The following is a Press Release issued by the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, Local 1230, highlighting that after the closure of two-stations, East Contra Costa County enter into the fire season during the drought with inadequate staffing and fire protection resources.
East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Reduces Services to Three Fire Stations
Oakley, Ca – Monday night (May 04, 2015), the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Fire Board (ECCFPD) accepted the Fire Chief’s recommendation and voted 9-0 to permanently close two fire stations.
This recommendation came after the voters turned down a proposed $100.00 per year Benefit Assessment that would have kept the stations open. The Fire District is charged with providing fire and rescue services to an area that covers 250 square miles.
The area protected by the District includes the cities of Brentwood and Oakley, and the unincorporated areas of Knightsen, Bethel Island, Byron, Discovery Bay and Morgan Territory. The District also provides protection to the marinas and waterways of the California Delta, and the areas along the Byron Highway and Vasco Rd. The population exceeds 110,000 citizens. The agency responds over 9,000 engines a year to mitigate the 911 calls for service within its jurisdiction. That number continues to climb with the growth in the area.
The closures are set to take place Monday May 11, 2014. Last nights decision means the permanent closing of Brentwoods downtown Station 54 which was closed temporarily awaiting the outcome of the Benefit Assessment; and the permanent closure of Station 94, which is located in Knightsen. This leaves the Fire District with one fire station in Oakley, one in Brentwood, and one in Discovery Bay. This staffing level leaves nine firefighters (three per station) to cover the entire District.
Last night the board considered closing the Discovery Bay station and re-opening the downtown Brentwood station based on the preliminary results of a service study. The study showed that the majority of the call volume and population would be served by closing the Discovery Bay station and re-opening the downtown Brentwood station. It indicated that it would improve response time averages and spread the workload of the firefighters equally.
This decision would have left the community of Discovery Bay without a fire station within 5 miles and impacted response times to that community. It also would have jeopardized the ability for those living in that community to get home owners insurance.
For these reasons, the board decided to keep the Discovery Bay station open and permanently close the downtown Brentwood fire station
”Its like rearranging chairs on the Titanic,” says Vince Wells, President of the United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County, Local 1230; “you cannot provide adequate emergency protection to an area this large and as heavily populated with nine firefighters no matter where you place them. This staffing level is a danger to the community and to the firefighters who served them. This situation must be addressed immediately.”
During the discussion the Mayor of Brentwood, Oakley, and County Board of Supervisor Mary Piepho said they were willing to work together to see if there was another way to secure funding for the cash strapped District.
Until those discussions bear fruit, the communities served by the ECCFPD will enter into the fire season during the drought with inadequate staffing and fire protection resources.
4 comments
Fire extinguisher READY! Eight of them through out my house.
Too bad they can’t sell the palm trees on 2nd!!!!
The priority of the board is to provide service to the district. The entire district. The boards priority is not to provide service to the highest call area. if there is any confusion, hopefully this clears it up.
If they need a reminder, the public can and will make sure they are short term directors. Appointed or elected, they are all subject to repercussions. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
The fire commissioners made the best decision they could have on Monday. It’s a start.
Fire extinguishers don’t save lives, firefighters do.
That has been far from the truth. Look at the vote 9-0. Just like a script. Shut er down and let the county deal with it. If they won’t, return the money to the people and let em fend for themselves. Ya, like that will happen.
The public can’t do crap because these commissioners are not elected. The term that was fixed must stay unless this is a dependent district. Either way the debt hole is so huge and the cliff is upon the district. No way out unless an agency provides long term funding. Like that will happen.
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