FIRE AGENCIES RISING TO MEET CHALLENGES

A recent editorial in The Press Democrat painted a bleak picture for the

future of fire services in Sonoma County. Insufficient revenues, a growing

population within the rural areas and fewer residents able, willing or

available to serve as volunteer firefighters were some of the problems

identified.

These problems are real. They are shared by much of the state and the

nation. Yet, in spite of this doom-and-gloom scenario, the majority of fire

agencies in Sonoma County still provide timely response to emergencies from

well-trained and dedicated volunteer and full-time firefighters.

This is due to effective planning and leadership by board members and

administrators as well as the high level of cooperation that currently exists

between agencies. These are the fire agencies that do not make the news

articles.

Having said this, however, if the current trends of costs outpacing

revenues and a decline in volunteers continue, all districts could struggle to

provide effective service.

The property tax system that was created by the passage of Proposition 13

minimized any increase in revenue that could have resulted from growth, and

state mandated property tax shifts to schools and redevelopment districts have

also hurt fire district revenues. In addition, fees charged by the county, as

well as the cost of emergency dispatching, training and work safety

regulations, have all added to the burden. These costs come on top of the

ongoing expenses of maintaining fire stations and trucks and purchasing

equipment.

The editorial suggests agency consolidation as the best solution to these

problems. Consolidation can be effective, but is it not necessarily the best

solution. Between 1970 and 2000, the number of fire agencies statewide dropped

from 1,250 to 950. Some of these consolidations were successes, but many

others were failures.

This is because bigger is not necessarily more cost effective or more

efficient. Nor does the problem of getting people to volunteer change, either.

Residents will continue to work outside their communities, and there are still

other demands on people's time. Another important fact is that not everyone

can meet the physical demands of fire and rescue work. Recent legislation

defining volunteers as employees increased sharply the liability exposure to

fire chiefs and boards of volunteer fire departments.

In some instances volunteers have quit after a consolidation due to

differences in the organizational cultures between the former agencies or from

the attitude of full-time staff toward volunteers. There have been cases in

which consolidation failed because a well-managed fire agency did not want to

take on the problems of a poorly managed one.

So what are the solutions? One might be to form a Joint Powers Authority to

deal with common concerns. There is currently a JPA being formed through the

efforts of the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association and the Sonoma County

Fire District's Association to address the escalating cost of dispatch.

JPAs could also be formed for administrative functions, the sharing of

chiefs, training and purchasing. There already exists self-insurance JPAs that

keep costs down. Once JPAs become effective, consolidations might develop as a

natural consequence rather than being forced.

Politically, pressure must be put on the state for a major overhaul of the

way local government is funded. In addition, more innovative ways to recruit,

motivate and train volunteers must be studied.

Last year, the Board of Supervisors commissioned a study of emergency

services throughout the county. One of the recommendations made was the need

for a detailed assessment of fire service delivery and a strategic planning

process for addressing shortfalls. This study could be an excellent start.

The Press Democrat makes it sound as though Sonoma County fire agencies

exist as separate little kingdoms. It is true that there was a time they did.

The fact is that they have been working together quite effectively for some

time through organizations such as the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association

and the Sonoma County Fire Districts Association.

A lot of work definitely needs to be done and we need to start soon. But

let's build on the successes, rather than merely focus on the failures.

Jim Hill is a board member for the Forestville Fire Protection District and

president of the Sonoma County Fire Districts Association.