REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: KERRI DONIS, Fire Chief
Fire Department
SUBJECT:
Title
Approve a one (1) year extension option to the existing agreement with the County of Fresno for County Aid Dispatch services.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a 1-year extension to the agreement with the County of Fresno to receive County Aid Dispatch services. The terms of the agreement include a fee of $845,640 in Fiscal Year 2023.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno (City) has been under a dispatch agreement with the County (County) of Fresno since February 1, 2006. The current agreement terminates June 30, 2022 but allows for two annual extension options for fiscal years ending June 30 2023 and June 30, 2024. The Fire Department is requesting a 1-year extension to continue receiving County Aid Dispatch services without interruption through June 30, 2023.
BACKGROUND
The Fire Department receives in excess of 47,000 calls for dispatch each year. Under the existing dispatch agreement, calls are transferred to the County’s dispatch network - County Aid Dispatch (CAD). The CAD system then dispatches the calls to the appropriate responder/agency depending on the type of emergency. The CAD system provides emergency responders and the public with efficient and improved response time. With the high volume of dispatched calls for Fire Department services each year, this County service is a necessary and essential element of Fire Department operations and public safety. For the past decade and beyond, the Fire Department has been under contract with the County to have emergency calls routed to the County’s dispatch system.
The dispatch agreement also relieves the City from having to purchase and maintain expensive dispatch equipment and networks. Under the agreement, all CAD systems and equipment are owned and maintained by the County. The CAD system ensures that all necessary reporting and statistical information is maintained, stored, and filed as appropriate. County dispatchers are trained and ensure calls are prioritized, properly channeled, and communicated to the appropriate agencies and responding units. Service history has proven to be effective and efficient.
Finally, extension of this agreement is necessary to provide additional and adequate time for the City to continue examining the feasibility and cost of opening its own dispatch center in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a project pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented as the County of Fresno is the only entity able to perform this service and is another governmental agency.
FISCAL IMPACT
The contract was built into the Fire Departments Fiscal Year 2023 budget.
Attachments:
Extension Letter
Agreement