City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MAY 21, 2024 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE (RIVERSIDE COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT) AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSES ISSUE:
The issue for City Council consideration is to approve the Mutual Aid Agreement between the County of Riverside (Riverside County Fire Department) for hazardous material responses.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The City Council:
Approve the attached Mutual Aid Agreement between County of Riverside (Riverside County Fire Department) and the City of Riverside for Hazardous Materials Responses; and; Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Mutual Aid Agreement between the County of Riverside (Riverside County Fire Department) and the City of Riverside for Hazardous Materials Responses.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside Fire Department has been contracting with the County of Riverside (Riverside County Fire Department) for Mutual Aid on Hazardous Materials Responses since 1996. The most recent agreement, signed in 2014, will require renewal. The City of Riverside Fire Department Hazardous Material Response team is a California Office of Emergency Service (CalOES) Type 1 Hazmat Team, which is the highest-level hazmat team in the State of California.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Riverside Fire Department desires to reestablish the Mutual Aid agreement, which benefits both agencies and the communities being served. The agreement ensures that there are highly trained fire department personnel that can identify, and safely mitigate hazardous material incidents. Each Party will respond to each other’s requests for assistance with hazardous materials incidents, by dispatching available personnel and resources, provided that such response does not interfere with either Party’s responsibility to respond to emergencies of any type within their respective jurisdictions. If approved by the City Council, the Agreement shall be in effect for ten (10) years, or until terminated by either Party, upon giving thirty (30) days’ written notice to the other Party.
The City of Riverside Fire Department provided assistance to the Riverside County Fire Department on seven occasions between 2019 and 2023.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to the following Strategic Priorities:
No. 2 Community Well-Being:
No. 2.6 Strengthen community preparedness for emergencies to ensure effective response and recovery.
Community Trust – This Mutual Aid agreement ensures that the citizens of the City of Riverside will have sufficient resources to respond to and properly mitigate a hazardous material incident.
Equity – The Mutual Aid agreement ensures all residents of the City of Riverside will have the ability to respond to all communities within the City of Riverside with the proper equipment and training to effectively mitigate hazardous material incidents.
Fiscal Responsibility – The Mutual Aid Agreement between the County of Riverside and the City of Riverside is at no cost to the City of Riverside.
Innovation – Leveraging expertise from the County of Riverside when the City of Riverside allows agencies to work together and gain experience that benefits all communities in the City of Riverside and the County of Riverside.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The Mutual Aid Agreement between the County of Riverside and the City of Riverside provides resiliency by having another hazmat resource to respond to and if needed assist the City of Riverside Hazmat Team.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approving the Mutual Aid Agreement between the County of Riverside (Riverside County Fire Department) and the City of Riverside has no fiscal impact. However, if either party is committed to an incident for more than six (6) hours, both parties are entitled to submit it for cost recovery per contract terms from the time of dispatch.
Prepared by: Steve McKinster, Deputy Fire Chief Approved by: Michael D. Moore, Fire Chief
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/ Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Mike Futrell, City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra Norton, City Attorney
Attachment: Mutual Aid Agreement
UASI FY20 Barrier ● Page 3