VICTORVILLE, CA— Broken chainsaws. A missing thermal imaging camera. Cracked rear brake drums on an engine. A slow water leak that caused mold to grow in a station.
Personnel with the newly relaunched Victorville Fire Department said they found these issues and several more after the city ended its contract for emergency services with the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
The findings were contained in a report detailing the transition at the end of March and presented to the city council on June 18.
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In a summary, the report said that although the city paid the county more than $6 million during a 10-year contract to maintain the city-owned property provided in 2008, "conditions found of apparatus, equipment and facilities (were) not commensurate with amounts paid."
The terms of the contract stated that the county would be financially responsible for maintenance, while the city would be responsible for major repairs and replacements over a certain dollar amount.
Victorville Fire Department personnel reported the fiscal impact of the issues cited in the report is more than $400,000, which includes replacement of fire suppression items, apparatus repair, alleged overcharging for a position and fire prevention services not rendered.
City Manager Keith Metzler said during the June 18 meeting that the report was intended to be shared with the council with "full disclosure" as to the conditions of city property.
"That way, if there were things that needed to be fixed or replaced, it was clear as to where the responsibility may have existed when we got the equipment and the facilities back," he said.
County Fire spokesperson Tracey Martinez told the Daily Press in an email last week that the department had just become aware of the report.
She said the department would be examining it and following up with the city on any issues that "should be addressed."
"County Fire is a professional organization, and we expect professionalism at all times from each of our employees," she said. "Public safety is always our top priority."
Victorvile's transition from county fire protection to a city-run department was contentious at times.
The negotiations to iron out a contract extension were rocky, and the city received pushback against leaving from County Fire officials.
Metzler appeared reticent at the meeting to discuss who might be responsible, but the report suggests that some damage may have been done purposely.
While inspecting one engine, Victorville Fire personnel said they observed that it was "dog tracking." According to the report, this happens when the rear tires are offset from the front tires due to alignment issues.
Underneath the apparatus, they found that welds holding components to maintain alignment were broken. They also found a "right-sided tow hook" to be bent.
"This may indicate that the apparatus was winched from the left side," the report read, adding the county had not indicated the engine was required to be winched out "after being stuck off road or any other situation."
At Station 312 on El Evado Road, according to the report, personnel found a general lack of maintenance and cleaning, a condition that existed at all stations.
A pattern of dead grass on the lawn, appearing to spell out "SBCoFD," was discovered at the station, along with pumps to dispense liquid weed and grass killer.
Station crews also found a leak originating from a water line attached to a refrigerator ice maker. The leak seeped into a wall cavity, causing damage and mold to be present on the wall, mattress and carpeting.
The report noted that a compression fitting nut was "only hand tightened and backed off threads on the fitting.
"This connection situation involving the water fitting being loose is highly unlikely without human intervention," the report read.
Councilman Jim Cox asked city staff during the meeting to turn the report over to the city attorney and ask for a recommendation as to whether to accept certain questionable damages as "children at play."
Cox also recommended sending the report to First District Supervisor Robert Lovingood, which Metzler said he had done.
Metzler explained he wanted to be sure Lovingood was aware of the report, as the county fire department is "looking for a new leader."
The department is led by Interim Fire Chief Don Trapp, since Mark Hartwig left in February to head the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Metzler emphasized that the report was not meant to cast a "reflection (on) the actual men and women that actually labor in the vineyards and provide the essential fire service."
"I think really what you have here is a management and leadership issue," he said.
Councilwoman Debra Jones asked Metzler whether the city was going to seek recovery for any costs incurred.
Metzler said the matter would be better discussed as a legal issue and with the city attorney.
Other notable findings in the report:
- Items were missing on several of the engines and trucks and some equipment was found to be dirty, or in unusable condition. On one apparatus, Medic Truck 311, tools were found labeled with different apparatus identifiers, inferring they were "switched for tools in better condition tha(n) were on MT311," according to the report.
- On one of the busier engines, Medic Engine 311, an inspector from an emergency medical services regulatory agency found all of the medications were expired. According to the report, the medications were present on the engine before the transition on March 30 and the unit "should have been considered out of service for response."
To read the report in its entirety, visit www.VictorvilleCA.gov, click on "Minute & Agenda," and click on the agenda for the June 18 city council meeting.
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