUAD IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE TIME, IT'S GOING TO BE OPERATING IN OTHER AREAS POTENTIALLY ACCORDING TO THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
JUST ME MAKING THE SIMPLE MATH OF THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR 20 PERCENT OF IT.
SO I JUST PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD IN MY OPINION.
THIS IS YOUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF ALS SERVICE THAT THE FIRE DISTRICT IS OFFERING YOU.
AGAIN, IT OFFERS THE TWO FIRE ENGINES IS NOT GOING TO STAFF STATION 63.
THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS PLACING A PRIVATE AMBULANCE THERE THROUGH CONTRACT.
THEN YOU WOULD HAVE THE MEDIC SQUAD AT STATION 1.
SORRY, LET ME GO BACK HERE REAL QUICK.
I SKIPPED OVER B. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. PRETTY SIMPLE.
[01:00:05]
THE ONLY CHANGE HERE IS THE STATION 62 HAS A BLS LEVEL ENGINE.NO PARAMEDIC ASSESSMENT UNIT, NO ALS UNIT OUT OF STATION 2.
AGAIN, STATION 3 STAYS A PRIVATE AMBULANCE, IF THAT'S WHAT THE CITY CHOOSES TO DO IF THEY ENTER IN TO THE CONTRACT WITH LA COUNTY AND SUSTAIN THAT YOU HAVE TO STATION A AMBULANCE THERE, IT IS YOUR CHOICE ULTIMATELY, AND NOW WOULD BE UP TO THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS.
AGAIN, WE'RE GETTING A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL ALL RISK FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN, THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCE AND THE ABILITIES SOMETIMES ARE OVERWHELMING.
I'M SPEAKING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHERE WE HAVE A CALL OF SMOKE IN A COMBINED CONTRACT AREA OR AN AGREEMENT AREA DOWN WHERE I USED TO WORK, AND WE LOOK UP AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW I'VE GOT SO MUCH LA COUNTY RESOURCE DOZERS, HELICOPTERS, EVERYTHING COMING, AND IT'S COMING FAST AND HARD.
THEY'RE AWESOME, THEY REALLY ARE, I JUST CAN'T SPEAK HIGH IN A FORM.
ONCE THE DIFFICULT WORK OF GETTING THE TRANSITION DONE IS OVER AND DAY 1 STARTS, YOU MAY HAVE A FEW HICCUPS HERE AND THERE.
LIKE ANY TIME YOU DO A TRANSITION, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME HICCUPS, BUT ONCE THAT'S OVER, YOU'VE GOT A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AT YOUR DISPOSAL.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION NO LONGER IS AN ISSUE FOR THE CITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYMORE, THAT'S ALL HANDLED BY THE COUNTY.
THEY DO A LOT OF WORK, THEY HAVE A WORKING PLAN, AND THEY WORK IT, THEY VISIT FIRE COUNTY.
THEY DO ALL STUFF TO BRING PEOPLE OVER INTO THEIR ORGANIZATION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, NOW, I DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEIR ENTIRE OPERATIONAL, WHAT WE CALL SOGS OR STANDARD OPERATING GUIDELINES, OR THEIR RESPONSE GUIDELINES.
BUT FROM WHAT THEY LAID OUT IN THEIR FEASIBILITY STUDY, THEY ABSOLUTELY PROVIDE THE RECOMMENDED LEVELS OF STAFFING IN AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE FORCE ACCORDING TO NFPA 1710 AND IN SOME CASES THEY EXCEEDED.
THIS ALSO OFFERS A POTENTIAL FOR A LITTLE BIT OF INSULATION FOR THE CITY FROM GROWING PENSION DEBT.
NOW, THIS IS A TRICKY SUBJECT RIGHT HERE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IF WE'VE EARNED FIRE DEPARTMENT TRANSITIONS OVER TO THE FIRE DISTRICT, THE EMPLOYEES OF LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL TRANSITION OVER AND ON THAT DATE, THEY WILL GO INTO THE COUNTY'S PENSION PLAN.
BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS NOT OFF THE BOOKS FOR THE CITY, SO THE TIME THAT LEADS UP TO THAT THE CITY IS STILL ON.
SO IT'S A VERY COMPLEX ACTUARIAL FORMULATION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY YOUR UOL, YOUR ACTUARIAL LIABILITY WILL BE ON THE YEARS OUT AFTER A TRANSITION.
BUT WHAT IT WILL DO FOR YOU IS IT WILL STOP THE ADDITION OF NEW EMPLOYEES, EVEN UNDER THE NEW PEPPER EMPLOYEES THAT ARE COMING ON BOARD.
IT'LL STOP THE OVERALL GROWTH AND YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE EMPLOYEES THAT LEFT OVER TO THE OTHER FIRE AGENCY.
FOR MORE DETAIL, BOB IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU A BETTER RUNDOWN OF THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T ELIMINATE YOUR PENSION DEBT, IT DOES GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INSULATION FROM IT, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE IN HARD DOLLARS.
POTENTIAL FOR RELIEF FROM FUTURE EMPLOYEE LITIGATION CLAIMS. THERE IS NO SECRET THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY FUTURE CLAIMS ARE COMING, BUT THE POTENTIAL ALWAYS EXISTS, ESPECIALLY IN UNHAPPY WORKPLACE.
POTENTIAL FOR REDUCTION OF WORKMAN'S COMP CLAIMS. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE INSULATED FROM ANYTHING THAT IS CONSIDERED UNDER AN APPORTIONMENT AGREEMENT.
ONCE PEOPLE GO OVER TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEY DETERMINE WELL, LA VERNE OWNS X AMOUNT OF THIS, AND LA COUNTY OWNS X AMOUNT OF IT.
WELL, WHAT IT DOES DO AGAIN, LIKE THE PENSION, IT CUTS YOU OFF FROM ANY NEW CLAIMS ONCE THEY LEAVE.
NOT ANY. SOME OF YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND CLAIM ANYTHING.
BUT IT WOULD LIKELY REDUCE THAT IMPACT ON THE CITY, AND IT WOULD ALSO LIKELY REDUCE YOUR ANNUAL WORKERS' COMP PREMIUMS. AGAIN, [INAUDIBLE] COULD SPEAK WITH A LITTLE MORE AUTHORITY ON THAT.
[01:05:03]
YOU'RE ALREADY PROVIDING SERVICE FOR YOUR DISPATCH THROUGH LA COUNTY AND PAYING A CONTRACT AND THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $137,000 THAT FOLDS IN, THAT DOESN'T BECOME AN EXTRA COST, IT'S JUST A WASH. THEN FROM WHAT I COULD FIGURE OUT, I THINK IT WAS STILL WORTH NOTING.BUT IN RECENT MEMORY, THERE HASN'T BEEN TOLD TO SPEEDUP.
YOU WOULD BE INSULATED FROM COSTS FROM ANY FIRES THAT END UP IN THAT LOCAL RESPONSE AREA, WHICH YOU HAVEN'T HAD TOO MANY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM THAT IS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK THIS UP QUITE A BIT.
ULTIMATELY IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE, AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHY.
YOU'LL ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE POST RETIREMENT CONTRACT BENEFITS LIKE THE POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL.
STATION 3 ISN'T STAFFED, BUT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY STATES THAT THE FIRE DISTRICT RETAINS CONTROL OF THAT STATION.
AS WE CAN SEE OUR CHALLENGES, THE BIG ONE IS THE 5.5 PERCENT AND IT'S DIFFICULT CONTRACT TO EXIT, FLATTENED OUT.
THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF.
IF YOUR TAKEAWAYS ARE LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHOLE RISK, OUR DEPARTMENT ALLEVIATES MANY OF YOUR CURRENT ISSUES AND IT WILL FISCALLY IMPACT TO YOU THAT IT JUST WILL AND THEN YOU HAVE A LOSS OF LOCAL CONTROL.
HERE ARE YOUR IDEAS FOR YOUR CONTINUATION OF REFER.
THIS IS YOUR STANDARD TRADITIONAL LEVEL.
11 PEOPLE BUT YOU'VE GOT TWO RESCUE AMBULANCES AND TWO ENGINES WITH THREE PERSONNEL PLUS A BATTALION CHIEF.
ALL OF THESE ADVANTAGES, CONSIDERATIONS, AND CHALLENGES ARE ALL THE SAME FOR ALL THE OPTIONS I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS DOWN THE LINE.
YOU'LL BE GOING BACK TO YOUR TRADITIONAL LVFD STAND AS OF DEPLOYMENT.
IT MEETS WITHIN YOUR CURRENT FISCAL GUIDELINES.
IT MAINTAINS THOSE RESCUE AMBULANCES AND IT PUTS STATION 63 BACK IN-SERVICE WITH A RESCUE AMBULANCE TO PROVIDE SOME COVERAGE UP THERE.
BUT AGAIN HERE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK AT GIVEN THAT SUCCESSION DEVELOPMENT PLAN GOING COLLABORATIVELY DEVELOP AN IDEAL EMPLOYEE PROFILE AND WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TO FIGURE OUT WHO YOU'RE GOING TO TARGET.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE RA STATIONED AT 63 BECAUSE THERE'S NO SUPERVISOR ASSIGNED.
THEN A SERIOUS COMMITMENT TO LVFD CHANGING THE CORE ISSUES THAT EXIST WITHIN THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
YOU'RE LIKELY GOING TO FACE RESISTANCE FROM THE LABOR UNIT HERE.
GIVING THOSE AUTOMATIC AID AGREEMENTS IN A WAY THEY ARE MORE FUNCTIONAL AND ARE BETTER SUITED TO ASSIST YOU, ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL.
YOU'VE GOT AGAIN, GET BETTER ACCESS TO THAT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
IN GETTING THAT COMMITMENT FROM ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE, I BELIEVE.
THIS OPTION, OPTION 3 IS BUILT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA HOW YOU CAN CONTINUE RIGHT NOW WITH YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF STAFFING UNDER THE CONTINUITY OF SERVICE EMERGENCY PLAN, IT'S A LITTLE OUTSIDE THE NORM, LITTLE OUTSIDE THE BOX.
IT BRINGS AMBULANCE OPERATOR PROGRAM ON BOARD, WHICH IS A SINGLE FUNCTION, PARAMEDIC AND EMT AND ALL THE FIRE SUPPRESSION PERSONNEL TO RUN THOSE AMBULANCES AND THEN IT PUTS A TYPE 6 ALS COMBO MEDICS FLAWED ENGINE UP AT STATION 63, WHICH IS A SMALLER, LIGHTER WEIGHT HEAVY DUTY PICKUP STYLE, IT HAS MINIMAL HOLES, MINIMAL WATER, AND SOME MINIMAL OF MEDICARE.
BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES YOU SOME QUICK RESPONSE UP INTO THAT NORTHERN AREA.
IT IS SCALABLE, YOU CAN ADD TO IT AS, AS TIME MOVES ON AND HAS BUDGET PERMIT AND IT GETS YOU BACK TO AN AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION WITH AN AO PROGRAM THAT IS NOT AS COSTLY AS RUNNING FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS.
PART OF IT IS AS ADDING A CAPTAIN TO THAT TYPE 6.
THAT HELPS WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES AS A SESSION.
IT GIVES ANOTHER PLACE FOR A CAPTAIN POSITION FOR PEOPLE TO PROMOTE TO AND ALSO HANDLES THAT SUPERVISION ISSUE UP AT STATION 63.
AGAIN, THEY'RE LIKELY GOING TO RECEIVE SOME RESISTANCE FROM THE LABOR UNIT OF MAINTAINING WITH NINE PERSONNEL.
THOSE OTHER ILL PEOPLE CANNOT BE USED AS PART OF FIRE SUPPRESSION.
THEY COULD BE AUXILIARY, BUT NOT FIRE SUPPRESSION.
AO PROGRAMS PROVIDE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS WITH
[01:10:01]
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION BECAUSE IT'S A TRANSIENT, PEOPLE ARE USUALLY MOVING IN AND OUT OF THOSE A LOT OF THEM GO INTO THE FIRE SERVICE.YOU STILL NEED TO GET EFFECTIVE AUTO AID AGREEMENTS GOING AND THE SAME THING AS THE CORE ISSUES AND THE COMMITMENT FROM ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS [NOISE]. THEN THIS IS THE BIGGIE.
THIS IS BRINGING YOU UP TO A LEVEL OF 17 PERSONNEL ON SHIFT EVERY DAY AND IT'S BRINGING THREE ENGINES, FOUR PERSONNEL ENGINES, AND TWO AMBULANCES, RA AMBULANCES BACK AND PROVIDING 17 PERSONNEL.
THAT GETS YOU THE RECOMMENDED LEVELS IF THEY'RE ALL AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING.
IF THEY'RE NOT ALL AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE AN OPENER STRIP MALL, IF YOU HAVE AN APARTMENT, IF YOU HAVE A HIGH RISE, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED MUTUAL AND AUTOMATIC AID.
YOU ADD A FULLY STAFFED ENGINE UP A STATION 63, AND YOU CONTINUE TO STAFF THOSE RAS WITH FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS.
YOU COULD PRESS THE CURRENT VIRAL CURRENT TRUCK INTO OPERATION FOR THIS, OTHERWISE, YOU WOULD NEED TO PROCURE ANOTHER TYPE 1 ENGINE.
YOU HAVE A HIGHER UP, BIGGER, HIGH-RISK WORKFORCE.
POTENTIAL INCREASE FOR WORK WORKMAN'S COMP CLAIMS AND AGAIN, THE SAME THING HOLDS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE CORE ISSUES.
THEN ,OBVIOUSLY, THE BIGGEST THING HERE IS THE FISCAL IMPACT.
IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND IT'S DETAILED IN THE REPORT.
JUST POSITION HOW MUCH MORE COST NOT BY A TOTAL AMOUNT.
WE'RE GETTING TO THE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS, THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PROJECTED ANNUAL FUNDING INCREASE ONLY, THIS IS THE COST OF SERVICE BETWEEN THE CURRENT TRADITIONAL MODEL WHO'VE EARNED AND THE OPTION A OF THE FIRE DISTRICT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, INITIALLY, IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE UP TO YEAR 4 TO GO TO THE FIRE DISTRICT.
THEN BY YEAR 4 YOU START ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY OF COSTS, IT WILL START COSTING MORE ULTIMATELY THAN YOUR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT OVER TIME.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT THAT DOES TO YOUR GENERAL FUND AND THE CITY OF LA VERNE, YOU HAVE SEVERAL REVENUE SOURCES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED BY GOING TO THE FIRE DISTRICT AND THINGS LIKE THE MEASURE GG FUNDS AND SOME OF THE OTHER OES FUNDS AND THAT SHOWS RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE FROM DAY 1, YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AT A DEFICIT SPENDING FOR THE FIRE DISTRICT OVER LA VERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT UNDER ITS TRADITIONAL MODEL CURRENTLY.
THIS DOES TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LATEST MOU AGREEMENT.
FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION, OBVIOUSLY OUR CULTURE SHIFT, PROCURING THOSE REPORTS, FIRE CHIEF RECRUITMENT, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYEES SESSION AND YOUR NEW EMPLOYER RECRUITMENT, YOUR EMPLOYER RETENTION AND COOPERATOR ASSISTANCE.
I DON'T NEED TO REHEARSE THIS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LENGTHY, DIFFICULT PROCESS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE RIGHT LEADER AND IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG HARD WORK, IT'LL LIKELY TAKE A LOT OF YEARS.
WE ALREADY DISCUSSED IN DETAIL THE SOC AND THE EVERYTHING COUPLED WITH THAT, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU ENGAGE A HIGHLY COMPETENT FIRMS, SPEND A LITTLE MONEY HERE WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND IT WILL BENEFIT YOU IN THE LONG RUN.
THIS IS A TOUGH ONE. I WON'T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH HERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE APPROPRIATE FIRE CHIEFS TO TAKE OVER THIS TASK.
THE RIGHT PERSON WITH THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES TO TAKE ON A NEGATIVE CULTURE, TO BRING A PLACE BACK TO WHERE IT DESERVES TO BE, IS GOING TO BE A LONG, HARD, DIFFICULT WORK THAT I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY FOLKS ARE OUT THERE THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU HIRE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF FIRE CHIEFS OUT THERE, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED THE RIGHT PERSON TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND TO HAVE A CHANCE FOR SUCCESS.
I TALKED ABOUT THIS ALREADY, THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT EMPLOYEES SECESSION, AN IMPORTANT THING.
THEN DEAL WITH YOUR EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT, YOU'VE GOT TO GET THAT.
FIRST YOU GOT TO START FIXING SOME OF THE CORE PROBLEMS AND THEN YOU CAN START SELLING YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT OUT THERE WITH A STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN.
THAT STARTS WITH A LOT OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.
EMPLOYEE RETENTION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
WELL, BECAUSE ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT I GATHERED WAS ALL ANECDOTAL IS EXIT INTERVIEW.
A SOLID EXTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS.
I WOULD EVEN RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO BACK IN TIME IF YOU CAN, AND TRY TO CONTACT SOME OF THE OLDER EMPLOYEES THAT RECENTLY LEFT AND ONCE YOU DEVELOP A INTERVIEW PROGRAM, INTERVIEW THEM.
BECAUSE OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S ALL ANECDOTAL.
WE CAN ALL SAY IT'S PAY AND BENEFITS AND WE DON'T LIKE THE CULTURE,
[01:15:02]
BUT WITHOUT ACTUALLY DOING DATA GATHERING, WE WON'T KNOW.THEN THAT COOPERATOR ASSISTANCE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT ONE BECAUSE YOUR ONLY OPTION IS LA COUNTY, THE FIRE DISTRICT, AND THAT THESE AGREEMENTS ARE RECIPROCAL IN NATURE.
IT'S EACH SIDES GIVING, SO THAT'S WHERE MAY BE TIME TO GET CREATIVE IF THAT CAN'T WORK AND EVEN MAYBE TRY TO DISCUSS WITH THEM AN ASSISTANCE BY HIRE MODEL WHERE YOU ASK FOR THEM TO COME IN TO HELP WITH THOSE BIGGER HIGH RISK, LOW FREQUENCY, EVENTS AND PAY FOR THAT TIME.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THESE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE US A WHILE.
WE DISCUSSED THEM AT LENGTH IN OUR LAST MEETINGS.
BUT IF YOU LOOK REAL QUICK, THIS IS THE NEXT ANTICIPATED STEPS TO MOVE TO THE FIRE DISTRICT.
DIFFICULT WORK, BUT VERY DOABLE HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
THEN THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO OCCUR.
I DON'T KNOW IF I ACCOUNTED FOR ALL OF IT FOR AN EFFECTIVE CONTINUATION OF LAVERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IT'S A BIG LIST AND IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND IT'S YEARS WORTH OF WORK.
WITH THAT, THIS GOES BACK TO THE HIGHER-ORDER VALUES THAT THE COUNCIL SEES OF THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
THE BIG ONE THAT I SEE IS IF YOUR HIGHER-ORDER VALUE IS AS INFORMATION OF A HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH MINIMAL IMPACT ON YOUR STAFF AND IN TRANSITION, THEN THE FIRE DISTRICT, A GREAT OPTION.
BUT IF MAINTAINING LOCAL CONTROL OF YOUR FIRE SERVICE DELIVERY AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT, WHATEVER YOU SEE THAT AS BEING HOWEVER YOU CAN ARTICULATE THAT, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT HIGHER-ORDER VALUE, THEN CONTINUATION [INAUDIBLE] FIRE DEPARTMENT OBVIOUSLY.
THEN AGAIN, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGIES FOR ALL OF YOU IS THE PROVISION OF CITY STAFF TO AMBULANCES IS GOT TO ENTER INTO THE EQUATION AS WELL.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT TO YOU AND THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY? THAT'S REALLY ABOUT ALL I HAVE AT THIS POINT.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I JUST FELT LIKE I SCRATCHED THE SURFACE, SO I'D LIKE TO KICK IT BACK OVER TO QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, TYLER. NO, THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION TO ABSORB, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK YOU GAVE EVERYBODY A QUICK VIEW AND A IN-DEPTH VIEW OF THAT TOO.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR TYLER BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? [OVERLAPPING] COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE].
I KNOW THAT THE STUDY ITSELF WAS PUBLIC.
I THINK MR. RUSSI SAID LAST WEEK, FOR THE PUBLIC, AND IT'LL BE UP TOWARDS THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
WILL THIS POWERPOINT ALSO BE MADE AVAILABLE? [OVERLAPPING]
>> ACTUALLY, THIS PRESENTATION OF COURSE WILL BE ACCESSIBLE AND WE'LL PROVIDE A LINK TO IT UNDER THE FIRE STUDY WHERE WE HAVE THIS DOCUMENT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. JOHNSON FROM COUNCIL?
>> YES. TYLER, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
WHEN YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT IF WE WERE IN LA COUNTY, THEY TAKE CONTROL OF THE STATIONS.
DOES THAT MEAN THEY OWN THE STATIONS? OR THEY JUST ARE MANAGING THE STATION? THEY'RE [INAUDIBLE] OF OUR BUILDINGS, ARE THEY?
>> WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THAT'S ONE THAT IF YOU WERE TO ENGAGE IN THE NEXT STEPS THAT I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ENGAGE IN THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE FIRE DISTRICT TO REALLY NAIL DOWN WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE I'D ONLY BE MAKING ASSUMPTION.
ACCORDING TO THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, IT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE THEY WOULD HANDLE SOME OF THE MINOR MAINTENANCE, BUT THE CITY-OWNED ALL THE CAPITAL MAINTENANCE FOR IT.
IF YOU NEEDED A NEW ROOF, I DON'T THINK THE FIRE DISTRICT IS GOING TO PUT A NEW ROOF ON.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GOING TO END UP OWNING THE STATIONS OR NOT.
THAT WOULD BE OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE FOR A FINAL DECISION TO CLEAR THAT UP WITH THE COUNTY TO SAY, "HEY, WELL, HOW DOES THIS WORK?" AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND AND THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY, YOU TURN THE EQUIPMENT OVER, THEY END UP OWNING THE APPARATUS.
I CAN'T COMMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY OWN THOSE STATIONS OR NOT, BUT THEY DO.
I WANT TO POINT OUT AT STATION 63, IT DOES SAY IN THERE AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
THAT THEY MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THAT STATION EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STAFF IT.
>> RIGHT. YES. I'LL REMEMBER THAT.
YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT RECRUITMENT.
I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME HERE, I GOT A COPY OF THE MARCH 31ST RECRUITMENT FOR FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC AND FOR APPLICANTS.
[01:20:02]
THE NUMBER 1 REQUIREMENT IS MUST BE A CALIFORNIA LICENSE PARAMEDIC ACCREDITED WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY EMSA REQUIRED PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT.NOW, TO ME THAT'S A MAJOR REQUIREMENT FOR A NEW HIRE.
IF WE DROP THAT BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT EMS SERVICES, I'M JUST THROWING THIS OUT THERE, HASN'T BEEN LOOKED AT THAT, THAT WE COULD HIRE THEM AS AN EMS WHICH IS BASICALLY FIRST AID, CORRECT?
>> WELL, IT'S A LITTLE BIGGER THAN FIRST AID.
IN CALIFORNIA, THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT FIREFIGHTER ARE EMT MINIMUM, SO EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, WHICH IS A STEP BELOW PARAMEDIC, SO YOU'D BE HIRING EMTS INSTEAD OF PARAMEDICS.
YOU'D BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A BASIC LEVEL OF MEDICAL SERVICE VERSUS AN ADVANCED LEVEL OF SERVICE.
BUT CERTAINLY, YOU COULD LOOK INTO DOING THAT ABSOLUTELY.
A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS HIRE STRAIGHT EMTS.
MATTER OF FACT, LA COUNTY WILL BE PROVIDING AT LEAST AT ONE STATION A FULL BLS ENGINE.
>> OKAY. BECAUSE THAT COULD INCREASE APPLICANTS QUITE A BIT IF WE DROPPED THAT REQUIREMENT.
NOW, HAVE WE HAD ANY DIALOGUE WITH THEM? WITH LA COUNTY FIRE TO SEE IF WE COULD GET A QUOTE ON JUST HIRING LA COUNTY FOR FIRE AND THEN HAVE OUR OLD CITY EMT DEPARTMENT UNDER CITY EMPLOYEES AS EMT? PLACENTIA, I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S READ ABOUT PLACENTIA'S PLAN AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THERE.
THEY'VE GONE FROM PULLED OUT OF COUNTY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T AFFORD IT AND THEY PROVIDED THEIR OWN SERVICES THERE FOR EMT.
I WAS THINKING, WELL, IF WE COULD GET A CONTRACT WITH JUST COUNTY, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE FOR FIRE.
MAYBE THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OWN EMT PROGRAM.
>> WELL, I CAN TRY AND SPEAK TO THAT WHEN YOU ENGAGE IN THE FIRE STUDY.
THE STUDY IS LIKE FOR LIKE SERVICES.
THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY IS BASED ON THE FULL RANGE.
>> YEAH. THAT QUESTION NOT BEEN ASKED.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MODEL EXISTS IN LA COUNTY, BUT AT THIS POINT, THAT QUESTION HASN'T BEEN ASKED.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. JOHNSON FROM COUNCIL?
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, TYLER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOURS AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] WORK ON THIS AND MEETING WITH US AND GETTING OUR INFORMATION AS WELL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
>> I'VE ASKED THIS ACTUALLY A COUPLE TIMES, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AND I KNOW SOME OF THE ANSWERS, BUT SO THAT OUR PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS ARE AWARE TOO.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME LAVERNE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD 17 PEOPLE ON DUTY ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS?
>> THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE BOB, I THINK, WOULD BE BEST TO ANSWER THAT.
>> IN MY EXPERIENCE TIME, WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT MANY.
>> THEN WE'VE HAD TWO SIGNIFICANT FIRES IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, WE'VE HAD A HOUSE FIRE AND WE HAD A COMMERCIAL FIRE DOWN BY THE AIRPORT.
DURING THOSE TIMES, DID WE HAVE THE PEOPLE TO FIGHT THAT FIRE? WITH AID, OF COURSE, FROM THE COUNTY, BUT WE'VE HAD THE PEOPLE TO FIGHT THE FIRES, CORRECT?
>> YES, THE SUPPORT CAME IN FROM LA COUNTY TO RESPOND TO THOSE INCIDENT.
>> HAVE WE NOT HAD THAT SUPPORT IF WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT FIRE IN LA VERNE IN THIS PAST WEEKS, SOMETIMES?
>> TYLER, ACCORDING TO YOUR GRAPHICS TOO, ABOUT 72 PERCENT IS MEDICAL NON TYPE, CORRECT?
>> STATION 3, ALTHOUGH WE KNOW THERE HAD BEEN A BROWN OUT.
BEFORE THE BROWN OUT, [INAUDIBLE] TOO, HOW MAY CALLS WENT TO STATION 3 ON AVERAGE?
>> IT WAS MINIMAL BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT ANALYSIS OF WHAT IF WE WERE GOING TO BROWN OUT, THAT WAS THE LOWEST SERVING.
>> I BELIEVE CHIEF LEONARD SAID 3-5 CALLS A WEEK.
[01:25:01]
>> BUT 3-5 CALLS A WEEK, NOT EVEN ONE A DAY, THAT WAS HAPPENING UP AT STATION 3.
WITH THE FIRE DISTRICT OPTIONS OF A OR B, IT ONLY HAS 8 PEOPLE ON DUTY IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE AT A TIME.
WITH THE SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE, IF POMONA OR SOMETHING, WE GET AN ISSUE JUST LIKE WE WOULD RIGHT NOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SUPPORT WITH OUR 11 PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN, IS THAT TRUE?
>> SO THE OPTIONS OF HAVING THE FIRE DISTRICT OF EIGHT PEOPLE IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY THAT WITH OUR MAIN FORCE THAT WE HAD WITH 11 OR OUR REDUCED FORCE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS NINE, EIGHT IS STILL WOULD BE LOWER THAT THE FIRE DISTRICT OPTIONS ARE GIVING US.
>> I'M GOING TO TYLER, AS FAR AS SUPPRESSION STUFF, CAN YOU ANSWER THAT?
>> YEAH. THE FIRE DISTRICT IS GOING TO OFFER EIGHT BECAUSE THE BATTALION CHIEF, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A PART OF THE GREATER BATTALION WHICH THAT BATTALION CHIEF WAS COMING OUT OF SAN DIMAS, I BELIEVE, STATION 64 IN SAN DIMAS.
YES, YOU'LL HAVE EIGHT ON DUTY IN THE CITY AS COMPARED TO YOUR CURRENT CONTINUITY OF SERVICE, NINE.
>> THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY IN OUR CITY, WE WOULD HAVE LESS PEOPLE THAT IS PRIMARILY HELPING OUR RESIDENTS, IF WE WENT FIRE DISTRICT?
>> THAT WOULD BE SAFE TO ASSUME, YES.
>> THEN IF WE WENT COUNTY, WE HAVE ATTACHED TO OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT AMBULANCE AND AMBULANCE CARRY TO THE HOSPITAL.
WHAT WOULD IT DO WITH THOSE MONEYS, OR WILL OUR RESIDENTS STILL BE ABLE TO USE THAT WHERE THEY'RE NOT BEING COST TO TAKE THEM TO THE HOSPITAL?
>> I'LL TAKE THAT ONE. THE CONTRACTING OF AMBULANCE SERVICE, THAT IS AN OPTION THAT EXISTS HERE WOULD, AS TYLER WAS POINTING OUT, ENABLE THE CITY TO RETAIN ITS 201 RIGHTS.
THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE THE WAY WE DO WHERE IT'S FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE WE'LL BE STILL COLLECTING THAT REVENUE, STILL BE ABLE TO BUILD THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, WE WOULD JUST BE PROVIDING THAT TRANSPORT THROUGH A SEPARATE MODEL.
>> IS THAT COST EFFECTIVE TO THE CITY BY DOING A MODEL LIKE THAT, OR IF WE MOVED AWAY FROM THAT TAX AND MOVED AWAY FROM THAT TOO, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS? WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OPTIONS ARE UP.
>> THE EASY ANSWER IS IT'S BETTER, IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THAT DIRECTION, IS TO CONTRACT AND CONTINUE TO GENERATE THAT REVENUE BECAUSE IT ENDS UP BEING ON THE POSITIVE SIDE FOR THE CITY OR IF THERE ARE OTHER [INAUDIBLE]
>> AGAIN, FIRST OF ALL, TYLER, I THINK YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB OF BRINGING THIS ALL TO US.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOURS AND AND MIKE'S WORK.
BUT I WOULD LIKE THE COUNCIL, TWO OF US, TO SIT DOWN WITH THE FIRE ASSOCIATION TO GET THEIR POINT OF VIEW.
BECAUSE YOU SAID VERY ELEGANTLY THE CULTURE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW AND THE WILLINGNESS TO MOVE FORWARD AT ANY STEP WOULD HAVE TO BE PART OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
I KNOW I SAT WITH THEM BEFORE THE ELECTION AND THEY WERE ADAMANT ABOUT NOT WANTING OR HAVING TO GO TO COUNTY, BUT I BELIEVE THE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT, AND SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM WITH THIS BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION AS WELL.
>> THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. JOHNSON FROM COUNCIL?
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A POINT OF ORDER TO OFFER UP TO THE RESIDENCE TO SPEAK OUT AT IT THIS TIME.
THIS HAS GOTTEN A LITTLE LATER THAN I'D EXPECTED.
>> MR. DAVIS, I WAS JUST WAITING FOR THEM TO FINISH BUT THAT IS MORE THAN WE WANT TO GO.
[01:30:02]
>> YEAH, AND I'D LIKE TO THEN MAYBE ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS AFTER THAT, BUT I WANT TO LET OUR RESIDENTS SPEAK.
>> THEN I WOULD CLOSE DOWN OUR COUNCIL COMMENTS TO MR. JOHNSON.
I WOULD GO TO OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, JR?
>> NOTHING HAS BEEN RECEIVED SO FAR, SIR.
>> OKAY, WE'LL WAIT A MINUTE AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK.
>> WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I'LL JUST REMIND EVERYBODY OUT IN THE PUBLIC THAT THE COMMON PERIOD WILL REMAIN OPEN AND WE'LL STILL ACCEPT THE EMAILS AND WE HAVE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF EMAILS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SHARED WITH COUNCIL.
>> HEY. THANK YOU, JERRY. WE WILL ENCLOSE [INAUDIBLE] COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
MR. DAVIS, YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS?
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS VERY THOUGHTFUL REPORT THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED US FOR A GREAT DEAL OF CONSIDERATION.
I GUESS I WANT TO SEE AND MAYBE IF THERE'S TIME ENOUGH OR INTEREST ENOUGH TO SEE IF THERE ISN'T A THIRD OPTION THAT WE CAN LOOK AT BECAUSE YOU'VE PRESENTED TWO VERY CLEAR CUT OPTIONS.
ONE, MAINTAINING LILBURN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A SECOND TO GO COUNTY FIRE AND ACTUALLY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBBINS ORDER WAS TEASING AT THE NUGGETS OF MY IDEA, WHICH WAS LOOKING AT THE AMBULANCE OPERATION AND THE 201 RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE, IS THERE A MODEL OUT THERE THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO LOOK AT AND COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE 80 PERCENT SERVICES OR 77 PERCENT SERVICES FOR OUR CITY, IN-HOUSE AND THEN MAINTAIN OUR 201 RIGHTS, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR A THIRD PATH, I GUESS?
>> JUST SO I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, ARE YOU SPEAKING THAT YOU WOULD CONTRACT OUT THE FIRE PROTECTION SIDE OF THINGS AND THEN MAINTAIN AN EMS DELIVERY SYSTEM FROM THE CITY?
>> YEAH. IN A SENSE, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
>> OKAY. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I KNOW OF THE REVERSE IN ONE OF THOSE PRIME EXAMPLES IS PLACENTIA, WHO JUST LEFT THE COUNTY AND THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY PROVIDING FIRE SERVICE AS A CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY HAVE CONTRACTED ALL OF THEIR EMS OVER TO AN AMBULANCE SERVICE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY'RE NOT RUNNING ON EMS RELATED CALLS EITHER.
THEY'RE STILL FIRST RESPONDERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY IN LA COUNTY OR EVEN IN THE GREATER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA, THAT HAS DONE THE REVERSE WHERE THEY'VE FOUND SOMEBODY TO JUST DO THE FIRE SIDE OF THINGS FOR THEM AND THEN THEY TAKE ON THE MEDICAL SIDE, I HAVE NO INDEPENDENT KNOWLEDGE OF ANYBODY THAT'S ACTUALLY SUCCESSFULLY DONE THAT OR EVEN TRIED IT.
>> OKAY. CAN I SUGGEST THAT, THE ONE PIECE IN HERE THAT CAUGHT MY EYE FROM LA COUNTY WAS THEY CALLED IT THE LAW HARBOR MODEL AND HAVING TWO TALENTED INDIVIDUALS, YOU AND MIKE, WOULD YOU GUYS BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT MODEL AND SEE IF THAT GETS US ANYWHERE CLOSE AND LET BOB KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WOULD COST, PLEASE.
>> YEAH. BOB THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU WANT TO EXPLORE LATER, WE CAN DO THAT.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT A SCOPE OF WORK OR SOMETHING.
>> OKAY. YES. JERRY DID NOTE THAT SOMEBODY HAD EMAILED IN JUST AS WE WERE CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE THAT AT THE MOMENT AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
>> YES. IT'S GOING OVER THAT BACKUP, PLEASE.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENTS/ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - This is the time set aside for anyone wishing to address the City Council on items not listed in any other place on the agenda. Under the provisions of the Brown Act, the legislative body is prohibited from talking or engaging in discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda. However, your concerns may be referred to staff or set for discussion at a later date. Any person desiring to speak should complete a ‘Speaker Card,’ located at the podium, and hand it to the Assistant City Clerk. When addressing the Council, please go to the podium and state your name and address for the record. The Mayor reserves the right to place limits on duration of comments.]
>> CAN WE TAKE OFF THE POWERPOINT SO THAT WE CAN SEE EVERYBODY.
>> WE WILL BE DOING THAT HERE.
>> I WILL STOP THAT SHARE RIGHT NOW.
>> WE WILL BE PUTTING THE TIMER UP FOR THE SAKE OF THAT BEING SHOWN JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE, BUT JERRY, I THINK DO YOU HAVE THE CALLER UP, YET?
>> YEAH. MR. MURPHY, ARE YOU THERE?
>> [INAUDIBLE]. I APPRECIATE YOUR [INAUDIBLE] TONIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE NOTED IN THE STUDY AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE LEVEL OF DETAIL YOU PUT INTO IT.
PERSONAL [INAUDIBLE] CHANGE AND STAFFING OR JUST GUIDELINES?
[01:35:06]
I THINK HE STATED 17 FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND 27 [INAUDIBLE].DURING THE CAL I REACHED OUT TO AN LA CITY COUNCIL AND AN LA COUNTY COUNCIL TO FIND OUT DIFFERENT FACTS MUTUALLY.
THEY WERE HIT THOSE NUMBERS ON STRUCTURED PRIORS AT 1727 IN A STRIP MALL.
AND SO MUTUAL AID, WHICH I THINK IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU CALLED OUT AUTOMATIC AID AS A HIGHLIGHT.
IN MUTUAL AID, WE SHOULD ADD THOSE NUMBERS AND FACT THAT SCRIPTURE FIRED THEM STREET FROM MY HOUSE ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, YOU DRAW TWO AGENTS FROM LA COUNTY YOU PUT THOSE OVER 17 FOR THAT FIRE.
IT DOES WORK IN A CITY OTHER THERE WITH THE CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS AT 11.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT GOES ON RECORD AS THOSE ARE GUIDELINES AND NOT SPECIFIC MEMBERSHIP YOU NEED TO GET.
AN AUTOMATED GEAR I THINK HE PULLED THE OUTWARD SAY I WAS A NICE THING TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THAT.
IN FACT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A SOLID RELATIONSHIP WITH LA COUNTY FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT WHEN WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBLE TRANSITIONAL, AND THAT PUT US IN THE DEFICIT IN THEIR CONVERSATION FOR AUTOMATICALLY IT.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP SO I CAN GET THIS [INAUDIBLE] I THINK MR. CARTER BROUGHT IT UP, SUCH A FIRE DEPARTMENT WHAT A GREAT STORY THAT WE'RE ALL HEARING ABOUT PLACENTIA.
I THINK IT SPEAKS TO WHAT MR. JOHNSON WAS SPEAKING ABOUT SPENDING THE MOST [INAUDIBLE] THEY HAD THIS UP, IS THAT A FOUND A CHEAP FROM EAST COAST, ROTTERDAM REVERSED A NEGATIVE CULTURE, BURST, UNION SUPPRESSION THAT WAS VERY HIGH AS THEY TRIED TO PULL UP FROM LCFA, THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
IF THEY WERE ABLE TO GET 300 PLUS APPLICANTS, 57 POSITIONS, WE'D LIKE TO GET SOME OF THOSE APPLICANTS REDISTRIBUTE DESIGN IF THEY'VE GOT A LEFTOVER APPLICATION THEY CAN CASH ALONG.
I HOPE THE COUNCIL READS THAT TONIGHT OF TRYING TO OPEN UP THE FIRST RANGE AND APPLY RATE [INAUDIBLE].
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS VERY SIGNIFICANT STEP IN THE CITY OF LA VERNE AND I THINK IT BEARS A LOT MORE ATTENTION THAN PREVIOUS DAYS.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL FOLLOW UP TO THIS MR. RUSSI AND NOT JUST THE 30 DAY REVIEW DECISION AT THE END OF THIS, I CAN DO IS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THE HARD TO LOSE WEIGHT DURING THE WORD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, EVERYBODY.
>> [INAUDIBLE] INFORMATION. THANK YOU.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS?
>> NOT THAT I'VE SEEN COME THROUGH.
>> WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR COUNCIL COMMENTS.
CLOSE THE PUBLIC AND COME BACK TO COUNCIL COMMENTS.
MR. DAVIS, WERE YOU FINISHED OR AS YOU HAVE MORE COMMENTS?
>> I CAN [INAUDIBLE] IT LOOKED LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER LAU WAS INTERESTED IN CHARMING IN.
>> IT WAS BASED ON THE LAST COMMENT WITH REGARD TO EXPLORING OPTIONS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
I KNOW THAT THE LAST BIT OF CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT IDENTIFYING FURTHER SCOPE OF WORK FOR MR. MESSINA AND MR. JOHNSON.
BUT MR. RUSSI, IS THERE SOMETHING IN THERE AS WE ALREADY REQUESTED THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FROM LA COUNCIL, IS THERE ANY ROOM FOR DISCUSSIONS DIRECTLY WITH THEM? IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO UTILIZE A CONSULTANT STAFF THOSE CONVERSATIONS?
>> NO. IF THAT'S DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO REACH OUT COUNTY AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THAT SHOULD COME DIRECTLY FROM US.
THE ANALYSIS OF THE HARBOR STUDY AND FRANKLY, I'M NOT ALL THAT FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT WE CAN MODEL.
THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT WORK TO PROBABLY BE DONE THROUGH MESSINA ASSOCIATES, BUT THE OUTREACH TO COUNTY ON THAT POSSIBILITY WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO OR BE ABLE TO DO AT THE COUNCIL.
>> OKAY. THAT AND THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST, ASSUMING THE REST OF THE COUNCIL IS IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING DOESN'T CURRENTLY EXIST OR HASN'T CURRENTLY BEEN DONE I THINK THAT IF I HEAR THE WORD UNPRECEDENTED, LET HIM MORE TIME.
BUT BEING IN AN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES, I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TO EXPLORE OPTIONS THAT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT OUT OF THE BOX THINKING AND SEE IF WE CAN CRACK ANOTHER OPTION IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, JUST SO WE KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO US BECAUSE AS MR. MURPHY INDICATED, THIS IS A VERY BIG DECISION FOR US TO HAVE TO MAKE.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE AS MUCH INFO AS POSSIBLE.
[01:40:01]
I JUST HAVE HEARD ANECDOTAL STORIES OF NEGOTIATING WITH LA COUNTY AND HAVING BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH COUNTERPARTIES THAT, SOME ARE BIGGER AND SOME ARE SMALLER.I'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN GET A HOLD OF TO WALK INTO THOSE DISCUSSIONS INTELLIGENTLY WITH AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN HAVE.
I GUESS I REALLY DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I JUST WOULD SAY THAT, AS A COMMENT, THIS IS A BIG DECISION.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE DECISION IS RESTING WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
AS A COUNCIL, WE NEED TO MAKE THIS DECISION FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
BUT AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME, AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT EARLIER, I WANT TO INVITE ANY OF OUR RESIDENTS TO REACH OUT TO ME VIA E-MAIL, OR FACEBOOK, OR INSTAGRAM.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING A CONVERSATION, I'M INTERESTED IN ARRANGING TIMES WHERE I CAN MEET WITH ONE OR SEVERAL IN A PHYSICAL DISTANCING, BUT SOCIALLY-CONNECTING CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR FIRE SERVICES AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
I JUST INVITE THAT ENGAGEMENT NOW. THANK YOU.
>> ONE OTHER THING, I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT IT TO THE COUNCIL.
I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY HAD ALSO BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF HAVING TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ENGAGE WITH LVFA, OR THE ASSOCIATION JUST TO SEE WHERE THEY STAND, BECAUSE I DO THINK PART OF IT IS HAVING THAT PARTNERSHIP AND THAT ENGAGEMENT.
BECAUSE I THINK THE BEST LAID PLANS OF [INAUDIBLE] ARE ONLY GOING TO GO SO FAR IF WE DON'T HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYBODY NECESSARILY, BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, I THINK I'D LIKE TO TRY TO HAVE US ALL BE AS ALIGNED AS POSSIBLE.
I WOULD WELCOME THAT OPPORTUNITY, WHICHEVER TWO OF US IT IS, THAT'S FINE.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, OR COMMENTS FOR MR. JOHNSON, OR STAFF? JR, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT ALL?
>> I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY COME THROUGH, SIR.
>> OKAY. I WANT TO FIRST THANK, MR. JOHNSON, MR. MESSINA, AND ALSO MR. RUSSI, AND COUNCIL FOR LETTING US DO THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO GET THIS INFORMATION.
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AS ALL OF YOU HAVE SAID, AND I'LL ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS'S, "THIS IS A HUGE DECISION AND I REALLY WANT THE RESIDENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS TO UNDERSTAND AND TO ASK THE QUESTIONS." IF YOU NEED TIME WITH ANY OF US, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU PLEASE, OR EVEN MR. RUSSI, THAT WE DO DISCUSS THIS BECAUSE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, US AS A COUNCIL AND THE CITY, OUR FIRST, OR OUR BUSINESS IS TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A SAFE LIVING ENVIRONMENT.
THE SECOND IS TO PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES WITH A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT WITH THE PROPER TOOLS AND THE EQUIPMENT TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB CORRECTLY TO SAVE OUR LIVES.
THIS IS SERIOUS. NO MATTER WHAT WAY IT GOES, IT'S DEFINITELY A CHANGE FROM WHAT OUR CITY HAS BEEN USED TO FOR MANY YEARS AND IF WE GO ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I REALLY DO WANT YOUR INPUT.
AS ALL THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE, PLEASE CONTACT ANY OF US.
YOU WANT A CONVERSATION, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, AND PLEASE, THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND WE NEED TO OPEN UP BIGGER LINES OF COMMUNICATION FOR THIS SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE AVENUES FOR BOTH WAYS ARE TO OUR [INAUDIBLE] CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS.
ON THAT, IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, I THINK WE WILL ADJOURN.
>> WAIT, SORRY. MR. RUSSI, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>> THERE WERE THREE [NOISE] ITEMS THERE.
THEY WERE COMMENTS, BUT I DIDN'T GET CLEAR DIRECTION ON WHAT COUNCIL WANTED TO DO.
>> WE HAD SOME COMMENTS REGARDING PURSUING THE [INAUDIBLE] RIGHTS AS FAR AS WITH THE SERVICES AND LAW OVER A SITUATION OR OTHER OPTIONS.
IS THAT CORRECT? WHAT ELSE, MR. RUSSI?
>> I WAS GOING TO HAVE MR. MESSINA PUT TOGETHER A SCOPE OF WORK TO LOOK AT THAT.
THEN, IF IT MEETS WITH MY UNDERSTANDING OR AUTHORITY, I WOULD CHARGE HIM WITH DOING THAT WORK JUST IN CONSIDERATION OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE, VERY LIMITED.
[01:45:01]
THAT SEEMS TO BE THE GENERAL DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL.I WAS GOING TO PURSUE AND ASK OF THE COUNTY REGARDING SOME TYPE OF MODIFIED MODEL TO SEE HOW THAT LOOK IF THAT'S EVEN A POSSIBILITY.
THEN THE THIRD IS, YES, THE REQUEST FOR, THERE WILL BE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNCIL TO SERVE.
I CALL IT AS A SUBCOMMITTEE, AND I WILL SHARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF TYLER, IF YOU SHARED THIS AT THE BEGINNING, IF YOU DID, I APOLOGIZE.
BUT THIS REPORT WAS SHARED WITH THE ASSOCIATION A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO.
WE KNOW THAT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT AT LEAST MIKE BE PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT I HAD.
MIKE, IF YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE WITH THE COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES.
>> YEAH, I THINK IT WOULD. I HAVE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE EBOARD AND THEY THOUGHT THE REPORT WAS FAIR AND ACCURATE.
THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT A SUBCOMMITTEE TOGETHER, I'M HAPPY TO HELP FACILITATE THOSE DISCUSSIONS SO THAT WE COME TO SOME FRUITFUL OUTCOME, OR AT LEAST AN ASSESSMENT OF THE LEVEL OF INTEREST ON BOTH SIDES TO COMMIT TO A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO THINGS.
>> DID WE WANT TO SELECT TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS RIGHT NOW?
>> I WOULD LIKE THAT, BECAUSE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
>> WHO WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THAT? ME, MR. DAVIS, MR. CROSBY.
DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT, MR. KRESS?
>> I'D LIKE A MOTION FOR THAT FOR MR. CROSBY AND MR. DAVIS TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE.
>> I WILL MAKE THE MOTION, TIM.
>> DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COUNCIL MEMBER LAU, SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. AYE.
>> JUST AS PART OF THE CONTINUING EXPLORATION OF THIS AND THE OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, YOU'RE GETTING TWO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS.
>> PERFECT. THANK YOU. MR. RUSSI?
>> I THINK THAT THOSE WERE THE THREE REASONS THAT I HAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT COUNCIL HAD OUT THERE.
THOSE WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT I HAD. TYLER MIGHT.
>> YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE?
>> I WANT TO AGAIN THANK STAFF.
I WANT TO THANK, MR. JOHNSON, MR. MESSINA, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY COUNCIL.
WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS AND I THINK THIS IS A TIME TO LOOK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
IF WE CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS WELL AND SERVES OUR NEEDS, THEN WE SHOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT AND LOOK OUTSIDE THE BOX, AND HOPEFULLY, USE STAFF TO DO THAT.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:48 PM.
WE WILL BE HAVING OUR MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 7TH AT 6:30 PM. [NOISE]
>> I THINK IT'S SEPTEMBER 8TH.
>> WAIT A MINUTE. IT'S MY EYES.
IT WAS SEPTEMBER 8TH AT 6:30 PM.
BE SAFE. EVERYONE HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND. THANK YOU. BYE.
>> THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.