upper captiva fire protection and rescue service district ... · 5/6/2017 · based revenue...

SPECIAL INDEPENDENT DISTRICT

PUBLIC FACILITIES REPORT

PREPARED BY

UPPER CAPTIVA FIRE PROTECTION AND

RESCUE SERVICE DISTRICT 6 May 2017

Public Facilities Report

Table of Continents

1) The District’s History

2) The District Today

3) Personnel

4) Major Equipment

5) The District’s Future

Appendix A) Boundaries and Legal Description

Appendix B) Area Map

Appendix C) Island Map

Appendix D) Current Photo

Section 1 (District History)

Prior to the 1960’s, small fish camps and ice houses were the only evidence of modern settlements on

North Captiva Island. Circa 1967, advertisements for the island were showing up in newspapers and

periodicals around the country. The Island had been discovered.

In 1972, after a few minor fires and some medical events, the pioneers of the island took the first steps to

form some type of emergency response organization. Soon, the Upper Captiva Homeowners and

Environmental Protections Association (UCHEPA) was formed.

Five years later, Lee County donated the first emergency vehicle, a 1948 Army ambulance.

Unfortunately, it was lost in a brush fire a year later. 1979 was the first year of the Upper Captiva

Fireman’s Fund, an organization created to accept contributions from homeowners. With a donation-

based revenue stream, the UCHEPA changed its name to Upper Captiva Volunteer Fire Company.

Long-time islander Russ Reed was named the department’s first volunteer Fire Chief and on November

22, 1979, the Pine Island Fire Department donated a 1953 pumper to serve as the department’s first fire

truck.

Changes were in motion. Articles of Incorporation were signed during January 1984 to form the Upper

Captiva Volunteer Fire Department Inc. The original signers were: John and Jane Pugh, Bud Brilhart,

Shelby Creagh, Peter McKinny, Barbara Miklavcic and Russ and Thelma Reed. Land was donated by

Safety Harbor Club (SHC) for the first fire station and SHC assisted with the development of the

volunteer department. On April 27, 1984, a fire broke out at one of the SHC townhouse’s under

construction. The condominium complex was a total loss and the fire department lost its first pumper in

the fire.

Soon after the condo incident, a group of Islanders formed the Friends of the Volunteer Fire Department

to help raise funds to support the fire department. Saint Patrick’s Day would never be the same.

When 1988 rolled around, the Upper Captiva Volunteer Fire Department hired the first paid Fire Chief,

Andy Anderson. After years of training the volunteers and upgrading the equipment, the department

applied for its first Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating survey. All of the hard work paid off. On

September 28, 1989 the ISO approved the department with a 9/8 rating. Certificates of occupancy and

insurance premiums became obtainable. Sadly, tragedy struck in April of 1990, when Chief Anderson

was lost in a plane crash off our coast, along with San Carlos Fire Chief Carl Drews and his brother-in-

law.

In 1991, an extensive search began to find a replacement Fire Chief and Chief Richard Pepper was hired

as Chief of the District.

Funding the department remained a continuing problem. After years of work, the Florida Legislature

enacted Chapter 90-397, Laws of Florida, which created what is now known as the Upper Captiva Fire

Protection and Rescue Service District. Registered voters of the Island passed the local resolution and

approved the creation of the District. The Transfer of Boards happened on January 5, 1991. The newly

elected Commissioners were: Susie Scott, Jack Hunt, Louise Shaw, Grady Scott and Virginia King.

Construction for the fire station started on September 18, 1995 with a ground breaking ceremony

attended by the Islanders. Nine months later on June 17, 1996, the station was in service.

During the years 1996 – 2003, the District implemented various improvements with additional

equipment, additional staffing, and improved training. As part of increasing staffing, Assistant Chief

Kinniry was hired in 2001. In 2003, the District received its second periodic review from ISO. All of the

tax funding for additional staffing and equipment and hard work paid off when the ISO approved the

department with a Public Protection Class (PPC) 7/9x rating.

The District, both staff and islanders, were severely tested on August 13, 2004 when Hurricane Charley

made landfall in Florida, with a direct hit on North Captiva Island. At its peak intensity, Charley was a

Category 5 storm with winds reaching 150+ mph. There was extensive damage throughout the entire

island and the island was virtually shut down until it could be made safe to begin rebuilding. With the

help of islanders, the National Guard and local construction crews, the roads were cleared. The August

heat and being without power for 47 days further complicated efforts. For weeks after the Hurricane the

District’s station became the center of activities on the island. Many of the residents were served warm,

cooked meals there as there was no electrical power available on island for some seven weeks. The

Department's power generator allowed workers and residents to charge their carts and cell telephones.

The District was the main contact for Lee County, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and

other aid agencies for most islanders.

In 2012, after many years of planning, the Fire Commissioners proposed a $970,000 referendum for a

special assessment to build a fire station addition and renovate the existing building, doubling the size of

the existing building. The voters rejected that referendum on August 14, 2012.

2013 was a year with many setbacks, with our first major fire totally destroying two homes on February

17th. Our island residents stepped up and donated over $23,000 to purchase equipment lost in the fire, as

well as modernizing personal protective gear that was sorely needed. And in September, the ISO

conducted their third periodic review of the District and, although our score would support a PPC rating

of 4, it could not be provided, due to changes in Florida and ISO minimum staffing standards requiring

at least 4 certified firefighters initially responding to a fire alarm. With the new standard, the District

would fall to a PPC rating of 10 (the same as no fire department), if we couldn’t find funding to hire an

additional two firefighters for every shift. ISO gave the District one year to resolve the staffing shortfall,

before making their rating official.

In 2014, the Board approved Chief Pepper’s request for a fire services special assessment referendum

for $447,400 annually to fund two additional part-time firefighters. The voters approved the Fire

Services Special Assessment for up to 10 years on July 8, 2014. After that approval, Chief Pepper

worked with Lee County’s Emergency Medical Services Medical Director and received support to

implement an Advanced Life Support (ALS) program on North Captiva, if funding for credentialed

paramedics and required supplies and equipment could be obtained. With those approvals, the Fire

Commissioners approved a proposal to hire sufficient part-time firefighter/paramedics to allow

scheduling of at least one firefighter/paramedic on each shift, funded by the new Fire Services special

assessment. Chief Pepper then coordinated with the Friends of the Fire Department for a fund raising

campaign that ultimately raised over $60,000.

With the approved Special Fire Services Assessment effective on October 1, 2014, the Fire

Commissioners approved the hiring of 35+ part-time firefighter/paramedics and firefighter/EMTs. With

that new funding, plus existing Ad Valorem tax revenues, funding was assured for up to 4 credentialed

firefighters for each shift. Since that additional staffing met the new Florida/ISO minimum staffing

standards, the District notified ISO of the approved referendum and the hiring of additional part-time

firefighters. On January 26, 2015, the ISO provided the District our vastly improved PPC rating of 4/4x,

effective on May 1, 2015.

After receipt of the necessary supplies and equipment and completing the credentialing of our new

firefighter/paramedics, the District became certified to provide ALS services on North Captiva Island on

June 1, 2015.

Chief Robert Kinniry officially became the new Fire Chief on February 20, 2016, replacing Chief

Pepper, after his retirement as full-time Fire Chief.

Today, the fire station still stands as a simple reminder to residents and visitors that the unexpected can

and will happen without any warning. Now into our twenty-sixth year as a District and forty-fifth year

overall, your Fire Commissioners, Staff and Volunteers continue to serve our community with pride.

Public safety, awareness and education will continue to be our goals. We strive to improve our services

to all who call Upper Captiva home.

Section 2 (The District Today)

The Upper Captiva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District covers an area of one & one quarter

(1.25) square miles. The District owns and operates one Fire Station that is manned twenty-four (24)

hours per day.

Staffing: The District has one full time staff member (the Fire Chief) and forty-two part-time

Firefighter/EMTs & Firefighter/EMT-Ps, one part-time Bookkeeper and ten Volunteers. All are

governed by a Board of five (5) elected Fire Commissioners. Detailed staffing information is in Section

3 (Personnel).

As a result of the Insurance Services Office (ISO) requirements for a minimum of four qualified initial

responders to structure fires, Upper Captiva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District has undergone

many changes and has increased its part-time staff to accommodate the ISO requirement, as well as

growing medical call volumes and improvements in our service delivery.

Facility: The Upper Captiva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District currently owns and operates

one (1) Fire Station within the boundary of North Captiva Island, located in Lee County’s outer islands,

SECTION 5, TOWNSHIP 45 SOUTH, RANGE 21 EAST LOTS 1 & 2 on the corner of Hodgepodge

Lane and Spanish Gold Lane.

The facility is a two story building with approximately 4600 square feet under roof. It has 2300 square

feet of bay area to house three (3) trucks and four (4) utility vehicles in four parking bays. There is also

1100 square feet of administrative area and a training room combined, plus 1200 square feet of living

space for duty staff. This station handles all of the work load placed upon it by the District, including

administrative and fire & rescue tasks.

Upper Captiva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District’s station and all property associated with the

district are owned by the fire district, without mortgages or any other encumbrances. All district

operations are funded by ad-valorem taxes and a Special Fire Services Assessment (approved for up to

10 years, from FY15 – FY24).

Equipment: Detailed equipment information is in Section 4 (Major Equipment).

Funding: The District has had many challenges over the last 10 years, with the large reductions in

overall Island valuations from the Great Recession. The Island experienced a steep drop in property

values of over 44% during the early years of the Great Recession (from FY08 – FY10). Even now,

valuations are only slowly increasing, and, as of the beginning of FY17, are still down almost 38% from

the FY08 highs.

What that has meant is an ever increasing ad valorem millage rate, from 2.09 mils in FY08 to 3.75 mils

from FY13 to the present in FY17. Those overall budgeted revenues generated $580,000 - $664,000 in

gross revenues, providing net revenues of $548,000 - $644,000. Even then, the ad valorem revenues

only funded two (2) full-time equivalent firefighters, including our Fire Chief, with approximately 70%

of revenues going towards Pay & Benefits.

The FY13 Insurance Services Office recurring survey of our District in October identified a

requirement, supported by Florida statute, which required a minimum staffing of four (4) firefighters to

respond to an initial fire alarm. Unfortunately, that required staffing of our fire station with four

firefighters for 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year. If the District couldn’t pay for

that level of staffing, the ISO would publish our Public Protection Class as 10 (the equivalent of no fire

department at all), negatively affecting our residents, taxpayers, and voters with higher insurance rates.

To fully fund that requirement would require nearly $1.1 million in annual revenue and would only be

possible if property valuations returned to the FY08 levels, an increase of nearly $130 million (from the

FY14 level of $158.9 million to over $285 million in property valuations back in FY08).

During the January – June 2014 timeframe, the District and the Friends of the Fire Department began an

extensive public awareness campaign that convinced the voters to approve a Fire Services Special

Assessment in July 2014 for up to 10 years. With that approval, the District began collecting the Fire

Services Special Assessment (a net amount, after early payment discounts, of $447,400) to pay for the

increased costs to expand the District’s staffing an additional two firefighters, one of whom would be a

County Emergency Medical Services Medical Director-certified paramedic.

The last 10 years of valuations and the cumulative year-over-year reductions in those values are depicted

in the table below:

Those generated revenues and budgeted expenditures are provided in the table below for the last 10 years.

With the Fire Services Special Assessment (in Year 3 this year), District funding has stabilized and

overspending that caused the reduction of Operational Reserves (funds carried forward at the end of each

fiscal year in September to pay the operational costs in October – December, before property tax deposits

begin each fiscal year) has been reversed, and budgeted reserves are now increasing each year.

Past Revenues and Expenses:

The blah, blah, blah!

Section 3 (Personnel)

Board of Commissioners:

Edward (Zeke) McDonald (Chairman)

Tom Jenkins (Vice-Chairman)

William (Bill) Fry (Secretary/Treasurer)

AJ LaVallie

Stephen Sward

Fire Chief: Robert Kinniry (Full-Time)

Bookkeeper: Renee Lynch (Professional Service Contract)

Attorney: Robert Pritt (Professional Service Contract)

Auditor: Brown & Associates (Professional Service Contract)

SHIFT STAFFING (PART-TIME EMPLOYEES)

Officers Shift A Shift B Shift C

Capt. Mack McMullen Capt. Dave Tyrrell Capt. Tim Clark

Lt. Jesse Cottrell Capt. John Cook Capt. Tim Larrimore

Lt. Wayne Day Lt. Bill Wood Lt. John Busscher

Capt./P Ron Givens

Firefighter/Paramedics Shift A Shift B Shift C

Justin Edwards Matt Brennan Kasey Cook

Lance Pullen Mike Elliott David Bollen

Jeff Millican Jeremy Fischer Mike Deke

Mike Szabo Joseph Shogren Craig Denison

John DiMaria Ernest Williams Jonathan Garcia

Travis Davis Lance Delgado Jeremy Louzao

Jake Lamb

Firefighter/EMTs Shift A Shift B Shift C

Brian Dubrasky John Pinto Matt Crouse

Daniel Garretto Keith Perry Paul Russel

Mike Harper Tony Bosnjak Robert Wilkins

Greg Harrel Adam Sherman

Luis Medero

Section 4 (Major Equipment)

E191 (Engine/Pumper)

E191 / Engine-Pumper, 750 Gallon Water Tank, 1200GPM Pump

Specifications and Capabilities

1988 Pierce Engine/Pumper

Engine: Caterpillar 3208

Transmission: Allison

Weight (GFW): 37,180 lbs (approximately 18.6 tons)

Length: 29 feet x Width: 9.5 feet x Height: 9.5 feet Pump: Waterous 1200 GPM

Tank Capacity: 750 gallons


B191 (Brush Truck)

B191 / Brush Truck, 4WD with 500 Gallon Water Tank and 350GPM pump


2006 Ford F350 4x4

Engine: 6.0L Power Stroke Diesel V-8

Transmission: Automatic


Length: 20.2 feet x Width: 8.4 feet x Height: 8.9 feet

Pump: Hale 250 GPM



B192 (Military Brush Truck)

B192 / Brush Truck, 4WD All Terrain 1000 Gallon Water Tank and 350GPM Pump


1996 Stewart & Stevenson M1078, 2-1/2 ton, 4x4

Engine: Caterpillar (CAT) C7, 7.2-liter, 6-cylinder inline water-cooled diesel developing 275 hp

Transmission: Allison MD3700SP 7-speed automatic with integrated single speed transfer case

Weight (GFW): 22,904 lbs (curb w/fuel) with up to 5000 lbs payload (approximately 11.5 tons GFW

with up to 2.5 tons of cargo; 14 tons total)

Length: 22.2 feet x Width: 10 feet x Height: 9.5 feet

Pump: Hale 250 GPM with 135 GPM Booster Reel and 100 feet of booster line


Trailer: Tank, Water, 1½-ton, 2-wheeled, 400 Gal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_of_Medium_Tactical_Vehicles


T191 (Tank Truck)

T191 / Tanker-Tender, 1800 Gallon Water Tank, 350GPM Pump


1991 Chevrolet

Engine: 8.2L Fuel Pincher Detroit Diesel

Transmission: Alisson


Length: 24.4 feet x Width: 8.7 feet x Height: 8 feet

Pump: Hale 350 GPM



R191 (Rescue)

R191 / 6X6 All Terrain Rescue-Medical Response


2016 Polaris

Engine: 4 Stroke 760cc


Weight (GFW): 1550 lbs plus 450 lbs with Rescue Bed (approximately 1 ton)

Length: 162 inches x Width: 72 inches x Height: 98 inches


U191 (Utility Cargo)

U191 / Utility Vehicle 4X4 All Terrain with Towing Capabilities


2015 Polaris



Weight (GFW): 1550 lbs plus 450 lbs with Rescue Bed (approximately 1 ton)



U192 (Utility Cargo)

U192 / Utility Vehicle 4X4 All Terrain with Towing Capabilities


2014 Polaris



Weight (GFW): 1550 lbs plus xx lbs with Skid-Mounted TPU (approximately 1 ton)


Approved Skid-Mounted Tank and Pump Unit: Firelite FDH-203, 70 gallon tank and 65 GPM pump


P192 (Portable Pump)

P192 / Portable 750GPM Pump on Trailer with Drafting Capabilities


Koboto 2012

Engine: Koboto 99hp diesel

Length: 14 feet x Width: 7 feet x Height: 6 feet

Pump: Waterous 750 GPM


M191 (Marine Response)

M191 / 28ft Contender Marine Response Vessel


2003 Contender 28 Foot

Engines: Twin 225hp Mercury OptiMax


Length: 28 feet x Beam: 8.85 feet x Draft: 1.5 feet


Crew Boat

Crew Transport Vessel


1999 Aquasport 225 Explorer

Engine: 2005 225hp Yamaha F250TXR


Length: 24 feet x Beam: 8.5 feet x Draft: 2.5 feet (engine down)/1.4 (engine up)

Section 5 (The Future)

First, these are the activities and projects completed since the District’s previous report:

1) Developed a plan to modernize all fire department equipment

2) Improved staffing to accepted national and state standards

3) Compliance with CFR 1910.134

4) Compliance with NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression

Operations, EMS and Special Operations

5) Voter-approved Special Fire Services Special Assessment for up to 10 years, from October 1,

2014 through September 30, 2024

6) Improved from Public Protection Class 7 to PPC 4, Insurance Service Office rating

7) Advanced Life Support approved and became operational on June 1, 2015

8) Upgraded electronic report system and recording Call Logs Staffing

9) Upgraded training records keeping electronically (web-based solution)

LAST TEN YEARS:

North Captiva Island has experienced only moderate housing growth from 2007 through 2016, due to

the Great Recession. With a projected build-out of 500-700 houses from the current 390, the Fire

District is undergoing changes to accommodate the expected but slow development (about 10-15 homes

per year). Higher emergency call volumes and high-rise residential houses will increase life hazards to

both occupants and responding Firefighters. Addressing these issues is at the forefront of District’s focus

for the near future.

NEXT FIVE YEARS:

Projects continued from the previous PFR:

1) Water/feed pipes for firefighting

2) Renovation of the current facility

3) Execute modernization plan for the replacement of equipment

4) Continue appropriate staffing, identifying sufficient funding source, as required

5) Define response zones with Lee County (cooperative agreement)

6) Continue developing guidelines from NFPA 1500

7) Develop Lee County Legislative Proposal for state funding for the Special Assessment, since

Government-owned property totals over 400 acres (compared to 230 acres on the tax roll)

Projects deleted from the previous PFR:

1) An additional facility on adjacent property (housing and equipment)

Funding: For this report, projections are provided for 8 years instead of the usual 5 years since FY/23-

24 will be the last year for the current, approved 10-year Fire Services Special Assessment. The key

concerns are that:

Projected Ad Valorem valuations won’t increase at a faster average rate of $5 million each year

(to eliminate the Special Assessment each year, the District would need total taxable valuations

above $285 million or over $110 million higher than this year in FY16/17)

If Ad Valorem valuations don’t increase, a future Board will have to go to the voters to request

another 10-year Fire Services Special Assessment by Spring/Summer 2023, with an effective

date of October 1, 2024 (FY 24/25) … or eliminate one or both of the firefighters paid with the

Fire Services Special Assessment, again putting at risk the downgrade of the District by ISO to

Public Protection Class 10 (the same as not fire department), even with taxing and spending over

$700,00 each year

During the next 7 years of the remaining Fire Services Special Assessment, the District has a number of

major decisions to make during the annual budget deliberations in August and September:

Continue to tax at the maximum millage rate and Special Assessment capped rate each year

Reduce the ad valorem millage rate as property values rise, providing growth in revenues to meet

inflation-adjusted levels (without dramatic increases in spending or reserves)

Reduce the Fire Services Special Assessment as property values rise, providing growth in

revenues to meet inflation-adjusted levels (but keeping the ad valorem millage rate at the

maximum 3.75 mils)

To illustrate those options, two extreme projections were developed (reducing the ad valorem rate to

keep overall revenues nearly constant OR reducing the Fire Services Special Assessment annual amount

to only what is needed each year to generate those nearly constant total revenues):

Projected Revenues

(Reduce Ad Valorem Millage Rate but Keep Maximum Special Assessment Each Year)

These projected revenue estimates assume:

$5 million dollar increase in Ad Valorem property valuations each year (the average

increase over the last 3 years), which equals $18,750 in actual income increases each

year, at the maximum 3.75 millage rate

If the goal is to maintain total income (rather than increased income), the millage rate

could be reduced from the maximum level of 3.75, for the first time since FY12

The Board will make decisions each year, during budget deliberations in August and

September, based on the budget requirements at the time, so the first two assumptions

are likely invalid (but the numbers are still instructive in developing “what if”

budgeting scenarios)

Alternate Projected Revenues

(Reduce Special Assessment Each Year and Keep 3.75 Millage Rate)

Again, these projected revenue estimates assume:

$5 million dollar increase in Ad Valorem property valuations each year (the average

increase over the last 3 years), which equals $18,750 in actual income increases each

year, at the maximum 3.75 millage rate

Maintaining the maximum millage rate level of 3.75 but reducing the Special

Assessment by $70,000 to $170,000 per year, when it reduces to $0 in FY24/25

(when our authority to levy it expires), which will leave a $314,000 deficit in

FY24/25

And again, the Board will make decisions each year, based on the budget

requirements at the time, so the first two assumptions are likely invalid (but the

numbers are still instructive in “what if” budgeting scenarios)

Projected Expenditures

These projected expenditure estimates assume:

Only 1% increases in each major budget category each year (Personnel, Operating,

and Capital Improvements)

No major catastrophic events that are NOT covered by insurance, requiring a large

expenditure of funds from the various fund balances and the $500,000 line of credit

that the District maintains, since we don’t have an Emergency Reserve or “rainy day

fund”

And again, the Board will make decisions each year, based on the budget

requirements at the time, so the first two assumptions are likely invalid (but the

numbers are still instructive in “what if” budgeting scenarios)

Conclusion: The Upper Captiva Fire Protection and Rescue Service District is responding to the

challenges of limited funding and a slowly growing community. The District continues to strive to

improve the quality of public service for all residents and visitors to North Captiva Island and the mutual

aid areas, at lowest overall cost to our taxpayers. The staff and volunteers of our District are proud to

provide this community with Advanced Life Support, fire protection, public education, awareness and

rescue services, both on land and in contiguous waters of our Island.

Appendix A

Boundaries and Legal Descriptions

North Captiva Island: All that part of North Captiva Island lying in Sections 4, 5, 8, 9, 15, and 16,

Township 45 South, range 21 East, and Section 32, Township 44 South, Range 21 East, bounded on the

North by Captiva Pass, West by the Gulf of Mexico, South by Redfish Pass, and East by Pine Island

Sound.

The legal descriptions of the two properties owned by the District are:

4511 HODGEPODGE LANE

STRAP #05-45-21-10-00000.0010

FR CONC MAR ON SL GL 1

226 FT M/L E OF HIGH TIDE

AS DESC IN OR 1088 PG 445

4521 HODGEPODGE LANE

STRAP #05-45-21-10-00000.0020

FR CON MAR ON SL GL 1

226 FT M/L E OF HIGH TIDE

AS DESC IN OR 1226 PG 903

Appendix B

Area Map

Appendix C

District Map

Appendix D

Current Photo

upper captiva fire protection and rescue service district ... · 5/6/2017 · based revenue...

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