TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Mike Niblock, Fire Chief
SUBJECT:
title
Intergovernmental Agreement with the State of Oregon, Office of the Fire Marshal for Regional Hazardous Materials Emergency Response.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Natural Environment Stewardship; Safe Community
end
ISSUE:
Shall City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the State of Oregon, Office of the Fire Marshal to provide regional hazardous materials emergency response for the State of Oregon 2019-2021 biennium?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the State of Oregon, Office of the Fire Marshal to provide regional hazardous materials emergency response for the State of Oregon 2019-2021 biennium.
body
SUMMARY:
The attached IGA will renew the hazardous materials emergency response team agreement between the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the City of Salem through June 30, 2021. The new agreement is similar to the most recent agreement, with updated compensation to the City based on current hourly wages and benefits.
The Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team program is a partnership between local government and the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Local governments participating in the program are responsible for providing sufficient, trained personnel to staff the team on a 24 hour per day, 7 day per week basis; housing and maintenance for state-owned equipment; and outreach training for local responders and conglomerates within the designated response region. In turn, OSFM provides funds for technical training, emergency response vehicles and specialized equipment, and cost recovery for response to incidents. Eligible cost recovery includes both expenses for technicians who respond to hazardous materials incidents and backfill pay for personnel covering the minimum staffing vacancies of activated team members. Reimbursement amounts for eligible costs is outlined in Exhibit J of the IGA (Attachment 1) and provides up to $101,179.67 for hazardous materials emergency response team activities for the 2019-2021 biennium.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The City of Salem’s Fire Department responded to a total of 843 in-district calls for Hazardous Material incidents during Fiscal Year(s) 2017/18 and 2018/19. Performing as a State Regional Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team, a total of 9 calls were responded to during Fiscal Year(s) 2017/18 and 2018/19, most of which were within the Salem city limits. During Fiscal Year(s) 2017/18 and 2018/19, the City received reimbursements from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office totaling $66,211 for expenses incurred to operate the hazardous materials program
The Agreement allows for modification by mutual agreement of the parties. The City Manager may execute amendments to the Agreement if the following requirements are met: 1) The amendments do not substantially expand the City’s obligations; 2) The amendments do not broaden the scope of the Agreement to other subject matters; 3) The amendments do not increase the City’s financial obligations; and, 4) The amendments may extend the term or renew the Agreement so long as any other changes to the Agreement do not substantially expand the City’s obligations.
BACKGROUND:
In January of 2004 the City of Salem and the OSFM signed an IGA designating the Salem Fire Department as one of the state’s 13 Regional Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Teams. Salem’s Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team ensures that the environment, along with public health and safety, is protected from hazardous material releases. This is accomplished by identifying unknown substances, assessing threats, coordinating multi-agency responses and mitigating spills and releases.
Salem’s Region 13 Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team, which is funded through petroleum load fees, is currently comprised of 24 technicians from the Salem Fire Department and one technician from City of Salem Public Works Department. The team protects a population of approximately 456,675 within a region encompassing 6,319 square miles throughout portions of seven counties. Of the state’s 13 regions, Region 13 has the second highest demand for hazardous materials incident response.
MIKE NIBLOCK
FIRE CHIEF
Attachments:
1. IGA for Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team 2019-2021