2 Fire Stations Equipped With Protective Vests

Firefighters at two fire stations in high-crime areas of Southeast San Diego have been provided with bulletproof vests to protect them when they respond to emergency calls.

Battalion Chief John Hale said Thursday that city officials authorized the transfer of 13 bulletproof vests to Stations 12 and 19 from the Police Department about a month ago.

The decision to issue the vests came after a review of police and fire reports from the last 12 months showed that firefighters had received threats while responding to emergency calls in the Southeast, Hale said.

No Physical Harm Yet

Hale said no firefighter has been physically harmed, but some have been threatemed verbally. On one occasion, a bullet was fired into Station 12, Hale added.

“Frequently, firefighters get into a situation that might be violent, often based on gang-related activities in the area,” Hale said. “For example, we are the first to respond to assist victims of violent crimes, such as shootings, stabbings, assaults.

“Since we are the first in those situations, there is a concern that violence may still be occurring at our arrival. That’s why we are providing safety equipment to those companies.”

Dangerous Neighborhood

Firefighters at Station 12, at Ozark Street and Imperial Avenue, were supplied the body armor because they are primarily responsible for covering Southeast San Diego, Hale said. Firefighters at Station 19, at Ocean View Boulevard and Interstate 15, were also given the vests because they would be next in line to be called out in the area.

Hale said there is no policy requiring firefighters to wear the vests for all situations. Instead, it is up to the station chief’s discretion to decide when the body armor is needed, he said.

“We are treating it like any other safety equipment,” Hale said. “We don’t wear our breathing apparatus when we don’t have to. We’ve got the vests, and, if we need it, we’ll use it.”

Hale said it is not unusual for firefighters to wear such protective garb. Nearly 70% of the paramedics with the Los Angeles Fire Department are supplied with body armor, he added.

Stations 12 and 19 are now the only two that have been supplied with vests, but Hale said city officials are thinking about offering the protective gear to other firefighters.

“We believe we are taking a pro-active stance in order to provide our employees safety,” Hale said. “Like others, we are only responding to the increase in crime in our city.”

Police spokesman Bill Robinson said Thursday that the vests are on loan to the Fire Department until the Fire Department receives vests of its own, which are on order. Robinson said police supplied the excess vests from police inventories after being contacted by fire officials.