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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-11-13-Meeting Agendawww.augustaga.gov Finance Committee Meeting Committee Room- 11/13/2006- 1:30 PM FINANCE 1. Consider a tax appeal from Jennifer Rucker regarding Peach Orchard Plaza, 2708 Peach Orchard Road. (Map 098-3-245-00-0) (Referred from October 30 Finance Committee) Attachments 2. Approve a request for funding assistance for the Augusta Fire Department Training Facility. Attachments 3. Consider abatement of tax accounts on City property. Attachments 4. Motion to approve a request to have tax accounts in the name of the Land Bank abated. Attachments 5. Request to abate balance of 2006 taxes on Map 179, Parcel 3.10. Attachments 6. Request that the Committee abate taxes due on Map 42-4, Parcel 2, now in the name of Augusta. Attachments Finance Committee Meeting 11/13/2006 1:30 PM Jennifer Rucker Department:Clerk of Commission Caption:Consider a tax appeal from Jennifer Rucker regarding Peach Orchard Plaza, 2708 Peach Orchard Road. (Map 098-3-245- 00-0) (Referred from October 30 Finance Committee) Background: Analysis: Financial Impact: Alternatives: Recommendation: Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Clerk of Commission Finance Committee Meeting 11/13/2006 1:30 PM Request for funding for Fire Department Training Facility Department:Fire Department, Howard Willis, Chief Caption:Approve a request for funding assistance for the Augusta Fire Department Training Facility. Background:The Augusta Fire Department is requesting assistance from the Augusta Commission in obtaining a funding source for the construction of the training facility for the Augusta Fire Department. The I.S.O. has contacted Chief Willis and advised him that they will be doing their assessment of the City’s fire insurance ratings within the next four to six months. The Fire Department’s funding through SPLOST V for this project is not scheduled until 2010. The lack of this facility will have a very detrimental effect on the Fire Department’s rating classification. This is illustrated by the report on the Fire Department by the pre-I.S.O. analysis consultant in 2004. A synopsis of that report is attached to this agenda item. Analysis:The major missing component in our training program is standard's compliant structure fire burn building and drill tower. We are the largest fire department in the United States without such a facility. Many communities 1/20th our size have proper facilities. ISO credits 35% of our training score on facility use. The ability to safely simulate live fires, smoke, forcible entry, place ladders, cut holes in roofs is critical to maintaining a well trained fire department. Many firefighters throughout the country are killed using acquired old structures for live fire training. Financial Impact: Almost all of the issues up for correction were identified as things to fix 18 years ago by the ISO auditor. Literally every mortgage holder and business would see a change in the mortgage to address the increase in insurance premiums should business as usual be sustained until the next audit. The value to the citizens of the next rating will be at least $76 million for homeowners alone. Alternatives:In order for the Augusta Fire Department to move forward with this project, we are asking that the following alternative funding sources be considered. (1) Consider the use of recaptured Phase IV SPLOST funds as a funding source to be replaced by the allocated Phase V SPLOST funds as they become available. (2) Assign this project a higher priority and move the Phase V SPLOST funding forward from 2010 to this years funding cycle. (3) Consider funding this project using COPS funding and replacing them with the allocated Phase V SPLOST funds as they become available. Recommendation:As we see, an increase in fire insurance premiums due to the lack of this facility will have a significant impact on the taxpayers of Augusta for the next insurance rating period. It is because of this financial liability that recommend consideration for advanced funding of this project. Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: To be identified REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Administrator. Clerk of Commission Augusta, Georgia Pre-Rating Audit By Larry H. Stevens (800) 595-2600 isoslayer@aol.com Overview How do you judge and measure fire protection? In order to measure anything you need a standard to measure by. Often statewide statistics are used in conjunction with compliance to national minimum standards. In the fire service the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) which is also referenced by OSHA is the national standard. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) sets the standards for good practice for water systems. The Insurance Services Office uses those two standards to measure every community in the US for compliance. Their grade is what all your community’s insurance premiums are based upon. Your state legislature authorizes ISO to grade all communities. The only nationally recognized means of quantitatively and qualitatively measuring a community is with its ISO rating. The ISO is not here to help you but simply collect data to sell to the insurance industry. The real question has to be asked how does Augusta compare to other cities in the state with better grades? THE ISO The ISO is a for profit monopoly that is authorized by 48 state legislatures to rate community fire defenses. They sell that data to the insurance industry for the purposes of establishing insurance rates. The ISO audit is a totally open book test. The ISO rating sets commercial, contents, homeowner, crop and rental insurance rates. The ISO rates most communities every 10 to 15 years. The ISO completes four evaluations and awards four grades for the following: 1) A review of the communications and dispatch facilities. 2) A review of the water supply and distribution system. 3) A review of the fire department. 4) And awards a community wide grade that is combined from the three above. The community wide grade has a 100 point score and is made up of: communications which counts for 10%; water supply which totals 40% and the fire department which is worth 50%. As you can see it is not just a fire department grade. The grading audit simply measures compliance to the national minimum standards in the respective areas. Examples of questions asked are: Can a caller find the fire department phone number in the phonebook? Does the water system match the needed fire flow requirements of the buildings in the department? Are your ladders long enough to reach the buildings you protect? Do you test your fire hydrants? Are your fire stations properly located? Are there enough hydrants in the right areas? Do you have the correct mix of fire apparatus. The grade is presented in a Class 1 to Class 10 format. With Class 1 being the best, Class 10 being no protection and Class 9 being the worst possible fire department. A Class 1 department pays the lowest possible rates and scores 90% or better on meeting the national standards in communications, fire department and water supply. A Class 5 pays medium rates and meets 50% to 60% of the standards. A Class 9 is the worst grade for any form of recognized fire protection and only scores 10% to 20%. The insurance industry has made it clear that town’s that offer high levels of fire protection services will pay less insurance than communities that offer low or mediocre levels of protection. Realtors and developers use ISO data that is readily available to the public to determine which communities are the friendliest to their customers. For example, the increase in the mortgage payment caused by higher insurance premiums is the difference in buying a fixer upper or a starter home or a mobile home versus renting an apartment. Realtors make their money on the value of the home sold. Obviously, they will double their efforts to sell the more expensive home for the same monthly payment. That might mean ignoring one town for another with a better rating. In other cases the only option the homeowner has is to buy in town because equally priced rural homes cost too much to insure. In some cases insurance is so high the buyer cannot qualify for a loan. To a developer, the rating difference can determine the community they select. Many chamber of commerce’s use the ISO grade to market themselves to business against other cities in the area. A poll of the Nation’s town and county managers indicates the importance of ISO ratings and public fire protection. Sixty two percent say it effects budget decisions. Seventy percent say it saves people money but more importantly 90% say it is important to saving lives and property. ISO collects data from all fire loses in the U.S. What they have found is insurance companies pay out less in claims in communities with better ISO ratings. In fact, there is 340% difference top to bottom on commercial losses and a 297% difference on residential losses. Good fire protection is an investment in saving lives and property. Loss per $1000 valuation Source: ISO Class Commercial Residential Class Commercial Residential 1 $0.25 $0.37 6 $0.45 $0.55 2 $0.30 $0.37 7 $0.55 $0.75 3 $0.35 $0.42 8 $0.60 $0.78 4 $0.37 $0.45 9 $0.68 $0.79 5 $0.38 $0.49 10 $0.85 $1.10 The Last Rating The Fire Department has three separate ISO grades. The Augusta Fire Department scored an ISO Class 2 in the 1972 rating. In other words, community fire services are meeting 85% of the minimum national standards at that time. The Class 2 applies to all areas of the city. An ISO Class 5/9 applies to all areas of the County outside of Augusta within 5 miles of a fire station with the exception of the Blythe and McBean areas which have Class 6/9 ratings. The Class 5 or 6 applies only in those areas within 1000 feet of a fire hydrant. A Class 5 means you meet 59% of the minimum standards and a Class 6 means 46%. Property outside of 1000 feet of a fire hydrant are Class 9. Class 9 means you cannot sustain one standard hose line. Some areas the department covers are beyond five miles from a fire station and receive a Class 10 unprotected rating. Cost Savings A survey of City insurance carriers writing 80% of the policies in Augusta indicate the following. The fire department currently saves the community in excess of $14.7 million a year in fire insurance premiums on just residential property. That is $510 a home every year. On an investment of $87 per capita for fire protection coverage. In the county the citizens in the Class 5 and 6 areas pay $370 more a year on their insurance than those in the city limits. Those in the Class 9 areas pay an additional $194 over the Class 6 rates. Class 10’s pay an extra $178 over Class 9 rates. In all taxpayers pay an extra 1.3 million dollars a year for insurance. Residents in the Class 9 and 10 areas are very limited in what is available for fire insurance. Their deductibles are 4 times higher than other areas of the city or county. BREAK DOWN OF POINTS IF REATED TODAY Communications Last rating communications scored a 95%. The current score for the facility is 86%. Each fire station needs a backup generator manual portable or automatic fixed and they need to test it under load weekly for full credit and maintain written records of al tests and maintenance. Phone book listings are improper so callers will have a challenge finding who to call or even calling the correct phone numbers. Richmond County/Augusta, Blythe and McBean needs to be added to the inside cover 9-1-1 listings of areas served. Dispatch should acquire Call Data Reporting (CDR) software and automatically sync the phone and CAD clocks via a software hardware update. If funding is an issue, www.PSFA.us/ provides grants in aid to 911 centers. Add the following listings to the phone book and remove the current listings: F pages Fire Department Augusta To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 - 2909 C Pages Augusta Fire Department To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 – 2909 F Fire Department Richmond County/Augusta To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 - 2909 R Pages Richmond County/Augusta Fire Department To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 – 2909 B pages Fire Department Blythe/Augusta To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 - 2909 F Pages Blythe/Augusta Fire Department To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 – 2909 F Fire Department McBean /Augusta To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 - 2909 M Pages McBean/Augusta Fire Department To report a fire 911 For all other purposes (706) 821 – 2909 Water Supply. Last rating supply scored 85.3%. Current score 80%. Water storage is more than adequate district wide for fire protection purposes except in Blythe and McBean. Water main size limits fire flow potential in some areas. GIS data of all fire hydrants in the city indicate that some sites will need long hose lays and relays from distant larger mains to attain needed fire flows from larger water mains. In some cases the typical single hydrant fire flow test will not allow the needed fire flow information or ability of a given hydrant. In such cases, conduct an NFPA two hydrant main test to match the needed fire flows. Continue what you’ve been doing for years, upgrade water lines size and work on the distribution system to improve flows and pressures and maintain system reliability. Make sure you follow the ISO fire flow standards on all new construction. Under ISO rules four fire hydrants need to be within 1000 feet of each major building for full credit of your water system or one per 1000 gpm required. Due to friction loss in long hose lays, ISO limits hydrants over 300 feet from the fire building to 67% credit, hydrants beyond 600 feet but less than 1000 feet only count 25% and hydrants beyond 1000 feet don’t count at all. A written policy will be needed spelling out reverse lay procedures for long hose lays to get full credit from all hydrants out to 1000 feet at 100% flow. The last rating in the City 12% of all flow tests ISO conducted had plenty of water available but not enough hydrants for tactical use. In 88% of the flow tests more water was needed than was available from the close in hydrants to meet the fire flows. In the County 77% of the properties were near the 50% mark of water needed for fighting purposes and 52% of the sites would have received more credit if more hydrants were in place. And in McBean and Blythe 40% of the test sites had plenty of water but insufficient hydrant spacing docked you and in 80% of the properties were very short of water in the ground.. Due to wide hydrant spacing, it will be far cheaper to add 5 inch fire hose to fire trucks and replace the 3 inch hose than to double or triple the number of fire hydrants in the city and county to address the needed fire flows. I would suggest 2000 feet of five inch hose on all engine companies. Carrying more hose would allow the elimination of almost all Class 9 areas in the County. The 1000 foot hydrant distance limit would be expanded to a mile. Plus distant larger mains could be used to bring their water to bear on large fires with small near in mains. A survey of the needed fire flows for the 5 largest non-sprinkled buildings over 10,000 square feet on the ground floor in each station’s response area will allow the community to measure the ability of the water system today versus in 1986. Once you have the data for the largest buildings, get square root the square footage of the ground floor and multiply by 22 to get the needed fire flow gpm. Make sure the hydrant cards match the needed fire flow of all sites. If the hydrant cards do not match the needed fire flow then conduct a NFPA two hydrant flow test to attain the needed flows. Once those flow tests are completed, you need to insure one hydrant is available per 1000 gpm needed within 1000 feet of each building up to 4000 gpm. If you are short hydrants at any of those properties have the water authority add the hydrants. In addition, to the above; order a Batch Report from ISO to determine the needed fire flow properties on their books for Augusta and review the test sites in your old ISO paperwork for adequacy of flow today. Then match a hydrant card to each site. Any site short of water should be re-flowed using an NFPA three hydrant test and insure one fire hydrant per 1000 gpm need within 1000 feet and fill in hydrants as needed. Any sprinkled buildings appearing on the Batch Report should be discussed with ISO as to what is missing to give it sprinkled building hydrant credit. Hydrant Condition and Maintenance. Last rating you scored an 80%. Current score 100%. All hydrants are attached to the correct sized water lines and the maintenance factor is not determined until the actual evaluation. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) the bible of municipal water systems clearly states all fire hydrants will be color coded to indicate flow and main size. That is not occurring in Augusta. There is no way to look at a hydrant and know its abilities. Print out an inspection criteria for all hydrants that follows the American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards. Hydrant Testing. Last rating you scored 71.6%. Current score 30%. Fire hydrants need to be pressure tested every 6 months as recommended by the American Water Works Association and the National Fire Protection Association for full credit. A flow test is not needed for full credit. Currently, one flow test is conducted every other year or so by fire crews. ISO will expect to see the last three test records. FIRE DEPARTMENT Fire Station Distribution. Last rating you scored 57.5%. Current score 51.5%. The city chose overkill but limited locations for fire stations for many years in the city core. Stations 1, 2, 3 and 4 are right up against the river. Such a placement gives them half circle coverage 50% land area response compared to the balance of the city stations. Station 2 and 3 are unneeded for ISO purposes. Station 13 or 6 is unneeded as is 11 or 6. In short, 4 of the 19 stations are not needed. Credit is determined based upon the number of apparatus fully equipped and the location of the fire station to the property they protect. Current apparatus is not properly equipped so you only get partial credit for your station. Plus you are missing some needed apparatus. ISO follows the recognized national standards as to fire engine spacing. The distance requirement for the first fire engine is one and a half road miles to the property it is assigned to protect. The distance requirement for the first ladder is two and a half road miles of the property it is assigned to protect. ISO’s 1.5 and 2.5 mile distances fit well NFPA standard 1710 and OSHA’s 2 in 2 out response time requirements. With biological death said to begin to occur in 4 minutes from the time the heart stops beating or when the victim stops breathing. Every minute beyond that results in a 10% reduction in life expectancy. For years, the conventional wisdom was that help must come within 10 minutes. But new findings this year from the Mayo Clinic show that lives actually are saved or lost within six minutes. Due to long response times faced by first responders from many of your remote fire stations and a limited number of ambulances, in at least 26% of Augusta’s response area you would be better served if someone called you a cab or offered you a drive to the hospital for a survival stand point. These patients must be reached and shocked with a defibrillator within six minutes, or they almost always die. When you figure dispatch has to handle the call and crews have to then get to their apparatus, a 5 minute station spacing is essential for public safety. Saving victims of choking, heart attack, smoke inhalation, stroke and major trauma requires strong elected leadership to improve emergency response times and improve the survival rates. A one-minute decrease in the call-to-shock time increases the odds of survival by 57%. In other words, meeting ISO response criteria district wide, which will result in a three- minute reduction in call-to-shock time, improves a victim's odds of survival almost four- fold. Response All structure fire responses and fire alarms need a two engine and one ladder or service company response for full credit. Engines. Last rating you scored 73.3%. Current score for the 87.5%. Last rating the city needed 16 engines. ISO rules require the first due engine company to be within 1.5 road miles of the property it is assigned to protect. On most older pumpers you are missing one air pack and one spare bottle. A large percentage of the fleet is missing the needed two salvage covers, distributor nozzle and one of the two requires smooth bore 2 ½ inch shutoff nozzles. There are plenty of spare air packs, spare bottles, smooth bore tip nozzles in supply to relocate to properly equip the fleet. Pumper Equipment and Hose Needed Have Equipment and hose 800’ ____ Supply hose 2 ½” or larger 400’ ____ Attack hose of 2”, 2 ½” or 3” 300 gallons ____ Booster tank 200’ ____ Booster or another 1”, 1 ½” or 1 ¾” preconnect 400’ ____ 1 1/2”, 1 3/4” or 2” preconnected 200’ ____ Spare 1 1/2”, 1 3/4” or 2” 200’ ____ Spare 2”, 2 1/2” or 3" spare 1 ____ Heavy stream appliance (1,000 gpm) no nozzle needed 1 ____ Distributing or piercing nozzle 1 ____ Foam eductor or built in foam system 10 gallons____ Class A or B foam 15 gallons____ Spare foam may be carried or at station 2 ____ 2 1/2” nozzle with 1”, 1 1/8”, 1 ¼” tips 2 ____ 2 1/2” combination nozzles with shutoff 200 gpm minimum* 2 ____ 1 1/2” combination nozzles with shut-off 4 ____ Air packs 30, 45 or 60 minute 4 ____ Extra cylinders (carried) 2 ____ Salvage covers(12’x18’ or 12’x14’)canvas or heavy rip stop plastic 2 ____ Electric hand light (4V. wet, 5V. dry) no flashlights 1 ____ Hose clamp 1 ____ Hydrant hose gate (2 1/2”), hydrant wye four way or Humat valve. 1 ____ Burst hose jacket or hose clamp (2 1/2”) 1 ____ Gated wye (2 ½” x 1 ½” x 1 ½”) water thief or any form of gated wye. 1 ____ Mounted vehicle radio 1 ____ Portable radio 1 ____ 12’, 14’ or 16’ roof ladder 1 ____ 24’, 28’, 30’ or 35 ‘extension ladder ____ Annual pump tests ____ Annual hose tests Reserve Engines. Last rating you scored 66%. Current score 12%. Last rating you needed 3 fully equipped reserve pumpers. ISO rules require one spare engine for every 8 required engines. 5 fully equipped reserve engines are needed, 6 if 48 engines are ever attained. All reserve apparatus must be fully equipped to be credited. As they sit today you might not get any credit for the reserve apparatus due to lack of equipment Pump Test Records ISO will expect to see the last three pump test records for each piece of apparatus with no more than 12 month intervals for full credit. Your average interval varies from 9 to 16 months. Hose Test Records ISO will expect to see the last three hose test records with no more than a 12 month interval. Your average interval varies from 10 to 14 months. Ladder Companies. Last rating you scored 26.2%. Current score 20.6%. Only 3 of the needed 6 fully equipped ladder companies are provided. Last rating in 1986 ISO clearly stated you needed 6 ladders and 6 service companies. One service company is available but is not creditable because it is not staffed. ISO rules require the first due ladder company to be within 2 1/2 road miles of the property it is assigned to protect. The standard for a required ladder company is 5 buildings 3 stories or taller, 5 buildings more than 35 feet to the eve, 5 building with fire flows above 3500 gpm or any combination of structures totaling 5 or more or any two districts that combined total 5 or more. A service company is required within 2 ½ road miles of all property protected that does not require a ladder truck. For each building over 35 feet in height to the eves, or each 3 story structure or any building with a fire flow over 3500 gpm, the service company needs one ground ladder off the required ground ladder list starting with the tall ladders first. Once five ground ladders are needed on a service company a ladder or platform is needed as well to reach the eves of the tallest building in its response district up or 100 feet, whichever is lowest. Stations 1, 4, 6, 10, 13 and 9 need 100 foot ladders or towers. Existing ladders would need two additional breathing apparatus and one additional 35 foot and three 500 watt portable floodlights ladder to get full credit. T-1 needs 3 more salvage covers. T-3 needs a hose/equipment hoist. Currently they score 95% Needed ground ladders are available at no cost off the old ladder trucks.. Stations 14, 19, 12, 16, 18 and 17 all require service companies for full credit. The service company as equipped currently scores 69% for equipment but gets no credit because it is not staffed. Note: The low cost way to get the maximum engine/service company credit of 50% is if each engine in Stations 14, 19, 12, 7, and 17 all carried 12 salvage covers (plastic tarps from Home Depot), move the 6 master stream fog tips off rigs that don’t need them to these rigs, three 500 watt floods (from Lowes for $7 a piece), carry a smoke ejector, a circular or chain saw and a fifth air pack. Equipment for Service and Ladder Companies Needed Have Equipment 1 ____ Large spray nozzle 1000 gpm(500-gpm minimum) 6 ____ Air packs 30, 45 or 60 minute 6 ____ Extra cylinders (carried) 10 ____ Salvage covers (12’ x 18’) canvas or heavy rip stop plastic 1 ____ An electric generator of any form (2,500-watt minimum) 3 ____ Any form of portable or removable floodlight (500-watt minimum) 1 ____ Smoke ejector or thermal imager 1 ____ Oxyacetylene torch, hydraulic or electric extrication cutter tool or combination tool, plasma cutter, air chisel, extra circular saw, sawzall or thermal imager. 1 ____ Circular saw, chain saw with carbide blade, sawzall or thermal imager. 4 ____ Electric hand light (4V wet, 6V dry) 1 ____ Hose roller (equip. hoist) 2 ____ 5’, 6’ or 7’ pike poles 2 ____ 7’, 8’, 9’ or 10’ pike poles 2 ____ 10’, 11’, 12’ 13’ or 14’ poles 1 ____ Mounted vehicle radio 1 ____ Portable radio Add the following equipment to Ladder Companies 1 ____ 10’ collapsible ladder 1 ____ 14’, 16’ extension, A frame, combo or little giant ladder 1 ____ 16’ or 18’ roof ladder 1 ____ 20’ roof or 2nd 16’ ladder 1 ____ 28’or 30’ extension ladder 1 ____ 35’ extension ladder 1 ____ 40’, 45’ or 50’ extension or 2nd 35’ ladder Aerial Device Testing ISO will expect to see the last three aerial ladder load and electronic tests records for each piece of apparatus with no more than a 12 month interval for full credit. Reserve Ladder Companies. Last rating you scored 96%. Current score is 65%. Two properly equipped reserves are needed for full credit. All reserve ladders need to be fully equipped. In a situation where you need ladder trucks and service company apparatus the spare needs to be a ladder truck for full credit. Missing equipment includes: 6 air packs, 6 spare bottles, 10 salvage covers, three 500 watt portable flood lights and one smoke ejector. Pump Capacity. Last rating you scored 100%. Current score 100%, 5 points out of 5. The requirement is 3500 gpm. Staffing. Last rating you scored 67.4%. Current grade: 65.4%. Staffing is determined by the number of in service engine and ladder companies not by needed companies. Always dispatch at least two engines and one truck company on a structure fire and fire alarm calls. With your existing stations, ISO would expect 133 firefighters on duty per shift for the 22 units in service versus today’s 87 per shift. And if you ran the required ladder and service companies 151 firefighters per shift. You would score 21% more if you only staffed the 16 needed engines ISO requires and transfer the balance to other apparatus. For additional credit, list your two person private ambulance response from rural metro on all structure fire response totals of 77% in the category versus 65.4%. Assign recruits to a company while they are in training for additional credit. OSHA 2 in 2 out and NFPA 1500 all state four firefighters must be on-scene before offensive fire attack operations begin. The department needs to get to 4 firefighters per fire truck every day of the year to be standards and federal law compliant. Training. Last rating you scored 64%. Current grade 85%, 7.65 points out of 7.65 possible. You are short hours in officer training, live fire training and multiple company drills and company training. Firefighters need 22.5 hours of training per month. Some positions need additional yearly training such as drivers 12 hours, new drivers 40 hours, officers 12 hours and rookies 240 hours. The major missing component in your training program are standards compliant structure fire burn buildings and drill towers. You are the largest fire department in the United States without such a facility. Many communities 1/20th your size have proper facilities. ISO credits 35% of your training score on facility use. The ability to safely simulate live fires, smoke, forcible entry, place ladders, cut holes in roofs is critical to maintaining a well trained fire department. Many firefighters are killed using acquired old structures for live fire training. Training Recommendations To maximize ISO points consider the following: *Maintain one 12 month period of training records using the following terms and hours. *All members need to be rotated through the drill grounds and those classes recorded as Multi or Single Company drills. Every member needs 24 hours a year. *20 hours of company training are required per month per firefighter. To accomplish that, 2 hours of training is needed per shift per member. EMS training is not creditable for ISO credit. *Each driver must receive 12 hours of training each year. *Each new driver shall attain 40 hours of training. *All officers need 12 hours of supervision, leadership and management training. *All members need 3 hours of haz mat training. . *Recruits need 240 hours of fire service training, no EMS training hours is creditable. Make sure training is kept in the following form: Date Subject Sub Hours Students Total Group Hours 1/1/00 Pump Ops Driver 3 3 9 1/1/00 Leadership Officer 3 10 30 1/2/00 Hose Lays Multi 4 15 60 1/3/00 Haz Mat Haz 1 1 1 1/5/00 Ventilation Company 5 4 20 1/9/00 Rodeo New Driver 3 3 9 1/9/00 Rope Rookie 26 1 26 Individual Class listing Date: 1/1/00 Subject: Ladders Sub Group: Multi-company Students: 3 Hours: 2 Students listed: Anderson xxxxxx Black xxxxxx Willson xxxxxx Moore xxxxxx Totals Year 2003 Subject Required Members Total for Year Ave Driver Training 12 hours 14 188 13 Officer Training 12 hours 11 130 11.8 Multi-Company 24 hours 120 3000 25 Haz Mat Training 3 hours 120 390 32.5 Company Training 120 hours 120 15,480 129 New Driver Training 40 hours 3 120 40 Rookie Training 240 hours 11 2101 191 Pre-fire Planning. Last rating you scored zero. The current score 0%.. The department needs to maintain drawings of all commercial and public buildings that are larger than 1 or 2 family dwellings. All drawings should be updated yearly and records kept of when they wereupdated. Crews should conduct pre-fire plan review classes twice a year. Written records of in station preplan reviews and drawing updates need to be maintained to get full credit. Make sure you have preplans for all buildings on the Batch List, the last ISO flow test buildings and the 10 largest non-sprinkled buildings around each station. Keep a copy of each stations pre-plans on the first alarm apparatus. Divergence. Last rating you scored –0.11%. Today: –1.69%. If the fire department is not at least 20% better in points than the water system, ISO deducts credit from both. Overall Score if rated today. Last rating you scored 85.27%. Today: 71.29%. Barely a Class 3. RECOMMENDATIONS Communications Fix the phone book listings and add emergency generators to all stations and provide written records of generator weekly tests under load. Add time clock sync and CDR software to be able to prove call handing times. Water System Conduct twice yearly pressure tests for leaks of all fire hydrants and conduct visual and operation inspections of all plugs and maintain proper hydrant records. Complete the 100 needed three hydrant flow tests at the 5 largest buildings, the previous hydrant test locations indicated on the map from the last ISO rating and the 3000 gpm or higher buildings listed on the ISO Batch List in each stations district. Then identify and fill in missing hydrants for those properties or rely on 5 inch hose. Provide a written LDH policy for reverse lays to larger mains. Fire department Equip all first line engines and ladders and reserve engines and ladders to full ISO standards. Acquire and properly equip all missing ladder trucks. Outfit all pumpers and reserve pumpers with 5 inch hose. Provide a written reverse lay SOP. Acquire a proper compliant fire training center. Provide proper documentation for twice yearly pre-plan reviews and drawing updates. Address your staffing issues. Doing the above would allow you to maintain the current ISO Class 2 score in the city. A Class 2 offers the largest and last break for residential and commercial properties. In addition it would improve the rural grades by 2 classes and eliminate almost all Class 9 areas. Summary The real challenge in a city like Augusta is to maintain the great ISO rating earned 18 years ago. The real winner over the past dozen years has been the residents of city areas. Your Class 2 puts you in the top 351 fire department out of 44,800 in the country. Your Class 5, 6, areas in the County are in the top 25% of departments in the state and the 9 and 10 areas put you in the bottom 44%. The city has made out and the rural areas have been excessively taxed via insurance premiums. In situations like these I suggest not asking for a re-rating until ISO mandates one. You are 8 years past due on being re-rated. The people in the City get a great deal on their rates as long as you don’t invite ISO in. The folks in the county stand to see an improvement in fire protection scores with the advent of big hose on all pumpers. Use what time you have left to address the needed issues in the recommendations. It is critical that government leaders fully understand that the dispatch center, water system and fire department all need to be upgraded to maintain the current ISO Class 2 grade. No further break is available for the insured to earn a Class 1. On the other side of the coin however a 26% increase in commercial and contents insurance premiums is the penalty for dropping the rating to a Class 3. If you dropped to a Class 4 another 13.9% increase in rates would kick in for the next 10 to 15 years. A Class 4 would also hold a 17% increase in all residential and rental insurance premiums. Almost all of the issues up for correction in this report were identified as things to fix 18 years ago by your ISO auditor. Literally every mortgage holder and business would see a change in the mortgage to address in the increase in insurance premiums should business as usual be sustained until the next audit. The value to the citizens of the next rating is at least $76 million for homeowners alone. Fixing fire protection would only cost 1/6th of the insurance savings. It makes no sense to continue to pay more for fire insurance than it costs to fix the problem and return six times that back to the public. It is my understanding that ISO intends to audit Augusta Fire Department in the first half of 2004. ISO will credit any apparatus or fire equipment that is on order for this grade. Government leaders should look at leasing and bonding to address the issues on the table so that needed upgrades can be credited this rating. Spending plans for the next 5 to 10 years should be brought forward so they can help maintain the excellent insurance rating legacy of the past. Your investment in standards compliant fire protection would place the community in an enviable position to market itself as one of the 9 best in Georgia and in the top six tenths of one percent in the nation. Your ISO grade is a third party verification and the only recognized method of comparing community fire defenses to like communities and measuring performance of your tax dollars invested for fire protection. If you are looking for accountability for taxpayer dollars your ISO rating is the third party verifiable means. You will soon earn an insurance rating in 2004 and it will not change again until 2014 or 2019. Currently, every 61 days the average homeowner is returned his investment in fire protection through reduced insurance rates. Businesses actually halve that figure. It doesn’t make any sense to pay more for insurance than what is needed to solve all of the above problems. In just a few months the city could be graded and receive the new rating and all the benefits therein. The cost to meet the minimum ISO standards: To build training center: $8,000,000 or $480,000 a year on a 30 year loan. To buy 3 fully equipped quints = $2,300,000 or $240,000 yearly on a 12 year lease. To buy 2000 feet of 5” hose and fittings for all engines = $303,600 or $31,600 yearly on a 12 year lease. To buy 11 backup generators = $38,500 or $4,000 yearly on a 12 year lease. To complete all the above would result in a monthly water rate increase of $0.93. or a property tax increase of $11.16 a year. To staff 6 additional stations at four firefighters and three more ladder trucks 3.6 million 4.47 a month on the water bill or a property tax increase of $53.64 a year.. November 7, 2006 To Whom It May Concern Re: This is an update to the report sent to the Commission and Administrator by former Chief Al Gillespie in 2004. I.S.O. Re-evaluation survey financial impact (Updated) The City of Augusta has been fortunate to maintain the great I.S.O. rating earned 18 years ago. Unfortunately the City is 8 years past due on being re-evaluated. It is going to be a real challenge to maintain the current I.S.O. ratings that has allowed our citizens to maintain the lower fire insurance premiums that they have enjoyed over the past years. Your Class 2 rating in the pre- consolidation city puts you in the top 351 fire departments out of 44,800 in the country. Your Class 5, 6, areas in the old County are in the top 25% of departments in the state and the 9 and 10 areas put you in the bottom 44%. Due to consolidation of the City, there will be only one rating assigned to the entire county, thus eliminating the multiple rating that exists today. There is a consensus that the overall rating will be somewhere in the Class 4 range after the next survey. A survey of City insurance carriers writing 80% of the policies in Augusta indicates the following. The fire department currently saves the community in excess of $14.7 million a year in fire insurance premiums on just residential property. That is $510 a home every year. On an investment of $87 per capita for fire protection coverage. It is critical that government leaders fully understand that the dispatch center, water system and fire department all need to be upgraded to maintain the current ISO Class 2 grade. Almost all of the issues up for correction in this pre- I.S.O. report were identified as things to fix 18 years ago by the I.S.O. auditor. Literally every mortgage holder and business will see a change in the mortgage to address in the increase in insurance premiums should business as usual be sustained until the next audit. A 26% increase in commercial and contents insurance premiums is the penalty for dropping the rating to a Class 3. The yearly commercial value of the next grade is $35 million dollars. You currently save $50.4 million for commercial property yearly. This will result in a savings decrease of approximately $15.4 million yearly. If you dropped to a Class 4 another 13.9% increase in rates would kick in for the next 10 to 15 years. A Class 4 would also hold a 17% increase in all residential and rental insurance premiums. The value to the citizens of the next rating period is at least $76 million for homeowners alone. Fixing fire protection would only cost 1/6th of the insurance savings. It makes no sense to continue to pay more for fire insurance than it costs to fix the problem and return six times that back to the public in premium savings. The cost to meet the minimum ISO standards: To build training center: $8,000,000 or $480,000 a year on a 30 year loan. (Started) To buy 3 fully equipped aerials = $2,300,000 or $240,000 yearly on a 12 year lease. To buy 2000 feet of 5” hose and fittings for all engines = $303,600 or $31,600 yearly on a 12 year lease. (Started) To buy 10 backup generators = $175,000.00 (Accomplished) To staff all engines at four firefighters and three more ladder trucks 3.6 million. This will be the only recurring annual cost over the 10 year rating cycle. Total initial investment in equipment and fixed assets =$10,778,600.00 Personnel cost over the 10 year rating cycle = $36,000,000.00 Total expense to maintain an overall Class 2 rating = $46,778,600.00 Approximate cost of dropping to an overall Class 4 = $230,000,000.00 (Rating period 2006-2015) The funding for these preparations equates to an approximate 1.4 mil increase which would place our millage rate at the overall state average. Respectfully, Michael Rogers, Deputy Chief Augusta Fire Department CC: Chief Howard Willis Administrator, City of Augusta Augusta Commission Members Finance Committee Meeting 11/13/2006 1:30 PM Request to abate tax accounts for City owned property Department:Tax Commissioner's Office - North Williamson, Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner Caption:Consider abatement of tax accounts on City property. Background:These are properties that have been acquired by the City and any taxes collected have been credited. Analysis:N/A Financial Impact:$6,790.44 (Details being submitted in attachment) Alternatives:None Recommendation:Abate the accounts. Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Administrator. Clerk of Commission Tax Commissioner’s Office Attachment to Agenda Item November 13, 2006 Finance Committee Agenda Tax Accounts to be abated on City Owned Property: Map & Parcel Year Amount 040-0-092-03-0 2002 $ 58.55 046-2-141-00-0 2005 $ 325.17 143-0-425-00-0 2001 $ 15.50 214-0-168-00-0 2002 $ 54.96 046-4-085-00-0 2005 $ 87.22 047-1-200-00-0 2005 $ 370.72 070-4-013-00-0 2005 $ 277.45 070-4-014-00-0 2005 $ 61.72 070-4-015-00-0 2005 $ 61.72 070—4-019-00-0 2005 $ 110.06 070-4-021-00-0 2005 $ 66.85 070-4-041-00-0 2004 $ 53.75 097-1-090-00-0 1999-2004 $3,086.16 059-3-517-00-0 1999-2001 $ 860.09 2003-2006 $1,300.52 TOTAL: $6,790.44 Finance Committee Meeting 11/13/2006 1:30 PM Request to abate tax accounts in name of Land Bank Authority Department:Tax Commissioner's Office - North Williamson, Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner Caption:Motion to approve a request to have tax accounts in the name of the Land Bank abated. Background:These properties have been acquired by the Land Bank and they have requested that these accounts be abated based on their qualifying for exempt status. Analysis:N/A Financial Impact:1125 Davis St. 2006 taxes $123.88 1425 James Brown Blvd. 2006 taxes 123.88 1820 Grand Blvd 2006 taxes 24.30 177 Dan Bowles Rd 2005-2006 taxes 696.92 1762 M L King Blvd 1999-2006 taxes 943.42 TOTAL: $1,912.40 Alternatives:Require Land Bank to pay accounts. Recommendation:If the Land Bank is exempt, then the accounts should be abated. Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Administrator. Clerk of Commission Finance Committee Meeting 11/13/2006 1:30 PM Request to abate tax balance on Map 179, Parcel 3.10 Department:Tax Commissioner's Office - North Williamson, Chief Deputy Caption:Request to abate balance of 2006 taxes on Map 179, Parcel 3.10. Background:This parcel was obtained by the City, and the seller's share of the taxes has been paid. The balance of $83.35 should be abated. Analysis: Financial Impact:$83.35 Alternatives:None Recommendation:Abate the account Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: N/A REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Administrator. Clerk of Commission Finance Committee Meeting 11/13/2006 1:30 PM Request to abate taxes on City Property Department:Tax Commissioner's Office - North Williamson, Chief Deputy Caption:Request that the Committee abate taxes due on Map 42-4, Parcel 2, now in the name of Augusta. Background:This is the recreation and swimming pool area of Valley Park Subdivision. The City has absorbed this area effective 2005. At the time, taxes were outstanding for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005. Analysis: Financial Impact:$1,695.79 Alternatives:None Recommendation:Abate the account. Funds are Available in the Following Accounts: N/A REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Finance. Administrator. Clerk of Commission