Placer County considers fire cuts
By Richard Chang, Sacramento Bee
Despite drought conditions that have elevated wildfire risks this year, Placer County officials are considering whether to shutter one rural fire station and eliminate several positions to save money as it faces higher state firefighting costs.
Placer County contracts with the CalFire to staff its engines and stations in a vast fire protection area that spans from the Sacramento County line to Emigrant Gap in the Sierra Nevada. Other parts of the county are governed separately by independent fire districts and municipal agencies.
The 66 CalFire firefighters that serve Placer County are projected to cost $8.89 million in the current fiscal year. CalFire has raised its rate by 21 percent to $10.74 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1, a hike Placer officials have criticized as “unsustainable.”
Inevitable that this would happen. After all, the state is making all “rural” property owners pay for Cal Fire funding, so the counties don’t see any reason to dig into their own pockets for rural fire protection.
The fact that there isn’t actually any more money going to Cal Fire isn’t part of the bureaucratic equation.
Mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money is what it’s all about. Mo’ money and mo’ power is what it’s about for the people in charge.
The people who depend on those services are the ones who suffer. We could likely hire private fire protection ourselves for a much better rate.
Doubtfull…finger pointing extraordinaire
Dog says. “We could likely hire private fire protection ourselves for a much better rate.” You must be joking! So, a fire breaks out at your house, you go to the yellow pages and start making phone calls… like finding a Plumber or Lock Smith? LOL! Good one! :)
Don’t be ridiculous, Rock. One would hire a service ahead to be responsive in case of fires. Or likely, your homeowners’ insurance company would contract fire protection for its clients. There are a number of ways it could be done.
You people act like you believe we would be helpless without the daddy-government to take care of us!
Dog. Really? Insurance Companies are going to have fire crews at the ready 24/7? Another good one! :)