Fire districts to entertain shared services
The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District may be sharing comprehensive services with a neighboring district in the near future.
The FMB Board of Fire Commissioners hosted a joint session with four officials from the Bonita Springs Fire Control District to discuss collective cost-saving measures between the two districts. Fire Board Chairman Steve Lohan, Fire Chief Phil Kinsey, Deputy Chief Joseph Daigle and Fire Marshall Tim Fernandez represented Bonita Springs at the workshop.
“One of the methodical steps to affect further in our future sustainability would be to look at these comprehensive services that we would not be alone in trying to seek out and provide,” said FMB Fire Chief Mike Becker. “Up until now, one drawback for the fire district has been that no one has shared the same core of service delivery value that we have. Bonita Springs wants to share that value of providing the EMS transport to their community.”
Other than Emergency Medical Services through ambulance transport, the two districts are considering shared services in Information Technology, cooperative training and possibly staff sharing to curb overtime costs. The two districts already have an approved Interlocal Agreement involving Planned Review Services.
Lohan asked the Beach officials for support at the county level while they inquire about the issuance of a Certificate Of Public Convenience and Necessity, a private ambulance service certificate for Florida.
“Speaking for the rest of the board, we are unanimously behind this. We would appreciate a letter or some sort of support at our hearing to show you support our effort,” he said.
Lohan said his own officials have “overwhelming support” from residents regarding the COPCN in their own district. The Bonita Springs Fire Board will seek approval from the Lee County Board of County Commissioners at a scheduled Oct. 25 hearing. If approved, the process to begin such a service would take 6 to 8 months to start up.
Chief Kinsey said Bonita Springs provides ALS licensed transport and is usually on site two minutes prior to Lee County EMS. Bonita and Beach fire districts have standards that call for an average of 4 to 6 minutes in response times, while the Lee EMS standard is 8.59 average.
“What we see is that we can provide a more efficient service for the taxpayers within the district than can Lee County,” he said. “The driving factor behind this is to improve the service to the district.
The Bonita Springs fire chief said the County sends only 2 to 3 vehicles to attend to his district’s ambulance calls. Bonita Springs has five stations within their city limits.
“We are proposing four vehicles. In order to get it approved by the County, we have to show an increased level of service,” he said.
FMB Fire Commissioner John Scanlon worked for Lee EMS for nine years and agrees that Bonita Springs could benefit with their own ambulance service.
“I totally understand your plight. It would probably be best for everybody involved if you guys got your four ambulances. You could service your district the way you would like, and those 2 county ambulance could probably go somewhere else,” he said.
Bringing the Beach aboard would help in that endeavor to generate revenue from user fees with the EMS transport. Cutting overtime costs may also provide the districts relief in this continuing economic downturn.
“It’s the leverage of having a unified plight for survival. We’ve talked from time to time about staff sharing and how that could curb some overtime costs,” said Becker. “We really have a good relationship here.”
Both districts are on the southern end of Lee County, yet have a geographical difference in size.
“We could have 8 fire stations trying to accomplish the same mission. Just with strength in numbers, we could stand a better chance at surviving,” said Becker.
“Fort Myers Beach is a small district as compared to Bonita Springs. They are very large, not just geographical but in taxable value as well. We share a lot of mindsets at trying to protect the taxpayers and people who are on the trucks doing their jobs. We hope to move forward with the cooperative efforts.”
The Beach Fire District agreed to provide the Bonita Springs District a letter of support before the BOCC hearing.
Come Oct. 18, at their regularly scheduled board meeting, the Beach fire commissioners will consider voting on an Interlocal Agreement involving the reduced services with their neighbors.