Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Fire Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mount Shasta Fire District urges city to restore shared firefighter post, warns of nighttime response limits
Summary
At the July 14 Mount Shasta City Council meeting, a Mount Shasta Fire Protection District board member urged the council to refill a jointly funded firefighter position and rescind guidance limiting nighttime responses, saying the changes reduce emergency coverage for both jurisdictions.
Mike Bradley, a member of the Mount Shasta Fire Protection District board of directors, told the City Council on July 14 that the district is “concerned about the city's current decision not to fill a recently vacated firefighter position” under the jurisdictions’ joint staffing agreement.
Bradley said the shared position supports seven dedicated fire personnel and that the vacancy reduces the partners’ ability to respond to emergencies. He also said the district is “particularly concerned about the directive for the fire chief to withhold nighttime responses unless deemed absolutely necessary,” and called that guidance an “unacceptable risk to public safety.”
Bradley told the council the district values past discussions with city officials, including a May 9 meeting with the city manager and finance director, but said those conversations “did not result in any solutions.” He requested a joint meeting between the city council and the fire district board to explore alternatives such as phased hiring, cost sharing and grant opportunities.
Council members did not take immediate formal action during public comment. The item prompted later remarks from council about arranging a meeting with the fire district; a separate future-agenda item was suggested to meet with all five council members and district representatives.
Ending: The council closed public comment and moved into other business. Bradley’s request for a joint meeting was recorded on the public record; any formal city response or budgetary decision was not made during the July 14 meeting.
