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Canyon Lake Fire Department reports high January activity, strike‑team deployments to Los Angeles fires and launches CERT sessions
Summary
Fire Chief Latendres reviewed January call activity, recounted the department’s deployment on multiple strike teams to Southern California wildfires, described two chimney fires during the wind event and outlined training, CERT and community programs.
Canyon Lake Fire Department Chief Latendres presented the department’s January monthly and 2024 annual reports at the City Council meeting, telling council the department ran 107 emergency responses in January and deployed personnel on multiple out‑of‑county strike teams to recent Southern California wildfires.
Chief Latendres said January’s 107 calls were above typical monthly volumes (the department averages roughly 98–100 calls). In January the department recorded six fires, 53 medical aids and multiple service and false‑alarm calls. Two chimney fires, a cooking fire and an electrical fire were among the incidents described; several of the structure incidents coincided with a wind‑driven power outage.
The department deployed Engine 201 as part of a five‑engine strike team for 15 days to incidents including the Hearst, Archer and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County. Chief Latendres said the engine and its crew performed overhaul, repopulation and search tasks and that the city expects reimbursement for strike‑team personnel and apparatus costs; staff later told the council the city estimates it will receive roughly $150,000 in strike‑team reimbursements (the estimate includes personnel overtime and apparatus hourly allowances), with an estimated $85,000 in city costs to deploy.
Chief Latendres described response‑time metrics: for medical incidents this month the average total response time was 5 minutes 45 seconds; 90‑percent performance measures were also shared (90% turnout 1 minute; 90% travel time ~7:08; 90% total response time ~8:47). He said the department’s training work in January totaled 177 hours and covered hazardous materials, rope rescue, commercial fire simulations and forcible entry. The department has started a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program with multi‑day training; registration was open and the chief reported 36 signups with room for additional participants.
Other items in the annual report included a commercial inspection program, a grant‑funded battery recycling program (the chief reported 300 pounds of batteries collected), a medication drop‑off program and an Office of Traffic Safety grant to buy extrication equipment. The chief said firefighters and reserves received awards chosen by peers, and the annual report will be published online and printed copies made available at City Hall and the fire station.
The chief also answered council questions about mutual‑aid deployments, clarifying that the department’s Type‑1 engine went on strike‑team assignments and the department did not send a Type‑6 on the most recent deployments.
The department’s outreach and preparedness items — including the CERT training schedule and the battery/medication collection programs — were described as ongoing efforts to improve community readiness and reduce hazards.
