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Albany fire chief briefs committee on EMS, prevention and vegetation management as resident raises concern about possible local fire ordinance
Summary
Fire Chief Jim Bueto told the public safety committee on April 10 that Albany Fire provides 24/7 paramedic coverage, has completed state-mandated inspections and has stepped up vegetation management; a resident raised timing concerns about a possible municipal fire-hazard ordinance and the June 24 state submission deadline.
Fire Chief Jim Bueto briefed the Albany Standing Committee for Public Safety on April 10 about emergency medical services, fire prevention, recruitment, vegetation management and community preparedness. Earlier in the meeting a resident, Larissa Seto, urged staff to keep the community informed about possible local action to adopt higher fire-hazard standards and noted a June 24 state submission deadline for any municipal ordinance.
Chief Bueto said Albany Fire staffs a daily crew of seven people, including a paramedic engine company, a paramedic truck company and a paramedic ambulance. The department has 22 sworn personnel, one full‑time fire inspector and a part‑time fire inspector. He said Albany holds exclusive operating area rights that preserve local ambulance and EMS service. Bueto reported average response times under four and a half minutes across the city and an average ambulance response time of about 4 minutes 47 seconds; time-on-task from leaving station to clearing the hospital averaged about one hour and nine minutes. The department reported an average hospital “wall” or APOT time of about 34 minutes during the quarter.
The chief described a stepped-up vegetation management program and said the department sent 42 weed‑abatement letters recently. He reported the department completed required inspections that stemmed from Senate Bill 1205 (the post‑Ghost Ship inspection requirements) and achieved full compliance last year. The department also runs special operations training (vehicle extrication, water rescue, low‑angle rope rescue), hazardous‑materials first‑responder work and coordinated active‑shooter training with the police department.
On community preparedness, Bueto described the city’s CERT program, an MOU with Albany CERT, coordination with University Village and UC Berkeley emergency managers, and plans to support block captain refresher trainings. The department is working with Albany CERT and UC Village on preparedness education and resource planning to improve neighborhood resiliency.
Resident Larissa Seto told the committee she had received a city notice about state fire‑hazard maps and an apparent process for a city ordinance that could set higher local standards. She said her concern was the timeline: "If Albany wanted to have an ordinance, it had to have an adopted ordinance by June 24," and worried that the typical introduction/second‑reading/adoption calendar could limit community input. The chief told her staff were considering a number of factors and that "there was nothing concrete yet at this time." Committee members asked about electric apparatus and the limits of current technology and infrastructure; Bueto said electric aerials and ladder trucks are not yet available as turnkey options and that charging infrastructure and reliability remain constraints. He said the department uses renewable diesel and idle‑reduction technology on recently acquired apparatus to reduce emissions.
Committee members asked about training cadence; Bueto said water‑rescue training occurs quarterly in the bay and the department runs full‑scale exercises this year tied to the city’s Emergency Operations Plan. On mutual and automatic aid, Bueto said Albany provided auto/mutual aid 72 times and received it 46 times in the period reviewed.
The committee did not take formal action on a local fire ordinance during the meeting; staff were asked to keep the community advised if proposals develop.
