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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7371 INFORMAL REPORT TO C. l COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7371 MIVT(R!O ~DffORT�A To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 4, 1989 +rExPy Subject. FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS The City of Fort Worth has various arrangements with several jurisdictions for fire protection service. These fall into the categories of: Automatic Aid Contract for Service Fire Station Use Contract Letter of Agreement Mutual Aid Automatic Aid The City of Fort Worth Fire Department is contractually involved in an auto- matic aid agreement with the cities of Arlington, Euless, Grand Prairie, Hurst and Mansfield. Under this agreement, the closest fire units from any of the participating cities respond to an emergency call regardless of jurisdictional boundaries. The number of units responding is generally limited to a one-alarm assign- ment and normal responses usually don't go beyond about one mile into another city's boundaries. This contract requires a 90-day written notice to terminate. Otherwise, it continues to run. There are no charges or fees listed in the arrangement. Contract for Service The Fire Department is under contract to provide service for a fee to two (2) cities, Benbrook and Westover Hills. Benbrook: There are two (2) contracts with Benbrook involving fire protection for portions of their city from Fort Worth Fire Stations 23 and 30. Under the terms of the contracts, Benbrook financed a portion of the cost of construction of these two Fort Worth fire stations. Ben- brook's share in Station 23 and Station 30 was $300,000 each. Fort Worth paid $101,700 for Station 23 and $102,003 for Station 30, for a total cost for Station 23 of $401,700 and for Station 30 of $402,003. In return, Fort Worth agreed to provide firefighting services only (no EMS, inspections, etc.) in portions of their city. This service is charged against their investment in accordance with a formula in the contract. This formula equates the area of Benbrook served to the average area protected by a Fort Worth fire station and the annual operating cost of a Fort Worth fire company. OL OFFICIAL RECORD CITY SECRETARY ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER 1b}2gI� HT S INFORMAL REPORT TO kAWY COUNCIL MEMBERS 1001, No. 7371 - p.2 ,$kTT 10J,'* To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 4, 1989 U � S Subject: FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS Benbrook•s credit for investment in Station 23 was used up in FY87/88 and they are now being billed for service. Their credit for service in Station 30 will be used up during FY89/90. When the credits are used up, clear title to the station is obtained by Fort Worth. These contracts can ,be renegotiated when the credits for investment are used up. It is estimated that if the contracts are renewed using the same financial arrangement, about $120,000 would be received from Benbrook annually for fire service from both stations. Westover Hills: Under this contract, the Fort Worth Fire Department provides fire protection; first emergency medical responses; inspec- tions of businesses, schools, churches; and fire hydrant inspection to the City of Westover Hills at an annual cost of not less than $96,014. ° Under the terms of the contract, Fort Worth can adjust the formula upward if per capita cost of fire protection rises in our city or hazard potential rises in Westover Hills. Since the per capita fire cost went down from $89.47 to $87.64 in our city, and hazard potential was unchanged in theirs, the 1988-89 charges remain at $96,014. Fire Station Use Contract Under this contract, Fort Worth occupies a building in the City of Hurst that is owned by their city. We renovated the building, maintain it , and pay a monthly rent of $417. We also respond into a section of their city and they respond into a section of ours. Letter of Agreement The City of Fort Worth has a Letter of Agreement on file with the Secretary of the Air Force for mutual aid fire protection service with Carswell Air Force Base. There are no fees or charges identified in this arrangement. There are mutual advantages in this agreement. Carswell has specialized equipment for aircraft firefighting and fires involving flammable liquids that is a valuable resource available to us under the terms of the agree- ment. They have provided a back-up supply of firefighting foam concentrate when ours was depleted at a recent gasoline tanker fire. They participate in some of our training programs and we also join them in some training functions. We think this is a valuable agreement with reciprocal advantageso OFFICIAL RECORD CITY SFuVETARY FT. WORTH, TEX. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO L f COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7371 - p.3 M'�T �fp ~o�fORT,�p To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 4, 1989 ;rEXP`� Subject• FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS .» • Mutual Aid Mutual aid agreements stipulate that when either party has an emergency and asks the other for aid, that party will respond unless there is an emer- gency in that city that would keep them from doing so. The Fort Worth Fire Department has signed mutual aid agreements with: Arlington Burleson Haltom City Hurst However, our policy has been to help all adjoining cities if so requested. All adjoining cities reciprocate when asked. Proposed New Mutual Aid Agreement The Fire Department is developing a new proposal relating to mutual aid agreements for submission to the City Council for approval. owl It is based on the premise that mutual aid is only acceptable if both parties have comparable resources to offer each other if needed. The concept will state that cities with unequal resources can still offer mutual aid to each other up to the limits of the city with the least amount of resources. If a city needs more equipment than they have to offer, then additional needed equipment could be provided on a fee basis from the requested city. Specialized equipment would not be placed in the agreement. Equipment such as HazMat, water supply vehicles, breathing air and lighting units, etc. would be provided if needed from either city on a fee basis. Requested equipment would only be sent to a requesting city if the Chief or his designated representative approved. Obviously, if the equipment requested would unduly weaken fire defenses in a city, then the request would be denied. Considering mutual aid in general, Fort Worth benefits significantly from those agreements in the outlying areas where grassland and brush fires are . difficult to control with urban-type fire apparatus. All contracts and agreements are monitored by the Emergency Management Division of the Fire Department. Billing and receiving of fu se 0111 by the Finance Department. OFFICIAL RECORD CITY SECRETARY FT. WORTH, TEL ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER , TEXAS - INFORMAL REPORT TO L { COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7371 — p.4 �..••T �•o April 4 , 1989 foRTTo the Mayor and Members of the City Council v�s Subject: FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS 7/73 A presentation will be made to Council at the April 4th work session to fully explain the contracts and agreements and answer questions. 9Douglas Harman City Manager DH:s OFFICIAL RECORD CITE' SECRETARY FT. WORTH, TEX. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS --!