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WE WILL BEGIN OUR HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT FY 25 PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTATION.I WANNA WELCOME OUR FIRE CHIEF, UH, SAM PENA.
HE IS JOINED BY CARISSA AARON.
AND, UH, SHOUT OUT TO ROCHELLE MCHENRY, WHO, UH, WE'VE HEARD THIS IS HER FIRST BUDGET PRESENTATION TO MISS IN 13 YEARS.
SO HOPEFULLY SHE'S DOING SOMETHING MORE FUN,
BUT, UH, WELCOME AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE, CHIEF.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING MADAM CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 25, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I ALSO, I WANNA TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO THANK, UH, OUR CIVILIAN STAFF, UH, A SPECIAL MENTION TO OUR CFO MS. ROCHELLE MCHENRY.
SHE'S NOT FEELING WELL, THAT'S WHY SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT SHE'S IS WATCHING, SHE'S MONITORING.
AND, UH, MISS CARISSA AARON, WHO'S, UH, WHO HELPED ME MAKE THIS BUDGET, AS WELL AS OUR COMMAND STAFF, WHO IS SITTING BACK HERE, WHERE I GOT SOME OF MY EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEFS THAT ARE SITTING BACK HERE, CHIEF MARTINEZ, CHIEF WELLS CHIEF WEST, AND OUR PIO CAPTAIN ROBINETTE.
UH, I WANNA THANK THEM FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO ALL YEAR, BUT ESPECIALLY IN, IN PREPARATION OF THIS BUDGET.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR FOR, FOR CERTAINLY YOUR RESPONSIVENESS IN, IN GIVING ME THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEED TO, TO FUND THE THINGS THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES.
AND, OF COURSE, A HUGE THANK YOU AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY, UH, THEY DO OUTSTANDING WORK EACH AND EVERY, EACH AND EVERY DAY.
UM, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN GOT OFF WITH A BANG AT THE, UH, COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS.
WE HAD THE MARATHON, AND I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY THAT NOW THE HURRICANE SEASON IS RUNNING SCRIMMAGES.
AND, UH, I HOPE IT'S NOT A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME.
BUT, UH, LOOK, THE, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE, ARE PREPARED TO, TO RESPOND.
THEY DO SO WITH PRIDE AND COMPASSION, AND, UH, I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF, OF THIS DEPARTMENT.
SO LET'S GET, JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO THIS.
UH, THIS SLIDE HERE SUMMARIZES THE DEPARTMENT'S ALIGNMENT TO THE MAYOR'S PRIORITIES AND INITIATIVES.
AS LAID OUT IN THE GUIDING DOCUMENT, THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITIES.
UM, BUT AS YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE, AND AS YOU'LL HEAR ME SAY A LITTLE BIT LATER, THE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDS, UH, NEARLY 90% ARE BUDGETED FOR PERSONNEL COSTS.
THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE GONNA COVER HOW OUR GENERAL FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED BY THE PROGRAMS. AND WITHIN EACH PROGRAM, WE'LL POINT OUT THE PERFORMANCE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE WITH THE ALLOCATED DOLLARS.
NOW, WE DIDN'T LIST EVERY SINGLE INITIATIVE OR PERFORMANCE MEASURE IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT IF, CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, OR ON THE METRICS OR THE INITIATIVES, WE WILL, WE WILL GET YOU THE INFORMATION YOU, YOU REQUEST AND FOLLOW UP.
THIS IS THE EXPENDITURE PROGRAM SLIDE, WHICH SUMMARIZES THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH EACH PROGRAM AND COMPARES THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 24 WITH OUR PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 25 REQUEST.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 25 IS $636.2 MILLION.
THAT REPRESENTS OVERALL A VARIANCE OF, UH, 7% INCREASE FROM OUR 24 CURRENT BUDGET.
THE INCREASE IS ATTRIBUTED PRIMARILY TO THE PROPOSED PAY INCREASES FOR ALL CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL, AN INCREASE IN CLASSIFIED HEALTH, CHANGES IN THE CHARGEBACK ACCOUNTS, AND AN INCREASE IN THE ASSIGNMENT PAYS AND, AND FRINGE BENEFITS.
FOR, FOR OUR CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL, THE DOLLARS INCREASE IS SHOWN IN OUR EMERGENCY, UH, RESPONSE AND RESCUE PROGRAM.
IS, IS THE HIGHEST AMOUNT HERE.
THIS IS OUR LARGEST PROGRAM, BOTH IN TERMS OF BUDGET AND FTES.
SO IN THAT PROGRAM OF, OF THE $32.3 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY 20.2 IS ATTRIBUTED TO CLASSIFIED PAY RAISES AND, AND BENEFITS, AS WELL AS VARIANCES IN, IN, UH, IN CLASSIFIED HEALTH.
THE INCREASE IN MEDICAL SURGICAL SUPPLIES AND FIREFIGHTER EQUIPMENT ACCOUNTS FOR INFLATION, UH, THAT'S ALSO CAPTURED HERE, AS WELL AS TUITION FOR THREE PARAMEDIC CLASSES THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'RE, UH, WE'RE SHOOTING TO START 150 PARAMEDICS.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR CAPACITY WITH OUR TRAINING, UH, PARTNERS.
WE GOT A THIRD VENDOR THAT, UH, THAT HAS ALSO COME ONLINE SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO SEND OUR, OUR PERSONNEL.
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UH, ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAMS OUR SALARIES, INFRINGING BENEFITS FOR A CIVILIAN FTE THAT WE HAVE ASSIGNED FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FOR OUR EMS PROGRAM.FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $3.4 MILLION.
THIS PROGRAM CONTAINS ALL OF OUR INNER FUND CHARGEBACKS ACCOUNTS FOR, UH, FINANCE, FOR FLEET, HR, AND HITS, AS WELL AS SALARIES AND FRINGE BENEFITS FOR CLASSIFIED CIVILIAN PERSONNEL, UH, DOING ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR OUR GRANTS MANAGEMENT, CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND FOR ACCREDITATION RESTRICTED.
THE RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS IN THIS, UH, IN THIS PROGRAM IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $4.5 MILLION, LARGELY DUE TO HITS, MOVING FROM A NON-RESTRICTED TO A RESTRICTED ACCOUNT STATUS.
OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE BUDGETS FOR 10% CLASSIFIED BASE CLASSIFIED HEALTH INCREASE IN THE CLO CLOTHING VOUCHER UNDER THE PROPOSED, UH, CBA AND ADDITIONAL ITEMS, UH, FOR CONTRACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS FOR OUR REAL ESTATE AND PARKING LEASES IN THE COMMUNITY FIRE PREVENTION AND RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM, THE OVERALL INCREASE IS $3.5 BILLION.
THIS INCREASE IS GONNA BE ATTRIBUTED TO, AGAIN, PAY RAISES AND INFRINGE BENEFITS AS, AS WELL AS HEALTHCARE.
AND AN INCREASE IN OVERTIME FOR THE LIFE SAFETY BUREAU TO PERFORM SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND STANDBYS.
OUR EXECUTIVE SERVICE PROGRAM, UH, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE OF $825,000.
THIS INCLUDES THE SALARY INCREASES FOR HFD EXECUTIVE STAFF, FOR OUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OFFICE, AND OUR PRO, OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER AS WELL.
THE INCREASES ARE DUE TO BASE PAY, UH, HEALTHCARE, AND IN THE SUPPLIES AND SERVICES GLS, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN, IN OUR WEAPONS AND MUNITIONS AND SUPPLIES FOR OUR ARSON BUREAU AND, AND AN INCREASE ALSO IN OUR, IN OUR DEPLOYMENT TEAMS. SO THE DIFFERENCE WITH OUR DEPLOYMENT TEAM IS THAT WE AT SOME POINT GET SOME REIMBURSEMENT BACK FROM EITHER THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, DEPENDING ON WHO WE, WE SEND THEM TO ASSIST.
UM, THE LAST PROGRAM HERE IS OUR FIRE, HEALTH AND SAFETY.
WE SEE AN INCREASE HERE OF APPROXIMATELY $309,000.
THE MAJORITY, AGAIN, IS, IS SALARIES IN FRINGE BENEFITS.
WE'VE ALSO APPROVED TWO CIVILIAN PERSONNEL THROUGH A PBJ TO MANAGE OUR AIR PACK OPERATIONS.
UH, FOR, FOR THE, UM, SUPPLIED FOR THE AIR PACKS.
THE BALANCE, UH, INCLUDES BUDGET INCREASE FOR OUR CLEANING SUPPLIES, FOR PROTECTIVE GEAR, FOR OUR BREATHING APPARATUS, AND FOR CLEANING OF OUR BUNKER GEAR AS WELL.
THIS PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES OUR STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST.
THIS IS OUR REVENUE BY PROGRAM SLIDE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS AN EXPECTED, UH, OVERALL REDUCTION IN REVENUES OF ABOUT 5%.
THE LARGEST REDUCTION IN THIS IS IN THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM.
THAT DE DECREASE IS GONNA BE AS A RESULT OF A REDUCTION IN THE AMBULANCE SUPPLEMENTAL, UH, PROGRAM THAT IS THE MOST VOLATILE REVENUE SOURCE.
AND WE'RE GONNA SEE A DECREASE THERE OF ABOUT $5.8 MILLION.
THIS IS GONNA BE OFFSET AGAIN, BY INCREASES IN THE END OF FUND, UH, FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES.
THOSE ARE FOR REVENUES THAT WE GAIN FROM PERSONNEL THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR, FOR AIRCRAFT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO EXPECTING A DECREASE IN REVENUE IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES PROGRAM.
THE REDUCTION HERE IS AS A RESULT OF A LOWER REIMBURSEMENT FOR, FOR NATURAL DISASTER DEPLOYMENTS, AS WELL AS A DECREASE IN THE RESALE VALUE FOR OUR RENTAL VEHICLES, THE RENTAL VEHICLES.
UM, WE'VE SEEN A SPIKE IN WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SELL OUR USED VEHICLES WITH OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
BUT IN CONVERSATION WITH OUR, WITH OUR PARTNER, UH, ENTERPRISE, THEY'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE LOWER THAT EXPECTATION FOR, FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S WHAT'S CAPTURED IN THIS, IN THIS REVENUE REDUCTION.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING A SLIGHT DECREASE OF ABOUT $783,000 IN COMMUNITY FIRE PREVENTION AND RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM.
THAT'S GONNA BE AS A RESULT OF A DECREASE NEED FOR INSPECTION STANDBYS.
NOW, I WANNA MENTION THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS STORM IN THE DAMAGE THAT RESULTED FROM IT, UH, WE MAY SEE A CHANGE IN THAT.
SO WE MAY SEE AN INCREASE IN THOSE STANDBYS, IN THOSE INSPECTIONS AND, UH, PLAN REVIEWS.
UM, SO THAT MAY CHANGE THAT PROJECTION MOVING FORWARD.
BUT AT THE TIME THAT WE PUT THIS TOGETHER, THAT THIS WAS WHERE OUR PROJECTION NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, THE FOLLOWING SEVEN SLIDES ARE GONNA DETAIL OUR MAIN PROGRAMS, THE PROPOSED OVERALL BUDGET FUNDING FOR EACH OF THOSE, AND THE OVERALL OUTCOMES THAT WE EXPECT WITH THE ALLOCATED FUNDS.
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THE FIRST PROGRAM IS THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RESCUE PROGRAM.THIS ALIGNS WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY.
UH, FOR THE MAYOR'S DOCUMENT, APPROXIMATELY 93% OF OUR FTES ARE ALLOCATED TO THIS PROGRAM.
IT INCLUDES OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE, IT INCLUDES OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS, IT INCLUDES OUR TRAINING, AND OUR DISPATCH PERSONNEL.
THE FISCAL YEAR 24 ESTIMATE, AND THE FISCAL YEAR 25 TARGETS ARE, ARE LISTED IN THESE, IN THESE SLIDES HERE IN THE FOLLOWING SEVEN SLIDES.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HERE WE'RE, WE'RE NO LONGER REPORTING AVERAGES AS WE USED TO DO IN THE PAST.
NOW WE'RE REPORTING AT THE 90TH PERCENTILE.
THAT'S WHAT THE INDUSTRY HAS MOVED TO, AND THAT'S HOW WE PRESENT OUR INFORMATION IN OUR ACCREDITATION DOCUMENT.
UM, THE AVERAGES HAVE, THEY DON'T PRESENT THE TRUE PICTURE.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SEE OUR 90TH PERCENTILE HERE.
THAT MEANS THAT A PERSON, OUR COMMUNITY CAN EXPECT NO WORSE PERFORMANCE THAN, THAN WHAT WE'RE ESTABLISHING HERE.
IF YOU COMPARE THE AVERAGE FOR THE 300 SERIES, WE'RE AT AROUND EIGHT, EIGHT MINUTES AVERAGE.
AND FOR THE 100 SERIES, WHICH IS A FIRE TYPE INCIDENTS, WE'RE AROUND SEVEN MINUTES.
UM, WE'RE NOW PRESENTING IT IN THIS FORMAT.
ITEMS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE, AGAIN, ARE THE OUTPUTS INCLUDED IN THE LIMITATION IN TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GONNA AFFECT OUR, OUR RESPONSE TIMES.
ALSO, THE NUMBER OF AMBULANCES THAT WE HAVE IN THE SYSTEM AND THE RESOURCE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE IN THE SYSTEM.
ALL THOSE WE'LL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT THOSE HAVE AN EFFECT ON OUR, ON OUR RESPONSE TIMES.
PLEASE CONTINUE ON WITH THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM.
WE'RE PROJECTING TO BE OVER 383,000 CALLS OR INCIDENTS FOR, FOR FISCAL YEAR 24.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY ACTIVE SYSTEM.
THE DEMAND IS PRIMARILY EMSS CALLS, AND AS A RESULT, WE'VE ADDED FIVE PEAK TIME UNITS.
YOU ALL APPROVED THAT, UH, A FEW BUDGET CYCLES AGO, BUT THAT'S JUST, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
UH, WE NEED ADDITIONAL AMBULANCES IN THE SYSTEM.
THAT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS IN, UH, IN ASSISTING US TO REDUCING THE, THE RESPONSE TIMES, PROVIDING BETTER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDING A BETTER WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR PERSONNEL.
THE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE UNIT, OUR UTILIZATION FOR OUR AMBULANCES AND OUR REALLY ALL OUR UNITS IS, IS BEYOND WHAT'S, WHAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
SO WE NEED TO REALLY INVEST IN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, ADDING MORE UNITS INTO THIS, INTO THE SYSTEM PARAMEDIC CLASSES.
UM, WE HAD TO CANCEL SEVERAL PARAMEDIC CLASSES DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT PUT US WAY BEHIND IN REPLACING FOR ATTRITION.
IT TAKES US ABOUT 15 TO 16 MONTHS TO MAKE A PARAMEDIC FROM TRAINING TO PRECEPTING TO CREDENTIALING.
AND, UH, IN THAT TIME, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT PROMOTE, TRANSFER, RETIRE, RESIGN, WHATEVER.
SO IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF ISSUES.
WE'RE HOPING TO ADDRESS THAT BY TRAINING AND CERTIFYING 150 THIS YEAR.
AND OF COURSE, WITH HURRICANE SEASON COMING UP, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR WATER RESCUE AND STRIKE TEAM ARE, ARE UP TO PAR.
WE'VE COMPLETED ALL THE TRAINING FOR OUR PERSONNEL, THE WATER, HIGH WATER VEHICLES.
UM, THE INITIAL BATCH THAT WE GOT AFTER HARVEY, THOSE ARE BEGINNING TO AGE OUT.
UM, WE GOT THE TWO AND A HALF TON HIGH WATER VEHICLES.
THOSE ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN IN SERVICE BECAUSE THEY'RE OLDER.
THE PARTS ARE NOT AS READILY BE, UH, ACCESSIBLE, AND SO WE'RE STARTING TO MIGRATE AWAY FROM THOSE.
SO WE HAVE 15 HIGH WATER ASSETS.
UM, WHEN WE HAD THE FLOODS IN KINGWOOD AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH, FOUR OF THOSE WERE, WERE OUTTA SERVICE FOR MECHANICAL.
SO, I MEAN, WE STILL HAD ENOUGH TO MANAGE THE INCIDENT, BUT REALLY WE SHOULD HAVE ALL THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE INVESTED IN, IN SERVICE, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO HURRICANE SEASON.
AND WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL PROVIDE YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS A LIST OF THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE IN, IN PLACE, WHAT THOSE ASSETS ARE, WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
THAT WAY YOU GUYS CAN HAVE A, A REFERENCE, UH, MOVING INTO, INTO HURRICANE SEASON.
THE COMMUNITY FIRE PREVENTION RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH THE MAYOR'S PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE PRIORITIES.
THE MAJOR SERVICES IN THIS ARE CAUSING ORIGIN OR INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAMS FOR THE LIFE SAFE, UH, AS WELL AS THE LIFE SAFETY BUREAU INSPECTIONS, PERMITTING PLAN REVIEWS, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AS WELL AS OUR JUVENILE FIRE STOPPERS AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS. THE, I WANNA BRAG A LITTLE BIT ON THE ARSON DIVISION BECAUSE THE ARSON CLEARANCE RATE, ACCORDING TO THE FBI STATISTICS IS ABOUT 23% NATIONWIDE.
AND FOR CITIES IN POPUL WITH A POPULATION OF 1 MILLION OR MORE, THAT DROPS DOWN TO ABOUT TWO 12.7%.
OUR PERSONNEL ARE CONSISTENTLY, UH, PERFORMING ABOVE THAT RATE.
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THEM, AND, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO SUPPORT THEM WITH TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING THAT THEY NEED TO, TO CLEAR THESE, THESE CASES.INSPECTION ACTIVITIES, UH, THAT WE'LL ATTAIN ARE PRESENTED HERE.
A FEW YEARS AGO, WE IMPLEMENTED A RISK BASED INSPECTION PROGRAM, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE BUILDINGS THAN WE CAN GET TO EVERY YEAR.
SO WE ARE RISK BASED INSPECTION PROGRAM IS, IS IN A FIVE YEAR CYCLE.
WE INSPECT THE HIGH HAZARD, UM, TYPE OCCUPANCIES ONCE A YEAR, AND THEN IT, IT MOVES DOWN IN PRIORITY ORDER TO THE LEAST HAZARDOUS TYPES OF BUSINESSES.
BUT WE REALLY SHOULD BE INSPECTING AND VISITING THESE BUILDINGS, EVERY PUBLIC BUILDING ONCE A YEAR.
UM, TO DO THAT, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO ADD SOME CAPACITY IN OUR INSPECTION SECTION.
THE JUVENILE FIRE STOPPERS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE EDUCATION INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE MISUSED FIRE.
UM, THIS PROGRAM WAS STARTED BY THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, AND, AND WE'VE ADOPTED THAT.
WE, WE HAVE HAD GOOD SUCCESS WITH, WITH THIS PROGRAM.
AND, AND, UH, WE HOPE TO REACH MORE CHILDREN AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THIS YEAR.
PLEASE CONTINUE ON WITH THE COMMUNITY AND FIRE PREVENTION AND RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM.
THE GET ALARMED HOUSTON PROGRAM IS AIMED TO INSTALL, UM, SMOKE DETECTORS IN, IN THE HOMES THAT DESPERATELY NEED THAT.
THIS PROGRAM REALLY CHALLENGES PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO, TO DONATE THOSE, THOSE, UH, DEVICES AND ASSIST IN INSTALLING THESE, THESE DEVICES.
SO THE ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS, UH, FOR THE SMOKE ALARMS ARE RESIDENTS THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED LOW INCOME, UNABLE TO OBTAIN THEIR OWN ALARMS. THEY MAY BE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED AND OR SENIORS THAT, UH, THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD AND PLACE SMOKE DETECTORS IN THEIR HOMES.
UM, YOU HAVE TO BE A NON RENTER BECAUSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE, UH, AS PART OF THE, UH, THE UNIT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE ISSUED SMOKE DETECTORS TO RENTERS, BECAUSE FOR US, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SECONDS COUNT.
AND AS YOU KNOW, AS GOOD AS OUR FIREFIGHTERS PERFORM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO GET OUT SAFELY, UH, TO ENSURE LIFE SAFETY.
AND, AND IT'S CRITICAL THAT EVERY UNIT HAVE A WORK AND SMOKE DETECTOR IN THEIR IN THEIR HOME.
THE FIREFIGHTERS HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM ALIGNS WITH THE MAYOR'S PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY.
THE MAJOR SERVICES HERE ARE FOR PERSONAL SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AND FOR ITS SERVICEABILITY.
WE DID IMPLEMENT A, A MEDICAL, PHYSICAL AND CANCER SCREENING FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
THIS, THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE HOPING TO GET THROUGH 1600, UH, IN, IN FISCAL YEAR 24, AND COMPLETE A TOTAL OF 3,100 OVER, UH, THE NEXT, THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO THE PERFORMANCE PERIOD ENDS IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
THE GRANT WAS, UH, PROVIDED BY FEMA, AND WE HAVE TO USE IT UP BY OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
WE HOPE THAT EVERY FIREFIGHTER TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UH, WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY MONEY BACK TO THE, TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I THINK THIS IS A WELL WORTHWHILE PROGRAM THAT, UH, AT SOME POINT, UM, I'M GONNA COME BACK AND ASK THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONTINUE.
UM, WE WANT TO USE THIS AS A BASELINE BECAUSE CANCER IS STILL THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF FIREFIGHTERS IN THE INDUSTRY.
AND, UH, IF WE CATCH THINGS EARLY, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S GOING TO HAVE A BETTER OUTCOME.
SO WE CAN USE THIS HERE AS A BASELINE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
THE EXECUTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM IS ALIGNED WITH THE MAYOR'S PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, PRIORITY, UH, IN THEIR STRATEGIC DOCU DOCUMENT.
RE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS A PRACTICAL CONCERN FOR US.
UM, EACH YEAR WE HAVE ABOUT 170 THAT RETIRE, RESIGN, ARE DISMISSED.
SO THAT'S OUR NORMAL ATTRITION RATE, ABOUT 170.
UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 20, WE FELL BEHIND WHEN WE CANCELED FOUR ACADEMY CLASSES, SO WE MISSED OUR RECRUITMENT TARGET THAT YEAR BY 280.
OUR CLASSIFIED HEADCOUNT AS OF TODAY, IS 3,665.
SO WE'RE ABOUT 280 FIREFIGHTERS.
SHORT OF WHAT WE NEED TO STAFF THE CURRENT UNITS, THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT WE DON'T NEED MORE UNITS, BUT THE STAFF, WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WE'RE ABOUT 280 FIREFIGHTERS SHORT.
UH, THIS YEAR WE'RE BUDGETING FOR FIVE CADET CLASSES, AND THE MAYOR HAS APPROVED CONTINUATION OF THE 5,000 INCENTIVE PAY FOR CADETS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM THROUGH, THROUGH THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES PROGRAM LINES WITH THE MAYOR'S GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS PRIORITY.
WE, WE CONTINUE TO SEEK EFFICIENCIES IN OUR, IN OUR OPERATIONS.
UM, ALSO, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR LEASE PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN MAINTAINING NOT ONLY SERVICEABLE UNITS,
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BUT DOING IT AT A COST EFFECTIVE MANNER.I MEAN, THE, UM, THE COST FOR THOSE VEHICLES FOR THE LIFE SAFETY BUREAU REALLY COST US FUEL AND TIRES.
SO, BECAUSE THE MAINTENANCE IS PART OF THE, OF THE SERVICE THAT, THAT WE PROVIDE.
SO THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD USE OF GOVERNMENT MONEY.
I THINK THAT'S GOOD GOVERNMENT AND WE HOPE TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD.
ADDITIONALLY, WE SEEK TO, UH, FIND NON-TRADITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES THROUGH GRANTS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, WE'VE PULLED DOWN NEARLY $20 MILLION IN, IN GRANTS AND OTHER NON-TRADITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES, WHICH HELP US MEET THE NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, IN TERMS OF REVENUE, WE'VE IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE LONG, FROM THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL REPORT, INCLUDING THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE EMS TRANSPORT FEE IN 2019.
WE ALSO ADDED A LIFT ASSIST FEE.
WE ALSO ADDED A TREATMENT AND NO TRANSPORT FEE THAT IS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THIS YEAR WE ADDED TWO CIVILIAN, I'M SORRY, A CIVILIAN ONE, ONE CIVILIAN FTE, TO THE EMS DIVISION TO AID IN PROVIDING QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY, UH, ASSURANCE FOR OUR EMS SECTIONS.
THIS SLIDE ILLUSTRATES THE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL VERSUS NON PERSONNEL EXPENSES.
THE, AND IT FURTHER BREAKS DOWN THE RESTRICTED OR NON NON-RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LION'S SHARE FOR THIS, UM, FOR OUR BUDGET IS IN PERSONNEL COST.
AGAIN, 561 MILLION OUT OF THE 636 IS DEDICATED TO PERSONNEL COSTS WITH 98% OF OUR PERSONNEL BEING CLASSIFIED, AND 2% BEING CIVILIAN PERSONNEL.
OF THE 12% TO OTHER SERVICES AND CHARGES, 66% IS IN RESTRICTED ACCOUNTS.
UM, AGAIN, FOR FINANCE, FLEET, HR HITS, AND OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, 13% IS FOR CONTRACTS LIKE OUR TELEMETRY, OUR PHYSICALS FOR OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL, TUITION FOR, UH, EMT AND PARAMEDIC SCHOOL.
AND THE RECERTIFICATION FEE, UH, FEE WITH, UH, TCFP 5% IS ALLOCATED TO BILLINGS AND COLLECTIONS FOR OUR EMS BILLER.
ANOTHER 5% FOR THE MEDICAL SURGICAL SUPPLIES FOR OUR AMBULANCES, AND 8% IS FOR OTHER OPERATIONS, UH, SUCH AS SCBA REPAIR AND, AND CLOTHING.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE 3% DEDICATED TO OTHER SUPPLIES.
THIS INCLUDES ITEMS SUCH AS, UH, CLEANING AND SANITARY SUPPLIES FOR OUR FIRE STATIONS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED FOR OUR TRAINING EXERCISES.
THIS IS A HISTOGRAM REPRESENTING OUR, OUR EXPENDITURES BY YEAR.
AND THIS IS OUR REVENUES BY YEAR.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN DRIVER IN THE REVENUE, UH, VOLATILITY IS GONNA BE IN THE AMBULANCE SUPPLEMENTAL PROGRAM.
UM, THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN ON LIFE SUPPORT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
THEY ALSO CHANGED THE, THE WAY THEY CALCULATE AND WHO IS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE MORE AGENCIES PARTICIPATING, HOSPITALS PARTICIPATING IN THE SAME FUND, BUT THE DOLLARS DIDN'T CHANGE IN THE FUND.
SO MORE, MORE PEOPLE IN THE POT, SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDS.
AND, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S CAUSED A LITTLE VARIANCE.
WE GOT AHEAD OF IT, UH, WHEN THEY CHANGED REQUIRING THE, THE CHARITABLE, UH, DOCUMENT THAT WE NEED HAVE IN PLACE.
FINANCE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN GETTING THAT THING IN PLACE RIGHT AWAY.
SO WE WERE ONE OF THE FEW THAT WAS ABLE TO, TO BENEFIT FROM THAT PROGRAM, BUT NOW MORE AGENCIES ARE ABLE TO, TO TAP INTO THAT.
THIS IS A, JUST A, A RECAP, AND AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS THE LARGEST REVENUE SOURCES, OUR AMBULANCE FEE.
UM, UH, BUT OUR MOST VARIABLE ONE IS THE AMBULANCE SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENT PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, CHIEF, GREAT PRESENTATION AND GREAT WORK BY ALL OF YOUR TEAM, UM, ALL FIREFIGHTERS OVER THIS PAST, UM, OVER THIS PAST DISASTER.
UM, REAL QUICK ON THE, ON THE, UH, THE ATTRITION, UM, HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE? HOW MANY FIREFIGHTERS? EVERY YEAR? COUNCIL MEMBER, WE HAVE ABOUT A THIRD OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT IS ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT IS A HUGE RISK.
THEY DOESN'T MEAN THEY ALL LEAVE.
LIKE I SAID, OUR, OUR ATTRITION RATE HAS BEEN STABLE AT, AT APPROXIMATELY ONE 70, SOMETIMES HIGHER, SOMETIMES LOWER.
UH, WE CAN MOVE TO SLIDE NUMBER.
WHAT SLIDE IS THAT? I THINK IT WAS IN
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THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES ON, UM, THERE YOU GO.BUT, UH, BUT ABOUT A THIRD TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNSEL.
AND, AND SO, UM, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT YOU DIDN'T, UH, UH, PROJECT AN UPTICK IN THAT WITH THE, THE, WITH THE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT GET THE, THE SETTLEMENT AND DECIDE THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN IN THE SERVICE.
WAS THAT FACTORED IN AT ALL? YES, MA'AM.
UM, LOOK, THAT'S THE, UM, THAT IS A RISK.
I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD SEVERAL THINGS, RIGHT? ONE, THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET THE SETTLEMENT, UH, WAIT FOR THE, UH, PAY INCREASE TO KICK IN AND THEN, AND THEN LEAVE IF THEY CAN.
UH, WE'RE HOPING THAT, THAT THE INCENTIVE PAYS WILL RETAIN PERSONNEL A LITTLE BIT LONGER BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
I MEAN, WE CAN, THE MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE IS A ONE YEAR FIREFIGHTER.
IT TAKES US A YEAR TO GET 'EM RECRUITED, TRAINED, CERTIFIED, AND ON THE STATIONS.
UH, SO THEY LEAVE QUICKER THAN WE CAN BRING THEM IN.
SO IF WE CAN STOP ON THE BACKEND, UH, JUST SLOW THAT DOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVE US SOME TIME TO, TO BACKFILL ALL THE VACANCIES.
UM, BUT THAT IS A, A CONCERN THAT, THAT IS A RISK, AND THAT'S A RISK THAT WE FACE EVERY YEAR.
COUNCIL MEMBER, FLICKINGER GOT A REAL CONCERN ABOUT THE EMS SERVICE, UH, ESPECIALLY OUT IN KINGWOOD.
UM, WE'VE GOT ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT WE HAD WHEN WE WERE ANNEXED, AND THE POPULATION HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY MM-HMM
UH, AND OBVIOUSLY AS THE POPULATION GETS OLDER, IT REQUIRES MORE OF THESE SERVICES.
UM, YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH US HAVING ENOUGH RESOURCES TO, OR TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT? NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I MEAN, I'VE, UH, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'VE, I'VE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, STATING THE FACT THAT WE ARE UNDER-RESOURCED.
WE NEED MORE AMBULANCE UNITS IN THE, IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE'VE, ESPECIALLY IN KINGWOOD THAT IS, THAT IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG, AND LOGISTICALLY IT'S A BIG MOVE TO MOVE UNITS FROM THE INNER CITY OUT INTO KINGWOOD WHEN THEY'RE OUTTA SERVICE.
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE'VE ENTERED INTO A MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT WITH ETAS, CAA, ESPECIALLY FOR A LS TYPE SERVICE.
AND SO THEY'RE COVERING A LOT OF OUR CALLS.
WHEN, WHEN OUR UNITS ARE OUT OUTTA SERVICE, THE NEXT CALL, THEY WILL COME IN.
WE STILL MONITOR TO ENSURE THAT WE, WHEN WE HAVE TO BACKFILL AND BACK IN UNITS UP THERE, WE, WE DO SO, BUT THE ANSWER'S GONNA BE, UM, ONE THREEFOLD.
WE NEED TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, WE'RE NOT PRIORITIZING CALLS APPROPRIATELY.
SO WE CAN'T BOLT IN A PRIORITY DISPATCH SYSTEM, WHICH WE NEED BECAUSE THE CAD IS SO OLD.
WE NEED, UH, TO ADD AMBULANCE SERVICE INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND, AND WE ALSO NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CREATING A, A TEAM WHERE WE CAN NAVIGATE THOSE FREQUENT USERS TO THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM, THAT A LOT OF 'EM DON'T NEED THE AMBULANCE TO GO TAKE 'EM TO THE HOSPITAL.
THEY NEED ACCESS TO THE RIGHT SOCIAL SERVICE, BUT WE NEED A TEAM TO HANDLE THOSE CALLS THAT COULD BE UPWARDS OF 20% OF OUR BASIC LIFE SUPPORT TYPE, UH, INCIDENTS PER YEAR.
AND SO WITHOUT DOING THAT, WE'RE NEVER GONNA HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES.
BUT EVEN, EVEN WITH THE TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES THAT WE NEED, EVEN WITH THE ADDITIONAL, UH, NAVIGATION TEAMS THAT WE NEED, WE'RE STILL GONNA NEED TO ADD SOME AMBULANCE CAPACITY, SOME TRANSPORT UNITS.
AND SO WITH THAT, OR ABSENT OF THAT, THE DEMAND IS GONNA KEEP OUT PACING OUR CAPACITY.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I'M HEARING IS THAT THEY'LL MAKE A CALL FOR EMS SERVICE FOR WHATEVER HEALTH ISSUE AND A FIRE TRUCK SHOWS UP.
UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO SEE ABOUT RIGHT SIZING, FIRE TRUCKS, AMBULANCES, THAT TYPE OF THING.
LOOK, THE SENDING THE FIRETRUCK WITH FOUR PERSONNEL ON, ON BOARD TO HANDLE, UM, BASIC TYPE EMS CALLS IS, IS THE MOST INEFFICIENT WAY TO DELIVER SERVICE.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE USING THAT AS A BAD BANDAID TO COVER THE GAP IN CAPACITY ON AMBULANCES.
UH, WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR DEPLOYMENT PROTOCOL, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN ENOUGH TO STEM THE NEED TO SEND THOSE TRUCKS RIGHT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THE ANSWER IS GONNA BE FOR US TO GET THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY IN PLACE TO PRIORITIZE THE CALLS APPROPRIATELY, BECAUSE THE WEAKEST LINK IS ALWAYS GONNA BE THE 9 1 1, THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE 9 1 1 CALLER AND THE DISPATCHER, THE CALL TAKER, RIGHT.
THE INFORMATION THAT THAT GETS, UH, TRANSFERRED.
SO IF WE CAN ADDRESS THAT, PRIORITIZE 'EM APPROPRIATELY, SO WE CAN MAKE, SEND THE RIGHT UNIT TO THE RIGHT CALL, THAT'S GONNA HELP.
ADDITIONALLY, ADDING MORE CAPACITY TO THE AMBULANCES.
NOW I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT INTERNALLY, THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS
[00:30:01]
THAT ALSO AFFECT OUR UNIT AVAILABILITY, AND THAT'S THE TIME THAT THEY SPEND PARKED AT THE AM AT THE HOSPITALS.UM, SOMETIMES IT CAN BE UPWARDS OF AN HOUR PLUS, UH, WAITING TO TRANSFER THE PATIENT FROM OUR STRETCHER TO THE ER.
AND SO WE'VE, UH, WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN IF THE PATIENT IS STABLE, THEY'VE GIVEN REPORT, UM, THE CREWS ARE ALLOWED TO LEAVE THAT PATIENT IN THE TRIAGE ROOM OF THE ER NOW, BECAUSE WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THE PAST IS JUST LIKE US, THE HOSPITALS HAVE A, A, A PROBLEM WITH STAFFING, AND THEY WERE REALLY USING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO AUGMENT THEIR, THEIR PERSONNEL.
BUT FOR ME, MY PRIORITY IS TO HAVE UNITS IN SERVICE.
SO THE QUICKER I CAN GET, UH, THE UNITS IN DELIVER THE PATIENT AND BACK IN SERVICE, IT'S GONNA HELP THE SYSTEM.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THIS, BUT PRIMARILY FOR US COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, THE DEMAND HAS, HAS OUTPACED OUR CAPACITY.
UM, CHIEF PENA, EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, YOUR SLIDESHOW SLIDE PRESENTATION IS EXCELLENT AS WELL.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT SLIDE 24 IN THE APPENDIX MM-HMM
UH, YOU'VE GOT A NUMBER OF BULLET POINTS HERE.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US, UH, APPROXIMATE DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR THESE UNMET NEEDS.
UM, DO THINK YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEND THAT TO US? I WILL.
AND IF ANY OF THESE BULLET POINTS CAN BE BROKEN DOWN SO THAT MAYBE IF WE CAN'T GET YOU THE WHOLE BULLET POINT, MAYBE WE CAN GET YOU PART OF IT.
I APPRECIATE THAT, COUNCILMAN? YES, SIR.
UM, CHIEF PENA, I WOULD, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT YOUR, UM, KIND OF YOUR WEEKLY INCIDENTS AND, UM, HOW MANY AMBULANCES DO YOU ALL HAVE? IS IT 56? WE HAVE 103 EMS UNITS, AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE PEAK TIME UNITS FROM 8:00 AM TO 8:00 PM THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING.
I'M NOT SURE WHERE MY 56 CAME FROM, BUT FOR, FOR, UM, IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE ANYWAY FROM, I KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM, COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST SO IT WON'T BUG YOU THE REST OF THE DAY.
UM, WE HAVE, THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS OF BASIC LIFE SUPPORTS BLS UNITS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, 40 SOMETHING.
I'M NOT, MY MATH IS OFF, BUT, UH, A LS UNITS AND THEN SOME SQUAD UNITS, AND THEN THE PEAK TIMES.
SO, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM MAY 1ST THROUGH THE 15TH, YOU KNOW, I, LOOKING AT THIS, UM, THIS CHART, EMS CALLS ALONE IN A TWO WEEK PERIOD, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT THE OVERALL, BUT IN THE TWO WEEK PERIOD, 13,091 CALLS EMS ONLY.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER MM-HMM
POINT, AND CERTAINLY OUT IN KINGWOOD, WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT AND, AND THEY, THIS IS THE FIRST THROUGH THE 15TH, THIS ISN'T TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION LAST WEEK AND, AND WHAT WE SAW LAST WEEK, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, I'LL GET THE NUMBERS NEXT WEEK, BUT FOR INSTANCE, LAST WEEK WITH THE, UH, DISASTER, LIKE WHAT PERCENTAGE DID YOU SEE AS A OVERALL EMS OR, OR JUST RESCUE, JUST AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF CALLS THERE.
THEY'RE, IT'S GONNA BE THE SAME COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE, THE, THE MAIN DEMAND FOR US IS, IS THE EMS AND RESCUE WORK.
UM, WE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE FIRES, UM, BUT, BUT THE MAIN INCREASE HAS BEEN PRIMARILY IN, IN EMS WORK.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA SEE WHEN WE RUN THOSE NUMBERS FOR THIS PAST WEEK THAT, UH, I EXPECT A SIMILAR, UH, TYPE OF PROJECTION.
I, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE, UH, YOU KNOW, PER DAY, PER UNIT KIND OF BREAKDOWN, IT SEEMS HEAVY.
IT'S A, IT'S AN EXTREMELY BUSY SYSTEM.
UM, THEY, UM, THEY'RE RUNNING ON AVERAGE ABOUT 11, 1200 CALLS PER SERVICE EACH DAY.
SO IT'S, UM, AGAIN, I MENTIONED EARLIER THE, THE UNIT HOUR UTILIZATION IS, UH, HAS, IS, IS WAY OFF THE CHARTS FOR, FOR A SYSTEM LIKE OURS.
SO IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT, WE NEED TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN THE UNMET NEEDS, ADD CAPACITY, LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY, AND, AND DO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO SEND THE RIGHT RESOURCE TO THE RIGHT CALL AIRE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER REGARDING, UM, REVENUE GENERATION MM-HMM
AND SO HER FIRST QUESTION IS, ARE WE UTILIZING THE UPDATED MEDICARE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FEE SCHEDULE? UM, IF NOT, CAN WE INITIATE THIS PROCESS AND COULD IT POTENTIALLY SERVE AS
[00:35:01]
A REVENUE TEAM STREAM FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON? UM, OKAY.LEMME SEE IF I UNDERSTAND THIS QUESTION.
SO YOU'RE ASKING IF, IF WE, IF OUR EMS OR THEIR MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT IS, SO OUR PAYER MIX IS, IS HEAVY MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.
UM, WE GOT A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF COMMERCIAL PAYERS, AND THEN A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF, OF SELF-PAY, WHICH IS NO INSURANCE.
UM, THE MEDICARE, UH, RATE REIMBURSES AT ABOUT 350.
THROUGH ABOUT $358 FOR TRANSPORT.
BUT IT COSTS US ABOUT OVER $2,000 FOR DELIVER THE SERVICE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S AS OF 2019 WHEN WE LAST, UH, SET THE, THE, UH, RATE IN THE, IN THE FEE SCHEDULE.
I'M GONNA TRY TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION SUCCINCTLY.
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PAYS THE USUAL AND CUSTOMARY RATE FOR THE REGION.
UM, WE ARE THE BIGGEST AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE REGION.
IF WE DON'T INCREASE THE RATE, UH, THAT WE CHARGE, THERE REALLY IS VERY LITTLE INCENTIVE FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID TO ADJUST THEIR REIMBURSEMENT RATE.
AND SO I THINK AT SOME POINT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, OR FORTUNATELY, UH, DEPENDING ON WHAT SIDE YOU'RE ON, THE, UM, THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR, UH, IMPLEMENTED A, A LAW ABOUT THE NORTH SURPRISE BILLING.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING, WE HAD TO SUBMIT OUR RATE TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE.
THAT RATE IS GONNA HAVE TO MAINTAIN, UH, AT THE SAME LEVEL UNTIL AT LEAST 2026, UNLESS SOME INTERNAL THINGS HAPPEN.
BUT WE EXPECT THAT THAT RATE TO MAINTAIN UNTIL 2026.
HOWEVER WE DO, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DO, UH, VISIT, REVISIT THE FEE SCHEDULE BECAUSE IT'S COSTING US A LOT MORE TO DELIVER THE SERVICE THAN WHAT WE'RE CHARGING NOW.
UM, A SECOND QUESTION IS THAT, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS NOT REOPENED THE PERMITTING FOR THIRD PARTY AMBULANCE SERVICES SINCE COVID-19.
IF WE'RE ABLE TO FACILITATE THIS WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, COULD THIS CREATE A REVENUE OR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON? IF SO, HOW WOULD THIS WORK AND WHAT WOULD BE THE ESTIMATED REVENUE IMPACT? UM, YOU ARE ASKING IF, IF THEY APPROVE MORE LICENSES FOR PRIVATE AMBULANCES.
UM, WELL, I IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD CAPTURE THE REVENUE FOR THE LICENSURE AND WHATEVER BUSINESS TAX, UH, IS COLLECTED AS A RESULT OF MORE UNITS IN, IN PLACE.
I IMAGINE INDIRECTLY WE WOULD, THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO CAPTURE MORE TAX MONEY THAT WAY.
WE DON'T, SO WE DON'T, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T ISSUE THOSE LICENSES.
UM, CAN YOU ADD ME BACK TO THE QUEUE? SURE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, KINDA GOING BACK TO THE EMS, WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF AN AMBULANCE? YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN GET, UH, IF WE CAN GET SEVEN YEARS OUTTA THAT AMBULANCE WITH A ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION CHANGE HALFWAY THROUGH, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD KEEP THE UNIT SERVICEABLE AND RELIABLE.
UM, SOMETIMES WE HAVE SOME UNITS THAT ARE WAY PAST THAT, UH, AVERAGE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE, AND I, I SUBMITTED A, A REQUEST TO THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE AMBULANCES ON A SEVEN YEAR SCHEDULE, AND THEN THE HEAVY APPARATUS ON NO MORE THAN A 10 YEAR CYCLE.
AND SO THE INVESTMENT IN JUST THAT, JUST FOR THOSE, THOSE ASK, IS GONNA BE ABOUT $20 MILLION PER YEAR, OF COURSE, WITH A COST ESCALATION.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IF WE ENTER INTO A LONG-TERM CONTRACT WITH THE VENDORS, THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES IN THE DELAYS IN DELIVERY.
AND THEN THE EBBS AND FLOWS THAT HAPPEN THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCUREMENT PROCESS, UM, BECAUSE THE VENDOR CAN HAVE THEIR PIPELINE SET UP, IF THEY KNOW THEY'RE GONNA SELL US X AMOUNT OF UNITS PER YEAR, THEY CAN BUILD THAT INTO THEIR WORKFLOW.
AND I THINK THAT'LL REDUCE THE TIME THAT IT TAKES US TO DELIVER THE, THE UNITS OR RECEIVE THE UNITS.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S TAKEN THREE, MAYBE FOUR YEARS FROM THE TIME WE PURCHASE A TRUCK TO RECEIVE IT.
AND, AND THEN THE COST ESCALATION.
IF WE CAN LOCK IN A RATE FOR FIVE, SEVEN YEARS, UM, TO ME, THAT'S GONNA BE MORE BENEFICIAL THAN IF WE, EVERY YEAR WE GO OUT IN THE MARKET.
AND, UH, AND WE'RE JUST SUBJECT TO THE, TO THE COST ESCALATIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN SOMETIMES UP UPWARD 70% INCREASE FROM WHAT WE'RE PAYING JUST A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO IS THE ADMINISTRATION AGREED TO THAT? UM, THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED.
UM, AGAIN, WE'LL, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS THAT'LL BE PART OF THE CIP, SO I HOPE THAT, UH, I
[00:40:01]
HOPE IT DOES GET ACCEPTED OR AT LEAST, UH, TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT.AND HOW MANY AMBULANCES DO YOU HAVE IN THE FLEET NOW? WE HAVE 103 AMBULANCES IN THE FLEET.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UH, FRONTLINE.
FRONTLINE, I'M SORRY, COUNSEL.
103 IN THE FRONTLINE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME RESERVE UNITS, AND THOSE RESERVE UNITS ARE EVEN OLDER.
SO EVEN WITH THE 103, YOU NEED 15 A YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAD, UH, PROGRAMMED.
BUT A 15 A YEAR, WE NEED, UH, FOUR LADDERS A YEAR, AND WE NEED ABOUT NINE, UH, OF, OF THE ENGINES PER YEAR.
I USED TO DO A LOT WITH BOX TRUCKS.
AND THE BOX WOULD ESSENTIALLY LAST IN THE LIFE OF TWO CAB AND CHASSIS.
ARE Y'ALL ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THE AMBULANCES? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO IF WE, UH, IF WE, THEY, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GET THE MOST USE, THOSE AMBULANCES ARE ON THE STREET 24 HOURS A DAY.
UM, THE, IF THEY'LL PROBABLY NEED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT AND A, AND A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT HALFWAY THROUGH THE, AT THE HALFWAY MARK.
BUT WE WILL, YEAH, WE'LL USE THE SAME CHASSIS AND, AND CAB.
YOU ALSO SPOKE ABOUT PEAK TIME.
WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF PEAK TIME? ZERO 800 TO 2000 HOURS EVERY DAY? UH, SO 8:00 AM TO 8:00 PM IS, IS WHEN WE SEE THE, THE INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME IN THE EVENING AND, AND, UH, UM, MIDNIGHT HOURS ON FORWARD.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES IN SYSTEM STATUS.
SO, UM, BUT DURING THE DAY, YES, WE'RE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY, WE, WE FALL BELOW A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF AVAILABLE UNITS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS JUST MORE ACTIVE.
SO WE CAN GET CAPACITY DURING THOSE PEAK TIME UNITS, OR THOSE PEAK TIMES, WE WILL BE ABLE TO START ADDRESSING THE, UH, THE CALL VOL.
NOT ONLY CALL VOLUME, BUT THE RESPONSE TIMES AND THE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
IF YOU CAN PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE.
IN OUR MEETING THAT WE HAD MM-HMM
PRIOR, WE TALKED ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT, WHICH WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST ASK WAS THE, THE TIMEFRAME BY WHICH YOU COULD REPLACE EMS TRUCKS AND HOW LONG THAT WOULD TAKE.
NOW, THE VENDOR PRESENTATION, IF YOU WERE, AS WE DISCUSSED, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU ASKED, YOU KNOW, GOT A VENDOR TO REPLACE THAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD THE TERMS, WHAT WOULD THE TERMS BE IN REGARDS TO THAT VENDOR CONTRACT BETWEEN, UH, THE CITY AND THE VENDOR FOR THOSE? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE WAY I, I ENVISIONED IT, AND WHAT I HAD PRESENTED, UM, IS REPLACING AT 10% OF THE UNITS THE HEAVY APPARATUS AND, AND, UH, EVERY YEAR AND HAVE 15 AMBULANCES REPLACED EVERY YEAR.
SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH A RATE AND AT LEAST MANAGE THE, THE COST ESCALATION IN THE LONG TERM CONTRACT.
UM, WHICH IS, TO ME IS, IS A BETTER USE OF, OF TAXPAYERS MONEY.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IS THE FACT THAT WE CAN GET THOSE UNITS IN IN HAND QUICKER.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, THE A FIRETRUCK, IF WE PURCHASE ONE TODAY, WE PROBABLY WON'T RECEIVE IT FOR 36, SOMETIMES 48 MONTHS.
SO THOSE FOUR, IN THOSE FOUR YEARS, THESE TRUCKS OUT HERE IN THE STREETS ARE STILL TAKING A BEATING.
UM, SO I BELIEVE THAT IF WE ESTABLISH A LONG-TERM CONTRACT, THE VENDOR, UH, UNDERSTANDS THE OBLIGATION AND, AND THE, AND THE, UH, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA SELL EVERY YEAR, AND THEY WILL PUT IT IN, INTO THEIR MANUFACTURING PIPELINE, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A BETTER USE OF, OF THEIR TIME AS WELL.
AND IT PROVIDES SOME, SOME PREDICTABILITY AND SOME STABILITY IN, IN RECEIVING THOSE VEHICLES.
WELL, WE SEE THAT, WE SEE THE USAGE.
ALL OF US THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON KNOW, WE SEE THAT YOUR, YOUR WORKLOAD IS MM-HMM
IS HEAVY, NOT EVEN COUNTING THE FACT THAT WE ARE GOING INTO THE HURRICANE SEASON.
ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS LIKE KINGWOOD AND PLACES WHERE WE, WE, WE ARE SEEING THE, THE WATER ISSUE GOING ON.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION CONCERNING WAS THE FEES.
I HAD ONE CONSTITUENT CALLED OUT TO ME THAT THEY GOT A BILL, IT WAS LIKE TWO YEARS LATER.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE PROCESS WITH THE COLLECTING OF THOSE DOLLARS? WHO'S PROCESSING THOSE BILLS TO THE EMS? RIGHT.
WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY COLLECTOR.
UH, VENDOR THAT, THAT SENDS OUT AND, AND BILLS FOR US.
UM, THEY, I MEAN, THEY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT SCHEDULE THEY'RE ON.
THEY'RE TRYING TO COLLECT THE, AS SOON AS THEY GET THE, THE, UM, BILL, THEY, THEY, THEY'LL BILL IT.
BUT, UM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A THIRD PARTY, UH, COLLECTOR FOR AGED ACCOUNTS.
[00:45:01]
GONNA HAVE TO DEFER TO, TO FINANCE ON THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TO SEE HOW, HOW THAT'S STRUCTURED.ALL I KNOW IS WHAT THEY'RE COLLECTING, AND IT'S ABOUT MAYBE 40% OF WHAT WE BAIL OUT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAMAN, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, CHIEF, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE MM-HMM
NOT JUST WITH ME, BUT WITH ALL RESIDENTS RESPONDING TO THE MOST RECENT DISASTER.
SO MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION TO THEM, UM, ALL THE WORK BEING DONE, INCLUDING YOU AND ME PERSONALLY, BEING AT THAT FIRST SENIOR CENTER TOGETHER, UM, WHICH WAS REALLY HARD TO TAKE IN.
BUT AGAIN, OUR, OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, THE IN YEARS PAST, EVERY DEPARTMENT INCLUDED SLIDES THAT SHOWED THE DIVERSITY REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE, THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, IF YOU COULD PLEASE SHARE IT WITH US ON THE BACK END IN TERMS OF HOW, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE WE INCREASING REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN THE FORCE? UH, IS THE FORCE CONTINUING TO LOOK MORE AND MORE LIKE THE CITY ITSELF? YES, MA'AM.
THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW.
LET ME, I'M, I'M SIFTING THROUGH THOSE.
I TRIED TO FIND IT, AND I, IT'S IN THE APPENDIX.
IT'S IN THE APPENDIX, UH, AND THAT'S IT.
UH, THE 7% INCREASE IN THE OVERALL BUDGET.
UM, DOES THAT INCLUDE COSTS AND THE, UM, PROPOSED FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, UM, THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS ENACTING WITH THE, UH, THE FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION? YES, MA'AM.
THAT INCLUDES A, AN ASSUMPTION OF A 10% BASE PAY INCREASE AND A, A CAP OF $10 MILLION ON, ON INCENTIVES AND, AND FRINGE BENEFITS.
SO I'M GONNA ASK A FEW QUESTIONS ON THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.
UM, FOR THE RECORD, I WILL SAY I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE, WE'RE IN THE BUDGET HEARING FOR THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A COPY OF THAT AGREEMENT.
HAVE YOU SEEN A COPY OF THAT AGREEMENT? I UNDERSTAND THERE'S, UH, THERE'S STILL SOME BACK AND FORTH GOING ON, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN A FINAL DRAFT OF, OF THAT CBA, THE PROPOSED CBA.
AND WERE YOU OR ANY EXECUTIVE STAFF OR COMMAND INCLUDED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, NEGOTIATIONS IN THE WORKING TO CREATE THAT AGREEMENT? UH, NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I MEAN, I WAS INCLUDED IN THE, I WAS, AND I PARTICIPATED IN THE LAST, UH, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, UH, LAST YEAR, BUT I WAS NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE.
UM, AFTER THE INITIAL DRAFT, I DID PARTICIPATE WITH FINANCE AND, AND WITH LEGAL ON JUST INTERPRETATION OF SOME OF THE LANGUAGE.
BUT, UM, BUT THE CURRENT, UH, CONVERSATION, UH, NO, THAT'S BEING HANDLED BY, BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND, UH, SO I, I WOULD DEFER TO THEM ON THAT.
UM, THIS IS A HARD QUESTION FOR ME TO ASK MM-HMM
BUT IT'S MY ONLY CHANCE THAT I'M GONNA GET TO ASK IT.
SO ARE YOU AWARE IF THERE IS STILL A CLAUSE THAT WRITES YOU EFFECTIVELY OUT OF THE JOB AS HOUSTON'S FIRE CHIEF? UM, WAS THAT A DING FOR ME OR
UM, BUT THAT WAS PART OF THAT, UH, THE INITIAL DRAFT.
WELL, KNOWING THAT, UM, YOU HAVE STILL NOT MISSED A BEAT, UH, THROUGH THIS DISASTER THROUGH KINGWOOD IN THE FLOODING THROUGH ANYTHING THAT HAS COME OUR WAY WITH THAT LOOMING OVER YOU, YOU HAVE NOT MISSED A BEAT.
AND I APPRECIATE RESPECT AND HONOR, UM, THE SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE DONE, EVEN KNOWING THAT.
UH, AND I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK IN QUEUE.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, FLICKINGER, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PEAK HOURS.
BEING FROM EIGHT TO EIGHT, HOW BIG IS THAT PEAK? I MEAN, IS THAT 20% HIGHER THAN THE REST OF THE HOURS? IS THAT 40% HIGHER THAN THE REST OF THE HOURS? YEAH.
UM, LET ME GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.
IT'S, UH, IT'S SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT WE FALL INTO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ABOUT 13% OF THE TIME, UH, IN THOSE HOURS.
SO, SO LET ME GET YOU THAT INFORMATION COUNCIL MEMBER.
I MEAN, THE, THE CALL VOLUME GOES UP SIGNIFICANTLY, AND I'LL GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER ON THAT.
I MEAN, I HAVE STAFF RIGHT HERE, UH, NOW THEY'RE LISTENING.
I'M SURE THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THAT.
I'M GETTING YOU THAT INFORMATION.
AND YOU'VE ADDED FIVE YES, SIR.
UNITS TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT PEAK HOUR.
UM, BUT I NEED AT LEAST 15 MORE.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO, SO A TOTAL OF 20, YOU THINK WOULD
[00:50:01]
GET THE CALL VOLUME MANAGEABLE AND, AND ESSENTIALLY THE FIREFIGHTERS AT THAT POINT IN TIME WOULD WORK A 12 HOUR SHIFT ON THOSE DAYS RATHER THAN WORKING, CORRECT? CORRECT.IS, IS THAT ALL AT OVERTIME? WELL, RIGHT NOW WOULD BE ON OVERTIME UNTIL OUR STAFFING LEVEL, UH, GETS UP.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF WE ARE GONNA STAFF THOSE WITH A, AN SAY WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL SHIFT, A 12 HOUR SHIFT, UH, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, UM, THE, THE, UM, RELIEF FACTOR, THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL THAT I WOULD NEED TO STAFF THOSE 12 HOUR UNITS IS ABOUT HALF OF WHAT I WOULD NEED TO STAFF 'EM ON 24 HOURS.
UM, SO, SO TO STAFF THOSE 20, I WOULD NEED AN, AN ADDITIONAL ABOUT A HUNDRED AND TWENTY, A HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, I, I WAS LOOKING AT THE OVERTIME AND I WAS KIND OF SHOCKED AT HOW BIG THAT NUMBER WAS.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY STUFF WE ALL KNOW ABOUT, WE ALL GET MM-HMM
BUT I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 24%, SIR, OF PAY, SIR.
WAS OVERTIME, CAN YOU KIND WALK ME THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT IS CAUSING THE OVERTIME? YES, SIR.
WELL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS, HAS CONSTANT STAFFING.
UM, IT DIFFERS FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IF SOMEBODY'S OFF SICK OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY'LL RUN, THEY'LL RIDE SHORT.
THEY'LL RIDE SHORT FOR THAT, UH, ON THAT UNIT.
FOR US, IF THERE'S A VACANCY, WHETHER IT'S, UH, STAFFING ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S SCHEDULED OR UNSCHEDULED VACANCIES, WE WILL CALL SOMEBODY IN TO REPLACE THAT, THAT INDIVIDUAL.
SO THAT DRIVES UP THE, UH, THE OVERTIME COST.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO OTHER CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS THAT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND THE PREVIOUS, UH, CONTRACT THAT WAS IN PLACE FOR MINIMUM HOURS OF, OF OVERTIME PAY THAT WE WOULD GIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT, THAT CREATES MORE VACANCIES, UM, WHETHER IT'S ADDITIONAL BENEFIT TIME OFF OR WHATEVER THAT WOULD REQUIRE.
FOR THE MOST PART, CONSIDERING THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR FTES ARE DEDICATED TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE, WHERE WE HAVE CONSTANT STAFFING, THEN ANY VACANCY CREATED WOULD BE, HAVE TO BE BACKFILLED.
IF WE DON'T HAVE PERSONNEL AVAILABLE ON SHIFT, THEN WE WOULD CALL IN AN OVERTIME.
SO ALL THOSE COMPONENTS DRIVE UP OVERTIME.
THAT'S JUST THE NORMAL WORKLOAD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN WE GET THESE UNEXPECTED STORMS AND, YOU KNOW, THEN WE WILL, UH, AND THANKS TO YOU ALL, YOU GUYS HAVE NEVER DENIED THE REQUEST FOR, HEY, I'M GONNA BRING IN ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL.
THE MAYOR HAS NEVER DENIED THOSE REQUESTS.
UM, SO WE ARE ALWAYS ABLE TO BRING IN WHAT WE NEED OR WHAT WE THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES IN.
AND THOSE WILL COST USUALLY OVER TIME.
YOU CAN PUT IT BACK IN THE QUEUE.
AND, AND ALONG THOSE LINES, ON THE OVERTIME COSTS, I LOOK IN THE, IN THE, UM, LINE ITEM DATA AND IN, IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE LOOKS LIKE, UM, LOOKS LIKE $40.8 MILLION WAS BUDGETED LAST YEAR.
WE SPENT SIX, WE'RE GONNA END UP AT $60.4 MILLION IN MM-HMM
AND THEN WE'RE BACK TO BUDGETING THE SAME AMOUNT, 40.8.
UM, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A DECREASE FROM WHAT WE'RE SPENDING NOW BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING FROM THE, WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT'S GONNA HANDLE SOME OF THAT.
BUT IT'S THE SAME EXACT AMOUNT WE BUDGETED LAST YEAR IN THAT LINE ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN THAT.
SO THE, UH, THE PROJECTION, UH, ASSUMES THAT WE WILL HAVE THE HEADCOUNT MOVE UP.
SO LOOK, YOU'RE, WE'RE GONNA SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY.
COUNCIL MEMBER IS JUST WHETHER YOU'RE GONNA SPEND IT IN BASE PAY, IN REGULAR PAY, OR IN OVERTIME.
AND SO WE, UH, WE ANTICIPATE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE CAN RETAIN PERSONNEL AND BRING IN PERSONNEL, THEN THE OVERTIME NUMBER GOES UP.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA SEE ALMOST THE CORRESPONDING RISE IN THE, UH, IN THE BASE PAY.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING 'CAUSE IT'S THE SAME EXACT AMOUNT WE BUDGETED LAST YEAR.
AS WE'RE GONNA BUDGET THIS YEAR, WE SPENT 20 MILLION MORE, WE WON'T SPEND 20 MILLION MORE THERE, BUT WE'LL SPEND 20 MIL MORE THAN 20 MILLION IN IN BASE PAY.
UM, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PLUMMER.
UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU MENTIONED THE NEED TO HIRE MORE INSPECTORS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER'S.
QUESTION IS, WE KNOW THAT CONDUCTING INSPECTIONS CAN GENERATE FUNDS.
SO COULD YOU PLEASE ELABORATE ON HOW INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INSPECTORS COULD ASSIST IN GENERATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND THE ASSOCIATED COSTS OF HIRING ADDITIONAL INSPECTORS? UH, BE OFFSET BY DIRECT PROFITS.
UM, WELL, I THINK THAT THAT INDIRECTLY HIRING MORE INSPECTORS WOULD PROBABLY GENERATE MORE FUNDS.
AND LET ME, LEMME SEE IF I CAN, IF I CAN EXPLAIN.
SO YES, IT'S GONNA COST MORE TO BRING THE ADDITIONAL INSPECTORS AND WRITE THE SALARIES.
UM, HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THAT
[00:55:01]
IN, IF IT IMPROVES THE THROUGHPUT TIME FOR BUSINESS, UH, PERSONNEL AND CONTRACTORS TO GET THEIR PLANS REVIEWED, TO GET THEIR WORK SITES INSPECTED AND TO GET IN BUSINESS, I THINK THAT INDIRECTLY THAT MAY TRANSLATE TO ADDITIONAL TAX AVAILABILITY.UM, BUT YES, THERE'S GONNA BE A COST SUNK COST IN, IN PERSONNEL COST.
NOW THIS MAY NOT BE, UH, VERY POPULAR, UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE A, A DIFFERENT TYPE OF EMPLOYEE, MAYBE A CIVILIAN, UH, EMPLOYEE TO DO THE LOW LEVEL, UM, INSPECTIONS TO CHASE AFTER THE EXPIRED PERMITS.
THAT ALSO GENERATES REVENUE, UM, THAT WOULD FREE UP THE CLASSIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO INSPECT THE HIGH HAZARD TYPE OF, OF BUSINESSES AND, AND PREMISES, RIGHT? SO IF, UM, YEAH, THERE, THERE, THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO LIMIT THE, THE OVERHEAD COST, RIGHT? UM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE PROVIDING A BETTER SERVICE, A MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE IN PLAN REVIEW INSPECTIONS, UH, WOULD GENERATE MORE TAX OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR THE CITY.
UM, CHIEF, REALLY QUICKLY, JUST TO CLARIFY, BASED ON THE CHAIR'S QUESTIONS AND COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER, WHAT IS OUR OVERTIME THRESHOLD AND HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO OTHER TEXAS CITIES? WELL, WE, UM, SO LOOK, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, IN ORDER TO STAFF THE CURRENT NUMBER OF VACANCIES, SO I HAVE 849 VACANCIES, UH, OR POSITIONS THAT I NEED TO STAFF EVERY DAY.
THAT INCLUDES ALL APPARATUS, FOUR PERSON ON A TRUCK, UH, OR AN HEAVY APPARATUS.
TWO PEOPLE ON AN AMBULANCE SUPPORT UNITS HAVE ONE OR TWO PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO STAFF.
IT'S ABOUT 849 OR IT'S 849 PEOPLE.
UM, RIGHT NOW OUR STAFFING LEVEL IS DOWN, SO WE ALREADY HAVE A, A DAILY, UH, WORK INCURRING OVERTIME.
ON TOP OF THAT, ALL THE VACANCIES, WHETHER IT'S SCHEDULED OR UNSCHEDULED, UM, THOSE ARE GONNA CREATE ADDITIONAL VACANCIES THAT HAVE TO BE BACKFILLED ON OVERTIME.
IF YOU, YOU'RE ASKING ME, I MEAN, IT'S A HUGE PERCENTAGE.
IT'S ABOUT A QUARTER OF OUR, UH, BUDGET ALLOCATED TO EMERGENCY OPS.
THAT'S, THAT'S IN, IN OVERTIME.
SO TO ADDRESS THE OVERTIME CATEGORY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BRING OUR HEAD COUNT UP.
THAT'S NOT GONNA LOWER THE COST.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M SETTING EXPECTATIONS.
IT'S NOT LOW, LOWER THE COST, BUT 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA PAY BE PAYING IN BASE PAY, BUT WE NEED THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO, TO STAFF EVERY UNIT.
SO IF WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A STANDARD HIGHER COST RIGHT NOW, UM, AND, AND THIS AGAIN GOES BACK TO, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED YOU'VE SUBMITTED A PACKAGE, UH, IN PROPOSALS WITHIN THE CIP, BUT ARE THERE OTHER EFFICIENCIES THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WILL HELP US BRING DOWN COSTS WHILE EXPANDING OR IMPROVING UPON SERVICE? WE DON'T WANNA CUT, RIGHT? THESE ARE LIFE SAFETY SERVICES, SO WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CUT CORNERS AND WE CERTAINLY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT.
BUT ARE THERE EFFICIENCIES THAT WILL IMPROVE THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING? YES.
I THINK, UH, HIRING INDIVIDUALS TO CHASE DOWN THOSE FREQUENT USERS OF THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM AND NAVIGATING THEM APPROPRIATELY IS A GOOD USE OF, OF, OR A GOOD EXPENDITURE AND USE OF RESOURCES BECAUSE IT CUTS DOWN ON THE WEAR AND TEAR AND THE RESPONSES THAT, THAT THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM HAS TO DO THAT IS CRITICAL.
I THINK THAT THIS PAST WEEK SHOWED THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A TEAM THAT CAN GO OUT AND ASSESS SITUATIONS FIRST BEFORE WE SEND IN THE CAVALRY.
UH, SAME CONCEPT COUNCIL MEMBER, EXCEPT WE DO IT WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT FREQUENTLY USE A 9 1 1 SYSTEM.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED, THEY DON'T NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, THEY JUST NEED ACCESS TO A SOCIAL SERVICE.
UM, DOING THAT, LEVERAGING OUR TECHNOLOGY AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS 9 1 1, THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT YOU'RE DYING UNTIL WE PROVE OTHERWISE.
THE WAY YOU PROVE OTHERWISE IS THAT WE SEND EVERYBODY OUT THERE TO TAKE A LOOK.
SO IF WE CAN GET OUR CAT SYSTEM REPLACED, IF WE CAN GET A PRIORITY DISPATCH SYSTEM, UH, IN PLACE, AND WE CAN DISPATCH UNITS BY VEHICLE LOCATOR.
THAT'S ANOTHER, UH, HUGE THING THAT WE'RE MISSING OUT ON.
UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK EXAMPLE THERE.
WE CAN HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY HERE RIGHT NOW.
THERE CAN BE AN AMBULANCE PARKED OUTSIDE.
CALL 9 1 1, THE SYSTEM WILL PICK THE CLOSEST STATION WITH AN AMBULANCE IN IT.
IT WON'T PICK UP THAT UNIT OUT THERE.
AND, AND THAT'S INEFFICIENT, RIGHT? UM, SO AGAIN, TECHNOLOGY AND THEN IN ORDER TO, TO IMPROVE, UH, MORE EFFICIENT SERVICES, WE NEED TO SEND THE RIGHT RESOURCE, WHICH IS A TRANSPORT UNIT PRIMARILY, AND NOT THE FIRE TRUCKS THAT WOULD GIVE US THAT WOULD CREATE MORE CAPACITY, MORE AVAILABLE TIME FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS, LESS
[01:00:01]
WEAR AND TEAR.AND THAT TRANSLATES INTO MORE EFFICIENCY.
AND FOR THE PATIENT, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES, RESPOND.
I'LL GO BACK IN QUEUE, BUT THIS IS GERMANE TO THIS, UH, RESPONSE.
I THINK THAT WAS LISTED UNDER, I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT UNMET NEEDS.
WHEN I ASKED HITS, I WAS TOLD THAT CAD WAS FULLY FUNDED.
SO WHAT'S THE STATUS WITH CAD? I WILL HAVE TO CHECK WITH HITS ON, ON THAT TO SEE WHEN IT'S GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED, BUT, UH, I KNOW THAT THE LAST I HEARD IT WAS GONNA BE MAYBE OCTOBER BEFORE THEY START DOING THE, THE PROCESS TO EVALUATE WHAT WE NEED, RIGHT.
TO FIND A, AND I MAY BE MISREPRESENTING YOU, SO LET ME GET WITH HITS BEFORE I YEAH.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S LIKE THE LINCHPIN FOR ALL OF THESE.
AND THEN WHAT IS THE COST TO PUT A PRIORITY, NEW PRIORITY SYSTEM IN PLACE, RIGHT? THAT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU ADD AN APP TO THE NEW IPHONE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
HOW MUCH DOES THE PRIORITY SYSTEM COST IN THE VEHICLE LOCATOR PROGRAM COST? YES.
UM, I HAVE, I HAVE THOSE, I MADE A NOTE ON THOSE BECAUSE WE LOOKED AT IT IN 2020.
SO IN 2020 FOR A PRIORITY DISPATCH SYSTEM BACK THEN WAS GONNA BE ABOUT 700,000 A YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE SOFTWARE, THE LICENSING, AND THE TRAINING QAQI PROCESS.
BUT THAT IS SECONDARY TO GETTING THE CAD IN PLACE BECAUSE, UM, WE CAN'T BOLT THAT THING ONTO WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'LL HAPPEN IF, IF THAT HAP IF WE DO THAT IN THE PRIOR, IN THE VEHICLE LOCATOR, THE VEHICLE LOCATOR WOULD BE PART OF THE CAD SYSTEM.
THANK AND I THINK TOO, UM, COUNTS, MEMBER FLICKINGER EARLIER POINT ON GETTING, ESPECIALLY AS WE PREPARE FOR THE CIP, GETTING, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS ATTACHED TO THESE UNMET NEEDS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVIS, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, CHIEF, I WANTED TO, UH, ADDRESS THE ISSUE AROUND THE, UM, THE ATTRITION OF THE 170.
AND YOU WERE STATING THAT THAT'S AN ANNUAL MM-HMM
WELL, WITH ALL THAT CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, WE ARE NOT LIKE EVERY OTHER CITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO PUT THOSE CARDS ON THE TABLE BECAUSE OF THE MULTIPLE OF DIFFERENT URGENCIES OF WHAT GOES ON IN OUR CITY.
WE GOT WATER ISSUES ON TOP OF THE CRIME NUMBERS THAT ARE GOING UP AND THE CAUSE OF THE, UH, HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THEIR RESPONSE.
THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
SO THE, THE SHORTNESS OF ALL OF THAT WITH 280 PEOPLE SHORT OF FIREFIGHTERS PLUS THE TRAINING ISSUE MM-HMM
SO WITH ALL OF THAT IN CONSIDERATION, LET ME ASK YOU POINT BLANK.
I MEAN, WHAT AS A, AS A, AS A PRIORITY REGARDING THE MANPOWER, WHICH WE KNOW IS CREATING AN OVERTIME ISSUE CORRECT.
SO WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THAT, HOW MANY, LET ME ASK, HOW MANY FIREFIGHTERS ARE WE LOSING JUST TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS BASED UPON THE TRAINING THAT WE OFFER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT YOU HAVE? WHAT, WHAT, TELL ME WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO YOU? YEAH, YEP.
I'LL GET YOU THE EXACT BREAKDOWN.
BE, UM, AND I FORGOT TO PICK THAT UP, BUT, UH, THE ATTRITION, ALL OF THAT IS BAKED INTO THE ONE 70.
UM, WE WERE IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2017 AND 2018, WE LOST THE HIGHER TENURED ONES AFTER THE, THERE WAS A PENSION CHANGE, RIGHT.
WE LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE.
AND THEN IN 2019 AND 2020, WE WERE LOSING IT ON THE OTHER END.
THEY WOULD COME IN, THEY WOULD STAY LESS THAN FIVE YEARS AND THEN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, SO THAT HAS KIND OF CHANGED THE PENDULUM IS, IS, IS SWINGING.
UM, BUT I'LL GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.
UH, HOWEVER, THE, THE BOTTOM LINE, THE ONE 70 HAS REMAINED CONSTANT.
HOW THAT SAUSAGE IS MADE HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.
AND I'LL GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER, FLICKINGER, GOING BACK TO THE, THE OVERTIME YOU, YOU SAID SCHEDULED AND UNSCHEDULED, I ASSUME SCHEDULED, IS THEY PUT IN FOR VACATION DAY? YES, SIR.
HOW DOES THAT INCLUDE, THAT'LL INCLUDE, UM, INTERMITTENT FMLA.
UM, SO AN INDIVIDUAL WILL GO TO THE DOCTOR AND, AND THEY CAN, THEY GET A DOCTOR'S NOTE WHERE THEY CAN TAKE FMLA BASED ON WHATEVER MEDICAL NEEDS THEY HAVE AT THAT AT THE MOMENT.
SO THAT THE UN THAT IS PART OF THE UNSCHEDULED FMLA SICK LEAVE EMERGENCY VACATION.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF, WE, OUR DEBIT DAY VACANCIES ARE ABOUT 40%, 40, 50%.
I'M, I'M SORRY, HOW MUCH? ABOUT
[01:05:01]
40 OR 50% OF THE, OF THE DEBIT DAY, UH, PERSONNEL.WE HAVE A VACANCY RATE, WHETHER IT'S VACATION, WHETHER IT'S SICK LEAVE, UM, WE GET A VACANCY RATE OF ABOUT 40 TO 50% SOMETIMES, DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME OF YEAR OR WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK.
SO EVERY DAY FIREFIGHTERS WORK, UH, 46.7 HOURS A WEEK.
UM, THEIR NORMAL SCHEDULE, UH, ON A 72 DAY CYCLE AS REQUIRED BY A STATE STATUTE, WOULD, IF THEY ONLY WORK, THEIR SCHEDULE SHIFTS WITHOUT THE DEBIT DAYS WOULD, WOULD AVERAGE TO 42 HOURS A WEEK.
SO IN ORDER TO BRING THE AVERAGE UP, WE HAD, THEY WORK TWO ADDITIONAL DEBIT DAYS IN THAT 72 DAY CYCLE.
I'M TRY TO EXPLAIN IT SUCCINCTLY.
UM, SO THERE, WE EXPECT ABOUT BETWEEN 90 AND A HUNDRED BODIES TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY ON THEIR DEBIT DAY.
SO THEY'RE NOT EXTRA SHIFTS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THEY'RE PART OF THE CALCULATION.
THEY'RE SCHEDULED, THEY'RE SCHEDULED.
BUT WE GET A HIGH VACANCY RATE ON THOSE.
UM, HOW DOES THE ABSENTEE RATE COMPARE ON DAYS OTHER THAN DEBIT DAYS? WELL, OUR, OUR SICK LEAVE IS ABOUT 4% PER DAY.
UM, VAS OR VACATIONS, WE ALLOW UP TO 12%.
WE'VE BEEN ALLOWING ABOUT 12%.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE GET PEOPLE ON LONG-TERM INJURY AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, WHICH IS ANOTHER FEW PERCENTAGE POINTS.
BUT, UH, JUST ON THE DEBIT DAY, I MEAN, THAT, UH, 45 PEOPLE, 40 TO 45 PEOPLE IS, IS, UH, IS, IS A LOT RIGHT.
THAT WE WOULD NEED AND, AND WE COULD USE TO, TO STAFF OUR REGULAR UNITS.
UM, SO, SO, SO YOUR VACANCY RATES DOUBLE ON YOUR DEBIT DAY IS WHAT IT IS NORMALLY? NO, THEY DON'T.
NOT NECESSARILY DOUBLE COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT WE GET X AMOUNT OF FIREFIGHTERS SHOW UP ON THEIR REGULAR SHIFT, AND THEN WE EXPECT X AMOUNT TO SHOW UP ON THEIR DEBIT DAY.
EVERY, EVERY DAY OF THE, OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ON DEBIT DAY THAT, THAT PORTION, THAT CATEGORY, THE DEBIT DAYS, WE HAVE HIGH VACANCY RATES ON.
THOSE GUYS EITHER TAKE VACATION ON THEIR DEBIT DAYS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE.
THEY HAVE TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THEY DON'T WORK WITH THEIR, UH, UNITS.
THEY TAKE DEBIT DAYS ON VACATION OR ON SICK LEAVE, UH, FOR THOSE.
AND SO THAT ADDS TO THE, TO THE, I GUESS TO THE PAIN RIGHT.
CAN YOU PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE? SURE.
AND IT IS VERY INTERESTING WHEN YOU GET INTO THIS, OKAY.
SO JUST CALLING IN SICK MM-HMM
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE ON A DEBIT DAY VERSUS A REGULAR DAY? IT'S, UM, I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER ON THAT ONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER? YEAH, IF YOU COULD PLEASE.
UM, CHIEF, AND THE REASON I DEFERRED IS IT'S HARD, RIGHT? WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE SUBJECT TO KEEP GOING BACK AND FORTH.
SO I JUST HAD A FEW FINAL QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES AGAIN, TO THE, UM, POTENTIAL AGREEMENT CBA AGREEMENT.
UM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF IT.
UH, I'M TRYING TO GET INTO AND UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL COSTS THAT ARE, CAN BE ACCURATELY PROJECTED, UM, IN THE PO POTENTIAL AGREEMENT.
DO YOU KNOW IF THERE ARE INCREASED COSTS, ASIDE FROM PAY BENEFITS THAT ALL HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT 7%? ARE THERE AN, IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN COSTS THAT ARE PARTS OF THE AGREEMENT THAT HAVE NOT BEEN NECESSARILY ACCOUNTED FOR OR INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET? MM, WELL, WE INCREASED THE, DID WE INCREASE THE OVERTIME BUDGET? WE DID NOT.
UM, IF, IF THE, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE FINAL PRODUCT IS, COUNCIL MEMBER, IF THERE ARE OBLIGATIONS FOR, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL BENEFIT LEAVE USE, RIGHT.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CONTRACT THAT EXIST WHERE WE HAVE TO, UM, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DAYS OFF FOR WHATEVER REASON, VACATION, HOLIDAYS, WHATEVER THAT WOULD INCREASE, THAT WILL INCREASE THE COST OF OVERTIME.
UM, IF THERE ARE MINIMUM HOURS PAID, THAT OBLIGATION WILL INCREASE THE OVERTIME OBLIGATION WITH MINIMUM HOURS PAID.
YOU MEAN, LIKE AS IT RELATES TO OVERTIME? RIGHT, RIGHT.
UM, IF, IF WE ARE OBLIGATED TO PAY A SET NUMBER OF HOURS, REGARDLESS OF HOURS WORKED, UM, MINIMUM, THEN THAT WOULD INCREASE CERTAINLY THE, THE NUMBER IN, IN THE OVERTIME BUDGET.
UM, ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES MINIMUM STAFFING WHERE WE'RE OBLIGATED TO BRING PEOPLE BACK, THAT, UH, THAT DRIVES UP THE COST AS WELL.
[01:10:01]
UM, AND THEN ANY OBLIGATION FOR TRAINING WHERE WE HAVE TO LET PEOPLE OFFER, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT DISCRETION.UM, ALL THE TRAINING IS IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE TO TRAIN 'EM, I MEAN, YOU SEE THE WORK THAT THEY DO, BUT WHEN THERE'S NO DISCRETION ON WHEN WE DO IT RIGHT, THEN THAT, THAT WOULD DRIVE UP THE COST BECAUSE IT CREATES VACANCIES.
AND ALSO EDUCATION PAY, IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS? YES.
THERE IS EDUCATION PAY, UM, FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ALREADY HAVE DEGREES.
AND THERE'S ALSO, I BELIEVE IN THE LAST VERSION, A REIMBURSEMENT FOR TUITION FOR THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO COLLEGE.
SO IS THAT COST INCLUDED IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET? I WILL, IT IS.
IF YOU, IF YOU ALLOW ME, I'M SEEING IN THE, IN THE LINE ITEM OF SALARY EDUCATION SLASH INCENT ADVISED CLASSIFIED, UM, WE'RE GOING FROM A COST THIS YEAR ESTIMATED TO BE 5.3 MILLION TO, UM, 10.4 MILLION.
SO, SO THERE'S TWO, THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS, RIGHT? THERE'S A, THERE'S A TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FOR THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO COLLEGE, AND THEN THERE'S A, AN EDUCATION, UH, PAY.
AND I'LL HAVE TO DEFER TO, TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO FINANCE AND LEGAL, UH, IF THAT THING IS STILL IN OR THAT OBLIGATION IS STILL IN PLACE.
AND ARE YOU AWARE WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY, OR IN THE CURRENT CONTRACT, PROPOSED CONTRACT, UM, IS PROMOTION TIED TO, UM, AN EDUCATION LEVEL? ARE THERE ANY EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS MM-HMM
THAT WOULD PRECLUDE PROMOTION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A CERTAIN DEGREE IS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR PROMOTION.
UM, THEY DO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL POINTS, RIGHT? IF SOMEBODY HAS A DEGREE, THEY'D RECEIVE ADDITIONAL POINTS IN THEIR FINAL SCORE FOR THEIR PROMOTIONAL EXAM, UH, THAT WOULD CONCEIVABLY PUT 'EM, YOU KNOW, MOVE THEM UP OR DOWN IN THE, IN THE RANKS.
UM, SOME, GOING BACK TO THIS DISASTER, SOME OF THE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE FIELD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO, AGAIN, WE'VE ALL BEEN, I MEAN, PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE AT THIS POINT, ASSISTING, UM, THEY HAD RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT MM-HMM
UH, THEY MAY BE CUTTING TREES OUT OF THE ROAD, BUT WITHOUT A SKID STEER OR A FRONT LOAD GRABBER.
UM, THAT TAKES EVEN MORE TIME.
UH, HAVE THERE, WE HAD WORKED WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
I KNOW THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET ONE OR TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT INTO THE FIELD FOR THIS EVENT, BUT, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET THAT WOULD PROVIDE MORE EQUIPMENT, UM, TO THE DEPARTMENT AS IT RELATES TO THOSE TYPES OF RESPONSES WITH HEAVY DEBRIS? NO, MA'AM.
NOT THAT I, THAT I CAN THINK OF.
UM, WE DO HAVE GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND, AND STREETS AND, AND, UH, EVEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, RIGHT.
WHERE WE CAN, I DON'T HAVE TO OWN THE, UH, CHERRY PICKERS.
ALL I NEED TO KNOW IS WHERE TO GO TO GET ONE.
AND SO HAVING THOSE, THOSE, UH, RELATIONSHIPS AND THOSE MOUS IN PLACE IS IMPORTANT FOR US.
UH, DOES THE BUDGET, AND, AND YOU MAY HAVE SAID THIS ALREADY, BUT GOING BACK TO EMS AND THE AMBULANCE NEEDS, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER WAS ASKING ABOUT, DOES THE BUDGET INCLUDE ADDITIONAL AMBULANCES? NO, MA'AM.
THIS, UH, THE, THE CONTRACT IS, UM, THE CONTRACT OR THE BUDGET? THE BUDGET? NO, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ADDITIONAL AMBULANCES.
ONLY WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE FIVE PEAK TIME UNITS ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, WE HAVE SUBMITTED A REQUEST, UH, FOR A PBJ FOR, FOR ADDITIONAL UNITS.
AND, UM, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE, CARISSA, IF WE'VE RECEIVED A RESPONSE ON THAT YET.
IF AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE A RESPONSE, WE'LL, WE'LL CERTAINLY REPORT, BUT THE BUDGET ONLY INCLUDES WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TODAY.
AND, UM, YOU'D MENTIONED THE CONTRACT.
IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE CONTRACT THAT PERTAINS TO AMBULANCES, OR NO, NO, THAT'S, UH, FOR, FOR PAY AND, AND BENEFITS.
UM, YOU TOUCHED ON THE HIGH WATER RESCUE NEEDS.
I, AGAIN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE INCLUDE THAT IN, UM, THE UNMET NEEDS ESTIMATES.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE HITTING HURRICANE SEASON.
UH, WE HAD DONE A GREAT JOB AND A HUGE SHOUT OUT FOR THE TRAINING THAT'S GONE INTO, UM, SINCE HARVEY, UH, THE TEAMS THAT WOULD BE RESPONDING.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
UH, HOW ARE THE, IT'S NOT FULLY ELECTRIC, BUT THE AMBULANCES WITH THE ELECTRIC CABS, HOW ARE THOSE WORKING OUT? SO WE HAVE A, A, UH, THE ONBOARD GENERATOR IN THE PAST WAS THE, YOU KNOW, DIESEL ONES.
UM, AND WE'VE SWITCHED OVER TO ELECTRIC.
RIGHT? UM, YEAH, THEY'RE A LOT MORE EFFICIENT FOR US.
THEY'RE A LOT SAFER TOO, BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET ANY FUMES MIGRATING INTO THE CAB OR ANY OF THE OTHER SPACES.
SO, UH, THEY'RE WORKING OUT WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE, WE'RE SPECKING THEM OUT MOVING FORWARD FROM NOW ON, BECAUSE YEAH.
WE FOUND, WE'VE GOTTEN GOOD RESPONSES FROM THAT.
HAZMAT, UM, YOU AND I, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PECK AND OTHERS, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, OF COURSE,
[01:15:01]
ALL WORKED TOGETHER AFTER THE WATSON EXPLOSION.UM, AND WE REALLY PUSHED HARD FOR AN ADDITIONAL HAZMAT UNIT, UM, AS ONE OF THE UNMET NEEDS AT THAT TIME.
WE NOW HAVE TWO HAZMAT UNITS, HAZMAT NEEDS.
DO WE NEED A, WE ALWAYS NEED MORE, BUT HOW IS THAT WORKING OUT? YEAH.
AND WHAT WOULD THE COST OF AN ADDITIONAL HAZMAT UNIT BE? AGAIN, THAT'S A LOT OF MILES FOR JUST TWO, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UM, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY AGAIN, AND I MENTIONED IT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT THANK YOU COUNCIL AND, AND THE MAYOR FOR, FOR THE RESPONSIVENESS, WHEN WE ASK CERTAIN THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE FIND A WAY TO TRY TO DELIVER ON THEM.
WE HAVE TWO DEDICATED HAZMAT UNITS, UH, ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF TOWN STAFF.
THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CHIEF WELLS IS HERE BEHIND ME.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO IMPLEMENTED SOME, SOME HAZMAT ENGINES, RIGHT.
THAT, THAT WILL AUGMENT THAT PROGRAM.
SO THEY'RE NOT THE FULL, THEY DON'T CARRY ALL THE FULL EQUIPMENT, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO SHOW UP, ASSESS, AND THEN AGAIN, REQUEST ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IF, IF NEEDED.
UM, THE COST OF A NEW HAZMAT UNIT WOULD BE UPWARDS OF MAYBE CLOSE TO $2 MILLION PER YEAR.
PER YEAR JUST FOR TO STAFF IT.
THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE INITIAL PURCHASE OF THE, OF THE TRUCK.
BUT, UH, WE, WE ARE GETTING A NEW TRUCK.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT ALREADY, UH, FOR THE HAZMAT UNIT THAT WE GOT THROUGH U OSSI, AGAIN, THROUGH THOSE GRANTS AND NON-TRADITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES.
BUT, UH, YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT CHEAP COUNCIL MEMBER AND, BUT THEY DO GREAT WORK.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, ON THE BACK END, HAVE A REPORT ON THE, UM, HOW MUCH WE ARE BRINGING IN THROUGH GRANT WRITING AND MM-HMM
OUR SUCCESS RATE WITH APPLYING FOR GRANTS.
UM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE, THERE'S SO MANY GRANTS OUT THERE, RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND WE NEED TO LEVERAGE EVERYTHING WE CAN.
UH, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON YOUR WISHLIST ADDED TO THE BUDGET? DOES THE UNMET NEEDS LIST COVER IT? OR ARE THERE THINGS WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED? SO THE ADDITIONAL TRANSPORT UNITS, THE, THE PEAK TIME UNITS, AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M REQUESTING, RIGHT.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MONIES AVAILABLE TO CONTINUE THE, THE MEDICAL PHYSICALS AND CANCER SCREENINGS.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE DONE SOME OTHER THINGS IN PROVIDING HALF MASS RESPIRATORS, EVEN FOR THE INSPECTORS AND STUFF, BECAUSE AGAIN, HEALTH AND SAFETY IS IMPORTANT, BUT ADDING MONIES FOR THAT, UM, ADDITIONAL, SORRY, YOU SAID, SO WE ARE DOING THE FREE MEDICAL SCREENINGS FOR FIREFIGHTERS RIGHT NOW.
UM, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM, RIGHT.
UM, THAT IS CONTINUING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
IS THAT CORRECT? NO, THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET.
SO THE REQUEST, AGAIN, IS GONNA COME THROUGH A PBJ, UM, TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM PAST OCTOBER.
AND HOW MUCH WOULD THAT COST IF IT'S NOT, IT'S ABOUT $2 MILLION A YEAR TO DO ALL OUR FIREFIGHTERS EVERY YEAR.
SO THE SAME, THE SAME, UM, UH, CANCER SCREENING OR THE SAME SCREENING THAT WE DO FOR OUR SPECIAL OPS.
MATTER OF FACT, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
THE ONE WE'RE PROVIDING FOR, FOR THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP.
UM, IT'S ABOUT $2 MILLION PER YEAR.
ABOUT $500, FIVE TO $600 PER PERSON IS WHAT IT COSTS US.
UM, IF YOU COULD KEEP US SURPRISED AND, UM, YES MA'AM.
CHAIR PECK, MAYBE THAT COMES TO YOU, BUT WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THOSE SCREENINGS.
UM, FOR THAT, UH, CHIEF, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMAND THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE FOR YOUR SERVICE, UM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS, UH, NOT JUST RESPONDING TO ALL OF THE DISASTERS THAT WE HAVE HAD MM-HMM
BUT WE IN OUR ASSISTANCE YEAH.
ALL AROUND THE WORLD AT THIS POINT, UM, WHERE WE SEND OUR MEN AND WOMEN TO ASSIST OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WELL, I, I, I WANT TO ECHO THAT.
THEY, THEY DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING, ESPECIALLY THIS MONTH.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN AT SEVERAL INSTANCES, COUNCIL MEMBER FLICK AND DREW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAD THAT, THE FLOODS UP IN KINGWOOD, BUT COUNCILMAN,
COUNCILMAN CARTER, THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR BEING OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND JUST, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU GUYS BRING AN ADDITIONAL SPOTLIGHT TO THE SITUATION THAT, THAT SOMETIMES IS, IS NEEDED TO GET OTHERS TO PITCH IN.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE SEEING YOU GUYS OUT THERE.
AND, AND THANK YOU, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER AL KORN.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK ON ALL OF THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, CHIEF, YOU'VE SAT HERE FOR THE PAST HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF, AND YOU'VE LISTED MANY NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, WHETHER IT'S EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT'S PERSONNEL, UM, I'D LIKE TO, TO VISIT WITH YOU, MY OFFICE SPECIFICALLY MM-HMM
ON PERHAPS A, A SUPPLEMENTAL LIST OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S CIVILIANS TO DO, YOU KNOW, THIS FUNCTION OVER HERE, OR YOU TALKED ABOUT COLLECTING REVENUE AND SUCH.
UM, BUT IT CLEARLY YOU HAVE A LAUNDRY LIST, UM, FROM HEAVY EQUIPMENT DOWN TO THE VERY
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BASICS.WE KNOW THAT THE STATIONS, WE, WE, WE KNOW THE STATIONS ARE IN NEED.
WELL, I MEAN, 1 0 1 THIS MORNING AS I PASSED AND THEY WERE PASSING ME TO RUN OUT ON A CALL, I THOUGHT, WELL, I WONDER WHERE THEY SLEPT LAST NIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE NOT INCLUDED AND THAT YOU HADN'T EVEN THOUGHT TO INCLUDE.
UM, BECAUSE I, I KNOW FIRSTHAND AS WE ALL DO, I THINK SITTING AROUND THE HORSESHOE THAT YOU, YOU HAVE AN EXTENSIVE LIST, RIGHT? AND, YOU KNOW, IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE'VE JUST BEEN THROUGH, WHAT WE WILL GO, WE GO THROUGH, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE, MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE TOP OF MIND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, MA'AM.
MEMBER FLICKINGER, ONE LAST THING, UH, KIND OF BACK ON THE OVERTIME.
UM, I KNOW THE STUDY THAT THE CITY HAD PAID THE CONSULTANTS TO DO HERE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, SUGGESTED GOING TO A THREE SHIFT ROTATION INSTEAD OF A FOUR SHIFT ROTATION.
UM, AND THOUGHT IT WOULD SAVE THE CITY MILLIONS.
UH, I KNOW I SPOKE WITH MARTY LANGTON ABOUT IT.
MARTY SEEMED TO THINK THAT THE OVERTIME WOULD BLOW UP FROM THAT, AND THERE ACTUALLY WOULDN'T BE ANY SAVINGS.
HAVE YOU EVER DONE A BUDGET WITH THE THREE SHIFT ROTATION? WE, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, DURING PROPOSITION B, UM, WE WERE GONNA TAKE A HAIRCUT ON OUR, ON OUR BUDGET.
AND MY FOCUS THEN WAS TO TRY TO KEEP AS MANY UNITS IN SERVICE.
RIGHT? UM, SO THERE, THERE IS A BENEFIT TO TO, TO HAVING A THREE SHIFT.
AND SO LET ME LET SEE IF I CAN EXPLAIN IT.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE FOUR QUARTERS AND A HUNDRED PENNIES, RIGHT? SO WE SPREAD OUT, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO EVERY SHIFT IS, IS A LOT LESS.
UM, THE FACT RIGHT NOW THAT IF WE WERE ABLE TO, ON A THREE SHIFT, LET ME, LET ME EXPLAIN IT THIS WAY.
ON A THREE SHIFT ROTATION, UM, IT WOULD STILL BE 46.7 HOURS.
HOWEVER, WE WOULDN'T BE EXPECTING 90 PEOPLE TO COME IN EVERY DAY ON, ON DEBIT DAY.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE VACANCIES THAT WE GET FOR THAT, FOR THAT, UH, FOR THOSE PERSONNEL, WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD BE, UM, SCHEDULING DAYS OFF, RIGHT? BUT WE HAVE CONTROL OF HOW MANY, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WE WOULD LET OFF.
BUT THE, THE, THE REASON WE WERE ABLE TO, TO KEEP, UH, NOT AS OR AS MANY UNITS AS WE PROJECTED ON A THREE SHIFT SCHEDULE IS BECAUSE THOSE 40 OR THOSE 90 INDIVIDUALS THAT COME IN EACH DAY, EXCUSE ME, UH, TRANSLATES INTO X AMOUNT OF UNITS PER DAY THAT WE KEEP IN SERVICE.
RIGHT? UM, SO THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.
THE, THE OTHER THING IS THAT THERE IS GONNA BE AN INCREMENTAL SAVINGS FOR NOT HAVING TO REPLICATE THE RANK STRUCTURE FOUR TIMES OVER.
RIGHT? SO EVERY SHIFT HAS X AMOUNT OF RANKS IN EACH, IN EACH, UH, DIVISION.
IF WE DO THREE SHIFTS, THEN YOU DON'T NEED THE RANK STRUCTURE FOR THAT FOURTH SHIFT.
YOU STILL CARRY THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, YOU JUST CARRY 'EM AT DIFFERENT RANKS BASED, UH, MAINLY AT THE, AS A FIREFIGHTER.
SO, UM, AGAIN, SO THOSE ARE THE, THE BENEFITS OF, AND, AND THE EFFICIENCIES THAT YOU WOULD GET FROM A THREE SHIFT SCHEDULE.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S STILL 46.7, THAT'S THE STATE LAW, UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES.
UM, AND THAT WOULD'VE TO BE THROUGH AN AGREEMENT WHERE THEY WORK MORE HOURS.
UM, WE'RE STILL BOUND BY THE 46.7.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SEND ME THAT BUDGET SO I CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT? I CAN, I CAN.
THERE WAS A, THERE WERE WHOLE PRESENTATIONS DONE ON THIS, UM, BACK, UM, IN THE PROPERTY BE DAYS.
UM, I DON'T, I, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF IN QUEUE.
I DO THINK WE HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, I'LL START WITH OUR LOCAL 3 41 PRESIDENT.
DO YOU NEED ME TO BE UP HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER? NO, YOU'RE GOOD.
THANKS TO EVERY FIREFIGHTER WHO'S BEEN WORKING SO HARD.
JUST WANTED TO COME UP HERE AND SAY THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT, UH, REACHED OUT, WE CONTINUE TO BE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THERE WERE A FEW THINGS DURING THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT, WANTED TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.
UH, I SEE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN LEFT, BUT, UM, YEAH, ANY DISCUSSIONS AS IT RELATES TO THE CONTRACT, I'M RIGHT HERE.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER WHATEVER QUESTIONS THOSE ARE.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS THE EDUCATION, SO THAT THE COUNCIL'S AWARE, WE HAVE, UH, 1,354 HOUSTON FIREFIGHTERS
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THAT ALREADY HAVE DEGREES.THE INCENTIVE PAY FOR THE EDUCATION IS IN ORDER TO PUT, UH, EMPHASIS ON GETTING THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST AND, UH, THE SAME AS HPD.
UM, AND THE FINANCIAL, OR THE REIMBURSEMENT ON THE, UM, DEGREES, UH, IS ALL DETERMINED ON MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS.
UH, BUT IT'S IN AN EFFORT TO GET ALL OF THE, UH, FIREFIGHTERS THE MOST AMOUNT OF, UH, DEGREES AND EXPERIENCES.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE, THE THREE SHIFT, UH, I DID TALK TO COUNCILMAN FLICKINGER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR REACHING OUT.
AND IN THE REPORT GIVEN BY THE BFA AND BY CHIEF PENA, AND BY THEN FINANCE DIRECTOR, TANTRA EMO, UM, SAID VERY CLEARLY, UH, IT WAS NOT A COST SAVING.
SO I THINK THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL QUESTION.
UM, AND WHAT I THINK THE CHIEF WAS ALLUDING TO, UH, IS PROBLEMATIC ON, UH, ON A NUMBER OF LEVELS BECAUSE, UH, YOU HAVE TO FACTOR IN, UH, THINGS THAT I'M HAPPY TO GET WITH YOU ABOUT.
BUT, UM, UH, YOU, YOU CAN'T JUST ABOLISH, UH, PEOPLE'S POSITIONS JUST BECAUSE, UH, IT'S A GOOD TALKING POINT.
UH, THERE'S MANY FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT, INCLUDING THE 46.7 HOURS.
UH, THE OVERTIME RATE, OF COURSE, IS SOMETHING THAT IS A DIRECT REFLECTION, UH, OF THE STAFFING.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE DOWN, YOU KNOW, I THINK, AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED, BUT I THINK THE 280 THAT HE'S, THAT CHIEF'S REFERRING TO IS, IS IF EVERYBODY COMES TO WORK A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME, UH, AND THERE'S NO VACATION SICK OR WHATNOT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE 2010 LEVELS, UH, WERE APPROXIMATELY MAYBE A LITTLE BIT SHY, NEEDING ABOUT 500 TO GET BACK TO THE LEVELS WE HAD IN 2010.
SO ADDING UNITS IS SOMETHING WE'VE, WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR.
UH, BUT YOU CAN'T ADD UNITS IF WE CAN'T EVEN GET THE STAFFING WHERE WE NEED IT TO BE.
THAT'S WHY OUR FOCUS NOT ONLY ON THE AGREEMENT, THE CONTRACT, UM, HAS TO BE ABOUT, UH, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE THEM AND OUR ANALYSIS THROUGH GOING THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION, I BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT CAME, THAT WERE HIRED AND LEFT OVER THE PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT RETIREMENTS, WAS 800 AND SOMETHING.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S TAX DOLLARS WALKING OUT YOUR DOOR.
UH, AND SO IF YOU GET THE STAFFING LEVELS BACK UP, YOUR OVERTIME OF COURSE GOES DOWN.
AND SO ALL OF THAT IN AN EFFORT TO, UM, TO GET, UH, QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE CALL TYPES, IF YOU LOOK ON, I THINK IT WAS SLIDE NUMBER EIGHT, WANNA BE VERY CLEAR BECAUSE WE CAN SAY, UH, CERTAIN THINGS THAT SOUND, UH, YOU KNOW, GO, IT'S OKAY.
UH, THAT, THAT, UH, THE SOUND GOOD FOR A SOUNDBITE, BUT DON'T GET INTO THE ACTUAL, UH, DETAILS OF, OF THE MODEL AND HOW WE RESPOND.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT THEY'RE TYPED OUT AS EMS, UH, THAT'S NOT JUST INCLUSIVE OF A STANDARD EMS, SOMEBODY HAS IN A MINOR MEDICAL EMERGENCY, IT INCORPORATES A WHOLE LOT MORE, WHICH WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR TO HAVE CAD BREAK DOWN FOR YOU SO THAT YOU KNOW HOW MANY ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY REQUIRE, UH, THE APPARATUS AND THE EQUIPMENT FROM THE FIRE TRUCKS TO MITIGATE THAT EMERGENCY.
AS YOU LOOK DOWN HERE AND SEE, UH, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 8,000 FIRES, THAT'S ENORMOUS.
UH, WE, NO OTHER CITY SEES THIS KIND OF, UH, DEMAND.
AND ONE FIRE TAKES EXPONENTIALLY MORE PERSONNEL, UH, RESOURCES THAN ONE SINGULAR, WHAT WE'D SAY, A BASIC LIFE SUPPORT CALL.
SO IN THE END, UH, WE WE'RE HERE TO, TO BE GOOD PARTNERS, WANT TO HELP WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE, WE ABSOLUTELY, UH, UM, NEED MORE RESOURCES.
OF COURSE, THAT'S SEPARATE THAN THE CONTRACT UNDER THE CIP AND MARTY.
ARE, ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE LEAVING AFTER THE SETTLEMENT? IS I I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT PEOPLE LEAVING IF WE DON'T GET THIS STUDY WELL UNDERSTOOD.
BUT ARE ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT LIKE A, A MORE THAN THE TYPICAL ONE 70 AFTER THE, UM, I MEAN, I, I HAVE, I'M WORRIED.
UM, BUT I THINK THE POINT IS THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING, THEY'RE AT THEIR BREAKING POINT, THEY'RE GONNA LEAVE.
SO IF WE ENSURE WE HAVE A, UM, A PROPER, UH, CONTRACT THAT RECRUITS AND RETAINS QUALIFIED PE AND PAYS THEM, UM, THEN YOU CAN HANDLE IT.
AND, UM, AND THE DE YOU HEARD THE DEBIT DAY VACANCY THING.
UM, CAN YOU TALK, SPEAK A LITTLE BIT, UH, UH, TO THAT? YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE ACTUAL NUMBERS BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S NOT HELPFUL IF WE'RE HAVING THROWING NUMBERS AROUND THAT THAT IS NOT, UH, QUALIFIED BY, UH, HOW MANY.
I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER ASKED HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON SICK TIME ON A NORMAL OCCURRENCE, I DON'T THINK WE CAN PLAN TO BE SICK.
UH, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE AND VARIANCE IS THAT ON A DEBIT DAY, RIGHT? UH, VERSUS HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE PRE-SCHEDULED VACATION TIME THAT THEY TAKE ON THEIR DEBIT DAYS.
SO THE CITY IS AWARE WAY IN ADVANCE, AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE TIME YOU WANT THEM TO TAKE IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR CERTAIN WHERE SOMETHING, WHERE
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THERE MIGHT BE A DEFICIENCY.AND THE LAST POINT THAT I WANNA MAKE TO IT IS, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MINIMUM STAFFING, AND I THINK IT WAS ALLUDED TO EARLIER ABOUT, UH, WELL, POLICE JUST RIDE SHORT.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TERM MEANS, BUT WE HAVE PLENTY OF APPARATUS THAT ARE OUTTA SERVICE, UH, ON A DAILY BASIS.
UH, MINIMUM STAFFING MEANS IN ORDER TO OPERATE THAT UNIT, YOU CANNOT OPERATE SAFELY WITHOUT X NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS PUT OUT OF SERVICE UNITS.
AND WE DON'T HAVE, UM, IT'S NOT DEMANDING THAT PEOPLE STAY OVER.
UM, THAT IS JUST A FUNCTION OF IF YOU'RE, IF THAT UNIT IS IN SERVICE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS MANY PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD.
YEAH, AGREE MARIO, ON A COUPLE THINGS.
I, I MEAN, IT'S ONE THING FOR A POLICE OFFICER TO RIDE IN A VEHICLE BY HIMSELF.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT IN AN AMBULANCE AND TREAT THE PATIENT THE SAME TIME.
HOPEFULLY DIFFICULT, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
UH, AND THE OTHER THING, YEAH, TO YOUR POINT, A SCHEDULED VACATION DAY ON A DEBIT DAY IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN CALLING IN SICK.
I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE AN ISSUE IS, IS THERE A DELTA ON THE CALLING IN SICK? AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY THING I WOULD LOOK AT.
NO, AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY, UM, FOCUSED ON THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE OUR, OUR GOAL, I MEAN, REMEMBER IF WE'RE 500 SHORT, UH, THAT MEANS EVERY DAY YOU'RE COMING IN, YOU, IF A HUNDRED PEOPLE SHOWED A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE SHOW UP TO WORK, YOU WOULD STILL NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITIES TO, TO MAN THE UNITS.
UM, YOU SHOULD POST A BUILD IN, UH, THE DELTA.
THE PERFECT DELTA IS WHAT IS YOUR FULL-TIME? IF YOU ARE MAXIMUM, MAXIMUM EMPLOYED THIS NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS OVER AND ABOVE YOUR MINIMUM, WHAT WOULD THAT COST BE VERSUS WHAT WOULD YOUR COST BE IF YOU SAID YOU LEFT THAT SHORT A HUNDRED AND THE OVERTIME COST, THERE'S A BENEFIT.
THERE'S THAT SWEET DELTA IN THERE.
NO, AND IF, IF YOU'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, 2000 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO SHOW UP EVERY DAY, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE ARE GONNA CALL IN SICK.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S LIFE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'VE DONE ANYTHING.
WE, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT YOU KNOW, UH, ARE OUT THERE REPEATEDLY IF, IF YOU'RE SICK, WE DON'T, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE GOOD TO YOUR CREW AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE GOOD TO THE PEOPLE.
AND YOU DON'T WANT A SICK, FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF SOMEBODY THAT IS, UH, THAT IS CRITICAL.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR THE FIREFIGHTER PRESENTATION?