September 28, 1999

 To:East York Community Council

Etobicoke Community Council

North York Community Council

Scarborough Community Council

Toronto Community Council

York Community Council

From:Barry H. Gutteridge, Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services

Alan F. Speed, Fire Chief

Ron Kelusky, General Manager, Ambulance

Subject:Fire and Ambulance Services -

KPMG Fire Station Location and Fire/Ambulance Facilities Study: Main report

Purpose:

This report provides City Council with a response from the staff of Toronto Fire Services (TFS) and Toronto Ambulance Services (TAS) regarding the recommendations contained in the KPMG Fire and Ambulance Services Station Location and Facilities Study. This is the main report from staff. There are also three supplemental reports of the same date addressing specific issues.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

This report recommends:

(a) the construction of six new fire stations over the next six years - four of which will be constructed to accommodate co-sharing with ambulance,

(b) the construction of two new fire stations to replace four existing stations - one of which will be constructed to accommodate co-sharing with ambulance,

(c) the demolition and re-building of two existing fire stations, and

(d) the repair of numerous fire stations.

The estimated construction costs are noted in chart form on Attachment "A". The estimated fire station repair costs are itemized in Attachment "D1", and calendarized in Attachment "D2".

Recommendations:

It is recommended that Council adopt the recommendations of the KPMG Study as amended by this report, and that the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to implement those recommendations in accordance with the implementation schedule included as Attachment "B".

Council Reference/Background/History:

The management consulting firm of KPMG was retained by Council last summer to undertake, amongst other activities, an analysis of the recommended locations for fire stations, apparatus and facilities in the new City of Toronto. The General Manager of Ambulance Services requested that Toronto Ambulance be included in the facilities portion of the study in order to identify potential cost savings through the co-location of existing and future ambulance stations with fire stations.

KPMG's report, presented to the Emergency and Protective Services Committee at its meeting on April 20, 1999, and subsequently to Council made 26 recommendations in respect of Fire and Ambulance Services. This is a joint report from Fire and Ambulance Services in response to those recommendations.

The following coding conventions were used to identify fire and ambulance stations: e.g. "T26" - where "T" represents the former municipality of Toronto, and "26" represents fire station 26 in that former municipality; and "A14" where "A" represents an ambulance station and "14" is the ambulance station number.

Discussion:

1. Four-minute first response road time recommended.AGREED

KPMG has recommended that Fire Services adopt the principle of a four-minute road-travel response time. TFS have examined this recommendation and agree that this is a positive and - for the most part - an achievable goal. It should be noted that some areas of the city, e.g. the downtown core, will continue to receive a road response of less than four minutes due to the large concentration of hospitals and other special buildings located there. However, some areas of the city presently receive a response level that exceeds this four-minute response target. As indicated in the study, Canadian municipal fire departments consider four minute road-travel response time to emergencies as an acceptable target.

1. No Fire Station Re-locations are Recommended.AGREED WITH 2 EXCEPTIONS

While KPMG recommends no fire station relocations, TFS is recommending two exceptions.

Firstly, we recommend that station relocation be reviewed with respect to both Stations T16 and T31. Station T16 is located on DeForest Road in Swansea, while Station T31 is located at 462 Runnymede Road - and recommended by KPMG for closure. TFS recommends the closure of both of these stations and the construction of a new fire station at a suitable location in the same general area - one that can provide the same high degree of service delivery currently in place. The proposed site would be somewhere in the Bloor West Village area. This recommendation is made in order that two aging buildings may be replaced with one new facility. The capital costs of construction for the new station will be reduced by the sale of both of the former stations.

The building of a new station in Bloor West Village to replace T16 and T31 will fill a need identified in the Fire Plans published in 1987 and 1994. The lack of aerial coverage in the southern portion of T16's running area was identified as a serious concern. Aerial T31 could be relocated to E1, and would provide aerial response to the south Swansea area, as well as to south Etobicoke. In addition, TFS is considering re-locating aerial T20 to the new T16 station.

Secondly, TFS also examined Stations T26 and T12. Station T26 is located on Chatham Avenue, near Greenwood and Danforth Avenues - and is recommended by KPMG for closure. Station T12 is located at Gerrard Street East and Pape Avenue. Station 26 responded to 1,986 calls last year which is a significant number of future calls to be picked up by the surrounding stations if Station T26 was allowed to close. Both stations currently house an aerial and a pumper. We have examined a number of options with respect to these two stations. Our preferred and long-term recommendation is to build a new station at a suitable location strategically located between T26 and T12 with the pumper and aerial from station T12 relocated to the new station.

If a suitable property can be located between T12 and T26, it is recommended that TAS relocate A43 (Pape Avenue and Queen Street) to the joint facility with TFS. A43 is a former police station and is currently a shared facility with South Riverdale Health Centre. This site requires significant renovations and is approaching the end of its useful life.

While staff of the Facilities and Real Estate Division assists TFS in the search for a suitable site, our interim recommendation is for station T26 to continue to operate with the existing pumper 26 assigned to the station. Aerial 26 would be decommissioned as recommended by KPMG. T12 is an aging station and requires significant repairs with an estimated cost of $300,000. We recommend that station T12 continue to operate with a pumper and aerial until a site for the new station is determined, and a new station is constructed.

Anticipated growth along the lakeshore, further urban development, and changing demographics may point to increased demand for emergency services response. The KPMG report identified E1 as an older building which would require replacement in the future, and that the bays and crew's quarters were not appropriate for a joint Fire/Ambulance facility. After considering a number of factors related to this site, TFS recommends that a new Station E1 be constructed on the present site. This station will be constructed to accommodate both a pumper and an aerial. In addition, potential exists for co-location with ambulance for an area that had been identified in the study as being under-serviced.

We note that KPMG also recommends the acquisition of two marina boats. One of these boats would serve the western shoreline of the City of Toronto, with the other boat serving the eastern shoreline. Rebuilding Station E1 and assigning an aerial as well as a pumper could provide the staffing support that a marina boat requires. There are a number of locations where this vessel could be moored along the lakeshore. If the boat is manned by staff from the nearest fire station, rebuilding E1 on the current site and assigning a pumper and aerial will enable this. While TFS endorses in general the concept of acquiring and operating two additional marine boats, we believe additional study is necessary before we make this recommendation to council. Please also see item #7 (Marine boat acquisition).

1. Close Fire Stations T26 and T31. AGREED - with modifications

We have reviewed the1994 City of Toronto Master Fire Plan and agree that an appropriate solution (also see item #2 above) for the fire protection needs of this area is to close both stations T16 and T31 and build a new fire station in the Bloor West Village area of Bloor Street West.

We also concur with the recommendation to close Station T26 contingent upon also closing Station T12 and constructing a new fire station at a suitable location strategically situated in the same general area. In the interim, we recommend that Station T26 continue to operate with one pumper until such time that a new station can be constructed (see also item #2 above). This recommendation also enables TAS to review the potential for the assignment of an ambulance at T26. TFS has examined this station, and believe that the retrofit required to enable the assignment of an Ambulance crew would be neither difficult nor costly.

TAS will stay at A43 (Pape Avenue and Queen Street) while T26 continues to operate as a fire station. When T26 closes, TAS would again review the potential of this site for a service District Office, and/or a replacement for A43.

1. Six Additional Fire Stations Recommended.AGREED - with 2 exceptions

TFS concurs with the KPMG recommendations, with some minor changes. TAS has reviewed the opportunity to co-locate at three of these facilities and are in concurrence with the following. TFS examined the six locations recommended for new fire stations as noted below.

Station No.Location Recommended by KPMG

Station "A" to be located in the former Etobicoke, west of Highway #27, south of Rexdale Blvd.

Station "B" in Downsview, on Keele Street, between Wilson and Sheppard Avenues.

Station "C" in North York, on Sheppard Avenue, between Leslie and Bayview Avenues.

Station "D" in Scarborough, at or near the Eglinton Avenue/Midland Avenue intersection.

Station "E" in Scarborough, at or near the Ellesmere Road/Morningside Avenue intersection.

Station "F" in Northeast Scarborough, at or near the Finch Avenue East/Meadowvale Road intersection.

TFS comments regarding the six new stations recommended by KPMG follows:

Station "A" AGREED

TFS supports the recommendation to build a new station in the area described as station "A" location in Etobicoke. This location is supported by the steady growth and development that continues to take place in this north-west area of the city.

Station "A" is intended to serve the Rexdale Blvd. & Highway #27 area and is also required to address the changing uses of the present race-track grounds. The risk factors have increased in the race track with the advent of year-round use. The grandstand has undergone extensive renovations to provide a wider range of entertainment, and accordingly larger crowds are present, sometimes 24 hours/day. The potential for future expansion of the business enterprises in this area is significant.

Station "A" will improve service to the Woodbine Shopping Centre on the north side of Rexdale Blvd. The emergency response to this Shopping Centre has been slowed by the increased traffic on Rexdale Blvd. The area west of the Shopping Centre is being developed as a residential area and will increase the number of responses to this area. Station "A "will also provide enhanced response to the area south of Rexdale Boulevard, and this could be an asset due to the proposed relocation of Aerial 7 to E-5. The hotels located along Dixon Road are quite busy and often have a high level of occupancy. The year of construction is projected to be 2002.

The construction of a new fire station in the north-west sector of the former City of Etobicoke would allow TAS to vacate a facility that is currently being leased in an industrial mall. This facility has had ongoing health and safety concerns, and in recent weeks has received smoke damage on two separate occasions as a result of a fire in the adjacent building. As a result, A14 has been temporarily relocated to the TFS, Etobicoke Training facility.

Station "B": AGREED

Station "B" is recommended for Keele Street between Sheppard and Wilson Avenues. The development of the Downsview lands will have a great impact on the community, and emergency services will experience increased demands for service as this development takes place. While it is unclear to some degree as to what the ultimate decision will be with respect to the development of the former Canadian Forces Base Downsview, it is clear that there is tremendous potential for growth. From a long-term planning perspective, increased emergency call volume is anticipated. Due to this anticipated growth, and also with regard to current service demands, TFS supports the station "B" recommendation. Construction will take place as land in the area is developed probably in 2005.

Station "C": AGREED

Station "C" is proposed for Sheppard Avenue between Leslie Street and Bayview Avenue. This area continues to experience growth. The advent of the Sheppard Subway line will see the opening of subway stations bringing along with it increased development in the area. Station "C" will also serve the North York General Hospital, Bloorview Children's Hospital and a senior's residence on Buchan Court. This station would also improve the response time to emergencies occurring on Highway #401. Former North York Council approved the construction of a station in this area with a proposed construction date of 1999-2000. We concur with the recommendation to build a station in this area of Toronto. The construction is planned for 2002.

Station "D": AGREED

Station "D" is proposed for construction at or near the intersection of Eglinton and Midland Avenues. A station near Midland and St. Clair Avenues (East) was proposed, in conjunction with other improvements, in a 1992 Scarborough station location study. Responses to a significant number of streets in the area failed to consistently meet the preferred four-minute response time target.

The findings of the 1992 study support the KPMG proposal, however, some other relocations and additions were included in the 1992 recommendations. One of the considerations at that time, that supported the recommendation was to relocate S1 to a site west of its location on Birchmount Rd., north of Danforth Ave. The suggested site was around the intersection of Danforth and Warden Avenues. With that relocation complete (a relocated S1 was opened earlier this year), service to the Kennedy Rd./St. Clair/Midland Ave. areas has been impacted negatively.

Proposed station "D" will help offset S1 relocation and address the other response deficiencies identified in the area. Further study should be undertaken to identify the most appropriate site. The projected year of construction is 2004.

The recommendation for a new fire station at Midland and Eglinton Avenues provides TAS with an opportunity to co-locate at the new fire station to be constructed at this location. The existing TAS property is in a prime re-development area and would provide the City with an opportunity for greater commercial use and revenue. TAS recommend that Station "D" be built as a joint Fire/Ambulance facility.

Stations "E" and "F":NOT AGREED - build only one station instead

As noted earlier, station "E" was recommended for construction at or near the intersection of Ellesmere Road and Morningside Avenue, while station "F" was recommended for construction at or near the intersection of Finch Avenue East and Meadowvale Road.

Emergency call volume for the twelve-month period ending April 30 1999 in the proposed station 'E' primary response area was predominantly to Scarborough Centenary Health Centre and Seven Oaks Retirement Home (both at Neilson and Ellesmere Roads), and the high-rise apartment buildings addressed on Mornelle Ct. The stretch of Ellesmere Rd. joining these two main response areas falls along the primary boundary fringes of stations S7, S12, S2 and S9. Primary response times appear to be marginally acceptable. Secondary, or multiple-vehicle response time criteria are more easily met because of the close proximity of the four stations.

Proposed station 'F' was recommended as being urgent. The four-minute response time recommended in the KPMG Study is rarely met in the area that would be served by the proposed station, and vehicle assist times run more than ten minutes. The target area is rural - and for the most part - is without city water supply. The Toronto Zoo is located within what would be the station's primary response area and the North entrance currently requires an additional 1.5 kilometer travel distance beyond the main Zoo entrance located on Meadowvale Road.

Call volume for the proposed location would be minimal. For the twelve-month period ending April 30, 1999, primary calls to the subject area totalled 60 with just eight of them requiring more than a single vehicle response. While a case can be made for enhanced service to the remote north-east corner, based on the above factors, call volume and severity do not support construction and staffing of a station at the proposed Meadowvale and Finch location.

TFS recommends the construction of one new fire station to serve both areas. A preferred location would be in the vicinity of Morningside Ave., and Sheppard Ave. East. While still projected to produce response times of more than four minutes to the remote north-east corner of the City, this location would be more feasible than the Meadowvale/Finch location and could easily augment deficiencies identified in the Ellesmere Rd. and Morningside Ave. area. The projected year of construction is 2000.

TAS station 25 was located in a Works water tower up to August 1996 and was closed due to health and safety concerns at that time. It had been slated for replacement in former capital budgets, but had been deferred pending the completion of the then Ernst and Young report, and more recently, the KPMG study. The recommendation for a new fire station in the north-east sector of the City provides an opportunity for TAS to co-locate a new station in this area. TAS supports the TFS recommendation to combine the recommended stations "E" and "F" into one location in the Sheppard and Morningside area and recommends that this be built as a joint Fire/Ambulance facility.

Station "G":New Station Proposed by TFS Staff

TFS has examined an area requiring enhanced fire protection not identified in the KPMG report and recommendations. The area near Sunnybrook Hospital on Bayview Avenue is a prime location for a new fire/ambulance station. The hospital is outside the four-minute road-travel response as identified in the KPMG report (please see Figure 11.17). The former North York Fire Chief secured Council support to hold a parcel of land on the Sunnybrook site for a future fire station. Previous plans were drafted to build a joint fire and ambulance station that would meet the fire protection needs of that community. This property has been set aside adjacent to the hospital and would easily accommodate a new station. This station location would enable TFS to meet the four-minute response target. The proposed year of construction is 2001.

Future Development Opportunities/Partnerships:

TFS recommends that staff research the concept and potential to include future fire stations in new development projects as part of future construction. We intend to enter into dialogue with City planning staff and other officials as deemed appropriate in order to pursue this concept.

Traffic Light Controls:

Enhanced response times may also be achieved through the use of traffic light controls in addition to station construction or relocation. Although there are some limitations, intersection controls can provide a comprehensive and cost-effective means of improving response times.

1. Re-allocate Apparatus and Firefighters: AGREED - with suggested amendments.

TFS generally agrees with the KPMG recommendations, with minor exceptions as noted below.

The proposed change, on an interim basis, to station T26 will reduce the staffing of the station by one vehicle. Station T26 will continue to operate, with one pumper assigned. The aerial from T26 will be decommissioned.

The aerial from T23 will also be removed from service and decommissioned.

The closing of stations T31 and T16, and the construction of the new station on Bloor Street West will result in no net increase to the staffing requirement, as the new station will have one pumper and an aerial assigned.

E1 currently has one pumper assigned. The addition of an aerial to E1 will provide aerial service to south Etobicoke and to Swansea. After one year, station responses will be reviewed to ensure that an acceptable level of service is maintained.

TFS examined the proposed relocation of a rescue vehicle from the South Command to the East Command, to be located in East York. An alternative to this proposal would see Rescue #1 (currently assigned to T5) relocated to T11. This would provide enhanced coverage to the Don Valley Parkway, as well as the Bloor/Danforth corridor. In addition to this, Station T11 is situated close enough to the former borough of East York to enable a response of the Heavy Rescue to emergencies in this area. TFS plans to leave Rescue #2 at T2 (Claremont Street).

The Pumper Tower (formerly called a Snozzle) from EY2 will be re-located to Toronto Island, at Station T33 to replace the existing pumper. This specialized vehicle - combining both pumper and elevated-stream capability - will provide enhanced service to the Island community.

Please see Attachment "C" for the Location List of various TFS apparatus.

1. Fire Station Improvements.AGREED - with minor changes

Required fire station improvements are contained in Attachment "D1" of this document. TFS Facilities staff have examined the 19 stations that are identified in the KPMG report, and have provided alternative proposals where noted. We advise that Station T16 will not require repairs if Council approves TFS's recommendation to close both T16 and T31 and build a new station on Bloor Street. In addition, Station T12 will not require repairs if a site can be determined that will facilitate the construction of a new station to replace both T26 and T12.

1. Marina Boat Acquisitions:AGREED

An analysis and review of the Waterfront Emergency Response Plan has been completed by our staff to assess the risks and hazards associated with the shoreline of the City. The new City has a waterfront of approximately 52 kilometers - triple the distance of the former City of Toronto. Emergency services are responsible for fire and rescue services from Etobicoke Creek in the west to the Rouge River in the east. To provide a similar high level of service, TFS must adopt an integrated waterfront emergency response system that addresses the issues of:

1.efficient and coordinated response across the coverage area;

2.response capability, even in the harshest weather;

3.compatibility with the existing response structure of the TFS; and

4.efficient operations.

In order to provide this level of service along the length and breadth of the Toronto waterfront, TFS concurs with the recommendation for the acquisition of two marina boats. Discussions of a general nature are currently taking place between TFS and the Canadian Coast Guard. However, TFS would prefer to conduct additional financial analysis and fact-finding including the definition of roles and responsibilities before placing this recommendation before Council.

1. Emergency Response Street Access:AGREED

TFS agrees that City of Toronto Parking enforcement and traffic calming initiatives should be subject to review by TFS in order to maintain adequate and timely access for emergency services vehicles. We anticipate initiating this dialogue with the affected parties later this Fall.

9.Review of Tiered and First Response:AGREED

A Tiered-Response Committee has been established between Fire and Ambulance which has met several times to review and report back on the present tiered-response system. The Fire Chief and the General Manager of Ambulance will review the Committee's recommendations to ensure that they are effective and that emergency resources are used most efficiently. A subsequent report will be forwarded to Council outlining the Committee's recommendations.

1. Joint Discussions with Union/Association:AGREED

The Fire Chief and the General Manager of Ambulance have discussed KPMG's, TFS's and TAS's recommendations with representatives from the union and the TPFF Association representing staff in addition to providing their authorized representatives with copies of the reports to council.

11. Ambulance Station Co-Locations:AGREED

KPMG has recommended the following sites for Ambulance and Fire Services to co-share station facilities:

ItemFireAmbulance KPMG Recommendation Comments

No.StationStation

1T2643Move 2 ambulances to T26 NOT AGREED

2E9mobileNew Ambulance locationAGREED

3T2 & T2534Relocate 2 ambulancesNOT AGREED

4T5May not be requiredNOT AGREED

5Stn. "A"Co-share in new locationAGREED

6Stn. "D"47Co-share in new locationAGREED

7 Stn. "E/F"25 or 26Co-share in new locationAGREED

8Stn. "G"Co-share in new locationNot in KPMG Report

The recommended co-location sites provide opportunities for Fire and Ambulance to share facilities and costs which are of benefit to all stakeholders. The Fire Chief and the General Manager of Ambulance concur with the recommendations - with some minor exceptions.

Item #1

Elsewhere in this report, TFS recommends the closing of both fire stations T12 and T26 and the construction of a new fire station strategically located somewhere in between. In the interim though, TFS is recommending Station T26 remain open and continue to operate with one pumper, with aerial A26 being de-commissioned as recommended by KPMG. While T26 operates under this configuration, TAS will continue to operate from A43 and review the potential to utilize the spare bay. When T26 closes, TAS would again review the potential for this site as a non-emergency transfer facility or District Office.

Item #2

Fire station E9 will have two vacant bays available and can accommodate a new ambulance station.

Item #3

Fire station T2 is a large two-storey building with five bays. Station T25 is an old three-storey building similar to T23. TFS has some reservations concerning using these two locations for ambulance co-location due to the high cost of the necessary renovations. TFS and TAS have agreed that a suitable modification to this recommendation would be to relocate A34 from 674 Markham Street to T23 on Howland Avenue. The Markham Street property requires a great deal of refurbishing and upgrading including the widening of garage doors to accommodate later-model ambulances. The Howland property is an older three-storey building that presently has vacant space to accommodate ambulance bays and crew's quarter. This opportunity would free up the Markham Street property and will provide more equalized emergency medical coverage in the area.

Item #4

The KPMG report indicates that T5 (Front St. and Sherbourne St.) has three available bays. This could only occur after the rescue vehicle and antique ladder vehicle are relocated. While the existing station is large, there is only one bay that is not in use at this time. Conversion of the building for separated co-location would require major renovation to add a second set of kitchen, washroom and office facilities for the ambulance crews and rearrangement of the space for fire crews. As there are three vehicles in service at this station, the renovation may reduce the fire crew space below an acceptable level. The renovation may be more practical after the rescue vehicle is relocated, however co-location at this site is not recommended at this time.

Co-location at T14 however is a possibility as it is a large building. TFS will investigate the possible relocation of one of its canteen vehicles as a prelude to re-locating an ambulance vehicle there and its crew on the second floor.

Items 5, 6 and 7

TFS and TAS agree that the co-location of ambulance and fire staff together in new stations "A", "D", and "E/F" are recommendations that can be supported. The identification of new fire stations required for under-serviced areas has provided the opportunity for TAS to assess its new station requirements and the potential sale and relocation of existing properties and/or the elimination of rented and/or leased properties in those areas.

Item #8

The Fire Chief identified the need to construct a new fire station on or near the Sunnybrook Hospital property which also provides TAS the opportunity to re-locate its ambulance station currently leased from Sunnybrook Women's College Health Sciences Centre. The KPMG study identified a service gap in the Sunnybrook area and recommended a joint facility within one kilometre of the hospital. The facility TAS leases from Sunnybrook has been operating as a non-emergency transfer facility due to the station's poor access and egress to the road networks. Emergency ambulance response from this area was discontinued and emergency coverage has been provided by mobile units from surrounding areas. TAS recommends that Station "G" be built as a joint Fire/Ambulance facility.

1. Intensify Former Gas Station Sites.NOT AGREED

As identified by KPMG, TAS has four facilities which are former gas stations:

Station NumberMunicipal Address

A174135 Bathurst Street

A18643 Eglinton Avenue West

A192660 Eglinton Avenue West

A411300 Pape Avenue

TAS recommends the reconstruction of A17 on its existing site while A18 and A19 be considered for sale or redevelopment provided other City-owned properties can be acquired within the same general vicinity. The WES Yards Rationalization Study is currently addressing this issue.

There has been some interest expressed regarding the development potential for stations A18 and A19. Both properties are on prime pieces of real estate. These properties could be sold or re-developed provided that suitable replacement properties could be found for TAS in the vicinity.

KPMG suggests that station T29 should be rebuilt on the site of the ambulance station 18 at Eglinton Ave. and Chaplin Crescent with the ambulance service taking over fire station T29. We are hesitant to endorse this recommendation as more study must be undertaken with respect to the engineering concerns raised by this recommendation. A consultant's report is required to determine the costs involved for the conversion. Ambulance station 18 is a former gas station site built in the 1930's. We consider there would be a considerable cost related to site preparation before the new fire station could be build. Without an engineering report on the soil, it is difficult to estimate costs. However, such projects can cost upwards of $1,000,000 just to clean the soil. In addition, a new two-bay fire station with co-location for ambulance would cost about $2,500,000. We have not attempted to estimate a cost for renovation of T29 for ambulance service use.

The TFS and TAS recommendation is to sell both fire and ambulance sites, and build a joint facility in the Works area on Chaplin Avenue which is within close proximity to the existing station.

1. Additional Long-Term Co-Location Recommended.AGREED

The KPMG report indicates that the area to the west of E1 and east of E12 is under-serviced by ambulance and requires further coverage. Station E1 should be replaced to improve facilities for staff and reduce maintenance costs. The KPMG response time maps indicate that the four-minute area for E1 overlaps with E6 to the north and runs out into the lake in the south. The uncovered area between E1 and T16 is small and the response area of T16 will be reviewed, as it appears to be smaller than most others in the city. The new station will be built with both ambulance and fire facilities, enabling the assignment of a pumper and an aerial as well as an ambulance component.

1. Implement Fleet Maintenance Facility Configuration (4 sites).AGREED

Currently, TFS and TAS operate both emergency and non-emergency vehicles that are serviced in separate facilities. Ambulance operates one garage facility to service both emergency and non-emergency vehicles. This garage facility is located at 4330 Dufferin Street and operates 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

While maintenance of emergency TAS vehicles is centralized in one location (Dufferin), maintenance of TFS vehicles (both emergency and non-emergency) is conducted in six garage facilities - one facility in each of the six former municipalities.

KPMG in their report recommend a four-site fleet maintenance facility configuration as including a central light vehicle garage facility located at Emergency Services Headquarters, a central heavy vehicle garage located at the Toronto Hydro Underwriters Road facility, and two heavy vehicle satellite garage facilities, one at East Mall, Etobicoke (Fire Station E12), and another at Bathurst, North York (Fire Station N12).

TFS supports these recommendations in principle, however much dialogue is still necessary and indeed is still on-going in order to implement the intent of these recommendations. Unfortunately, the Toronto Hydro Underwriters Road facility is not available causing TFS to engage in a time-consuming search for an alternate facility.

1. Emergency Services Headquarters Alternatives AGREED

KPMG reviewed four alternatives for the space usage and future accommodation of the Emergency Services Headquarters building on 4330 Dufferin Street. Each alternative was reviewed, analyzed, costed and discussed with the Steering Committee before KPMG's final recommendations were made.

The recommended alternative (Alternative "A") accommodates the requirements for co-location of Fire and Ambulance Services administration and communications and is the lowest cost option at $6.1 million. TFS and TAS recommend two minor alterations to KPMG's recommendations. Instead of the TAS buses remaining at the Headquarters site, they will be moved off-site to another appropriate location and the Materials Management facility will remain at Headquarters. A second floor will be constructed over the former location of the Stores/Inventory section to accommodate additional staff and resources in the Headquarters Building.

NOTE: Alternative "A" has already been agreed to, acted upon and funded through the1999 Capital budget process. The Architect for the project, The Dubois Plumb Partnership, is the company that originally designed and constructed the building for the then Department of Ambulance Services.

Also, the ground floor of the south building will be renovated to accommodate central support resources. The anticipated completion date for all of the renovations is Spring 2001.

The Toronto Fire Academy on Eastern Avenue will be renovated to accommodate the Ambulance staff training program in a newly constituted Emergency Services Training Academy.

1. Headquarters building to be renovated to expand maintenance AGREED

facilities for the Fire and Ambulance light fleet.

The decision by TAS to move several ambulance buses off-site affords TFS the opportunity to reduce our costs by renovating the former Ambulance stores thus obviating the need for leasing space. To accommodate the amalgamation of Fire Stores, a former Hydro building at 15 Rotherham Avenue is being made available to the City. This building will also be used to store the Museum contents from the Training Academy, thus again eliminating the need to lease storage space.

The TFS light-vehicle fleet and the technical maintenance services will be temporarily located at 15 Rotherham Avenue. This will be a transitional location prior to the possible relocation of Fire Heavy Mechanical and Technical Services to a new site.

1. Ambulance Stores should be moved off-site. NOT AGREED

TFS and TAS do not agree with this recommendation. As noted earlier in section #15, it is recommended that the ambulance buses be relocated off-site, and that the Materials Management facility remain at the Headquarters building.

1. Move Ambulance staff training to the Toronto Fire Academy.AGREED

TFS and TAS endorse the recommendation of an integrated Fire and Ambulance training academy. A project team consisting of TFS and TAS is currently developing the plan for the new Emergency Services Training Academy.

1. The Communications Centre (Emergency Services Headquarters)

should be expanded to include both Fire and Ambulance. AGREED

TFS concurs with this recommendation, and has already initiated activities to merge its six emergency communications centres into one centralized site at Headquarters to be in close proximity to Ambulance's communications centre. There are significant cost-savings and operational efficiencies that will be derived from this recommendation. Council has already approved centralized radio communications and computer-aided dispatch systems for this site.

1. Police and 911 backup should be considered for headquarters.AGREED

Toronto Fire Services concurs with this recommendation. The concept of having the 9-1-1 backup site at Fire and Ambulance Headquarters, and in addition, having the Fire/Ambulance backup site at 703 Don Mills Road (9-1-1 site), both sites already staffed 24 hours/day, 7 days/week makes good business sense. In the event it becomes necessary to evacuate one of the communications sites, the other site is fully staffed and capable of answering 9-1-1 calls during the transition period. In addition, there are considerable savings in telecommunications costs, etc.

Conclusions:

The management consulting firm of KPMG has concluded its study of fire/ambulance stations, headquarters facilities and fire apparatus. Staff of TFS and TAS have reviewed these recommendations, and with the exceptions noted in this report, concur with them and recommend their adoption by City Council. Funding issues have been addressed in Attachment "A". A proposed Implementation Schedule is included as Attachment "B". Proposed apparatus relocations are in Attachment "C", and recommended improvements to existing fire stations are found in Attachment "D1" with calendarized costs shown in Attachment "D2".

Fire station improvements and apparatus relocations are contingent upon many operational and logistical factors not to mention the terms and conditions of the various collective agreements, all of which will undoubtedly influence the timing of these moves. TFS and TAS staff will start implementing the proposed recommendations in year 2000. Undoubtedly, a period of assessment and refinement will occur after the proposed fire apparatus relocations are implemented.

TFS supports the KPMG statement that this study with its accompanying recommendations are based on the assumption that all vehicles are fully staffed and in service.

Attachments:

"A"Estimated Capital Costs for Fire Station Construction/Closing

"B"Proposed Implementation Schedule

"C"Proposed Apparatus (Vehicle) Re-allocation List

"D1"Recommended Improvements to Fire Stations with Associated Costs

"D2" Calendarization of Fire Station Improvement Costs

Contacts:

Norm GibbonsBob CrawfordNorm Lambert

Sr. Policy AdvisorChief, Emergency Planning/ResearchDirector, Operational Support

Toronto Fire ServicesToronto Fire ServicesToronto Ambulance Services

397-4315397-4331392-2061

    Alan F. SpeedRon KeluskyBarry H. Gutteridge

Fire ChiefGeneral ManagerCommissioner

Toronto Fire ServicesToronto Ambulance ServicesWorks and Emergency Services

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