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Crime & Safety

County Mandates 3-Person Fire Crews

Riverside County supervisors vote 3-2 to mandate 3 person crews, including a Captain, as standard on all county fire trucks.

In a 3-2 vote, Riverside County supervisors today adopted a standard in which all county fire engines will have a minimum of three firefighters on board, including a captain, to lessen the risk of having an inadequate number -- or under-experienced -- crews responding to emergencies. 

Supervisor Jeff Stone introduced the ``Firefighter Installation on
Riverside County Engines'' -- FIRE -- policy, citing statistics that show 3-
person staffing ensures greater protection for both civilians and firefighters.

"When you have two-man crews, there are more workers' comp-related
injuries and higher morbidity,'' Stone said.  "We're talking about minimum
standards ... A three-man crew with a captain and an engineer ensures (crews)
have the best chance of dealing with a fire.'' The Board of Supervisors established three-person engine staffing as the norm in 2000, according to Chairman John Tavaglione, who said he realized then that it was necessary for public safety.

Stone's FIRE policy reaffirms the practice for the future, with the
added requirement that a captain be aboard each engine.

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"You need that historical expertise to make sure you save the people
inside that (burning) house,'' Stone said. "This is a minimum, not a maximum
standard. Four-man crews are still the best.''

County fire Chief John Hawkins, now in his 48th year as a fireman,
agreed, saying a three-person crew was  "critically important'' in rescues,
building and house fires, where one crew member can be held in reserve for
communication and coordination purposes.

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However, Supervisors Bob Buster and John Benoit questioned the impact of
a countywide standard that could lead to higher costs, particularly for
cities that contract with the county for fire protection services.

About a year ago, the board briefly considered reducing engine staffing
from three to two at some fire stations as county officials examined ways to
pare down the fire department's $4 million 2010-11 fiscal year budget deficit.
There was also discussion of shuttering a half-dozen stations, including two in
Benoit's district, to save money.

The board rejected both proposals.

Buster argued that the FIRE policy would hinder cities, such as Canyon
Lake, that are trying to reduce their public safety costs. But Chairman John Tavaglione and Supervisor Marion Ashley sided with Stone, saying safety considerations had to come first.

"I'm really concerned that if we let the standard down, we'll lose some
lives and put the public in jeopardy,'' Ashley said. "When we come to the
budget discussion, I'm sure we'll talk about all of this again.''

Courtesy of City News Service (CNS)

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