What other candidates are saying:
They are saying how unsafe our contract for services with CalFire is due to the change in work schedule for the Firefighters. They also claim that response times are up and we are getting under trained fire personnel transferring into our District. There is also talk of going away from the CalFire contract and hiring more fire personnel to change the schedule that the Cal Fire employees currently work within the San Miguel District.
These are the facts:
1. There has been NO decrease of quality of service since the inception of the CalFire contract.
2. The response times have gone from 86% to over 91% reaching emergencies in the District in eight minutes or less.
3. There are 112 CalFire contracts throughout the State, consisting of more than 1500 Firefighters and over 6500 others that work the same schedule without any safety issues.
4. The training of Firefighters coming into San Miguel is as good if not better than the Firefighters that are/were here. A good portion of the Firefighters are trained to do not just basic firefighting jobs but hold State certifications so they can be used on large Incidents within the District and throughout the State.
5. The CalFire Services Agreement has saved the taxpayers of San Miguel more than $1.2 million this year. This ensures future stability of the District.
6. The cost of canceling the CalFire Contact would cost over $2 million dollars in personnel costs alone, this does not include the cost of Workers Compensation Insurance or benefits for new employees.
7. No current Board Member has ever sued the Fire District. Theresa McKenna, one of the new candidates and past employee of your Fire District, has sued the District costing taxpayers almost $100,000 in legal fees.
8. The three candidates are being funded by former San Miguel Employees and are not doing this for the residents of the District but to benefit the former employees with increased pay and benefits.
9. The former San Miguel Firefighters enjoy a five year severance package that offsets the decrease in salary with CalFire.
10. Every former San Miguel Firefighter that stays within the CalFire system will get lifetime retirement medical insurance.
11. In high fire danger times the State provides personnel, at no cost to the District, to staff our brush rigs (three), which provides more Firefighters to respond to emergencies within the District. This includes all State resources (Firefighters, Engines, Bulldozers, Helicopters and all other Aircraft).
I would be happy to answer any question or concerns that you might have.
Let us together keep this District fiscally healthy now and in the future.
I ask for your support by voting for me on November 4th.
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