Deep financial cuts loom for Barstow Fire Protection District

April 28--BARSTOW -- Tough decisions are on the horizon for the fire protection district after Measure J's failure, but as fall elections approach, officials are looking at ways to get the district back in the black.

The city faced a sobering discussion when Barstow Fire Protection District Fire Chief Jamie Williams gave a presentation at the April 16 City Council meeting on the fire department's future, where fire personnel were asked to provide potential budget reductions to balance their upcoming fiscal year's budget.

With the department facing a deficit of over $800,000, according to the figures presented, Williams pulled no punches when presenting her reports, stating deep cuts -- detrimental to public safety -- would be necessary to bring back a balanced budget.

"Cutting the services to even what this presentation is talking about is not in the best interest of public safety or firefighter safety," Williams said.

According to Williams, the fire district is expected to generate about $4.6 million in revenue, primarily from property taxes, in the next fiscal year -- yet it faces a projected budget gap of $842,523, subsidized by General Fund revenues. Williams attributed the deficit to sluggish property tax revenues over the last several years and increasing retirement contribution costs.

The cuts proposed to bring back a balanced budget would be steep: the closure of one of two of the department's fire stations, the loss of one fire engine and the potential layoffs of six firefighter positions, leaving the already stretched thin department with far less room to spare.

"Most importantly, one engine will now carry the entire call load, in excess of 6,600 calls [per year], Williams said. "We will only be able to handle one call at a time and that will result in 100 percent of the time, our inability to respond to that second call for help."

BFPD Capt. John Wymore illustrated the situation even more vividly when he described recently responding to a structure fire with the department's two engines, as is typical protocol. As crews fought the flames, two more calls for service came in -- one for a cardiac arrest, another for a stabbing -- that neither engine could adequately respond to.

"I wouldn't want to think about going down to four guys and one fire engine, that would be tough," Wymore said.

The cuts will also mean the BFPD will find itself with the minimum level available of medical supplies, maintenance services, specialized training programs and repairs of damaged equipment, Williams said. This will lead to an apparent domino effect of not only diminished fire services, but increased fire insurance and property insurance costs.

"Lowering daily staff will double or increase the workload per firefighter. It will impact our ability for quick response to fast moving fires, and will inhibit our ability to protect the people, structures, and animals that are in those areas," Williams said. "Increased firefighter injuries are also a potential."

BFPD is expected to generate a savings of $895,000 if the cuts become a reality, Williams said, bringing the cash-strapped department back in the black. Yet, as the City Council stressed across the board, the cuts are merely a short-term solution to a long-term issue, one they hope the community will take heed of.

"I think it's a reality check for the community at what the Council is looking at, at the options and our motivation about creating stability for this community," Mayor Pro Tem Carmen Hernandez said.

It was clear the Council was deeply invested in ensuring that, as Councilman Rich Harpole put it, "Barstow Fire remained Barstow Fire." While nothing was formally decided, Mayor Julie Hackbarth-McIntyre made the suggestion to freeze each Council member's fire board stipends for the year -- a savings of $9,000, which Williams said could be used to fund a "long list of items," to keep the fire district afloat.

Yet as discussions swirled, it became evident the Council was looking toward the ballot box and the public's will to determine their fate.

"I think something as educational as this might have changed the outcome in the last election," Councilman Merrill Gracey said, after praising Williams' presentation. "I just hope it does and I wanted to ensure the fire protection district that we'll do everything we can, and I'll just leave that as a promise."

The narrow defeat of Measure J -- a half-cent special sales tax proposed last year, expected to generate millions in revenue for the fire district -- may have cast a slight shadow on any future similar plans, but both the Council and members of the public seemed prepared to bring another tax measure to fruition.

"We learned a hard lesson in November, and we just heard the chilling results of what could end up happening if we don't see some change in the near future. I encourage people to take this to heart," Harpole said.

The city is expected to formally move forward at its next meeting, where the results of a survey sent to all city residents on their thoughts on the future of the fire district will be presented. The survey will be sent by email, phone call or can be accessed online, according to city officials.

"You make the decision, you let us know what you want and what you want us to do to keep this community safe," Hernandez said.

The next City Council meeting starts at 7 p.m. on Monday. Visit www.barstowca.org to take a look at meeting agendas and to watch archived meetings.

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