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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,November 21, 2011 <br /> Page 18 <br /> Chief O'Neill, in responding to Councilmember McGehee on potential use of are- <br /> as of the building by other parties, advised that this would depend on how the Fire <br /> Department used the space, with 89% of training done on shift, with four (4) <br /> shifts, and based on the frequency and type of calls during those shifts and when <br /> training opportunities could be found. Chief O'Neill advised that the training was <br /> based on the needs of the community and firefighter/first responder responses; in <br /> addition to meetings with other departments and agencies during the month, or <br /> joint meetings of multiple companies depending on the training opportunity being <br /> offered. Chief O'Neill briefly reviewed just some of the massive firefighter train- <br /> ing requirements, including medical, weapons of mass destruction, emergency <br /> management, vehicle safety, and other monthly requirements mandated to retain <br /> licensure. <br /> Mr. Hutson further reviewed apparatus bays; support mezzanine between bays; <br /> dorm and dayrooms; locker areas; research/study areas for firefighter testing and <br /> training; shower/bathroom units proposed as individual rooms that were gender <br /> neutral allowing for a more flexible layout and addressing future mixes of fire- <br /> fighter genders. <br /> Discussion included the number of firefighters sleeping at the fire station nightly, <br /> with a typical shift of five (5) and if new people, increasing to six (6); and ra- <br /> tionale for including twelve (12) dorm rooms to address potential future opera- <br /> tions for staffing, merging with other districts; and how those plans would be im- <br /> pacted by the budget. <br /> Councilmember Pust and Mayor Roe spoke in support of not carving up space to <br /> allow sufficient flexibility in the future, especially if the future model involved <br /> joint fire operations that could entail different staffing levels. <br /> Chief O'Neill noted that the proposed dorm staffing also took into consideration <br /> staffing up to 9-12 firefighters if a big storm was moving in that would provide a <br /> minimum of two (2) medics, one engine and one ladder staffing available on the <br /> street during those most dangerous times. <br /> Councilmember Johnson noted, from his time serving on the fire station task <br /> force, that there was also the potential of larger scale disasters and trying to ac- <br /> commodate more than just the initial staff; but the potential for housing additional <br /> regional disaster teams. <br /> Chief O'Neill concurred with Councilmember Johnson's recollection. <br /> Councilmember McGehee opined that, while the station may be built for flexibil- <br /> ity, another case may be that it was being overbuilt for the future while asking <br /> Roseville residents to support a larger space than actually needed; especially in <br /> consideration of ongoing discussions for sharing resources, and the potential need <br />