New Fire Protection District Begins in California Region

Sept. 2, 2014
Oakdale firefighters have been hired by Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District.

Sept. 02--The Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District will provide services to the city of Oakdale and the Oakdale Fire Protection District under a five-year contract that began Monday.

The deal includes the hiring of all 12 Oakdale city fire employees and all 12 Oakdale Fire Protection District employees. Stanislaus Consolidated has been providing management services to both fire agencies since July 2013, and the contract finalizes a long-term goal of creating one fire department to serve all of eastern Stanislaus County, according to a news release.

By eliminating duplicated services, the three agencies expect to save more than a combined $1 million annually. Stanislaus Consolidated will use some of the savings to staff its station in the Fruit Yard area of Highway 132 with an additional firefighter and begin to develop a paramedic program.

The Oakdale Fire Protection District will use the money to maintain service levels and begin to address capital needs such as replacing fire stations and fire engines.

The city of Oakdale will combine its savings with its proposed extension of a half-cent sales tax (Measure Y) on the November ballot to keep both of its city fire stations open.

The new agency will include a 523-square-mile area that encompasses unincorporated areas of eastern Modesto; eastern Stanislaus County; the cities of Riverbank, Oakdale and Waterford; and the communities of Empire, La Grange, Hickman, Knights Ferry and Valley Home.

Copyright 2014 - The Modesto Bee

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