SANTA CLARA FIREFIGHTERS ARE MAKING AN URGENT CALL TO COUNTY SUPERVISORS TO REVAMP AN OUTDATED SYSTEM

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, October 1, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- San Jose, Calif., September 30, 2020 -- In the middle of an already devastating fire season, Santa Clara County firefighters are making an urgent call to County Supervisors to revamp an outdated system and create a unified firefighting district that will improve fire protection and more efficiently serve the needs of all County residents.

“Fires don’t know boundaries,” warns Adam Cosner, president of Santa Clara County Firefighters Local 1165. “It’s critical that resources are shared so that we can safeguard the entire county.”

The call comes on the heels of a recent audit of the Los Altos Hills County Fire District, one of four firefighting districts that serve Santa Clara County. The audit found misuse of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, a lack of competitive bidding for projects, and violations of open-meeting laws.

Cosner and the firefighters he represents are urging the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to eliminate the current fire district boundaries and create a single, unified district. “Taking a regional approach allows us to distribute resources where they are needed and provide robust, year-round fire protection throughout the County,” says Cosner. He adds that a single district under the supervision of the Board of Supervisors will also improve public accountability.

The issue is especially important for many communities and unincorporated areas in the County, which rely on a regional fire protection system. Unfortunately, the increasing demands placed on the system by the combination of growing communities and massive wildfires threatens both the stability and efficiency of that system.

A regional approach would also improve local firefighters’ ability to provide mutual aid to Cal Fire during large wildfires across the state, which California has seen in epic proportions this year.

Santa Clara County Firefighters Local 1165 will host a press conference Thursday, October 1, to highlight the urgency of taking action now. “We’ve had dozens of studies and audits over the years that all point in the same direction,” Cosner explains. “We know what we need to do. The bottom line is this: the more we work together, the better protection we have.”

WHERE:
County Clerk Recorder's Office
70 W Hedding St.
San Jose, CA 95110

- Takes place at the front entrance in large courtyard under the waving flags and trees

DATE:
Thursday, October 1st, 2020

TIME:
10:00 AM

WHO:
- Adam Cosner, President, Union 1165
- Bill Murphy, Captain, SCC Fire Department and Member of Union 1165
- Firefighters representing nearly every local community - Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, San Jose, Gilroy, Santa Clara, Moffett Field, and Santa Clara County.

About Santa Clara County Firefighters:
Santa Clara County Firefighters Local 1165 proudly serves the communities of Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Redwood Estates, Saratoga, and various unincorporated areas throughout Santa Clara County. We are a non-striking Union interested only in the betterment of working conditions, our department, and the safety of the communities we serve.

Terry Downing
PRxDigital
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