Assemblyman, vice mayor call for East Contra Fire, ConFire merger

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA)

Oct. 17--Assemblymember Jim Frazier, D-Fairfield, announced his support for consolidating the East County Fire Protection District with Contra Costa County Fire Protection District to provide improved fire and emergency services to far East County.

"How to sufficiently upgrade fire service in Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay and far East County has been a critical issue for a decade or more and it's our residents who continue to suffer," Frazier said.

Brentwood Vice Mayor Joel Bryant also made clear his support in a campaign advertisment of Friday and later said he would only support the idea if it codul be accomplished wihtout tax hikes.

"This is an opportunity to provide the people of Brentwood and far East County with the fire service we need and deserve," said Bryant, who is running for mayor this November. "The two districts already provide mutual aid to each other, mainly with fire stations and personnel in Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay and Antioch."

The announcements came days after the financially challenged East County Fire Protection District said it was in a state of emergency, though it can't officially declare that because only cities, counties, state and the federal government can do that. Instead, it asked for local governments to declare a public safety emergency to help the district seek potential grants and resources it cannot do alone.

Frazier, who is up for election in November, said that "drastic times call for drastic measures," adding that East County residents deserve a fire service that only consolidation will bring.

"Between the increasingly dangerous, life-threatening fire seasons, and the need for faster 911 emergency services, fire service in East County is at emergency proportions," Frazier said.

He also noted that this week the Trump Administration abruptly rejected -- butlate approved -- California's request for federal disaster relief funds to help residents affected by the Creek and other recent fires.

"East County Fire has done its due diligence to forward every option possible to increase its service to Brentwood, Oakley and far East County, but without success. It's time now to consolidate for the safety of our residents," Frazier added.

ConFire is conducting a feasibility study regarding the possibility of consolidating both departments, which already provde mutual aid to each other. The proposed merger would include at least two additional staffed fire houses, and the salaries and benefits of ECCFPD firefighters would be made equal to that of ConFire personnel.

The assemblyman said he will contact elected officials and fire representatives in East County to begin the discussion about the merits of consolidation, which has already been on their radar.

In 2017, Frazier authored bills that aimed to reallocate property tax revenue from the East Bay Regional Park District to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District, as a way to improve fire safety and emergency medical response. The bills faced a lot of opposition from the parks district and later that year he withdrew them.

The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District was formed in 2002 by combining the Bethel Island Fire District, The East Diablo Fire District, and the Oakley Fire District. In 2009, there were calls to consolidate East Contra Costa Fire with ConFire but the recession put a halt on it as the eastern area would have had to find ways to raise more money for the merger as its firefighters were paid less.

Frazier represents residents in Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Knightsen and Byron, all served by the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

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