SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
FIREFIGHTERS
#ProtectVictorville
KEEPING YOUR COMMUNITY SAFE
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COST SAVINGS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT?
County Fire is a regional service provider. Overhead and administrative costs are
spread over the entire county versus one individual city or location. For example,
instead of paying the entire cost for a fire chief or chiefs and numerous other
administrative, labor and bureaucratic positions such as fire mechanics, office staff,
fire prevention officers and fire investigators, the city of Victorville would just pay a
portion of those costs through annexation or a contract. The regional service model
maintains a fine balance of cost effectiveness.
Currently Medic Squad 311 is a cost share with the county. The city of Victorville only
pays for one daily position of two total and the county pays for the vehicle and one
firefighter. This medic squad responded to 6,999 emergency calls in 2017. Source:
Public records request in accordance with California Government Code Section 6256.
Currently County Fire Station 22, which is owned and operated by the county,
is located within the city limits just outside the community of Spring Valley
Lake. Medic Engine 22 is the closest fire engine staffed with paramedics for city
residents located near Ridgecrest Road on Spring Valley Ridge. It is also the closest
fire engine to the Sterling Commons residential community, which generates a
significant call volume.
County Fire offers the city of Victorville depth of firefighters and resources that will
not be provided by an individual city fire dept.
Two recent incidents below in the city of Victorville that have benefitted from a
regional service model and went beyond the capability of four city fire stations.
https://www.vvng.com/victorville-river-fire-final-update
https://www.vvng.com/firefighters-respond-to-multi-alarm-fire-in-victorville
“One of the most significant challenges of delivering fire and EMS services to
the city of Victorville is the volume of fire department calls for service that are
generated within the city’s jurisdiction. In 2016 the number of service calls per
capita was 37 percent higher than the average of other San Bernardino County Fire
jurisdictions, making Victorville one of the busiest fire departments in the county.”
Source: city of Victorville council meeting January 16th, 2018 agenda item.
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FIREWIRE • Summer 2018
Summer 2018 • FIREWIRE
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