FDAC Report | Conference Summer Edition | 2018

FDAC F I R E D I S T R I C T S A S S O C I AT I O N O F C A L I F O R N I A

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FDAC F I R E D I S T R I C T S A S S O C I AT I O N O F C A L I F O R N I A

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2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Steve Hall 1st Vice President Steve Kovacs 2nd Vice President Jim Comisky Immediate Past President Richard Pearce Treasure Eric Walder

FDAC STAFF Catherine Smith, Executive Director Carmen Berry, Account Coordinator David Blue Garrison, Communications Specialist Angelique Grellus, Account Assistant CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHY Pexels, Pixabay and Stocksnap ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Liebig, Lakeside Fire Protection District The purpose of this Association shall be: 1) to present a united position on fire protection issues; 2) to coordinate with other associations with similar views on fire protection including legislation; 3) to provide advisory services and any other services deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors that may benefit member agencies; 4) to keep member agencies informed on laws relating to fire suppression, emergency medical and other related services provided by member agencies; 5) to take an active role in the legislative process affecting public agencies providing fire suppression, emergency medical and related services.

Thank you to all the authors in this issue for sharing with us their time and expertise. If you have an idea for a future article, please contact Carmen Berry at the FDAC office at cberry@fdac.org.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FDAC. For more information on FDAC or this magazine, please contact the FDAC office at 916.231.2137 or visit the website at www.fdac.org.

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FDAC

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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nother year flying by – another successful conference – another fire season underway!

Lastly, as I mentioned at our annual conference, I’m going to make a valiant effort to get out to each of your County Chief’s meetings over the remainder of the year to discuss any concerns FDAC can assist you with. There’s a lot going 2018 has been a very busy year so far. on in our State – cannabis measures, consolidated efforts, From planning this year’s annual conference, funding issues, and the list goes on. Let’s keep the networkingwhich, thanks to all of you was a great success momentum going! Reach out to your respective zone directors (I’m waiting to see how Catherine, Carmen, for assistance. If they don’t have the answer, they can most and the Conference Committee can top this often refer you to the right person to assist you. one), to preparing for our 1st Annual Leadership Seminar, to working non-stop on legislation, to Be safe. preparing for another intense fire season – it seems there is never enough time in the day, the week, or the year to catch our breath, and I know that holds true for each of you.

Regards.

Please remember your well-being and that of your personnel must come first, both physically STEVE HALL and more important, mentally. We heard it at FDAC President our conference, we see it on the news, and we read about it (way too often) in the periodicals, the injuries, illnesses, and unfortunate deaths affecting today’s fire service. If each of us can take the time – just a few minutes every day to engage with our staff, our crews, and ourselves, hopefully we can watch those unfortunate – those unacceptable numbers diminish.

As the 2018 fire season has already begun up and down the state, your Legislative Committee has been working diligently with the members of the DRiSC Coalition on securing pre-positioning, dispatch center, and technological advancement funding from the Governor. We’re anxiously awaiting the 2018-19 State Budget, and if all the hard work done by many will pay off! We’ll keep you posted.

FDAC

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FDAC

FIRE DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA

Legislative Article

Russell W. Noack, Public Policy Advocates, LLC

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Sea Change for the Fire Service

yielded several resignations and a voluntary suspension to date. It appeared that 2018 promised to be more of the same until something dramatic occurred during the last three months of 2017. And it was those catastrophic events that provide the major theme of the second half of this Session and

During those meetings it was clear that these legislators were receptive to making changes to the status quo by modernizing the Mutual Aid System.

With some perspective, we now know what the predominant Following these meetings, the FDAC political themes were for last year’s and the CFCA began discussions Legislative Session. Governor that led to the creation of a Brown and the Legislature set out comprehensive to preserve our fire service state’s regulations “Our chiefs have made great witnesses at coalition known as and statutes in light D•RiSC (“Disaster these hearings and have garnered Legislators of the perceived Readiness threat of radical re-publicizing our “ask”. Through this for SAFER retrenchment Communities”) exposure we have gained several “Legislative emanating from (2). Organizations the Trump White Champions” including Senators McGuire, joining us in House and the Jackson and Dodd and Assembly Members is this effort Republicaninclude: California controlled Wood and Aguiar-Curry.”

Professional Congress. The Firefighters; Governor sought which has changed all the rules for California State Firefighters to maintain his international the Fire Service in 2018.

Association; FIRESCOPE; League reputation as being a leader in During the last three months of of California Cities; Metro Fire fighting climate change and global 2017 , California experienced Chiefs of California; California warming by extending California’s the largest, most destructive and Special Districts Association; and, Cap-and-Trade Program, which costliest wildfires in our state’s Rural County Representatives of is designed to fund efforts to history.

The fires were affected California. The primary goal of reduce greenhouse gas emissions. by extreme weather conditions, D•RiSC is to request the Legislature Working with legislative leaders, which could be attributed in part and Governor for a Budget the Governor even dropped his to climate change. As the threat of augmentation of an additional $100 typical, fiscally frugal stance by wildfires becomes more severe, the Million to strengthen the Mutual Aid signing the “Fix Our Roads” bill(1) need to have firefighters, apparatus System, including funding for OES funded by a massive increase in the gas tax. The Legislature lauded and equipment available and ready to reimburse local agencies that to respond immediately is essential respond to Mutual Aid requests for their accomplishments, at least until to preventing the loss of life and pre-positioning. they experienced multiple sexual preserving property. harassment scandals, which has The investment in pre-positioning In early January, Chief Hall and will help convert the Mutual Aid other chiefs came to Sacramento 9 to meet with legislative leaders.

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System into a proactive system. The funds would be spent as follows: • $87 Million to reimburse local governments for costs to pre-position resources in high-risk areas prior to the onset of extreme weather conditions, such as wind, heavy rain and “red flag” fire conditions.

• $13 Million for improved communication technologies to allow more efficient and effective deployment of resources.

D•RiSC retained the services of Hermocillo and Acevedo Strategic Communications as the coalition’s strategic communications manager. We have been active in coalition building, which is a critical component to success. In addition, coalition members have participated in meetings with legislators and testified before many legislative committee hearings and budget subcommittee hearings to educate legislators on critical areas of concern to the Fire Service. Our chiefs have made great witnesses at these hearings and have garnered Legislators re-publicizing our “ask”. Through this exposure we have gained several “Legislative Champions” including Senators McGuire, Jackson and Dodd and Assembly Members Wood and Aguiar-Curry.

D•RiSC activities also have included focused outreach like the League’s targeted letter writing campaign, editorials in targeted districts, outreach through digital ads, and planned a rally at the State Capitol on May 9, 2018, where Senator Mike McGuire and other legislators held a press conference to further promote our efforts to secure increased funding to modernize California’s Mutual Aid System and fund pre-positioning before wildfires and other significant 10

disasters hit. The May 9th event was the perfect opportunity for you to attend and promote this critical effort to secure funding in the State Budget, gain the support of the Governor, generate news and media coverage, and build support among state lawmakers for funding to protect our communities from the increasing threats from natural disasters.

In addition to the D•RiSC project, the Joint Legislative Task Force is following a record 258 bills this year. I want to highlight one of these bills, Assembly Bill 2118(3) by Assembly Member Ken Cooley. AB 2118 is our sponsor bill pertaining to Medi-Cal ground emergency medical transportation, and would accomplish two significant goals:

I am happy to report that AB 2118 passed its first legislative test by passing the Assembly Committee on Health by unanimous vote.

The measure now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration.

With the Governor’s May Revise scheduled for release on May 10th, budget negotiations beginning in earnest leading up to the June 15th budget deadline, and scores of legislative measures to be considered, we are working tirelessly to promote the urgent needs of and positions on issues of interest to the Fire Service. The exceptional support we have received from FDAC members has been timely and decisive.

(1) It would remove public-sector providers from the Quality Assurance Fee (QAF) program established by Senate Bill 523 (Hernandez)(4) .

(1) Senate Bill 1 (Beall); Chapter 5, Statutes of 2017

(2) It would create a new InterGovernmental Transfer (IGT) program for public providers.

(4) Senate Bill 523 (Hernandez); Chapter 773, Statutes of 2017

(2) Disaster Readiness for SAFER Communities (3) Assembly Bill 2118 (Cooley)

AB 2118 would prevent the application of the QAF, which could lead to actual net losses of revenue for certain public agencies. It exempts public providers from the QAF and establishes a new IGT that will allow public providers to gain a supplemental reimbursement program in addition to the current Ground Emergency Management Transportation Program (GEMT).

Accordingly, AB 2118 eliminates any losers on the public side and provides for all participants to receive additional funds.

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LEADERSHIP CORNER

Delegating and Dumping

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Chief Frank Frievalt Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District

ongratulations on your you grow into next level supervision; group leadership is as germane as new promotion to Captain if you stretch it out too long it ever. It’s been said that traditions or Battalion Chief (BC). becomes a problem that grows are things you do long after If it’s been less than 6 exponentially. you remember why; let’s revisit months, you’re still nurturing the delegation first-hand to return its’ To transition into your new role will idea that you’ll help with all your relevance and effective use. require something that’s developed previous Engineer or Captain duties a poor reputation in the last two Delegation done well requires four while stepping into your new role. decades – delegating. We’ve things: time, authority, resources, The intention, a good one, has one somehow given quarter to the and an idea of “what right looks foot sliding around on self-induced idea that delegating is a kind of like.” First, unless your people have guilt for abandoning your crew, and trickery used by supervisors to shirk loads of available discretionary the other is teetering atop crumbling their own work. The fire service time, you’ll need to either free them leadership up from existing platitudes. If tasks to accomplish “If your task involves interagency it’s been more your delegated than six months one, or you’ll need involvement, or external vendors, do what your footing has to re-prioritize the is necessary to ensure “they” know that a probably failed delegated one you, more than word from your subordinate on this matter to an intentional once. That’s place in their is a word from you; it will save you time, good, it’s progress, line-up of existing because you’ll and give them their due respect through tasks. If you eventually need don’t do either it delegation of authority.” to be comfortable must not be very with the idea that important, and you you can’t continue to do everything workforce is, or at least was, built really can’t complain if they let it you did before, plus your new on a foundation of experiences fall into last place. Second, ensure duties, and do them all well. Even borrowed from agricultural, they have the requisite authority to if you’re the EFO/Dual PhD/Ultraindustrial, and/or military accomplish your delegated task. marathoner type, and could pull it backgrounds. In any of those Hoping they will emerge as “primus off, for now, how does that help in worlds nothing of consequence inter pares” (first among equals) the development of those around was done unless there was just because they are carrying you in terms of succession planning? regular, widespread, and effective your assigned task is naïve. In You’ve worked under newly minted delegation. In our technologically fact, they might even experience Captains and BC’s; what was going leveraged society the use of less support from their peers in through your mind as they struggled delegation is less frequent due to support of your item because, if not with this? Common ones will flatter organizational structures – at validated by you, it might appear include: “Really?” “You’re going least in our administrative duties. as an illegitimate use of power to do this?” “Hey, $2 gets you in, But whenever we are mobilizing by your subordinate. If your task how long you think he/she will keep people and equipment to shape involves interagency involvement, it up?” “Does he/she think I can’t chaos into an intentionally better or external vendors, do what is do the work?” At the beginning it’s outcome, delegation and smallnecessary to ensure “they” know light-hearted tolerant banter until 12

FDAC

that a word from your subordinate on this matter is a word from you; it will save you time, and give them their due respect through delegation of authority. Don’t flinch on this if someone tries to “go around” your subordinate. Third, and perhaps most obvious, you must provide any necessary resources to complete your delegated task (e.g., funds, equipment, personnel, information).

Fourth, they must understand what “right” looks like – what is your leader’s intent for the end state?

If you cannot articulate that, how could they possibly know what it is? If you’re unwilling to do all four of these things, don’t delegate the task, it won’t get accomplished anyway. If you’re unable to do all four, and it still needs to be done, fully announce and own the fact that you’re not properly delegating it – you’re dumping it, on them, probably because they’re capable, but do so sparingly. This must be the exception, not the rule, if you want to attain and maintain legitimacy. You know the difference between delegating and dumping, so will they, be honest and intentional about both. Lastly, be willing to accept that no matter how clear your leader’s intent, it’s likely they won’t get it perfect, and it’s all but assured they won’t do it the way you would. As one of our speakers had it during the recent FDAC Conference, “Marry the mission, date the methods”; it’s sage advice for delegation as well. Focus on your new tasks, get everyone home safely, delegate to support the mission: provide time, authority, resources, and an idea of what “right” looks like.

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Discover the Advantages

Fire Districts Association of California Employment Benefits Authority (FDAC EBA) offers healthcare benefits for members of the Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC). FDAC EBA works in conjunction with Keenan Insurance, an independent insurance broker, to create a comprehensive program that includes medical, dental, vision, and life benefits.

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Revenue Measures Feasibility Analysis Public Opinion Surveys Fire Suppression Assessment Measures Fire Special Tax Measures Fire Impact Fee Nexus Studies Community Facilities District Formations Community Outreach and Education Cannabis Regulation and Policy Annual Special Levy Administration

Today, FDAC EBA offers medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits to FDAC members (both fire agencies and associate members). To learn more about what we offer, browse through our website, then contact Administrator Melissa Dixon at mdixon@ firebenefits.org.

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FDAC

FDAC ANNUAL CONFERENCE

- HIGHLIGHTS ANGELIQUE: This being my first year attending the FDAC Annual Conference as staff, I can honestly say that I had a wonderful time getting to know the lay of the land and finally putting faces to names. Everyone was just as friendly and welcoming as I had imagined, from the attendees to our wonderful sponsors to our board of directors.

CARMEN: 2017 was a difficult fire year for our members and this year’s annual conference more then ever was an honor to put together. It was wonderful to be part of another informative program and bring everyone together to learn and reflect.

“Just getting together with colleagues from all over the state.”

“Well Organized.”

“The conference, as a whole, was excellent!”

“The time spent with Chief Tony Gossner. Very Powerful.”

“Meeting everyone- from Vendors to Speakers to the Attendees, the venue was small enough it kept people together and interacting.”

FDAC

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FDAC ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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FDAC

FDAC ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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EXHIBITORS • Whelen • Columbia Southern University • California Special Districts Alliance • Lexipol, LLC • PG&E • Fire Flex Yoga • Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS) 22

• Decon Systems • Emergency Services Consulting International • CSFEWBC - Volunteer Length of Service Award • Command Strategies Consulting • Fire Agencies Insurance Risk Authority (FAIRA) • FDAC Employee Benefits Program (EBA) • Fire Agencies Self Insurance System (FASIS)

FDAC

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Whether you are purchasing a fleet of fire trucks or building a new fire station, we are here to assist you with achieving your goals. We fund transactions between $250,000 to $100,000,000 with financing terms up to 20 years.

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FDAC

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FDAC EBA RENEWAL EXPECTATIONS

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he FDAC EBA has had an impressive four-year history of holding our renewals below market trends. The FDAC EBA achieved this by taking over many of the underwriting responsibilities and risks from the carriers. This has allowed the FDAC EBA to focus on making sure the rates reflect the actual plan usage to be expected from our members rather than the community in general or an insurance carrier’s book of business.

Specifically, the FDAC EBA has been successful eliminating carrier risk charges, reducing excess margin requirements, right-sizing large claim impact and minimizing state premium taxes.

What’s next for the FDAC EBA? The Board of Directors will be looking at the plan utilization of the membership. There are certain behaviors the FDAC EBA wants to encourage, such as making sure the members receive their annual

FDAC EBA - Renewal History Medical Blue Shield/ Health Now Premium EPO Basic EPO Premium PPO Basic PPO HDHP HSAs Kaiser Premium HMO Basic HMO Dental Delta Dental MetLife DHMO Vision Vision Service Plan (VSP) The Standard Basic Group Life / AD&D Supplemental life Employee Spouse Child(ren)

2015

2016

2017

2018

4-Yr Avg

6.7% 6.7% 6.7% 6.7% 6.7%

-9.2% -9.2% -9.3% -8.7% -9.0%

4.7% 11.9% -10.6% -9.6% 15.2%

3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 3.1% 3.1%

1.3% 3.1% -2.5% -2.1% 4.0%

6.7% 6.7%

-11.5% -10.7%

14.7% 2.7%

12.8% 12.5%

5.7% 2.8%

0.0% 3.5%

0.0% 5.0%

0.0% 4.5%

0.0% 0.0%

0.0% 3.3%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

13.9%

3.5%

0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

0.0% 0.0% 0.0%

members) with long-term savings.

As we move forward the FDAC EBA will look for prescription drug clinical management programs to

“... the FDAC EBA has been successful eliminating carrier risk charges, reducing excess margin requirements, right-sizing large claim impact and minimizing state premium taxes.” physical exam and that all members receive their appropriate age-and gender-related screenings and care.

These short-term costs provide the FDAC EBA (and consequently, our

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assist in managing prescription drugs and plan design features to incentivize emergency room alternatives for non-emergency

items such as urgent care and telemedicine.

By taking a proactive stance towards healthcare, the FDAC EBA will be in the best position to manage costs going forward and offer our members affordable renewals. The FDAC EBA 2019 renewal should be available to members in August. For Fire Districts wanting to consider joining the FDAC EBA medical program or other programs, 2019 rates will be quoted starting mid-June. For more information please contact the FDAC EBA’s consultant, Bordan

FDAC

FDAC

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H ZONE 3

“Efficiency In Zone 3�

Eric Walder, Fire Chief, South Placer Fire District, FDAC Treasurer

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ello from Zone 3, as your FDAC Zone 3 representative and Treasurer I would like to recognize the demanding work that all our Districts do daily to protect the citizens of California. We are moving into the 2018 fire season in California and it feels like the 2017 season has barely ended. This promises to be an interesting time for most Fire Districts as we continue to support each other through the state wide mutual aid plan and also maintain resources within our own agencies to battle the upcoming season locally. We are fortunate enough to be part of FDAC who is doing valuable work with the DRiSC effort to secure additional funding for pre-positioning of resources and improvement of the mutual aid system. This unprecedented effort among firefighting organizations, and labor unions will certainly be successful in helping us all respond to and mitigate disasters of all types in California. If you have not already done so, please reach out to the local elected individuals that represent your District and tell them how important this additional funding is to the citizens of California. Throughout Zone 3 Districts continue to look for ways to become more efficient through administrative contracts, mergers, and consolidation proposals. Please feel free to reach out to FDAC and/ or your Zone 3 Representatives with issues your District is facing or ideas for us to cover in the next Zone 3 report.

FDAC

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6

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LOOKING FOR LOCAL OR REGIONAL TRAINING FOR YOUR AREA?

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FDAC Certificate of Achievement Program

DAC offers Fire District a “mobile” “Registration fees are kept as low as possible Trends & Issues training - Latest Hot to allow attendees from small districts and program Stuff! specifically • Current Events larger district to participate.” designed for fire and Pending • Collective Bargaining protection district Legislation • Fire Code Adoption board members and professional • Hiring a Fire Chief • EMS: Title 22 fire leadership. Governing a • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) • Overlapping Jurisdiction with Cal fire protection district has similar • Recruitment/Retention Fire /SRA aspects to other special districts but • Generational Diversity • LAFCO, Consolidations and yet unique requirements which is • Firefighter Bill of Rights Annexations why FDAC offers the Certificate of • Fire Fighter Safety Achievement (COA) program.

• “Your District Issues” Fire District Leadership • Associations and Fire Service Hosting a COA is easy! FDAC Avoiding the backdraft Affiliation needs 25-30 committed attendees • Finance: budgets/property tax for the four-module training. A • Audits FDAC’s COA was designed local district to provide a meeting • Financial Reserves by experienced fire service room and AV as well as provide • Open Meetings and the Ralph M. professionals for today’s fire district on-site assistance with registration Brown Act leaders. Years of collective fire and logistics. FDAC will provide • GASB 34 and GASB 45 district experience was tapped to instructors, oversee marketing • Prop 13, AB 8 and Property Tax develop each module to ensure efforts, coordinate registration, Distribution important issues are covered send all necessary materials as well • Board Meeting Dynamics and attendees walk away better as arrange for coffee service and • Effective Governance, Board prepared to serve their communities. lunches if needed. Registration fees Roles & Responsibilities are kept as low as possible to allow • Agendas Contact FDAC (Carmen or attendees from small districts and Catherine) at (916) 231-2941 or larger district to participate.

Fire District Planning cberry@fdac.org and casmith@ Response route to success fdac.org to start coordinating a The COA program offers four • Strategic Planning COA in your area. FDAC comes to four-hour module training • Standards of Cover you! on: • Business Planning District Legal Aspects – How Not to • Succession Planning Get Burned!

• Risk Analysis • Health and Safety Code: Fire • Technology District Law • Ballot Measures • Workers’ Compensation and Labor Code • Ethics 28

FDAC

FDAC

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SAVE THE DATE 2018 Fire Leadership Academy October 22-23, 2018 Sacramento, CA New opportunity for emerging leaders!

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