Fire chief: new stations and ISO push, but staffing additions deferred amid tight revenue

Fire Chief Lauren Mok briefed the board on the Fire Rescue budget and the department's strategic priorities, describing an ongoing program of station replacements and two new service locations planned to reduce response times countywide.

"The 5 year target substantially was to decrease the response time and emergency calls by 15%... We hover at about a 7 minute response time currently countywide," Mok said, adding the goal would move the county toward a six-minute target. The chief outlined current and upcoming facilities (Station 20 in service; Station 1, Station 22 relocation, Station 24 construction; Station 15 in design; Station 16 and other placements) and described the plan to put 13 engines, three ladders, and multiple rescue and tender units into service.

Mok also discussed the county's efforts to earn a countywide Class 3 ISO rating, which could extend insurance savings to approximately 26,000 residences, and listed capital and equipment items tied to that initiative. She said personnel costs show an overall 12% increase for the combined operational budget but noted the county deferred adding 12 firefighters this year to keep the budget in balance.

Commissioners asked for information about contract line items and the value of particular external services (for example, the policy-management product Lexipol), and Mok agreed to provide additional detail where requested. The chief suggested that community paramedicine, targeted apparatus procurement and the station build program together will advance service-level objectives but that staffing growth will be incremental while revenues remain constrained.

The board asked staff to follow up with specific cost breakdowns for contracts and the tradeoffs involved in deferring firefighter hires.