REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 13, 2021
FROM
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement Between the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District and the Chino Valley Independent Fire District
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District:
1. Find the no-cost Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement with the Chino Valley Independent Fire District for the emergency provision of a Type 2 Ambulance is authorized by Health and Safety Code section 13877 and serves the following San Bernardino County Fire Protection District purposes:
a. Addresses the limited ambulance resources available in San Bernardino County, as well as the current COVID-19 emergency; and
b. Benefits the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District by having staffed ambulances remain available to meet the health and safety needs of the District.
2. Ratify the action of the Chief Executive Officer, acting as the Director of Emergency Services, in approving the no-cost Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement with the Chino Valley Independent Fire District for the emergency provision of a Type 2 Ambulance for the period of July 2, 2021 to July 13, 2021.
3. Approve Amendment No. 1 to the Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement with the Chino Valley Independent Fire District that extends the term of the agreement by 42 days, from July 13, 2021 to August 24, 2021, to continue the emergency provision of a Type 2 Ambulance and to provide additional time to develop a comprehensive agreement with the Chino Valley Independent Fire District to address future equipment loans.
(Presenter: Dan Munsey, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, 387-5779)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement provides a one-time loan of an ambulance to the Chino Valley Independent Fire District (CVFD) at no cost. However, CVFD is responsible for the provision of fuel, maintenance, and normal wear and tear repairs while the ambulance is under the care of CVFD. CVFD must also maintain general liability and automobile liability insurance as defined in the Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds were used to purchase ambulances as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These ambulances were specifically purchased to be loaned to other agencies, if needed, to meet increased call volume or to help mitigate ambulance patient offload delays at hospitals. Due to the closure of paramedic schools during the pandemic, a severe shortage of staffing resources needed to operate these ambulances has occurred.
CVFD was and is in urgent need of an ambulance and has firefighter paramedics that are available to staff the ambulance. CVFD requested to temporarily borrow an ambulance from the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD). Due to the urgency of this request, the limited ambulance resources, and the availability of an unstaffed Type 2 Ambulance, the Chief Executive Officer, acting as the Director of Emergency Services, executed a no-cost Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement between SBCFPD and CVFD for the provision of a Type 2 Ambulance as a one-time loan to CVFD, for the period of July 2, 2021 to July 13, 2021.
Recommendation Number 1 finds the no-cost Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement is authorized by Health and Safety Code section 13877 and serves the following SBCFPD purposes: addresses the limited ambulance resources available in San Bernardino County, as well as the current COVID-19 emergency; and benefits SBCFPD by having ambulances remain available to meet the health and safety needs of SBCFPD. More specifically, SBCFPD has an unstaffed Type 2 Ambulance available to loan to CVFD, and providing this vehicle to CVFD reduces the possibility that staffed ambulance resources in the Valley region of SBCFPD will be shifted from SBCFPD to CVFD.
Recommendation Number 2 ratifies the emergency action taken by the Chief Executive Officer in approving the Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement for the period of July 2, 2021 to July 13, 2021. The Type 2 Ambulance is being provided to CVFD at no cost. However, CVFD is responsible for the provision of fuel, maintenance, and normal wear and tear repairs while the ambulance is under the care of CVFD. CVFD must also maintain general liability and automobile liability insurance as defined in the Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement.
Recommendation Number 3 approves Amendment No. 1 to the no-cost Temporary Equipment Loan Agreement with CVFD, which extends the term of the agreement by 42 days, from July 13, 2021 to August 24, 2021, for the emergency provision of a Type 2 Ambulance. This will provide SBCFPD additional time to develop a comprehensive agreement that will set forth the requirements and processes to address future equipment loans, if necessary, due to limited ambulance resources, increased call volume, or other emergency needs.
Approval of this item will support an ambulance system that has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Julie J. Surber, Principal Assistant County Counsel, and Scott M. Runyan, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 6, 2021; Risk Management (Rafael A. Viteri, Deputy Director, 382-3211) on July 6, 2021; Finance (Tom Forster, Administrative Analyst, 387-4635) on July 6, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on July 6, 2021.