Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "fire department"

Tales from the front lines: Working on Christmas

2011-12-24T03:38:59Z

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when most folks are sitting down to enjoy dinner with family and friends, public safety officers, doctors and nurses and others in service industries still have to work. It’s not always easy – crime and accidents don’t take a break on holidays.

The Sacramento Press asked some of them to share their holiday work experiences. These are their stories.

FIRE DEPARTMENT:
“(Christmas) is a pretty loaded day,” Doug Bruce, an engineer with Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, said Friday. “There is a lot of last-minute things going on, so there is a lot of traffic out. We keep busy.”

Bruce said calls to the fire station can be strange no matter what the day, but during the holidays, you really never know what you’re going to get.

“A lot of times there’s the unfortunate call where something crazy happens involving the holiday spirit and it touches off a structure fire,” Bruce said. “On the other hand, there may be a call where a life is saved or property is saved and things end on a brighter note. It’s really a mixed bag.”

Being on duty on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is not boring by any means, Bruce said – but it’s not lonely, either.

“We have a lot of people who stop by and bring treats and baked goods,” Bruce said. “We just finished a toy drive, so we have a lot of folks that bring toys for that, too.”

Throughout the year, fire personnel are thanked for their work by random people who come up to say hello now and then, Bruce said.

“When someone who came through an incident that could have had grave circumstances comes back and says thank you, that really means a lot,” he added.

Bruce spoke of a woman who had been out on the town one Christmas Eve a few years ago and choked on some food during dinner.

“We arrived and she was down – she wasn’t breathing,” Bruce said. “She went into a coma for a while, but she came back and survived.”

Bruce said the woman comes by the station about twice a year to visit and bring treats to say thank you to the firemen who saved her life that day.

“When they take time to come and see us and say, ‘You did this for me back when,’ you think to yourself, ‘Wow. That’s great.’ Those are special days,” Bruce said.

For those who have to work at the fire station on Christmas, it can be hard to be away from the family, Bruce said, but many stations try to make the best of it by hosting dinner for the crew’s families.

“Some (stations) invite everyone to the station, and they’ll put on a big spread and feed everyone well,” Bruce said.

POLICE DEPARTMENT:
The police are busy year-round with calls from robbery to murder to car theft, but the holidays seem to add just a touch of excitement even to that score, according to Officer William Cho of the Twin Rivers Police Department.

“A couple of Thanksgivings ago, we got a call because someone had left a turkey on in a school oven,” Cho said Wednesday.

When Cho and his partner arrived on the scene, Cho said, they thought the building was on fire because the place was thick with smoke.

“I don’t know how long it had been in there, but the bird was shrunken, mangled and burned to a crisp,” Cho said. “The people who called us were like, ‘Oh, sorry – guess we forgot to take the turkey out.’ There can be calls like that now and then.”

Officer Arnel Agdipa, also from the Twin Rivers Police Department, said he and his fellow officers feel gratitude from the community in some unexpected ways.

“There was one Christmas out in Woodlake when the community members had a dinner set up for us at the old fire station off of Arden,” Agdipa said Wednesday. “They had food and stuff all laid out for all law enforcement and fire personnel, and we could come and go and eat when we had time. It was great having the community get together and do that for us.”

POST OFFICE:
Gary Campanale, a former express mail deliverer for the U.S. Postal Service, said Friday that working Christmas Day had its ups and downs.

“A couple of times (when delivering on Christmas Day), I was invited to share Christmas dinner,” Campanale said.

The USPS Overnight Express mail is delivered 365 days a year, Campanale said, so every year there is a chance to work on holidays.

“(Customers) were usually so appreciative that they invited me in to share cocoa or lunch or something,” Campanale said. “They were so hospitable. Even if it was for just 15 or 20 minutes, I’d take my break and go in.”

Of course, mail delivery on Christmas has its downside, too, Campanale said.

“Believe it or not, sometimes you’d be there delivering on Christmas Day, but (the package) was guaranteed for the day before – Christmas Eve – and people would be so irritated,” Campanale said. “They’d want their money back and chew your head off even though you’re working Christmas.

“This time of year it’s a crapshoot if mail is going to get there on the exact day, and sometimes it just didn’t,” he said.

HOSPITAL:
Amanda M., an emergency room nurse in the Sutter Hospital system in Sacramento, said patients who arrive in the E.R. on holidays run the gamut from psych patients who think they are superheroes to families with food poisoning.

“Sometimes we get Batman heading out to save people,” she said, “or they think they’re Superman and try to fly off things – it’s surprising.”

Cooking-related injuries around Christmas time are common, too, she said, especially during the night shift after dinner.

“We’ve seen injuries from turkey explosions,” Amanda said, “and burns from deep-frying turkeys. We’ve even had people on oxygen that get too close to flames and set themselves on fire. It’s nuts.”

And then there are the people for whom accidents happen in the most unexpected ways.

“Once, before Christmas, a guy came in who had been putting lights up on his house,” Amanda said. “He got all tangled up in them – like a Chevy Chase Christmas movie – and fell off the roof. He came in with fragments of light bulbs in his skin all over him.”

It took two people nearly two hours to dig out all the shards of glass, she said.

The work of an E.R. nurse on Christmas doesn’t always go unnoticed, however. Sometimes, Amanda said, there is an occasional showing of gratitude.

“We get a lot of patients that bring back cookies or bake cakes for us,” Amanda said. “Or someone will send a card that says, ‘Thank you for taking care of me on Christmas Eve – I was the drunk guy.’

“Whatever it is, the gesture is always appreciated,” she added.

Whether it’s a thank-you card or a plate of cookies – or the occasional $10 bill tucked in an envelope – the people who work on Christmas so others can enjoy the holiday with their families deserve a hearty “thank you” during the holidays.

As Bruce said, “It’s always nice to hear.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

False alarms get more costly for residents, businesses

2011-12-08T04:16:05Z

Sacramentans who protect their homes and businesses with fire and burglar alarms may soon pay more for chronic false alarms and see alarm permit fees nearly triple.

The Sacramento Fire and Police departments each presented proposals to the City Council’s Law and Legislation Committee Tuesday that would change the current policy on fire and burglar alarm response – and increase penalties for multiple false alarms.

The proposed changes to police alarm response will do two things: require alarm companies to step up efforts to verify legitimate alarms, and change the current three-year permit structure to an annual permit.

The changes to fire alarm response includes incrementally increasing fines for multiple false alarms.

Members of the Law and Legislation Committee unanimously approved both proposals Tuesday.

“This will allow the (Police Department) to focus on legitimate priority needs of the community,” Police Capt. Jim Maccoun told the committee Tuesday.

According to Maccoun, alarm installations throughout the city have increased by 4,000 since 2008, resulting in an increased demand for police services.

At the same time, police staffing has decreased by 29 percent over the last several years.

In years past, alarm companies sent private security personnel to respond when alarms were set off. As the economy shifted, many alarm companies either downsized their operations or moved out of state and eliminated response by private security personnel.

Alarm companies have private contracts with customers but use a public agency to service the contract – transferring the responsibility to respond to alarms to the local police.

Residents who do not have an alarm system essentially subsidize those who do by paying taxes to support the overall costs of police response to alarm calls, according to a police staff report presented to the committee.

Sacramento Police Department has responded to an average of 26,000 calls per year – that’s 72 alarm calls per day – over the last three years. Ninety-seven percent of those were false alarms, Maccoun said.

The report also stated that alarm calls involve a two-officer response and take approximately 40 minutes to resolve – costing the city approximately $3.7 million per year.

On top of the ordinance changes, the Police Department is also changing its department policy to further curtail false alarm responses.

According to Maccoun, right now the department will respond to all alarms. With the new changes, however, after three false burglar alarms in 12 months, the department will only respond after the alarm company has attempted to confirm a valid alarm with the home or business owner.

This “enhanced call verification” means alarm companies will have to make at least two telephone calls to determine whether the alarm signal was a mistake before calling the police: one to the premises where the alarm was activated, and one to an alternate number provided by the residence or business owner.

This will also be the case if any false alarm or permit fees are not paid within 120 days after a resident or business owner is billed.

The ordinance states that violations will be considered a public nuisance, and fines will be between $250 and $25,000 for each day the violation continues, depending on the offense.

The breakdown of the new fees and penalties was not available Tuesday, Maccoun said. A proposed fee structure will be presented to City Council when it reviews the proposal.

For the Fire Department, false fire alarms have steadily risen since 2004 and now make up about 15 percent of total emergency responses, a fire department report states.

A standard fire alarm response typically requires units from three or four fire stations to cover, the report states. False alarms make those units unavailable for actual emergency response.

To curb the amount of false fire alarms, the Fire Department wants to levy penalties for alarm systems that generate multiple false alarms.

The tiered penalties start with a warning notice after the second false alarm in any 12-month period. Fines levied for third and further false alarms were not available Tuesday. They will be made available to the City Council when it considers both the new fire and police changes.

After the fifth false alarm, the penalty includes notice of public nuisance and the possibility that the system may be removed from service by the Fire Department, potentially creating problems for home and business owners in meeting insurance requirements.

Michael Sommerfield, owner of Miosa Couture on J Street, said Wednesday the problem is not the people with the alarms, rather it is the alarm systems themselves.

“It’s the fire department that requires these high-tech alarms,” Sommerfield said. “They insisted on (alarm) systems that don’t work.”

Sommerfield said that he is “all for” minimizing the number of false alarms, but he doesn’t think business owners should be penalized for faulty equipment.

“It’s a waste of taxpayer dollars for (the Fire Department) to come out with 12 guys all geared up,” Sommerfield said. “If they’d let us use $6 Home Depot alarms that actually work, this wouldn’t be such a problem.”

Although City Councilman Steve Cohn voted in favor of the proposed ordinance changes, he expressed concerns about the fee structure.

“I think the first issue is whether to have a fee differential between commercial and residential permits,” Cohn said. “Second, is whether to phase in the increase over a two-year period instead of immediately.

“The problem is hitting people pretty hard all at once,” Cohn said. “We’re talking about almost tripling the fee, not just for violators but for everybody.”

City Coucilman Jay Schenirer, who also was a yes vote on the ordinance, agreed with Cohn’s concerns.

“It’s one more fee increase for people on top of everything else,” City Councilman Jay Schenirer said Tuesday. “We need to look at that.”

Maccoun told committee members that proposed fees would be brought to the full City Council when the ordinances go before them.

If the City Council approves the ordinances, the changes to the current law will become effective 30 days later.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

City first quarter finance report: revenues down, expenditures up

2011-11-08T05:38:45Z

After the first quarter of the fiscal year, city revenues are only about half of what was projected, but city finance officials said they aren’t ready to panic yet. The negative balance for the city budget is not just related to lower-than-anticipated revenues – a large part of the imbalance is due to greater-than-anticipated expenditures.

The $812 million city budget is running negative at the moment – “typical” for the first quarter of the fiscal year, according to the most recent report from the city Finance Department.

The first quarter financial report will be presented to the City Council Tuesday.

Of the six main sources of revenue for the city – property tax, utility user tax, sales tax, business operations tax, public safety tax and transient occupancy (hotel) tax – two sources have not been on par with projections made when the budget was approved in June.

Property tax – which at 34 percent of all general fund revenues is the largest source of revenue for the city – appears to be at about 2 percent of projections, but that number can be misleading, according to Dawn Holm, acting budget manager for the city Finance Department.

Property tax revenues are received by the city in late January and late May, so the current report doesn’t reflect revenue beyond June.

Once the city receives property tax revenues in January, the general fund ledger will be adjusted to reflect a new balance.

The new result still may not be as good as was expected when the budget was passed in June, however.

Property values continue to decline at a higher-than-expected rate throughout the state, according to a County Assessor’s Office property tax update given to the city Finance department earlier this month.

Initially, property tax revenues for Sacramento for fiscal year 2011-12 were projected to be close to $126 million – about 1 percent less than the totals received in 2010-11.

Taking into account the county assessor’s projections, though, the actual year-end number could wind up being down 2 or even 3 percent, Holm said.

“It’s really too early to tell with any precision,” Holm said.

The good news is sales tax revenues may take up the slack and balance out the potential property tax shortfall.

According to a city staff report, taxable sales in California are expected to increase by 1.7 percent in 2011, and Sacramento is currently projecting a 4 percent increase over the 2010-11 budget.

Sales tax results that come in better than anticipated will offset the decline in property taxes, according to the staff report.

Four areas of general fund expenditures that are already in the red – and may go deeper – include department spending for fire, police, convention and leisure, and parks and recreation.

The Sacramento Fire Department is facing a projected $2.3 million shortfall by the end of the year due to overtime spending required to restore two formerly browned-out stations and the costs of hiring 27 people as part of a federal grant program.

The city accepted a federal grant that will pay for the new staffers, but grant money doesn’t come in until the positions are filled, Holm said, and when the money does come in, it cannot be used to reimburse overtime spending.

One option the department is considering to manage the budget shortfall is potential funding from Medi-Cal transport reimbursement, which is allowed by the recently passed AB678.

“The alternative would be to direct the department to implement the two additional brownouts again,” Holm said. “We’d still be in the hole, but not as much as we look to be in right now.”

Fire department representatives could not immediately be reached for comment.

The police department’s projected deficit of $3.1 million is due to unfunded employee services benefits, additional overtime because of staffing reductions and unexpected reductions in grant and contract service reimbursements, according to the staff report.

When the Convention, Culture and Leisure Department transfers golf maintenance to a private contractor in January, the city will incur one-time expenses associated with the transfer that had not been budgeted, according to the staff report.

“Part of contracting out (golf maintenance) is going to be letting go of some staff,” Holm said. “When we let go of any employees, we have to pay for unused sick leave, vacation and overtime.”

Holm said those costs are paid out as lump-sum payments to employees when they leave city service.

“That is never budgeted for,” Holm said, “so when you have a large group leaving, it’s a hit to the department.”

In this case, it is a $229,000 hit to the Parks Department budget, according to an Oct. 25 report to the City Council.

Golf maintenance included 58 positions, and contracting out the service eliminates those positions.

Fifty of those positions were filled at the time that the City Council approved contracting out the service.

The city’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. Until this year, the City Council received semi-annual reports from the Finance Department: a mid-year update and an end-of-year final report.

Since coming to the position in September, City Manager John Shirey has instituted a quarterly report to council members to provide the most timely information regarding the city’s current financial condition, Holm said.

“He felt that every six months was just too long,” Holm said. “He wants everyone to have an understanding of where things are going on a more regular basis.”

The next quarterly financial report will be presented to the City Council at end of January or first week in February. Meanwhile, Holm said, department staff will continue to work toward meeting budget goals.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Third annual Sacramento 9/11 Memorial Climb includes new 5K run

2011-09-02T06:11:10Z

The 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks is coming up, and throughout the country there will be memorials honoring the dead, but Sacramento firefighters ask that locals take the opportunity to come out and run a 5K race for a good cause.

Through a partnership between various Sacramento area Fire Departments, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sheriff’s Department and more than 2,000 local volunteers, a 5K run/walk has been organized as an addition to their third annual 9/11 Memorial Climb, in which 343 firefighters – the number of New York firefighters killed on 9/11 – climb the Renaissance Tower in downtown Sacramento to honor fallen firefighters.

“It’s very personal for the firefighters. You have to be a firefighter to do the climb, and that’s one of the reasons the why the 5K run was developed,” said volunteer Karen Montgomery, a history and geography teacher at Rocklin High School.

“There are so many other people that want to pay tribute to the fallen firefighters and want to be a part of this memorial,” she added, “so it’s a way of preserving the climb just for the firefighters and then having another way of honoring the fallen.”

To take part in the 5K run/walk, it costs $30 to register through Fleet Feet Sports, 2311 J St. Proceeds for the run will go to the Sacramento Area Firefighters Widows and Orphans Fund.

Fleet Feet Sports will coordinate the run/walk. Organizers will provide timers for the racers to carry, and Fleet Feed will track the results of the run.

On Sept. 11 at 8 a.m., 343 Sacramento firefighters dressed in their fire gear will ascend the stairs of the Renaissance Tower, which is 28 stories high.

They will climb the stairs of the building four times in order to match the height of the Twin Towers, which stood at 110 stories high. Each firefighter will carry a name plaque of a fallen firefighter. There will be a Twin Towers memorial at the end of the climb for the firefighters to leave the names of those who perished.

At 9:11 a.m., the 5K run/walk will begin at Capitol Mall between fifth and seventh streets. There will be two waves of participants, according Montgomery. People who want to run will go first. The second wave of participants who want to walk will follow at 9:21 a.m.

Local Celtic band Stout Rebellion will be performing during the run/walk.

For non-firefighters, a pre-climb event will be held Sept. 9 in which Sacramento firefighters have invited Good Day Sacramento to preview their climb at The Renaissance Tower.

The preview will also include a performance by pop singer Anna Nalick. Her song “Breathe (2 a.m.) was a radio hit in 2005. She will be in the Good Day Sacramento studio promoting the run.

Nalick is also set to perform at the Tribute in the Park concert after the 5K run Sept. 11 beginning at 10 a.m. Other acts set to take the stage include the country band 27 Outlaws. The singer and guitarist Joel Van Horne of the indie alternative rock band, Carbon Choir will also perform.

“When you lose a firefighter, it’s obviously a great impact, but when you lose 343 in one day, it’s overwhelming,” said Captain Tony Peck, spokesperson for the Sacramento Fire Department.

“And to think they were doing what we do every day. It’s a stark reminder that although we never want to make that ultimate sacrifice – it’s a reminder that we’re in a line a work where that can happen. It’s very moving for us when 343 are lost in one day and had no idea it was going to happen to them,” Peck said.

At the end of the run, participants will be given a flag, and they will be asked to go to the Capitol and place the flag on the lawn. 2,997 flags will be distributed to symbolize all the Americans who died on Sept. 11.

“As a history teacher and wife of a firefighter, I have a different perspective,” Montgomery said. Historically, it’s important for us to remember these major events and sacrifices that people make. But also, it’s important for our students – our younger generation – to understand what it’s like to live in a post-9/11 world. The events of 9/11 have affected us dramatically. The way we live our everyday lives has really been impacted by security measures that followed 9/11.”

For more information on the 9/11 Memorial Run/Walk, click here.

Photos of Wednesday afternoon's fire north of downtown

2011-08-10T21:41:54Z

Firefighters responded to a fire near the intersection of N Seventh Street and Richards Boulevard at about 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

Suspect in Three Arson Fires Arrested

2011-07-28T18:00:33Z

July 27, 2011, Sacramento Ca.- Investigators from the Galt Police Department, Cosumnes Fire Department, and the Sacramento Metro Fire District worked together to tie 24-year-old Adam Kelly to three arson fires in Sacramento County over a two-week period.

The first fire occurred in Galt on July 6, 2011 at 10430 Twin Cities Rd. Firefighters responded to the service area of the Raley's supermarket and found numerous large pieces of recycled cardboard piled up and set on fire. Firefighters extinguished the fire with no injuries and minor damage to the building.

The second fire was July 13, 2011 at the 750 block of Moose Creek Way in Galt. Firefighters responded to the report of a fire against the structure. On arrival firefighters found clothing on fire, piled up against an occupied building causing damage to the wall. No injuries were reported.

The third fire was reported on July 22, 2011 in the area of 18th and Elkhorn Blvd in Rio Linda. Firefighters arrived and found a 1/4-acre grass fire. Witnesses on scene reported a male later identified as Kelly at the scene. No one was injured at the incident. All three fires have been ruled arson.

Through cooperative information sharing, investigators were able to determine all three incidents were related. The suspect, Adam Kelly, was arrested on July 26, 2011 by the Galt Police Department and booked into the Sacramento County Jail on two counts of Arson to Property and one count of Arson to a Structure, all felonies. He is currently being held with a $50,000 bail.

Sac Metro Fire and Firefighter Assoc Assist with Pillow Pet Donations for UCD Children's Hospital

2011-07-11T17:06:57Z

Sacramento Ca- Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, Metro's Firefighter Association and UC Davis Children’s Hospital have partnered with Pillow Pets for Life Foundation, a non-profit organization whose aim is to bring comfort to hospitalized children. They have come together with the common goal of collecting at least 1000 donated pillow pets, an actual snugly pillow shaped like an animal character, to distribute to children undergoing medical treatment at UC Davis Children’s Hospital. Sacramento Metro Fire is partnering with the foundation which is using Sac Metro Fire facilities as drop off locations for the Pillow Pets. Once the goal of 1000 is met, Firefighters from the Sacramento Metro Fire District will have the honor of delivering the Pillow Pets to the UCD Children's Hospital.

The Pillow Pets For Life Foundation has set a goal to air its cause for the week of July 10, 2011, through K-Love Radio, Sac Bee Newspaper, and local news stations hoping to gain greater support from the general public to reach its compassionate goal. For additional details please contact the foundations president.

Pillow Pets for Life Foundation

Founder/President: Kara Kateley

kara.kateley@hotmail.

916-912-6796

Officials share fireworks and water safety tips

2011-07-02T00:16:28Z

Lighting fireworks at the Fourth of July block party is a common tradition in Sacramento, and local firefighters shared tips to make sure those fireworks are used properly so the holiday is a safe one.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Assistant Chief Dale Turner said the two most important safety concerns with fireworks are making sure they are used correctly with adult supervision and that they are used in a safe area away from combustible materials.

There should also be 30 feet of pavement, concrete or dirt around fireworks to ensure no fires are started, Sacramento Fire Department Deputy Chief Lloyd Ogan said.

He added that only “Safe and Sane” fireworks are legal to use in the city.

“Safe and Sane” fireworks are approved by the State Fire Marshal and are sold by reputable dealers.

When shooting off fireworks, Turner advised having a fire extinguisher or garden hose nearby to put out any fires that could start.

“Don’t put used fireworks directly in the trash can,” he said. “Even an hour, two hours, six hours later, they can actually cause a fire.”

He said that with most people storing garbage cans near their houses, those fires can spread and become potentially lethal house fires.

“It always happens every year,” Turner said. “It’s absolutely life-threatening, especially in the middle of the night.”

Ogan stressed the need to follow instructions on the fireworks themselves.

“Fireworks should never be held in the hand unless they are designed for that, but most aren’t,” he said.

He added that any firework that leaves the ground – such as bottle rockets – is illegal.

Fireworks should not be modified, Turner said, since they are designed to work in a certain way, and modifying them makes them illegal.

“You can get really life-changing injuries,” he said. “We want you to have fun with fireworks and celebrate our independence, but do it with conscious thought and in a safe area.”

Turner stressed the importance of supervising children with fireworks.

“When my children were young, my eldest son burned my youngest son with a sparkler, and the scar is still there 15 years later,” he said.

Anyone who has illegal fireworks can drop them off at any fire station for disposal, and they will not be penalized as long as they have not been used, Ogan said.

To ensure a firework is legal, check for the “Safe and Sane” emblem shown in the image below.

“Safe and Sane” fireworks may be legally used from now until noon on Tuesday, Ogan said.

Water Safety

With the Fourth of July weekend drawing people to the rivers, Turner stressed the importance of water safety, adding that this year’s river flows are stronger and higher than in years past.

“This year is worse than any other year,” he said. “We’ve had 89 rescues since June 17, and we usually have about 30 all year.”

Ogan added that anyone using the rivers, especially at Discovery Park at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers, should wear a life vest and supervise children.

“Also pay attention to how long you’ve been in the water,” he said. “The water is going to be cold, and you shouldn’t be in for more than a few minutes.”

Dangers of exposure to cold water include hypothermia and lack of strength to leave the water.

For more information on water safety and how to check the fit of a life jacket, click here.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN THIS JULY 4TH HOLIDAY WEEKEND

2011-06-30T20:44:04Z

The City of Sacramento reminds residents and visitors to be safe this July 4th Holiday weekend. Below are a few friendly reminders:

• The City and County of Sacramento require that anybody under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket while in the regions’ waterways.

• Children should be supervised at all times when fireworks are in use; even Safe and Sane fireworks can cause injury. Do not let your children run with sparklers and ensure that they maintain a safe distance from others while handling them to avoid accidental burns. Always have a functioning hose ready to fully extinguish used fireworks.

• And, please do not drink and drive.

Given the historically high volume of calls over the 4th of July Holiday, the Sacramento Fire Department will be adding three additional fire companies into service and two boat companies from July 2 through the 5. In addition, the Sacramento Police Marine Unit will be on the waterways patrolling to make sure everyone has a good but safe time on the river.

In addition, the Sacramento Fire Department’s CERT Team will be at Tiscornia Beach at Discovery Park this 4th of July Holiday weekend loaning out life jackets to anyone who is at the beach from 2 to 5 p.m. This effort is part of the regional free lifejacket use program at participating regional Fire stations.

AB678 moves ahead, federal funds for fire dept more likely

2011-06-24T01:28:48Z

The State Senate Health Committee unanimously passed Assembly Bill 678 (AB678) Wednesday, bringing the possibility of millions of federal dollars for California fire departments closer to reality.

Currently, fire departments that provide ambulance transportation for Medi-Cal patients are not reimbursed for the cost of the service from the federal Medicare program. These costs are instead absorbed into the fire departments’ general fund.

AB678 would allow fire departments to tap into a federal program that provides a 50 percent match of those unreimbursed expenses, bringing in much-needed revenue in an economy that has forced fire department brownouts and reduced services.

“First responders are bound by law and by duty to answer every call,” said the bill’s author, Assemblyman Richard Pan (D-Natomas). “Currently, they are paid less than cost by Medi-Cal for care to patients they cover.”

Medi-Cal transports in the state went up 19 percent between 2006 and 2009, Pan said. In some fire departments, Medi-Cal transports can be up to one-third of their total service.

Pan said the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District and California Professional Firefighters have worked together to identify the federal funding, which could total $90 million in the first year, and $50 million in each subsequent year for fire departments throughout the state.

“The (federal fund-matching) program doesn’t cover the full cost of the service,” Pan said, “but it draws down the cost, and every bit helps.”

At the June 7 Sacramento City Council meeting, council members decided that any funds collected through AB678 for Sacramento would be reinvested in the Fire Department.

The additional funds would be used to reinstate fire stations that have been put on brownouts, and/or to add staff for advanced life support medic units.

Each fire department is responsible for submitting its own reimbursement requests, so the amount of federal funds directed to individual departments will depend on the cost of services each one provides.

Pan said the bill has “tremendous bipartisan support,” and he is “cautiously optimistic” that the bill will soon become law.

AB678 will move to the Senate Appropriations Committee and then to the Senate floor for a vote before it is sent to the governor. The date for the hearing in appropriations has not yet been scheduled.

Sacramento Waterways Create an Uprecedented Hazard

2011-06-23T05:29:56Z

The number of people that have swarmed to the Sacramento waterways over the last week isn’t something unusual for this time of year. What’s making the trip different than years past is the hazards that are faced once they are arriving.

Because of the extremely late winter storms and the tremendous snow-melt, we are seeing flow levels that are unprecedented for this time of year. The water temperature is also extremely frigid, in the 50’s in several parts of the American River. Although the water appears to be inviting for the hundreds of people who have already made their way out there, most are saying the water temperatures are unexpectedly uncomfortable to stay in for any extended period of time.

On the evening of June 21, the Sacramento Fire Department was dispatched to a flowing water rescue. The report to the 911 dispatcher was that there were approximately a dozen people who fell off rafts after being hung up underneath the Howe Avenue Bridge. The fire department response totaled 4 suppression companies, 3 boats, 2 medic units, Sacramento DART, 2 helicopters, and support staff from several public safety agencies.

Additional information was given while companies were en-route that there was a person that was entangled underneath one of the rafts. This information only adds to the hurried state that rescuers are already in because any fire fighter knows that someone submerged only has about 4 minutes before permanent injuries set in and less than 10 minutes before death.

As the crews made their way down to the water approaching from all sides, boats began picking up members of the college aged group that were fortunate enough to have made their way to the shore. Fire fighters tried to obtain additional information from those on shore about the number of people in their party and if they were all accounted for.

This frantic scrambling of emergency equipment in and out of the water, and overhead by helicopters lasted approximately 20 minutes. The group had no idea of the total number in their group and if anyone was truly missing or not. They all fell off of their rafts together but swam in different directions and were making their way to several different locations downstream.

In total, the fire department boats gathered 22 people who were a part of the floating party that quickly became submerged. This group was shuttled back to one are by fire department boats and vehicles for a very emotional re-union back at the Howe Ave Park.

The account of this event is only one group out of several that were flowing down the river. It’s expected that several hundred more will be making their way down the American River in the next coming days and even larger numbers as we head into the weekend.

The message that fire departments have tried to send over the last several years hasn’t changed. The river can provide a great reprieve from the heat and it’s a great way to spend the day with friends outdoors. If you aren’t prepared for your trip, especially with the current conditions, your trip can turn deadly in seconds.
The Sacramento Fire Department gives these tips:
• Wear a life-jacket – people under 13 must wear a life-jacket, it’s the law
• Monitor your alcohol intake
• Remember that the water temperature is extremely cold and can be dangerous in minutes
• Even the strongest of swimmers cannot survive the force of the waters current

Sac Metro Fire Partners with Reading Tree for Book Donation Drive

2011-06-21T16:30:45Z

Sacramento, CA- The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (SMFD) is promoting literacy this summer through its partnership with Reading Tree. The objective is to put books in the hands of local children to promote literacy, and to support recycling and reuse of unwanted books.

SMFD Fire Chief Henke encourages the community to drop off their gently used books at the Reading Tree book donation containers located at SMFD stations starting June 17, 2011. SMFD will be hosting the Reading Tree bins through November 18, 2011.

Reading Tree and SMFD have partnered on this book collection effort to develop in-classroom lending libraries in Reading Partner Sacramento schools in the Sacramento region. All types of books are welcome, including new, used, hardback and paperback. Quality children’s books are donated to local, early learning programs and elementary school-age children.

The Reading Tree was established in 2000 as a public charity. The organization has two missions. The first is to collect books from families who no longer want them, and deliver them to children, families, schools, and libraries that need them. The second is to keep books from contributing to the saturation of the nation’s landfills. Reading Tree places and maintains book collection bins in communities across the country to collect and redistribute used books. Reading Tree supports children’s literacy by getting books into the hands of children. Over 4 million books have been gifted to families, schools, and libraries since 2007. Reading Tree invites members of the community to become involved by donating books they no longer need to aid the literacy crisis.

Donated books will go to change lives in our community. For more information, please visit www.readingtree.org, or call 888-402-BOOK.

Contact: Lisa Lonteen & Captain Barbara Law

lisa@readingtree.org

law.barbara@smfd.ca.gov

City Council, police union at a standstill

2011-06-21T00:55:36Z

Approval of a final city budget that includes $39 million in ongoing cuts and the elimination of 320 city positions is expected at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, but Police Department personnel aren’t holding out hope for an 11th-hour save from potential layoffs.

“The council is firm on its decision,” said Det. Mark Tyndale, Sacramento Police Officers Association (SPOA) vice president. “And we are firm in ours.”

On June 7, City Council members urged SPOA representatives to consider contract concessions for its members in an effort to relieve the burden of deep budget cuts that will have a significant impact on the Police Department and public safety personnel.

The SPOA has not made any move toward the negotiating table, however, and, according to Tyndale, union representatives have no desire to do so.

“We expect a last-minute call from the council or the city manager’s office, but it’s a not a phone call that we are going to make,” Tyndale said.

Referring to concessions the Police Department made during budget negotiations in 2009, Tyndale said that, “two years after the fact, the council has shown that they aren’t going to back up what was promised back then.”

In 2009, the union made concessions on delaying raises for department personnel for three years. Those concessions resulted in approximately $12 million in savings for the city, Tyndale said.

“We don’t believe the council will approach us (now) in good faith, and we aren’t going to open our contract to be betrayed again,” Tyndale said.

During discussion of potential department cuts at the June 7 council meeting, Councilman Steve Cohn offered a motion that would allow the City Council to use one-time funds from the Economic Uncertainty Reserve (EUR) to match pay and benefit concessions from the police and fire departments up to a total of $4 million.

The motion failed on a 6-3 vote.

“It wouldn’t have solved the problem,” Tyndale said of Cohn’s motion, “but (SPOA) would have seen it as a good-faith effort.”

Tyndale said that union members were more disappointed in how the vote was divided than the fact that the motion failed.

“Council Member Darrell Fong’s vote stings the most,” Tyndale said. “He came from our department. He knows us. He said he’d be there for us.”

Fong, the District 7 representative and a former police captain, responded in an interview Monday that, although he understands that SPOA members are upset, he stands behind his vote against the matching funds motion.

“Cohn’s motion was to give both police and fire money from the emergency reserves fund,” Fong said. “Hitting the one-time reserves isn’t something I want to do. We have to show some restraint.”

Fong, who said he will direct his City Council salary for the 2011/2012 fiscal year to the Police Department’s budget, ~~declined his $60,800 city council salary when he was elected to the council in 2010,~~ was quick to point out that both civilians and sworn officers will be laid off if this budget is approved.

“It was a tough decision I had to make,” Fong said. “I made it clear that everyone – not just police, not just fire, but everyone – needed to come together to resolve the deficit we face.”

Fong said that, going forward, he’s looking for changes that will restructure the city and avoid future deficits.

“Services have to survive, even if they’re reduced,” Fong said.

The City Council will meet Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 915 I St., to finalize the budget for 2011-2012.

Read the City Council meeting agenda here.

Editorial Note: A correction has been made to this story after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information has been added.

Child Drowns in Backyard Pool

2011-06-15T16:11:26Z

Citrus Heights, CA- June 12, 2011 at 6:18pm, Sacramento Metro firefighters responded to the 6000 block of Oak Creek Way to the report of a four-year old male child that had been pulled from a pool and was not breathing. At 6:21pm firefighter/ paramedics arrived on scene to the backyard of a residential home where they found two people performing CPR on the small child. 9-1-1 dispatchers had been able to give CPR instructions to an adult on scene. Firefighter/Paramedics immediately started advanced life support measures and transported the child to Mercy San Juan Hospital. The child did not survive.

With the change in weather conditions, more children are going to be in and around the water. Remember that there is no substitute for constant supervision. Have a plan in place for who will be watching the pool area and switch-off on regular intervals so you do not become complacent.

Metro Fire Responds to Assist Rafters on the American River

2011-06-15T15:54:39Z

Sacramento Ca.- 4:21pm, Sacramento Metro Fire water rescue teams were dispatched to the report of two people, a 38-year old female and a 10-year old male, stranded in shallow water on the high-flowing American River. Fire crews quickly responded to the area and found the two standing in shallow, swift-moving water. They were assisted into the rescue boat and returned uninjured to shore. The pair said they were part of a three-raft flotilla, all tied together, when the raft's tie rope became entangled in a bridge abutment and they had to cut free. Once freed, the raft soon became caught in tree branches downriver, which they clung to fighting the strong current. They abandoned their boat and made it to shallow water; while their friends called 9-1-1 for help.

Fire Crews also located the remaining rafters of the party and returned them to shore. All four of the rafters were wearing life jackets. All of the rafts involved were in inflatable rafts purchased at a local retail store. Please keep in mind that the water is running high, fast and cold. You must use the proper rafting equipment to enjoy the type of river conditions we are seeing this year; it is not the same as in years past.

Fire Truck 10 donates American flag at Tahoe Park

2011-05-30T02:19:57Z

The Truck 10 crew of Sacramento City Fire in South Sacramento donated and installed an American flag at Tahoe Park Saturday morning. The flag was affixed to a long-forgotten pole in the northwest corner of the park which had been recently rehabilitated by the Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association.

The pole, according to an old plaque at its base, was donated by Pacific Bell in 1989 and had been previously obstructed from view by neglected shrubbery. In an earlier TPNA park clean-up event, the offending foliage was removed, and the association decided to take steps to bring the pole back to its former glory.

One of the main hindering obstacles preventing the use of the flagpole was reaching the top to replace the missing rope. Kathleen Winkelman, TPNA board member and Sacramento City Fire supporter, reached out to Truck 10 for help. The crew volunteered to supply the park with a new flag and re-rope the pole.

Chief Jeff Helvin led his company in re-roping the mast. With the help of the ladder truck and the crew, the pole was functional again in no time.

The TPNA plans on flying the flag on holidays and special occasions.

For more information please visit tahoe-park.org.

Note: Isaac Gonzalez is a TPNA board member.

Stephens Drive Double Fatality Fire Ruled Arson

2011-04-22T16:12:59Z

Sacramento Metro Fire Investigators have concluded that the double fatality fire that occurred at 4061 Stephens Dr. on April 6, 2011 resulting in the deaths of Laura Fernandez, age 38, and her son Wilfred Villarruel, age eight, was an act of Arson. Metro Fire Investigators are working with Sacramento County Sheriff’s investigators and are asking the public for assistance.

April 6, 2011 at 8:03pm, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District received an alarm for a house fire at 4061 Stephen Drive in North Highlands. The first Engine Company arrived and reported a well involved garage fire with extension into the home.

Fire crews made entry into the home and began attacking the fire. During a search, two victims were removed from the home. Sacramento Metro Firefighter/Paramedics began assessing and treating the victims, both victims were determined to have fatal injuries.

The investigation continues and no additional details will be released.

If you have any information that may assist investigators please call the Arson Tip line at (916) 859-3775. Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 is offering a Reward of $1000.00. You may be eligible by providing information leading to the arrest and prosecution of person(s) involved. You may also contact Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP. Crime alert allows for anonymous tips, and a reward of up to $1000.00.

Metro Fire Board of Directors Announces New Fire Chief

2011-04-18T22:58:45Z

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Kurt P. Henke to the position of Fire Chief, replacing William B. Sponable after his April 1, 2011 retirement.

Chief Henke was hired as the Deputy Chief of Operations for Metro Fire on October 1, 2009. His professional career began in 1984 as a Firefighter/EMT with the Department of the Navy, Skaggs Island Fire Department. Chief Henke moved on in 1985 to become a full-time Firefighter with the City of Vallejo Fire Department. From there he promoted to Captain in 1992, where he was assigned to the Training and Suppression divisions and was appointed as the Director of Training in 1996. Chief Henke was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief in 1998, in the capacity of Manager to both the Suppression and Fire Prevention divisions; a position he held until he left to become a part of the Metro family.

Details for Chief Henke’s swearing in will be announced at a later date.

Lavender Angels keep the peace in Midtown when drunk subject gets unruly

2011-04-16T23:35:15Z

Midtown, Sacramento, CA | A drunk and violent male gets chased down, pepper sprayed and apprehended by a Lavender Angel.

Friday night, a drunk subject smashed the back window of a car in the back lot of Hot Rods near 20th St. and K St. in Midtown. Ashley with the Lavender Angels chased, pepper sprayed and apprehended the perp on 22nd St between J st and K st. after the perp took several swings at her and attempted to take her cell phone while she was contacting police.

Sacramento police officers arrived and took the unruly male into custody. While in the back of the police car the subject started kicking and spitting. Officers had to place a hood over his head and strapped him down.

Paramedics responded to flush the subjects eyes after being pepper sprayed.

Visit the scene and hear from Lavender Angel, Ashley>>

Photos/Video- Ryan Petersen, SacMav.com
Photos/Video- Ed Fogle, SacMav.com

'Crash tax' repealed – no emergency fees

2011-03-30T03:17:20Z

Sacramento’s controversial “crash tax” was killed by the City Council, which voted 6-2 to repeal it Tuesday.

The fire cost recovery ordinance would have charged non-resident drivers for emergency responses to accidents in which they were at fault.

The ordinance was proposed by the Sacramento Fire Department last year in an effort to recover costs from people who don’t pay property taxes – a large portion of Fire Department funding. Fees would have ranged from $495 to more than $2,000, and estimates were that the city would receive about $300,000 annually.

Though the “crash tax” has been the subject of spirited debate and community outcry, it went down relatively quietly Tuesday night, with only Councilwoman Angelique Ashby speaking in favor of it.

“I would like to say that fire cost recovery was one funding mechanism that we could use to potentially keep fire stations open and firefighters available to residents,” she said.

Ashby acknowledged that brownouts are bad for everyone, but federal restrictions on some developments in Natomas that were built in a flood plain mean that homeowners there can lose their homes even if they aren’t fully destroyed because of building restrictions.

“If the insurance company decides that 50 percent or more of the home is damaged, we can’t issue a permit to them to rebuild,” she told The Sacramento Press Monday.

When called to a vote, only Mayor Kevin Johnson and Ashby voted against repealing the ordinance. Councilmen Kevin McCarty and Jay Schenirer, who both voted for the ordinance on Jan. 25, joined Council members Sandy Sheedy, Rob Fong, Darrell Fong and Bonnie Pannell in opposing it. Councilman Steve Cohn, who has previously supported the ordinance, was not at Tuesday’s meeting.

None of the council members spoke publicly about the ordinance after the vote.

Nicole Mahrt, spokeswoman for the Association of California Insurance Companies, applauded the council’s decision to repeal the ordinance.

“I think it was a good move,” she said. “All the backlash from the creation of that crash tax made Sacramento look really unwelcoming to all the commuters who come into town.”

She added that the ordinance served as a “double tax” and that the fees charged by these types of ordinances are typically not covered by insurers.

“Sacramento joins several other cities including Roseville, Oceanside and Vista, which recently repealed their crash taxes,” she said.

Nobody was ever billed under the ordinance, since no contract with the third-party billing service Fire Recovery USA was ever approved.

Schenirer used the discussion of the proposed contract with Fire Recovery USA March 1 as an opportunity to reverse his previous “yes” vote and call for a repeal of the ordinance.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Crash tax could be repealed

2011-03-02T06:06:54Z

Sacramento’s controversial “crash tax” might come off the books as early as next week.

Councilman Jay Schenirer, who initially voted for the fire cost recovery ordinance that would bill non-resident drivers for emergency responses to accidents in which they are at fault, called for the ordinance’s repeal Tuesday night.

He took advantage of a scheduled vote to approve a contract with outside billing company Fire Recovery USA and said he wanted to change his vote.

“I do think at this point it’s the wrong ordinance for the city,” he said, adding that he has taken time to reflect on his previous decision, and said the recent awarding of $5.6 million in federal grants puts the Fire Department in “slightly better shape” financially.

Councilman Steve Cohn disagreed with Schenirer.

“Our budget situation is not better,” he said. “Let’s be honest about that.”

The city is projecting a budget shortfall of $35 million - $40 million.

City staff and Fire Recovery USA projected the Fire Department would recover about $300,000 annually through the ordinance.

Roseville’s city council recently repealed a similar ordinance because it did not provide as much funding as anticipated in the year and a half it was in effect.

Mike Rivera, chief business development officer for the Roseville-based Fire Recovery USA, said Tuesday he considered the $300,000 projection for Sacramento to be conservative.

He said the shortfall in Roseville’s funding outcome was due to projections within the city that did not pan out.

“They didn’t receive the funds forecast, but that was internal,” he said.

One of the vocal opponents of the original ordinance in Sacramento, Councilman Darrell Fong, told The Sacramento Press before the meeting Tuesday that he was going to vote against the contract with Fire Recovery USA, which needed a two-thirds majority vote to pass.

That vote, however, was shelved, pending the outcome of the ordinance’s possible repeal.

“I certainly support the notion of revisiting this, frankly, to kill it,” Councilman Rob Fong said. “I just think it’s bad policy.”

Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said she still supports the ordinance.

“I just don’t think it’s wise to take any funding stream off the table,” she said. “For me, the fire cost recovery has always been about protecting our residents.”

She added that some areas in North Natomas have a response time of more than 10 minutes due to station brownouts.

Despite being on the consent calendar, where non-controversial items are typically placed, Fire Department spokesman Capt. Jonathan Burgess said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome, as the issue has been controversial at every step.

“With the budget that we’re looking at facing in the next fiscal year, yeah, every amount of money that we can recover will definitely help in the event of potential possible brownouts,” he said.

The vote to bring the ordinance back to the City Council for repeal was a 5-4 decision, with Schenirer switching his vote to join Rob Fong, Darrell Fong, Bonnie Pannell and Sandy Sheedy in opposing it.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

'Crash tax' contract to be voted on tonight

2011-03-02T00:01:26Z

The City Council could put the brakes on the fire cost recovery ordinance – commonly referred to as a “crash tax” – approved Jan. 25.

Tonight’s consent agenda includes the contract with Fire Recovery USA, a third-party billing service that, if the contract is approved, will handle the billing of non-resident drivers who are at fault in a collision requiring an emergency response.

“If the contract doesn’t get six votes, the contract would not be approved,” said Mark Prestwich, special projects manager for the City Manager’s office.

The Jan. 25 vote was 5-4 in favor of the ordinance, but a two-thirds vote is required to approve the contract.

The ordinance has been vocally opposed since its inception last July, but it was unclear this afternoon whether the four council members who voted against the ordinance would kill the contract with “no” votes.

Prestwich did not speculate on what would happen with the ordinance in that event.

Council members Darrell Fong, Rob Fong, Sandy Sheedy and Bonnie Pannell, who voted against the ordinance, did not immediately return phone calls.

Tonight’s council meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 915 I St.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Editorial: Council shoots foot; visitors wounded

2011-01-29T00:29:53Z

The first few decisions made by Sacramento's new City Council aren't promising.

Putting off a decision – again – on the arena is irritating, but after as much delay as we've seen in this process, we're used to it. It will just slow things down. Presumably, it won't do much harm.

And there may be insider reasons for why Gus Vina was passed over after a year as interim city manager, a job he seemed to be widely admired for.

But HOW does one explain why the "crash tax" passed Tuesday? This is sheer foolishness. That it was a 5-4 split isn’t reassuring.

It's understandable that the council wants to find ways to raise some cash in tight times, but this is a foot-shootingly dumb way to do it. And it might not even raise much cash, if other cities' experiences are any indication. But the message it sends to visitors, to businesses and to the public at large is horrible.

That message is: We don't really want you coming to the city center. And if you do, you're on your own. Because we don't think you're worth protecting without additional cash.

A couple of the members who voted for the tax (Angelique Ashby, Steve Cohn, Jay Schenirer, Kevin McCarty and Mayor Kevin Johnson) expressed reservations about it, but went ahead and voted for it anyway – which feels even worse.

Surely, they mean well, big picture. But let's look at how this is going to work in the little picture. Which means, not on a budget ledger, but in ordinary peoples' lives.

You live in Folsom, or Roseville (which has a similar tax) or Elk Grove. Or Los Angeles. Or Toronto. Or Reno. Anywhere but Sacramento. You want to come down to, say, the new businesses on K Street. You know, those businesses the city just spent several million redevelopment dollars on – to encourage people to come downtown.

You round a corner and someone in a hurry rounds it at the same time. BAM! You've just been in an accident. You're not hurt, but there goes your evening. You're looking at towing and auto repairs, and you still have to pay the babysitter. And your insurance may go up.

Worse than that, a woman was hurt. Not badly, but she's going to have to be taken to the hospital. There's some blood. It's horrible. Unnerving. Life sucks right now.

Oh, and there's this: You're told you now owe the City of Sacramento $495. While you're absorbing this bit of information, the fireman at the scene tells you you're lucky; if someone had been helicoptered out, it would have cost you $2,275.

And here's the rub: It wasn't your fault. And you're not even sure it was the other person's. It may have been, you know, an accident.

But you think it was probably the other gal's fault. But guess what? She lives in Sacramento, so she doesn't have to pay the $495. (At least not yet. But that's another column.)

Welcome to visitor-friendly Sacramento.

This reminds me of the tips about driving a car in some foreign countries I read in an old guidebook. If you're renting a car in some countries, and you're in an accident in a remote village, it is automatically assumed to be your fault. After all, you don't live there, and thus, if you didn't come to visit, the accident never would have happened.

You must admit, it has a certain weird logic. That said, it's stupid.

Our city council – or five members – voted like villagers Tuesday night. Not like big-city dwellers.

Beyond that, this is barely civilized. What kind of a city do we want? What about equal protection? What happens when this doesn't raise the money they expect? Will they next vote to make each Sacramentan pay for services on top of the taxes we already pay? What about cops? If you get mugged, will the police come, take your report, and give you a bill for $500?

And even if you’re found not at fault, and you get back your $495 (minus service and processing charges), was it worth coming to Sacramento in the first place?

Perhaps the council members are just so desperate that they're willing to adopt superstitious beliefs. Perhaps there's more to the story. Or perhaps, as some observers at Tuesday's meeting remarked, they simply didn't understand what they were voting on.

Whatever combination of reasons led to this insanity, it is the single most discouraging, counterproductive vote I've seen from our City Council – or should I say "village wise men"? – in a long time.

And given the council's recent history, that's really saying something.

I've replaced the batteries but my smoke detector won't stop beeping!

2010-08-31T21:57:40Z

If you have changed the battery in your chirping smoke detector and it still chirps, you might think your detector is bad.

Before you replace that smoke detector or go out and purchase another new pack of nine-volt batteries, there are a couple things you should know about your smoke detector, and a few things you can do to address this problem.

There are several different types of smoke detectors, however, the most current model detectors found in homes and apartments operate by low-voltage electrical wiring with a battery backup.

These smoke detectors have internal processors that store error codes, and a week battery chirp is a common error code that may be retained, even after the old battery is replaced. The only way to clear this error is to reset the smoke detector, which can be done by following these simple steps:

* Turn off the power to the smoke detector at your circuit breaker.
* Remove the detector from its mounting bracket and unplug the power supply.
* Remove the battery from the smoke detector.
* With the battery removed, press and hold the test button for 15-20 seconds.
* Replace the new battery in the detector and plug in the power supply.
* Restore power to the circuit breaker.
* Reattach the breaker to mounting bracket.

When the power is restored, the smoke detector should chirp once. However, your low-battery chirping should no longer be a problem. There is one other thing you can do to reduce the possibility of ever hearing chirping from your smoke detector, and this is to change your batteries before the chirp is heard.

A good rule of thumb and industry standard is to change the batteries in your smoke detectors every six months. October is fire prevention month and a good time to change all your detectors in your home. However, if your detectors are chirping, change your batteries immediately.

If your smoke detector is more than 10 years old, the unit should be replaced with a newer one.

Detectors can be purchased at your local hardware stores, or your local fire department may have a program to distribute them. It is recommended that smoke detectors be installed in each bedroom of your home and a hallway. However, if you only have one smoke detector, placing it in the hallway outside of all bedrooms is the best location for placement.

If you live in the city of Sacramento and would like to get more information on how to get a smoke detector installed in your home call 311 from a hard-line telephone. For useful and up to date information on current events you’re welcome to follow the Captain Jonathan Burgess, Public Information Officer of the Sacramento Fire Department, on Twitter or Facebook by using the links below.

Sacramento Fire Department Facebook

Follow Captain John Burgess on Twitter

Apartment Complex burns in Carmichael

2010-08-27T16:39:47Z

Many residents were displaced from their homes after a four-alarm fire heavily damaged 12 units in a 36-unit Carmichael complex and left everyone without power Wednesday night. The Twin Gardens complex is located near the intersection of Fair Oaks Blvd and El Camino Avenue.

The fire started around 6:30pm Wednesday evening along Fair Oaks Blvd and El Camino Avenue.

Some residents reported hearing a "pop pop pop" sound and discovered the fire blazing at one end of the complex, catching trees on fire. The electrical box was on that end.

Wind fueled the fire and it spread quickly through a common attic above the upper units.

Apartments on the first floor below the heavily damaged top floor units sustained minor damage. Firefighters knocked the fire down within an hour.

There were reports of an explosion felt up to a quarter-mile away. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District believes the outside propane tanks at the Twin Garden Apartments created the explosion.

This is where the fire began. The electrical panel to the units was housed at this end of the building. Trees and vegetation are charred and an umbrella by the pool was fire damaged.

Volunteers with the American Red Cross Capitol Region Chapter arrived on the scene around 7:30pm after being called by Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.

Thursday morning, Red Cross volunteers returned to the damaged units to do Damage Assessment, which guides in establishing what relief help is needed for their clients. Photo above shows light coming through the roof beams in a top floor apartment.

Units below the destroyed ones above them suffered mainly smoke and water damage, as well holes in the ceilings. Firefighters did a good job protecting belongings with plastic tarp.

An American Red Cross shelter was open for a day at La Sierra Community Center for residents displaced by the fire. Once power was restored to the units not damaged by the fire, the shelter closed.

Residents from the front upper units escaped with only what they were wearing. One resident lost a cat in the fire.

The cause is under investigation.

A Sac Metro firefighter takes a liquid break.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

South Sac pursuit ends through a wall in Elk Grove

2010-01-29T09:57:39Z

A pursuit that started in South Sacramento Thursday night, ended in Elk Grove when the driver of the fleeing vehicle crashed through a wall at a house on the corner of Villeneuve Dr. and Power Inn.

The driver fled leaving a bloody trail for officers to track him by. Other occupants of the vehicle were trapped until Firefighters extricated them and were transported to the hospital with injuries.

The driver was found and arrested in the neighborhood a short time later. The capture came by officers tracking the blood trail, fresh footprints, K9 alerts and neighbors calling in too 911 with sightings.

CLICK HERE TO SEE SCENE VIDEO FOOTAGE

Arson Vigil in Oak Park

2009-10-02T21:07:49Z

Dear Friends-

As you may know, a arson fire was set at my home in the early morning on September 21st. My family and I are safe, and all necessary repairs and clean up, and replacements are being handled by our insurance company. We have had a great response from our neighbors and community leaders, who have organized a vigil tonight in front of our home to signify community strength and unity. If you are in the Northern CA area, we hope you can join us.

Vigil Information - 2614 36th Street, Sacramento CA (between 1st and 2nd Avenue). 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

http://www.inmycommunity.com/imc_joomla/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=1243&Itemid=0&year=2009&month=10&day=02&uid=b95d207209c10d465088f7c3f1d33d9a

http://www.SacFire.org/indexSub.cfm?page=1003

We are working closely working with the fire and police departments to find the individual(s) that committed the crime. I have attached the copies of the press release sent out by the Oak Park Neighborhood Association and by my organization, Ubuntu Green.

Also, there was a fire bombing that occurred early this morning in another section of Oak Park. The home was vacant, and no one was hurt. A link to this incident is below.

http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/crime/archives/2009/10/arsonist-sought.html

Thank you in advance for all your kind works and support! We are all doing fine and plan to continue to be strong members of our community through our individual work and through our non-profit Ubuntu Green.

Charles

Behind hazmat workshop lies a storied past

2009-09-11T04:44:33Z

The 20th annual "Continuing Challenge" Hazmat Workshop is being held at the Sacramento Radisson through Friday, Sept. 11.

Hosted by the Sacramento Fire Department, the workshop provides a forum for emergency response teams and other interested individuals to become familiar with the hazmat industry's cutting-edge equipment and services. More than 70 industry groups are in attendance.

Walking around the Radisson courtyard, surrounded by advanced computer equipment, detection devices and polymer-lined chemical suits, one wouldn't expect that nearly thirty years ago the industry was practically nonexistent.

Jan Dunbar, event coordinator and retired chief of special operations at the Sacramento Fire Department, explained that until the late 1970s, the current hazmat response did not exist. "For many years, the Fire Department would respond to hazmat situations by just washing (the contamination) down with water."

This all changed when fire officials throughout the country were forced to rethink their 'wash-down' policies. Safety concerns dramatically rose after responses to major contaminations resulted in the deaths of firefighters. According to Dunbar, in one hazmat response in Kingman, Ariz., "12 firefighters died instantly."

And in the 1970s, he said, the federal Environmental Protection Agency began citing fire departments for their 'wash-down' policies. "This was an era when the fire service of America took a look at itself and decided it could do better," Dunbar said. That's when a whole new response service -- the hazmat team -- was born.

In 1980, several major East Coast fire departments launched their first hazmat teams. In 1981, Dunbar was selected to start Sacramento's first such team.

Although fire departments responded to safety and environmental concerns by creating hazmat teams, the industry at that time was unable to provide departments with adequate protection and detection devices, Dunbar said. It "was disorganized, (with) no standards, no self-imposed direction. Everything had been stagnant. When I looked at chemical suits in 1980, they were totally unacceptable," he said.

Dunbar explained that much of that era's equipment was developed during World War II. Nearly 40 years had passed and there was little technological development.

"Professional organizations in the fire departments demanded that the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) create committees for the purposes of writing standards (for the hazmat industry)," Dunbar said. "Within a very short period of time, 1989 to 1990, standards were published and manufacturers had to follow those standards."

The standards were very strict, Dunbar said, but the industry met and exceeded those goals within several years. As a result, the standards became even more rigorous.

Looking over the Radisson courtyard filled with vendors from an industry he helped to create, Dunbar said, "The technology was always there, (industry) just needed a kick in the pants to do it."

To learn more about the "Continuing Challenge" Hazmat Workshop, please visit: www.hazmat.org

Body identified, SacFire helps family through process

2009-07-25T02:09:37Z

Sacramento- "After 9 o'clock this morning, we received a report from a guest at the Embassy Hotel that 'there's a body floating in the river'" said Capt. Jim Doucett, Public Information Officer for Sacramento City Fire.

Per Doucette, crews arrived and found a body in the water next to the docks on the south side of the Tower Bridge, behind the Embassy Suites Hotel in Old Sacramento.

The Coroner's office responded, and with the assistance of Sacromento Police and Sacramento Fire, removed the body from the water. Per Sgt. Norm Leong, PIO for the Sacramento Police Department, the Coroner's office has identified the body to be that of 18 year old George Ho.

The Elk Grove resident and recent graduate of Monterey Trails High School, was enjoying the water Sunday at Discovery Park, when a boat's wake took him under the water. Ho never surfaced.

Doucette advised that the Fire Department Chaplain and a gracious social worker are aid the family the this experience and process.

View origional article here

Gunshots rang out near thousands celebrating 4th of July, behind Sunrise mall

2009-07-05T22:56:20Z

Sacramento, CA- Four males and three females, one shooter, were somehow all involved in a shooting behind Sunrise Mall during festivities Saturday evening.

Shortly before fireworks were launched at the Sunrise Mall Fourth of July celebration, two people were shot at the Sunrise Vista Apartments, located behind the mall.

One victim was not expected to survive and the other was in serious condition that night. One male was detained and brought back to the seen for a "field show-up". This is where bright lights are put on the subject for two reasons: one so the witnesses can clearly see the suspect to identify him, and secondly so the suspect can't see the witnesses. It is unknown at this time if the suspect was positively identified.

It appeared that the scene was quite confusing for Citrus Heights law enforcement to sort through and gain control of. Thousands of people were moving through the crime scene area which made it nearly impossible for on scene K-9's to track suspects and obscured the scene.

Fire crews find no fire at courthouse

2009-06-17T23:35:52Z

Sacramento firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the federal courthouse downtown Wednesday afternoon.

Steps are being taken to fix the problem after a faulty detector or possibly a bad ballast inside a light fixture set off a fifth-floor fire alarm at the Robert T. Matsui Federal Courthouse, 501 I St., said Fire Department Station 2 Capt. Scott Visser.

The alarm was reported at 1:58 p.m. Four fire stations -- 1, 2, 13 and 14 -- sent 13 firefighters, three engines and one truck to the scene.

Fire crews responding to federal courthouse

2009-06-17T21:29:10Z

Sacramento firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the federal courthouse just after 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Fire crews made their way into the Robert T. Matsui Federal Courthouse, at 501 I St., after a fifth-floor fire alarm was reported at 1:58 p.m., said Battalion Chief Marc Bentovoja.

Three engines and one truck are at the scene. Bentovoja and 12 other firefighters are investigating the cause of the alarm.

Four alarm apartment blaze takes out at least one unit, damages several others

2009-06-17T07:10:55Z

Early Tuesday evening, Roseville fire department was called the apartments on Woodcreek Oaks Blvd., south of Junction Blvd., in Roseville for a fire. When fire crews arrived, high flames and smoke were coming from backside of one of the back buildings in the complex.

Several apartment units in the building were involved by the time the fire was brought under control. This was a four alarm fire which even brought units from Placerville Fire Department.

While it was initially believed that this was a barbeque fire that ignited the patio, the actual cause of the blaze is under investigation and fire investigators were searching the area for a youth to question.

There were no injuries, however a cat from the unit where the fire started is unaccounted for.

House fire under investigation

2009-06-06T01:34:27Z

At 2:54 p.m., Thursday afternoon, Sacramento City Firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire. When they arrived they found a two story home well involved.

Per Capt. Jim Doucette, the occupants were out of the house when firefighters arrived, however the family dog was not located. The fire started on the ground level, per Doucette, and the occupants did not know how the fire started. Doucette did mention that the fire is under investigation and that the occupants would not be able to occupy the home.

There were no injuries and surrounding structures were not threatened.

99 in South Sac backed up in busy mid day traffic

2009-05-31T09:24:03Z

If you were traveling north bound on highway 99 around 1:30 p.m. and got stuck in some major traffic Saturday afternoon, this incident may have been the cause.

Firefighters, CHP and tow truck driver get ready to move a rolled over vehicle off the side of the road. Details are not available yet about this incident that took place Saturday afternoon, shutting down all but one lane on highway 99 north between Fruitridge and Florin.

Rather than flipping the vehicle back over on it's wheels, the wrecked car was winched and slid right on to the flatbed tow truck.

Details for this incident are not yet available. An update will be posted as soon as more details are flushed out.

Four survive dramatic crash

2009-05-31T08:52:11Z

Smoke, flying debris and a rolled over vehicle is what Jerry Cook saw in front of him as he traveled south on Business 80.

Four occupants are very fortunate to be alive today. At approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday night, their Buick Lacrosse slammed into the barriers at the interchange of West Business 80 and Highway 160. The vehicle smashed through all the sand filled barriers then flip over coming to rest on it's roof. Jerry Cook was driving down 80 when all he saw in front of him was a cloud of smoke, flying debris and other cars dodging around the debris as the Buick came to rest.

"No one was doing anything to help when myself and a lady officer helped two people get out of the car and moved some of the debris out of the road way" said Cook. Per Cook, the officer who arrived first on scene broke the windows out of the vehicle with her flashlight then her and cook helped the two remaining occupants hold still to prevent further injuries until paramedics arrived.

"The guy…was being trapped by the steering wheel who flew across; I thought he was driver but he said he wasn't driving…and said his back hurt and couldn't feel his legs. The other lady had lacerations that you could literally see to the bone…and they were just mangled inside there." said cook as he stood on the road side replaying the surreal event in his mind.

One person from the incident was taken into custody by CHP on scene. Open alcohol bottles were found in the vehicle. Officers were still on scene investigating when called for further details. CHP dispatcher stated that an officer would call us back with more info. Those details will be posted in an update when they become available.

South Sacramento Mobile Home Fire

2009-05-03T06:25:39Z

Sacramento, CA
May 2, 2009

At approximately 8:45 this evening, Sacramento Firefighters were called to unit 213 of the South Sacramento Travel Lodge Mobile Home Park at 6025 Dias Ave. While a full report is not yet available, occupants and their cat were able to safely exit their home and damage was kept to a minimum do to the rapid response of the firefighters. We can only speculate that had this occurred in a fire department brown out area, this situation could have had a dramatically different ending.

As soon as we receive more details from Sacramento Fire Department, we will bring you an update.

Rainy Road Havoc for EMS

2009-05-02T02:40:42Z

Sacramento, CA
Friday, May 1, 2009

Sacramento EMS crews were kept quite busy all day Friday. Mild temperatures and start of a new weekend had many people out on the road, but add in rain with heavy traffic throughout the region and you’ve created a recipe for havoc on the roads. We caught up with Sacramento Fire engines, truck crews, medic rigs, and Sac Police on a couple of incidents today out of the many we heard being dispatched over the squawk box. As the rain poured down, fire crews made sure the scenes were safe and assisted as paramedics tended to the victims; and officers took statements and reports on wet notepads.

The first incident we encountered with EMS crews was a head-on collision on Elder Creek Rd, just east of Power Inn before the railroad tracks. The second incident was a vehicle vs bicycle and a secondary collision when another vehicle ran into the first. We were unable to get information on injuries; however, airbags deployed on both of the vehicles in the first accident, and the juvenile bicyclist was being treated in the back of the ambulance upon our arrival at the second incident.

These weather conditions are expected to continue throughout the weekend. With the decent temperatures expect lots of people out and about and heavy traffic conditions. With the sporadic cloud burst and periods of heavy rain, expect traffic delays. Consider leaving early so you can take your time getting to your destination safely. When we are in a hurry and potentially distracted, it greatly increases our chances to be involved in an accident. Not only do we put ourselves, our families and those around us at risk, we also put our local firefighters, paramedics and law enforcement at risk as they put themselves in harms way on the wet roads to tend to our injuries and take reports. Yes, it is their job, but wouldn’t it be nice if they didn’t have to do their job. Be safe as you travel around town this weekend.

Suspicious object found on light rail

2009-04-03T19:28:58Z

At 9:40 this morning, a suspicious object was spotted on the light rail and called in by a citizen at the Amtrak station on 4th and I Streets, causing a flurry of emergency vehicles to come to the scene.

The Sacramento Police Department responded, and the Sacramento Fire Department, HAZMAT team, Federal Protective Services, District Attorney's Investigator and the FBI were all on the scene.

Cars were not allowed into the Amtrak parking lot to allow for emergency vehicle access, however, people on foot were allowed into the station. According to Sergeant Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department Public Information Office, Amtrak and light rail will still be running.

"First thing they’re going to do is send the robot in and that’ll allow us to determine if it’s a non-explosive or explosive and then we’ll go from there," Leong said. "The idea is to use the robot to kind of take a look at the item and decide what they want to do with it."

Jim Doucette, of the Fire Department PIO, said that the robot is a fairly new device, but that it's been used in drills and training.

"Our robot has the ability to go in and not only videotape broadcast a TV picture back to the command post, but it also has the ability to take air samples or take a sample of liquid," Doucette said. "It’s a good tool for us. It's totally remote control. Somebody will be operating it from a joystick from far away. It puts the robot into a situation that could be hazardous instead of putting a body in there."

At 11:50 a.m., the object was being x-rayed and all lines were running but not making stops at the Sacramento Valley Station.

Sacramento Fire Department – An Agency in Crisis

2009-03-05T06:23:23Z

Chris Harvey – Sacramento Area Firefighters, Local 522

The Sacramento Fire Department has a proud tradition stretching back over 159 years. In a recent Sacramento Press article by Jim Doucette, the history of the department was described in detail. He sheds some light on the day-to-day operations and gives a good idea of a typical day in the life of a Sacramento firefighter. But your Sacramento firefighters are currently involved in the fight of their lives, and it’s not one they signed up for when they took the oath of office and swore to protect your lives and property. Your firefighters are fighting for the very survival of the department as we know it. The Sacramento City Council continues in their efforts to reduce staffing, lay off firefighters, and drastically lower the level of public safety in Sacramento. A few facts and figures will serve to illustrate this assertion:

From 1977 to 2007, the population that the Sacramento Fire Department serves has increased from 268,000 to over 520,000. This is an increase of almost 100%. Fire Department calls for service increased from 15,000 to over 68,000 per year, an increase of almost 400%. But no additional fire companies have been added since 1977. Sacramento firefighters on average run more calls than their counter parts in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. There were over 70,000 calls for service in 2008, an average of 200 incidents a day. And yet the City is proposing to eliminate 50 fire department positions, including 44 layoffs, and maintain rotating engine closures. This means longer response times, fewer firefighters at the scene, increased safety risks to citizens and firefighters, and higher overtime costs. Most alarmingly, the City is also proposing to reduce engine staffing from four (the industry standard) to three. This translates to slower and less effective response; increased insurance and Workers Compensation costs; greater risk of property damage, injury, and death; and less effective medical response. Every city on the entire West Coast with a population density and size equivalent to Sacramento staffs its fire equipment with at least four firefighters. Three-person staffing is typically used in rural, suburban, or small-town fire departments.

Each call is potentially life threatening and time critical, whether a fire or a medical aid. A typical fire will double in size for every minute of burning, and it is essential in densely populated urban areas to get firefighters on scene and actively fighting fire quickly. In medical emergencies, brain death due to lack of oxygen occurs after 4 minutes. For a drowning or heart attack victim, an additional minute of delayed treatment often means the difference between life and death. With the confluence of two major rivers, Sacramento already has a higher-than-average death rate due to drowning. In 2006 Sacramento led Central Valley Cities in fire-related property loss at $33.1 million, reduced staffing could potentially double that number. The civilian fire death rate in Sacramento is 2 to 3 times that of comparable cities, and a reduction in staffing could increase that rate dramatically. Studies in major cities show up to 54% more firefighter injuries with three-person crews vs. four-person crews, resulting in higher Workers Compensation costs. Reduced staffing response per engine could result in re-classification of the city’s ISO rating, meaning higher insurance rates.

The city says everyone needs to do their part to close a $50 million budget deficit. But look at some of the things public money is being used for at the same time we talk about putting your safety at risk:

$5.4 million … to subsidize development of nightclubs on K Street, including one with a “Mermaid Bar”
$55 million … for 32 acres of land at the Sacramento rail yard, at nearly six-times its market value;
$18.6 million … to buy out nine properties on K Street, at three times their assessed value;
$5.4 million … to extend a riverfront “sidewalk to nowhere”
$4 million … to subsidize the temporary relocation of the Greyhound Bus Station.

The Sacramento Fire Department budget has been chronically under-funded for years. Most cities spend about 66% of the budget on public safety – but the City of Sacramento spends less than 50%. Emergency call volume has increased significantly over the last 15 years, and we cannot currently meet the National Fire Protection Association recommended standards for dispatch, response and drive time. We understand the city budget is stretched thin, but firefighters need more resources, not less. Large swaths of new development in Sacramento are without adequate fire or emergency medical coverage. The Fire Department has been reduced over the years in the face of increasing population growth and increasing call volume. Your firefighters have been doing more with less for decades, and we do not believe that this is the time to cut fire department funding or staffing. Please contact your City Council member to voice your concerns over public safety cuts.

What Does the Sacramento Fire Department Do?

2009-02-11T19:37:23Z

Yesterday the Sacramento City Council voted to try and find additional funds to prevent closing a second fire engine in the Sacramento Fire Department. The City Council, Mayor, and the City Manager are all working very hard to try and avoid this additional engine closure. The task they have is very difficult.

I have been bombarded with questions and comments pertaining to our Fire Department. People ask me on the street, readers comment in newspapers, and I receive telephone calls. Most of the people I speak with appreciate the job that your Sacramento Firefighters do, but many do not understand how or why we operate the way we do. The Fire Service, including your Sacramento Fire Department, historically has not done a very good job of informing the public about our jobs and what we do. I will try and change that! Here are some of the questions and comments that I get.

“Why do you send the big fire engine to a medical aid call?” Our Fire Engine and Truck Companies are all staffed with EMT’s and Paramedics. All of our personnel are also Firefighters! Our Fire Stations are geographically placed throughout the City and this equipment can usually get to the emergency much faster than our ambulances can. Because of the serious threat of fire and rescue emergencies, we have more fire engines and truck companies than we have ambulances.

If your heart stops, you will be dead in about 4 minutes. All of our Engines and Trucks carry Heart Defibrillators and Advanced Life Support gear and both Paramedics and EMT’s are trained to use this life saving equipment. During a call where a person’s heart has stopped and we are administering CPR, manpower is extremely important. One Firefighter has to do the chest compressions, one has to maintain the victims airway, another has to administer the advanced life support drugs, one has to get the ambulance and its equipment ready for transport, the Captain usually has to do the documenting and taking care of the victims family and friends. The patient has to be “packaged” and loaded onto the gurney and sometimes carried down many flights of stairs to the waiting ambulance.

To do this and many other medical aid calls is very labor intensive. And yes, this is a very typical call for us, one that we respond to many times on any given day.

“I was in a fender bender and 6 Firefighters showed up, and I wasn’t even hurt!” Car accidents can be very serious. We always respond at least one Fire Engine and one Ambulance to vehicle accidents.

Victims can be trapped; the car can be on fire. Removing victims from mangled cars takes a lot of personnel. There is broken glass, jagged metal, leaking fuel and the possibility of fire. We also need to make the accident scene as safe as possible for both the victims and the Firefighters. The “big Fire Truck or Engine” can block traffic and prevent others from running into to us!

If it is only a fender bender and no one is hurt, what we typically do is release the ambulance, so it can respond to other calls and we will stand by and wait for law enforcement. If another call comes in, we can always leave the scene and respond to the next emergency.

The main thing to remember is that usually in any emergency our Dispatchers receive many 911 calls. Until we actually arrive and see what we have, we do not know the true extent of the emergency. On many emergencies that we get called for, we immediately release equipment and make them available for other calls, if the emergency doesn’t require the dispatched fire equipment.

“How come some local Fire Agencies have only three Firefighters on their Fire Engines and you guys have four?” The Sacramento Fire Department operates with four Firefighters on every Engine and Truck Company. There are many reasons for this. There was a time that we operated with five Firefighters on all equipment.

The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) is the organization in this country that sets standards for the fire service. The NFPA is not a labor or management organization. It is made up of people from many different backgrounds, people who have an interest in fire safety and prevention. Building Industry officials, Government officials, Firefighters, Fire Equipment Manufacturers and many more. The NFPA has set many standards and one of them states that Fire Engine and Truck Companies, to do their job properly and safely, should have as a minimum, four Firefighters assigned to them at all times. The standard even states that some companies should have five personnel assigned!

The Sacramento Fire Department has a much more diverse geographical area than the surrounding fire agencies do. In Sacramento we have many older buildings, high rise buildings, multiple story offices and apartments. Our life safety targets are high within the City limits. We also have the typical suburbs and even wildland areas.

With four persons on all of our apparatus we have the ability to quickly attack the fire and rescue any trapped occupants. Three personnel would only slow us down and hamper our ability to keep the fire small, and rescue trapped victims. A good example of this was the recent fire on H Street. It is my opinion that if we would have operated with three person companies, we would have probably lost that entire building and possibly the buildings next door!

“Why do you work 24 hours and fully staff your fire stations at night time?” Some people think that we only sleep at night and never respond to calls. After being on the job going on 29 years, I wish that this was true! It is very rare for any of our Firefighters to sleep all night. We get many calls after hours, and most of our more devastating and fatal fires happen late at night and early in the morning. Sleep is a luxury our Firefighters usually only get at home!

“Recently the Fire Inspectors showed up at my place of business to inspect my fire extinguishers, and these inspectors came in a big fire truck!” The Sacramento Fire Department has a Fire Prevention Bureau. The Fire Prevention Officers have a wide range of responsibilities, including building and business inspections, code enforcement, plan checks, and much more. However they do not ride in Fire Engines. They use staff cars.

What this person saw was their local Firefighters doing their “Monthly Business Inspections”. Every fire station is assigned to do monthly business inspections. This is when your Firefighters will come to your business, and look for any possible fire or safety problems. The Firefighters have the ability to write “correction notices”. If the problem is severe, they can refer to Fire Prevention who can write “citations” and in extreme cases even close down the business, until the problem is corrected.

As an Engine Captain, I would say that the main purpose for having me and my crew out doing business inspections is so that we can become familiar with your building and business. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have been at a fire or some other type of emergency, that it has helped me in knowing the layout of the building, where the fire hydrants and fire sprinkler connections are, where the best access points are, where some hazardous materials are stored. The list goes on and on. It pays for us to know your building inside and out!

“There aren’t that many fires in Sacramento, so what do you guys do all day?” Unfortunately in Sacramento we do have many fires. On any typical day we have at least one “working structure fire”. We have many more car fires, garbage and trash fires, brush fires, etc. We are also one of the Nations first Fire Departments that have trained Haz Mat Personnel. We run many medical aid calls and other calls for service.

Your emergency becomes our emergency and we do our best and are always ready to assist you! We also maintain our apparatus and equipment. You will not see any dirty, rusty, or poorly maintained fire equipment on any of our apparatus. We believe that this equipment can save our lives and lives of others, and unless they are in good working condition, we will not be able to depend on it in an emergency. We take great pride in our gear and equipment.

We also take pride in the training that we do. We train each and every day in some way. Without the training we do, we cannot be ready for the emergency when it hits!

And yes we do cook and eat, doesn’t everybody? Some of our Fire Houses have four persons and some have as many as eleven. Preparing for these meals is a job in itself, but like anything else that we may be doing, and you can use your imagination, when the bell hits, we stop what we are doing and we are out of the house in about one minute!

“And why do you still get cats out of trees?” We still respond to “cat in the tree” calls as well as other types of non-emergencies, because the public has grown to expect us to. Even though I have never seen a cat skeleton in a tree, we typically try and help the citizen get their cat down! Even though this is not a true emergency, we all carry radios and if another emergency is dispatched, we respond and we’ll come back to the cat call at a later time.

I really appreciate the opportunity I have to do this at Sacramento Press. To be able to respond in a letter to the editor in other newspapers, is usually difficult and most times it gets edited. I also encourage anyone who has more questions or comments to please respond to this and I’ll try and give you an answer or response. If you rather, you can also email me at jdoucette@sfd.cityofsacramento.org

Thank you for interest and always know that your Sacramento Firefighters take our business serious and although we hope that we never have to serve you, rest assured that we are there for you when you call!