Calimesa fire chief outlines remote-rescue challenges, warns of new "Zone 0" wildfire rules

Calimesa Fire Chief Andrew O'Connell on March 3 told the City Council that firefighters faced major access problems and life‑threatening delays while responding to a remote off‑road motorcycle crash in the hills, and he warned that upcoming state wildfire‑hazard mapping will impose new local requirements, including a narrow "Zone 0" around homes.

The chief described a recent response in which a 16‑year‑old rider was pinned under a vehicle in a remote area. Crews had difficulty locating and reaching the patient, considered performing a helicopter retrieval and ultimately removed the victim from under the vehicle; the patient was transported in critical condition, O'Connell said.

Those access problems, he told the council, are part of a larger pattern. The department is seeing growing call volumes — including medical aids, remote rescues and vegetation fires — and lacks routine access equipment for steep, off‑road terrain. O'Connell and Sheriff Captain Northrop said an all‑terrain side‑by‑side vehicle and expanded drone capability would improve response and search efforts. City staff recommended budgeting those items in the fiscal‑year process rather than an immediate appropriation.

Nut graf: The chief's report combined an operational update on rescue capacity with an early briefing about state wildfire mapping. The council heard that immediate equipment gaps affect public safety responses now, while state fire hazard mapping will require legal and community work in the coming weeks.

Council members asked how the city could respond. O'Connell said the sheriff's office has some drone resources and an aviation unit that can be requested, but local ground access using a side‑by‑side and a drone program would reduce response times and aid search and rescue. He recommended bringing an equipment request to the budget workshop scheduled later this spring and coordinating potential grants with the sheriff’s office.

Separately, O'Connell reviewed the Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating process, saying Calimesa is currently a Class 3 on a 1–10 scale and that the water‑supply network and hydrant maintenance — outside the fire department's direct control — materially affect the rating. Lowering the rating could benefit commercial insurance premiums, he said.

O'Connell also outlined the incoming state wildfire hazard severity mapping process. He said the Office of the State Fire Marshal will publish maps on March 24, and the state requires cities to present proposed municipal‑code changes and open a public comment period within 30 days of map publication. The chief emphasized one change commonly called "Zone 0": a mandated 5‑foot clearance of any combustible material adjacent to home exterior walls. He said the requirement could affect fencing, ornamental landscaping and patio furniture and that staff and legal counsel are preparing options for council consideration.

Ending: Council members asked staff to pursue grant opportunities and to bring equipment requests into the budget discussion. The council did not take immediate formal action on equipment or code changes; staff was directed to research funding and draft code language and public‑engagement plans for the upcoming mapping rollout.