ABSTRACT: Fire Engineer August Beacham and Captian Mitch Kastros gave a power point presentation about the Carmel Fire Department, an update on the fire hydrants and answered questions from audience members. Highlights of the meeting are presented. COMMENTS are made with regard to the city government of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEETING, ET CETERA:
• On Fire Hydrants:
The City water system is currently adequate.
Presently, there are 187 operating fire hydrants; the longest distance from one operational fire hydrant to another operational fire hydrant is 750 ft., adequate coverage for fire hose lengths of approximately 1200 feet.
The majority of fire hydrants are rated as greater than 1000 gpm.
The City’s infrastructure was installed in the 1920s; the expected lifespan is 100 years. The problem with Carmel’s 1920’s infrastructure is the 4” cast iron pipes are corroded and some require replacement.
Of the total fire hydrants, 9 fire hydrants have been removed, 11 fire hydrants have been replaced and 9 fire hydrants are scheduled to be placed on new water mains.
According to Fire Chief Andrew Miller, Cal-Am, the owner of the infrastructure, has budgeted $500,000 for this fiscal year and $400,000 for next fiscal year towards completion of 9 Project Site Phases throughout the City. The Project Site Phases represent replacement of water mains with standard new PVC 6”- 8” water mains; all 9 Project Site Phases are estimated to be completed by the end of 2008.
CAL-AM’S 9 FIRE HYDRANTS PROJECT SITES:
PROJECT SITE PHASE 1: 3rd Av. between Carpenter St. & Hatton Rd.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 2: Ocean Av. between Del Mar Av. & Carmelo St.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 3: Torres St. between 6th Av. & Ocean Av. & Ocean Av. between Torres St. to Santa Rita St.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 4:
Carpenter St. –Forest Rd. between 6th Av. & 8th Av.
7th Av. between east of Forest Rd. & Hatton Rd.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 5: Junipero Av. @ Rio Rd &Ridgewood Rd.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 6: Scenic Rd. between 8th Av. & 9th Av.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 7: Hatton Rd. between Mountain View Av. and Martin Rd.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 8: Mission St. between 8th Av. & 10th Av.
PROJECT SITE PHASE 9: 12th Av. between Lincoln St. & Mission St.
Note: An updated map of the Fire Hydrants and the locations of Cal-Am’s Project Site Phases 1-9 will be available next week as a public announcement and on the City’s web site.
• Nationally, Fire Departments are a “Jack of all trades,” a “multidisciplined" force
Duties and responsibilities include Fire, Structure Fires, Vehicles Fires, Wildland Fires and Rescue. And Medical including BLS (Basic Life Support) “EMT,” ALS (Advanced Life Support) “Paramedic,” Ambulance Transport, First Aid, Assistance; Environment, including Sewage Spills, Toxic Chemicals, Hazardous Materials, Fuel Spills; Hazardous Conditions including, Wires Down, Winter Storms, Water Leaks, Gas Leaks and Daily Activities including Equipment Maintenance/Repairs, Business Inspections, Fire Hydrant Maintenance, Training, Emergency Response and Public Education.
• History of the Carmel Fire Department
Established in 1915
All Volunteer Fire Department until 1960s
In 1988, there were 43 members, including full-time staff of Fire Chief, Assistant Chief, Fire Marshall, 3 Engineers, 3 Captains and equipment including a volunteer BLS ambulance, 2 Type 1 Engines, 50 ft. Telesquirt Truck, Wildland Fire Engine, Rescue and Utility Vehicles.
In 2008, there are 6 full-time members, including 3 Engineers and 3 Captains. The Fire Chief is contracted with the City of Pacific Grove. Fire Marshall is under contract with Art Black. Duty Chief is contracted with the City of Monterey. There are 2 Type 1 engines and ambulance by Carmel Regional Fire Ambulance (CRFA).
In 1988 there were 35 Volunteers vs. 8 Volunteers in 2008; the change in the number of volunteers over time is due to demographics, entry requirements, training requirements and motivation.
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
“NFPA 1710 is a standard that sets minimum criteria for the effectiveness and efficiency of emergency operations to protect the safety of the Public and Fire Department employees.”
Background:
NFPA issued the standard NFPA 1710 after 10 years of research and debate in 2001. The standard sets minimum criteria for the staffing of fire fighters crews and how they will respond and operation at emergency scenes.
NFPA 1710 Requirements:
Fire Fighters will respond with a minimum of 4 personnel on each apparatus.
Fire Fighters will arrive at the emergency scene within 4 minutes of the dispatch center receiving the call.
The correct number of fully staffed and strategically located fire stations must exist to accomplish the standard.
NFPA 1710 Protects the Community Against Liability:
NFPA 1710 could be highly relevant to the question of whether a jurisdiction has negligently failed to provide adequate fire or emergency medical protection to an individual harmed in a fire or medical emergency.
Jurisdictions assume some additional legal risk by failing to abide by NFPA 1710, even where it has failed to adopt the standard.
Notes:
Presently, Carmel responds with 2 on engine, Captain and Engineer, and uses CRFA crew for OSHA “2 in-2 out.” CRFA is outside Carmel for long periods and mutual aid calls are taken from as far away as Salinas.
Presently, Carmel meets the 4 minute response criterion. “Weight of Attack” is lacking; that is mutual aid companies for balance of manpower is needed ex. Cal Fire.
• Future Scenarios
Stand Alone Department; too expensive and unsustainable
Contract for Services; temporary only
Cal Fire; State controlled, not local Fire Department
Merger; Shares cost over several Fire Departments, high level of service at reduced cost and sustainable. The Choice of Carmel Fire Fighters!
• Current Status
The Cities of Monterey and Pacific Grove are currently negotiating towards complete consolidation; consolidation start date is October 1, 2008. The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea is “on hold.” Apparently, the City withdrew from consolidation talks in January 2008. Advantages of Carmel/Monterey/ Pacific Grove Fire Departments merger are a fully staffed 4 person engine complete with ALS paramedic, long term viability of Carmel Fire Department and apparatus procurement and replacement program.
COMMENTS:
• No one from the City Council or City Administration attended the meeting.
• As was articulated at the meeting by former Mayor Jean Grace, there are three issues involving the Carmel Fire Department; namely, a contract between the City and the Carmel Fire Fighters (Carmel Fire Fighters have been working without a contract since July 2007), staffing of the Carmel Fire Department and consolidation of the Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove Fire Departments. Moreover, the City has used closed session labor negotiations with the Carmel Fire Fighters about a contract as an excuse for not placing consolidation and staffing issues on a public meeting agenda for the benefit of the public.
• One of the reasons Carmelites are currently in such an untenable predicament is because the leadership of the CRA has not energized their members to file for office and run aggressive, substantive campaigns on substantive issues against the “well-oiled machine.”
5 comments:
The negative comment about the CRA is a complete non-sequitor. If the blogger is, understandably, unhappy with the current state of affairs, it is up to her to try to do something about it not lay responsibility on others.
The City Council is clearly willing to put Carmel homes and businesses at risk in order to minimize the city's budget. Rather than spend money it has in hand, the councilors are failing to support minimum standards of staffing and equipment. The money is there but the City Council won't spend it. Where Carmel had 43 paid fire fighters in 1988 it now has only 6. Where there were 5 emergency vehicles in the department there are now only 2 and one of those is marginal and can only be used if the other one breaks down. Carmel's fire fighters are by far the most underpaid in the county. Are we going to see them all move to other departments leaving Carmel with no professionals, even inexperienced ones, because our city councilors don't believe in spending?
As to the comment about not laying responsibility on others; we, as Carmelites, are all responsible for the current state of affairs. Just as the CRA has not energized their members to file for office, et cetera, (an observation, not a “negative comment” or a “non sequitor”), it is also an observation that The Carmel-by-the-Sea WATCHDOG! has not energized enough Carmelites to confront the present city council, file for office, run a substantive campaign on issues and win a majority of votes to replace the incumbents who arguably on the Carmel Fire Department issue are not acting in the best interests of Carmelites or the Carmel Fire Fighters.
Thank you for this post. I learned several things from it.
I wonder how many Carmelites read and contribute to this blog? How many type words of appreciation for any post on this blog? Well, this comment is a comment of appreciation for all the blog is not, it is not sugar coated self-serving spin.
If this was happening anywhere else but Carmel, the incumbent city council members would be summarily kicked out for good. But in Carmel, three just got reelected. Something is very wrong here.
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