BUENA PARK : Switch to County Fire Service Debated

A county proposal made public Monday for fire protection in Buena Park could save the cash-strapped city $500,000 a year, but it would also eliminate one of the city’s four engine companies.

Those predictions come as the city considers the prospect of eliminating its own independent fire department and contracting with the county for service. The Orange County Fire Department would absorb the city’s 61 Fire Department employees into its own staff.

As part of its final proposal, the county suggested two separate options Monday for executing the merger. Both would cut an engine company at headquarters. But the first proposal would increase the city’s one truck company to four firefighters at a cost of $4.7 million, while the second would keep the company at its current level of three firefighters at a cost of $4.4 million. The truck company has aerial and rescue equipment; engine companies have basic firefighting equipment, including hoses, water and pump.

This year, the Fire Department’s budget is estimated at $5.1 million, but Finance Director Greg Beaubien said that the budgeted figure may grow higher than projected.

Despite reservations by some city officials about the idea of contracting with the county, Fire Chief Herb R. Jewell gave his endorsement Monday to the county’s first proposal, including the addition of one firefighter at the truck company.

That plan, he said, “would provide the city of Buena Park with an adequate level of fire protection services within the community.”

Hit by decreasing revenues, city officials agreed to look at cost-cutting alternatives to provide fire protection services to the community. Last May, city officials asked the county to examine how much it would cost Buena Park to contract for fire protection services.

Community meetings will be held April 4 and 18 at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers to discuss the issue. The council isn’t expected to make a decision until May.

Even as that meeting approaches, Beaubien said the estimated $500,000 cost savings could change. That estimate “is by no means a hard and fast number,” he said.

Beaubien also said the city is preparing its own estimate of how much it might save by relying on the county for fire services.

Some city leaders said Monday that they want more public input on the proposal before a decision is made, and one council member is opposed to the city giving up its own department.

Councilman Don R. Griffin said that the city and its residents would lose if the county takes over fire protection services.

“My feeling is that city will definitely lose control of its own abilities to make decisions, control costs and to make adjustments” for the community’s needs, Griffin said. “I feel that the proposal by the county is a reduction to the community.”

Mayor Donald L. Bone, meanwhile, said that “if there are significant savings, then I owe it to the public to take a serious look. But money won’t be the final determiner for me. Protection of our citizens has got to be the No. 1 issue. I’ve got to know that our existing personnel are being treated fair.”

A member of Buena Park Firemen’s Assn., who asked to remain anonymous, said Monday that many of the department’s firefighters favor the switch to the county. With the exception of several high-ranking fire officials, all of the department’s employees would switch over to the county fire department at their current ranks under the county plan.

“I think it’s a pretty fair offer from an employee point of view,” the union official said. “It’s a practical proposal.”