Menlo Park Fire Chief has a dangerous plan

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Menlo Park Firefighters Inc.

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Fire Chief's plan to close Fire Stations 1 and 5 and relocate them to Flood Park is Dangerous

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We Need You at the next Fire District Board Meeting to help stop it

February 28, 2012

300 Middlefield Road

7pm

Three weeks ago Menlo Park Firefighters went on the record stating that our Chief's plan as he presented it to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, to close Fire Stations 1 and 5 and to build a new Firehouse in Flood Park was a poor one. We felt that this was a bad plan for two reasons. First, we understand how much the citizens we serve want to keep this property available as a park. Secondly, from an operational standpoint, the Fire District's seven stations are currently positioned in areas that serve our community better than a relocated station in Flood Park.

After a further review of the District's Fire Station locations utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) Mapping, it is easily seen that the Chiefs planned configuration will eliminate our ability to effectively respond to the North Fair Oaks Neighborhoods as well as the Willows, making it next to impossible to respond to these neighborhoods within the adopted County Time Standard and effectively render emergency services to you.

As firefighters we understand the need for Flood Park and we hope that as citizens you understand that the District does not need to relocate stations, it simply needs to adequately staff the stations we already have. If you live in North Fair Oaks or the Willows and are concerned with our ability to effectually render aid to you with the closing of Stations 1 and 5; if you are an advocate for Flood Park; or, are just a concerned citizen, Menlo Park Firefighters encourage you to come to the February 28th Fire Board Meeting at 7:00pm, located at Fire Station 1 (300 Middlefield Road), to let the Fire Board know that you are not in favor of the Chief's dangerous plan to reconfigure station locations.

Where and why are Fire Stations located where they are?

Currently we have seven fire stations within the Menlo Park Fire Protection District that have all been strategically placed. In examining the placement of stations, there are two standards that need to be evaluated. The first is a National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standard that states that Fire Stations should be located to provide a 4:00 minute drive time for emergency apparatus responding to fires. Although the Fire District has never adopted this standard, it is a recognized national standard. The standard that has been adopted by the Fire District is the San Mateo County Emergency Medical Response (EMS) Total Response Time Standard of 6:59 minutes. If our agency does not meet this standard in our response to your home on a medical call the District is fined by the San Mateo County EMS Joint Powers Authority (JPA).

The 6:29 minute EMS response standard includes dispatch/turnout time and drive time. Dispatch time is the amount of time it takes for your 911 call to be processed by dispatchers and turnout time is the amount of time it takes firefighters to stop what they are doing, get dressed in the proper protective equipment and get into the fire engine and start it. According to the 2004 Citygate study, the Fire Districts average "Turnout Time" was 2:15 minutes nearly 87% of the time. When we subtract roughly 2:00 minutes of turnout time from the 6:59 minutes we get a 5:00 drive time per the County EMS JPA. The following map shows current station locations for the MPFPD with the NFPA Standard in Green and the County JPA Standards in Blue; created utilizing the Geographic Information System (GIS).

Current Station Locations

As the map clearly indicates, the District's seven fire stations' coverage does not meet the NFPA 4:00 minute drive time standard for much of the Fire District. However, with the exceptions of parts of the Selby Tract (in Unincorporated Redwood City), parts of the Gardens (in East Palo Alto), parts of West Menlo Park, and the Sand Hill Road Corridor, the Fire District's current fire station locations do adequately cover the 6:59 minutes (5:00 minutes of drive time) County EMS JPA Standard.

proposed station locations

This second GIS map shows the Chief's proposed changes to the station locations within our Fire District. It is easily seen that this new configuration eliminates our ability to effectively respond to the North Fair Oaks Neighborhoods as well as the Willows, making it next to impossible to respond to these areas in the 6:59 minute county standard and effectively render medical service to you.

The motto of the Menlo Park Firefighters Association is "Our Family Helping your Family." If you have an idea on how we can do that please contact us.

Sincerely,

Menlo Park Firefighters

In This Issue

Fire Chief's dangerous plan

Why are Fire Stations located where they are?

Fire Chief's Responce to our latest newsletter

Fire Chief's Response to our last newsletter

After we last wrote to you, our Chief was again in the paper stating that we needed to move our firefighters and medics closer to where they are needed. Menlo Park Firefighters would like to state once again that we believe the Fire Chief is trying to sell you a plan that is poorly thought out and is being implemented for the wrong reasons.

The story our Chief is trying to sell is that we need to shift our firefighters east to adequately cover the increased occupancy at the "Facebook" campus, as well as proposed new buildings by "Facebook" and the proposed "Bohannon" Project. What the Fire Chief fails to mention is that in 1997 the District built Fire Station 77 in the Belle Haven Community of Menlo Park. This Station was built to cover the growing population density on the eastside of Menlo Park and more specifically the development of the area that is now known as the current "Facebook" complex.

It is true that the "Bohannon Project" was not part of the picture in 1997 when Station 77 was originally built; however, adding the additional occupancy in Belle Haven will be easily covered by the current Fire Engine at Station 77. Closing Station 1 and 5 and relocating them to Flood Park, would not solve any existing problem. Changing the geographic locations of stations will not address the issue that there is a need for an additional company and staffing as outlined in the 2004 Citygate Study. It will simply create new problems by eliminating our ability to provide adequate response to North Fair Oaks and the Willows per San Mateo County Standards.

Menlo Park FIrefighters looking to establish a

JAC Program

CPF Firevision -- CFFJAC Mentoring Program

Joint Apprenticeship Committee A Partnership for Success

By improving the quality of education and training within the fire service and setting a professional standard for firefighters throughout the state of California, the California Fire Fighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (CFFJAC) has proven itself an innovative and respected leader.

A collaboration of two strong and influential forces, the CFFJAC is co-sponsored by the Office of the California State Fire Marshal, representing management, and the California Professional Firefighters, representing the state's firefighters. This partnership of management and firefighters creates a balance that benefits California fire departments, firefighters and ultimately the communities in which they serve.

The concept of building skill through apprenticeship has been around since the Middle Ages. Then, as now, the object was simple: Use the experience of one generation to train the next. For over 25 years, the CFFJAC has brought this tradition to our demanding profession. With more than 130 fire departments representing over 6,000 apprentices, and logging millions of training hours, the CFFJAC has become the cornerstone of standards-based firefighter training in California.

Do you or someone you know have a story that you would be willing to share on camera relating to positive experiences that you have had with Menlo Park Firefighters? If so please contact us at MenloParkFirefighters@Gmail.com.