Guest Commentary: Nearby fire district responds minutes faster than ECCFPD
By Bryan Scott
The residents of Brentwood and Oakley, as well as of the communities of Bethel Island, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, and Morgan Territory, are being underserved by the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD).
This is a fact that’s been well documented in Grand Jury reports, by a government task force, by the county’s Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), by industry consultants, by the media, and by ECCFPD itself.
The cause is equally well known. Fire districts in California are funded with property taxes, at an allocation rate set following the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978. This rate has not changed, even though the East County area has experienced a 1,500% increase in population.
According to a LAFCO report, funding for fire and emergency medical services provided by ECCFPD is $94 per-person, while these same services are funded at a rate of $370 and $449 per-person in central parts of the county.
How does our district compare with other areas of Northern California that have experienced rapid growth? Remember, property taxes are levied at the same rate everywhere in California.
Lathrop is a valley town along Interstate-5, west of Manteca and to the east of Brentwood. It is between Stockton and Tracy, in San Joaquin County.
Because of its location it has experienced significant growth, and continues to grow. From 2000 through 2016, according to the US Census Bureau, it grew by 97%. Lathrop’s 2016 population was 22,073, and the city expects to be at 35,000 by 2020.
Lathrop is part of a 100 square-mile, mostly rural, area served by the Lathrop-Manteca Fire District (LMFD). Recently LMFD said the district served over 30,000 total area residents. The district has four fire stations, 33 career fire fighters, and 25 reserve/volunteers.
The size, population make-up, growth patterns, and staffing, all combined, make LMFD look like a smaller version of the ECCFPD, perhaps similar to what ECCFPD’s predecessor, the East Diablo Fire District, might have looked like, maybe 15 years ago, when it served just Brentwood and rural parts of Contra Costa County.
The fire and emergency medical services that LMFD provides are funded at a rate of $316 per resident (2016), compared to the $94 per-resident for ECCFPD. Let that sink in a moment.
The LMFD average response time for the city of Lathrop during 2016 was 4:23 minutes or 5:29 minutes, depending on which of two fire stations responded to the call. For ECCFPD, during the same 2016 calendar year, average response time to the Brentwood West area was 7:26 minutes, and to the Brentwood East area 7:24 minutes.
One could say that Lathrop’s total average response time (4:56 minutes) was about two and one-half minutes less than Brentwood’s total average response time (7:25 minutes). This is according to figures published on the websites of both fire districts.
A lot can happen in two and one-half minutes, 150 seconds. Try holding your breath for that long. Wait. Don’t do that, you’ll die.
East County has one State Senator and one Assembly Member. As far back as 2016, September 14, 2016, to be exact, ECCFPD sent letters to both of these elected leaders, pleading for help with this funding crisis.
The East County public safety emergency, caused by this funding crisis, is on-going, Senator Glazer and Assembly Member Frazier. It is past time to address this situation.
Bryan Scott is Co-Chair of East County Voters for Equal Protection, a non-partisan citizen’s action committee striving to improve funding for the ECCFPD. He can be reached at scott.bryan@comcast.net, or 925-418-4428. The group’s Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/EastCountyVoters/.
East Contra Costa Fire Protection District to hold March 6 all mail-in election to reduce size of Board of Directors
East Contra Costa Fire Protection District prepares for its first election of directors in November, 2018
By ECCFPD Fire Chief Brian Helmick
Brentwood – – On March 6, 2018, through a special all-mail ballot election, voters in the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District will have an opportunity to approve Measure A, which would decrease from 9 to 5 the number of members of the District’s Board of Directors. Measure A, if approved by a majority of voters, will take effect later this year when the District’s Directors will be elected for the first time.
The District currently has a nine-member Board, with two members appointed by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, four members appointed by the Brentwood City Council, and three members appointed by the Oakley City Council.
On November 8, 2016, the District’s voters passed Measure N to transition the Board from an appointed Board to an elected Board. Board elections will be held for the first time on November 6, 2018, when all Directors’ seats will be up for election. Persons currently serving as appointed Directors will be eligible to run for seats as elected Directors. On December 7, 2018, the newly-elected Board members will take office and all of the current appointments to the Board will expire.
The District placed the measure on the ballot in hopes of increasing competition for directorships and improving the efficiency of District administration.
Registered voters of the District will receive ballots and voter information guides on or about February 5, 2018.
Voters may return their ballots by mail to the County Elections Division. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before March 6, 2018, and must be received by the County Elections Division in Martinez by March 9, 2018.
County fairgrounds renamed the Contra Costa Event Park, more changes to follow
Home of the Contra Costa County Fair
ANTIOCH – As part of a re-branding and improvements of the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds the Board of Directors have approved a new facility name and logo. As of February 1st, we are the CONTRA COSTA EVENT PARK, Home of the Contra Costa County Fair.
Over the next year you will see signage change, improvements to the facility, and a new 8,000 square foot event venue become available for community events. CEO Joe Brengle stated that there will be lots of changes taking place at the fairgrounds over the next few years.
Looking for a place for your next event the Contra Costa Event Park still has 2018 dates available; contact our office (925) 757-4400 for availability.
Mark your calendars for the 2018 Contra Costa County Fair May 17 – 20, with the theme “It all Happens at the Fair”.
Brentwood man dies in three-car collision on Deer Valley Road, Thursday morning
By CHP-Contra Costa
Today, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 at about 7:01 am, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a three-vehicle traffic collision on Deer Valley Road, just north of Empire Mine Road. Upon CHP and emergency personnel arrival, it was determined that a Honda Civic collided with a Honda Accord, and then into a Toyota Camry. The male driver of the Honda Civic was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other two drivers only suffered minor injuries and complaints of pain.
At 7:50 am, East Contra Costa Fire units responded, according to Interim Battalion Chief-Public Information Officer Ross Macumber. He also stated that Antioch Police personnel responded to the scene, as well. According to the report by Interim Battalion Chief for Operations Craig Auzeene, there was major damage to two of the vehicles but only minor damage to the third and that Deer Valley Road was closed from Balfour Road to the Kaiser hospital.
In the initial investigation, it appears that the solo male driver (38-year-old from Brentwood) of the Honda Civic was traveling northbound on Deer Valley Road and for unknown reasons, he veered across the solid double yellow lines and into oncoming southbound traffic on Deer Valley Road, directly into the path of the oncoming Honda Accord and collided with the Accord. Then the Civic spun out of control, continuing in the southbound lane and collided with the oncoming Toyota.
The solo female driver from the Accord was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries only and the solo female driver from the Toyota was privately taken to a local hospital for only minor complaints of pain only.
Tragically the 38-year-old male driver of the Honda Civic was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Contra Costa County Coroner was dispatched to the scene to identify the deceased male and recover his body. The Coroner’s office will be the lead agency regarding the release of the deceased male identity.
It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs are a factor in this collision. This collision is still under investigation and if anyone witnessed it or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez, (925) 646-4980.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Chief lists 2017 accomplishments
By ECCFPD Fire Chief Brian Helmick
I would first like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope your holiday season was enjoyable while allowing you a chance to reset before the busy year ahead.
In April of 2017, I was named the Interim Fire Chief for the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District and was appointed by the Board of Directors as the permanent Fire Chief in October. As I worked on getting up to speed with all the functions of the Fire Chief position, I found that the year was really about working to stabilize our service level and establishing a solid foundation upon which to build future service improvements.
When I started in April of 2017, it was apparent that there were many systems and processes that needed to be improved. Initially, my primary objectives were addressing the District’s retention challenges and assuring that the District operated as efficiently as possible with the revenues available. This required transitioning the District to a three-station operation model (although the current District Mater plan calls for 9 stations to adequately serve the District).
The District has a long road ahead in its effort to improve service to our customers. I believe the District’s staff has made good strides and begun to build a solid foundation for future growth. I am a firm believer in working as a team. What we have done over the past nine (9) months within the District internally is give our line-personnel additional responsibility and a voice in the future of the District. Specifically, we created several line staff committees where decisions can quickly move up the chain of command to accomplish tasks much faster. Some of the District’s internal committees include: operations committee, technology committee, public relations / information (PIO) committee to name a few. These committees not only improve communications but ultimately improve the level of service the District provides to the communities the District serves.
Here is a summary of some of our 2017 accomplishments:
- Internal Audit Discovers Additional Funding: as the new Fire Chief, one of the first priorities was to understand the District’s financial processes and assure the District was operating as efficiently as possible with the revenue that is provided to the District. After many countless hours, meetings, and seeking professional assistance, $6.2 million in one-time funding was identified from the past three budget cycles. These monies will be used on one-time expenses in the near future, including facility improvements and equipment replacements. As of this notice, the District has not utilized any of the $6.2 million one-time funds and we will not do so until all external District audits are complete. In addition to identifying these onetime funds, the District has established a balanced budget that is sustainable for at least the next ten (10) years.
- Improved Capital Replacement Funding: We have established a facility and equipment based capital reserve funding program and are in the process of replacing worn equipment and refurbishing our long-neglected facilities. In the near future I will begin to share how antiquated the District’s infrastructure (stations, equipment, engines) is and what challenges the District will have as we work to increase services.
- Restructured the Organization: We have successfully transitioned to a three-station operation model and increased administrative staffing. This has provided a strong financial base to build future improvements on and assures adequate personnel to guide the District on its path to improved service levels. The addition of administrative staff will assure we complete budgeting and auditing functions in a timely manner, move forward on developing a service improvement plan, and stabilize our current service level.
- Improved Communications: in 2017, as a District, we began to take control of our own messages and sharing our story with the citizens we serve. We invested heavily in re-launching our own website (www.eccfpd.specialdistrict.org) where citizens can now live stream board meetings and obtain relevant and up to date information on the District. In addition, we have launched several new and updated social media pages on behalf of the District. The Social Media channels now available for citizens to get relevant and up to date information about the District are:
o Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EastContraCostaFireProtectionDistrict
o Instagram https://www.instagram.com/east_contra_costa_fire/
o YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUo1LReabUPEcz5BL0Awn5g
o Twitter https://twitter.com/eccfpd
o Nextdoor
- Partnered with California Fire Foundation to supply aid to victims: ECCFPD, in cooperation with International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1230 and the California Fire Foundation, can now provide emergency financial assistance to fire and natural disaster victims. The goal is to provide immediate short-term support in the aftermath of a fire or other natural disaster which displaces victims.
- Public Outreach: Our firefighters have begun visiting schools, preschools and attended many community events as well as hosted a series of our own events such as fire station open houses, Santa visits, and health and safety fairs. This was aimed at becoming more visible to the public. 2017 was just the start; in 2018 we have a calendar full of events we will be participating in.
- Station 53 Name Change: To better reflect a District identity, we changed the identifying number of Station 93 to Station 53 to ensure all stations in Battalion 5 were in the same numeric sequence. Upon additional station growth, those stations will also be in the 50 series.
- Strike Teams Established: For the first time in more than a decade, our District was able to assist other fire districts on major fire calls. In a period of two months, our District sent an engine in October to the Napa/Sonoma County Fires. In December, we sent an engine to Southern California to the Creek Fire in Los Angeles County and the Thomas Fire in Ventura/ Santa Barbara counties. The crews worked to save the Wildlife Way Station north-east of Los Angeles and protected several hundred exotic animals.
- New Turnouts: You may have noticed a new look to our firefighters as they recently switched to black turnouts (Protective uniform clothing). Our old turnouts are at the point of not meeting safety requirements. As of this release, all personnel’s turnouts are being replaced as part of the new capital replacement funding program. Traditionally, we have worn tan turnouts, but the black ones were something our line personnel wanted, plus the color change was a cost neutral decision.
- Firefighter Retention: Late in 2017, our fire board approved a new union contract which includes a pay raise that more fairly compensates our firefighters for the lifesaving work they perform. Although we are still the lowest paid, among other surrounding fire districts across the Bay Area, the gap has significantly closed which should help with our retention issues. The new contract also includes a 50%-50% sharing of future health care costs for active and retired fire fighters. This will significantly reduce the cost of our healthcare liability.
- Critical Incident Management: Firefighting is a demanding profession and it can take a toll on our firefighters. In 2017 the District worked to improve the Districts Critical Incident Management and Peer Support team and brought on a Voluntary Fire Chaplain and mental health professionals to provide support to our members•
- Planning for the Future: The District is well on its way to developing a strategic implementation plan for improving the level of fires service within the District. We have retained a legislative consultant to establish a relationship with the state legislature, are in the process of retaining a strategic planning consultant, and will be developing a long-term funding and implementation plan to increase fire district services in the future.
These are just some of the highlights and achievements the District accomplished in 2017 and we look forward to improving the District in 2018. In 2018, we have many initiatives on our plate which include potentially moving to a five-member elected fire
board, developing a strategic plan to increase service levels, and improving the District’s infrastructure so we can build upon it when / if additional revenue becomes available.
As a District, we are always seeking public comments and participation. I encourage and recommend that all ECCFPD’s citizens and business owners become engaged with and learn about ECCFPD’s current service level restrictions and organizational challenges. This can be accomplished by becoming familiar with ECCFPD’s: website, Master Plan, social media channels and attending District meetings.
I look forward to a productive 2018 and continuing to push this District forward towards a higher level of service.
ABOUT THE EAST CONTRA COSTA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT: The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District is a rural-funded fire district that protects approximately 249 square miles and over 114,000 residents. The District provides firefighting personnel and emergency medical services (basic life support) to the residents and businesses of the Cities of Brentwood and Oakley, the Township of Discovery Bay, and the communities of Bethel Island, Knightsen, Byron, Marsh Creek, and Morgan Territory.
As of July 1, 2017, ECCFPD has three (3) fire stations staffed by three (3) firefighters, for total district staffing of nine (9) firefighters per day. The district responds to over 6,900 calls a year that depend on approximately 9,000 fire engine responses. ECCFPD’s Master Plan calls for nine (9) stations to adequately provide coverage to the District’s citizens and businesses.
You can visit us on the Districts website, www.eccfpd.org or through our social media pages on Facebook (East Contra Costa Fire Protection District), Instagram (@east_contra_costa_fire) , Twitter ( @ECCFPD ), Nextdoor and our YouTube channel (East Contra Costa Fire Protection District) for more information on the Fire District.
Second murder charge filed against driver in stolen vehicle crash in Antioch last Wednesday
Second Cardoza daughter dies; Bail for suspect increased to $2,130,000
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has filed an additional murder charge against 23-year-old Noe Saucedo of Pittsburg.
On Friday the DA’s Office filed formal charges against Saucedo. He was charged with murder, felony evading, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of heroin.
Saucedo remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. He is being held in lieu of $2,130,000 bail.
We are saddened to report that two-year-old Camila Cardoza was officially pronounced deceased at the hospital. Camila was a passenger, along with her sister Lenexy, in a vehicle that was struck by a stolen pick-up truck driven by Noe Saucedo on Wednesday on Somersville Road in Antioch. Lenexy was killed in the collision.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing by the Contra Costa County D.A.’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Antioch Police Department and the Office of the Sheriff per the officer-involved protocol. Investigators are trying to determine why suspect Saucedo stole the Ford F-250 pick-up truck in Pittsburg, why he accelerated away from a Deputy Sheriff who was following him, and why he ran through a red light at the intersection of Somersville Road and the eastbound Highway 4 off-ramp before colliding into another vehicle. In addition, tests are being conducted to determine if Saucedo was impaired in any way.
Anyone with any information on this incident or who may have witnessed it is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
For further news about this case on ABC7 News, click here.
Murder, other charges filed against driver of stolen vehicle in Wednesday crash in Antioch
Bail set at $1,130,000 for Pittsburg resident Noe Saucedo
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office this afternoon filed formal charges against Noe Saucedo, the suspect who drove a stolen pick-up truck on Wednesday that crashed into another vehicle on Somersville Road in Antioch. He is being charged with murder, felony evading, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of hero-in. 23-year-old Saucedo of Pittsburg remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility. He is being held in lieu of $1,130,000 bail.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing by the Contra Costa County D.A.’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Antioch Police Department and the Office of the Sheriff per the officer-involved protocol. Investigators are trying to determine why suspect Saucedo stole the Ford F-250 pick-up truck in Pittsburg, why he accelerated away from a Deputy Sheriff who was following him, and why he ran through a red light at the intersection of Somersville Road and the eastbound Highway 4 off-ramp before colliding into another vehicle. In addition, tests are being conducted to determine if Saucedo was impaired in any way.
Yesterday, the four-year-old girl who was killed in the vehicle collision was identified as Lenexy Cordoza. Her two-year-old sister and mother remain at the hospital.
“Clearly, suspect Saucedo took a series of actions that led to this tragedy,” said Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston. “We are saddened by the loss of life and offer our deepest sympathies to the family.”
Anyone with any information on this incident or who may have witnessed it is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
ECC Fire Protection District: Number Up?
By Chief Brian Helmick
Your number just might be up… If your address number isn’t! If we can’t find you, we can’t help you. Very often the address we’re responding to is not visible. Addresses covered by paint and shrubbery are hard to see. Night and weather conditions may affect their visibility too. Many addresses are not even up. This extends the time it takes for us to bring help to you – when seconds are critical!
Make sure your address is easily visible from the street. if you live on the water ways make sure your address is visible from the back and front of your home. East Contra Costa fire protection district responders thank you in advance for making sure your numbers are up. For more information please visit our web site at WWW.ECCFPD.ORG.
Work to be done on Kirker Pass Road Jan. 24 & 25
The Contra Costa County Public Works Department will perform roadwork on Kirker Pass Road at the intersection of Hess Road (south) on Wednesday and Thursday, January 24 and 25, 2018, weather permitting, to replace the center-divide crash cushion system.
Traffic will be controlled with temporary single-lane closures reducing the two lanes to a single lane in both directions. Turning left from Kirker Pass Road (southbound) onto Hess Road will not be permitted during the work. The lane closures will occur between the hours of 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Changeable message sign boards and other construction signs will be placed in advance of the work.
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