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Hernando Today

County, City Agree To Historic Fire Pact

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Published: February 5, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - BROOKSVILLE -
History was made Tuesday when the city and county came together to sign a fire and rescue mutual aid agreement that should improve service to residents and increase efficiency.
The agreement, approved 5-0 Tuesday by county commissioners, essentially tears down jurisdictional boundaries and allows the closest emergency vehicle and crew to respond to the scene.
"I think this is a good day for the people of Hernando County and a good day for the citizens of Brooksville," Hernando County Fire Chief Michael Nickerson said.
The city and county fire departments have spent the last year developing a "higher level of cooperation," according to Nickerson.
When people need help, they don't care what patch is on the firefighter's uniform or the sticker on the fire truck, Nickerson said.
"We assist (city residents) in their time of needs and (the county) assists us in our time of need," Nickerson said.
For the past four years, the city and county operated on a conventional mutual aid agreement when requests for assistance were made on a case-by-case basis from the scene of an emergency.
This new agreement should cut down on any potential delays because of emergency equipment or personnel stationed farther from the scene.
From now on, a dispatcher will send the closest available unit, regardless of city and county boundaries.
Among the stipulations of the agreement:
- The commanding officer on scene is in charge of all the personnel on hand.
- Extra units will be released as soon as possible back to their jurisdiction so that coverage isn't compromised.
- The requested agency can decline to provide aid if its resources are spread too thin.
Having more personnel on the scene and the potentially faster response times could also reduce fire insurance rates for Hernando County and Brooksville residents.
Brooksville Mayor David Pugh said Tuesday the historic agreement shows what two government entities can accomplish when working toward a common goal.
Interim County Administrator Larry Jennings said he views the agreement as the first step toward implementing a recommendation of a recently released consultant's fire study that called for the tearing down of fire district boundaries.
The Brooksville City Council unanimously approved the agreement at its regular meeting Monday.
Councilmember Richard Lewis asked Brooksville Fire Chief Tim Mossgrove if and how the two agencies would reimburse one another for the services.
Mossgrove said he and Nickerson will sit down on an annual basis to figure out how many mutual aid runs each agency made for the other.
If the chiefs agree that the difference between the two is minimal, it will likely be considered "an even wash," Mossgrove said. If one of the departments comes to the aid of the other on significantly more occasions, officials can revisit the terms and consider how to compensate the agency that does more work for the other, he said.
That is not in the mutual aid pact, Mossgrove clarified Tuesday, but has historically been "a chiefs' agreement."
Hernando County Fire Rescue and Spring Hill Fire Rescue have a similar deal. In most years, when officials from the two agencies compare mutual aid runs, it's a "one or two call difference," Mossgrove said.
"I anticipate the same between the city and the county," Mossgrove said.
The agreement does give Brooksville special reimbursement when its ladder truck is used.
Councilmember Lara Bradburn said the pact shows "the two governments are finally dropping their swords and working together."

Reporter Tony Marrero contributed to this report.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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