Fire Department Uses Cost-Recovery Contractor for Nonresident Incidents; Chief to Follow Up on $11,000 Charge

Deputy Division Chief Matt Wood told the Springfield City Council on Aug. 19 that the fire department uses a company called Fire Recovery to seek cost recovery for certain incidents involving people who do not live in the city. Wood said the program, passed in November of the previous year, applies to incidents such as car wrecks and fires where cost recovery is appropriate for nonresidents. He told Alderman Rockford that the city charges for some responses "for cost recovery, on certain things." Alderman Rockford told the chief that a property in his ward that burned had a reported $11,000 bill and that the property was inside city limits. Wood said he would follow up, asked for an address and committed to send an email to the alderman with additional information. No policy text or ordinance number was cited during the meeting; Wood identified the vendor Fire Recovery and described the program's scope in general terms. The council did not take formal action on the matter during the Aug. 19 meeting, but staff committed to follow up with the alderman on the specific billing question.