SGV Cities Consider Fire Dept. Consolidation

[LAflyer]

Plans are being dusted off regarding previous studies of concepts for shared fire services by 5 San Gabriel Valley Cities.

The Cities of Alhambra, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, San Marino and South Pasadena have had staff meeting in recent months to discuss mutual opportunities including joint use of administrative and command staff, joint purchasing and vehicle maintenance, training along with streamlined fire prevention and EMS delivery regardless of municipal boundaries.

The new review follows Monterey Park voters in July rejecting plan to merge into LACoFD.

The five cities have now agreed that an independent outside consultant should be obtained to conduct such a feasibility study including establishment of a cost sharing formula for such joint ops and help identify the required legal framework for establishment of a Joint-Powers Authority.

Already the cities of San Gabriel, San Marino and South Pasadena share command staff by jointly funding a single fire chief and sharing battalion chiefs.

In addition apparently Montebello, has also expressed some interest to learn more due to its existing automatic aid and close working relationship with the SGV cities.

The consultants report is due back in the first quarter of 2014.

 

[karldotcom]

Are they talking about dropping out of Verdugo Fire?

 

[LAflyer]

Verdugo is a communications service vendor essentially.

These cities are looking to become closer operationally and if they sign a JPA become closer legally.

But none are in the business of taking 911 calls and dispatching fire units today, so I don't see things changing with Verdugo at all regardless of how close these cities manage to become for their fire services.