HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 21325-07-2014 i
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ORDINANCE NO. 21325-07-2014
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AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING
ORDINANCE NO. 21324-07-2014, TO ADD THREE POSITIONS TO
CLASSIFICATION OF BATTALION CHIEF; TO REMOVE THREE
POSITIONS FROM THE CLASSIFICATION OF CAPTAIN; PROVIDING
FOR ADOPTION BY REFERENCE OF A STATEMENT OF INTENT
AND PURPOSE IN ADOPTING THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING THAT
THIS ORDINANCE IS CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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BE IT HEREBY KNOWN:
WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 143.021(a), Texas Local Government Code, the City
Council shall prescribe the authorized number of positions in each classification (rank) by
ordinance; and i
WHEREAS, on July 22, 2014, the City Council adopted Ordinance 21324-07-2014,
which established the Fire Department's sworn personnel staffing levels, effective July 22, 2014,
as follows:
Assistant Chiefs 3
Deputy Chiefs 4
Battalion Chiefs 24
Captains 87
Lieutenants 121
Engineers 202
Firefighters 467
TOTAL 908
WHEREAS, to provide for an Incident Safety Officer to be assigned to each shift in
compliance with industry standards and to optimize firefighter safety, the City Council desires to
increase the number of authorized positions in the Battalion Chief classification by three, and
offset the increase by decreasing the number of positions in the Captain classification by three.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT WORTH,TEXAS:
SECTION 1.
Effective September 1, 2014, each classification (rank) authorized in the City of Fort i
Worth Fire Department shall contain the following number of positions, until modified by
subsequent ordinance:
Ordinance No. 21324-07-2014
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Assistant Chiefs 3 j
Deputy Chiefs 4
Battalion Chiefs 27 (addition of 3)
Captains 84 (removal of 3)
Lieutenants 121
Engineers 202
Firefighters 467
TOTAL 908
SECTION 2. '
The Mayor and Council Communication ("M&C") that is presented contemporaneously
with this ordinance is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference for further clarification
and explanation of the purposes and intent of the Council in their adoption of this ordinance.
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SECTION 3.
This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the
City Fort Worth, Texas (1986), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in
direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, in which event conflicting
provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed.
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SECTION 4. i
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs,
sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and if any phrase, clause,
sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional by the valid
judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not
affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this
ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the
incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph
or section.
SECTION 5.
This ordinance shall take effect and be in full force and effect on September 1, 2014, and
it is so ordained. I
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APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: ATTEST:
A?
--- .---__A sistant City ttorne Mary J. a ' , Ci ecretary
ADOPTED: July 22, 2014
EFFECTIVE: September 11 2014
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Ordinance No.21324-07-2014
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City of Fort Worth, Texas
Mayor and Council Communication
�QUN fL ACTION Appr`oded on 7122/2014.= Ord,nance Nos 21324 07-2014& 21325-07 '
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DATE: Tuesday, July 22, 2014 REFERENCE NO.: **G-18259
LOG NAME: 36FIRESTAFFINGORDINANCE2014
SUBJECT:
Adopt Fire Department Staffing Ordinance Increasing the Number of Authorized Captain Positions by One
and Decreasing the Number of Authorized Lieutenant Positions by One Effective Immediately, Adopt Fire ;
Department Staffing Ordinance Increasing the Number of Authorized Battalion Chief Positions by Three
and Reducing the Number of Authorized Captain Positions by Three Effective September 1, 2014 (ALL
COUNCIL DISTRICTS)
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached Fire Department Staffing Ordinance prescribing the number of authorized sworn
positions in each classification, increasing the number of authorized Captain positions by one and
decreasing the number of authorized Lieutenant positions by one effective immediately; and
2. Adopt the attached Fire Department Staffing Ordinance prescribing the number of authorized sworn
positions in each classification, increasing the number of authorized Battalion Chief positions by three and
reducing the number of authorized Captain positions by three effective September 1, 2014.
DISCUSSION:
On March 25, 2014, (M&C G-18162) the City Council approved the Fire Department's staffing
ordinance. In the ordinance attached to the Mayor and Council Communication, the number of authorized
Captain positions was inadvertently reduced by one and the number of authorized Lieutenant positions
was inadvertently increased by one. The Fire Department proposes an amendment to that staffing l
ordinance, effective immediately, to remedy the inadvertent changes in authorized positions at the Captain f
and Lieutenant positions, as set forth in the chart below. This proposal would not impact the total number
of authorized staffing of 908 authorized positions.
In addition, the Fire Department proposes a second change to the staffing ordinance, to be effective as of
September 1, 2014, to increase the number of authorized Battalion Chief positions by three to perform as
Incident Safety Officers.
The Fire Department's current safety program is limited in scope and is not comprehensive. The safety f
function within the Department is handled by a Health and Safety Officer position managed by a 40-hour
staff Captain. The Department does not have an Incident Safety Officer assigned to each shift that can
respond to all working incidents around the clock. The time delay in a person assigned to a 40-hour
schedule responding to an incident after hours enhances risk; and in some cases, this task is assigned to
another team member who performs multiple tasks. Having a ranking officer in charge exclusively of
identifying potential hazards and risks has become an industry standard and a necessity for optimizing
firefighter safety.
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Logname: 36FIRESTAFFINGORDINANCE2014 Page 1 of 2
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The Fire Department proposes that the safety function be restructured to include both facets of safety: the
Health and Safety role and the Incident Safety Officer's role. The Health and Safety Captain would
maintain the fitness functions whereas the Incident Safety Officer would incorporate the scene safety and
hazard mitigation responsibilities. The Incident Safety Officer proposal is in compliance with the National
Fire Protection Agency's (NFPA) Standard 1521. The Incident Safety Officer is proposed at a rank of a i
Battalion Chief who has the authority to make command decisions.
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The proposal does not impact the total number of authorized staffing but would increase the number of
Battalion Chief positions by three and, as an offset, reduce the number of Captain positions by three. The
staffing change would have no financial impact in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. Due to the time required to
create, administer and complete a promotional exam process, these positions will not be filled before the
end of FY 2014. The FY 2015 budgetary impact would total approximately $36,315.00. The Fire
Department FY 2015 revenues are projected to increase by more than $600,000.00 in part due to the
newly-executed multi-year fire service contract for the City of Westworth Village that will generate
approximately $266,000.00 annually.
Rank Current, as of Proposed, effective Proposed, effective
March 25, 2014 immediately September 1, 2014
Assistant Chief _ 3 3 3
Deputy Chief 4 4 4
Battalion Chief~ 24 24 27 (increase of
three)
Captain 86 87 (increase of one) 84 (decrease of
th ree)
Lieutenant 122 121 (decrease of one)l 121
�- Engineer_ 202 202 202 '
Firefighter 467 467 467
Total 908 908 908
FISCAL INFORMATION /CERTIFICATION:
The Financial Management Services Director certifies that funds were not specifically budgeted for this
expense in the Fiscal Year 2015 Fire Department's budget request. However, the department is
committed to identifying savings to offset the full cost.
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FUND CENTERS:
TO Fund/Account/Centers FROM Fund/Account/Centers
CERTIFICATIONS:
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Submitted for City Manager's Office by: Charles Daniels (6199)
Originating Department Head: Rudy Jackson (6801)
Additional Information Contact: Rudy Jackson (6801)
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Logname: 36FIRESTAFFINGORDINANCE2014 Page 2 of 2