CA City Taking Steps to Beef Up Fire Services

Oct. 29, 2020
A tentative funding agreement aims to help the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District create a fourth crew of nine firefighters to operate out of an existing station.

Oct. 28—BRENTWOOD, CA — Brentwood took a first step toward beefing up fire services on Tuesday by tentatively agreeing to spend $1.5 million annually — but only if fire district partners Oakley and Contra Costa County put in their fair share.

The joint funding arrangement, which the council unanimously approved following a long discussion, will give the cash-strapped East Contra Costa Fire Protection District what it needs to create a fourth crew of nine firefighters to operate out of one of the existing stations.

Fire Chief Brian Helmick has said the district has half the recommended stations and firefighters that it needs to serve its 128,000 residents and 249 square miles. He and others have also looked elsewhere for more funds, including community facility districts for all new developments, increased fire impact fees and possible revenue from existing residents through a potential tax or additional benefit assessment.

The district and neighboring Contra Costa Fire Protection District are considering consolidating to improve coverage, but Helmick said there are no guarantees it will happen and they might face financial shortfalls even then. He added that East Contra Costa was in emergency mode, with average response times slower than national standards. The district had an average response time in August of nine minutes, eight seconds, according to reports.

"We're on borrowed time," the chief said. "Every day, every hour, our firefighters continue to be overrun. We need revenue yesterday. We need rapid decisions now."

Fire district board Director Carrie Nash said East Contra Costa needs everyone to do their part.

"We need the city of Brentwood to be leaders and say we are willing to do our piece of this. It gives us leverage with the others to get them to step up to the plate as well," she said of Brentwood's commitment.

Benjamin Kellogg, a fire district board candidate, added that if Brentwood waited for Oakley to make the first move, "it's never going to happen."

The council's fire services ad-hoc committee had offered several recommendations, including holding a regional meeting to discuss funding or surveying Brentwood residents to see what city services could be reduced or eliminated to provide money for the fire district. It suggested money could come from the city's general fund, reserve funds, community facility districts or even a sales tax measure.

Council members, however, were not comfortable spending $1.5 million annually, after having recently cut $4 million to balance the city's budget, unless other fire district partners pitch in, too. Another $1.5 million will be needed to pay the $3 million price tag of funding a fourth engine crew.

Councilwoman Karen Rarey, a member of the fire services committee, said she favored the joint agreement because only a regional approach would work.

"I know we need it right now, but you can't rob Peter to pay Paul because Brentwood services would be hurting as well, because there is nowhere else to cut from," she said. "It's not just one year, it's ongoing."

"If there's an easy way to move something forward, we have to do it," Vice Mayor Joel Bryant said. "We have to consider the human costs of firefighters; they get hurt."

Bryant acknowledged that the issue was districtwide, but the city "also has to do something as soon as we can."

"This isn't like we are deciding not to add an extra park — we are talking about lives."

Councilman Johnny Rodriguez, though, wanted to know if Oakley and Contra Costa County would agree to helping fund the plan, but City Manager Tim Ogden said they haven't taken up the matter yet. He will return soon to the council with suggested areas to cut or adjust to meet the $1.5 million expense, he said.

"We'll know pretty quickly if the other partners aren't willing to spend the money," he said.

Mayor Bob Taylor made a motion to move forward with a caveat: "We can't carry it ourselves. We'll withdraw if all parties don't agree."

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(c)2020 the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

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