Victorville to contract with county fire
BROOKE EDWARDS Staff Writer
May 14, 2008 - 8:44AM
VICTORVILLE — The Victorville Fire Department will be disbanded July 1 as the city moves to a contract with San Bernardino County for fire services.
The decision came from a heated split vote by the Victorville City Council during a special meeting Tuesday night.
Following lengthy presentations by the Paramedic Committee, county fire and the city’s economic department, the bottom line showed that contracting with the county would save the city roughly $38,000 a year. The decision would also put paramedics on all fire engines as soon as the county takes over, as opposed to a phase-in over several years as recommended by the Victorville Fire Department.
Councilman Rudy Cabriales, Councilwoman JoAnn Almond and Councilman Mike Rothschild said they were all leaning toward implementing a three-man paramedic crew through the local fire department.
Rothschild said he was torn, but that it was too hard for him to separate the human element and the effect the change would have on local firefighters, many of whom had been students in his classroom over the years.
Councilman Bob Hunter and Mayor Terry Caldwell both spoke about the difficulty of the decision, but said they felt the most important issue was to get paramedics on engines immediately.
“I want paramedics on our fire trucks and I want them in as soon as possible,” Hunter said.
Caldwell said that the phase-in recommended by local firefighters would not meet the urgency he feels is necessary.
“Everyone has been saying to us, the decision makers, ‘I want paramedics and I want them now.’”
Caldwell then made a motion to go with county fire, seconded by Hunter.
After the motion was on the table and the council was preparing to vote, in what looked to be a 2-3 vote against going with county fire, Rothschild spoke up again.
“Mayor Caldwell has moved me to the other side of the argument,” he said.
Almond appeared shocked, along with most members of the audience. She again spoke up, defending the plan to stay with local fire.
The council then quickly voted, with a 3-2 vote in favor of contracting with the county.
Several firefighters immediately stormed out of City Hall. One man walked up and shook hands with Almond and Cabriales, shaking his head at the other councilmembers. Other audience members — most local firefighters — filtered out slowly, still appearing a bit shocked by the vote.
Outside, firefighters discussed the possibility of facing salary cuts, losing banked sick and vacation days, changing retirement plans and being forced to move to another city. One asked the Apple Valley Fire Chief, who was in attendance, if he had any openings in his department.
“I was really surprised,” Almond later said of the vote. “I thought for sure that we would stand by our firefighters and give them the opportunity to become paramedics. I just hope they didn’t make a mistake.”
Former Victorville fire chief Cabriales said he has no doubts about the level of service the county will provide, but that he disagrees with the loss of local control and impact the decision will have on local firefighters.
“The Victorville Fire Department has been around officially for over 80 years,” he said. “I know Victorville could provide the paramedic service itself.”
Both Almond and Cabriales said they plan to investigate the financial information presented by city staff, after hearing reports that both the retirement package and included raises may have inflated the numbers.
Brooke Edwards may be reached at 955-5358 or at
bedwards@vvdailypress.com.
The Daily Press is looking for comments from those affected by Tuesday night’s Victorville City Council decision to replace city fire with a county contract. If you have information or an opinion you would like to share for an upcoming article, please call Brooke Edwards at 955-5358 or email her at bedwards@vvdailypress.com.
