Calif. Grand Jury Recommends Fire Dept. Consolidation
Source Times-Herald, Vallejo, Calif.
April 27--It may be time for Solano County to consolidate rural fire services due to budget constraints, a grand jury report released this week recommends.
Specifically, the Solano County Grand Jury recommends consolidating the western part of the Suisun Fire Protection District with the Cordelia Fire Protection District, and the eastern part with the Montezuma Fire Protection District.
Due to city annexations, the districts' boundaries are shrinking, resulting in continuous declining revenues.
The suggestion was included in a 6-page grand jury report released Tuesday on the Suisun Fire Protection District. District officials said any response to the recommendation would require further analysis and communication between county supervisors and fire district commissioners.
Organized in 1935, the district protects about 3,800 residents and about 138 square miles outside Fairfield and Suisun City. It has one paid fire captain, a volunteer chief and about 41 volunteer firefighters.
The grand jury found that the district's three governing board members' terms had expired several years ago and two other board seats are vacant. It recommended that the board of supervisors take prompt action to appoint a full board.
The grand jury also found that the district has no written policies or procedures. However, the district's written response said that this finding was inaccurate, and that a policy and procedure manual is available for checkout at the captain's office.
The
district also confirmed it had taken steps to update its personnel and training records as recommended by grand jury.
Contact staff writer Tony Burchyns at [email protected] or (707) 553-6831. Follow him on Twitter @tonyburchyns.
Copyright 2013 - Times-Herald, Vallejo, Calif.
