AGENDA DATE: 4/5/2017
TITLE:
Title
Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company Car 42 Replacement
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Authorize Albemarle County Fire Rescue to purchase two smaller command vehicles for Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company to replace Car 42.
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Walker, Letteri, Eggleston, Puckett
PRESENTER (S): Eggleston
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Douglas C. Walker
BACKGROUND: The provision of emergency services depends on reliable emergency response apparatus. It is the practice of the County of Albemarle to provide the necessary funding for the procurement and operation of all essential fire and emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles operated by the departments serving the County. In order to ensure that a sound and effective fleet of emergency vehicles is available to meet the essential demands of Albemarle County, apparatus purchased with County funds shall adhere to the standardized design specifications for their type, as outlined in the Albemarle County Department of Fire Rescue (ACFR) Policy SAP-DEP-026 "Fleet Plan." The fire rescue system shall develop these standard specifications through its Fire and Emergency Medical Services (FEMS) Apparatus Committee, review and recommendation by the FEMS Board, and the approval of the Fire Rescue Chief. ACFR may consider individual design flexibility, providing the changes meet the goals of system interoperability, safety and performance.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
Critical Infrastructure: Prioritize, plan, and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs.
Operational Capacity: Ensure County government’s ability to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities
DISCUSSION: Per the Fleet Plan, the County intends to replace Car 42, a command vehicle for Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company (Station 4), in FY 17 through the Fire/Rescue Apparatus Replacement Program. Station 4 is requesting to use the funds to purchase two smaller vehicles as opposed to one larger vehicle. This will enable them to replace an aging Crown Victoria they received from the Albemarle County Police Department (ACPD), in addition to the planned replacement of Car 42.
The Apparatus Committee originally based the budget to replace Car 42 on the purchase of a large SUV or truck and all the necessary equipment to outfit a command vehicle of that size. Since then, Station 4 has indicated a preference for a smaller SUV, such as the Ford Explorer. This change would save a significant amount of money and would likely require less equipment and lighting. Although this is smaller than the standard command vehicle purchased through the fleet plan, other stations have also “downsized” their command car, including East Rivanna and North Garden.
After reviewing the request with Station 4, and clarifying with them that the Fleet Plan would only support the replacement of one of the purchased vehicles in future years, ACFR staff believe that this is a reasonable request.
Approval of this deviation from the Fleet Plan will apply only to Car 42. ACFR staff will continue to consider other requests to deviate from the Fleet Plan on a case-by-case basis.
BUDGET IMPACT: Funding to replace Car 42 is currently budgeted in the Fire/Rescue Apparatus Replacement Program. The operating costs associated with both vehicles are currently funded. Therefore, there is no impact to the total County budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board authorize ACFR to utilize the current budget for Car 42 to purchase two smaller command vehicles for the Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company to replace Car 42 and an aging Crown Victoria and approve the appropriation of FY 17 funding of Appropriation #2017087 in a separate April 5 Budget Amendment and Appropriations Executive Summary.
ATTACHMENTS: A - Albemarle County Department of Fire Rescue Policy SAP-DEP-026 "Fleet Plan."