TITLE
Recommendation to, by motion, request City Manager to disclose response rates of the Fire Department since cuts in services were enacted.
DISCUSSION
Over the past several budget cycles, the Mayor and City Manager have recommended to the City Council that reductions in fire services be enacted. These cuts included "rolling brownouts" -- taking an engine out of service at a different station each day - or lightforce duty at some stations.
Additionally, daily staffing has been at an all time low level as shown in the follow data:
2007 - 133 firefighters
2008 - 137 firefighters
2009 - 137 firefighters
2010 - 133 firefighters
2011 - 122 firefighters
2012 - 117 firefighters
When the City Council asked if response times would be impacted by the cuts, we were assured that response times would remain high.
Subsequently, firefighters report that as a result of these cuts, response time has been slowed in some instances where staff and equipment must travel across the city due to an engine out of service at another station.
The City Council needs to evaluate actual response time information to determine whether or not the cuts to the fire department have been detrimental to the public safety of our residents.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact as the data should be maintained by the Fire Department and readily accessible to the City Manager.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILWOMAN GERRIE SCHIPSKE
FIFTH DISTRICT
COUNCILWOMAN RAE GABELICH
EIGHTH DISTRICT
COUNCILMEMBER STEVEN NEAL
NINTH DISTRICT