Title
HEARING - Consider recommendations regarding the Regional Fire Communications Facility (RFCF) Update, as follows: (EST. TIME: 45 MIN.)
Acting as the Board of Directors, Fire Protection District:
a) Approve, ratify and authorize the Fire Chief to execute Cooperative Dispatch Agreements with partner fire agencies (Montecito Fire Protection District, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, City of Santa Barbara and City of Santa Maria);
b) Authorize the Fire Chief to enter into, on behalf of the Santa Barbara County Fire Protection District (Fire District), a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA) that defines dispatch processes for ambulance services and Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) procedures;
c) Provide other direction as appropriate; and
d) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378(b)(5), which are organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment;
Acting as the Board of Supervisors:
a) Receive and file the redundant Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) conceptual plan and direct staff to focus planning efforts on the development of a backup PSAP with the City of Santa Maria;
b) Designate the RFCF, effective when it commences operation, to be the point of dispatch for the contract ambulance provider as permitted in the County of Santa Barbara Emergency Ambulance Agreement Section 4- Paragraph 4.2, Dispatch Requirements;
c) Require budget-neutral impact to the County's General Fund for RFCF operations;
d) Provide other direction as appropriate; and
e) Determine these actions are exempt from the CEQA pursuant to Section 15378(b)(5), which are organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment, and Section 15262 for feasibility and planning studies for possible future actions which the Board has not approved, adopted, or funded.
COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION: POLICY