Feb. 08--CANANDAIGUA, NY-- The reasons are varied, but the city and town are looking to hire an outside consultant to study the state of how fire service is provided.
And results may address both staffing issues within the Canandaigua Fire Department and explore a regional approach to providing fire service in both the city and town of Canandaigua.
Members of City Council's planning/development committee agreed Tuesday night to recommend that the Center for Public Safety Management, or CPSM, perform a comprehensive study of fire services. City Council would need to give the final OK.
The $50,000 cost will be split evenly between the city and town, City Manager John Goodwin said.
The hope is to prepare for the future as well as to spur a regional discussion of providing the service, which runs to nearly $2.5 million total for both municipalities.
"We've got to find a way to afford this," Goodwin said. "We can't do it alone."
The study will help the department address future development, not just in the city but also in areas of the town, as well as open eyes to any risks that such projects pose, said Fire Chief Frank Magnera on Tuesday night.
Results also will address staffing and tools that may be needed, Magnera added.
"I think it will be a good baseline for us to plan for the future," Magnera said.
The national firm comes well recommended, Goodwin said.
The group recently completed studies in Oneonta, Otsego County, and Watertown, Jefferson County. The company has conducted more than 290 studies in 41 states and provinces and 200 communities ranging in population from 8,000 people to 800,000, according to information provided to the city by the company.
The people assigned to the Canandaigua study have lengthy careers in the fire and government services business, according to the company.
They will study data provided from both the city and Cheshire fire departments as well as talk with city and fire staff and departments that also provide services in the town and city, such as the Canandaigua VA Fire Department, Hopewell, East Bloomfield and Bristol fire departments.
The study also will include an analysis of fire calls and response times, most likely during 2017.
The Canandaigua Town Board on Monday night may consider signing on with the study, according to Town Manager Doug Finch.
The study comes at a good time for the town, as the contracts of three of the four entities that provide service -- the city, Cheshire and Bristol -- expire Dec. 31.
"It's important for us to get in early and prepare for early 2019 and beyond," Finch said.
A draft report is expected to be available about two months after information gathering and site visits, with a final report coming about two weeks after that.
City fire staffing has been an issue for some time, and has come to a head in recent years -- particularly after several recent high-profile fires in the city.
Councilmember Stephen Uebbing said he hopes recommendations are taken seriously because of the obligation to provide fire service.
"I like the idea of using an outside agency," Uebbing said.
Finch said having an outside perspective may provide a fresh look at how the service is provided.
"We need to get everybody in the room together," Finch said.
Goodwin said the information gathered will be helpful in planning and determining the community's risk assessment. Data also will be useful when the fire department pursues accreditation, which is an accepted set of standards of operation as recognized by an outside agency.
"We're getting something we need, regardless of what we do with staffing," Goodwin said.
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