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ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
DATE: May 10, 1996
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Assistant Chief - Contract Services
SUBJECT: Continuation of UBC Supplemental Service Contracts which had
been provided by the UEL Fire Department
RECOMMENDATIONS
A. THAT the General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services be
authorized to enter into a contract, on terms and conditions
satisfactory to the Director of Legal Services, with the
University of British Columbia to provide annual inspection,
repair, and maintenance services to all fire extinguishers at
UBC.
B. THAT the General Manager of Fire and Rescue Services be
authorized to enter into a contract or contracts, onterms and
conditions satisfactory to the Director of Legal Services,
with the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Hospital at
UBC, Triumf, and the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of
Canada, to provide supplemental Hazardous Materials Spill
response services.
C. THAT a regular full-time firefighter position be established,
subject to job evaluation by the director of Human Resources,
to provide the contract service with UBC and that a second
position of a temporary full-time clerical position be
established with costs 100% funded by UBC for both positions.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager RECOMMENDS approval of A, B and C. This report
provides the financial resources to continue programs formerly
provided by the University Endowment Lands Fire Department to the
University Community and has been on-going from the date of the
amalgamation.
COUNCIL POLICY
On January 17, 1995, Council approved the provision of fire protection
and related services by Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services to the
University of British Columbia and the University Endowment Lands.
City Council, on February 3, 1994, resolved that during the terms of the
1994 - 1996 Budget Management Program, any proposed increase in program
and/or service levels be offset by corresponding spending reductions
elsewhere in the City s operating budget or by increases in non-taxation
revenues, subject to Council discretion.
PURPOSE
This report requests approval to enter into contracts to continue to
provide certain services, specifically hazardous materials response and
fire extinguisher servicing, on a full cost recovery basis to the
University of British Columbia. These services were previously provided
by the University Endowment Lands Fire Department.
BACKGROUND
On October 16, 1995, Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services and the
University Endowment Lands Fire Department were merged. At that time,
the responsibilities for delivery of fire services to the University
Endowment Lands (UEL) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) were
assumed by Vancouver. Several related services previously provided by
the UEL Fire Department were not addressed by the amalgamation
agreement. One of these services not addressed was the fire alarm
monitoring of approximately 250 buildings by the UEL Fire Department.
Vancouver Fire and Rescue now provides fire alarm monitoring services to
UBC and UEL on a fee for service basis under the Department s Fire Alarm
Monitoring Program.
DISCUSSION
The Fire Extinguisher servicing and recharge contract covers 6000 fire
extinguishers in UBC buildings, for one person in VFRS and pays all
costs for fire extinguisher training for 600 - 700 people per year.
UEL staff have maintained the UBC fire extinguishers for the past three
years on the present basis and for approximately 50 years on an informal
basis.
Mr. Chuck Rooney, the Director of UBC plant operations, wishes to
continue to have Fire and Rescue Services staff maintain the program.
With the efficiencies of dual purpose inspections by both our inspectors
and the Fire Crews and the fact that all overheads are covered, it would
be worthwhile to continue this service. The personnel assigned to the
annual extinguisher program conduct a full inspection of each building
(where they are conducting the annual inspection of the fire
extinguishers) reducing the number of company inspections required.
Fire companies while conducting
their company inspections of each building do the complete annual field
inspection of the fire extinguishers. The extinguisher program also
provides instruction to between 600 and 700 staff, faculty and students
in a hands on demonstration of all types of fire extinguishers. This
instruction has significantly reduced the fire loss in buildings where
the staff are trained. This program will be used to review the
feasibility of applying this service and inspection system to civic
buildings together with using light duty personnel to do the servicing
and inspections.
There are a large number of scientific laboratories located at UBC and
at the surrounding research facilities. Therefore, a quick response to
any reported hazardous material spills is important to reduce injuries
to personnel and damage to property and the environment. This service
was provided by the UEL Fire Department until the amalgamation took
effect. Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services only Hazardous Materials
Response Unit is located at Firehall #17 (57th and Knight Street).
Response times to UBC from the existing unit are unacceptably long. UBC
and its associated facilities are prepared to fund all hazardous
materials equipment and clean up costs, provide a suitable vehicle,
together with required training.
The large amounts of flammable liquid and the wide range of Hazardous
Materials used on campus, combined with the distance that the Hazardous
Material Unit from Firehall #17 must travel to get to UBC, makes it
important that a quick response be maintained in this area. In
addition, the educational opportunities available to the crews at
Firehall #10 when working and training with the various agencies
requesting these supplementary agreements will improve VFRS' overall
response to chemical spills.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
The Supplementary Hazardous Material Response would provide a rapid
neutralization and clean up of hazardous materials spills thus having a
positive effect on the environment.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
This will formalize a position needed as part of the takeover of the UEL
Fire Department. This position is totally funded by UBC. This will
provide a position to Fire and Rescue Services at no cost to the City as
the contracts to provide these supplemental services will ensure all
costs are fully recovered. A temporary full-time
position will be required to provide clerical assistance to this
program. All costs will be recovered in full from the extinguisher
program and the supplemental services provided to U.B.C. There is full
time work for the duration of the contract for both positions. If the
contract ends, an attempt will be made to place these personnel if
possible, into vacant positions.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no costs to the City as all costs are paid by UBC.
A) Extinguisher Program
Costs Revenue
$ 52,343 Firefighter $101,999
$ 30,248 Supervision Overhead
Clerical Assistance
$ 19,408 benefits
$101,999 $101,999
B) Supplemental Hazardous Material Spill Response
Costs Revenue
$20,000 Training $30,000 UBC
$15,000 Hazardous Material $ 2,500 VGH at UBC
Spill Clean-up Material $ 1,500 Triumf
$ 1,000 Pulp & Paper
$35,000 $35,000
Training is required to maintain current qualifications to work as part
of the City s Hazardous Material Response Team.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Subject to Council approval and acceptability to the Director of Legal
Services, billing would begin as of May 1, l996 retroactive to October
16th 1995. As these programs have continued unchanged since the UEL
amalgamation with a staff member seconded from suppression.
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