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So here we go again. Are you ready? I'm gonna go all "Sam Heath" on you, but it is IMPORTANT that everyone knows this info. We, the residents of Tehachapi City paid money to have a professional study done and the results of that study to be implemented. The council has chosen to to go against the recommendations that the study purposed, which was to add additional staffing at station 12 by at least 1 firefighter. Here it is for you taken from the fire study draft : Recommendations The City should proceed with negotiations to establish a full fire services contract with KCFD, assuming that the County will develop a cost effective agreement that includes fully committing to a positive working relationship. This agreement should also include the option to increase KCFD Fire Station 12, from a daily 24-hour on duty fire-company staffing of three firefighters to four firefighters. This staffing level would allow the fire company to be more effective in initial attack of structure fires and would enhance the entire regional delivery system. This next part explains why and was also taken from the study: Findings
Neither the current staffed KCFD nor the TFD fire-company as a single fire company may engage in interior fire fighting without assistance from another fire company. Both the City and County fire company staffing level is three (3) personnel. Four (4) fire fighting personnel are required before engaging in interior operations, as required under the current regulations, usually described as the two-in and two-out rule under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The only exception exists when there is a known rescue which must be accomplished before the arrival of necessary support and backup fire fighting personnel.
*** To break it down, when firefighters go to a structure fire two firefighters go inside and two stay outside. KCFD has 3 ff'rs on duty so unless there is a person inside they have to wait for the next engine for an extra ff in order to go in and contain the fire. If a forth person was added they wouldn't have to wait for anything minimizing the loss of property. Caudle says an extra ff won't get them to the fire faster , what he failed to mention is that it WILL get the fire PUT OUT faster!!
The city council and manager have decided that this would be a waste of money because engine 12 responds to calls in other county areas and isn't always within city limits, BUT they also are the 1st in to any emergency within the city limits.
Another thing that the city council and manager seem to want to ignore was the mutual aid agreement or an automatic aid agreement that the TFD would have had to have taken part in. Read on(from fire study):
Currently, the Department (TFD) is serving as backup to KCFD Fire Station 12. In that capacity, it may or may not be dispatched as part of an alarm make-up, depending on the judgment of the Kern
County battalion chief. In assuming prime jurisdiction, the TFD would be in a different position. Over time, many fire departments have signed automatic aid agreements so that smaller departments can field an effective response force using neighboring organizations. It should be noted that automatic aid is an agreement between parties that is based on meeting the interest of covering response areas with the closest engine concept. Automatic aid is not the same as mutual aid. Mutual aid is based on the premise that a department must exhaust all of its own resources before it can ask for outside assistance.
Notably, both automatic and mutual aid are dependent on reciprocity, i.e., like services in exchange for like services.
This last little bit of info is very important because TFD would have HAD to use KCFD for any structure fire they had for the reasons we just discussed. They would have only had 3 persons on duty and would have needed a 4th(provided by KCFD) in order to go into the structure, because of this they(TFD) would have been bound to "reciprocate" meaning they would have had to do the same for KCFD in COUNTY areas. If they are responding to help KCFD who is protecting the city??? NO ONE!
Either the council didn't fully understand this or they just didn't care because they were willing to spend over a MILLION dollars for TFD and now they won't pay for additional staffing at a fraction of the price because that FF won't remain within the city limits at all times??? Sounds slightly hypocritical to me. How about you?
Something the council might also want to consider. Again taken from the study:
According to the preliminary report, the KCFD has planned construction of a new station in the area of Golden Hills sometime between 2007 and 2010. That station has not been identified on a map for ESCi, but a description of the facility includes an Engine Company and a Truck Company, as well as an additional Type III Engine. While ESCi was not told specifically what the staffing levels are to be, it is assumed that this Type III will not be staffed on a permanent basis and will be cross-staffed when needed. The plan also discusses a helicopter facility but does not provide a specific location. SandCanyon is proposed to have a fire station built
between 2011 and 2016. That station is slated for an engine company and a cross-staffed Type
IV Engine (Patrol).
Well thank you all for your time. Sorry this was so long, but I felt the need to get this info out!
Here is the link to the full context of the fire study:
http://www.tehachapinews.co...
So I was just noticing our poll over here to the right about fireworks and the majority said they "Have to have them!" I thought fireworks were against the law here? I mean I think a VERY few are allowed, but most aren't. This makes me kind of nervous with the fires popping up all around us. So whatever you do please stay safe and ONLY use legal fireworks. I'll try to find out what those are and post them. If someone else knows please feel free to post them!!
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