Debate Continues Over Future of Calif. Fire Department

April 04--The future of Pinole's fire protection remains in limbo, as the city weighs whether to continue to run its own fire department or contract with a neighboring agency.

At a March 27 special workshop, the City Council appeared to have all but ruled out a contract with one of two interested agencies as too expensive. But this week, the union representing all three departments' firefighters urged the council to reconsider contracting with the Contra Costa Fire District, arguing that that agency can provide a more complete menu of services than the much smaller Rodeo-Hercules Fire District.

Pinole, Rodeo-Hercules and Contra Costa Fire's San Pablo and El Sobrante stations operate as a battalion.

Pinole has been talking for more than two years about trying to provide fire protection more cost-effectively. Its fire department budget of $3.19 million this fiscal year supports one fire station with a three-person crew around the clock; a second station in the Pinole Valley has been shuttered since July as the city struggles with reductions in property tax and sales tax receipts in the wake of the recession.

Pinole, El Cerrito and Richmond are the only Contra Costa County cities with municipal fire departments.

A staff report projected a $3.28 million budget for the Pinole Fire Department in the coming fiscal year; $3.09 million for a contract with Rodeo-Hercules; and $3.46 million for a contract with Contra Costa Fire. Figuring in escalation

formulas, the costs in the fifth year would be $3.7 million, $3.63 million and $3.84 million, respectively.

The figures assume operation of one Pinole fire station with constant staffing of three firefighters within a greater Battalion 7. Under both contract scenarios, Pinole's firefighters would become employees of the contracting district.

The fire issue was not on Tuesday's council agenda, but during the public comment segment, Firefighters Local 1230 President Vince Wells asked the council to "reconsider tossing out the county."

Wells noted that the county has 28 fire stations staffed by 252 firefighters who can rotate efficiently; Rodeo-Hercules has two stations.

Wells said the county offers other advantages that, he said, Pinole has not adequately evaluated: in training, fire inspection, emergency medical services management and other services.

"The fire chief wasn't up here to sell it the way he should have," Wells said, adding, "I just think that for you to shine off ConFire as quickly as occurred at the last meeting, that you did a disservice to the community here."

Contra Costa fire Chief Daryl Louder did not immediately respond to an email Wednesday seeking comment.

During Tuesday's public comment period, resident Jeff Rubin, noting that the majority of fire department calls are medical in nature, called for a more efficient model of emergency service than sending a fire engine every time someone takes a fall in their home.

Pinole firefighter-paramedic Ken Deseve, in response, said that a person needing to be lifted off the ground could weigh 300 or 400 pounds.

"It takes people to do that," Deseve said, adding that the Pinole Fire Department is a multiple-risk responder to a wide range of emergencies.

Pinole Fire Department call data are available on the city website at www.ci.pinole.ca.us/fire/calldata.html.

Contact Tom Lochner at 510-262-2760.

Copyright 2012 - The Oakland Tribune, Calif.