Fire Agencies May Combine Efforts in GV
By Kerana M. Todorov - Monday, August 7, 2000
To improve efficiency, fire prevention services for Grass Valley and a 100-square mile area around the city could be soon consolidated into one office at Grass Valley City Hall.
The proposal, which will be before the Grass Valley City Council Tuesday, would have the fire marshals of two agencies - the Grass Valley City Fire Department and the Nevada County Consolidated Fire District - work together at City Hall as early as September.
The new fire prevention bureau would also include Nevada County Consolidated's fire prevention officer.
Fire prevention entails a range of services, from permit inspections to public education on fire safety.
The merger is limited to those fire prevention efforts. It does not mean the two fire agencies will combine into one agency, cautioned Grass Valley Fire Chief Hank Weston and Consolidated Fire Chief Tim Fike. Rather the expertise of the staff will be pooled for more efficient service, they said.
Furthermore fire prevention requirements for all properties in both the city and Consolidated territory would be standardized, they said. This would cover such things as installation of sprinklers and fire alarms.
"It's an issue of service. This is a good way to operate," said Weston, referring to the merged fire prevention bureau.
City Hall's renovations are almost completed and the merger of the two fire bureaus could occur soon after City Hall's grand opening, scheduled for Aug. 22, Weston said.
Consolidated's Board of Directors approved the plan July 20. Under the agreement, Consolidated would pay Grass Valley $200 per month for rent.
Each agency will pay its own fire prevention staff, Weston said. Nevada County Consolidated has a full-time fire marshal and fire inspection officer on staff; the Grass Valley Fire Department, one full-time fire marshal.
The fire prevention bureau would consist of Fire Marshal Vern Canon from Consolidated; Deputy Fire Marshal Greg Burke from the city and Fire Prevention Officer Terry McMahan from Consolidated
Additionally, the Grass Valley City Council on Tuesday will also consider giving its final stamp of approval to a plan to jointly staff the city's Brighton Street fire station with Grass Valley and Consolidated firefighters. ... WHAT: Grass Valley City Council meeting WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday WHERE: L.O.V.E. Building, Condon Park, 660 Minnie St., Grass Valley INFO: 274-4310
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