The Roswell Fire Department delivers public safety services to the residents of Roswell through six (6) stations. These services include: public education, fire safety inspection, arson investigation, fire suppression, emergency medical services, aircraft rescue and fire fighting, and hazardous materials response. Fire and rescue services are initiated through the 911 fire dispatch center located at the Roswell Police Department. The Fire Department maintains an inventory of 25 apparatus including, pumpers, airport crash trucks, aerial units, brush trucks, staff vehicles and other specialty equipment.

BUDGET SUMMARY
3% salary increase
Approval of fire department capital outlay expenses

FIRE FUND
Breathing Air Compressor
Compressor: $43,000
For filling high pressure, high capacity breathing bottles for interior firefighting. The unit in current use is low capacity with numerous maintenance problems.

Two Brush/Grass Firefighting Trucks. 2002
Of the three trucks in use, a 1981 model will be retired, and the two 1983 models will be used as non-emergency utility trucks for the department.

Two Staff Vehicles 2002
Vehicles to replace a 1987 suburban and 1995 Ford sedan. The ‘87 and ‘95 units will be used for firefighters to travel to training in Roswell and training out of town.

Training Field 2002
Phase two of the Roswell Fire Department Training Center.
Fencing, Pump Test Pit, Drill Tower, other Building Modifications.

Lease/Purchase - $200,000 2003 2004 2005 2006 . . .
Nine annual payments for the lease/purchase of one ladder truck, two pumpers and one rescue/pumper.
The units will have a life ten years past the last payment date.

The ladder truck requested as part of the proposed hangar protection package is a special use specific to the RIAC. The placement of this ladder truck at station #4 would serve purposes beyond the multistory hangars.

Hangars:
To relax the overhead fire suppression requirement of the hangars, the need for an aggressive early attack on a high risk fire is necessary. Currently the fire truck located at station #4 has a 50' aerial ladder, 400 gallon water tank and other components that make up a "regular" fire truck.

The height, depth, and type of fire load, in a large building such as a hangar, require early and unique firefighting capabilities. Additionally, the location of this station with only three firefighters, necessitates unique tactics to mitigate a fire in its early stage of growth.

The new ladder truck would have 1000 gallons of water, with a foam tank giving the capability to much more effectively attack a fire that involves flammable liquids. Although the aircraft may be defueled, there are yet several gallons of fuel in pumps, lines and sumps.

The aerial ladder would provide access not only vertically, but horizontally into a building with foam capabilities and thermal imaging to see through the smoke to more effectively protect or rescue employees, attack and extinguish a fire, and identify hazards to the firefighters.

The ladder truck would be designed for quick deployment of high flow foam handline capabilities for risky interior firefighting in hangars.

Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting:
With the number of large aircraft in storage and varying degrees of maintenance and disassembly of other large aircraft at the RIAC, along with the number of large military aircraft flying in and through the RIAC and regularly scheduled testing of large aircraft at the RIAC, access to the high points on the aircraft, and the angle of attack would prove beneficial to the reduction of losses in the event of a fire, safety of passengers and safety of firefighters.

Foam capabilities on the ladder truck would improve response capabilities to runway related emergencies.

Structural:
The residential and commercial side of the RIAC also present unique challenges for the fire department. The number of employees in buildings, number of students in classes and dorms, and the depressed state of the residential area of the RIAC protected by three firefighters lends to higher capabilities to respond to, and effectively handle emergencies at the RIAC. As in any fire or medical emergency, the first few moments define the course for the rest of the incident.

Insurance Services Office (ISO)
The ISO reviews the available public fire suppression facilities, and develops a Public Protection Classification for fire insurance purposes.

The Grading Schedule defines a minimum length of 55 feet to be credited as an aerial ladder. As noted earlier in this memorandum, the truck at station #4 is a 50 foot ladder.

The fire department is losing credit due to not having the ladder truck to cover the RIAC, and losing credit for ladder truck distribution for the entire city.

Quote from the 1998 survey of fire suppression capabilities for the city of Roswell:

"For maximum credit on the schedule, two (2) ladder companies are needed in your city . . . due to the size of the area served."

Quotes from the ISO grading Schedule:

"Response areas with five (5) buildings that are three (3) stories or 35 feet or more in height, . . . should have a ladder company."

"The built-upon area of the city should have a first-due engine company within 1 ½ miles and a ladder service company within 2 ½ miles."

Quote from the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule Handbook:

"To obtain minimum credit for an Aerial Ladder/Elevating Platform, the reach needs to be at least 55 feet; the longest length needs to be 100 feet. Lengths are evaluated according to the vertical height of buildings in the Ladder Company response district."

The RIAC is well beyond 2 ½ miles from the ladder truck located at station #1. The number of buildings, and building heights at the RIAC that fit the ISO schedule are noted below.

Applicable RIAC Building Heights:
Some heights are estimates, however do meet the ISO Schedule definition.

Commitment to program:
Cost in FY 2001: $0

It is requested the city commit to a lease/purchase plan that would provide three new engines and one new ladder truck. The units are needed to replace three 70's model engines, and provide a needed ladder truck at the RIAC.

Funding for the lease/purchase would be through Public Safety Tax-Gross Receipts Tax ($175,000) and the State Fire Grant ($143,000). These sources of revenue are perpetual.

The plan desired would allow payment in arrears, over a nine-year pay period. See the attached spending plan. The first payment would be due in fiscal year 2003. The Public Safety Tax, and Fire Grant monies for fiscal years 2001 & 2002 will be spent in preparation for a nine-year commitment of the monies.

KEY ITEMS RELATED TO LEASE/PURCHASE

TRAINING CENTER - July 2000 - $50,000 - Training Center Phase I:

The department has the need for an area and building to designate as a Training Center . The proposed area is the old church at the intersection of Gail Harris Street and Martin Street at the RIAC. This proposal is subject to approval by the city.

Designating the location as the "Roswell Fire Department Training Center" will allow a designated location for firefighters to use as a training site with structures, training room for large and small groups, props, indoor training area and room for driver training and pump/fire stream operations. The "Roswell Fire Department Training Center" will significantly improve the look of the RIAC, and place an empty RIAC building in excellent use which will fit well with the various other training institutions located at the RIAC.

Phase I will address certified asbestos abatement, certified abatement of pigeon droppings which is a source of legionnaires disease, roof repairs, security, major house keeping of the facility, and possible plumbing needs.

Copyrght © 2000-2003 Roswell Fire Department
and Roswell Web Services, All Rights Reserved
Webmaster: Webmaster@RoswellFire.com