Home Brentwood Chief Helmick: The Fire District Must Begin to Build Solid Foundation

Chief Helmick: The Fire District Must Begin to Build Solid Foundation

by ECT

The following was submitted for publication by East Consta Costa Fire Protection District Fire Chief Brian Helmick

Brentwood – As Fire Chief, I am tasked with ensuring the best possible fire service to the
residents within the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District. It is my job to build the
best fire district possible with the funding available and to ensure we have the best
firefighters responding to calls.

As of July 1st, ECCFPD utilizes three (3) fire stations to provide a rural level of fire service and emergency medical service (basic life support) to the residents and businesses in Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Knightsen, Byron, Marsh Creek, and Morgan Territory. ECCFPD protects approximately 249 square miles, over 110,000 residents, and responded to approximately 6,900 calls for service annually.

Although ECCFPD does not have sufficient resources to provide the urban level of service that is needed in much of the District, the District is financially sustainable as a three-station organization for the next 10-years. Additionally, we are fortunate to have some of the best and most dedicated firefighters working right here in the District.

Since the 2008 housing crisis, the District’s effort to increase service to urban standards and obtain permanent funding have been crippled by failed ballot measures while limping along with temporary funding solutions. Unfortunately, what has been overlooked during these efforts is the impact on personnel retention, capital maintenance and equipment replacement. Continuing down the path of temporary funding solutions (or what some have described as Band-Aid solutions) will continue to weaken the District as it fails to retain entry level firefighters and train and promote them to the ranks of Engineer and Captain. Within the Bay Area, our District has been described as a training ground for other departments. Although this is true, the firefighters that left have given the organization a good reputation. Continuing to lose personnel we have invested so much training time and dollars in is unacceptable.

April 2013

Since 2012, the district has hired 28-firefighters and in that same time period, the District
has lost a total of 39 personnel (only 5 have been from retirements).

The Fire District is currently in a staffing crisis and measures need to be taken to build a
solid staffing plan to support the base level of service for the District. I urge the public to
understand that hiring entry level firefighters is not the problem; we can do that all-day long, but it’s counterproductive if they continue to leave for more secure and better paying jobs elsewhere. The issue is retaining them for the long haul, for a career as an Engineer or Captain, who are the drivers and leaders that make our system work. Currently, our fire fighters are paid significantly less than our neighboring fire districts. (As much as 30% less) within the Bay Area and East Contra Costa Fire District salary is the lowest in the Contra Costa County.

Although it takes a unique and special person to be a firefighter, a firefighter’s employment choice is no different than for a teacher, a nurse, a laborer, or computer programmer. At the end of the day, everyone wants to find the best available job and job security to provide for their families. Would you continue to be one of the lowest paid employees in your industry or would you seek a position that provides you and your family a competitive wage compared to others in your industry?

For clarification, it takes two-years to promote from a firefighter to an engineer (the driver of a fire engine). As of July 1, 2017, the District does not have any firefighters with the experience necessary to test as an Engineer. Our current probationary firefighters still need at least 4-6 months to be eligible to test for the position of Fire Engineer. If our current probationary firefighters were to leave for a more secure position, at another department, the District would need to hire a new firefighter and the two-year clock would start over again.

Moving forward as the Chief of the organization, I will be making recommendations to our Board of Directors that will improve our personnel retention, increase staff morale, and fundamentally change the Fire District for the better. This process will not happen overnight, but my goal is to set the District and community up for long-term successes.

As we go through the planning process and hold decisions, it’s important that the District begin working in a transparent and open manner to begin re-building trust with the entire
community. Although there are many roads the District can take, and some may not always agree, we all as a community must begin working together on a common goal of improving the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District’s funding and service level.

I look forward to starting the journey together towards the revitalization of our Fire District, which begins with investing in the foundation of the organization. Together, I know we will be successful in the coming months and years ahead. Lastly, I ask that citizens and business engage with and support the District. The District’s current financial situation and the resolution to the situation is complex.

To participate or to learn more about the District, please visit the districts website. The website will provide information on the District and upcoming Fire Board, Finance, and Public Outreach meeting.

You can visit us on the Districts website, www.eccfpd.org or through our social media pages:

ABOUT THE EAST CONTRA COSTA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT:
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District spans 249 square miles and our firefighter/EMTs serve more than 110,000 residents in the Cities of Brentwood and Oakley, the Town of Discovery Bay, the communities of Byron, Bethel Island and Knightsen, the Marsh Creek/Morgan Territory area, and all other areas within unincorporated Contra Costa
County to the east of Antioch and to the southeast of Clayton

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9 comments

ECT Jul 5, 2017 - 7:24 pm

Bargain pricing right there. They should be paid more for the job they do.

Mike B.

Melanie Jul 5, 2017 - 9:13 pm

There are certain jobs that should be paid more, and firefighters are one of them. Who are you going to call if your house is on fire – ghostbusters?

U know it Jul 6, 2017 - 11:36 am

I think that the very first thing is the new chief read the entire LAFCO documents creating this district and try to do what it says the model should be. With that being said, I also believe the district using that model could match the salaries of Con Fire and remain financially sound. It just takes team work and patience on the union side.

Eddie Jul 8, 2017 - 4:25 pm

transparentcalifornia as a resource?
Someone wrote it on the internet so it must be true.
You genuinely believe that people are flocking out of that department that get paid that much? Why do you think they are… the commute, the weather?

“Oh it’s the pensions that are killing the budget”
B.S. these guys pay their share AND the city’s contribution and when they are gone the city pays nothing, because they are gone. Anyone that tells you different is lying or doesn’t understand CALPERS

“Oh their wasting our money on being inefficient”
Are you kidding they are operating a 10-12 station on just 3 stations?

Kris Hunt, Wendy Lack, Dave Roberts, Co.Cotax et all.. they all LIED TO YOU
(I’ll be surprised if this rag posts this. They are happy to foment civic discord for their own benefit but that’s another topic entirely)

They are not overpaid and you desperately need emergency service.

These are honorable men hanging it all the way out there knowing there cavalry not coming if things go bad. FOR YOU.

It looks alot like ingratitude when you know better and still turn your back on them. There has to be 3rd world countries that have better emergency services than you do.
Glad I have no business out there.

Concerned citizen Jul 10, 2017 - 12:04 am

The sooner the district is dissolved the quicker it can restructure. That would be a more honest message and is why LAFCO’s municipal service review left the district with a zero sphere of influence.

Mike in Piitsburg Jul 16, 2017 - 4:30 pm

About the FPD dissolution.

Who would take their place?

Con Fire, Cal Fire, Volunteers, private sector. You still have 240 square miles to cover according to Fire Service Standards, and you still need the same fire service infrastructure and personnel.

Starting over means you pretty much have very little left to begin with at first and then to fill in the vacancies of your plan.

Also, the FD Chaplin is there to give a “Blessing” to those attending the news conference/ meeting.

RJB Jul 11, 2017 - 1:00 am

Why do they have a priest there? Is he gonna pray for rain in the instance of a fire?

Mike in Piitsburg Jul 16, 2017 - 4:25 pm

The FD Chaplin is there to give a “Blessing” for those attending the meeting.

Comments are closed.