Home CONFIRE Busy Saturday Highlights Need for Immediate Fire District Consolidation

Busy Saturday Highlights Need for Immediate Fire District Consolidation

by ECT

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A busy few hours late Saturday afternoon highlighted just how consolidation would work after several major incidents occurred within minutes of one another leaving East Contra Costa County with limited fire resources available.

With incidents going on in Antioch and Pittsburg, it pulled engines from East Contra Costa Fire Protection District to assist thanks to mutual and auto aid agreements. Operationally, the pieces from both Districts being moved around worked like a well-oiled machine and ensured public safety. But it should not go unnoticed. Next time, East County may not be so lucky to have an assist from neighboring districts.

Between 4:45 pm and 6:00 pm where these incidents ate up all but three engines in East Contra Costa County.  From Bay Point to Byron, just three engines were available with two being in Brentwood and the other in Discovery Bay.

Here is the snap shot of what occurred.

Beginning with a commercial structure fire at Mi Pueblo Market in Pittsburg at roughly 4:45 pm, six engines and two battalion chiefs responded after a reported fire in the BBQ Chimney. Crews quickly rushed to the incident and saw light smoking coming from the rooftop.The fire was put out and did not extend to the building; however, engines were staged in the early part of the investigation as a precaution and with smoke still showing out of the vents.

Meanwhile, two-minutes after this call came in, just over the hill in Concord, CONFIRE was responding to an emergency landing at the Buchanan Airfield with an aircraft reportedly having engine problems.  The call came in at 4:51 pm. The incident required three engines to be staged at the airport as a precaution. Shortly after crews were called, the airplane landed safely and crews were released. With nine-engines tied up District wide for CONFIRE, they were stretched for resources.

At 4:58 pm, with CONFIRE crews in Pittsburg at a commercial fire, Engine 81 and ECCFPD Engine 94 out of Knightsen responded to a medical call on Forty Niner Court in Antioch—behind Deer Valley High School. The incident required Antioch Police and crews were on scene for nearly 50-minutes.

At 5:00 pm, with CONFIRE units still tied up, Engine 93 was dispatched from Oakley to respond to a medical call in Antioch on W. 9th Street for a male who fell off a roof and was bleeding from the head.  A medical helicopter was also summoned. This required two engines so Engine 81 was released from another medical call and were to assist with the helicopter landing.

As Engine 93 was responding, Engine 81 became the closest available unit which as coming across town. At this point in time, Engine 93 had only made it between Hillcrest and A. Street on Highway 4. Engine 93 stated Engine 81 would beat them to the incident and Engine 93 would assist and not take the lead. Upon arrival, Engine 81 stated the man was conscious and alert. They prepared for helicopter arrival.

At 5:11 pm, CONFIRE Engine 81 was made aware that a vacant house just a few houses down from their medical call was on fire at the corner of O Street and W. 9th Street.  Engine 81 stated the medical call would be a ground transport and that Engine 93 was needed immediately to assist with the fire. By the point in time, three additional units were released from the Commercial Fire in Pittsburg to also assist but they were coming from Railroad.

It should be noted, these additional units were originally going to come from ECCFPD (including Engine 59 in Discovery Bay). Battalion 5 from ECCFPD was also on scene.

Engine 93 arrived and quickly established a 2-in and 2-out to attack the fire and made roof access. The fire was contained to the home with no one injured and they protected neighboring homes. Crews remained on scene for nearly 2-hours and 28-minutes.

At this point, another medical came in on Raphael Ct. in Antioch (near the Lone Tree Golf Course) at 5:21 pm. Crews were still not available from the O Street fire so Engine 94 from Knightsen ran this medical call. Crews were tried up for roughly 30-minutes.

Earlier this week, we spoke with Vince WellsPresident, Local 1230 Contra Costa Professional Firefighters, who explained the District was already working operationally like a consolidated district by covering each other’s calls with the closest available engine.  Saturday was a perfect example of this—although I am not sure many in Antioch would prefer Knightsen being their closest available engine when resources are thin.

With a fire season unlike to be like anything we have experienced before due to the drought, the Board of Supervisors and ECCFPD Board of Directors need to begin talks immediately to begin the long process towards consolidation. We can’t afford both financially and from a public safety standpoint to have more days like Saturday.

It’s time to let the talks begin.

 

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65 comments

JimSimmons42 Feb 16, 2014 - 9:15 am

Yes, I prefer to have my engines in Antioch respond to my medical calls, not have to wait until Knightsen arrives. Scary!!!!!!!!!!

Bobby Lott Feb 16, 2014 - 9:16 am

Nice scare tactics ECT. Some things never change.

Maverick Feb 16, 2014 - 9:23 am

@ Mr. Lott

Sadly the write up is not a scare tactic.
It’s pretty much how it goes daily,
Put in medical aids and public service calls.
What I fail to see is why you are so anti fire.

JimSimmons42 Feb 16, 2014 - 9:43 am

Trying to understand this claim if it did happen? I think its pretty scary when on a medical response the engine has to come from Knightsen. I would encourage people not to listen to you Bobby with this unintelligent comments.

shannon Feb 16, 2014 - 10:09 am

Mr Lott~ are you for REAL??? do you live in a bubble??? Maybe you watch to much DISNEY…you really think this is a scare tactic??? this happens every day in East county between Con FIre and East Con… ITS REALITY.. maybe you need to buy a scanner or down load a app on your phone if your not too out of touch with Reality and listen to what goes on around here!!!!!!!!!!! Its as real as it gets……

Juan Lopez Feb 16, 2014 - 9:22 am

@Bobby,

Not scare tactics if the incidents are real? What is your problem? I saw the fire on O Street and let me tell you, it felt like forever for that second and third engines to arrive.

Michelle B Feb 16, 2014 - 9:26 am

I knew the district was busy yesterday, but not like this. Thank you ECT for putting things in perspective. I don’t think we can wait any longer for a solution. People really are going to suffer if this activity keeps up. Seems like there is always that one or two days each month where it’s over busy and people will get hurt. I can’t imagine what the summer months will bring let alone Brentwood cherry season with all the vehicle accidents.

Joe Firefighter Feb 16, 2014 - 10:58 am

I love the comments on your Facebook Page from simple minded people who do not see how the aid will be effected once the cuts come. People, this is a wake up call and yesterday was one of many examples to show how long wait times will occur when stations close. The Districts should consolidate into one so the aid is not the issue but response times can be quick and service can be provided WHEN NEEDED not limited based on district vs. district.
ECT I like your point that ECCFPD will not send its engines because they need them for their own border. With no border in a consolidated district, closest engines will serve those in need.

Thank you for the non knee jerk reaction unlike some of the naive comments on social media. Can’t fix stupid.

EastCountyToday Feb 16, 2014 - 11:00 am

thank you for basically repeating our point. We try and come at this from a birds eye-view and not from one particular day. Aid will be the issue, not the call location or number of engines available.

Walter Feb 16, 2014 - 11:11 am

Consolidation would have not prevented anything yesterday, this article is all based off an idea that the union wants to consolidate. It would have nothing to do with available units in major instances. I understand the point on the aid, but CONFIRE would still respond to major fires.

Jim54 Feb 17, 2014 - 11:50 am

See the difference between automatic aid and mutual aid. It’s a big difference in response times.

Tim M Feb 16, 2014 - 11:47 am

seems to me if engines stop running medical calls they would be free to fight fires and respond to car accidents.

Julio Feb 16, 2014 - 12:21 pm

No reason for fire to respond to my neighbors medical. They came in way after the fact so it was the waste of valuable resources the other day.

Joe Feb 16, 2014 - 1:20 pm

Waste of resources huh? You won’t be thinking like that when you’re choking on a pork-chop and your world begins to turn black………gasp……and then this “waste of resource” frees that hunk of meat from your ungrateful throat……just saying.

Maverick Feb 16, 2014 - 3:48 pm

It appears a lot of folks are unawear of the miss use of resources on medical aid
And that is basically AMR and their QRV which is a non transporting ALS unit that is dispatched along with fire and a transporting ALS unit.
90% of the time the QRV
Waits for fire to arrive and render care. Then the transporting unit takes over. If we’re going to have a honest debate lets begin with that

jb Feb 16, 2014 - 4:16 pm

The deputy/paramedic program is unique with the blending of law enforcement and para-medicine. It was established in 1978 and was one of the first paramedic services to be fully licensed and certified by the State of xx. When not functioning as paramedics, deputies patrol the county and contract cities by enforcing laws and making arrests.

When a call for medical assistance is initiated, the xx County dispatch identifies and sends the two closest units to the location utilizing GPS technology. This guarantees a fast and efficient advanced life support (ALS) response. Frequently deputy/paramedics arrive on scene and begin life saving treatment several minutes prior to the arrival of other responding medical units.

Each deputy/paramedic carries the necessary equipment in his/her vehicle to handle both law enforcement and medical calls. When acting as a paramedic, they assume medical control of a scene and convey all aspects of care from initial patient assessment and treatment to continued care during transport to the hospital. This task is accomplished in collaboration with local fire departments that act as basic life support and offer ambulance transport.

The Sheriff’s Office Paramedic Program provides primary ALS response to over half of the population in xx County and xx Air Force Base. The program has the responsibility of secondary paramedic response to the other half of the county and other local agencies via mutual aid agreements.

We currently accomplish this task utilizing 25 fully stocked medic units that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This facilitates a tiered response in the event of a large scale event or disaster.

Buy a Clue Feb 20, 2014 - 1:44 pm

Jeff, I can copy and paste from County websites just as easily as you. But I prefer to include the source. It’s common courtesy so the full story, in context, is presented.

“The current manning levels of Layton City Fire Department are 6 full-time staff, 36 full-time firefighter/EMTs, including nine full-time firefighter/paramedics, and 33 paid-on-call firefighter/EMTs. This allows for nine full-time firefighter/EMTs and three full-time firefighter/paramedics to be on duty 24 hours per day, 365 days per year manning three stations in Layton City. All firefighters with the Department are equipped with pagers and on call 24 hours per day.”

Now correct me if the math is wrong, but 3 stations with 12 personnel is 4 man engines, is it not?

That would be from Layton City, Utah(Davis County). Apparently near your new hometown which you seem reluctant to mention in the previous post. That’s staff to cover a city only slightly larger than Brentwood. The full link from where I got my info:

https://www.laytoncity.org/public/Depts/Fire/history.aspx

So this begs the question, Jeff. What’s with the do as I say not as I do garbage? You seem to have a lot of staff and even fire department Paramedics covering only 25 sq miles in your new digs. But your old Homies back in Cali are expected to just suck wind, use less staff, NO Paramedics on engines to cover an area TEN TIMES the size?

Wow, thanks for caring. Are you still wondering why no one thinks you’re credible when you selectively supply information and edits like that?

It doesn’t look like anyone listens to your BS there either. I see no indication of the balled-up, do-all service for public safety that you’re suggesting for us back here.

Got a better BS pitch?

jb Feb 20, 2014 - 4:21 pm

Hey…thanks for the update on Layton UT, a place I have no connection to and was not at all referring to, but glad you brought it up. It does seem the people of Layton are well protected and it is nice know they have so many well trained FD employees.

Although I do not have any connection with Davis Co, UT lets use it as an example since you bright it up. No doubt the people of Davis Co pay less than Antioch people (overall) in taxes but the cost to live in Davis Co is not that much different than in Antioch (median home price $224K vs. $278K). That said, my good guess is the FD employees in Layton have an overall/all-inclusive cost to the community of maybe 50% of the con fire cost per employee. That is likely why you see such a service disparity in YOUR example. And clearly that is why ccc can not provide adequate services for the people who pay a whopping lot of taxes.

The clip I listed was not talking about a FD or a combined fire police agency, it was describing a Sheriffs Department that does ALS for the county and some cities within the county. I became aware of this through a media article that praised this agency for their super fast response times to people in need.

In my one experience in CCC with emergency services….my son fell on the school playground and hurt his arm. The school called 911 then me. I arrived first, a SO deputy arrived soon after, the AMR suv arrived third, a 3 person FD crew arrived 4th and right behind them was an AMR ambulance with 2 paramedics. My son was not hurt bad so I paid attention to what was going on while they put a splint on his arm and gave him a pain med. There were 7 emergency personal that responded and they all stayed the entire time. Only 1 responder rendered aid. Of course this is a one-off example and it was not a bad car crash but my guess is most medical calls are not of the catastrophic nature and my guess is that when this call was dispatched it was known that it was playground arm injury.

Now more than ever I think fire/ems/police agencies are the way of the future. Unified command and control, single agency communication, extreme leveraging, extensive cross training, fast response times, less management/administrative overhead, more employee growth opportunities, less bureaucratic burden. But ccc needs none of those things so I guess you all are good well into the future with your massive tax consumption and your diminished services.

Buy a Clue Feb 20, 2014 - 9:29 pm

You deliberately edited out Davis County in your earlier post, but you can’t figure out why I’m citing from there? Are you for real?

If memory serves, you live in Murry, UT, which would be just south of Davis County. Isn’t that correct?

Once again you are leaving out the details. The Davis Co. Sheriff’s ALS of which you speak is not countywide. Says so right on the page you censored earlier. Do you need a refresher on where it is?

Nor does Davis County have the total population or density of Contra Costa. But claiming a 25% delta in home prices is insignificant? Good thing you don’t pimp mortgages for a living.

So we find you once again trying to compare horse shoes to hand grenades.

But what’s really important here is the trend. You want to claim it is Calif who can’t get it together while your little hamlet is chugging along just fine.

Except………..

http://www.standard.net/stories/2013/04/24/five-cities-davis-county-consider-creation-new-fire-district

But what about Salt Lake County where you live?

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865559216/Salt-Lakes-growing-gap-in-pension-funding-may-cost-taxpayers.html?pg=all

Houston, we have a problem. Seems Jeffrey is leading us to believe it’s all rosy on the home front when it is not. In fact, debt loads and unfunded OPEB liabilities within his area are not terribly different than CCC. In other words, he lied again. OK, that’s a little harsh. He “guessed” again and his shoot from the hip approach blew up on him.

But there must be a different angle to the story which redeems you. How about your claim that fire fighters are 50% less of a load on your community? Surely that must fix all this boring numbers pissing contest, right?

Well why guess, Jeff? They’ve got a Borenstein hammer in Utah just like they do in Cali. You can look it up:

http://www.utahsright.com/salaries.php?city=murray&query=fire

Now take your city data median household income from Murray, UT and compare it to Brentwood, CA

http://www.city-data.com/city/Murray-Utah.html
http://www.city-data.com/city/Brentwood-California.html

Well son-of-a-gun. You just can’t catch a break with all those “guesses” of yours can you? Appears the fire fighter load as a ratio to median household income is actually HIGHER in your hood, Jefe.

So much for a good story.

What I’m really wondering is why do you go to such lengths to edit, omit and deceive the readers here? From a thousand miles away you continue to pitch your fictional combined agency which doesn’t appear to exist anywhere in America. You do it by loosely throwing around anecdotal information which you a)barely seem to understand and b)obviously don’t research adequately.

What’s the average medical response time in Davis County? Or Salt Lake County? Or for Murray, UT?

Now _THAT_ would be a comparative statistic which someone could wrap their brain around. Wow, do you think maybe that is why it’s cited nationally for comparative reasons??

Instead you serve up some wandering explanation from you which include phrases like “my guess is most medical calls……” and “my guess is when this call was dispatched………” So you expect the residents of Contra Costa County to follow you like the Pied Piper based on “my guess……”???? Mighty high on yourself, obviously.

But who in their right mind complains about a possible over response for their own flesh and blood? Then tries to parlay it into a repetitive pitch for a half baked plan that has 10x more questions than answers? If you’re such a tightass you’re concerned about the $10 in fuel that was used to respond to your boy, post your address. I’ll send you a check so you can sleep at night.

Geezus.

Two fables and two face plants in one day. You want to shoot for a third or is it past your bedtime?

B-Wood Feb 20, 2014 - 10:31 pm

“Me thinks” jb should put his tail between his legs and run along. After reading many of his posts, I thought he finally hit rock bottom.

I was wrong.

Poor Utah.

jb Feb 21, 2014 - 5:40 am

for the record…..I have no idea where Murry UT is. If you are stalking me you should do a better job.

the links you posted are excellent to my point and I find it supportive that all those bench locations are looking forward, seeing issues and seeking to form a NEW fire entity

and the cost comparisons make more sense (fit reality better) if you don’t select the more expense areas in a location to match up against each other ….the ones I referenced are more central to the area and a better comparison for this type of discussion.

yes there are combined fire-ems-police and just because they are the minority does not mean it is not a way forward that is better aligned with current/future needs.

B-Wood Feb 21, 2014 - 8:16 am

There you have it! Deaf, dumb and BLIND. Jb, I’m not sure where in Utah you hang your hat, but please do us all a favor and remain there. You have demonstrated a higher level of stubbornness, ignorance and foolishness than I ever thought possible.

Like Bwood said, “Poor Utah”.

jb Feb 21, 2014 - 8:47 am

The name of the county does not matter

The fact that they do it different for various parts if the county does matter as that may be relevant for ccc

Look forward not down or back

Cheers

Buy a Clue Feb 21, 2014 - 10:44 am

Jeff, the problem with BS is it’s easy to spot.

You insist you don’t know where Murray, UT is, but in the next sentence complain I picked a more expensive area.

That’s classic!

The “ones you referenced”? Are you kidding? You didn’t reference anything. You REDACTED all the important information about the location for unknown reasons. Now you’re trying to paper over the annoying details about the program that you deliberately left out and don’t support your schtick.

Your response does nothing to refute my main point: You don’t have a clue what the F you’re talking about. You haven’t offered a single example where this big combined agency idea of yours is in place, fiscally sound and performing as advertised, While you continue to insist that’s the path CCC must take.

All with the backdrop of the fact that you won’t have to deal with the consequences when it folds up like a cheap tent. You’re just the goofball who proposed it………..from long distance.

I deal with facts and links to support them. You deal with innuendo, fabrications and in some cases outright lies. But we’re supposed to put the future of public safety for our community on some hairball idea you cooked up?

You’re making a case for megalomania as the diagnosis here.

Stan Feb 20, 2014 - 4:52 pm

Thanks Buy a Clue. I figured jb’s example was bull crap when he selectively left out the relevant information.

Don’t you just love getting 1/2 a story? It’s just like reading Danny B’s crap on fire services in the times. The guy loves to play on the public’s ignorance of the subject and yet won’t get close to a debate with the experts. (The paper also will not publish counterpoints to his rhetoric).

Doesn’t take much to put two and two together in both cases.

Thanks again.

Righteous in the 'Wood Feb 16, 2014 - 6:31 pm

While I agree the current situation is untenable and a no win situation for everyone currently under the ECCFPD AOR, there is some room for improvement. I witnessed the other day an ECCFPD Stake Truck (marked Engine 93) at a house near where I was working come to haul off a used large screen TV and some other appliances. The truck was loaded down with what appeared to be used appliances. I am familiar with the neighborhood as it is on my daily route, and the owner of that house is the daughter of retired Fire Fighter, and her brother is in ECCFPD as a Fire Fighter (I believe it was the brother driving, not wearing FF uniform though).

So, if we are so strapped for service, why is it we can let valuable resources be used to haul off old appliances that the rest of us have to pay to have removed from our homes? Is this a service we make available to all residents under the ECCFPD AOR? If so, I’d like my money back from the land-fill for when I hauled off my old appliances. I had to pay quite a price to haul and dump my own stuff to the local land-fill, yet we hand out these services for free to family members of ECCFPD employees?

Oh, and I have pictures of the event. So, I can prove this occurred.

This sort of thing will ruin any chance of gaining support if the public has an inkling that we spend tax dollars on this sort of thing. I for one want more Fire Services in East County, but not if it means we pay for abuse of the system. And it’s really hard to feel for them when you witness this sort of garbage going on.

Nixon Feb 16, 2014 - 8:20 pm

Please forward those photos to ECT (if you really have some). That way if ECT posts them we will know they are bipartisan on the fire issue and the responsible ECCFPD employee has to answer for what he has done (again if you are not lying, which I bet you are).

Brentwood Resident Feb 16, 2014 - 9:05 pm

Turn the picture in to the district office. 134 Oak Street. I am sure this is not the policy of ECCFPD. If you can not due so I am sure this accusation is false.

Righteous in the 'Wood Feb 16, 2014 - 9:50 pm

I can “due” errrrrr, DO if I chose. I have two pics. Like I said… I’ll give them to Burke if he asks for them. Otherwise… who cares. After all, he is the one ringing the bell on this issue, no one else is. Besides, I know what would happen if I turned them in to the their office… nothing. Like Nixon said, “bipartisan”. Oh, and Nix, you’d lose any bet you wish to wager. How much you wanna lose?

Nixon Feb 16, 2014 - 10:18 pm

You have nothing. We’re done here.

EastCountyToday Feb 17, 2014 - 4:31 pm

@Wood… please email me the photo at [email protected]. Calling your bluff.

Righteous in the "Wood Feb 20, 2014 - 8:32 am

As I stated in my email to you Michael, it isn’t a bluff if you can produce the pictures. You have them now, do as you will. As I stated in my email to you, there may be more to the situation than what I witnessed, for all I know, ECCFPD may in fact offer up the removal of used old appliances as a service. But if they do, I’d like to have the option to participate in that as well, like I said, I paid quite a lot of money to have my old appliances disposed of, and I hauled them myself.

Nixon, we can’t be done, we never started anything. You don’t exist.

B-Wood Feb 20, 2014 - 1:44 pm

Hey Righteous,

My sense is that there is some extenuating circumstances attached to your photos. I hope ECT posts them so we can see for ourselves if there is more to it than simply your assumptions and allegations. Let’s just say that right now, it doesn’t pass the smell test.

If your allegations prove true, and the correct party is made aware, then I feel confident the FD (admin. and directors) will take appropriate action.
Since this has little to do with a proposed fire tax anyway, perhaps you understand my suspicions regarding your motives.

I am a NO on this tax and your “evidence” played no role in my decision. I would never factor anyone’s vague allegations as part of my decision making process on such an important issue.

Righteous in the 'Wood Feb 20, 2014 - 8:46 pm

I hope you are right… I hope that what I took pictures of can be completely explained away, and are innocent misunderstandings. But… I don’t think so.

B-Wood Feb 20, 2014 - 9:28 pm

Righteous,

I’m still perplexed. Why don’t you think so? Is there something you know that you aren’t sharing with the rest of us? Seems to me that there could be dozens of legitimate explanations for what you described. I find it difficult to believe that anyone that works in the public eye such as firefighters would be so blatant about misuse of district property. Now days they know they are under the microscope, so it doesn’t really make much sense. Yet you believe they were doing something wrong….hmmmm. It is next to impossible to hide the activity when one is using a big red truck….aren’t they marked with the district logo and name?

Like I have been saying, my vote on the subject matter (tax) is a no, so it really is a different issue all together. Thanks for being such a steward of the taxpayer. I am sure with all of the controversy it will be addressed.

Righteous in the 'Wood Feb 21, 2014 - 4:08 pm

B-Woo(l)d(ered)- sorry… I’ll try and state this plainly… Like I said, I saw what I saw, and I stated my query as being perplexed that our fire services even offer up that type of service to the general public. I searched high and low, and cannot find anything stating that they offer that up as a service to residents, however, if they do, I’d like to partake. My question is and always has been “if we are so strapped for cash”… (and we ARE), “then why are we not cutting out those types of services to save money for real fire fighting needs?”. I believe that it is not a service that is offered up, and I believe it was a misuse of services. Have you ever disposed of an appliance? If you have, then you know it is not cheap. So, I do question the use of ECCFPD resources being used in such a manner… BUT, if it is a service offered up to indigent, handicapped, or other such people in need of assistance, then I’m fine with it, and would even offer to help out with a donation. But, I know for a fact the people who live there are none of what I listed, and are related to at least one FFer in ECCFPD. So, like I said before… “I doubt it.”

Oh, and I have now the reply from Burke… he stated he needs more info in order to track down the situation and determine what the reason cold be for what I saw. If he wishes to acknowledge that I did in fact at least mail him some pictures that may depict what I describe, that is up to him. After all, this is his site, and his work. But, I will produce the same email and pictures to anyone asking for them. Just post your email here in the comments and on the way they’ll be to you if you desire.

Better off. Feb 16, 2014 - 6:38 pm

I just love it when people who have absolutely no idea what they talking about make statements that are lies. The article that ect wrote is completely accurate. That was a two hour period that represents how it is out here all the time. A month ago it was so busy for two hours that a engine never got a transport ambulance on Bethel Island on a cardiac arrest. There were multiple other incidents happening at same time. Vehicle accidents,chimney fires and medicals. The total population of east county is about 350000. That’s close to the size of Oakland. It’s busy out here folks. What do you think will happen when Bart is finished and Hwy 4 is complete. The developers are already building. A regional approach is the only way. Merge the districts and let’s move foward.

Elmer Flunt Feb 17, 2014 - 10:03 pm

Where did you hear dat Lou? From your sister? I hear she is kinda special, onna count of you gettin’ all the good DNA. Thanks for being so perticuler about things that don’t madder none.

jb Feb 16, 2014 - 7:14 pm

Why would you consolidate two financially failed entities who have not embraced reality or the concept of modernization?

Simply putting two messes together just makes a bigger mess. CCC needs a brand new, highly leveraged, first response model/entity that is built on a sustainable financial platform. That platform must be affordable and must not be predicated on more taxes and or hope for tax base growth or a change in tax allocation. Build it for today’s cash flow and if things improve then reserves can be reestablished for truly unforeseen/catastrophic situations.

This will mean the total comp cost can not be as great as it is now. Sorry but that is the reality.

Look around the USA at failed situations driven by union comp run-ups….. go ahead and look and understand that revising total compensation is a primary way failures and bankruptcies have been dealt with.

CCC has an opportunity to do something really good for the people and the FD employees ….it all comes down to the ccc bos taking the lead and making something difficult happen vs. their typical mo of sitting back and taking the easy route no matter the consequences.

Vince Wells Feb 16, 2014 - 9:40 pm

Hey JB and all who seem to think that fires and emergencies don’t exist. They do and we are putting them out and responding to them. You must be of the 75% that hasn’t needed the services so you wouldn’t know. Trust me, there are really life threatening medical emergencies and fires do really spread when they aren’t extinguished. Now the boogie man; I have never seen him first hand so I will not use that to scare you. You keep spouting about other service models and tell us to stop using scare tactics; you blame everything on the corrupt unions. Here is a simple question. How do you get the adequate resources to the emergency in a timely manner? Given the amount of time you have spent discussing this, what plan do you think has a chance in hell? I have heard from some of those who think like you and say “tell people to get homeowners insurance and let it burn;insurance will cover it” funny though, they always scratch their heads when i mention the part about a family member being in the burning house or vehicle. Now for some, that may be exactly how it was planned if you know what I mean. I for one have finally come to the agreement that the ECCFPD concept doesn’t work. Break it up! Let all the communities decide what they want. Why tie every communities hands to one concept.
This discussion should be going on at the level of the community leadership instead of on a blog site. If they will not discuss it as a district then break up the district and turn the problem over to them instead of the board that has done everything to try to solve the problem. Three fire stations to respond to calls within this district is inadequate and below every standard unless all operating procedures are adjusted accordingly. This means reduce the types of calls they respond to. Decrease the operating practices to the level and task supported by the number and capability of response personnel. Shutdown the borders.
Over and over again we hear: “Hire volunteers, cut their pensions, stop responding to medicals, cut the firefighters pay; there aren’t many fires anymore, ect. ect. Blah Blah Blah………. out of admitted frustration, I say good luck! Dissolve the district and too each their own.

Brentwood Resident Feb 16, 2014 - 10:00 pm

I as a Brentwood resident say to my city council do what it takes to protect my family. The city has an obligation to protect its citizens. Chief has said that he will go back to the original model of 3 stations meaning a Brentwood station will close. NO WAY. When I moved here it was advertised that this was an up and coming community that had all the ammenities of any Bay Area community. This city has a great PD and all other city ammenities. I expect my Fire Department to be the same.

JigsUp Feb 16, 2014 - 10:14 pm

That would be great if you had the Brentwood Fire Department.

But you don’t.

Your 2 station wish of a department wouldn’t even be able to handle a single alarm structure fire. You would still have to rely on neighboring districts for help. Stabbing your neighbors in the back today with a resource grab would come back to haunt you later. LAFCO would never allow it because it goes against their chartered duties. They are charged with overseeing organized growth. The trend is toward consolidation and improving efficencies , not division and chaos.

This is a regional problem. Sooner people lose the every man for himself mentality, sooner we can get on to solving the bigger issues.

JigsUp Feb 16, 2014 - 10:04 pm

Vince, with all due respect, you’re expecting a complete or even a rational plan from Jeff Barber?

Jeff only does headlines, usually while screaming at public officials. Paying attention to details or understanding government or even following the laws which would govern a process such as consolidation are just annoying details to him.

No, Jeff thinks Candice Anderson, Karen Mitchoff and John Goia should just commit the equivalent of political suicide with a vote tomorrow. Why? Well because Jeff Freakin’ Barber asked for it! That’s why!

Never mind the social experiment he’s pitching is a complete reinvention of the fire department. That it has never been done anywhere else in the country. That it would require looting the budget of another county agency to pull it off. Violating several laws and voiding several contracts in the process. Not to mention the numerous lawsuits that would ensue.

The world revolves around Jeff in Jeff’s view. It’s just a simple vote with no stake holders who would complain or have any say. He really thinks Democracy is over rated and governing like a mini Dictator is how you get things done.

Of course I could be completely wrong. He’s probably pitched this idea to his new hometown officials and they are well on their way to implementing it. That is the case, right Jeff? It’s such a winner that everyone wants a piece of that action, right?

*crickets chirping*

Well, I guess crazy doesn’t sell in Utah either!

Stan Feb 17, 2014 - 11:16 am

Lou,
You are sounding naive. This isn’t a county department. It is an independent district. When neighbors say I want mine at your expense, that would be meen (sic).

Joe Feb 17, 2014 - 4:15 pm

Lou, enough with the illiterate facade. You’re trying too hard bro. I don’t know if you’re trying to make a point or just trying to be an ass. Either way, it’s not the best way to exemplify your political agenda. Just goes to show how invalid your comments and opinions are….. Just garbage.

JigsUp Feb 17, 2014 - 7:01 pm

Hey, “Lou”. Didn’t you just get advised last week to cut back on the aliases?

But once again Mr. F—- thinks he writes his own rules on other people’s playgrounds. You’d think a 50 year old guy would have better things to do with his time than play little games on the internet.

It’s also comforting to see that you still try to fight Jeffrey’s battles for him. Not much has changed in 5 years, huh?

jb Feb 17, 2014 - 6:43 am

Times have changed, fire supression needs have changed and first response needs have changed ….so to must fire departments. No Mr. Wells, contrary to your conjecture, I do think FD’s need the ability to put out fires and handle large scale emergencies and deal with accidents, etc. So that is precisely why I say start over and take the remnants of two finically failed entities and build one functional and sustainable go forward agency that can do the job(s) at an affordable cost.

Or you all can keep your heads in the dirt and keep saying lets do the old way and pay us more more more

Buy a Clue Feb 17, 2014 - 10:13 am

jb, your song and dance is always the same.

You expect someone else to take a pay cut and tolerate a lower standard of living so you sacrifice nothing. You refuse to acknowledge the broken funding formula that has existed for 35 years. Mighty convenient to leave out the details that don’t fit your sales pitch, huh?

As far as your “more, more, more” line, you have not ponied up one thin dime in extra taxes for fire in East County Fire since the formula was locked in in 1978. Not one!

But in your typical deceptive style you just want to lump taxes into one broad statement when it’s convenient for your pitch. Or maybe you’re just not intelligent enough to truly understand how fire is funded?

Never gotten a clear answer to the last point. Not that you would ever be straight forward with anyone on a controversial subject. You’re just a verbal bomb thrower who runs the moment it becomes obvious people are going to have to roll up their sleeves and actually deal with the dirty details.

That’s precisely the reason no one in a position of authority takes you seriously.

Stan Feb 17, 2014 - 10:21 am

jb, you say, “Times have changed, fire supression needs have changed and first response needs have changed …”, yet provided no back up to your statement except to say to redesign the FD at a lower cost.

While I personally have not witnessed fire suppression needs or first response needs changing maybe you can demonstrate how you believe they have.

Then and only then, I hope you take a crack at explaining how you would prematurely end contracts to pay lower wages, retain a quality workforce, and provide benifits and retirement so that the workforce stayed healthy while on the job and would retire before injury put them in a tax free disability status? (mind you, that’s a pretty tall order). *Please make sure you don’t violate any known labor laws which could get the district or county sued. As taxpayers you know, we would be responsible for any award or damages.

Lastly, please provide your qualifications and experience to back up your positions.

Thank you.

Joe Feb 17, 2014 - 4:10 pm

Lou, you’re trying too hard bro. I don’t know if you’re trying to prove a point or just being an ass. Either way, it’s not the best approach to exemplify your agenda.

Better off. Feb 17, 2014 - 6:24 pm

Lou brown I hope you are reading this. I apologize for assuming that the readers were up to speed with the facts. I do not ever exaggerate or tell story’s. When I said the population was 350000, I said in east county. For those who don’t realize that’s Bay Point, Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley,Brentwood, Discovery Bay,Knightson and Bethel Island and Byron. You see when there are large incidents in the east contra costa fire dept, engines are pulled from Antioch then Pittsburg then concord. Since we provide mutual and auto aid. Con fire provides us with this also. Come on Lou step your game up a little and try to follow along. You see Lou big incidents or many small ones effect the entire region, not just our fire dept. There are people on this blog who are completely full of it. And there are some just stating the facts.

Better off. Feb 17, 2014 - 6:57 pm

Lou Brown- I apologize for not clarifying the definition of East County. When I stated 350 thousand people I was referring to the residents of Bay Point, Pittsburgh, Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Knightson, and Byron. For the record, I lever lie or exaggerate. As I’ve stated in the past, this is why I believe there needs to be a regional approach. When there are large incidents or many small ones it puts a demand on the system. East Contra Costa relies on the engines from Antioch, Pittsburgh, and Bay Point. If those aren’t enough, sometimes engines from Concord are required. That is why I stated the total population for East County is 350 thousand. Lou, please try to keep up with the facts and pay attention. There are many people on these blogs who try to spread mis-truths…I am not one of those.

Maverick Feb 18, 2014 - 5:16 pm

So, what ever became of the pictures Righteous claimed to have

EastCountyToday Feb 18, 2014 - 5:50 pm

We have requested those photos Maverick… have not received anything.

jb Feb 18, 2014 - 8:23 pm

lets not be silly…you all don’t need me to tell you folks how times have changed for FDs…..newer homes/buildings are not as combustable as they were and most calls are now medical. I read that for con fire in ’12 more than 3/4 of the calls were medical. But that said FDs need to be able to do medical, adequately put out fires and respond to large scale emergencies. The question is what will the deployment look like, at what cost factor and what other agencies will play a larger role.

I have lived in and spent time in several places over the last years. In doing so I have seen that many FD’s provide ambulance service for a fee; I have seen one person fire stations aimed at getting at least an EMT firefighter on scene quickly or redeployed as backup; I have seen fire engines that transport patients; I have seen Sheriffs Depts where deputies provide primary BLS or ALS and they get to the person in need very quickly (way quicker than a FD or ambulance service).

Heck…lets think outside the typical and what if in ccc you folded multiple FDs and the SO into a ‘new’ public safety entity that worked in conjunction with cities like they already do for so many leveraged functions. These types of multifunction organizations (that include law enforcement) do exist and just maybe given all the circumstances and the type of diverse county cc is, this would be a successful way to go. Of course it all comes down to doing it at a sustainable cost and we know from experience the unions will fight anything that is progressive.

And what about Goia & al. …….I would agree, they won’t step up and put their political capital on the line. That is the problem with having the bos be a full time job; you get these people in there who have nothing else going except politics and they figure they get a nice income for a long time and if they keep their head down (and play nice with the unions/developers) they can maybe get elected to another cushy thing or they can just ride it out for a nice county pension. My outlook has always been a county bos should be part time so to make it attractive to people who have or have had something else of substance going on and who are not in it for the money, pension or stepping stone. Maybe then we would have elected officials at the county level with serious real world experience and guts who are not long-term beholding to special interests and who can truly act on matters in a way that is beneficial to the public.

Salt Lake Used Car Salesman Feb 18, 2014 - 9:11 pm

@jb. So now you’ve graduated to balling up the Sheriff’s Office into this presumptive Barber-turd services solution? Let’s call if “Jeff’s first responder on the cheap”.

I’m sure Livingston would be thrilled to hear that an ex-resident, public service neophyte is telling him how to run his operation.

You should give the Sheriff a call tomorrow, Jeff, and propose that train wreck. Just don’t get butt hurt if you hear the phone drop and roars of laughter in the background.

Still wondering about a question that was asked earlier; you’re using this plan of yours in your new hometown, right? Those nice folks give you the time of day and hang on your every word, don’t they? Where are all of these mythical combined departments of which you speak? Haven’t you learned by now just making that crap up isn’t going to cut it?

I’ve lived in the great outdoors where bears shite in the woods and response times could be measure with a sundial. BFD! The anecdotal waste of binary trivia doesn’t do a thing to address the current suburban underfunded fire department serving 100,000+ that is ECCFPD.

You’re right, houses don’t burn as much as they did 40 years ago. Statistical fact. Your logic is that we should then not be paying as much for the fire department. So tell us, Jeff, how well does that line work when you use it on your fire insurance company provider? You like to make public to private sector comparisons so much. Tell us how that one panned out.

The unions just checked in with a consolidation nod, so you’re constant railing on them is wasted this round. Find some new schtick already.

Then to close with the never-stops-being-hilarious belief that government should be run like business in America. Well, Jefe, that Reagan-esque mentality is largely responsible for the decay of the middle class in America. Union membership has declined by 2/3 in the last 40 years and the middle class and their standard of living has declined in a congruent trend line. That’s not by coincidence, it’s by direct correlation.

Business is all about the bottom line and profits first, and in modern times at the expense of the working/middle class. Government, by contrast, it about serving the people first. You can’t transpose the tactics or the approach. While business will downsize and not blink an eye when it puts millions on the bricks while exporting 60,000 factories and our best paying jobs, government putting those people out into the streets with no social safety net would be immoral in American society.

But I know what you’re thinking. Those people should just pull themselves up by the boot straps and go get one of those jobs that no longer exists or has 3:1 competition of need to availability.

But here I am once again trying to preach compassion and empathy to a Sociopath……I digress.

There are countries where angry little Dictators and their demands are tolerated. Unfortunately for you, this isn’t one of them.

JigsUp Feb 19, 2014 - 8:04 am

Jeff, why waste all the words on a convoluted plan that a)doesn’t make sense and b)has no chance?

Just come out and say you expect people in government to work for minimum wage, or when it comes to fire fighters you’ve even suggested free. Be done with it.

You’re not fooling anybody with the round the horn nonsense social experiment you’re trying to run at our expense. You’re just as bad as Kris Hunt. She advocates for a position that invites degrading service levels in public safety, then leaves town! You advocate for some odd and illegal agency transformation while you don’t even live here. You have absolutely zero sense when it comes to governance and legal requirements under the law.

It’s like a really bad Twilight Zone episode with you people. Go screw with other people’s lives and leave East County alone.

Citizen with character Feb 20, 2014 - 1:36 pm

You have the photos? So the righteous guy shows that Maverick , Nixon, and ali asses all may not be criminals like Nixon but they come from the same pile of crud. The public can’t wait until this district gets dumped and thrown back at the county. ECT lets follow up on those pictures and see what BS surfaces from them. This should be funny.

B-Wood Feb 21, 2014 - 8:31 am

We are still waiting for the photos, if the really do exist. “Me thinks” they should either be put up or we should get back to the main subject. Bwood thinks fictitious photos and the cause and effect may have been used as a diversion. What’s next, bringing up volunteers or pensions again?

B-Wood Feb 21, 2014 - 8:34 am

*We are still waiting for the photos, if THEY really do exist.

Righteous in the 'Wood Feb 22, 2014 - 9:30 am

Post your email and I’ll send them to you…

Righteous in the 'Wood Feb 22, 2014 - 10:43 am

Come on B Wood, post up your email… You will get the same email with the photos I sent to Michael Burkholder. Then you can kindly retract your doubts.

B-Wood Feb 22, 2014 - 11:37 am

Sorry jack but it doesn’t work that way. Send the photos here;

[email protected]

If your photos have any merit you would have sent them already. You FAILED to do what a reasonable and responsible person would do. …and you wonder why people doubt your claims? What a clown. Case closed.

Righteous in the 'Wood Feb 22, 2014 - 5:20 pm

Nice, can’t go through one conversation without getting personal, that’s OK, I’ve had worse said to me. I received two replies from Burke, he has the info he needs along with the pictures and is working on looking into the deal. I would never send them to anyone within that organization (ECCFPD), for a myriad of reasons, none which concern you. The reality is that what I saw is what I saw. I’ve stated several times that it could possibly be explained away as something above board, yet if it is, it is a gross waste of resources and time on the part of ECCFPD in light of their recent loss of revenue stream. So, no matter what you call me, it won’t ever change the fact that I saw what I saw, that I did send the pictures to someone I trust (Burkholder), and that he has in fact responded to me. Hope you feel better slinging your pejoratives, if that makes you feel better, then I’ll count that as a win.

Again I invite you to post YOUR email, and I’ll send you what I have. Of course, I understand if you don’t, I’d never post mine here either. Too many angry people around here, with more than a little malice in their hearts, and too much time on their hands.

Glen Quagmire Feb 21, 2014 - 1:19 pm

Giggity

Comments are closed.