HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 3346-2023)C1,11
KENAI
CITY OF KENAI
ORDINANCE NO. 3346-2023
Sponsored by: Administration
AN ORDINANCE INCREASING ESTIMATED REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GENERAL
FUND, FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF AN INFLATABLE RESCUE BOAT.
WHEREAS, the Fire Department currently lacks the equipment to perform water -based rescue when the
City's boat launch is inaccessible and operable, nor do they have capabilities of responding above the
Warren Ames bridge with the current deeper drafting Safe Boat; and,
WHEREAS, the Fire Department's response areas include the Kenai River, up to Pillars boat launch;
and,
WHEREAS, an inflatable rescue boat will provide rapid access to launch off area beaches, and other
boat launch on the river that may provide the fastest route to an emergency; and,
WHEREAS, revenues in excess of budgeted amounts from ambulance billing will be used to purchase
the inflatable rescue boat, motor, and trailer; and,
WHEREAS, purchase of the boat now will provide an opportunity for training on it during the Department's
upcoming Rescue Boat Operator Course.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That the estimated revenues and appropriations be increased as follows:
General Fund:
Increase Estimated Revenues —
Ambulance billing $28,543
Increase Appropriations — Fire Department
Machinery & Equipment
Professional Services
$24,043
4,500
$Z A-3
Section 2. Severability: That if any part or provision of this ordinance or application thereof to any
person or circumstances is adjudged invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall
be confined in its operation to the part, provision, or application directly involved in all controversy in
which this judgment shall have been rendered, and shall not affect or impair the validity of the remainder
of this title or application thereof to other persons or circumstances. The City Council hereby declares
that it would have enacted the remainder of this ordinance even without such part, provision, or
application.
Section 3. Effective Date: That pursuant to KMC 1.15.070(f), this ordinance shall take effect
immediately upon enactment.
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Ordinance No. 3346-2023
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ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, THIS 3RD DAY OF MAY, 2023.
ATTEST:
Michelle M. Saner, MMC, City Clerk
Approved by Finance: . //—_
Brian Gabriel Sr., Mayor
Introduced: April 19, 2023
Enacted: May 3, 2023
Effective: May 3, 2023
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KENAI
City of Kenai 1210 Rcialgo Ave, Kenai, AK 99611-7794 1 907.283.75351 wwwkenai.city
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Gabriel and Council Members
THROUGH: Terry Eubank, City Manager
FROM: Tony Prior, Fire Chief
DATE: April 11, 2023
SUBJECT: Ordinance 3346-2023 Inflatable Rescue Boat
The department has the inability to perform water -based rescues in two geographic areas. Our
current Safe Boat works for the majority of our rescues, however, when we are unable to launch
year round due to the City's launch availability, we lose our ability to respond.
Area 1: Kenai River (from Warren Ames bridge down river) into the inlet. There are times of the
year when the boat launch has ice or snow on it and we are unable to launch the Safe Boat, or
during a low tide, we are also unable to get our Safe Boat across the sand bar at the convergence
of the river and the inlet. These situations have happened multiple times, including recently when
we had an individual stuck in the mud during a rising tide. This would have been a perfect
opportunity to launch this proposed boat from the North beach and access the person in distress
from the water. If we had a plane go down in the water at this particular time of year, it would also
be an option for rescue.
Area 2: Our response area on the Kenai River from Warren Ames bridge up to Pillars boat launch.
This area of the river is particularly influenced by the tide and can be very shallow in many areas.
Our Safe Boat is a heavy boat that draws approximately 3 feet of water. We do not take this boat
above the Warren Ames bridge unless there is a large/high tide, and even in that case, it would
be a risk to do so. This boat would provide us access to this section of river to affect water -based
rescues.
In addition to the 2 areas mentioned above, this additional boat bolsters our water rescue plan for
airport emergencies as well as improves our overall capabilities of rescue with 2 boats in the water
during any water -based emergency. The survival of any person in the water is crucially dependent
upon the speed at which we get to them and how fast we get them out of the water. A person in
our cold water has approximately 10 minutes before they lose meaningful movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= ZtAM5ZTn4k&t=72 and 1 hour before they potentially
succumb to hypothermia.
We have received additional revenue from the Supplemental Emergency Medical Transport
program that was not budgeted in FY23. We are requesting to use a portion of this funding to
purchase this boat and provide training during our upcoming Rescue Boat Operator course in
June.
We believe it is in the best interest of the City to improve our rescue capabilities by adding this
rescue boat to our fleet and we thank you for your consideration of this Ordinance.
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