LAFCO merger
plan opposed by fire communities
By Christy
Scott
The Alpine Sun
SAN DIEGO — A proposed merger of unincorporated fire
districts into a regional fire agency has raised concerns in
fire-prone areas amongst residents and local firefighters. The
Local Agency Formation Commission is studying a merger of several
fire districts and volunteer fire companies with the stated goal
of improving fire protection in the unincorporated part of the
county.
In presentations in communities held recently, LAFCO
officials and county staff presented 12 options for merging the
various fire districts. County staff also prepared a conceptual
plan for the merger, as an attachment to the LAFCO report.
Concerns raised by residents at a meeting in held in
Pine Valley included were that this was a surprise, no one was
consulted about it, and that no one was able to provide any input
into the county plan.
Many rural fire officials also raised concerns about
the effects on local control, lack of funding and a potential loss
of volunteer firefighters. Their most obvious concern is the cost
of adding paid professional firefighters to rural fire stations
now staffed partly by volunteers and trainees. Some fire districts
in northern unincorporated areas have already asked to be left out
of the merger plans.
There are two phases to the LAFCO plan and phase 1
involves most of the Back Country and the less populated areas.
The North County areas with higher populations and better fire
service are in phase 2.
The 12 models that were selected for review and
consideration by LAFCO may cost anywhere from $45 to $70 million,
with the higher figures being CDF stations that are fully staffed
operations with advanced life support. The $45 million lowest cost
would be fewer people on duty, some career and some volunteers,
and would only provide basic life support.
The models also lay out various forms of governance of
the regional fire agency: The county taking responsibility for
service, with a central communication center that provides
information to all departments, which would require a Board of
Supervisors vote; or a regional fire district, which would require
only the LAFCO vote.
The drive to merge rural fire districts picked up steam
after the Cedar and Paradise fires of 2003, which started as small
fires in the Back Country and raged into more populated areas.
Proponents of the merger such as county Supervisor Dianne Jacob
have stressed the need to improve communication, training and
coordination, especially after apparent disorganization during
those incidents.
Jacob, who represents East County and Back Country
communities, also sits on the eight-member LAFCO commission.
To pay for a merger, Supervisor Jacob has suggested
shifting a small amount of the county's property taxes from
schools to support a new regional fire agency. At the request of
Jacob, state Senator Dennis Hollingsworth in February introduced
Senate Bill 806, which would shift one percent of county property
taxes from schools, $32 million annually, to the new fire agency.
The state would be obligated to make up the difference, the bill
says.
Several county school boards have declared their
opposition to the bill.
There will be a LAFCO hearing held on Wednesday, May 7,
Room 310, County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway in
San Diego, at which it tentatively is planning a decision.
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