Welcome to the Fire Services Master Plan Webpage
Read on for more information on the new and innovative update of our Fire Services Master Plan.
Updates
The fire services master plan document is available online for your review.
The Regional Standard of Cover is available online. This item will be addressed at the Board of Fire Commissioners/County Commissioners on April 12, 2011.
Washoe County, the 16th geographically largest County in the nation, is dedicated to providing excellent fire and emergency response services to ensure safety of all citizens in our community.
This involves more than the a fire station down the street; it is a combination of all permanent and mobile equipment, personnel, volunteers, training and community resources that help provide response during an emergency. The purpose of Washoe County's fire services master plan is to determine the most efficient manner to provide and improve services so citizens in areas governed by the County Commission have access to fire-based services when they are needed most.
Please note, the next public hearing on the draft master plan is scheduled for February 22, 2010 special Board of County Commissioners meeting. The meeting begins at 4:00 p.m. and will be held at the Regional Public Safety Center, 5190 Spectrum Blvd., Rms 103-105. Please submit your comments prior to the meeting or join us to submit public comment verbally.
The Board of County Commissioners will also review the item at their regularly scheduled meeting, February 23, 2010. The meeting agenda is posted 3-4 days prior to the meeting date online at www.washoecounty.us/bcc.
The draft action plan is organized by the recommendations included within the Master Plan called "themes and concerns" including: Governance, Interlocal Agreement, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Volunteers, Dispatch, Facilities, Federal Grants and Prevention. For each theme, the proposed responsibility, outcomes, and itemized tasks to accomplish the recommendations have been identified. Consistent with Board of County Commissioners direction at their February 23 meeting, the plan was developed by a broad array of stakeholders. It will be presented to the respective boards by June 22, 2010.
Download the Draft Action Plan
Public comments are encouraged. Please take a moment to review the document. Related comments may be emailed to fire@washoecounty.us by June 8, 2010.
For additional information, please contact Kurt Latipow, Washoe County Fire Services Coordinator, email klatipow@washoecounty.us or phone (775) 328-2716.
April 13, 2010: At the April 13 meeting, the directed staff to solicit public comments on the draft action plan. The plan, developed by a broad array of local stakeholders, provides a map for potentially implementing the recommendations included within the Fire Services Master Plan. Public comments are encouraged. Suggestions related to the draft action plan may be emailed to fire@washoecounty.us by June 8, 2010. Consistent with the Board's direction, staff will return to Board of County Commissioners Meeting no later than June 22, 2010 with a presentation of the Draft Action plan inclusive with staff recommendations. For additional information, please contact Kurt Latipow, Washoe County Fire Services Coordinator, email klatipow@washoecounty.us or phone (775) 328-2716.
March 1, 2010: At the February 23 Board of County Commissioners meeting the Commissioners accepted the draft Fire Services Master Plan and requested that staff return in April with a timeline for all recommendations noted within the document. The Commission noted that recommendations within the master plan will be considered at future meetings and that acceptance of the plan did not equate to implementation of a specific recommendation. The Commission was acting as both the Board of County Commissioners and Sierra Fire District Board.
February 22, 2010: The Board of County Commissioners will review the draft fire services master plan in a special public meeting. The meeting is dedicated entirely to this issue and its purpose is to review the document and obtain public comment. It will be held on February 22, beginning at 4:00 p.m. The meeting location is the Regional Public Safety Center, 5190 Spectrum Blvd, RMS 103-105.
February 23, 2010: The Board of County Commissioners will review the draft fire services master at their regular board meeting. This meeting will be held on February 23, beginning at 10AM. The meeting location is 1001 E. 9th Street, Building A, County Commission Chambers. To review the meeting agenda, please visit www.washoecounty.us/bcc 3-4 days prior to the meeting date.
January 26, 2010: The Board of County Commissioners reviewed the draft executive summary of the fire services master plan. Please click here to review the executive summary. To review the staff report, click here. Public input is very important. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the executive summary please email fire@washoecounty.us.
January 4, 2009: The Draft Executive Summary of the Fire Services Master Plan is scheduled to be reviewed at the January 26, Board of County Commissioners meeting. The summary will be available online and in the staff report 3-4 days prior to the meeting. To review the agenda item visit the Board of County Commissioners webpage. The Board of County Commissioners will establish the review schedule of the entire draft report. On January 26, staff will recommend that the full draft report be posted online for citizen review by the end of January with the first public hearing scheduled for the last board meeting in February (2/23/2010).
November 20, 2009: The Fire Services Master Plan is tentatively scheduled to be presented to the Board of County Commissioners at their last meeting in January [January 26, 2010]. The plan will be posted online for citizens' review approximately three weeks prior to the hearing. Please check this website at the end of December beginning of January to review the plan. The hearing date was extended from December to allow for adequate review during the busy holiday season.
September 30, 2009: The County Fire Services Coordinator presented an update on the master plan to the Sierra Fire Board on September 22, 2009 (item 10). The consultants are drafting the document in preparation for review by staff and the Board of County Commissioners projected to be late November or early December of this year. The focus of the consultants is to gather information and raw data from the community and local partners to present options and recommendations to the Washoe County Commission. The process included multiple personal interviews and an online survey. In addition the consultants presented information to the chairs of the CABs, the Joint Fire Board, and volunteers. A town hall forum was held in June 2009. The project is 73% complete.
To view the September 22 agenda please visit our Commission Agendas.
To watch the presentation online visit WCTV and select the links "Video on Demand", "County Commission," and "September 22" meeting.
What is the Fire Services Master Plan update?
A first for Washoe County, the Fire Services Master Plan is being developed through a public process incorporating the comments of partnering agencies and citizens. The plan is a thoughtful, strategic view for providing fire service and fire service-based emergency medical response for 300,000 households within the service area of Sierra Fire Protection District, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, and rural non-incorporated Washoe County communities.
Who provides Emergency Services in Washoe County?
Washoe County is not the only service provider in the area. Other service areas include City of Reno Fire and emergency personnel, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, Sierra Fire Protection District, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, and dedicated volunteer fire departments. We understand that in an emergency, people don't care who responds to help, just that someone with the proper training and support responds in a timely and professional manner. The plan takes into consideration that we all work together to provide emergency services response to citizens no matter where they live.
What are the overall goals of this process?
We want to ensure that we meet national standards of practice, local and state law, and the expectations of our citizens to provide the highest level of service possible. The final report will include a review of national professional associations, state statute, local ordinances and opportunities, and community expectations for fire and emergency services. This benchmark, called Standards of Response Coverage, will be compared to our current level of service along with recommendations for improvement if needed.
The final report is expected to be reviewed in February of 2010. The goal is to provide the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners, acting as Sierra Fire Protection District Board and Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, a full analysis of our current level of service in comparison to the Standards of Response Coverage and recommendations for improvement.
Does this plan cover my home or property?
The plan addresses fire and firebased emergency medical services in the Sierra Fire Protection District, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, and rural Washoe communities. To see if you are within the service area please download the area map.
Is the County taking over the City fire departments?
No. The fire service master plan only addresses the unincorporated areas of Washoe County. Inter-local and cooperative agreements will be reviewed in determining current levels of service and possible areas for improvement.
Are you going to move my fire station?
The Fire Service Master Plan is not focused on closing fire stations or on a single fire station, but instead the plan is a review of the fire and fire -based emergency medical emergency response system as a whole. The Fire Services Master Plan is a technical look at the best mechanisms/practices for providing the highest level of service to all citizens in unincorporated Washoe County. Any movement to address a single fire station location and staff would be a separate process based on the Master Plan recommendations. Completion of the plan will give our elected officials information they need to make the most effective allocation of resources in this area.
What is the process for implementing the plan...when will you decide to move emergency resources?
Once the Master Plan is presented to the County Commission, they may consider adopting and implementing all or some of the recommendations. While we anticipate the plan will have several recommendations related to service delivery, at this time it is unknown what they may be until input is received. If as a result of the plan's recommendations, it is considered necessary to move or add fire stations or staff, another public hearing process will occur. The final decision authority lies with elected officials as the Sierra Fire Protection District Board.
Who provides ambulance service?
With the exception of Gerlach and North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, REMSA provides ambulance service to Washoe County citizens. REMSA is contracted through the Washoe County Health Department who oversees their operations.
How does this plan affect County agreements with the USFS to provide fire protection services in the Sierra Fire Protection District service area?
All federal, state, and intra-local agreements will be reviewed during the master plan update process. Any specific changes to improve service levels throughout the County will be addressed following adoption of the master plan.
What is our standard of coverage? What should citizens expect as far as fire services?
Standard of coverage is the accepted level of fire and emergency service provided to residents in Washoe County. The master plan consultants are reviewing national guidelines for fire service levels and comparing them to the current service provided throughout our community. The effort includes a review of existing station locations and staffing versus standards identified in nationally accepted processes, fire department staffing models, and historical measures of emergency workloads. The standard of coverage will not recommend removing fire stations; information will be used to make recommendations as to areas to consider future fire station locations. The goal is to effectively service the needs of all citizens within unincorporated Washoe County governed by the county commission.
When were the boundaries formed for Sierra Fire Protection District, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, and the unincorporated northern portion of the County?
The fire district boundaries were created at the same time as the districts were originally created.
Would consolidation of one or more of the existing fire agencies change current response times?
At this time, we do not know how consolidation would change response times in our community; possible consolidation scenarios and their impacts will be addressed in the fire services master plan.
What is the purpose of the Special February 22 and the February 23 meetings?
The purpose of the special February 22 Board of County Commissioners meeting is to review the Draft Fire Services and Fire Based Emergency Services Master plan and obtain public comment/questions. The intent, as directed by the Board of County Commissioners, is to provide a public forum entirely dedicated to the fire master plan. To review the agenda, please visit /large_files/agendas/022210/agenda.pdf.
The February 23, Board of County Commissioners, acting as the Sierra Fire Protection District Board of Fire Commission, will address the fire master plan at the regularly scheduled meeting. The purpose of the agenda item is to review the draft master plan for possible 1) approval and 2) staff direction to develop an implementation plan for identified recommendations. Citizen comments received at the February 22 meeting will be incorporated into the presentation. The staff report suggests another hearing on March 23 to review any implementation plan(s). To review the Sierra Fire Protection District Board of Fire Commissioners agenda please visit /large_files/agendas/022310/8.pdf.
A blueprint to complete the proposed recommendations is included in the Fire Services Master Plan. Why?
Per the agreement between the Washoe County Commissioners and consultants, Diamante Partners was not asked to include a process to implement the proposed recommendations in the Fire Services Master Plan. The master plan includes a review of current operation procedures compared to national standards. This provides the Commission with additional information necessary to make decisions on implementing the proposed or other recommendations in the future.
When will the recommendations in the Master Plan be implemented?
The master plan provides guidelines for the County Commission to enact possible fire service improvements in our community. Acceptance of the master plan does not denote acceptance of any particular recommendation. Any projects or changes identified would initiated by the Commission at future public meetings.
Does the fire master plan draft eliminate REMSA?
No. The fire master plan draft does not eliminate REMSA. The recommendations within the plan call for increased coordination between District Board of Health, the governing body for REMSA services, and the multiple public bodies responsible for fire safety.
Does the draft master plan call for the City of Reno to take over Sierra Fire or the opposite?
No. The proposed recommendation for shared governance of services does not call for any fire agency to assume the responsibilities of another agency. The proposal suggests the development of a new agency, by agreement, to provide services collaboratively within the areas of the City of Reno, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, and Sierra Fire. As with all recommendations within the master plan, the Board of County Commissioners would need to take action to pursue this recommendation.
Who do I contact for more information?
For more information, contact:
Kurt Latipow
Washoe County
Fire Services Coordinator
Email: klatipow@washoecounty.us
Phone: 328.2716
April 2010: The draft timeline for all recommendations noted within the Fire Services Master Plan presented to the Board of County Commissioners, Sierra Fire, and Truckee Meadows Fire on April 13. At that meeting, the Commission approved staff obtaining additional public feedback on the draft action plan. Public comments may be submitted online through June 8. Staff will prepare a report to the Board of County Commissioners, inclusive of staff recommendations, for a public meeting prior to June 22, 2010.
February 22, 2010: Special public hearing before the Board of County Commissioners to review and collect public comment on the draft fire services master plan. This meeting will be dedicated to review of the draft plan. The meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m. at the Regional Public Safety Center, 5190 Spectrum Blvd, Rms 103-105.
February 23, 2010: A presentation before Board of County Commissioners to review the draft fire services master plan. This is not a public hearing. The meeting will be held on February 23, beginning at 10AM. The meeting location is 1001 E. 9th Street, Building A, County Commission Chambers. To review the meeting agenda, please visit www.washoecounty.us/bcc 3-4 days prior to the meeting date.
January 2009: A presentation to the Board of County Commissioners on the draft executive summary of the fire services master plan is scheduled for the January 26 BCC meeting. A review of the entire draft document will follow in the preceeding months (to be scheduled).
October 2009: A report to the Board of County Commissioners is scheduled for November or December of 2009.
June 2009: Diamante Partners, consultants hired to complete the master plan update, hosted a town hall meeting on June 17. Over 75 citizens attended the event. The goal was to gather information from citizens on current and essential services. The results of the town hall and the survey will be included in a report back to the Sierra Fire Protection District Board. The presentation will be scheduled for November or December 2009.