AgdaPkt 2020-10-26 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

In the previous "Brown out" periods Truck 9 handled all the EMS calls for service downtown which caused the Truck (vehicle) to be over used and suffer premature wear. In addition, the Truck is a specialized apparatus of which there are much fewer of them in the County and they are subject to being dispatched to fires and rescues where truck services are needed. If the Truck 9 is unavailable because it is handling an Engine 9 call for service, then the next due Truck will be dispatched from a considerable distance away which will cause delays in the arrival of the Truck and its valuable services. Final thoughts......... I would venture to say that the highly publicized and highly acclaimed ISO Class 1 Fire Department rating that was championed by the Fire Department and City may be in jeopardy with an Engine 9 closure. That rating is very hard to achieve and is an accomplishment to say the least and shouldn't be left to slip away to a lower rating by the closing of Engine 9. In the last few years our state and nearby counties have had some major wildland fires that have not only scorched many acres of earth, they have consumed communities, destroying everything in their path and taken a number of lives along the way. The RCFD has been part of the response to these major wildland fires by responding as part of a Strike Team made up of other fire departments within the South Zone of San Mateo County. Along with that, the Fire Department has had to deal with all of the effects and uncertainty of responding to calls for service during the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Fire Service is directly involved in planning with and responding along with the local police departments during civil unrest. All of these above listed events along with normal calls for service suggest that the Redwood City Fire Department has been very active in protecting the lives and property of both the citizens of Redwood City and other communities and as such these essential workers should be considered as a last line of defense in keeping our communities safe and viable which will help create a desirable place to live, raise a family, visit and work. During my time with the Redwood City Fire Department we as an agency were innovative and were considered leaders within the Fire Service in San Mateo County. I enjoyed my time with the RCFD and much appreciate all that the City and Department provided me so that I could raise and support my family. It is troubling to me to see the City and Department suffer through this time period of budget stress and uncertainty, but I do believe that if the Fire Department staff, the Union, City Council and the City of Redwood City work together they can reach a solution that doesn't reduce department staffing or its ability to provide the level of services that the community has come to expect and needs. Yours truly, DAVE RAYMAKER, FIRE CAPTAIN RETIRED RCFD