1. Westhampton Fire Department
Informational presentation
May 2017

2. Department Overview Public Safety Complex
Police/Fire/EMS/Emergency Management
Original structure built in 1948 with additions completed over the year
30 Volunteers on Department
8 EMT’s

3. Value & Outcomes Emergency Response House numbers School Education
Smoke/CO detectors
Fire Extinguisher training
Inspections
Car seat installations
Public events- Fall Festival/Health Fair
Chimney Cleanings
CPR/AED classes

4. Apparatus

5. Engine 1 2004 Engine Carries 1000 gallons water
Compressed air foam system
Carries extrication equipment
Ground ladders
Supply hose
Self contained breathing apparatus

6. Engine 2 1987 Engine (30 years old) 500 Gallons of water
Self contained breathing apparatus
Supply hose
Refurbished this vehicle last year
New seals and packings around the pump and valves
Upgraded all lights
Added some lights for safety of personnel
Improved compartment space and carrying capacity
Prolong life of unit for 8-10 yrs.

7. Rescue 1 2009 Custom made and designed Rescue equipment
Water rescue equipment
Hazardous materials response
EMS supplies
Chain saws
Spare air cylinders
Ancillary equipment
$74,000 appropriation-valued and insured at $125,000

8. Brush 1 2004 Brush truck Forestry unit 300 gallons water 4X4
Used as Utility vehicle

9. Tanker 1
2017 Vacuum Tanker
More versatile and provides greater flexibility for both drafting and pumping
Provides a for a reliable safe vehicle for a community that has no water supply
2015 Grant award $226,000
In service November 2016

10. Air Unit Air supply Generator Light tower
2009 unit that was obtained free from a federal grant for $80,000

11. Ambulance
1996 Ambulance
FF Association purchased from Easthampton for $3,000 and sold to Town for $1
Licensed at the Basic Life Support level
Grant application for 2016

12. Other Capital Items

13. Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
New units in 2014
15 Units & 5 spare training units
Facepieces
FF Safety
Used in area IDLH
Purchased with $124,000 grant

14. Thermal Imaging Camera
Grant funded in 2008
$15,000
Used for increasing safety of FF’s and finding victims in smoke filled buildings
Department has 1 kept on Engine 1

15. Fire Hose Approximately 13,000 feet of assorted hose sizes
Some in reserves
Required on apparatus
Service tested every year per NFPA standard
Standard states any hose older than 1987 needs to be replaced- Grant application for 2016

16. Vehicle extrication equipment
Grant funded in 2008 for about $35,000
Service tested every year
Motor vehicle accidents
Rescues
Carried on Engine 1 & Rescue

17. Communications Pagers Portables Mobiles
Primary means of emergency notifications
Every members has portable radio-FF safety
Pagers- $400, portable $900, mobiles $1,500
E-dispatch
CodeRed- Reverse 911

18. Protective Equipment Grant funded for 30 sets in 2008
Total amount $110,000
Each member has two sets
NFPA standard states cannot have gear more than ten years old

19. Stretcher 2014 – Stretcher obtained through a $13,000 grant
2014- Stair chair obtained through a $4,000 grant
Annual service required
Required in ambulance

20. Competitive Federal Grants
Year
Equipment
Federal award
town match
2006
communications equipment, extrication eqipment, TIC
$90,050.00
$4,500.00
2007
CPR equipment, training
$4,351.00
$220.00
2008
turn out gear, washer extractor, grid gear
$67,878.00
$3,393.00
2009
mobile air compressor, EMS equip., alarm system
$153,693.00
$7,684.00
2013
SCBA, facepieces
$115,416.00
$5,800.00
2014
turn out gear
$15,429.00
$5,000.00
tanker truck
$226,667.00
$84,333
TOTALS
$673,484.00
$110,930.00
*Mostly all Capital Items
*Provides indirect benefit to other Departments as these come off of the Capital Improvements list*
2013- $35,000 appropriated for SCBA’s- we got the grant and those funds went towards snow and ice deficit

21. FY 18 Proposals
Fire Department budget developed with input from every member- 30 day review
Fire Department is the largest organization for personnel in Town
Position of Fire Chief oversees Fire/EMS/Emergency Management, Public Safety building, most personnel, most expensive capital equipment
Fire Department budget
EMS budget
Public Safety budget
Revolving account-Fire Inspections
Budget development done with input from all members- Sent out to everyone for 30 days for review and suggestions/input

22. Current Grants Pending
Request for new ambulance - $180,000
If awarded- town match would be $8,571
Request for replacement of fire hose- $25,000
If awarded- match would be $1,250 to come from FD regular operating budget

23. Ambulance Service

24. Public Private Partnership
Previous history with ambulance services (Southampton, Easthampton, Northampton)
Pioneer Valley Ambulance primary provider midnight thru 1600 hours
Westhampton ambulance primary provider 1600-midnight
EMT’s response 24/7 with personal vehicles and/or Rescue or fire apparatus
This system provides for 24/7 paramedic coverage
FY 17 budget for EMS- $17,000

25. Benefits of our EMS system
Provides increased level of service to community
Improved transport times from time of incident to arrival of patient at a health care facility
Provides for improved continuity of care
Allows us to take care of our own & knowledge of our community
Provides for motivation and recruitment of additional personnel
Enable personnel to increase skill level
Eliminates community from continually being a bargaining piece for other services
Eliminates potential retainer fees from other services that will continually go up each year
Will provide revenue stream to help offset costs for providing expected services to the community

26. EMS Costs for other communities
FY 15 EMS budget (prior to ambulance) - $8,550 in addition to $18,600 for retainer fee. Total cost $27,150
Prior to ambulance there was still a need for EMS expenses. Examples include EMS supplies, defib pads, certifications cards, training, etc.
FY 16 EMS allocation was $17,000. Ambulance receipts were $8,267 for FY 16. The Department also turned back $1,762 in used funds. Total expenditure for FY 16 for full paramedic service to the Town of Westhampton for FY 16 was $6,971
This was less than was used prior to Westhampton not doing the ambulance service and more importantly does not take into consideration the increase in service with this implementation
Was not able to recover any costs to help offset cost of service
Town
Population
FY 17 cost
FY 18 cost
Difference
Ashfield
1751
$64,010.00
$87,365
$23,355
Chesterfield
1282
$46,553.00
$63,537
$16,984
Cummington
941
$29,094.00
$47,653
$18,559
Goshen
981
$34,916.00
$12,737
Plainfield
592
$23,278.00
$27,798
$4,520
Williamsburg
2545
$93,107.00
$123,104
$29,997
Average
1349
$48,493.00
$66,185
$17,692
Westhampton
1586
$17,000* $0
* NOT ACTUAL COST

27. *Cost / Capita for FY 16 for Town of Westhampton- $31.00*
Pop.
Fire Budget
EMS budget
Fire Chief Salary
Fire Chief Vehicle
Total Cost
Cost/Capita
Town Budget
% of town budget
Leverett
1,851
$85,699.00
$27,800.00
$20,123.00
Yes
$133,622.00
$72.19
$5,969,805
2.20%
Pelham
1,321
$64,599.00
$30,000.00
$25,393.00
$119,992.00
$90.83
$4,376,891
2.70%
Shutesbury
1,756
$54,031.00
$29,000.00
$54,590.00
$137,621.00
$78.37
$6,155,690
Russell
1,769
$107,197.00
$33,892.00
$28,000.00
$169,089.00
$95.58
Chesterfield
1,247
$20,000.00
$63,537.00
$6,000.00
$89,537.00
$71.80
$3,395,034
2.60%
Westhampton
1,586
$42,200.00
$17,000.00
$12,048.00
No- personal vehicle has to be used
$71,248.00
$44.92
$5,455,920
1.30%
Average
1,588
$62,287.67
$33,538.17
$24,359.00
Westhampton only Town in data set with no Chief vehicle
$120,184.83
$75.62
$5,070,668
*No revenue collections for any of these other communities due to no ambulance transports*
*Towns with Fire Chief vehicles- Goshen, Williamsburg, Southampton, Huntington, Worthington*
*Cost / Capita for FY 16 for Town of Westhampton- $31.00*

28. What does it mean having a volunteer Department?
The potential of not having anyone from our organization show up
Additional need for automatic aid / mutual aid
Longer response times
Reduced flexibility for services (brush burning, inspections, etc.)
Unknown of how many people will show up to perform operations
Need for greater preventative efforts (smoke detectors, public education, residential sprinklers)
Need for community support to help maintain morale

29. Challenges………. No municipal water supply
Ongoing training requirements to maintain safety
Recruitment of personnel
Retention of personnel

30. Replacement/Renovation Public Safety Complex
Requesting $40-$50K for feasibility study and architectural designs
Bring structure up to par with current operational and administrative needs
Non compliant with American with Disabilities Act
Roof in need of repairs
Public building without water during winter months due to freezing
No personal office space
Not up to Building Code- two means of egress in PD
No diesel exhaust systems
No separate storage areas for protective clothing
No decontamination area for cleaning gear and equipment
Cannot replace Engine 2 without replacement/modification of building due to size
Limited space around vehicles from movement- personnel safety issue and property damage concern

31. Closing thoughts…… We will continue to do the best we can
We will continue to be fiscally responsible and good stewards of the taxpayers money
We will continue to provide the best possible resources for our personnel and community
Each community must determine the level of service they want-It’s my responsibility to present you the information and recommendations
Thank you!