CC - Agendas - City Council - STUDY SESSION - 2/14/2023

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Due to these factors, the organization has become more reactive in responding to this operating environment. However, this is the opposite of what such a challenge demands. Public safety services are a primary function of local government, however these services require a significant allocation of public funds. This is further complicated by the fact that the city as an organization finds itself in a more complex policy environment than ever. Public safety services are a primary function of local government, but community issues extend far beyond public safety and solutions require collaboration and innovation. To respond successfully to such challenges requires requires innovation and transitioning away from a one size fits all approach. The outcomes for citizens, rather than the solution itself, should drive decision making. This strategic plan is a significant departure from prior planning efforts by utilizing a results-oriented methodology that measures the impact on the customers we serve. It enables us to objectively demonstrate how an improved resource allocation will benefit the community instead. By linking resource allocation to performance, the department can partner with the rest of the city, the council, and the community to have an objective and consistent conversation to help discern the most appropriate solution to adaptive challenges. The plan calls for a significant investment into public safety infrastructure. In the five-year planning range, two new fire stations, renovations to existing stations, and increased resources in emergency medical services are proposed. However, community growth has outpaced the ability of the city to respond to the demand for services by using capital and response resources alone. Therefore, several initiatives are aimed at community risk reduction, particular in the areas of wildfire impacts, emergency management, and reducing low-acuity call impacts. We also intend to leverage technology to increase efficiency of existing resources and to invest into our firefighters to ensure they safely return home at the end of their shifts and careers. The issues that this plan identified are: Staffing and Infrastructure – There is a need for increased capital infrastructure and associated staffing to meet growth in the City of Prescott. Occupational Safety – Existing station infrastructure and policies need to incorporate current evidence-based research related to the fire service that influences the well-being of personnel. Data Collection and Analysis -The department must improve the utilization of data collection and analyze it in a manner that drives organizational performance management. Community Growth – Public safety resource allocation has not substantially increased while the community and its associated service demand has doubled. Sustainable Funding – The general fund for the City has experienced increased 77