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R-2013-165-2013-10-14RESOLUTION NO. 2013-165 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS, CONSOLIDATING THE PEARLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS DEPARTMENT INTO ONE CITY DEPARTMENT. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Pearland, wishes to consolidate the City of Pearland Fire Department and the City of Pearland EMS Department into one City Department; and WHEREAS, the purpose of the consolidation is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of current and future delivery of fire and emergency medical services to the citizens and visitors to the City of Pearland at the highest possible level of quality while considering cost to the taxpayer. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS: Section 1. That upon the passage of this resolution by the City Council, the Fire Department and the EMS Department will be consolidated into one Department according to the following guidelines: LEADERSHIP A. The Fire Chief of the Fire Department shall become the Director of the Department with the title of Fire Chief. B. The EMS Chief of the EMS Department shall become the Assistant Director of the Department with the title of Deputy Fire Chief. C. The Assistant Chief of the EMS Department shall become the Assistant Chief for EMS & Logistics. D. The title of Battalion Chief shall remain the same. E. The title of EMS Captain shall remain the same. 1 ORGANIZATION The Department will work, during the Transition Phase, toward the goal of achieving an organizational chart on or about October 1, 2014 (see Exhibit A). This may include activating positions or reassigning positions, per current budget, between the effective date and October 1, 2014. FULL-TIME FIRE FIGHTERS A. Fire fighters hired on or before the effective date of this resolution shall not be required to become or remain certified by the Texas Department of State Health Services as EMT -Paramedics to retain their current job or position. B. Fire fighters hired after the effective date of this resolution may be required by the Fire Chief to be certified, or obtain certification, by TDSHS as EMT - Paramedics. VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS A. Volunteer fire fighters shall not be required to be certified as EMT - Paramedics or EMT -Intermediates to retain their current job or position B. Volunteer fire fighters shall be required to hold and maintain certification at least at the level of TDSHS Emergency Care Attendant at the City's expense. C. Volunteer fire fighters shall not be required to serve on ambulances but may volunteer to do so at the discretion of the Fire Chief D. Volunteer fire fighters may be given the opportunity to participate in a Department sponsored TCFP certification program, as the budget allows. EMS PERSONNEL A. EMS personnel shall not be required to obtain Fire Fighter certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) as a condition for continued employment with the Department in their current position. B. A former EMS Department employee who does not obtain Fire Fighter certification shall be assigned to ambulance and non -Fire Fighter assignments. 2 C. During the Transition Phase (October 14, 2013 to September 30, 2014) an EMS Department employee may submit a written request to the Fire Chief to become certified as a Fire Fighter by the TCFP at the City's expense and on City time. The Fire Chief, in his sole discretion, may grant such request and/or place conditions thereon if adequate funds are budgeted within the Department's budget for such purposes, and if the EMS member has not attempted to obtain such certification on more than two occasions during the Transition Phase. BUDGET The Fiscal Year 2014 budget of the Fire and EMS Departments shall be considered as one Department budget, although revenue and expenses may be accounted for separately as per the FY 2014 adopted budget until October 1, 2014. TRANSITION The following tasks shall take place during the Transition Phase: A. Develop a Department name and logo B. Commencement of the cross -training program to train non -fire fighters to fire fighter (see Exhibit B). C. Creation of a new salary schedule for EMS personnel who choose not to become TCFP Fire Fighters D. Revision of Job Descriptions to meet the organizational chart needs E. Maintain current shift schedules of EMS personnel the same until October 1, 2014. F. Require all open positions in the Department that occur after the effective date of this resolution to be filled by TCFP certified fire fighters (except clerical positions). G. Selection of a shift schedule (to become effective October 1, 2014), to be approved the City Council, for all Operations Division personnel. Section 2. That the Pearland Fire Department and the Pearland EMS Department are hereby consolidated into one City Department. 3 RESOLUTION NO. R2013-165 PASSED and APPROVED on this the 14th day of October, A.D., 2013. TOM REID MAYOR ATTEST: NG L SEC ETARY APPROVED AS TO FORM: DARRIN M. COKER CITY ATTORNEY Resolution No. R2013-165 Exhibit "A" Exhibit A Org.Chart Fire Chief Deputy Chief Admin Assistant Vol. Recruit Coordinator Medical Director Assistant Chief - Prevention Fire Marshal Emergency Management Assistant Deputy Fire Marshal Investigations Inspector / Investigator Assistant Chief - Volunteers Battalion Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Inspections Inspector / Investigator Battalion Chief - Operations (3) EMS Captain (3) Firefighters 1 Assistant Chief - EMS / Logistics Community Relations Coordinator Lieutenants (12) EMS Lieutenants (3) Driver / Operator (12) FF / Paramedics (12) FFIE,r,� (27) Battalion Chief - Training L Captain - EMS Training Captain Logistics Captain Clinical Management Resolution No. R2013-165 Exhibit "B" TCFP Training Plan A Exhibit B Recommended In-House/On-Line Training Plan • PFD will provide about 20 Instructors. • There will be 5-8 instructors serving as core lead instructors. • EMS personnel will maintain their current work schedule of 24/72 until 1 October 2014. Classes will be held Monday -Thursday from 8am to 6pm for ten weeks. Students will attend two of the four days off -duty as set by the schedule. Each student will perform online course work relative to the subject of study for that week. tudents will be compensated for four hours a week for their studies. TCFP Training Plan A Exhibit Recommended In-House/On-Line Training Plan • Class days will include a physical component of fire fighting related drills to build physical stamina. • Students will receive the basic TCFP training through instruction coming from PFD members so they will receive how the basics are applied to the Pearland FD. This will decrease the learning curve once members are placed on a fire apparatus. TCFP Training Plan A Exhibit B Recommended In-House/On-Line Training Plan Pros: EMS staff would be trained in 10 weeks. • Minimal learning curve since training was provided by PFD personnel Minimal disruption to day to day operations Flexibility of schedule Flexibility of remedial training Increased potential pass rate ns: ost associated with the training TCFP Training Plan A Exhibit B Recommended In-House/On-Line Training Plan EMS Overtime Estimate for 36* students $183,420 Fire Overtime Estimate for *Instructors $44,884 PPE for 36 students is $108,000 • Uniforms for 36 personnel $36,000 • Books/Hay/Burn Buildings $8,800 • Online Fire Academy $18,000 Total Maximum Plan Cost- $ 399,104* *Notes The best estimate to date is that 24 students will cross train. OTyestimates are July salary schedules. Proposed Training Schedule Format For TCFP Plan A Exhibit B October 2013 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat D Shot A& C Training ., Si '. B& D Training A& C Training r, .t tt A& C Training B& D Training D Shirt A& C Training B& D Training it B Shift J: C Shift .. . „ B& D Training B Shift A& C Training C Sht#' B& D Training D Shift A& C Training :, Sh.tt B Shit i! at.117; A & C Training A Shot B&D Training B Shift A&C Training B & D Training D Shift .. what B Shift C Shift B& D Training L' Shut A& C Training A Shut B& D Training A& C Training Justification of Cost —Exhibit B • Fire Training Cost- This cost is necessary if we want to properly train the current EMS staff to become firefighters. This will encourage a safe and efficient working environment for all involved including our citizens. A straight online fire academy would save $27,909.62 but the quality of training greatly diminishes and will have no association with how things are done in the Pearland FD. The risk of one of our members being severely injured or killed greatly increases by not properly training our personnel.