Why does the Brea Firefighters Union want to stop being a city-run department?
Folks in Brea are up in arms over plans to possibly outsource their Fire Department, or otherwise restructure it. The plans are not coming from the City Council, but rather from the Firefighters union, which paid $30,000 for a study about the restructing options.
At the April 21, 2010 City Council Special Meeting, the Brea City Council was presented with a report summarizing potential Fire Service Delivery Options. There will be a second public meeting on Wednesday, May 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the Plaza Ballroom at the Brea Community Center.
The report and presentation from the April meeting are both available for viewing by clicking the links embedded here.
Fire Department Options include:
- Maintain the Brea Fire Department in its current configuration
- Contract with the Orange County Fire Authority
- Contract with the Consolidated Fire Protection District of Los Angeles County
- Restructure the Brea Fire Department
- Restructure the Brea Fire Department and share Command staffing with the City of Fullerton
Rumor has it that the reason the Brea Firefighters Union want to go with the O.C. Fire Authority is so that they can make more money via more overtime hours.
Contact the Brea City Council at this link.
Common sense should prevail, an increase in services, Paramedics and improved staffing for for millions of dollars less? This is more about the Cities ego rather than what is best for brea.
Nice comment about the overtime. Looks like someone wants to spread some more bad information, in order to try and save the Department. I wish someone would give some good reasons why stay with Brea. Please only facts. There are none, OCFA provides it all.
Did the writer really quote a “rumor”? I’m sick of the liberal, big government supporting press and their disinformation propaganda.
Perception is everything. The Association wants to make the staff look bad. The city probably does have reserves, but doesn’t wants to freeze & cut due to an uncertain economy. OCFA & LA Cty…less money & more services…what’s gonna be the catch in a year or so (La Habra). Stop peeing in each others sandbox & start working together to find a positive solution…BABIES!
The current chief does not even know how many firefighters are on his staff. Enough said. Brea needs better managment, they need to go to O.C. Fire Authority.
This writers strings are obviously being pulled by someone who had their ego hurt by the better sense of the Brea Firefighters Union. Please feel free to show some numbers or facts that prove it will hurt the city of Brea if the Department goes with the O.C. Fire Authority. My city of residence transfered from city to county run fire service many years ago and I can assure you it has exponentially increased our firefighters ability to service the citizens of my city. It means a fire department run by firefighters and not politicians which I think anyone can agree is how it should be. You will get better care and protection and your caretakers will be happy. I personally would not want my life in the hands of a neglected medical professional, but despite how Brea’s firefighters are being treated they still give their patients the best they have. The political clergy of the city of Brea should be ashamed of themselves. They have neglected the citizens they swore to represent for years and again are treating one of their cities cherished services and traditions as though it is a statistic on their resumees. I honestly don’t know how people like that sleep at night.
Did the writer even read the report? “Before considering one-time start-up and staff transition costs, the Orange County Fire Authority net costs for fire services for Options 1, 2, and 3 provide savings to theCity of Brea, as compared to the cost to maintain the existing Brea Fire Department structure.”