2 Closures Leave 100,000 Contra Costa Residents Served By 3 Fire Stations
KNIGHTSEN (CBS SF) - The drought may have California on heightened fire alert, but Eastern Contra Costa County will face the season with two fewer stations after closures Monday.
"Water tender 94, Engine 94, Utility 94, Station 94 out of service, permanent," Captian Paul Totten announced over the dispatch radio Monday.
Totten struggled to get the words out, but he knew this day was coming.
"I have a great bunch of guys I work with."
Firefighters his Knightsen station spent the morning packing up. The East Contra Costa Fire Protection district closed the station and one in Brentwood for good. That means there are only 27 firefighters to protect over 100,000 people across a huge area of 250 square miles.
"(They're) being put in a tough position, being asked to do twice as much work now with half the amount of guys," said Totten. "With very little support from the public and community out here."
Voters said no to a special parcel tax that would've generated $4.2 million dollars a year for 5 years and kept these stations open.
"It's going to mean longer response time bigger fires people not getting medical help they need in a timely manner," said Union President Vincent Wells.
That's because the district gets about 9,000 calls a year. Now there are only 3 fire stations to respond to all those people who need help.
"It's a scary time for everybody. We don't know what's going to happen," said firefighter Lance Brashier.
These firefighters are already the lowest paid in the county. Now some are going to be demoted or possibly laid off.
Over the last year, 14 firefighters who saw the writing on the wall left the East Contra Costa Fire District. Later this week the fire chief and the board of directors will discuss laying off 4 more firefighters.
The fire chief says he expects a three-minute delay getting to calls in the area with a new average response time of around ten minutes.