HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail - Butte County Fire Station Closures Menchaca, Clarissa
Subject: FW: Butte County Fire Station Closures.
Importance: High
From: Bennett, Robin
Sent:Thursday, April 20, 2017 9:41 AM
To: Snyder, Ashley<ansnyder@buttecounty.net>; Menchaca, Clarissa <cmenchaca@buttecounty.net>
Cc: Hahn, Paul <PHahn@buttecounty.net>
Subject: FW: Butte County Fire Station Closures.
Importance: High
Mello,
See email letter below from Alex Drew to the BBS regarding the upcoming Fire Dept Matrix study agenda item.
Robin Bennett,
Executive Assistant
(530) 872-6304.rbe n. O&buttoxounl,
11utte
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717 1,311 Ott Ro(i
From:Alex Drew [irnnaiillto g.Ilex..d.irew83. .ginn.g.iill...coirnn.]
Sent:Wednesday, April 19, 2017 11:18 AM
To: Connelly, Bill <1B oim llll r I u.I g u im roim I>
Cc:Wahl, Larry<Il.. g.1 .11_@ IIIca_u.im..r..imI>; Kirk, Maureen <IIKii.irlk.@_Iu.. iml. .i >; BOS District 4
<1Diistiriict4@I�uttecouinty.im I>;Teeter, Doug<D'Feeteir lb tt- ou.u_nt inet>
......................................... ....................................... .........
Subject: Butte County Fire Station Closures.
Sirs/Madam,
I am writing to show concern regarding the potential closure of several fire stations in Butte County,
Specifically stations 35, 62, and 55. I speak not only as a citizen living in an area affected by your decisions, but
also as an Employee of Butte County EMS working in the south county area.
As a property owner, I do my part to reduce fire danger on my property, and rely on everyone else to do the
same. However in the more rural areas there are many empty parcels that prove a fire danger, and there is
unchecked growth of combustible material along our roads- which are used frequently during the summer
months for access to the lakes (Collins, New Bullards Bar, Sly Creek..), making cigarette butts and unsecured
trailer chains are always a concerns. Having a fire station close by also means that I can buy insurance for my
home and property, for which rates have gone up significantly recently, and some companies have stopped
selling insurance outright. These outlying stations, though not as busy as some others, play an important role in
arriving to and mitigating situations quickly, before they become a threat to property and community. As a
1
citizen in one of the possibly impacted areas, I urge you to strongly consider options to keep these stations open
and operational.
As an employee of Butte County EMS, these stations, 35, 62, and 55, play an important role in the care of our
fellow citizens. The Fire personnel know the area, and are the first on scene, well before an ambulance arrives.
They are able to asses the situation, calm and treat the patient, and relay pertinent information the the
ambulance en route. The fire crew can advise the in coming ambulance that they "can reduce to code 2" which
translates to responding without delay-but no lights and sirens, this increases the safety of the ambulance crew
and other motorists on the road (Code 3 driving is inherently dangerous, and on rural county roads, does not
reduce response time). By being first on scene it helps the ambulance crews find the address, which can be
difficult to find up in the Berry Creek area, or down around Bangor due to poor signage and often poorer road
conditions. Fire personnel have many key parts to play at the scene of traffic accidents. The engines carry tools
we do not have on the ambulance, specifically extrication tools-jaws of life etc- and are well trained to use
them. Fire personnel provide traffic control to keep everyone on scene safe, they provide manpower and are
essential to extricating patients, and, if the the patient is in critical condition, can assist ambulance personnel
while transporting to the hospital. These are just a few examples of how having fire personnel in these more
remote rural areas is an exceptional boon to the responding EMS crews, as well as the citizens themselves. As
an employee of Butte County EMS, I urge you to strongly consider options to keep these stations open and
operational.
Thank You
-Alex Drew
EMT with First Responder Ambulance
Resident of Bangor, CA.
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