The City of Schertz requested proposals for annual physical evaluations for Fire personnel. One proposal was received in response to the solicitation. Upon evaluation of the pricing and qualifications, City staff has determined that sole respondent, On Duty Health is qualified to be provide the requested services. The proposed agreement is attached to this agenda item. 

The goal of this service agreement is to ensure that personnel within the Fire Department are medically and physically capable of performing the high-risk, "athlete" demands of firefighting without endangering themselves, their team, or the public. With the recent release of NFPA 1580 (2025 Edition), which consolidates several previous standards (including NFPA 1582), the focus has shifted toward a more holistic "Health and Wellness" model rather than just a "Pass/Fail" medical exam. 

Primary Goals of the Physical:

• Early Detection of Life-Threatening Conditions
• Cancer Screening
• Job Readiness
• Injury Prevention

NFPA 1580 Compliance & Consolidation: (NFPA 1580 introduced a major shift in how cardiorespiratory fitness is measured. Instead of the old "12 METs" (one-size-fits-all) threshold, the 2025 standard uses age and gender-adjusted percentiles (the 50th percentile of the general population). This change makes the physical more scientifically accurate across a diverse workforce.)

• NFPA 1582 (Medical Programs)
• NFPA 1583 (Fitness Programs)
• NFPA 1584 (Rehab/Decontamination)

Regulatory & Legal Compliance:

• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134
• Workers' Compensation
• Liability Mitigation

Reliable Emergency Response:

• The community relies on the Fire Department to be ready 24/7. If a Firefighter suffers a medical emergency during a fire or a rescue, they transition from being a rescuer to a victim. This effectively halts the emergency operation, requiring other crews to divert their attention to their fallen colleague rather than the original emergency. Annual physicals ensure the people responding to a 911 call are physically capable of completing the task. 

Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Savings: (While there is cost associated with this service agreement, it is a significant cost-saving measure for the city)

• Reduced Workers' Comp Claims - Early detection of a condition is significantly cheaper than paying for a catastrophic medical event or permanent disability claim. 
• Presumptive Laws - Comprehensive physicals provide the City with "baseline data" to manage high-cost liabilities. 
• Lower Overtime Costs - Identifying health issues early reduces long-term sick leave, keeping more personnel on the trucks and reducing the need to pay "fill-in" overtime to cover vacant shifts. 

Protection of Training Investments: (It costs tens of thousands of dollars to recruit, hire, and train a single firefighter)

• Retention
• Knowledge Retention

Continuity of Service:

• Mid-sized departments can be crippled if 2-3 members are out on long-term medical leave simultaneously. By proactively managing health through a provider like On Duty Health, the City strives to ensure it maintains the minimum staffing levels required to keep fire stations open and response times low. 

Alignment with "Health Community" Initiatives:

• When an organization prioritizes the health and well-being of its fire department members, it deomstrates the city is a "proactive employer of choice," which helps in recruiting high quality candidates to serve the community.  

By authorizing this agreement, we are ensuring that when a citizen calls 911, the responders who arrive are not only well-trained but medically fit to perform life-saving work. This is a proactive measure that protects our residents, reduces our long-term financial liability, and ensure our Firefighters, remain on the job and healthy. 

The total cost of the services provided within this agreement are approximately $42,000 per fiscal year, with a total contract amount not to exceed $250,000 over the 5-year period. Additional expenses may be incurred on an as-needed basis due to physical examination discovery for each individual. 

The agreement shall become effective upon the date of the final signature and remain in effect through January 31, 2029, with the option to review for two (2) additional terms of one (1) year each unless terminated. 
 

Authorize the City Manager to execute a service agreement with On Duty Health for comprehensive fire department physical evaluations.