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Fire Department <br /> DATE: 2/20/2024 <br /> MEMO: 2024-04 <br /> TO: Honorable Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe&Decatur City Council Members <br /> FROM: Scot Wrighton,City Manager <br /> Jeff Abbott,Fire Chief <br /> SUBJECT: Amending City Code Chapter 44—Fire Prevention and Hazardous Materials Control(Lift Assists) <br /> SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: <br /> In accordance with council instructions,the fire department is requesting changes to chapter 44 to allow charging for lift assist <br /> services at defined commercial facilities. Lift assist calls have been increasing throughout the city over the last several years. In <br /> 2014,there were 430 lift assist calls compared to 2023's number of 1029. The number of lift assists could be a reflection of an <br /> aging population,but it also takes firefighters away from their primary duty of responding to emergency calls.The increase also <br /> reflects a willingness by private care providers to more often call the Decatur Fire Department,plus other fire departments and <br /> Abbott Ambulance,to perform lift assists. The number of lift assist calls to the facilities covered under this ordinance ranges <br /> annually from 51 to 118 over the last ten years. <br /> This ordinance attempts to curtail the use of the fire department at commercial facilities who refuse to provide lifting assistance to <br /> their residents. They are essentially transferring liability to the fire department. If patients are paying for care,it should include <br /> lift-assists by the care facilities personnel. The city has experienced workers compensation claims as a direct result of lift assists. <br /> This ordinance change should be viewed as the first step in addressing lift assist problems more broadly. Lift assists are <br /> considered non-emergency calls and tie up a fire company for emergency calls. The resources of the department are limited and <br /> should be available for emergency responses. However,the fire department will not refuse service and leave someone lying on the <br /> floor. <br /> POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS: Unknown <br /> STAFF REFERENCE: Jeff Abbott,Fire Chief,424-2811 <br /> BUDGET/TIME IMPLICATIONS: <br /> The only budget implications would be a slight increase in revenue that should decline as the ordinance change is enforced. <br /> ATTACHMENTS: <br /> Description Type <br /> Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 44—Fire Ordinance <br /> Prevention and Hazardous Materials Control <br />