Long Beach, CA
File #: 16-1035    Version: 1 Name: CD9 - Public Safety Restoration
Type: Agenda Item Status: Approved
File created: 11/14/2016 In control: City Council
On agenda: 11/22/2016 Final action: 11/22/2016
Title: Recommendation to request City Manager to evaluate new and ongoing revenue sources, and make the necessary preparations to restore Paramedic Rescue 12 in January 2017, according to the Fire Chief's restoration priority list; Further request City Manager to evaluate and report back to the City Council the feasibility of a short term and long term plan for additional public safety restorations within 90 days.
Sponsors: VICE MAYOR REX RICHARDSON, NINTH DISTRICT, COUNCILWOMAN LENA GONZALEZ, FIRST DISTRICT, COUNCILWOMAN STACY MUNGO, FIFTH DISTRICT, COUNCILMAN DEE ANDREWS, SIXTH DISTRICT
Attachments: 1. 112216-R-13sr.pdf

TITLE

Recommendation to request City Manager to evaluate new and ongoing revenue sources, and make the necessary preparations to restore Paramedic Rescue 12 in January 2017, according to the Fire Chief's restoration priority list;

 

Further request City Manager to evaluate and report back to the City Council the feasibility of a short term and long term plan for additional public safety restorations within 90 days.

 

DISCUSSION

Since 2010, the Long Beach Fire Department has had to continually restructure its citywide deployment strategy due to budget cuts. Response times have increased across the city, and the safety of our residents has been compromised. In a February 2015 report to the  Public Safety Committee, the Fire Department reported the following increase in response times over a 10-year period:

 

 

 

 2005

 2015

 2006*

 2016*

 Emergency Medical

 5:12

 5:55

 74.2%

 46.6%

 Structure Fires

 5:14

 5:24

 73.2%

 59.7%

 All Fires

 5:29

 6:23

 68.6%

 50.5%

 All Emergency Responses

 5:29

 6:16

 72.8%

 46.1%

 

 

During the Fire Department's FY 2017 budget hearing presentation in August, Chief Mike Duree noted that one of the department's significant issues/opportunities was to, "Improve response times and response capabilities and continue to meet the expectations of the community by maintaining and restoring fire suppression and emergency medical services staffing levels through the use of new revenue."

 

The Opportunity

 

Now, circumstances have changed to address these issues. In the year 2016 alone, thanks to the voters of Long Beach and LA County as well as revisions to Fire Department policies, the General Fund stands to benefit from a number of new revenue opportunities, including:

 

Long Beach Measure A

Long Beach Measure MA

LA County Measure M

LA County Measure A

First Responder Fee

 

Now is the time that we can and must provide the level of public safety services that Long Beach residents need and deserve by adding an additional Paramedic Rescue into the system. Additionally, evaluating the feasibility of a long and short-term plan for further public safety restorations will ensure a path to a safer Long Beach.

 

FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact to providing this report.

 

SUGGESTED ACTION

Approve recommendation.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

REX RICHARDSON

VICE MAYOR, NINTH DISTRICT

 

LENA GONZALEZ

COUNCILWOMAN, FIRST DISTRICT

 

STACY MUNGO

COUNCILWOMAN, FIFTH DISTRICT

 

DEE ANDREWS

COUNCILMAN, SIXTH DISTRICT