San Diego Mayor Pushes Fire Safety

SAN DIEGO —  Calling improved fire protection his top public safety priority, Mayor Dick Murphy on Monday vowed to fight to hire more firefighters, replace the Fire Department’s aging vehicles and outdated communication equipment, and strengthen building code and brush clearance requirements.

Murphy, in his annual State of the City address, conceded that bolstering fire protection will be difficult in a year when the city is facing a major cut in state funding under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget.

But after the Cedar fire, which destroyed hundreds of homes in the Tierrasanta and Scripps Ranch neighborhoods, the city can no longer delay plans to upgrade fire protection, Murphy said.

“San Diegans must know that this effort to improve fire protection will not be without challenges,” Murphy said. “Limited resources and community priorities do not always match up [But] in the end, public safety must be our city’s top priority.”

The Cedar fire, the worst in city history, highlighted the city’s long-standing policy of frugality in fire protection. The city has fewer firefighters than most large cities; the number of fire stations has not kept pace with rapid growth; and vehicles and communication gear are aging and often unreliable.

“While this city can be proud of its response to this emergency,” Murphy said, “the firestorm pointed out deficiencies in our fire preparedness.”

Murphy, facing a tough reelection fight, also promised that the city will continue leasing a firefighting helicopter. The city’s lease on a firefighting helicopter was allowed to lapse just days before the Oct. 25 outbreak of the Cedar fire.

Although applauded by the audience, Murphy’s fire proposals were immediately criticized by his opponents in the March 2 primary.

“If he had said those things last year, I’d be impressed,” said Port Commissioner Peter Q. Davis. “But now it’s like closing the door when the horse has already escaped.”

Supervisor Ron Roberts accused Murphy of hypocrisy for proposing increased fire protection while opposing a March ballot measure that would boost the hotel tax to pay for fire and police protection, among other things.

I think there’s a lack of honesty in the positions he has taken,” Roberts said.

Murphy, in an interview, said he opposes the hotel-tax boost because it earmarks the money for specific projects, rather than allowing the City Council to make those decisions.

He said his fire protection proposals would be carried out over a five-year period. “My goal is to have these things done by the end of my second term,” he said.

The 50-minute speech was interrupted by applause more than 40 times. The loudest applause came when he restated his opposition to using public funds to build a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers.