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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2001-2002

The Grand Jury also reviewed • Annual budgets of each fire protection district, city fire departments and the county

Published: March 07, 2001 6 pages
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Findings 19 findings

F1 Page 39
The Grand Jury found that the facilities and equipment at the fire stations were well maintained.
F2 Page 39
Most of the fire departments train together and respond to emergencies using mutual aid that employs the “closest to the incident” policy, which means the nearest firefighting resource will respond regardless of district boundaries. See Map.
F3 Page 39
Consistent with most fire departments around the nation, only about 10% of the emergency calls are fire related. The remaining 90% of the emergency calls are • Medical • Vehicle accidents with trapped or injured persons • Other rescue services • Hazardous material spills • Vehicle or residence lock outs involving infants or elderly persons.
F4 Page 39
Each fire service within the County of Santa Cruz has programs that teach children fire prevention and safety. The CDFFP has it's “Smokey the Bear” program, which it shares with other departments. Some departments use “Sparky” the dog in their programs. All of these programs are designed to teach children the following: • Not to play with fire • How to report a fire if they see one in their neighborhood • How to escape their home should it catch on fire • How to “stop, drop and roll” should their or someone else’s clothes catch on fire • The importance of smoke detectors, and maintaining them • How to reduce fire hazards in their homes
F5 Page 39
The fire protection services also have available two “burn trailers”. These are designed to simulate fires in the home and children can actually practice preventing fires as well as escaping from a burning home. The Scotts Valley Fire Protection District owns one of these burn trailers and the Zayante Fire Protection District owns the other. One of these simulation trailers is usually on display at the Santa Cruz County Fair each year.
F6 Page 39
All but two of the fire protection services in the county use volunteer firefighters. Some fire protection departments are almost exclusively supported by volunteer firefighters, with the exception of the Chief and one or two other staff.
F7 Page 39
According to newly enacted Regulations of the California Code a minimum of four firefighters, “two-in, two-out”, are required at the scene of a structure fire before firefighters may enter a burning structure. This requirement does not apply where there is an imminent threat to persons inside the structure. Some of the fire protection departments in the County do not have the firefighter staff to satisfy the “two-in, two-out” requirement. Review of Santa Cruz County Fire Protection Services 2000-01 Santa Cruz County Grand Jury Final Report
F8 Page 40
The following were found to be fire service obstacles common to all fire protection services, and therefore serve as the basis for many of the public education and public awareness campaigns waged by them. The education and awareness campaigns stress • Maintaining a safe zone of 30 feet to 100 feet around homes free from flammable vegetation • Private roads be @ cleared of brush @ clear of low hanging branches @ wide enough to accommodate fire engines • Post bridges with the maximum allowable weight limit • Post addresses to ensure visibility from the street • Multiple homes sharing a common private road, where the addresses are clustered at the entrance, should post each address again at the entrance to each property • Roofs and rain gutters should be cleared of flammable debris • Spark arrestors should be installed on all chimneys • Water sources such as pools and water storage tanks must be close enough to the house to be useful • Lack of adequate turn-around space for a fire engine
F9 Page 40
Application of Compressed Air Foam uses minimal water, resulting in hoses being lighter and more easily managed, and reducing the amounts of water required to be trucked to remote areas. The use of foam on a structure fire reduces the amount of water damage to the structure and contents.
F10 Page 40
The Santa Cruz County Fire Chiefs Association is an active association that promotes cooperation among the various firefighting services. In addition to the fire chiefs, the membership includes associate members from the cooperating fire service agencies such as ambulance service providers, helicopter transport providers, the County’s Emergency Medical Service Agency (EMS) and Cabrillo College. The Santa Cruz County Fire Chiefs Association • Conducts meetings at regular intervals to discuss matters pertinent to county-wide fire service issues • Promotes uniformity of the fire service throughout the county • Provides a medium of exchange of information and ideas among fire service personnel • Develops and coordinates solutions to fire service problems that are common throughout the county • Promotes the general welfare of the public and the fire service
F11 Page 40
The Fire Chiefs Association has an operations section that performs countywide training, which • Promotes uniformity of training and operations • Maintains, manages and improves mutual aid and automatic aid programs between agencies • Develops mutual training and drills • Develops solutions to common operational problems Review of Santa Cruz County Fire Protection Services 2000-01 Santa Cruz County Grand Jury Final Report
F12 Page 41
In accordance with a revenue sharing policy adopted in 1978 by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, the unincorporated area fire protection services receive a distribution of Proposition 172 funds for projects or items of benefit which have been recommended by the Santa Cruz County Fire Chiefs Association. This annual distribution is equivalent to twelve percent of the growth in Proposition 172 revenue. For fiscal year 2001-02, the Fire Chiefs Association plans to use these funds as follows: • 70% for training and training facility needs • 15% for communication system upgrades • 10% for fire prevention activities • 5% for development of special teams (hazardous materials, confined space rescue, etc.)
F13 Page 41
Some fire protection districts with limited resources have devised creative ways to increase their ability to provide services and to augment their annual revenues. For example, one fire protection district contracted with an ambulance service to house its ambulance and the paramedic staff, in exchange for rental income, cross training, night security and extra office assistance. Others hold pancake breakfasts and other community based fundraisers.
F14 Page 41
Volunteer firefighting programs provide introductory training and other opportunities to people who want to make firefighting their career or assist their community. When a fire department has an opening for a paid firefighter, it is usually filled from the ranks of the volunteer firefighters. Conclusions The budgets in some fire protection districts are too small to provide for a paid firefighter staff. Without volunteer firefighters in these areas, there would be inadequate fire protection. Volunteer firefighters as well as paid firefighters should be acknowledged for their valuable service to the community. To comply with the new law requirements of “two-in, two-out” in fighting structure fires, firefighters must wait until additional firefighters arrive at the scene before entering a structure. This increases the possibility of losing a structure or human life if a person is unable to make their presence known to the firefighters.
F15 Page 44
Job descriptions for the BCR&PD are not uniform in format. Some job descriptions are inadequate and lack basic information regarding the jobs. One job description contains inappropriate information such as committee findings. The job description for the general manager is adequate and in an accepted format, however has not been approved by the board.
F16 Page 44
According to the Policies and Procedures Manual, the BCR&PD general manager shall receive a performance evaluation annually. Her most recent evaluation was in December
F17 Page 44
Members of the 2000-01Grand Jury attended board meetings where derogatory remarks were made by one director regarding the general manager’s job performance.
F18 Page 44
The BCR&PD operated at a loss for fiscal year 2000-01. This shortfall was covered by district reserves.
F19 Page 44
Of 6,136 voters registered within Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District, 4,633 voted on November 7, 2000 in the BCR&PD board of director’s election. This represents greater than 75% voter turnout. Review of Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District

Recommendations 2

Conclusions 1

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Santa Cruz County County