The following is a wrap-up of the November 19 City Council meeting. You may view the complete agenda here as well as a video of the meeting here.

City Council reviews Los Angeles County Fire Department feasibility study 

Following the approval of a study earlier this year, the City Council reviewed a report from the Los Angeles County Fire Department that examines the cost of the City contracting its fire services to the County.

In the report, the County proposes two options of service: Option A (with a proposed cost of $7,572,017) and Option B (with a proposed cost of $7,452,280). Option A most closely resembles the response model used by the San Gabriel Fire Department. Meanwhile, Option B eliminates a paramedic rated firefighter and one engine company along with a minor reduction in overall cost and in service. The county report is comprehensive, so we recommend giving it a read here for more information about both options from the County.

For some context to this study, the City Council is currently evaluating how to expand the capabilities of the SGFD to match the level of growth and development that the City has experienced. The last major structural change to the fire department occurred in 2000 when the SGFD joined the Verdugo Fire Communications and entered into a unified response agreement.

At the moment, the SGFD relies heavily on automatic aid agreements with surrounding agencies to meet current response needs. Contracting with the County is one of several possible options that the City Council may explore to enhance the City’s fire services.

You can read more about the current state of the San Gabriel Fire Department and the County report here.