Amador County – The Plymouth City Council on Thursday discussed its contract with the Amador Fire Protection District, with the availability of Measure M sales taxes that may not meet a draft plan proposed by the city last week. AFPD Chief Jim McCart addressed the board, which looked at a plan brought by City Attorney Steven Rudolph, that included an ambitions 24/7 station with 3 personnel. The city has a new potable water pipeline and is in the process of revitalizing its wastewater treatment system, in an effort to lift a 3-decade building moratorium. It has multiple developments planning hundreds of homes in the city. But City Manager Dixon Flynn said the city right now cannot pay for the full staffing. Flynn recommended an east-coast styled volunteer system. He said volunteers on the east coast are asked to commit to 4 years of service, and in exchange get “good training,” a stipend and money for college, much like military service. When terms end, volunteers can move on with their lives, either to further firefighting or another career. Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin said the city of Wilton already has a similar program, and asks for 2-year commitments to its volunteer fire department. The city is negotiating a contract with AFPD that expires June 1st. McCart said since 1998, Plymouth has contributed $222,000 to its fire Battalion 20, and in that time, AFPD has spent $450,000 on it. Councilman Mike O’Meara disagreed with the budget listing volunteers as having “no financial impact.” He said volunteers have been serving on the department in the more than 20 years he has lived in Plymouth. McCart said “our volunteers are currently getting snapped up,” and they lose many to fire season surges in Cal Fire manpower. Battalion 20 Chief Antonio Moreno said in 1999, before the AFPD agreement, they spent about $35,000-40,000 a year at Plymouth Fire. Plymouth spent about $28,000 on the battalion last year. Moreno said it is difficult to keep volunteers. He gets applications for volunteers all the time, but when they see the training requirements involved, they change their minds. Moreno said “right now I have no volunteers living in Plymouth who work in Plymouth – no daytime coverage.” Baldwin said training is costly, and often paid for by volunteers themselves. After training, they often move on to paying jobs elsewhere, Moreno said, “not unlike myself.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 06:10
Flynn Urges East-Coast Volunteer Fire Program in Plymouth
Written by Tom-
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Amador County – The Plymouth City Council on Thursday discussed its contract with the Amador Fire Protection District, with the availability of Measure M sales taxes that may not meet a draft plan proposed by the city last week. AFPD Chief Jim McCart addressed the board, which looked at a plan brought by City Attorney Steven Rudolph, that included an ambitions 24/7 station with 3 personnel. The city has a new potable water pipeline and is in the process of revitalizing its wastewater treatment system, in an effort to lift a 3-decade building moratorium. It has multiple developments planning hundreds of homes in the city. But City Manager Dixon Flynn said the city right now cannot pay for the full staffing. Flynn recommended an east-coast styled volunteer system. He said volunteers on the east coast are asked to commit to 4 years of service, and in exchange get “good training,” a stipend and money for college, much like military service. When terms end, volunteers can move on with their lives, either to further firefighting or another career. Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin said the city of Wilton already has a similar program, and asks for 2-year commitments to its volunteer fire department. The city is negotiating a contract with AFPD that expires June 1st. McCart said since 1998, Plymouth has contributed $222,000 to its fire Battalion 20, and in that time, AFPD has spent $450,000 on it. Councilman Mike O’Meara disagreed with the budget listing volunteers as having “no financial impact.” He said volunteers have been serving on the department in the more than 20 years he has lived in Plymouth. McCart said “our volunteers are currently getting snapped up,” and they lose many to fire season surges in Cal Fire manpower. Battalion 20 Chief Antonio Moreno said in 1999, before the AFPD agreement, they spent about $35,000-40,000 a year at Plymouth Fire. Plymouth spent about $28,000 on the battalion last year. Moreno said it is difficult to keep volunteers. He gets applications for volunteers all the time, but when they see the training requirements involved, they change their minds. Moreno said “right now I have no volunteers living in Plymouth who work in Plymouth – no daytime coverage.” Baldwin said training is costly, and often paid for by volunteers themselves. After training, they often move on to paying jobs elsewhere, Moreno said, “not unlike myself.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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