6.3. SR 01-09-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item # 6.3 MEMORANDUM V~` TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: T. John Cunningham, Fire Chief DATE: January 9, 2012 SUBJECT: Fire Service Task Force Since 1881, the Elk River Fire Department has provided fire protection and emergency response services to the Elk River community. Just as the city and many of our surrounding communities have grown over the past decade, the same is true of the fire department. Today, the department covers 66 square miles and serves over 35,000 residents in Elk River, Otsego, and Big Lake Township. In 2011, there were 469 calls for service, a 35% increase over the past decade. The department is run by a full-time fire chief and responses are handled by thirty-one (31) part-time/on-call firefighters and nine (9) appointed part- time/on-call command officers (in addition to the fire chief). The department also employs afull-time fire marshal, fire prevention specialist, and. part-time office assistant. The fire chief is also the city's emergency manager and safety coordinator. Strategic Plan Throughout history, America's fire service has been dynamic and constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of the communities. in which they serve. The fire service has largely been reactive to community and demographic change. As townships and cities grow, emergency service organizations have to continue to maintain and sustain services that the public expects. Strategic planning is an important tool fox setting the foundation for the future, especially during times of economic uncertainty. City and department leadership realize that difficult choices often have to be made to ensure that limited financial resources would be used most effectively. The purpose of establishing the Fire Service Task Force is to begin the strategic planning process in which we can evaluate the organization and its core services, create a blueprint for the future and develop a plan to accomplish the new direction and goals. Ciry Goals and Vision In 2011, acity-wide visioning session identified a number of action steps for the City of Elk River. During the 2012 budget process, the fire department set a number of strategic goals tied to the city's vision and action steps, a partial list includes: P~~ E N F A 1# Y N:\Public Bodies\Ciry Council\Council RCA\Agenda Packet\01-09-2012\Fire Task Force.docx ~~