Who is MY Fire Department?
Many of the residents of Riverside County and the cities within the County simply know one thing?.when they call 911 for a medical or fire emergency a big red fire truck shows up, along with an ambulance. Well of course, that is correct.
What a lot of residents don?t know is who these firefighters/paramedics are? Where do they come from? Where do they live? What are their backgrounds?
Hopefully we will answer some of those questions here?.
The Riverside County Fire Department contracts with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) otherwise known as Cal Fire. Administrative items such as Building & Safety, Fire Inspectors, Office of Emergency Services, Emergency Fire Dispatch, Communications, Mechanics, and Wherehouse support staff are mostly employees of the County of Riverside, although there are also CDF staff who work in these departments too.
Many times the ?average? person does not come into contact with an employee of the Riverside County Fire Department unless they have ?specific? business on the administrative side. Most interaction with the Fire Department comes where the rubber meets the road, otherwise known as the public arena.
The Firefighters a person sees at the store, driving down the road, attending a special event, or even on scene of an emergency are usually CDF Firefighters, otherwise known as employees of the State of California. What? Yes, you heard right, the actual firefighters most residents of Riverside County come into contact with on a daily basis are contractors for the Riverside County Fire Department, not actual Riverside County Fire Fighters, as many would be led to believe.
There is one difference though, and it is an important one. There are VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS who respond to 911 emergency calls! How can you tell? IF that Firefighter has a Riverside County Fire Department Patch/Logo on their uniform or on their yellow safety gear, or sweater/hat, (blue with yellow and a Raincross design on it) then they are what is considered to be a Volunteer Firefighter!
What is the difference one would ask?
Let?s take a look at the chart below and see?.
Question(s)
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Contract Firefighters
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Riverside County Volunteer Firefighters
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Do firefighters have to live in the area they serve?
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No. State firefighters are allowed to live anywhere in the State of California. Many who work in the Riverside Ranger Unit actually live outside of Riverside County and simply commute for their assigned shifts/overtime.
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YES. As a volunteer firefighter you must live in the area you intend to serve. A small percentage is allowed to live outside of the area only, on a case by case basis.
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Are Firefighters trained to State levels as mandated?
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Yes. As contractors for the Riverside County Fire Department, the State of California must ensure that its employees adhere to all STATE guidelines as all other STATE employees do.
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YES. Volunteer Firefighters actually exceed the State limit. Not only do they have to meet all State guidelines, but many travel hundreds of miles and take personal days off from work to take additional training classes not offered by the State to volunteer firefighters.
It is important for Volunteer Firefighters to obtain additional training other than what is required by the State of California, being as most City/County Departments actually require more training to be considered for their positions.
So in order to apply for a job with an outside agency additional training is not only required, but considered a necessity!
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Do the Firefighters get paid for extra training and education?
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Yes. As an employee of the State of California firefighters get paid to take training classes. All meals, travel, as well as educational expenses in addition to the regular salary for the day are issued to the employee. These costs are usually passed on to Riverside County residents per its contract.
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NO. Volunteer firefighters DO NOT GET PAID to attend any classes in order to fulfill its requirements for State Firefighter guidelines. Volunteer firefighters must take personal days off from work, pay for their own travel, meals, and any educational expenses such as books, class fees, equipment needed for the class, and required uniforms.
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Do the Firefighters perform additional work in the local area they serve?
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No. Usually when a State firefighter employee goes off ?shift? they take time to be with family, travel back home outside of Riverside County, or even out of State, or simply take some well deserved rest at home.
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YES! Volunteer firefighters many of who live in their community, also work in the community! They are local business owners of UPS stores, restaurants, Real Estate offices, construction companies, appliance stores, City Civic leaders, other firefighters, search & rescue members, politicians, store managers, and many more!
When Volunteers go off ?shift? they usually just go right back to work at their place of business!
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Can local Firefighters be
called to other emergencies outside of our town/city/county/state?
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Yes. State of California firefighters, as State employees can be called to assist in disasters statewide, and even nationwide at a moments notice.
Unfortunately this "call out" can also leave Riverside County with out several Chief Officers, Paramedics, dispatchers, firefighters, fire engine operators, as well as less fire engines! This event will cause whats termed as a "draw down level" to be reviewed.
Keep in mind this leave Riverside County residents with a hole in its fire protection level of service. Many times leaving fire stations unmanned.
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NO! Local Volunteer firefighters CANNOT be called to leave local area unless the Fire Chief of the Ranger Unit and County Supervisors are all in agreement that local resources can be utilized. Although volunteers can go out of county for disasters, and it is very rare for this to happen. Only in cases of extreme emergencies has this happened. Local Volunteer firefighters are dedicated to the community they live and work in.
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Do our Firefighters undergo Criminal Background checks as a condition of employment?
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NO. The State of California DOES NOT REQUIRE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS of its firefighters as a term of employment. One must only be 18 years of age at time of employment, as outlined at www.fire.ca.gov
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YES! To become a Volunteer firefighter with Riverside County you must pass a physical from a physician, complete a four page application in detail, list all previous work history, education, give four (4) references, undergo a criminal background check, be fingerprinted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), fill out an I-9 form for the Department of Homeland Security all BEFORE you can even be considered for an open position.
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Do funds raised by the community for the Firefighters stay in the community?
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No. Any donation given to firefighters monetarily cannot be accepted unless one designates it to the local firefighters union/charity event. Donations such as food, baked goods etc can be accepted by State Employees, though on a case by case basis.
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YES! Any monetary donation given to the LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS goes straight back to the community in the form of purchases of emergency equipment, maintenance on rescue squads, fire engines, or to help purchase items needed for the firefighters such as uniforms or safety equipment.
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Is there a policy against Firefighters having tattoos?
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No. The State of California does not enforce any type of tattoo policy which requires its employees to not display tattoos while in the work environment or responding to/on scene of emergency calls or while in public. It is unknown why there is no policy enforcement as these could serious issues when ones expresses ones views while on duty under the color of the State seal.
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YES! Many Volunteer Fire Companies (VFC?s) require their members (firefighters) to wear long sleeve uniform shirts while in the public arena or to wear sweaters/sweatshirts in order to conceal any type of religious/political or any other type of beliefs and/or preferences.
Several local Volunteer Leaders have strongly stated a need for tattoo display enforcement among all Volunteer firefighters.
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Does the State pay for the Firefighters safety gear and uniforms?
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Yes. The State of California as is the case with all of its employees who it requires to wear uniforms provides a uniform allowance to its firefighters, along with all needed safety gear. Some Ranger Units allow their firefighters to have up to two (2) sets of ?bunker gear? in case one should be damaged while on duty. State firefighters have priority over all other firefighters when it comes to issuance of safety gear, usually receiving all brand new gear as it comes in.
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NO! Volunteer firefighters are NOT EMPLOYEES of the State of California or the County of Riverside! (Although legal has not yet determined this fact)
Volunteer Firefighters are REQUIRED TO WEAR UNIFORMS WITHOUT BEING REIMBURSED for this cost! Volunteer firefighters are provided with used safety equipment, many times gear which has been turned in by State employees who are being issued new safety gear, or who simply are being issued the newest model of safety gear.
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In the event of a major catastrophe such as earthquake, tsunami, fire or flood will our Firefighters be able to provide the needed assistance required?
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Unknown. One must remember that as employees of the State of California, State firefighters do not have to live in the county/city they work in, firefighters can be assigned outside of the county/city they are assigned to, be attending a training class in Northern California, or performing union business in Sacramento, or even be on vacation!
In the event of a Major Disaster the ability of those firefighters/administrative personnel to make it back to Riverside County, via air or ground could be seriously affected. Plus if they are already assigned to an emergency incident the ability to re-allocate them to a newer incident is far less likely.
Residents of Riverside County could be without assistance from its contract firefighters for quite sometime or indefinitely for that matter. In the hours immediately after a disaster it is imperative that Riverside County have its emergency personnel present and ready to assist its residents in its time of need. Having contract firefighters via the State of California simply does not allow for all of its personnel to be at the Counties disposal immediately.
As outlined in an article from the Press-Enterprise, even the Office of Emergency Services states, ?citizens will be the true first responders!? (March 21,2011 ? Sandra Stokley)
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YES! Most Volunteer Firefighters usually work in the areas they serve or very close to them. In addition, Volunteers live in the very same cities and communities that many of our residents of Riverside County do. The ability for Volunteer Firefighters to respond immediately after or during a disaster is very much possible.
At a time when freeways, airports, and rail service will be inoperable, or simply jammed with traffic Volunteer firefighters will be able to augment the contract firefighters who are on duty at the fire house, or in many cases actually staff rescue squads (which contractors currently do not) second roll fire engines, as well as communication units at a moment?s notice.
Volunteer Firefighters will know the quickest and safest routes to get somewhere in a time of need when outside resources finally do arrive from adjacent counties/cities.
The simple fact that at any one time there are easily 2000+ volunteer firefighters, nurses, doctors, police officers as well as other agency firefighters living in Riverside County, there will be a huge factor in staffing emergency equipment at a moment?s notice to provide the immediate help required to the residents. The first 24-72 hours are critical in Search & Rescue, fire protection, and the preservation of life.
It is worthwhile to note that just about every Search & Rescue Team in the State of California is comprised of VOLUNTEERS! Yes, you read right?.Volunteers make up a majority if not all of the Search & Rescue teams in California, who are not affiliated with a Fire Department, rather a Sheriff?s Department.
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Why are Fire Department Unions actively trying to eliminate Volunteer Firefighters from the State of California?
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Unknown. There are many theories as to why these BIG UNIONS with endless pockets of money are working so feverishly to eliminate the Volunteer Firefighters in the State of California.
Ultimately it comes down to pay & jobs. There are approximately 75,000 +/- volunteer firefighters in the State of California who provide emergency services to the public. If all of those 75,000 volunteer firefighters were to be eliminated that would mean one would need to hire 75,000 people (firefighters) to fill the void left behind. Unions fight to obtain several benefits for their membership, such as better pay, health benefits, proper educational opportunities, and even proper representation, BUT the biggest of them all is the creation of jobs!
Let us not forget, when a person is hired as a firefighter that person does not have a say in becoming a union member or not! The Unions automatically take their ?dues? from that person?s paycheck, whether they like it or not. The new firefighter can fight to have the amount reduced, but not eliminated; rather they will still be required to pay their ?fair share? as the term is used. Well if that ?fair share? is lets say $40.00 and you multiply that times 75,000 new jobs, guess what? That equals a whole lot of money coming in to the union coffers on a monthly basis!!
Of course, with more money coming in it makes the unions even more powerful, as they can now make ?donations? to politicians who will further their cause, and by the same token take out ads blasting candidates who are or could perceive to be ?anti-union? and/or ?pro-volunteer?. SO, one must truly ask themselves?.is the elimination of the Volunteer Firefighter driven by greed of money, by the prospect of more jobs, or both?!?
At a time when cities/counties across the nation are on the brink of bankruptcy due to super inflated union contracts, is eliminating Volunteer Firefighters who are trained to the same if not better standards, who live/work in the areas they serve, and who undergo criminal background checks all for FREE, a good idea?
Daily, the Associated Press (AP) reports of cities laying off fire/police/city staff due to budget shortfalls?who is going to fill those voids?
Apparently the Riverside Ranger Unit/County Fire Chief, his staff, and the County Board of Supervisors feel that eliminating the Volunteer Firefighters of Riverside County is a good idea?that it will save money as was stated by the Department heads. Yet the Fire Department still has not figured out a way to overcome its MULTI-million dollar budget shortfall!!
So when the question is asked, who is our Fire Department one need not look very far?simply look to union hall during the good times?.but in time of need, when disaster hits, one must remember, we will all become volunteers in our own world, we will all volunteer to help one another, and neither pay, nor rank, nor monthly dues, nor uniforms will matter.
Become a Volunteer Firefighter TODAY! Call your local fire station and ask about becoming a Volunteer Firefighter, and give back to your community, to your friends, to your loved ones, better yet?.help keep Volunteer Firefighters around for another 200+ years!
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