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•CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE O F TH E CLERK
<br /> the year,but it's technically over with, as far as us providing any service with their program, at the
<br /> end of September.
<br /> He continued, How this impacts our budget is that they were basically reimbursing us the cost for
<br /> three (3) FTE's to provide those drivers, one (1) on shift every single day of the year. By
<br /> eliminating two (2) of those three (3) positions, we're reducing that operating cost. One(1) of the
<br /> costs, though, that was an outside cost of the program to us,that was something we were going to
<br /> have to look at in a future contract with them, was the fact that their neonatal ambulances had
<br /> become progressively busier every year. We were running into situations where we would have to
<br /> bring in a backup driver to cover an additional second (2nd) or third (3rd) call. A lot of those extra
<br /> costs were coming on our department. By eliminating this, not only have we reduced the staffing
<br /> by a couple of people, but also those additional costs associated with the program. What we have
<br /> actually proposed to do within this budget, is to reallocate one (1) of those positions to the
<br /> community para medicine program. Instead of reducing by three(3), we were hoping to go ahead
<br /> and reallocate one(1)of those three(3)positions back to the community for the medicine program.
<br /> He went on, We also have contractual obligations within our department, the CBA with the union
<br /> local, that salaries for next year will increase by two percent ( 2%). That was something that we
<br /> had to add into the budget by next year by contract.Additionally,the decrease is due to the neonatal
<br /> transport program elimination. Only one (1) round of recruit school is expected. When we put on
<br /> a recruit academy, we have to pay for those salaries and benefits for the recruits going through
<br /> school. They're paid at a much lower rate than one (1) of our sworn firefighters,but it's still a cost
<br /> associated with it. What we attempted to do is look at and project out for next year, and how many
<br /> individuals were going to be retiring and leaving the job,etc.What we're attempting to do this year
<br /> is just go ahead and cover the cost of all of those recruits.
<br /> He continued, In the fall, we'll be running a recruit academy, and we'll be putting on ten (10)
<br /> individuals, and I believe they're going to graduate the first(1St) or second(2nd) week of February.
<br /> The idea is that it would be the only recruit academy between now and the end of the year for next
<br /> year. Those additional costs won't be there next year. Then, we do have some other savings built
<br /> into some of the efficiencies that we bill in the benefits, as well. I will begin talking about some of
<br /> the special services that we provide as a department. This is my eighth (8th) time delivering this
<br /> budget presentation to the Council and often times we get all hung up in the extra stuff that our
<br /> department does. I just want to put a focus on the things that we actually do every single day and
<br /> often times, kind of go unnoticed, for lack of a better way to put it.
<br /> He went on, A great example of this was the commercial fire we had on South Franklin Street. I'm
<br /> sure several people in the room saw the video that went viral,with the raccoons. We received notes
<br /> and stuff from people from all over the country about this thing,with these raccoons running down
<br /> a ladder. Even to a point where we received a donation from a lady in Tennessee because of the
<br /> compassion we showed for these raccoons. A week after that fire, the individuals on our B shift
<br /> managed to rescue a gentleman out of a house fire, who was unconscious. They provided him the
<br /> medical services, and he just woke up yesterday in the ICU down in Fort Wayne, and we haven't
<br /> received anything additional about that case. I just wanted to put a focus on what it is that we do
<br /> every single day because the staff that we have, they're professionals, they're phenomenal people,
<br /> they're highly trained, and without a doubt one (1) of the absolute best Fire Departments in this
<br /> entire region, not just the state of Indiana. They provide fire suppression and prevention, EMS
<br /> services, hazmat response, water rescue, and technical rescue for people in South Bend and
<br /> EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION I INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT
<br /> 455 County-City Building 227W Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 TTD 574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov
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