County supervisors decided Wednesday to consider legal options and policy changes to combat the rising costs of trucks for fire departments.
Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer was behind a proposal for the county “to engage with statewide and national partners such as the California Fire Service Leadership Alliance, and to report back every 90 days with progress and legal options.” Her plan was passed by the board on a 3-0 vote.
She said the county is “facing a real crisis in terms of our ability to protect public safety,” citing a supply chain that has been “taken over by corporate consolidation and greed.”
According to a statement from Lawson-Remer’s office, fire engine costs have increased from $650,000 to $1.3 million and fire departments face delivery delays lasting more 900 days. She also accused private equity firms of shutting down manufacturing plants.
Departments such as those in Borrego Springs “are waiting years for basic fire engines,” Lawson-Remer added.
Obtaining replacement parts is also an issue.
According to Lawson-Remer’s office, Tim Ross, a fire apparatus engineer with Cal Fire Local 2881, said that while battling a vegetation fire in the desert last week, “old equipment and an outdated pump forced him to accidentally lose 20% of his water supply mid-fire.”
Meanwhile, a proposal to expand and update San Diego County’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program failed.
Lawson-Remer had called for increasing eligibility for the program, along with establishing a sliding-scale fee structure for clients and prioritizing legal cases “with viable paths to relief.” People previously convicted of a serious crime would not have been eligible, according to her office.
She and Monica Montgomery Steppe voted yes on Tuesday, while Joel Anderson voted no.
The measure needed three votes for passage. Supervisor Jim Desmond was absent Tuesday and Wednesday, as he was in Washington, D.C., visiting with federal officials, and the District 1 seat is vacant.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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