Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 10-28-14--regular — reading text

FIRE MEMORANDUM R a To: Michael D. Beedie, City Manager From: Ken Perkins, Fire Chief Date: October 28, 2014 Subject: Fire Department Mutual Aid Agreement 1. BACKGROUND: 1. 1. The City of Fort Walton Beach Fire Department routinely relies on other local fire departments to provide additional personnel, equipment, and firefighting apparatus to address major fires and other emergencies within the City. 1. 2. Conversely, the City of Fort Walton Beach Fire Department routinely responds outside of the City to assist other local fire departments with major fires and emergencies within their jurisdictions. 1. 3. The Agreement for Automatic Mutual Aid Between Area Fire Departments and the Okaloosa County Department of Public Safety is the formal legal document that outlines the authority and expectations of local emergency response agencies that utilize and provide mutual aid in the form of personnel, apparatus, and other firefighting equipment. 2.. DISCUSSION: 2. 1. The mutual aid agreement for local fire departments was updated and approved by the City Council in March 2014. However, the Destin Fire Control District recently elected not to be party to the agreement due to Okaloosa County also being party to the agreement. 2. 2. Destin Fire Control District has been removed from this Agreement, which includes Okaloosa County, and a separate agreement between the area fire departments and Destin will be executed. 2. 3. The change will not negatively affect the current operations or response capabilities of the City of Fort Walton Beach Fire Department. 3. FINANCIAL INFORMATION: 3. 1. There is no financial impact due to changes made to this Agreement. 4. RECOMMENDATION: 4. 1. Staff respectfully recommends City Council approval of the amended Agreement for Automatic Mutual Aid Between Area Fire Departments and the Okaloosa County Department of Public Safety and authorization for the City Manager and Fire Chief to Page 1 of 2 Packet Pg 33-  8. 4 execute the Agreement. ATTACHMENTS: Fire Department Mutual Aid Agreement w/ o Destin ( PDF) SIGNATURE BLOCK: Finance Completed 10/ 13/ 2014 8: 45 AM City Attorney Completed 10/ 21/ 2014 1: 37 PM Carole Jones Completed 10/ 21/ 2014 1: 38 PM City Manager Completed 10/ 23/ 2014 10: 48 AM City Council Pending 10/ 28/ 2014 6: 00 PM Page 2 of 2 4P acket P.g 34  8. 4. a INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR AUTOMATIC MUTUAL AID BETWEEN AREA FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this day of July, 2014, by and between the following jurisdictions in Okaloosa County: City of Fort Walton Beach, City of Mary Esther, Florosa Fire Control District, Ocean City Wright Fire Control District, Okaloosa Island Fire District. North Bay Fire Control District, Okaloosa County Public Safety, , City of Valparaiso. City of Niceville, East Niceville Fire Control District, Almarante Fire District, Baker Fire District, Blackman Fire District, City of Crestview, Dorcas Fire District, Holt Fire District, City of Laurel a Hill, and North Okaloosa Fire District. This Agreement also covers 0 the following areas located outside Okaloosa County: Holley Navarre Fire Control District, South Walton Fire District, and Walton County. 2 WITNESSETH: WHEREAS, the parties hereto are geographically located in proximity to each other; and to a. WHEREAS, it is to the mutual advantage and benefit of the parties hereto that each of the other parties effectively assists the other in the event of a fire or other emergency that endangers life or property; and WHEREAS, certain of the parties to this Agreement have previously approved an Automatic Mutual Aid Agreement between area fire departments dated April 1, 2014, and now intend, by adopting this Interlocal Agreement for Automatic Mutual Aid Between Area Fire Departments and Department of Public Safety, that the previous Automatic Mutual Aid Agreement of April 1, o 2014, will be replaced in its entirety by this Interlocal Agreement. o NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual covenants, the parties hereto agree as a follows: a) 1. That it is herebyY set forth to be ppolicyY of the Pparties to respond, pursuant to the p running a card system, with appropriate Engine Companies, Ladder Companies, Rescue Companies, v EMS Units, and Hazardous Material Unit with a normal complement of personnel within those , areas designated by the parties hereto. The parties shall, under such circumstances, come z under the authority of the party to which the automatic/ mutual aid is being given. 2 2. That it is hereby the responsibility of the Chiefs of said parties for coordinating the running card assessments and response of equipment and personnel in such a manner as to insure that an adequate level of the fire protection service remains available to each jurisdiction. a 3. No party to this Agreement shall be required to pay any compensation to any other party to this Agreement for services rendered, the mutual advantages and protection afforded by this Agreement being considered adequate compensation to all parties. E 4. It is mutually understood and agreed that this Agreement does not relieve any of the parties hereto from the necessity and obligation of providing adequate fire protection within its own areas, and each party hereto agrees that it shall use reasonable diligence in keeping the fire-fighting equipment and personnel in its possession up to the minimum standards recommended by the Insurance Services Office for the cities/ districts of comparable size. Drafted by Okaloosa County Fire Rescue Organization Approved by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners July 22, 2014 Page 1 of 6 Packet Pg: 35  8. 4.a • 5. Any services performed or expenditures made in connection with furnishing mutual aid/automatic aid under this Agreement by any party hereto shall be deemed conclusively to be for the direct protection of such party. 6. Any party to this Agreement may withdraw at any time upon thirty days' written notice to each of the other parties, and thereafter such withdrawing party shall no longer be a party to this Agreement. 7. To the extent permitted by law, and without waiving sovereign immunity, each party to this Agreement' shall be responsible for any and all claims, demands, suits, actions, damages, and causes of action related to or arising out of or in any way connected with its own actions of its personnel, in providing mutual aid/automatic aid assistance rendered or performed pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. g 8. Upon execution, this Agreement and any subsequent amendments hereto shall be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Walton County, Florida, and the Clerk of the Circuit Court of ns Okaloosa County, Florida, in accordance with Section 163. 01, Florida Statutes ( 2013). IN WITNESS WHEREOF; this Agreement has been executed the day and year first above written by the parties hereto: FOR THE CITY OF FORT WALTON BEACH a) City Manager Attest by: c a> Fire Chief Date FOR THE CITY OF MARY ESTHER Q 4- r 2 Mayor Attest by: E t Fire Chief