Central County Fire Department cites high community approval, warns of rising call volume and equipment costs

Central County Fire Chief Dave Pucci told the Millbrae City Council that the department’s recent strategic‑planning survey found high marks for professionalism, interagency collaboration and community engagement, but also identified aging infrastructure and rising call volumes as urgent issues.

Pucci said the department received overwhelmingly positive ratings in anonymous community surveys for responsiveness, professionalism and emergency preparedness, and that internal employee surveys showed high job satisfaction. “We scored very high on the professionalism of the fire department, collaboration with other public safety agencies, emergency preparedness, responsiveness and accessibility of services,” Pucci said.

The survey also identified gaps. Pucci said community partners want more public education and improved communications; staff reported aging facilities and apparatus, and challenges in recruiting and retaining paramedics. Pucci told the council the department’s call volume has risen “to over 9,000 calls per year.” He said San Mateo County overall is seeing a 2–5 percent annual uptick in calls and that medical overdose calls have increased.

Pucci described funding actions taken to address the needs: the department won an $8.1 million SAFER grant last year that pays for 12 additional firefighters, allowing some apparatus to operate with four‑person crews and enabling the planned reopening of Station 36 on Rollins. “We received $8,100,000 grant last year to provide 12 personnel to expand our services in the community,” Pucci said, adding that the grant expires after four years and that continuing the staffing will require local funding or renewed grants.

On capital costs he said fire apparatus approach $1.1–$1.2 million per unit and that new technologies and equipment shorten vehicle lifespans, increasing replacement costs. Pucci said the department is developing a multi‑year replacement plan so the department can build reserves rather than financing equipment when replacements are needed.

Council members pressed for details. Councilmember Ronaly asked for breakdowns of call increases and whether overdoses and traffic accidents were major drivers; Pucci reiterated that the department logs overdoses as medical aid calls and confirmed significant increases in those calls. Councilmember Rinaldi and others praised the department’s outreach and the SAFER award and asked about long‑term funding; Pucci said the department is working with member cities to discuss how to sustain expanded staffing after the grant expires, and noted different cities are exploring different approaches such as property assessment updates or setting aside reserves.

Pucci also described recent mutual‑aid deployments to Southern California wildfire responses and the department’s role there in watershed protection and hazardous‑runoff mitigation. He urged continued regional cooperation and said staffing and training to handle life‑science facilities and HAZMAT risks remain priorities.

The council thanked Pucci for the presentation and asked staff to continue coordination with Millbrae and the Central County Fire Board as the department implements its strategic plan and funding discussions.

Ending: The department framed its near‑term path as a combination of grant reliance and local planning: Pucci said the department will seek grant renewals but is preparing a fiscally sustainable multi‑year capital and staffing plan to maintain service levels after the SAFER grant ends.