CHAPTER 5-01
FIRE LIMITS

SECTIONS:

5-01-001-0001    FIRE PROTECTION; COUNTY ISLANDS; AND OTHER SELECTED UNINCORPORATED PROPERTY

5-01-001-0001 FIRE PROTECTION; COUNTY ISLANDS; AND OTHER SELECTED UNINCORPORATED PROPERTY

A.    The City may enter into service agreements to provide fire protection services for the following areas not in the boundaries of the City, as recommended by the Fire Chief and approved by the City Manager:

1.    Property surrounded by the City but not within the boundaries, i.e., County islands; or

2.    Other unincorporated property as recommended by the Fire Chief and City Manager, and reviewed and approved by the City Council on a case-by-case basis.

The maximum term of a service agreement is five (5) years.

B.    The fire protection services base contract rate shall be established using the City of Flagstaff primary tax rate plus the secondary property tax rate for the preceding fiscal year, per one hundred dollars ($100.00) of the assessed value of the property located within the contract service area, as established by the Coconino County Assessor annually and used by the City for taxation of property, plus eighteen percent (18%). The base contract rate is established at the time of contract formation. If the service agreement has a term of more than one (1) year, the contract rate shall increase by two percent (2%) annually until the expiration or termination of the service agreement.

C.    In the absence of a written contract, an implied contract shall exist between the City and the property owner which provides for reimbursement to the City at an hourly rate (rounded to the nearest whole dollar) based on the average hourly full burden rate of a three (3) person engine/water tender company (current salary for top step captain/paramedic, engineer/paramedic, firefighter/paramedic) plus the hourly cost of the unit based upon the current cost set forth in the Arizona State Fire Agreement contract with the City of Flagstaff. For a battalion chief (BC) it is the hourly full burden rate (current hourly for top step) plus a flat rate for the vehicle based upon the rate in the current Arizona State Fire Agreement with the City of Flagstaff. A one (1) hour minimum will be assessed for all but false alarms.

1.    This rate may be applied to other Fire Department costs, such as hazardous materials response or other auxiliary services.

2.    In addition to the above rates, an eighteen percent (18%) surcharge will also be applied to the cost.

D.    Extraordinary costs (costs greater than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00)), costs for equipment and supplies, and personnel costs necessary to maintain adequate City coverage may also be recovered on a cost basis.

E.    In a collection action to recover the City’s costs based upon the implied contract referred to in subsection (C) of this section, the City is authorized to utilize all equitable and legal remedies, including a lien upon the affected property as provided in the Arizona Revised Statutes.

F.    There shall be no duty for the City of Flagstaff to respond to property in an unincorporated area not covered by a fire contract. However, if a threat exists to the City of Flagstaff or other contract properties; or if, when dispatched, the Fire Department is not certain of the status of the property, the Fire Department responders shall have the discretion to act in the interest of public safety. (Ord. 1447, 06/03/1986; Ord. 1765, Amended, 08/04/1992; Ord. 2003-09, 05/20/2003; Ord. 2010-08, 03/16/2010; Ord. 2010-21, Amended, 10/05/2010; Ord. 2018-20, Amended, 11/06/2018; Ord. 2021-19, Amended, 09/07/2021)