NORTH COUNTY FIRE & MEDICAL DISTRICT - TOHONO OODHAM 2017.PDF

Last updated: 05/04/2017
General information
Organization North County Fire & Medical District
Contact First name Tim
Contact Last name Van Scoter
Contact e-mail tvanscoter@scwfire.org
Contact phone number 602-881-2733
Address
Street 18818 North Spanish Garden Drive
City Sun City West
State AZ
ZIP Code 85375
From what tribe is the Tohono O’odham Nation
organization requesting the
grant?
Total grant amount request 290000.00
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NORTH COUNTY FIRE & MEDICAL DISTRICT
Internationally Accredited ~ ISO Class 1 Designated Agency
18818 N. Spanish Garden Drive ⦁ Sun City West, Arizona 85375 ⦁ (623) 544-5400 ⦁ Fax (623) 544-5455 ⦁ www.ncfmd.az.gov
February 28, 2017
Chairman Edward Manuel
The District proudly Tohono O’odham Nation
serves the P.O. Box 837
communities of: Sells, AZ 85634
Sun City West
 Attn: Doreen McPaul
Coldwater Ranch
 RE: North County Fire & Medical District – Local Government Agency Status
Corte Bella

Cross River Mr. Manuel:

Dos Rios
 The North County Fire & Medical District (formally the Fire District of Sun City West) is a local
Marisol Ranch government “Special District” under the Arizona Revised Statues 48-805 and is a not for profit
 government entity with an Internal Revenue Service issued Employer Identification Number of
Pinnacle Peak 86-0503076. IRS verification letter is attached to this letter.
County Island

Rancho Cabrillo Respectfully,

Rancho Silverado

Rio Sierra
 Tim Van Scoter
Sundero Assistant Chief
 Sun City West Fire District
and other
unincorporated
portions of
Maricopa County


Tohono O’odham Nation – 12% Gaming Distribution
Narrative
Introduction
North County Fire & Medical District is pleased to present this application for the Tohono
O’odham Nation – 12% Gaming Distribution grant program. The District is requesting $290,000
to purchase a new Water Tanker/Tender Truck and replace an aging tanker for the community of
Wittmann which we serve. This will greatly enhance our ability to provide critical service, not
only to our citizens, but to the entire state.
North County Fire & Medical District serves the Northwest Phoenix metropolitan area with 150
uniformed, civilian, and volunteer employees. The District was formed in 1981 and has grown to
protect roughly 65,000 residents within an approximately 90 square mile area. The District
provides fire protection, medical service, public assistance/non-emergency response, and other
services to the communities of Sun City West, Wittmann and surrounding unincorporated areas.
The District is a unique entity which has a history of using an innovative approach to delivering
excellent quality and highly efficient services to its residents. In 2016, the District’s paramedics
and firefighters responded to more than 10,000 calls for assistance.
District services are provided from six facilities strategically positioned throughout the District.
In October 2016, North County Fire & Medical District consolidated with the Wittmann Fire
District and took over all operations in that District including emergency services to the
community of Wittmann. The proposed project would primarily be used to serve this new area
of the District and its residents by providing a Water Tanker/Tender truck to be used in this rural
community that has limited water supply and very few fire hydrants.
a) Explain the perceived need and explain how the proposal will address that need.
As stated, the District protects a 90 square mile area in the Northwest Phoenix metropolitan area.
This area includes approximately 45 square miles of new service area from the former Wittmann
District that is more rural in nature, with large areas of desert and mountainous terrain containing
hundreds of private homes and structures with limited water supply and few hydrants. Water
Tanker/Tender trucks are a must for any structure fires or large wildland fires in the area. The
current truck at Wittmann Station 106 in a 1999 Mack Tanker/Tender and is approaching 20
years of age. The truck has serviced the District well, but is in desperate need of replacement.
The funding of this project would greatly enhance our ability to serve the 65,000 residents of our
District. This truck would also be available for response to all agencies in the greater Phoenix
Metropolitan area through our Automatic and Mutual Aid Agreements. In addition, this truck
would be placed on the state-wide resource list and would be available for wildland fire response
to other areas within the state to assist state and federal agencies including the Tohono O’odham
Nation.

The Town of Wittmann is an economically depressed area with a limited tax base and generates
limited tax revenue. The average per capita income for the community in 2015 was $28,890,
well below the Arizona State average of $51,492. The District’s current budget lacks the funds
for this project without diverting funds from other critical programs. North County Fire &
Medical District is primarily funded by property taxes. Recent legislative changes make it very
difficult for fire districts to increase revenue. Your funding assistance with the purchase of this
truck will ensure our crews have the necessary tools to serve the public.
b) Describe the population who will benefit from the proposal if approved.
The population served by North County Fire & Medical District is approximately 65,000
citizens, most in an age restricted retirement community. Specifically, this funding with benefit
the approximately 7,000 residents in the community of Wittmann and the surrounding areas. In
addition to this primary service area, the District makes its resources available to other
communities and regions through mutual aid, automatic aid and cooperator agreements. When
you ask who will benefit from this proposal, the answer extends well beyond citizens of the
District and is very difficult to quantify. District trucks and personnel have responded to
wildland fires, threatening lives and property, throughout the State and Nation. District
personnel have worked with crews from every State and federal agency imaginable throughout
the State of Arizona including the Tohono O’odham Nation. The District has a history of
providing assistance for anyone and any agency requesting assistance.
The District’s mission is:
To protect life and property and to enhance the well-being of all those we serve.
c) Include a budget of the requested funds, with the total amount requested clearly
notated.
BUDGET DETAILS
QUANTITY ITEM DESCRIPTION PRICE
1 each Water Tanker/Tender Truck – 2,400 Gallons, 750 GPM $253,000
1 each Equipment for Truck – Radios, Hose, Nozzles, Tools, etc. $31,000
1 each Truck Striping and Lettering $6,000
Total Project Costs $290,000
Vehicle suppliers have already been consulted to develop this funding request and to ensure the
success of the project. The North County Fire & Medical District has written policies on
procurement of capital items such as proposed in this project. The District would document all
the steps for the project including development of specifications, requests for bids, delivery and
placing the truck in service. The District has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation for
four years from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States (GFOA). The
program awards state and local governments for preparing documents of the very highest quality

that reflect both the guidelines established by the National Advisory Council on State and Local
Budgeting and the GFOA’s best practices on budgeting and documentation. This project would
follow the same best practices and public records can be produce to show that the funds were
used as intended.
d) List any other funding requests that have been made for this or substantially related
proposals and provide the status of those requests.
There are currently no other requests for this project or any related project to any other entities or
grant programs.
e) Indicate whether the entity has already received a 12% distribution from the Tohono
O’odham Nation or other Arizona Tribes, along with the amount and date awarded.
North County Fire & Medical District has requested funds from the Tohono O’odham Nation -
12% Gaming Distribution on two other occasions, but was not selected for funding on either
request. The District has never received funding from any tribal/state shared revenue grant
programs. The former Wittmann Fire District did receive funding from the Gila River Indian
Community in 2015 to assist with renovating the extremely outdated fire station in the
community of Wittmann.
The Tohono O’odham and other tribal gaming facilities are well supported by the citizens of the
Sun City West retirement community and do support your new gaming facility in west valley.
We look forward to working with you on this project.
f) Identify a designated contact person and alternate contact person for follow-up,
including e-mail address, phone number, mailing address and fax numbers for these
persons.
Primary Contact: Tim Van Scoter, Assistant Chief
Office – 623-544-5400
Cell – 602-881-2733
tvanscoter@ncfmd.az.gov
Alternative Contact: Mary Dalton, Assistant Chief
Office – 623-544-5400
Cell – 928-713-4581
mdalton@ncfmd.az.gov
Organization: North County Fire & Medical District
18818 N. Spanish Garden Drive
Sun City West, AZ 85375
www.ncfmd.az.gov
FAX – 623-544-5455

g) Indicate which priority area the proposal falls under.
As a public safety organization, this proposal and funding request by North County Fire &
Medical District directly satisfies the priority funding area focus on Public Safety as outlined.
As a provider of emergency fire and medical services, our number one mission is public safety
and we are proud of the services we provide to our residents and others we serve.
Conclusion
The goals of the proposed project include purchasing and equipping a new Water Tanker/Tender
Truck and replacing an aging truck that has been in service and operated for almost 20 years. The
current truck is the only truck of its type in the community of Wittmann and is a vital component
of the emergency response to structure and wildland fires. Without trucks such as the one
requested, we would not be able to provide the necessary service to the citizens we serve.
The District has always responded to all types of emergencies including structure and wildland
fires, so this is not a new program area for us, but the recent changes in our boundaries and
demographics have made this project critical in our ability to serve these new areas of our
District. We continue to work to increase our training, knowledge, safety and capabilities to
meet the ever increase challenges of fighting fire in rural areas. This project is critical in that
endeavor.
The proposed timeline set for this project would include a start date on or after December 1st,
2017 or the date the project is funding by your grant program. The finish date would be on or
before December 31st, 2018. The timeline is flexible and the District would be open to any
timeline or changes necessary to meet your program funding timelines.
The proposed project will directly benefit the community of Wittmann, plus all District residents,
neighboring communities, state/federal partners and all the potential communities served when
this new truck is deployed on large fire emergencies such as wildfires.
Our hope is that with your assistance, we will be able to complete this project for the community
we serve.
We look forward to working with you on this project.
Thank you for your consideration.