Council to consider adding firefighting staff | News - Porterville Recorder

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A consideration to add a new Deputy Fire Chief and six new firefighters to the Porterville Fire Department will be before the Porterville City Council when they meet Tuesday during their regular scheduled meeting at 6:30 p.m.

A couple of other items on the agenda include a consideration to accept fundraising efforts from the Children of First Responders for the future use towards a memorial bench and mural in memory of Fire Captain Ray Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Jones, who died during the library fire of Feb. 18,, 2020; and reviewing a request by 2XPromotions to allow them to host another race on June 12-13 at Porterville OHV Park – a public off-highway-vehicle motocross park. In addition, approval is sought for overnight camping at the park during the event.

Fire Department Reorganization

The release of an investigation report of the catastrophic Porterville fire of February 18, 2020 included 27 items in the Findings and Recommendations.

The report took more than nine months and more than 1,000 hours of personnel time to complete. It included interviews, review of dispatch videos, helmet camera footage, body camera footage, review of policies and procedures and a review of laws, mandates, industry standards and best practices. Regular meetings were held to compile the data included in the report.

On the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is the Multi-Agency Serious Accident Review Team (SART) staffing recommendations.

The SART found the Porterville Fire Department didn’t meet the minimum staffing levels as outlined by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Currently the City’s minimum daily staffing response to a working fire is 11 shift personnel and one firefighter from the Tulare County Fire Department through automatic aid.

NFPA standard also states a minimum of four personnel should staff each engine or truck company. The Porterville Fire Department’s current minimum staffing is two stations staffed with three person engine companies, and one station with four personnel in a split crew – a two- person staffed engine and a two-person staffed patrol.

SART also stated a Fire Chief can’t effectively oversee both the administrative duties and the emergency operations of a fire department concurrently. A city the size of Porterville should have a 40-hour supervisory position below the Fire Chief in the chain of command and above the shift Battalion Chiefs.

SART recommended the Porterville Fire Department increase minimum staffing to meet NFPA 1710 minimums by adding a chief officer position and six new firefighting positions to the Department to meet the recommended minimum staffing of 16 personnel on scene within the first 10 minutes.

In April, the fire department applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant. If awarded, the grant would fully fund the six new firefighter positions for the first three years, after which funding would be proposed to be appropriated through Measure I funds, which Porterville approved in 2018 with a sales tax hike to fund fire and safety.

The hiring of the six new firefighters is recommended upon the announcement of the grant awards, which is expected in the early Fall.

In addition to the six firefighters,, a 40-hour chief officer position would oversee the emergency operations division of the department.

The Council is recommended to approve the addition of the six new firefighters, approve the creation of a new Deputy Fire Chief position with a salary range of 259 – $8,671 to $10,580; approve a range adjustment to the position of Fire Chief from range 260 to 269 – $9,578 to $11,689; and to authorize administrative services staff to amend the documents necessary to implement the proposed changes.

Memorial bench and mural

The Children of First Responders, in partnership with Stafford’s Chocolates and Girl Scout Troop 7003 have raised an additional $4,456.83 for their fundraising efforts. This is in addition to the $8524.02 raised in the initial effort following the library fire of February 2020 when a group of children of local public safety personnel organized and commenced fundraising efforts for a memorial to honor Fallen Fire Captain Ray Figueroa and Firefighter Patrick Jones. The Council accepted and set aside the initial funds for a future memorial bench and mural project.

With the one-year anniversary of the tragedy taking place in February, the Children continued with fundraising efforts. Staffords donated $1 for every cup of coffee sold during a two-week period in February, and continues to accept donations at its counter. In addition, the Children of First Responders also partnered with local Girl Scout Troop 7003 to fundraise through the Girl Scouts’ cookie sales promotion.

It’s recommended the City Council accept the additional funds from the Children of First Responders and set aside and restrict the funds until a location is decided upon for the commencement of the memorial project.

Porterville OHV Park

2X Promotions has held several successful Motocross – recreational motorcycling – races at Porterville OHV Park since 2014, and is once again asking the Council for the authorization to hold similar races with a proposed capacity of 50 percent during the weekend of June 12-13.

2X Promotions is stating they will provide all of the necessary equipment and personnel, and will name the City as an additional insured on the insurance provided.

2X Promotions is also seeking permission to permit overnight camping at the facility and has stated they would follow the same race safety protocols which were submitted prior to the races hosted last month, which were reviewed by the City Council’s COVID-19 Ad Hoc Committee in February.

With 18 being the average age of the competitors, participants are not high risk for COVID-19; and Motocross is a low-risk sport because physical contact between competitors is rare, states the Risk Assessment Analysis provided to the Council.

Social distancing, handwashing stations, hand sanitizer at workstations, sponsor activation areas and concessions; and in addition to a first aid station, an isolation station for symptomatic individuals will be located in the Paddock and in the fan area near the EMS station.

Spectators will have festival seating, allowing fans to spread out in compliance with physical distancing guidelines.

The meetings are livestreamed on YouTube. Public comments may be submitted to CouncilMeetingComments@ciporterville.ca.us and will be read aloud for Council consideration during Oral communications or during any public hearings as applicable. Members of the public are encouraged to submit comments prior to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday to participate in the meeting. Staff will periodically check for emails submitted after 6:30 p.m., however it’s not guaranteed that those emails will be read prior to Council action.

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