SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
   P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
   APRIL 25,1996

                               CITY OF VANCOUVER

                          INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE

   CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE

   MEMORANDUM

   Date:     April 17, 1996

   To:       Standing Committee on Planning and Environment

   From:     Ken Dobell, City Manager

   Subject:  Report - Fire and Rescue Services Deployment

   The report from the General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services proposed
   a significant shift in the deployment of resources in Vancouver Fire and
   Rescue Services.  This proposed shift reflects a number of changes -
   changes in the development of the City, such as increasing traffic,
   changes in the role of the department, and an increasing emphasis on the
   Department's "first responder" role in medical emergencies.

   The City has been a first responder to medical emergencies for much of
   this century.  While the City has never had the direct responsibility
   for the provision of medial services, the wide distribution of City fire
   apparatus means that the City can frequently respond much more quickly
   than the Ambulance service.  Council has recognised the significance of
   this role, including specifically authorising the first responder role,
   related training, and provision of automatic defibrillation equipment.

   All of these decision, however, assumed that the Fire and Rescue
   Services organization would remain focused on responses to fire, with
   emergency medical responses as a secondary role.  The provincial
   government has the mandate to provide emergency medical response through
   B.C. Ambulance.  The increasing activity of the Vancouver Fire and
   Rescue Services in this area does, however, allow the provincial
   government to keep their emergency costs down.

   For the first time, this report proposes to deploy City resources in a
   manner which is specifically designed to support the City's response
   roles in both fire and medical emergencies.  In effect, it recognises
   that the City of Vancouver has become an integral part of the emergency
   medical response.  Under these circumstances, local government should be
   an equal partner in structuring the emergency medical response. 
   Vancouver and the Ambulance Services must co-ordinate their operations
   to ensure the most effective operation possible.

   The report recommends approval in principle of a shift in equipment and
   deployment to better respond to present demands on the Department.  The
   report notes that some operating economies should be achievable, and
   that the Department will seek to reallocate some of the freed up
   resources to other roles within the Department.

   In general, the City Manager supports the directions presented in this
   report.  However, it should be noted that the implementation of the
   proposed changes can only take place over a period of time unless
   significant capital expenditures are made for replacement apparatus. 
   Further, as noted in the report, the Department has some residual
   obligations for budget reductions.  The City Manager believes two
   additional recommendations should be adopted with those advanced by the
   General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services:

   C.   THAT the City Manager and General Manager of Fire and Rescue
        Services approach the Director of the BC Ambulance Service to
        discuss how best the operations of the two departments can be
        co-ordinated to ensure the highest level of service to the
        community.

   D.   THAT in reporting back on a detailed implementation for the
        redeployment proposed in this report, the General Manager, Fire and
        Rescue Services include terms of reference for an overall review of
        the administrative structure of the Department and the allocation
        of staff resources to meet the needs previously identified by the
        Department and reiterated in the TriData study.

   Ken Dobell
   City Manager