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City Council Meeting Minutes September 1, 2020 <br />• Limited staffing and fire resources to manage large and/or expanding events. <br />Mr. Gilbert provided the following recommendations: <br />• Develop plans to increase community flood resiliency and planning. <br />• Improve thoroughfare conditions to reduce geographic restriction zones. <br />• Adopt a formal risk assessment program to assign risk classifications to <br />occupancies. <br />• Establish a Community Risk Reduction Division. <br />• Establish funding formula within the City budget construct to adequately fund <br />resources to accommodate existing and future growth (see ERF recommendations). <br />• Explore EMS partnership and innovation with San Marcos Hays County EMS <br />(SMHCEMS). <br />• Review monthly and improve call processing times in accordance with National Fire <br />Protection Association (NFPA) 1221 standards. <br />• Review, report, and improve turnout times to adopted San Marcos Fire Department <br />performance goal. <br />Mr. Gilbert showed maps of fire stations current coverage and with fire station 2 <br />relocated to Centerpoint and fire station 6 added with 3 more proposed fire <br />stations. <br />Council Member Gonzales expressed concerns about the turnout times and why <br />it's taking long. Chief Stephens stated that the calls are handled through the police <br />department dispatchers and calls are being triaged to ensure the appropriate staff <br />and equipment are sent to each call. Electronic handoff from the dispatch system <br />to the Fire system and the difference in the timing is under review. Police <br />department data shows the fire department is in compliance. Mr. Stephens stated <br />is we know the turnout time appears to be long leaving the station. This could be <br />because it is now a verbal report to state they are en route. They will be looking to <br />do this electronically. Chief Stephens stated they would like to move over to a <br />Motor Data Terminal (MDT) which allows to click a button and to check them out <br />and not verbally. <br />Council Member Gonzales asked when does the clock start? Chief Stephens stated <br />when the dispatcher answers the call, turnout time begins when the tone is <br />received in the station and when the apparatus leaves the building and another <br />notation is when they arrive. Mr. Gilbert stated it all depends on the turnout time <br />due and if the dispatcher is busy with another call, they may not be clicking the <br />button immediately. <br />City of San Marcos Page 3 <br />