Department would oversee 17 emergency services
A year-long study recommends that Rockbridge County, Lexington and Buena Vista create a new Department of Emergency Fire/Rescue Services – with a fulltime director and three deputies – to oversee the area’s 11 fire departments and six rescue squads.
The report's restructuring plan.
A representative from TriData Division, the consulting firm paid $52,145
to do the report, will present its findings to the Board of Supervisors
and city council members from Lexington and Buena Vista Nov. 20 at the
county administration building, 150 S. Main St. The presentation will
begin at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.
Lexington City Manager Jon Ellestad said that he supported the idea of a
new department that would standardize the fire-rescue emergency services
in the county.
“I think the concept is very much needed,” he said.
Ellestad said other counties in Virginia, including Augusta, have a
similar department. The idea has become the norm, he said.
Carroll R. Comstock, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said that he
had a mixed response to the recommendation, but would not elaborate. He
said that the board is still at the “negotiation stage” and that he
would like to see the presentation before he made further comments.
The supervisors last year commissioned TriData, based in Arlington, to
study the area’s emergency services. There has long been concern that
the patchwork of volunteer and professional fire departments and rescue
squads covering the area leaves life-threatening gaps in 9-1-1 services.
The study did not find such gaps in services, at least not at a level
deemed dangerous. But it does recommend that the total of 17 fire and
rescue units be coordinated by a central department and that their
record-keeping, training and organization be standardized.
For example, each county fire department has different rank structures,
from deputy chief to chief engineer. The organization would standardize
those ranks.
“It’s important that everyone [is] on the same page when engaged in
emergency operations,” the report said.
A director of Emergency Services would also be appointed to oversee the
daily operations of all the fire-rescue emergency services within the
county and cities. The duties of that individual would need approval
from the Board of Supervisors and the city councils.
The report also recommends that an additional three deputy directors --
operations and training, support services and emergency management and
prevention -- be created under the new department.
A strategic plan included in the report sets a time frame of 90 days for
the creation of the new organization and the appointment of a director
of fire/rescue services. Efforts at standardization would be implemented
throughout a year.
The plan targets problems from volunteer recruitment efforts and
retention to more fire prevention efforts. The current services are
adequate, but they can be improved, the report said.
There is currently no estimate on the cost of the plan.
County Finance Director Robert Claytor said that the firm was hired to
analyze the efficiency of the county’s fire-rescue emergency services.
The county will assess the costs if the idea is approved, he said.
Buena Vista Fire Chief Tommy Keiser said that although Buena Vista
participated in the study, he doesn’t see the new plan really affecting
his department.
The city already has an emergency services director and deputy
coordinators, he said, so adding another director to the city’s
department would make no sense.
But he also said that the idea, excluding Buena Vista, could work.
“The study’s not that far-fetched,” he said.
Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.
Lead supervisor: Prof. Brian Richardson
Reporting supervisors:
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd