REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

BOARD MEETING DATE:  March  27, 2018
CATEGORY:  Consent - Other Agencies-13.

SUBJECT:

Agreement with Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College.

Supervisorial District No. :  All

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:  Bret Gouvea, Deputy Chief, (530) 225-2401

STAFF REPORT APPROVED BY:  Mike Hebrard, Fire Warden

RECOMMENDATION

Approve and authorize the Chairman to sign an agreement with Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District in the amount beginning at $1,000 per year for joint use of the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District Public Safety Center training facilities for a period of five years from date of last signing, with six optional five-year renewals.

SUMMARY

Shasta County Fire Department has partnered with various fire organizations and departments in an effort to unify training efforts and facilities. A new training consortium has formed called SHIELD. The member agencies of SHIELD include Shasta County Fire Department (SCFD), City of Redding Fire Department, Shasta College, CAL FIRE Northern Region, Fire Chief’s Association of Shasta County, Trinity County Fire Chief’s Association, Tehama County Fire Department, and Win River Casino.

The consortium, SHIELD, which includes Shasta College, has been working with the college to develop a regional fire training center referred to as the Regional Public Safety Training Center (Public Safety Center). The Public Safety Center will be located at Shasta College; therefore, an agreement was established for the use of the new facilities including Shasta College off-site locations in Weaverville, Burney, and Red Bluff.

The Public Safety Training Facilities Joint Use Agreement will enable SCFD to utilize the training center and off-campus facilities, and continue to participate in the planning and implementation of the remaining phases of the Public Safety Center development.

DISCUSSION

Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s, multiple attempts were made by the various fire department organizations in Shasta County to secure grant funding for a regional fire training center through local philanthropic organizations. Those attempts failed mainly due to a lack of organization and coordination among the departments. The thought was funding support would come based on the merits of the project. However, much of the grant funding to support such a project required a fine-tuned proposal, matching funds, and specific criteria.

In 1998, the Shasta College Regional Fire Training Center Advisory Committee was formed to bring together regional fire organizations from Shasta, Trinity and Tehama counties to organize the effort. Over the course of three years, attempts were made to secure funding that would provide for a large-scale training center; meeting the needs for a regional fire training facility. Securing funding proved difficult as many of the local grant funding opportunities did not support the construction of buildings and the installation of infrastructure that was essential for the creation of the training facility. As administrations changed and the economy went through difficult times, the efforts to pursue a costly training facility were placed on hold.

In 2015, SHIELD was formed marking a significant moment in the north state where public safety has formally joined forces to execute a vision of providing frequent and affordable training courses jointly to meet the needs of all public safety organizations regionally. The group focuses specifically on the development of a multi-jurisdictional training system that will identify needs, offer various learning platforms, and provide for individual succession planning by cooperatively pooling resources to accomplish the plan. The formation of SHIELD and the construction of a regional fire training facility is a current goal and objective in the 2014 Shasta County Fire Department Master Plan.

Previously, each organization has provided for their training needs individually. When a department sent its members away for training, the costs associated were excessive, limiting the number of employees trained. The goal is to reduce, if not eliminate, the need to send employees away for training, as the training will now be offered locally. Through this collaborative effort, relationships will be forged and strengthened, culminating in a higher level of service to the public.

This joint effort will also extend to use of the Shasta College regional training grounds and facilities in Weaverville, Burney and Redding which will enable local agencies to offer state of the art training to meet the demands placed on today’s public safety organizations. Over the past two years, plans for a regional fire training center have been developed in a unified effort by the member agencies as well as subject matter experts.

In 2017, Shasta County voters passed a bond measure for Shasta College to fund improvements of current campus infrastructure and buildings in addition to the construction of new classrooms including a regional fire training center. Shasta College has identified 14 acres on campus for the training center to be built. Tree removal has taken place and plans to begin construction of phase 1 of the Public Safety Center are underway. A rescue building and fire burn building have just been approved by the Department of State Architects (DSA) and the purchase of pre-engineered buildings is in process.

The Public Safety Training Facilities Joint Use Agreement will enable Shasta County Fire Department to not only utilize the Public Safety Center and off-campus facilities, but also continue participation in the planning and implementation of the remaining phases of the project.

ALTERNATIVES

The Board may choose to not sign the agreement. SCFD will continue the practice of sending firefighters to alternate locations at a higher cost to the department. SCFD will not have input in the regional fire training facility and the use of the facility will come with a cost.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

The County Administrative Office has reviewed this recommendation. Legal Counsel from each member agency worked together on the Public Safety Training Facilities Joint Use Agreement. County Counsel has approved the Agreement as to form.  Shasta County Risk Management has reviewed the Agreement.

Participating agencies in the Public Safety Training Facilities Joint Use Agreement are Shasta County, Tehama County, Trinity County, CAL FIRE, City of Redding, Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District, Shasta College Foundation, Fire Chiefs Association of Shasta County and Shasta County Training Bureau.

FINANCING

The agreement requires a contribution of $1,000.00 per year. This cost will be absorbed into existing SCFD budget allocations. There is no additional General Fund Impact associated with this request.