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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 919-2021 Amending Code Appendix A, Adding New Article A9.000 (Fire Services Fees)CITY OF ANNA, TEXAS ORDINANCE NO. QI q-c^JWI AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ANNA, TEXAS AMENDING THE ANNA CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING APPENDIX A (FEE SCHEDULE) ADDING A NEW ARTICLE A9.000 (FIRE SERVICES FEES); PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE; PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY CLAUSE NOT TO EXCEED $2,000 OR THE HIGHEST PENALTY AMOUNT ALLOWED BY LAIN, WHICHEVER IS LESS; AND, PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE CAPTION HEREOF. WHEREAS, the City of Anna, Texas ("City") has previously adopted ordinances, rules and regulations governing Schedule of Fees; and WHEREAS, the City's emergency and non -emergency services response activity to incidents continues to increase each year and requirements involving equipment and training and to provide emergency services create additional demands on all operational aspects of the fire department services; and WHEREAS, the fire department has investigated different methods to maintain a high level of quality of emergency and non -emergency service capability throughout times of constantly increasing service demands, where maintaining an effective response by the fire department decreases the costs of incidents to insurance carriers, businesses, and individuals through timely and effective management of emergency situations, saving lives and reducing property and environmental damage; and WHEREAS, relying solely on real property tax to meet the increase in service demands would not be fair when the responsible party(s) should be held accountable for their actions; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Anna ("City Council") has investigated and determined that it would be advantageous and beneficial to the City and its citizens to amend sections of Appendix A (Fee Schedule) of The Anna City Code of Ordinances ("Anna Code") by adding fees related to fire emergency response and related services; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANNA, TEXAS THAT: Section 1. Recitals Incorporated The above recitals are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No. - aco Page 1 of 8 Section 2. Amendment In accordance with Article 1.01 of the Anna City Code of Ordinances, ("Anna Code"), the following amendments adding a new Article A.9000 to Appendix A (Fee Schedule) are hereby adopted: ARTICLE A9.000 FIRE SERVICES FEES Sec. A9.001 Generally MOTOR VEHICLE INCIDENTS Level 1 - $506.00 Provide hazardous materials assessment and scene stabilization. This will be the most common "billing level". Level 2 - $576.00 Includes Level 1 services as well as clean up and material used (sorbents) for hazardous fluid clean up and disposal and clean up any gasoline or other automotive fluids that are spilled as a result of the accident/incident. Level 3 — CAR FIRE - $704.00 Provide scene safety, fire suppression, breathing air, rescue tools, hand tools, hose, tip use, foam, structure protection, and clean up gasoline or other automotive fluids that are spilled as a result of the accident/incident. ADD -ON SERVICES: Extrication - $1,520.00 Includes heavy rescue tools, ropes, airbags, cribbing etc. This charge will be added if the fire department has to free/remove anyone from the vehicles) using. any equipment. Creating a Landing Zone - $465.00 Includes Air Care (multi -engine company response, mutual aid, helicopter). ADDITIONAL TIME ON -SCENE Engine billed at $466 per hour. Truck billed at $582 per hour. Miscellaneous equipment billed at $341. City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No. 0 14 W. Page 2 of 8 HAZMAT Level 1 - $816.00 Basic Response: Claim will include engine response, first responder assignment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, set-up and command. Level 2 - $2, 13.00 Intermediate Response: Claim will include engine response, first responder assignment, hazmat certified team and appropriate equipment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, set-up and command, Level A or B suit donning, breathing air and detection equipment. Set-up and removal of decontamination center. Level 3 -- $6, 75.00 Advanced Response: Includes engine response, first responder assignment, hazmat certified team and appropriate equipment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, first responder set-up and command, Level A or B suit donning, breathing air and detection equipment and robot deployment. Set-up and removal of decon center, detection equipment, recovery and identification of material. Disposal and environment clean up. Includes above in addition to any disposal rates of material and contaminated equipment and material used at scene. Includes 3 hours of on scene time - each additional hour 5) $336.00 per HAZMAT team. ADDITIONAL TIME ON -SCENE for all levels of service) Engine billed at $466 per hour. Truck billed at $582 per hour. Miscellaneous equipment billed at $341 per hour. FIRE INVESTIGATION Fire Investigation Team - $321.00 per hour. Includes: • Scene Safety • Investigation Source Identification K-9/Arson Dog Unit Identification Equipment Mobile Detection Unit Fire Report Starts when the Fire Investigator responds to the incident and includes time to ed. City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No. g izF4* aQolj Page 3 of 8 FIRES Assignment - $466.00 per hour, per engine / $582.00 per hour, per truck. Includes: • Scene Safetv • Investigation • Fire / Hazard Control ILLEGAL FIRES Assignment - $466.00 per hour, per engine / $582.00 per hour, per truck When a fire is started by any person or persons that requires a fire department response during a time or season when fires are regulated or controlled by local or state rules, provisions or ordinances because of pollution or fire danger concerns, such person or persons will be liable for the fire department response at a cost not to exceed the actual expenses incurred by the fire department to respond and contain the fire. Similarly_ if a fire is started where permits are required for such a fire and the permit was not obtained and the fire department is required to respond to contain the fire the responsible party will be liable for the response at a cost not to exceed the actual expenses incurred by the fire department. The actual expenses will include direct labor, equipment costs and any other costs that can be reasonably allocated to the cost of the response. WATER INCIDENTS Level 1 Basic Response: Includes engine response, first responder assignment, perimeter establishment, evacuations, first responder set-up and command, scene safety and investigation (including possible patient contact, hazard control . Billed at $466 plus $58 per hour, per rescue person. Level 2 Intermediate Response: Includes Level 1 services as well as clean up and material used (sorbents), minor hazardous clean up and disposal and clean up small amounts of gasoline or other fluids that are spilled as a result of the incident. Billed at $932 plus $58 per hour, per rescue person. Level 3 Advanced Response: Includes Level 1 and Level 2 services as well as D.A.R.T. activation, donning breathin apparatus and detection equipment. Set up and removal of decon center, detection equipment, recove and City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No. Page 4 of 8 identification of material. Disposal and environment clean up. Includes above in addition to any disposal rates of material and contaminated equipment and material used at scene. Billed at $2,334 plus $58 per hour per rescue person, plus $117 per hour per HAZMAT team member. Level 4 Itemized Response: You have the option to bill each incident as an independent event with custom mitigation rates for each incident using itemized rates deemed usual, customary and reasonable (UCR). These incidents will be billed, itemized, per trained rescue person, plus rescue products used. BACK COUNTRY OR SPECIAL RESCUE Itemized Response: Each incident will be billed with custom mitigation rates deemed usual, customary and reasonable (UCR). These incidents will be billed, itemized per apparatus per hour, per trained rescue person per hour, plus rescue products used. Minimum billed $466 for the first response vehicle plus $58 per rescue person. Additional rates of $466 per hour per response vehicle and $58 per hour per rescue person. CHIEF RESPONSE This includes the set-up of Command and providing direction of the incident. This could include operations, safety, and administration of the incident. Billed at $290 per hour. MISCELLANEOUS I ADDITIONAL TIME ON -SCENE Engine billed at $466 per hour. Truck billed at $582 per hour. Ambulance billed at $300 per hour. Miscellaneous equipment billed at $341. Fire Marshal on premises - $75.00 per hour (each, two hour minimum Standby fire personnel - $195.00 per hour (each, three hour minimum Standby ambulance personnel - $130.00 per hour (each, three hour minimum GAS LEAKS (Natural) LEVEL 1 (Natural Gas Leak Outside Without Fire) City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No. aw Page 5 of 8 Description: Minimal danger to life, property, and the environment, leak typically for mechanical damage to a meter or pipe. Actions: Evacuate immediate area, notify gas company, evaluate hazards including exposures, environment, vehicular traffic etc. Conduct fence line monitoring to determine control zones. Remove ignition sources from the area, consider non- intervention strategy, if offensive tactics selected, ensure proper PPE, respiratory protection, thermal protection, and tactics are utilized. Assignment-$466.00 per hour, per engine / $582.00 per hour, per truck LEVEL 2 (Natural Gas Leak Outside with Fire) Description: Moderate danger to life, property, and the environment, leak typically caused from mechanical damage with nearby operating equipment (car, backhoe, etc) causing a fire. Actions: Evacuate immediate area, notify gas company, protect hazards from fire damage, do not extinguish the fire unless directed to do so by the gas company, consider water supply options. Assignment- $748 per hour, per engine / $58 per hour, per rescue person. LEVEL 3 (Natural Gas Leak inside Structure) Description: Significant danger to life, property, and the environment, leak is typically difficult to identify and locate. Actions: Evacuate building and nearby structures, notify gas company, position apparatus away from the structure, attempt to control gas where it enters the building, ventilate the building (using intrinsically safe methods), remove ignition sources from inside but shutting off power on the outside of the structure. Assignment- $932 per hour, per engine / $58 per hour, per rescue person. RESPONSE FEES (False Alarms) a) False Alarms and Nuisance Alarms Billing Fee. (Residential and Non- Residential) (Article 6, Section 901.6 — City of Anna Adopted Fire Codel City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No. R4- @Ml Page 6 of 8 1) Alarms activated during the first thirty (30) day period after the initial installation of the system will not be counted as false alarms and are free of charge. 2) The fee for the ninth (9th) through the twentieth (20th false alarm call within any thirty (30) day period is $75.00 per call. 3) The fee for the twenty first (21st) through the thirtieth (30th) false alarm call within any ninety (90) day period is $250.00 per call. 4) The fee for the thirty first (31 st) false alarm call and each false alarm call beyond the thirty first (31 st) within a one hundred eighty (180) day period is $500.00 per call. Sec. A9.002 Actual costs; Increases The mitigation rates listed in Sec. A9.001 are average "billing levels", and are lypical, for the incident responses listed, however, when a claim is submitted, it will be calculated and billed based on the actual services provided. Beginning on the first of each new calendar vear, the then current fee shall be increased by the Employment Cost Index or, Total Compensation, Not Seasonally Adjusted, Private Industry for Professional, Scientific and Technical Services published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor for the twelve months ending the Preceding year. All cost and fees charged under A9.000 are cumulative of and in addition to all other cost, charges, fees, penalties and other expenses required under other applicable laws or regulations. Sec. A9.002 Reserved Section 3. Savings, Repealing and Severability Clauses It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the words, sentences, paragraphs, subdivisions, clauses, phrases, and provisions of this ordinance are severable and, if any phrase, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, clause, or provision of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitutional or otherwise invalid or inapplicable by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality, invalidity or inapplicability shall not affect any of the remaining words, sentences, paragraphs, subdivisions, clauses, phrases, or provisions of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional, invalid or inapplicable words, sentences, paragraphs, subdivisions, clauses, phrases, or provisions. Further, all ordinances or parts of ordinances in force when the provisions of this ordinance become effective that are consistent and do not conflict with the terms and provisions of this ordinance are hereby ratified to the extent of such consistency and lack of conflict, and all ordinances or parts of ordinances in force when the provisions of this ordinance become effective that are City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No. q Iq Page 7 of 8 inconsistent or in conflict with the terms and provisions contained in this ordinance are hereby repealed only to the extent of any such conflict. Section 4. Penalty Any violation of any of the terms of this ordinance, whether denominated in this ordinance as unlawful or not, shall be deemed a misdemeanor. Any person convicted of any such violation shall be fined in an amount not to exceed the lesser of $2,000 or the highest amount allowed by applicable law for each incidence of violation. Each day a violation exists is considered a separate offense and will be punished separately. Section 5. Publication of the Caption and Effective Date This ordinance shall be effective upon its passage by the City Council and posting and/or publication, if required by law, of its caption. The City Secretary is hereby authorized and directed to implement such posting and/or publication. PASSED by the City Council of the City of Anna, Texas this 27th day of July 2021. ATTESTED: %k%k"IitIIJARPROVED: 0 /V ° Carrie L. Land, City Secretary a at' Pike, Mayor E X fim I00 4 City of Anna, Texas Ordinance No: Page 8 of 8