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Vista adds seven emergency vehicles as mayor highlights fire responses and sheriff statistics
Summary
Mayor John Franklin said Vista acquired seven emergency vehicles, including six fire engines and a paramedic ambulance, and cited rising emergency responses in a 2024 review; the address also summarized San Diego County Sheriff station call volumes and year-over-year crime changes.
Mayor John Franklin said the City of Vista acquired seven new emergency vehicles in 2024 — six new fire engines and a paramedic ambulance — to strengthen emergency response. "This investment ensures that our first responders will be able to respond quickly, safely, and precisely to handle emergencies," Franklin said.
The mayor told listeners the Vista Fire Department responded to a large number of calls last year, and city materials cited a high incident count for 2024. Franklin highlighted community outreach by the department, including the Ignite Your Potential program for young women and school-based fire-safety presentations.
Franklin recounted a November house fire rescue in which an Uber Eats driver, Naz Mohammed, spotted flames and called 911, then assisted a trapped resident until deputies arrived. Two deputies identified in the mayor's remarks, Robert Oliveri and Craig Vanden Bosch, were named as joining that rescue effort before the fire department assumed command of the scene.
The mayor also summarized San Diego County Sheriff station activity serving Vista. According to the address, the station handled roughly 28,233 calls for service during the cited period and reported declines in some crimes: crimes against persons decreased about 4.3% and crimes against property declined about 18.2% compared with the prior year. Arrests for crimes against society — including drug and weapons violations — rose, with the mayor noting a 33.4% increase overall and a 37.2% increase in narcotics-related offenses.
Franklin framed the staffing and equipment additions as part of a broader public-safety strategy that pairs enforcement and community engagement: the address cited youth leadership programs, junior deputy academies and regular community events intended to build trust between residents and deputies.
The mayor also announced a change in leadership at the Vista Station: the city thanked outgoing Captain John Boyce on his promotion to commander and welcomed Captain John Malan back to the Vista station. The remarks credited both the sheriff's station and the fire department with continuing community engagement and public-safety work.
