Presentation on Sustainable Fire Services

 The Problem:  Fire Department Operations are Unsustainable.  Two Things have changed:  Operations  Loss of Volunteers ( 31 in 2013 – 11 in 2014)  Increase in call Volume (See Graph in Packet)  894 in 2004 – 1350 in 2013  Lynden is the second busiest Station in Whatcom County (BFD #3 has the most calls )  BLS Transports ( 33 in 2004 – 410 in 2014)  Requires 2 Personnel for at least 90 Minutes on each Transport

 Operations Continued…  Automatic Aid  100 additional Calls since June 2013  What do we gain from the Agreement;  Use of any Piece of Equipment (Vehicles, cost of Rental or replacement is significant)  Use of the Training Facility for free ($1200 fee for each use)  Duty Officer Rotation (Once every 5 weeks)  Sharing of Volunteers  Move Up of Stations or Equipment at any time  Storage space for equipment (Training Props, Old Panel Van)  Maintenance Facility ($90 per hr vs. $150 per hr at another Qualified shop)

 Cost;  SAFER Grant runs out in 2015  Each Firefighter cost $80,666 annually ($242,000 for 3)  Overtime projected at $225,000 for 2014 to maintain staffing  Not enough Volunteers to fill the positions needed on Shift

 Administration and Operations:  2 Chiefs  1 Support Services Manager (Non-Fire)  3 Lieutenants  6 Firefighters (3 Funded by SAFER Grant)  11 Volunteer Firefighters  1 Shared Shift Firefighter (North Whatcom)  Annual Budget:  $1.9 Million (Minus $564,000 for SAFER, EMS and DOH)

 What we do for the Community:  Fire and EMS Response (1,350 Incidents in 2013)  Inspections (Over 600 Businesses in Town, New Construction)  Fire Safety in Schools ( 5 Elementary Schools each Year)  Station Tours (Average of 3 a week)  CPR and First Aid Classes (Average of 12 or more a Year)  Babysitter Clinic (Annually)  Fire Extinguisher Class ( Several times a Year)  Hydrant Flow Testing

 History:  In 2004 the Fire Dept. ran 894 calls  2 Chiefs, 35 Volunteers  2 Aid Units, 2 Engines, 1 Ladder  33 BLS Transports  In 2013 the Fire Dept. ran 1350 calls  2 Chiefs, 3 Lt.’s, 6 Firefighters, 11 Volunteers  2 Aid Units, 2 Engines, 1 Tower Ladder  410 BLS Transports  24 Hour Shifts

 History…  Volunteer Firefighters  Only allowed to work 70 hours per Month per the Washington State Board of Volunteer Firefighters (SB5135)  Exemption is allowed 4 times a year to go over 70 hours. (Wildland Exemption)  Only allowed to make 20% of what a Career Firefighter makes per Month  Part Time Firefighters  20 – 149 hours worked per Month (City Policy AD-29)  Have to pay into PERS (State Retirement System)  City will have to change Policy AD-29 for Employees working over 20 hours for Health Insurance (Firefighters have exemption under new AHCA)

 Solutions; Option #1 Ambulance Utility Fee implementation  Could raise from $0 up to $812,000 Annually  Cost between $0 and $11.99 per Household Monthly  Allows Hiring additional Personnel and backfilling SAFER Grant funding  Cost to Residents associated with Fee Option #2 Ambulance Utility Fee subsidized by General Fund  Small Fee with Percentage or amount from General fund  Could be $100,000 of projected revenue  Would reduce the amount of burden on Taxpayers  Would reduce funds for discretionary projects in the future.

 Options;  Merge with North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (Dist. 21)  Level of Service defined by Contract  Mill Rates will change to facilitate Contract…  Currently $1.07 per $1000  $1.28 per $1000 for 2015 after SAFER Grant expires  North Whatcom is currently $1.50 per $1000  Loss of Control, Uncertainty of Level of Service?  Lower level of Service  2 / 3 Person Companies (Kelly Days / Vacations)  Does not account for Back to Back Incidents (20 Times a Month average)  28 Back to Back Responses in February (6 were simultaneously)  Currently at 5 minute response times  This is a comparable Response time to the City of Bellingham and City of Oak Harbor  Reducing service would increase response times overall especially on back to back Incidents which could average near 15 minutes.

Thank You for your Attention. Any Questions?