Asheville Fire DepartmentAsheville Fire Department

Extra Territorial Jurisdiction Extra Territorial Jurisdiction Periodic Fire Inspection Periodic Fire Inspection

ProgramProgram

Periodic InspectionsPeriodic Inspections

• Fire inspections reduce hazards and unsafe Fire inspections reduce hazards and unsafe acts in the community, and provide a method acts in the community, and provide a method to reduce community risks. to reduce community risks.

• When risks are reduced, the community When risks are reduced, the community avoids increases in insurance, loss of tax avoids increases in insurance, loss of tax revenue (property and sales tax) when a revenue (property and sales tax) when a business is destroyed, and loss of business is destroyed, and loss of employment. employment.

• Many businesses destroyed by fire never Many businesses destroyed by fire never reopen.reopen.

Fire Inspection MandateFire Inspection Mandate

• City Limits City Limits – By Statute in 1991By Statute in 1991– City OrdinanceCity Ordinance– City Program started in 1966City Program started in 1966

• ETJ Areas ETJ Areas – By Statute By Statute – Begun 2006Begun 2006

Core Fire DepartmentDepartment ServicesCore Fire DepartmentDepartment Services

• City LimitsCity Limits– Fire Prevention InspectionsFire Prevention Inspections

• Tax Supported and Fee Supported since FY02Tax Supported and Fee Supported since FY02– Emergency OperationsEmergency Operations

• Tax SupportedTax Supported

• Extra Territorial Jurisdictions (ETJ)Extra Territorial Jurisdictions (ETJ)– Fire Prevention InspectionsFire Prevention Inspections

• Fee Supported and Tax Supported by the City Fee Supported and Tax Supported by the City since FY06since FY06

The Fire Inspection Work Load The Fire Inspection Work Load

• Inspectable PremisesInspectable Premises

–City Limits of Asheville = 7500 premisesCity Limits of Asheville = 7500 premises

–ETJ Areas = 450 premisesETJ Areas = 450 premises

Current Fee Schedule in place since July 1Current Fee Schedule in place since July 1stst 2007 planned to achieve a Cost Recovery Rate 2007 planned to achieve a Cost Recovery Rate of 80%.of 80%.

Services Cross OverServices Cross Over

• How Do Fire Inspections Benefit Fire How Do Fire Inspections Benefit Fire Department Emergency Operations?Department Emergency Operations?

– Reduces Fire Incidents in BuildingsReduces Fire Incidents in Buildings– Fire Protection System OperabilityFire Protection System Operability– Hazardous Materials Control and ReportingHazardous Materials Control and Reporting– Site DevelopmentSite Development– Water Supply for Firefighting OperationsWater Supply for Firefighting Operations

Services Cross OverServices Cross Over

• How Do Fire Inspections Benefit Fire How Do Fire Inspections Benefit Fire Department Emergency Operations?Department Emergency Operations?

• Revenue Sources in Periodic InspectionsRevenue Sources in Periodic Inspections

– Reduces Fire Incidents in BuildingsReduces Fire Incidents in Buildings– Fire Protection System OperabilityFire Protection System Operability– Hazardous Materials Control and ReportingHazardous Materials Control and Reporting– Site DevelopmentSite Development– Water Supply for Firefighting OperationsWater Supply for Firefighting Operations

The same fire inspection services that benefit City of Asheville

Firefighters also benefit Firefighters and their Departments in the ETJ

Areas

The same fire inspection services that benefit City of Asheville

Firefighters also benefit Firefighters and their Departments in the ETJ

Areas

Revenue ProposalRevenue Proposal

• Fire Inspection Services that benefit the ETJ Fire Departments would be charged an additional fire inspection fee.

• These fees would be adjusted from our base COA fees to cover 100% of our service costs in the City’s ETJ areas.

Proposed ETJ Fee SurchargesProposed ETJ Fee Surcharges• All inspections are charged an 20% surcharge.

• All services that directly enhance fire service operations are charged an additional 10% surcharge, such as:

• Site Development Review– Fire lanes, fire hydrant placement, etc

• Hazardous Materials Management– Plans and TIER II reporting

• Fire Protection Confidence Testing– Fire sprinklers, kitchen hoods, fire alarms, etc

Revenue Example 1Revenue Example 1

• Restaurant with a 300 person capacity – City of Asheville– Base Fee is $175.00

• Restaurant with a 300 person capacity– ETJ Areas– Base Fee would be $210.00– Fire Protection Test $ 21.00

» Total $231.00

Revenue Example 2Revenue Example 2

• 25,000 sq. ft sprinklered factory – City of Asheville– Base Fee is $225.00

• 25,000 sq. ft sprinklered factory– ETJ Areas– Base Fee would be $270.00– Fire Protection Test $ 22.50

» Total $292.50

Revenue Example 3Revenue Example 3

• 10,000 sq. ft office building with a fire alarm – City of Asheville– Base Fee is $125.00

• 10,000 sq. ft office building with a fire alarm– ETJ Areas– Base Fee would be $150.00– Fire Protection Test $ 12.50

» Total $162.50

Fiscal Impact to Operating CostsFiscal Impact to Operating Costs

• Projected Periodic Fire Inspection revenueProjected Periodic Fire Inspection revenue– FY 10 -11 = $ 270,000FY 10 -11 = $ 270,000

• Adjusted Periodic Fire Inspection revenue + ETJAdjusted Periodic Fire Inspection revenue + ETJ– FY 11 -12 = $ 295,000FY 11 -12 = $ 295,000– Anticipated revenue increase of $25,000 annuallyAnticipated revenue increase of $25,000 annually

ImplementationImplementation

• As this proposal is a fee adjustment As this proposal is a fee adjustment based on business location, the current based on business location, the current fee schedule could be amended by adding fee schedule could be amended by adding two additional footnotes. two additional footnotes.

• Meeting with affected ETJ Fire Meeting with affected ETJ Fire Departments on a new information Departments on a new information sharing effort regarding sharing sharing effort regarding sharing confidence testing reports on fire confidence testing reports on fire protection systems.protection systems.

Other ConsiderationsOther Considerations

• Revenue is cyclic in that some years Revenue is cyclic in that some years all three schedules converge so the all three schedules converge so the revenue stream is inflated for that revenue stream is inflated for that year.year.

• This also means that some years the This also means that some years the cycle would primarily affect the cycle would primarily affect the annual inspection cycle and the annual inspection cycle and the revenue would appear lower.revenue would appear lower.

Customer Service ConcernsCustomer Service Concerns

• Information Sharing with affected ETJ Information Sharing with affected ETJ Fire Departments is key and must be Fire Departments is key and must be timely.timely.

• Program comparison with the Buncombe Program comparison with the Buncombe County Fire Marshal’s Office – No Fees.County Fire Marshal’s Office – No Fees.

• Our customer service must be Our customer service must be exceptional.exceptional.