Page 270 - City of Bedford FY21 Budget

FIRE

TOTAL EXPENDITURES
$8,640,419

ACTUAL BUDGET BASE REQUESTS BUDGET
DIVISION/FUND
18/19 19/20 20/21 20/21 20/21
Administration 718,379 750,451 1,084,625 70,703 1,155,328

Operations 7,423,983 7,555,327 7,020,938 464,153 7,485,091
TOTAL $8,142,362 $8,305,778 $8,105,563 $ 534,856 $8,640,419

Future Budget Considerations

The Fire Department budget will focus on the three highest priority challenges facing the Department. Those challenges are
meeting the increasing demand for services, addressing aging fire station facilities and hiring an assistant emergency management
coordinator. The Department has experienced a steady increase in calls–for-service over the past ten years, and has one of the
highest fire/EMS department call volumes in Tarrant County. The sharpest increase has occurred with Emergency Medical Services
(EMS). Last year, the Department experienced a 9.4% increase in EMS calls-for-service. An additional emergency responding unit
called EMS 15 has been placed in service as staffing levels allow. The unit’s purpose is to help meet the increased demand for service
at the lowest possible cost. Currently, EMS 15 utilizes a Ford F-150, light duty, pick-up style vehicle. To best facilitate the
implementation of EMS 15, a specialized vehicle should be considered to improve the effectiveness of this unit.

The Department’s facilities are aging and in need of improvements and replacement. All three Fire Stations need significant repairs,
improvements, and expansions. Fire and EMS service demands are different today than when the stations were constructed.
Technology and capacity needs have changed significantly over the past 30 years. BFD stations lack required safety equipment,
appropriate restroom capacities, and living/work station accommodations. Additionally, there is inadequate decontamination and
other maintenance facilities within the fire stations.

The office and function of Emergency Management is currently assigned to the Fire Department. The Emergency Management
Coordinator (EMC) is solely responsible for disaster preparedness, coordination of disaster response efforts and disaster recovery
efforts for the City of Bedford as a whole. The City eliminated the EMC position in the FY13 budget. By default, the Fire Chief is the
current EMC. The responsibilities of department director and the EMC together are overwhelming. The City needs to consider
adding a staff position to address the work load in emergency management. The lowest cost option is to hire an Assistant
Emergency Management Coordinator to assist the Fire Chief in disaster planning, response and recovery functions.

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