Largo and the City of Belleair Bluffs Amend Fire Service AgreementBy Bill Lopez LARGO-- In October 2007, the Largo Fire Rescue Department extended an agreement with the city of Belleair Bluffs to provide departmental management oversight, life safety and EMS services. Recently the city of Belleair Bluffs hired its own Fire Chief and Fire Marshal, and requested that a new interlocal agreement be drafted to reflect the removal of the management and oversight provisions and a reduction in cost for life safety responsibilities. As a result, a new agreement provides only for the provision of EMS services for a term of one year. Upon inception of the new agreement, Largo Fire Rescue will continue to provide one paramedic to Belleair Bluffs per shift, for three fulltime paramedics. In return, Largo will receive $331,187 annually. At the end of FY 2009, Largo will no longer be responsible for providing paramedic staffing on the Belleair Bluffs fire engine. The budgetary impact of the new interlocal agreement for Largo in FY 2009 will be a reduction of revenue to the Fire Rescue Department and General Fund in the amount of $104,913 for the subtraction of basic services is reflected in the city's budgeted revenue. The department did not dedicate specific personnel to these responsibilities and consequentially does not have a corresponding cost reduction. Despite the reduction in revenue, the city of Belleair Bluffs is providing Largo Fire Rescue with funding to cover more than the anticipated cost for providing EMS services outlined in the interlocal agreement.
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