SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1
CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
JANUARY 11, 1996
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: December 1, 1995
File No. cr\alarm3.txt
TO: Standing Committee on City Services & Budgets
FROM: Assistant Chief (Communications) Vancouver Fire
& Rescue Services
SUBJECT: Addition of the University Endowment Lands (UEL)
and The University of British Columbia (UBC) to The
Alarm Monitoring Coverage Area of Vancouver Fire &
Rescue Services' (VF&RS) Central Station
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the inclusion of the University Endowment
Lands (UEL) and University of British Columbia (UBC) in the
coverage area of Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services' (VF&RS')
central alarm monitoring station; allowing VF&RS to provide
alarm monitoring services to the customers in these areas that
meet the criteria defined in Appendix 1 (Revised).
B. THAT Council authorize the Fire Chief to sign contracts for
monitoring services with customers on the UEL and UBC after
the form of the contract has been approved by the Director of
Legal Services.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Fire & Rescue Services RECOMMENDS approval
of A and B.
COUNCIL POLICY
On November 3, 1994, Council approved the following recommendation:
THAT Council approve the addition of new customers to the Vancouver
Fire Department (VFD) alarm monitoring system, as described in the
Appendix attached to the Administrative Report dated October 18,
1994.
PURPOSE
With Council's approval of the Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services'
(VF&RS') merger with the University Endowment Lands (UEL) Fire
Department, this report seeks Council approval for inclusion of the UEL
and UBC multi-plex alarm system customers (formerly serviced by the UEL
Fire Department), Vancouver School Board (VSB) properties on the UEL,
and new customers in the same areas who meet the criteria in the
attached appendix, within the Council approved mandate of VF&RS Central
Station.
BACKGROUND
Prior to approving VF&RS monitoring, Council mandated discussions
between Canadian Alarm and Security Association(CANASA), VF&RS and the
monitoring industry. Concurrence with the contents of the final report
approved by Council on November 3, 1994, and its customer base as
defined, was achieved.
On October 16, 1995, VF&RS and the UEL Fire Department were merged. At
that time, the responsibility for delivery of fire services to the UEL
and UBC was assumed by VF&RS. The monitoring of fire alarm systems for
approximately 250 buildings on UBC and the UEL, utilizing a Multi-plex
alarm monitoring system owned and staffed by the University Fire
Department, was specifically excluded from the contract signed with the
province.
Customers monitored by the University alarm system expressed interest in
staying directly connected to the Fire Department. VF&RS received a
letter from UBC and other customers expressing their desire and intent
to continue their direct connection to the Fire Department. In the past
month, UEL customers have connected to the VF&RS central station as part
of the consolidation of dispatch functionality that has occurred since
the contract took effect.
DISCUSSION
Since this issue was last before Council, the VF&RS Central Station has
established itself as a reliable provider of alarm monitoring services
to both City and private customers. City customers from Parks &
Recreation to the Police Department are currently in the process of
connecting their facilities to our Central Station. Many others have
already done so.
There is also growing awareness and interest from other internal and
external customers regarding the alarm monitoring services available
from the City through the VF&RS Central Station.
General Motors Place is the most recent "high profile" customer to
connect to our Central Station for the provision of their fire alarm
monitoring services. During construction, they became aware of the alarm
monitoring services available from VF&RS and approached the department
to provide their fire alarm monitoring services, which was established
early in September, 1995.
Since the contract implementation date, fire alarms on the UEL and UBC
have been monitored by VF&RS staff (at Firehall #10). Many private
customers on the UEL have upgraded their systems allowing VF&RS central
station to continue to provide their monitoring services from our
Central Station at Firehall #1.
Due to the merger of services, the subsequent centralization of
dispatching services and UBC's desire to continue to have their
buildings monitored by the Fire Department, Pacific Rim Consulting was
hired by UBC to provide an interface that would allow VF&RS to remotely
monitor UBC fire alarms from our Central Station at Firehall #1. Pacific
Rim Consulting has also been asked to examine and cost the various
upgrade options for UBC.
As of November 23, 1995, UEL and UBC fire alarms have been monitored
remotely by VF&RS Dispatchers utilizing the connection established by
Pacific Rim Consulting. This has provided a window of time for UBC to
install new transmitting equipment while maintaining their monitoring
services with the Fire Department.
The VSB also has two privately monitored schools on the UEL and would
like VF&RS to provide Fire and Intrusion monitoring services to these
sites under their current contract for service.
The current UBC fire alarm system utilizes old Multiplex technology. The
primary receiver is housed at 2992 Wesbrook Mall (the old University
Firehall and current Vancouver Firehall #10) and has been staffed by
VF&RS since the merger. The technology utilized is outdated and costly
to maintain. As with the old Gamewell system, parts and system support
are difficult to acquire. As a result, the use of this equipment will be
phased out as quickly as possible.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
The number of customers monitored by the VF&RS Central Station is
growing and the impacts on emergency dispatching operations has been
felt by on duty operational staff. Adding customers to our Central
Station has impacts on emergency 911 operations. As the customer base
grows, dispatchers are required to spend more time dealing with alarm
monitoring traffic. Additional staffing during busy periods (primarily
Monday to Friday day shifts) will have to be added as required to meet
the growing demand.
The costs associated with additional staffing will be offset by revenues
from the expanding customers base and will be reported to Council on a
separate report when required.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Adding new customers to VF&RS Central Station provides additional
revenues for the City. Initially, all excess revenues will be applied to
the loan from the Property Endowment Fund (PEF) that was provided by
Council for VF&RS's monitoring equipment upgrade. Future changes in
staffing requirements, if and when required, will be paid from revenues
generated. Justifications and specific costs will be provided to Council
at that time.
CONCLUSIONS
The City, through the VF&RS and other departments, has been in the alarm
monitoring business for over 80 years. Provision of alarm monitoring
services by VF&RS is currently expanding within the City and many
internal customers are connecting to our Central Station, saving
departments and the City the costs associated with the provision of
alarm monitoring services by private companies and, at the same time,
centralizing the provision of these services under one internal, City
provider.
Although specifically excluded in the City's contract with the
Provincial government, provision of alarm monitoring services for the
UEL and UBC was "Grandfathered" to VF&RS when the contract took effect.
Formalizing the extension of our Central Station's coverage area, under
the guidelines as described in the attached revised Appendix, clarifies
our Central Station's mandate for provision of alarm monitoring services
to customers within the VF&RS's area of jurisdiction.
This change will have negligible impacts on the private alarm monitoring
industry and is being requested to accommodate current VF&RS Central
Station customers.
* * * * *
Appendix 1
POTENTIAL NEW CUSTOMERS (Revised)
Purpose
The purpose of this appendix is to define the customer base of the
Vancouver Fire & Rescue Service's (VF&RS) monitoring station.
Statement of exclusion
Intrusion (burglar) alarm monitoring services will not be available to
buildings that are not owned, leased or under the direct control of the
City of Vancouver (COV) or any of its internal departments or boards.
Non-city customers currently monitored for intrusion by the VF&RS will
be required to seek these services from another service provider.
Statement of inclusion
The VF&RS will offer Fire Alarm, Fire Trouble and Intrusion Alarm
monitoring to all buildings owned, leased or under the direct control of
the COV or any of it's internal departments or boards who request
provision of these services from the VF&RS. Included are buildings
owned, leased or under the direct control of the University of British
Columbia (UBC) and the University Endowment Lands (UEL) that meet the
following criteria.
Proposed Potential Customer base
1) All public utilities within the COV, UBC and the UEL which provide a
distribution of services to the community and where a fire in the
facility would impact upon the safety of a large sector of the public.
For example, this would include all B.C. Telephone Central offices, B.C.
Hydro and B.C. Gas distribution facilities etc. but would not include
any of their administration buildings. Buildings providing both
administration and distribution of services would be included;
2) All hospitals (public or private) and extended care facilities within
the COV, UBC & UEL housing children, invalids (including the deaf and
blind) and non-ambulatory or bed bound seniors;
3) All government buildings having primarily a non-administrative
function within the COV, UBC & UEL that form part of the City's public
safety or National Defence network. This would include all armouries and
buildings under the control of the Canadian Armed Forces, National
Defence and the Coast Guard;
4) All public assembly facilities within the COV, UBC & UEL with a
potential occupancy load greater than 3000 people and where the VF&RS
will be expected to respond and assist with evacuation in a fire or
other emergency. Examples would include sports facilities like B.C.
Place and the Coliseum.