SOUTH BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET DISCUSSION

September 6, 2017, 5pm, County-City Building 4th Floor
Councilpersons Present: Karen White, John Voorde, Jo Broden
NOTE: If you have questions about the City Budget overall, there will be a SPECIAL MEETING ON 9/18/17 at 5pm. The whole meeting will be dedicated to public input. They would appreciate getting your questions in advance so they can research the answer.
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Total proposed budget for 2018 = $33,124,566
General Fund $21,268,390
LOIT $ 3,354,279
EMS Capital $ 2,136,058
EMS 288 $ 6,365,058
LOIT = Local Option Income Tax
EMS Capital pays for Ambulances which cost $250K and leases on vehicles
Ladder Trucks cost $1.2M
Fund 288 Long Term Capital Funding was from EMS income and will now be switched to the Enterprise Fund
SAFER GRANT - will pay $350,000 over 3 years to help staff the department.
FEMA GRANT - $22,000 for smoke alarms and ones for those who are hearing impaired. They work with Red Cross on installation.
HAZ MAT - SB has a contract with the Toll Road to provide Haz Mat services. There is now a new Haz Mat vehicle.
We have "Mutual Aid Agreements" with area Fire Departments, which was utilized when there was a gas leak in downtown South Bend.
SBFD has been trained for Infant Safe Sleep and receives "Sleep Sacks" from the State
Medicaid is slow to pay SB Department - just now paying for services in 2014. Medicaid reimbursement may be going away.
Water Safety Instruction Classes - $45,500+ pulls in Firefighters from all over the US to train on the East Race for 3-5 classes per year. They are one of the few that teach water rescue from a car. $600 per student and it beings in tourism $. They were mentioned in "Firehouse Magazine". Instructors come from SB, Elkhart, Mishawaka and the DNR.
NOTE: It benefits our area because there about 30 water rescues per year in our area. They will be enhancing the training with two new FEMA boats, Type 1 & 2.
Station #4 will be paid for with TIF funds
Station #9 will be paid for with bonds
These will be Silver LEED Certified which means they will be environmentally friendly to both the area and those living and working inside of it. They will include Co-Ed quarters and exercise rooms.
NOTE: Tax increment financing (TIF) is a public financing method that is used as a subsidy for redevelopment, infrastructure, and other community-improvement projects in many countries, including the United States. Similar or related value capture strategies are used around the world.
EMPLOYMENT:
Up to 22 will be retiring in 2018
They are training both Juniors and Seniors in High School. 4 graduated from this program last year. 13 are in the Junior Class and 15 are in the Senior Class.
New training classes starting on 9/18 will include 3 Women, 2 Hispanics, 3 Veterans and 1 African American.
JOB FAIR - 9/14/17 from 4 - 7 pm with other area Fire Departments
HEALTH:
New Fire Stations will have workout rooms
Annual evaluation on fitness with Work Performance Evaluations for Wellness
Cancer Prevention Initiative
Questions:
* Do tall buildings over 5 stories pay an extra annual fee since they require more equipment, training and additional risks to firefighters? 
* Does each unit have the special glasses that see people through the smoke?
* Does each unit have pet resuscitation equipment?
* Sell/give away "___ Pets in this home" stickers?
* Is there an "ICE Tube Program" where people put their medical information in a tube in their freezer and on their phone? These tubes are free from Logan and are assembled by them since 2012 1-800-914-9488 www. theICEapp. com
* Is there a program where people can bring their fire extinquishers in for testing and learn about how to use them in their home/business?
* Could there be a public post about the # and % of each type of EMS Call other than "Advanced/Basic/No Transport"? See the number of Drug OD, Alcohol, shooting, heart attack, water rescue, etc would help us as a community to know where issues are that need to be addressed and have prevention efforts
Supplies have increased from $483,308 in 2015 to an expected $830,490 in 2018. That is almost DOUBLE in 3 years. What is the reason for this increase?
* Is there a program to teach people how to use AED (Automatic Electronic Defribrulators)?
* Is there an inspection program for rentals? Code Enforcement is looking at adding 2 people, but would it be better to have this done through the Fire Dept?
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