Plans for East Contra Costa Fire District annexation move forward
CONCORD, CA, (September 20, 2021) – Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) and East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) have announced their boards of directors have each approved resolutions for the annexation of ECCFPD into the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Next, the agencies will make applications to the Contra Costa Local Agency Formation Commission for formal approval.
When approved, Con Fire will absorb the firefighting staff, support staff, facilities and equipment of today’s ECCFPD. The newly merged organization will provide improved fire and emergency services to the more than 128,000 residents of eastern Contra Costa County. The annexation approval process should take four-to-six months. After that, operational and administrative consolidation of the two entities will take place.
Teamwork
“I am so excited and proud of the team work that has brought us to this point,” said District 3 Supervisor and Board Chair Diane Burgis. “We are a giant step closer to providing improved fire and rescue services in East Contra Costa County.”
Burgis added, “I look forward to continuing to work to push this across the finish line.”
“Annexation into Con Fire is a huge victory for the businesses and residents of East Contra Costa,” said Board President Brian Oftedal, East Contra Costa Fire Board of Directors. “We explored every option to fix this historically underfunded district and provide a better service delivery model. Annexation will improve response times, open fire stations and provide a paramedic level of service for our communities.”
“I am pleased by the decisions of the two agencies’ boards,” said Lewis Broschard, CCCFPD fire chief. “I look forward to now beginning in earnest the implementation of this long-studied initiative.”
Improving fire service
“ECCFPD’s citizens and businesses are one step closer to receiving adequate fire and rescue service levels,” said Fire Chief Brian Helmick, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District. “As the fire chief of East Contra Costa Fire, my staff and I will continue to diligently work to ensure the remaining consolidation processes go through seamlessly and in a timely manner.”
Officials expect benefits of annexation for residents to include more coordinated, cohesive and streamlined fire and emergency services. While both fire districts already work very closely across current borders, each maintains separate operations, training and administrative functions. Bringing the separate operational entities under one administrative structure creates potential for economies of scale.
Another important benefit involves better alignment of firefighting models across districts. This could net both increased fire services and improved firefighter safety. Annexation will reduce current burdens on the agencies’ busiest stations by increasing resources within Battalion 5 in east county.
The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, acting as the Con Fire Board, unanimously approved the resolution on September 14.
The Board of Directors for East County voted unanimously to move forward with consolidation on Sept. 16.