Received Sep f 9 2008 Council President Scott H. Peters September 16,2008 Honorable Kenneth So Presiding Judge San

The City of San Diego needs to address the gaps in emergency and fire protection services. The Mayor agrees with this finding. Since taking office the Fire-Rescue Department's budget has been increased by approxinlately $30,4 million or 19% from Fiscal Year 2006. This funding increase has been utilized to address previously existing gaps in service delivery by providing additional fire stations, emergency response and support vehicles, firefighting equipment, and fire fighter staffing. In addition, critical aerial firefighting and rescue capabilities were significantly enhanced by the acquisition and staffing of a second medium lift helicopter, Copter 2. CITY ADMINISTRATION RUILDINa. C STREET, SAN DIEGO. CALIFORNIA 42101 (61s) 236-6330 @ Plintad a; recyu~nw er Finding #I 1: Neither the County of San Diego nor any of the cities, including the City of $an Diego, had a standard operating procedure for the operation of a mega-shelter. The Mayor agrees with this finding. Response to Grand Jury Recommendations 08-1 05: Prepare a ballot measure to propose an increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax to be used solely for the purpose of improving fire protection levels including additional stations, engines, firefighters, training, equipment, etc. as outlined in the After Action. Reports. We believe a 2.5% should be considered. The recommendation will not be implemented. As the report stated, the City Council placed a 2.5% increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on the ballot in. both March and November of 2004 and both times it failed. The region's fire professional and emergency managers provided exceptional service during 2007 Wildfires, while also exposing some of the shortcomings in the region and the City. To study and then address those shortcomings a Regional Fire Protection Committee was formed. This committee included representation by co-chairmen Supervisor Ron Roberts and Mayor Jerry Sanders as well as other local elected officials and Fire Chiefs from throughou~ the region. The committee focused on improving coordination between the existing fire agencies throughout the county as well as identifying a funding source, should one be deemed necessary by the committee. The Regional Fire Protection Committee recommended the County Board of Supervisors place a $52 per parcel tax to fund fire protection improvements before voters. The County Board of Supervisors voted on August 6,2008 to place the measure on the November 2008 ballot. Should this ballot measure be successful, it is anticipated to generate approximately $50 million annually. Half of the funds would create the San Diego Regional Fire Protection Agency and pay for reserve fire engines, water bombers and other regional equipment. The other half would be allocated to local fire agencies to bolster their local capabilities. 08-106: Reallocate existing funds and develop new revenue streams. The recommendation has already been implemented. Each year, the Mayor's Office presents a budget to the City Council for deliberation and debate prior to adoption. Over the past three budget proposals, general fund dollars have been reallocated to increase funding for the Fire-Rescue Department which includes increased apparatus and personnel. Additionally, response 08-1 05 addresses the issue of new revenue streanls. 08-115: Adopt an Emergency Care and Sheltering Plan for the City of San Diego which !includes a plan for the establishment and operation of a mega-shelter, with particular application to the Qualcomm Stadium facility. This recommendation is being implemented. The City of San Diego became acutely aware during the October 2007 Wildfires that the planned resources for Care and Shelter Operations quickly became overwhelmed. To better serve our communities, City staff began discussions on additional planning efforts needed for future disasters to include those of a greater magnitude. Care and Sheltering Plans are being developed and implemented to increase coordination and response within the City that will complement the Operational Area Emergency Plan Annex G, Care and Shelter Operations. In addition, the City is developing an Appendix to Annex G to outline with specificity the requirements needed to manage an effective mega-shelter, to include site specific plans for Qualcomm Stadium. Please contact Jill Olen, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Public Safety at (61 9) 236-7169 if you have additional questions. Sincerely, \ JERRY~ Mayor cc: San Diego County Grand Jury Chief Operating Officer .. . . . .. . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . San ~ i eC~ityo Co uncil Deputy ~hief,~CornrnunSite~rv ices Deputy Chief, Public Safety Chief of Sail Diego Fire- Rescue City Clerk Administration Department Director (R-2009-271) (COR. COPY) RESOLUTION NUMBER R- 30409G DATE OF FINAL PASSAGE S EP 0 9 2008 APPROVING THE CITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO THE 2007-2008 SAN DEGO. COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT ENTITLED "THE FIRE NEXT TIME - WILL WE BE READY?" WHEREAS, oil May 29,2008 the 2007-2008 San Diego County Grand Jury [Grand Jury] filed a report titled "The Fire Next Time - Will We Be Ready?" [Report] that requested a response from the Mayor and City Council; and WHEREAS, under California Penal Code section 933(c), within 90 days after the filing of the report, each public agency which the Grand Jury reviewed, and about which it issued the Report, 111ust comment to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court on the findings and recorninendations pertaining to matters under the control of the agency, and WHEREAS, due to the City Council's legislative calendar, the Presiding Judge of the San Diego Superior Court granted a request for an extension of time to submit the City Council's response to the Report to September 19,2008; and WHEREAS, the stated purpose of the Grand Jury Report is "to examine and review the efforts, cooperation, and results of actions taken by authorities and personnel in charge of managenlent and response to emergency disasters; to assess what lessons were learned; to make recolnmendations for improving the ability of the com~nunityto respond to the threat of wildfire; (R-2009-27 1) (COR. COPY) to recommend suggestions for improving response efforts in emergencies; [and] to commend the exemplary actions of fiont line responders who serviced the needs of 500,000 people affected by the wildfires" [Report, ; and WHEREAS, the Grand Jury requested that the Mayor and City Council respond to finding numbers 1 and 1 1 and recomn~eildations0 8-105,08-106 and 08- I 15 in the Report that relate to the City of San Diego; and WHEREAS, the Office of the Independent Budget Analyst has proposed a response to finding numbers 1 and 11 and recommendations 08-105,08-106 and 08-1 15 as set forth in IBA Report No. 08-90 dated September 2,2008, for the City Council's consideration; and WHEREAS, under Charter section 280(a)(l) this resolution is not subject to veto by the Mayor because this matter is exclusively within the purview of ihe City Council and not affecting the administrative service of the City under the control of the Mayor; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of San Diego, that the Council approves and adopts as its own the response to the to the 2007-2008 San Diego County Grand Jury Report filed May 29,2008, and titled "The Fire Next Time - Will We Be Ready?," as set forth in IBA Report No. 08-90 dated September 2,2008, with a revision to the response to finding number 1 to include a statement that the City has increased the Fire-Department Rescue Department's budget by approxiinately 50 million dollars since approximately fiscal years 2003 and 2004, and a revision to the response to recorninendation 08-1 15 to include a statement that (R-2009-271) (COR. COPY) the City had tremendous success with the mega-shelter at Qualconlm Stadium with national and international recognition; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council President is authorized and directed, on behalf of the City of San Diego and the City Council, to execute and deliver the above-described response to the Presiding Judge of the San Diego County Superior Court no later than September APPROVED: MICHAEL J. AGUIRRE, City Attorney R~C&PQ&C. BY Rachel C. Lipsky Deputy City Attorney

The City of San Diego needs to address the gaps in emergency and fire protection services. Response: In addition to the increases that have occurred since the Mayor took office, the City Council has approved increases in the Fire-Rescue Department's annual budget totaling $66.8 million or 54% from Fiscal Year 2004, the fiscal year in which the Cedar Fire occurred. Also, in 2008, the Ad Hoc Fire Prevention and Recovery Committee was created to analyze data from the 2003 and 2007 wildfires in order to evaluate and bolster fire preparedness and response in the City of San Diego. Issues to be discussed and reviewed include response procedures, evacuation plan, allocation of resources and potential development code, budget and brush management changes. In response to a request by Council President Peters to outline "a list of alternative measures and relevant costs to implement the Fire-Rescue Department Station Master Plan to eliminate the City's fire station and staffing deficits within the next ten years", the IBA presented two reports (IBA 08-12: Preliminary Report on Fire Rescue Needs and Funding Plan and IBA 08-46: Report on San Diego Fire-Rescue Needs and Funding Plan) to the Committee for discussion.

Neither the County of Sun Diego nor any of the cities, including the City of San Diego, had a standard operating procedure for the operation of a mega-shelter. Mayor's Response:. The Mayor agrees with this finding. XBA Recommendation: Join the Mayor's Response. GRAND JURY RECOMMENDATIONS