Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP June 8, 1999 (¡U'f/¡;¡WCtí\ '/lf'/'i<-t CITY of ANDOVER SPECIAL ANDOVER CITY COUNCIL MEETING - JUNE 8,1999 - MINUTES A Special Meeting of the Andover City Council was called to order by Mayor Jack McKelvey on June 8, 1999, 7:09 p.m., at Fire Station No I, 13875 CrosstO\'.iTI Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Councilmembers present: Julie Johnson, Mike Knight, Ken Orttel Council member absent: Don Jacobson Also present: Fire Chief, Dan Winkler City Administrator, Richard Fursman Several other Firefighters ANDOVER FIRE DEPARTMENTIREVIEW 1998 REPORT Chief Winkel showed a video of news reports on the May 3 fires along the railroad tracks. He noted Burlington Northern will be billed for the expenses, which is up to about $320,000 total. Chief Winkel then reviewed the 1998 Annual Report of the Andover Fire Department including the Mission Statement, Organizational Chart, Fire Department responses by category from 1996 through 1998, a comparison of fire calls for the last three years, calls per station for the last three years, estimated cost per capita since 1990, duties of the Fire Marshal and Chief, buildings that were inspected in 1998, the percentage of time spent on the various fire protection activities, goals and objectives for 1999 and beyond, and training. In discussing the future Fire Station No.3 and the land already purchased for it to service the northeast portion of the City, Chief Winkel noted there have been some problems with trains blocking the roads. It doesn't happen very often, but it happens and will continue to be an issue with more than 20 trains going through the City each day. The Department responded to 771 calls in 1998. In 1987 the average response time was over ten minutes. They are now down to 6 to 7 minutes. Each year the number of calls increases which reflects the grov.1h of the City. That increase has been almost 10 percent each year for the last five years. The medical calls are starting to pull ahead of fire calls, especially with the development of The Farmstead and the medical clinics. He predicted medical calls will increase by about 100 calls per year once the senior development of Grey Oaks is completed. As the ambulance services are cutting back, he sees there will be an increased demand on the Fire Department for these services. He felt there may be a way to recoup some of those costs, and he is exploring some options legislatively. Day calls seem to be more than night calls. Chief Winkel noted Station I covers almost half of the calls, and he felt it will stay that way. He predicted in the next three to four years with the development of Grey Oaks and residential developments, Station 3 will be impacted. That will create the need for a fully functional station as .. . Special Andover City Council Meeling Minutes - June 8. 1999 Page 2 (Andover Fire Deparlmenl/Review 1998 Annual Reporl. Conlinued) opposed to just the parking of trucks which is all that can be done currently at Station 3. The estimated cost per capita for 1998 was $35.48 which included operating costs and the payment for the bond. Without the bond, it would have been $ I 5 .66 per capita. The bond will end in 200 I. The national average per capita is $32 to $33. Andover's cost is average including the bond. The study done in 1989 indicated three fire stations are needed to cover the City. With that in mind, 2\1, acres ofland was purchased on Crosstown Boulevard for that station with bond money. Response times are very weak in the northeast portion of the City, and with the increased growth and the issue of the railroad tracks, he felt it is time to be thinking about constructing Station 3. Mayor McKelvey wondered if the location of Station 3 should remain west of the tracks because of Grey Oaks and the other residential developments north of the City Hall area. Chief Winkel stated if the station is build on the existing land, they would recruit firefighters in that area. They may also realign the areas to which the stations respond so Station 3 may pick up some area east of the tracks but to the south. The primary need is for an effective building in which to operate and the need to maintain efficient response times in the northeast portion of the City. The railroad tracks will be an issue regardless of the location. With the Council's approval, he stated he will include funds in next year's budget to evaluate Station 3. Mayor McKelvey stated the county has asked if the City would be interested in an overpass over the railroad tracks on Bunker Lake Boulevard when that road goes to four lane in four or five years. Chief Winkel stated that would not help the Fire Department much in responding to calls to the northeast. Chief Winkel noted half of his time is to be spent on Fire Marshal duties and half with the administrative duties of the Fire Chief. The Fire Marshal duties are not being completed because of the amount of work to be done. There were eight commercial buildings that were reviewed last year, plus it is anticipated there will be much more as the commercial area is developed. With a fuJl·time Fire Marshal, they hope to be able to inspect all commercial buildings on an annual basis. Chief Winkel reviewed the goals for 1999: to complete the LS.O. testing in non-hydrant areas, update all building pre-plans, review Fire Department response times and evaluate level of response, complete the specifications for Engine 3 I replacement and start the planning process for the new Station No.3. He also noted that about 25 percent ofa firefighter's time is spent in training for fire and EMS incidents. OSHA has requirements for training firefighters, plus there are other requirements. Training is needed in order to respond to incidents. Everyone must be updated in their First Responder care. About 100 hours of training are needed each year just to keep up with the mandatory minimum standards. It is a constant stmggle with training to meet all the mandated training. Firefighter sometimes have 8 to 10 hours of training each week, plus response times. Firefighter Dave Szyplinski, Training Officer, stated they need to hear from the Council what level of service they should be providing the community. Based on that, they will know what training is needed. The goal of training is to be able to automatically respond to any incident. Last year they Special Andover City Council Meeling Minules - June 8. 1999 Page 3 (Andover Fire Deparlmenl/Review 1998 Annual Reporl. Conlinued) had training on river bank rescues, swimming pool rescues and trench rescues. They will have to have an elevator class because of the elevators in the senior citizen buildings. How far do they train for school shootings? There are three schools in the City. They are a very progressive firc department, but the issue is what level of service does the Council want of them. Different types of structures bum differently, so training is needed for potential incidents for each type. Another issue is that of retention of firefighters. It takes four to five years of training to get a firefighter to the level of the one who left, so they have to start training now to get someone into the schedule two years from now. The Department has had pretty good retention, but there are those who will be leaving or retiring. Five years from now the average level of experience will drop by five years. Another issue is what level of service should the Department provide once the ambulance service decline. Now all firefighters are required to be First Responders. Will they all have to then be EMTs? Oftìcer Szyplinski continued that they are looking at other options in responses. One option would be to have each Station specialize in a specific type of response. Station No.3 might do trench rescues because Public Works is there. Station No.2 could be water rescue and Station No. I might respond when there is a need for a ladder truck. Councilmember Orttel wondered if a liaison between thc Council and the Fire Department would be a good idea. That person, a member of the Council, would meet ....ith the Department from time to time, then forward that information to the remaining Council members. Chief Winkel felt that may b\~ a very good vehicle for maintaining communication between the two entities. Councilmember Knight wondered if members of the Fire Department could bc involved with the Ncighborhood Crime Watch Programs. Mr. Szyplinski felt it would be a good idea, but the problem is asking the Firefighters to commit more time. Chief Winkel stated they do participate in a limited way with the Sheriff's Department and go to meetings on occasion. It depends on who is available. Council member Orttel wondered if the future will require paid-on-call firefighters plus some full- time paid employees. Chief Winkel stated that is possible. Right now they look at the need for personnel at the stations and recruit for those needs. Now there are 48 fircfighters; 50 have been allocated. He envisions increasing that number to 60 paid-on-call firefighters over the ncxt few years. He is also watching a couple different programs such as hiring an EMT to be availablc 24 hours a day and limiting the number responding to those calls or having duty crews where the firefighters would sign up for specific time slots in which they would do their training and respond to calls and then not have to respond any other times of the weck. Office Szyplinski again stated it takes two years for new firefighters to be able to do any of the services. With the Grey Oaks development, they expect another 80 to 100 medical calls a year. The Council must tell them what is being developed and what they expect from the Fire Department. ". - ~. ,.. '-'- -. -~ Special Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - June 8, 1999 Page 4 (Andover Fire Department/Review 1998 Annual Report, Continued) Chief Winkel then reviewed the 20-year apparatus replacement plan, noting the tankers will need to be replaced in a couple years. The trends of the City that will affect Fire Department responses are the rapid growth of single family homes, additional industrial and commercial buildings, the development of senior citizen complexes, additional schools or an increase in size of the existing school buildings and health care clinics. The Council and Fire Department should be looking at a full-time Fire Marshal, full- and part-time fire inspectors, an increase in the number of firefighters to 60 over the next two years, full-time firefighter staffing in addition to paid-on-call, duty officers who would respond to miscellaneous incidents and duty crews that would staff the stations during day-time hours. The four most important considerations are to start the process to replace Station No.3 as soon as possible, hire a full-time Fire Marshal as he does need help, hire additional staffing to provide the needed level of service and maintain the vehicle replacement program. Chief Winkel also stated the By-Laws need to be updated as well. Some of these items will be addressed when he proposes the year 2000 Fire Department budget. The Council also discussed ways of infonning the residents of the services performed and training required hy the firefighters plus the fact that it is a paid-on-call department. The newsletter and cable TV were suggested. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ~ ~h['- ,:::L---- Recording Secretary - -- , _...._ _._ 0-- - . -- ,