Sad reality on Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District

[Rescue51 44]

While it is tragic Julian is perhaps not going to have the volunteer department (for Cuyamaca too), there is the concept of economies of scale, effectiveness and efficiency. The question is can the combo of Cal Fire & San Diego County Fire Authority's pooled resources, better protect the community up there? When you consider Cal Fire/SDCFA they can staff rigs 24/7 without volunteers responding from their respective locations, and provide many rigs (pumpers, brush, ladder-trucks, rescue, etc.) not only in the area, but from outside the community for major incidents, it seems to make $ense to have Cal Fire & SDCFA. With high-tech GPS, the debate that a replacement agency will not be able to find addresses, is likely not true. I believe the replacement agency has even offered jobs or ride positions to the volunteers of JCFPD, on responses. The other question is whether Cal Fire/SDCFA would use resources from the "community" for other incidents outside area, hopefully they will dedicate or commit a pumper or so, into the community on events requiring strike teams outside the community. Cal Fire & SDCFA have the enormous resources where they can do move-ups in any event, back into Julian/Cuyamaca. The loss of the volunteer agency while sad, seems more about a contest now of ego and control, and not about who best can serve the community on a daily basis--24/7, with professionally paid qualified firefighters who train very often, and with enormous outside resources from the state and county, that can afford to best protect and equip Julian and Cuyamaca. I may be wrong, so let me know if I am. ~Rescue51

 

[buckeyefyrfoto 16]

I agree with you on all points. Better to go Cal Fire and San Diego County Fire. Volunteer departments were good back in the day, but times have changed and so should fire service. Time to move on.