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Santa Rosa council studies fire-department cuts; chiefs and unions urge no brownouts
Summary
City staff proposed more than $1.2 million in reductions to the fire department to avoid closing a station; Fire Chief Scott Westrope and union leaders warned brownouts or blackouts would lengthen response times and raise risk for residents and crews.
Santa Rosa’s continued budget study session turned sharply to public safety as staff presented a package of proposed reductions for the Fire Department intended to avoid a station closure but still save money.
The package presented to council this week included a deputy chief position, two currently vacant firefighter positions and two civilian positions (a deputy emergency manager and an administrative secretary), plus modest services-and-supplies reductions. City staff say those items together total roughly $1.23 million and would preserve existing engine and truck companies instead of closing or browning out a company.
Fire Chief Scott Westrope said the department has worked with the city manager to identify options that aim to “avoid any station closure, any company closure because that's a direct impact to servicing the community.” He told council that the department will try to protect front-line engine and truck companies because those are the units that directly affect response times.
Council members repeatedly pressed the chief on what a brownout would mean in practice. Westrope said a brownout — temporarily removing an apparatus from service while retaining staff on payroll — would still cause longer first-unit arrival times because other companies would need to cover the area, and cover times vary with traffic and time of day. “When 1 company falls, it affects everybody,” he said.
Union leaders and several dozen members of Local 1401, who attended the meeting, implored the council to find alternatives. President Matt Tognasi told council the International Association of Fire Fighters had been surprised to hear Santa Rosa was still considering reductions of apparatus and personnel and urged council to change course. Capt. Sam Hall and other firefighters described the speed at which modern structure fires flash over and said any additional delay in response could be fatal. “These fires burn faster and hotter,” Hall said. “A brownout is not different than a blackout for people who need help.”
The city manager’s office said the proposal is intended as a compromise to preserve coverage while producing savings. Staff also presented the council with brownout-cost options after a council request to see those figures; city leaders emphasized that choosing a brownout would still reduce service even if crews remain on payroll.
Council discussion showed strong reluctance to reduce front-line fire apparatus. Several council members said they would prefer to accept other savings across the budget rather than reduce fire company availability. Others said the city must produce savings now and that the package of reductions developed by the city and the department was a pragmatic compromise.
The council did not take a final vote at the study session; staff said they will continue labor discussions (meet-and-confer) before the draft budget returns for formal consideration. The city manager and the fire chief said they will keep refining options and that any final action will be brought back to the full council at the budget adoption hearing.
