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01-25-1984 - Special ~ , . o u CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING JANUARY 25,1984 7:00PM MINUTES Mayor David Ledbetter called the Special Meeting to order at 7:00PM in the Community Center. He stated the purpose of the meeting was to discuss with County representa- tives the EVER program. ROLL CALL Mayor David Ledbetter Councilman Melbourne Wargo Councilwoman Gigi Bennington Councilman Neil Asting Present Present Present Present Councilman Jack Spencer City Attorney Josel Alvarez City Clerk Connie Kinsey Police Chief Earl Baugh Excused Excused Present Excused Mr. Clyde Mann, Volusia County Council member for District 5, was oresent and introduced Mr. Mark Fingeret and Mr. Russ Webber of EVAC, Mr. Art Wilson, Director of Fire Services for Volusia County, Fire Chief Bart Beedle of the Turnbull Volunteer Fire Department, and Mr. Al Sessoms, Assistant Manager for Volusia County. Also present were Mrs. Frances Olds, President of EVER, and several members of EVER and the Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Mark Fingeret of EVAC said they operate as a non-profit emergency foundation and they replaced a private profit-making organization, Beacon Ambulance. He said in the 2t years they1ve been in operation, they've shown they can improve performance, have shorter response time, and are handling more service for less money. He noted that the County is organized on a two-tier system and one tier is usually for urban areas with a hospital close by. He said the two-tier system is considered better for rural areas that don1t have a lot of calls and transport time is significant. He added that there is a local first response and they stay in their area and do the basic life support and have the overall county transport system, which is EVAC. He said they operate with first responses that are paid, volunteer, and not affiliated with the Fire Departments. He noted that they've had no problems with EVER or with the other Fire Departments. He said almost all areas in the County do have first response but Deltona and Ormond Beach had first response from EVAC. He added that the State law is very organized and they have been controlling life support and basic life support for a number of years. He said it allows individual areas to do what they think is necessary and the State has not been arbitrary. He noted that the State has given local governing bodies the authority to have local ordinances and decide what is best for them in that county. He said that regarding duplication of services, based on the two-tier system it's not duplication and somebody would get there first and if the local first response isn1t needed, they leave and that's the way the system should work. He added that if it's a critical situation, they1d stay there. He said if they feel they don1t have the man- power to go on transport, they would make the decision but they would welcome the help. Councilman Asting said his concern is with having medical support when the Fire Department is called out. Mr. Fingeret said they respond when called and are on standby for structure and brush fires. Councilman Asting asked where EVAC is based and Mr. Fingeret said they have several stations and one unit is in New Smyrna Beach on North Dixie Freeway. He added that they have central dispatching for calls. Councilwoman Bennington asked if they get a unit from Port Orange if the New Smyrna Beach unit is already on a call and Mr. Fingeret said yes. Mrs. Olds said the duplication of service was not EVAC but with Oak Hill and Central had paged them out also. Mr. Fingeret said the duplication from Central would be their problem and there's a letter going to the Sheriff regarding the way they would respond outside the City. Mrs. Olds said they respond outside the City limits if they're called by EVAC or if the Fire Department is called to a structure fire. Mr. Bill Britain of EVER said the other matter was straightened out and the only time they go outside the City is if EVAC dispatches them or the Fire Department is called out. He said they got to Oak Hill for a call and there were 15 firemen paged out and there was nothing and they don't know why they were there. ~ o Q Mr. Bart Beedle, Turnbull Volunteer Fire Chief, said Oak Hill is just getting set up and there are 6 now that are trained as first response and theylre setting classes for more first responses and those 6 are going to EMT. Mr. Mann said held asked Mr. Beedle to go down and train the people there and he has done that. Mayor Ledbetter said he feels Rescue is for the benefit of mankind whether it's in the City of Edgewater or in the County but he doesn't like to hear the Edgewater Police Department volunteer the Rescue in the County. He said if someone asks for help, that's different, but he doesn1t like it volunteered. He added that it was set up between the Sheriff's Department, Highway Patrol, Fire Department, and EVAC if they needed it but he has ~eard them volunteer the services of Rescue. Mrs. Olds noted that the Highway Patrol doesn't call them out and the request for mutual aid has to come from EVAC or if therels a structure fire with the Fire Department. Mr. Mann said the Sheriff's Department would call EVAC and the Highway Patrol and local Fire Department and they decided that about three years ago. Mrs. Olds said she'd like a copy of that directive. Councilman Wargo asked what mutual aid consists of as he thought it meant when they had more than they could handle but it seems like it's in place of. He referred to the incident when the parachutist had to be assisted by the Fire Department. Mr. Robert Main of the Fire Department said he responded to that call and it wasn't as mutual aid but was as being in their fire district. Mr. Fingeret noted that mutual aid doesn't involve EVAC. Mr. Sessoms said the County has mutual aid with the Fire Departments in the County and it's when a unit gets on a scene and has more than they can handle. Mr. Wilson said it's a written document that all the Fire Chiefs have that explains details and also how to set up a disaster situation. Councilman Asting asked if the EVAC has a paid staff and Mr. Fingeret said yes but they have reserves which would be a third person, and he added that 70% are paramedics. Mrs. 01ds said they would get called immediately if itls in Florida Shores and if it's in Oak Hill and EVAC asks, they go because it's 20 minutes closer than Port Orange, and they go with EVAC ambulances on the way. Mr. Fingeret said it's the same situation with Debary and De1tona with an interchange of services. Councilman Asting asked if EVAC can call EVER to go anywhere in the County. said it's only in this area. Councilman Asting asked if it would conform to assigned as a fire district and Mr. Fingeret said yes but they've asked them Oak Hill because there's nothing there. Mr. Fingeret the areas to go to There was a discussion about the injuries at the Speedway and the way that the dis- patching was handled. All agreed that it was a tremendous job. Mrs. Olds said they brought up mutual aid because they felt there should be some compen- sation for mutual aid calls out of their area. Mr. Fingeret asked what they want compensated for and Mrs. 01ds said they don't receive any County funds. Mr. Fingeret said the way the two-tier system works, it's not paid by the County and it's usually through the Fire Department. He added that it's not their place, as the transport system, to fund and it's a local problem. Councilwoman Bennington asked if the Council is held liable if they refuse a local call and Mr. Fingeret said no, if they can't service, they can't service. Mr. Sessoms said they aren't liable because they're doing it as a favor to EVAC and to help mankind. Councilman Wargo said they want help as the expenses incur and referred to two calls to Oak Hill. Mr. Fingeret said they have to decide if they have the resources to cover it based on the calls and if they can handle those calls or not. He said if there's a wreck involved they usually need extracation but if not, they can leave the scene, but they sometimes do need 4 or 5 people. Mr. Mann said they donlt have the funds to pay EVER and referred to the $100,000.00 they got for the Fire truck and to assist with the Fire station. He said most Fire Depart- ments have a service like EVER and this is the only city that has EVER and a Fire Department. Councilman Asting asked if EVAC is part of the Fire County organization and Mr. Fingeret said no. Mayor Ledbetter noted that when they entered into the agreement with the County on the Fire agreement, Rescue was not included and they opted out. Councilwoman Bennington asked Mr. Beedle if they have paramedics and Mr. Beedle said they're EMTls and are part of the Fire Department. Councilwoman Bennington asked him if they get funds from the County and Mr. Beedle said yes. -2- Special Council Meeting Minutes January 25, 1984 o o Mr. Bart Beedle, Turnbull Volunteer Fire Chief, said Oak Hill is just getting set up and there are 6 now that are trained as first response and they're setting classes for more first responses and those 6 are going to EMT. Mr. Mann said held asked Mr. Beedle to go down and train the people there and he has done that. Mayor Ledbetter said he feels Rescue is for the benefit of mankind whether it's in the City of Edgewater or in the County but he doesn1t like to hear the Edgewater Police Department volunteer the Rescue in the County. He said if someone asks for help, that's different, but he doesn't like it volunteered. He added that it was set up between the Sheriff1s Department, Highway Patrol, Fire Department, and EVAC if they needed it but he has ~eard them volunteer the services of Rescue. Mrs. Olds noted that the Highway Patrol doesn't call them out and the request for mutual aid has to come from EVAC or if there's a structure fire with the Fire Department. Mr. Mann said the Sheriff1s Department would call EVAC and the Highway Patrol and local Fire Department and they decided that about three years ago. Mrs. Olds said she'd like a copy of that directive. Councilman Wargo asked what mutual aid consists of as he thought it meant when they had more than they could handle but it seems like it1s in place of. He referred to the incident when the parachutist had to be assisted by the Fire Department. Mr. Robert Main of the Fire Department said he responded to that call and it wasn1t as mutual aid but was as being in their fire district. Mr. Fingeret noted that mutual aid doesn't involve EVAC. Mr. Sessoms said the County has mutual aid with the Fire Departments in the County and it1s when a unit gets on a scene and has more than they can handle. Mr. Wilson said it1s a written document that all the Fire Chiefs have that explains details and also how to set up a disaster situation. Councilman Asting asked if the EVAC has a paid staff and Mr. Fingeret said yes but they have reserves which would be a third person, and he added that 70% are paramedics. Mrs. Olds said they would get called immediately if it's in Florida Shores and if it's in Oak Hill and EVAC asks, they go because it's 20 minutes closer than Port Orange, and they go with EVAC ambulances on the way. Mr. Fingeret said itls the same situation with Debary and Deltona with an interchange of services. Councilman Asting asked if EVAC can call EVER to go anywhere in the County. Mr. Fingeret said it1s only in this area. Councilman Asting asked if it would conform to the areas assigned as a fire district and Mr. Fingeret said yes but they1ve asked them to go to Oak Hill because there's nothing there. There was a discussion about the injuries at the Speedway and the way that the dis- patching was handled. All agreed that it was a tremendous job. Mrs. Olds said they brought up mutual aid because they felt there should be some compen- sation for mutual aid calls out of their area. Mr. Fingeret asked what they want compensated for and Mrs. Olds said they don1t receive any County funds. Mr. Fingeret said the way the two-tier system works, it's not paid by the County and it's usually through the Fire Department. He added that it1s not their place, as the transport system, to fund and it's a local problem. Councilwoman Bennington asked if the Council is held liable if they refuse a local call and Mr. Fingeret said no, if they can't service, they can't service. Mr. Sessoms said they aren't liable because they're doing it as a favor to EVAC and to help mankind. Councilman Wargo said they want help as the expenses incur and referred to two calls to Oak Hill. Mr. Fingeret said they have to decide if they have the resources to cover it based on the calls and if they can handle those calls or not. He said if there's a wreck involved they usually need extracation but if not, they can leave the scene, but they sometimes do need 4 or 5 people. Mr. Mann said they don't have the funds to pay EVER and referred to the $100,000.00 they got for the Fire truck and to assist with the Fire station. He said most Fire Depart- ments have a service like EVER and this is the only city that has EVER and a Fire Department. Councilman Asting asked if EVAC is part of the Fire County organization and Mr. Fingeret said no. Mayor Ledbetter noted that when they entered into the agreement with the County on the Fire agreement, Rescue was not included and they opted out. Councilwoman Bennington asked Mr. Beedle if they have paramedics and Mr. Beedle said they're EMT1s and are part of the Fire Department. Councilwoman Bennington asked him if they get funds from the County and Mr. Beedle said yes. -2- Special Council Meeting Minutes January 25, 1984 o o Councilwoman Bennington noted that because they're not connected with the Fire Depart- ment they don't get funds but they respond the same as the others. Mr. Mann said $32,000.00 is the millage rate now and he thought Mr. Beedle was going to insist on a millage rate of one and he's the quadrant director and that amount is for the unincor- porated areas. He added that all they have to do is pitch in with the Fire Department. Councilwoman Bennington asked Mr. Beedle if Turnbull responds when EVAC calls for backup. Mr. Beedle said they get the call the same time and they sometimes get their first. She asked if they respond without a call from EVAC and Mr. Fingeret said it's usually simultaneously dispatched. Mr. Mann noted that EVAC is just there to transport to the hospital. Mr. Fingeret stated that first response anywhere in the County responds and theylll call EVAC on the radio if they're not needed. He added that there are 10 units serving the entire county and they need a first response locally. Mr. Wilson said Rescue rolls with EVAC to assist with other than cardiac, such as a wash- down, probable fire condition, extracation, and hazards and they need the Fire Department Rescue for people who are trained both ways. Mr. Fingeret noted there are special rescue tools that the Fire Departments carry and EVAC doesn't. Mayor Ledbetter asked why there's just one response unit when they're so much larger and Mr. Fingeret said they came into business in 1981 and there were seven Beacons and now they have ten units county-wide and they're all advanced life support. He added that their response time for the last fiscal year for Edgewater for EVAC for 225 calls was 7t minutes average. Mayor Ledbetter said they sometimes get caught on the beachside with the bridge up and it's a long wait. Mr. Britain noted that when they respond to Oak Hill or out on 1-95 they have two people on duty and under normal conditions only those two people respond outside the City which leaves the rest in the City so the City isn't left unguarded and they all carry oxygen and first aid kits in their own cars at all times. Mr. Fingeret stated that the Sheriff was experimenting with a Medivac program for about a year and has a helicopter flying and this will increase the level of service and will free them up, as it1s been instituted now with two tours a day. Mrs. Olds asked if the quadrant system affects them and Mr. Mann said no. City Clerk Kinsey asked if it affects the Fire Department and Mr. Wilson said yes. Mrs. Yvonne Britain said they arrived at a call in Oak Hill and the Firemen were there and just got in their way and she asked why they were paged out if they aren't qualified. Mr. Wilson said he didn1t know what type of callout it was but they're toned out because it's their territory and there might be a reason for them to be there. Mrs. Britain said this was a simple 92 for sick person. Mr. Wilson said they're trying to upgrade the situation in Oak Hill and bring in equipment within the budget and time frame and added that they do have a new fire station. Mayor Ledbetter noted that when Rescue began they also had 8 to 10 people responding to calls. Mrs. Britain said this was the duplication of services they1d referred to. Mr. Wilson said many people don't realize that dis- patching is done by people sitting in an underground location and they receive phone calls and they know there's a Fire Department there and they dispatch them out as they can do something. Mrs. Olds said she didn't want them to feel they1re encroaching on their territory. Mr. Main said with the quadrant system the closest fire station is paged out first and will get there first, and when the other department gets there, they'll back off if it's in the other district and aren't needed. Mr. Sessoms said that's how dispatch carries it out, to tone it to the closest and simultaneously to the primary unit. Mrs. Olds noted that when someone more qualified comes onto the scene they stay and assume the responsibility and the others take their directions. Councilwoman Bennington asked how many cities in Volusia County don't have Rescue in with the Fire and Mr. Fingeret said only Edgewater. Mr. Wilson stated that every Fire Department should have Rescue. Mr. Fingeret noted that Ormond Beach has the capabilities but they callout volunteers and they do have the Hurst tool. Councilwoman Bennington' asked if Rescue and Fire are combined, would they qualify for County funds, and Mr. Mann said yes. She asked if they could get County funds if they don't combine them and Mr. Mann said no. Mr. Sessoms said the chances for getting funding for EVER and not being a part of the Fire Department are very slim. Councilwoman Bennington asked if Oak Hill is combining the Fire and Rescue and Mr. Mann said yes. Councilman Wargo asked the boundary lines for the fire district and Mr. Gary Lamb of the Fire Department said the north side of Ariel Road and two miles one way and one mile the other on 1-95 and down Park Avenue to Mission Road, plus they cover the hunting camp areas. Mr. Britain noted that there are two 1-95 exits, one at 442 and one at the Brevard line and sometimes their response is faster than Oak Hill's because of the accessibility to an exit. -3- Special Council Meeting Minutes January 25, 1984 . . o o Mr. Wilson said there are other areas where they don't have access and it's better for someone to get there to handle it. Councilwoman Bennington asked Mr. Mann if the only way they can get funds is to combine the Fire and Rescue. Mr. Mann said there1s $32,000.00 and they've been paying off their fire equipment, and this year is the last payment. Councilman Asting asked if there are any particular qualifications the EVER personnel must have in order to qualify for funds as a part of the Fire Department. Mr. Sessoms said they have to meet the basic qualifi- cations for EMT and paramedic and if they were a part of the system and could be certified as qualified persons to engage in that activity" then the Fire Department could allocate some money to Rescue and not all toward Fire. Mr. Britain asked if they move to the Fire Department would their members be required to take fire training. Mr. Webber said no. Mr. Mann said that would be up to the Council. Hayor Ledbetter said it would be up to the City Council and Fire Department to reach an agreement that a person that was in the Rescue end of it remain Rescue. Mr. Sessoms said it1s not a State and not a County requirement. Mr. Wilson said they have many places that do that but once they put two people of emergency conditions together they'll mingle and EVER will learn Fire and vice versa. Mr. Main said when Central dispatches they say Fire and Rescue or just Rescue. Mr. Mann said EVER and the Fire Department need to be together and the funds are available. Councilwoman Bennington stated that she always thought they should be together. Mayor Ledbetter noted that in travelling around the State most of the Rescue units are part of the Fire Departments. Mr. Fingeret stated that EVAC has worked well with EVER and it doesn't matter to them how they organize locally. Mr. Mann added that they can save money on communications. Mr. Wilson noted that if there's a calamity and need more Rescue service, they'll bring it from all around. Mr. Mann stated there1s a paint factory in Edgewater. Mr. Britain commented that there's a good working relationship with all emergency services in South- east Vol usia County. Mr. Mann urged that this be done before October 1st so they can figure funds in the budget. He added that Mr. Beedle is the quadrant captain. Mayor Ledbetter suggested the Council sit down with Fire and Rescue at a \~orkshop meeting to talk this out as to what each would agree to do and draw up guidelines if they decide on a merger and then approach the County. Mr. Mann said he'd be on call. Mrs. Olds questioned the standard protocol for being paged out on mutual aid calls. Mr. Fingeret said until they get with the Fire Department they have to determine whether they're available for calls to Oak Hill or elsewhere. There was a discussion between Mrs. Anita McFarland of EVER and Mr. Fingeret regarding the procedure for dispatching. Mr. Fingeret said Rescue needs to let the Police Department know what calls they're going to respond to and they don't have to wait for EVAC to call them. He asked that Rescue let him know in writing what they'll respond to and under what circumstances. Mrs. Olds said they can only respond to what their Council approves. Councilman Asting thanked Mr. Mann and the members of the County government for coming to the meeting. He then moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilwoman Bennington seconded the motion. Meeting was adjourned at 8:07 PM. Minutes submitted by: Lura Sue Koser Go I~(,~ MAYOR ATTEST: ~ - .J~ ~ ~~~ d-h~./ CITY CLERK_ : ~ Approved this4~~ day of ~ ~~'X 'MAYOR ' - ~ ;r- ~ '-r~ a~~ , 1 984 . -4- Special Council Meeting Minutes January 25, 1984