Mendocino County Grand Jury
• 2005-2006
• Agency Response
A Long Road for Leggett a Report on the Leggett Valley Fire Protection District
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 19 findings
F1
The Leggett Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) tax base covers 53 square miles.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
The LVFPD response area covers 155 square miles.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
Sixty percent of district calls are medical responses.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Thirty percent of district calls are traffic-related.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
The LVFPD has recently employed a collection agency to recover costs for responses outside district boundaries and calls involving nonresidents.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
The LVFPD budget includes $25,000 to pay matching funds on a $189,000 FEMA grant used for purchasing a new fire truck yet to be delivered.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
The total LVFPD 2005-2006 budget is $52,300, which includes the $25,000 matching funds.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
The chief receives no compensation.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
The chief spends many hours per week on fire department business, including arranging training schedules, arranging for equipment maintenance, recruiting volunteers, writing grant proposals, and monitoring expenditures.
No recommendations for this finding
F10
The LVFPD has insufficient community support.
No recommendations for this finding
F11
Most Leggett residents work outside the area.
No recommendations for this finding
F12
Most of the older residents have already served in the fire department.
No recommendations for this finding
F13
The LVFPD has a roster of nine volunteers, including the chief, assistant chief, two captains and five firefighters.
No recommendations for this finding
F14
All available personnel respond to calls.
No recommendations for this finding
F15
Responders receive no compensation. 2005-2006 Mendocino County Grand Jury
No recommendations for this finding
F16
The LVFPD has an ongoing training program.
No recommendations for this finding
F17
The LVFPD has an active fleet of three vehicles; all are at least ten years old, the oldest vehicle is 30 years old.
No recommendations for this finding
F18
The LVFPD does not have a long range plan for replacing equipment.
No recommendations for this finding
F19
An ad hoc committee of the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors has been directed to explore ways in which the County can assist rural fire districts. Response (Board of Supervisors): The Board agrees with these findings.
No recommendations for this finding
Comments 1
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CO1Lack of community support is the most critical issue facing the LVFPD. The Grand Jury found that while offers of support are received by the department, few of these result in real assistance. Lack of economic opportunity in the north central portion of Mendocino County results in few people being able and/or willing to participate in the fire department. Most people work out of the area and so are unable to respond to calls during the day or to participate in the extensive training required of department personnel. The majority of older residents in the Leggett area have already served in the fire department and are unwilling or unable to do so again. This leaves primarily younger residents as the volunteer pool, most of whom do not have the time. Page 2 of 3 2005-2006 Mendocino County Grand Jury The chief is the operational head of the department. Making the office of chief a paid position will alleviate some of the pressure on him, allowing him to devote a portion of his time to the behind-the-scenes department business like grant writing and community outreach efforts. It is very difficult to hold a fulltime job and carry out the duties of the chief. County government also has a role to play. Only it can address the lack of economic opportunity in the Leggett area; only if people are able to live and work in the area can the fire department be viable in the long term. Response Required Mendocino County Board of Supervisors (Finding 19, Recommendation 6) Mendocino County Chief Executive Officer (Recommendation 6) Board of Directors, Leggett Valley Fire Protection District (Findings 1-18, Recommendations 1-5) Chief, Leggett Valley Fire Protection District (Findings 1-18, Recommendations 2, 3, 5) Page 3 of 3 2005-2006 Mendocino County Grand Jury