Carefree council approves mutual-aid agreement with Rural Metro; agreement sets $595 hourly reimbursement and service protections
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Summary
The Carefree Town Council unanimously approved Resolution 2025-02 authorizing a mutual-aid agreement with Rural Metro Fire Department that clarifies when town apparatus can be used outside town limits, establishes a $595-per-hour reimbursement rate, and requires insurance and coverage protections to preserve response levels in Carefree.
The Carefree Town Council on Feb. 12 unanimously approved Resolution 2025-02 authorizing Mayor to sign a mutual-aid agreement with Rural Metro Fire Department that formalizes use of town fire apparatus outside town limits and sets reimbursement and indemnity terms.
The agreement requires Rural Metro to reimburse the town $595 per hour, rounded up to the next full hour, when Carefree apparatus is used to respond in Rural Metro subscription areas outside Carefree. The contract language mirrors the town’s master contract insurance and indemnification requirements and ties future changes in the hourly rate to percentage adjustments in the master service contract with Rural Metro.
The measure was brought to the council after town staff raised concerns that, during the current five-year contract (the town is about three years into that renewal period), Carefree-purchased equipment has been used to support responses in county islands outside the town. Mr. Neese, representing town staff, told the council the intent of the resolution is to ensure residents inside Carefree are not left without timely emergency resources.
Council discussion centered on preserving local response levels. The agreement requires Rural Metro to reposition an engine company (identified in the contract as engine 8-26) near Carefree if town equipment is leaving the town for outside calls, so service within Carefree is not compromised. Chief Talley of Rural Metro described the agreement as consistent with existing valley practices and said, “we want to be that neighborhood fire department,” adding that the formal written agreement was appropriate for the town.
Council members also questioned how recent ownership changes at Rural Metro could affect service. According to Rural Metro speakers, the company’s fire operations were recently acquired by interests associated with Brindley Mountain (described in testimony as a business that buys, refurbishes and resells fire apparatus and that has acquired or invested in Rural Metro’s fire operations). Chief Mike Ragone, who was identified as head of Rural Metro Fire, said the acquisition would not produce immediate field-level changes and that a temporary transition agreement is in place through about May to separate Rural Metro’s fire operations from the previous AMR/GMR umbrella.
Council and Rural Metro representatives discussed ambulance service and the certificate of necessity (CON) that covers ambulance transport in the area. Rural Metro speakers said AMR holds the current CON for ambulance transport and that, by agreement, Rural Metro personnel are staffing AMR-branded ambulances in Carefree. Council members asked whether the town could at some point seek its own CON and run transports from a Carefree-based ambulance; Rural Metro personnel said obtaining a CON would require data, studies and a regulatory process and would be a distinct, longer-term project.
The council asked Rural Metro to help educate gated communities and homeowners associations (HOAs) about delays caused by gated entries; town and Rural Metro staff agreed to produce outreach materials and for the town’s fire marshal to start working with HOAs on gate access solutions. Rural Metro also described upcoming community Firewise training (an all-day class planned for Feb. 18 in town council chambers and a shorter session March 1 at the firehouse) and encouraged residents to participate.
The resolution was moved and seconded during the meeting; the council voted “Aye” and the measure passed unanimously, with the mayor authorized to execute the mutual-aid agreement.
The agreement formalizes procedures staff said were already commonly used in the valley, but town officials told the council they requested written terms because Carefree purchased new apparatus under the expectation equipment would be available locally. The new written terms specify reimbursement, required insurance coverage, and that hourly charges will escalate in line with future contract percentage adjustments.
Council members thanked Rural Metro leaders for working on the agreement and for committing to community outreach on access and wildfire preparedness.
