George Morris, Fire Chief Fire Department Department Summary Mission Statement The mission of the Butte County Fire Department (BCFD) is to protect the citizens of Butte County from all types of fires and to provide emergency medical, rescue, and hazardous materials response. This mission is accomplished by maintaining personnel training, fire apparatus readiness and through multiagency cooperation. Department Description and Key Issues The Butte County Fire Department is a combination fire department. This means that the fire department provides many of the services listed below utilizing career and volunteer firefighters. As a combination fire department, essential fire protection services are provided to Butte County residents much more efficiently than either an all volunteer or all career department could. The County of Butte formally organized and funded a fire department protecting the unincorporated areas of Butte County on November 10, 1931. The Butte County Fire Department has evolved over the years to provide the following basic public protection services: Fire suppression (life, property, and supplemental watershed protection) Technical rescue services such as confined space, drowning accident rescue, high and low angle rescue Emergency medical services (at the basic life support level) Emergency dispatch and communications services Training for volunteer and career firefighter personnel Fire prevention, fire protection planning, and arson investigation services Hazardous materials incident initial response and as part of the Butte County Interagency Hazardous Materials Team (JPA) Homeland security preparedness Staffing of the Butte County Fire Department is accomplished with a cooperative agreement between the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and Butte County. Most of the fire department functions described above are efficiently accomplished with a blend of CAL FIRE and Butte County funded positions. The cooperative agreement provides for a mutually beneficial system that maintains a high level of service to the citizens of Butte County and California. The 2009 and 2010 SAFER Grants awarded to the Butte County Fire Department continued to provide fire engine staffing (eleven firefighters) and fire department volunteer training and safety oversight (two Training and Safety Bureau fire captains) during fiscal year 2011-2012. These grants will be expended in December 2012 and February 2013 respectively. All thirteen positions were originally eliminated from the fiscal year 2009-2010 budget. Absent new funding for these positions for the remainder of fiscal year 2012-2013, all thirteen positions would be eliminated. These reductions would result in a return to temporary rotating station closure, commonly called brown-outs, and the inability to adequately support fire department volunteer and career fire fighter training and safety. The fire department has applied for SAFER Grant funding to extend the thirteen positions for an additional two years. Additionally, the fire department continues to seek grant funding for tools such as personal protective equipment, self contained breathing apparatus, vehicle extrication and other appropriate items. With the direct support of the Training and Safety Bureau, the department s oversight of the volunteer 173
George Morris, Fire Chief Fire Department Department Summary training program continues to improve. This improvement in volunteer program oversight is directly related to the two SAFER grant funded fire captains described above. The captains are responsible for development, delivery, scheduling and coordination of volunteer training countywide, fit testing as required by law for all fire fighters that wear self contained breathing apparatus, and safety officer response to emergencies. Department Budget FIRE 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2012-13 Actuals Adopted Requested Recommended Use of Money and Property 4,859 63,986 63,986 State Revenues 231,959 201,688 150,000 130,000 Federal Revenues 1,295,067 1,343,056 780,892 730,972 Other Governmental Revenues 45,120 44,000 - - Charges For Services 115,948 80,000 66,000 111,000 Miscellaneous Revenues 225,830 107,026 36,911 96,911 Other Financing Sources - - - - Total Revenues $ 1,918,783 $ 1,775,770 $ 1,097,789 $ 1,132,869 Salaries and Employee Benefits 22,397 28,923 35,600 35,600 Services and Supplies 13,291,308 14,212,399 16,417,701 14,203,924 Other Charges 537,445-41,539 41,539 Capital Assets 122,598 960,914 1,350,000 1,350,000 Total Direct Expenditures $ 13,973,748 $ 15,202,236 $ 17,844,840 $ 15,631,063 Other Financing Uses 682,014 724,723 939,723 Total Expenditures $ 13,973,748 $ 15,884,250 $ 18,569,563 $ 16,570,786 Net Costs/Use of Fund Balance $ 12,054,965 $ 14,108,480 $ 17,471,774 $ 15,437,917 2012/13 Recommended Use of GPR $ 14,018,991 2012/13 Recommended Use of Restricted Fund Balance $ 1,418,926 Source of Funds (Revenues) General purpose revenue (GPR) from the General Fund is the largest revenue source for the department. Federal revenues are from various Homeland Security/FEMA grants. Restricted funds are used for equipment replacement (fire engines). Charges for services include planning and fire and life safety inspection fees. Federal Revenues 4% State Revenues <1% Use of Money and Property <1% Rest. Fund Balance 8% Recommended Source of Funds (Revenues) $16,570,786 Charges For Services <1% Miscellaneous Revenues <1% GPR 85% 174
George Morris, Fire Chief Use of Funds (Expenditures) Services and supplies primarily consist of the cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE to provide staffing for the Butte County Fire Department, along with fuel, maintenance, and utilities. Capital assets include the purchase of fire engines. Other financing uses include costs for support services, which include Administration, Auditor, County Counsel, General Services, Human Resources, Information Systems, and Treasurer. Services and Supplies 86% Fire Department Department Summary Recommended Use of Funds (Expenditures) $16,570,786 Other Charges <1% Capital Assets 8% Other Financing Uses 6% Salaries and Employee Benefits <1% Summary of Budget Request and Recommendations Salaries & Employee Benefits Requested The department request includes retaining the eleven firefighter and two captain positions partially funded through SAFER Grants. The department budget request includes the addition of a Fire Protection Planning Battalion Chief, Hazard Abatement Fire Captain, Operations Battalion Chief, Operations Division Chief, Public Information Officer, full time Fire Prevention Specialist I, and Telecommunications Systems Analyst. These positions were eliminated in fiscal year 2009-2010. The fire department budget request includes an increase of $200,000 to the department overtime account. Recommended The recommendation includes funding for current staffing levels, which retains the eleven firefighter and two captain positions partially funded through SAFER Grants. Services & Supplies Requested The department budget request includes funding for an increase of $60,000 in the fuel budget. Recommended The recommendation includes funding at current year levels. Capital Assets Requested The budget request includes the purchase of three fire engines as part of the equipment 175
George Morris, Fire Chief Fire Department Department Summary replacement plan to replace older vehicles. Recommended The recommendation includes the requested capital assets. 176
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