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Fire chief says staffing and apparatus increases improving readiness; 12 personnel deployed to LA fire
Summary
Fire Chief Bradley Dandridge told council the department has added staff and is pursuing apparatus placement and training improvements; union leaders and the chief noted deployments to Los Angeles and ongoing vacancies.
Fire Chief Bradley Dandridge told the City Council on Tuesday that the Santa Maria Fire Department has increased staffing and is implementing training, prevention and apparatus-placement changes to improve readiness for major fires and medical emergencies.
Chief Dandridge said a January 2024 community risk assessment found the department had 0.64 firefighters per 1,000 residents and recommended additional staffing. "Mayor, you and previous council approved an additional of 9 firefighters to our budget which increased our approved staffing by 3 per shift," he said, adding that nine firefighters were hired in April 2024 and…
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