The Three Rivers City Commission has voted to support the ‘initial aid’ concept and authorize city staff to pursue an ‘initial aid agreement’ with the Fabius-Park Fire Department.
The unanimous action came Tuesday evening (March 2nd) in response to a request from city staff to pursue such an agreement.
In comments prior to the vote, Mayor Allen Balog thanked Fire Chief Dan Tomlinson, Fabius-Park Fire Chief Scott Roderick, City Manager Joe Bippus and others who, he said, “have worked quietly behind the scenes to move in this direction to improve fire service in the Three Rivers area. I see this as a win-win situation, not only for the departments, but for all citizens as well.”
When asked by Commissioner Daryl Griffith if implementing the initial aid approach would result in an increase in volume, Tomlinson said, “Yes” and added, “We currently provide EMS standby for them now so, when they go to a structure fire or something that sounds serious, we’re already sending an ambulance. The only difference will be now that, when we have the staffing, we’ll also send a fire truck.”
A city staff memo on the subject notes that fire departments in St. Joseph County have long enjoyed a county-wide mutual aid agreement and describes initial aid as “a more aggressive and pro-active approach” that provides for “the simultaneous dispatch of multiple departments.”
According to the memo, the purpose of the proposed initial aid agreement is to:
• Better fulfill the primary mission of the fire service – To save lives, and protect property
• Enhance firefighter safety and survival
• And utilize regionally-based resources more effectively and more efficiently.
Regarding fiscal effects, the memo says, “Actual actual costs will be tracked throughout the year allowing city staff to make an informed evaluation. The costs are expected to be minimal, and will be offset by the services received from the Fabius-Park Fire Department.”
The memo also suggests that a successful long-term initial aid agreement has the potential for having a positive impact on the fire protection rating by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), “an improvement that could lead to significant savings on residential, commercial, and industrial fire insurance premiums.”
In commenting on the proposed initial aid agreement provided to the commission, City Attorney Pat O’Malley said, “It’s pretty straightforward” and includes an “easy termination provision” that can be used “if it doesn’t work.” O’Malley said he concurred with the mayor’s comments and said, “This is a good thing for the community.”
The proposed agreement now goes to the Fabius-Park Fire Board and will eventually come back to the commission. O’Malley said, “You’ll see it again before it’s finally approved on the part of the city.”
During a post-meeting interview regarding initial aid, Balog said, “I think it’s a wonderful idea.” And, when asked about a timeline, he said, “Personally, I would like to see something put together in 60 days, or less. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. I think if there are any concerns, we should be able to work those out and get it in force.”
To hear the interview with Mayor Balog, conducted by Bruce Snook of the River Country Journal, click here (1:27 – 1.33 MB)
To view the proposed initial aid agreement, click on the following link: Initial Aid Agreement
