Recently in Fire Department Category

Stacia Glenn,
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO - A proposed agreement intended to close a widening rift between firefighters and their managers fell through this week, all but ensuring the battle over a name will be fought in court.

The San Bernardino City Professional Fire Managers, which is not recognized by the city as a group, endorsed a different 4th Ward City Council candidate than the union, touching off animosity and confusion in a political season already brimming with both.

Arguing that the similarity in the name to the San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters confuses the public, the union filed an emergency injunction to stop the managers from using the name.

A civil judge turned it down.

But this week, a fire captain acting as a go-between for the two groups led them to the brink of an agreement, which the fire managers eventually refused to sign.

The union's agreement would have required the fire managers to stop using their name and pull any endorsements under that name, meaning that incumbent Fred Shorett would no longer be able to use the fire managers name on his Web site and mailers.

It also asked the fire managers to notify the media that they were giving up the name, though union attorney Corey Glave said they were willing to drop that from the agreement.

"The other things they wanted to throw in to make this is a political thing, we're not willing to do," said Mark Edwards, an attorney representing Battalion Chief Denis Moon, who is president of the fire managers group. "It's further proof that what all this is is they don't want a representative of different members of the firefighting community to take a position that's counter to theirs."

Glave disagreed, insisting that the issue is the similarity in names. He said the union is not opposed to the fire managers issuing endorsements under a different name.

"This case is not political and it will go on long after the election passes," he said.

Glave expects to send out deposition notices within two weeks as part of the pending lawsuit.

Some 100 firefighters attacked a fire that ignited Wednesday afternoon near the crossing of Highway 18 and Lower Waterman Canyon Road.

"We got real lucky. The fire started just below the Arrowhead Springs area in Waterman Canyon there and we were able to keep it to five acres," San Bernardino City Fire Battalion Chief Mike Alder said.

Firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service were the first responders to reach the fire and Cal Fire crews also responded to the blaze.

The fire was reported around 2:20 p.m. Wednesday and despite winds blowing around 25 to 35 mph, firefighters succeeded in halting its spread in about one hour, Alder said.

City firefighters are responding to flames burning near the intersection of Highway 18 and Lower Waterman Canyon Road.

As of around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, the fire has burned about 100 square yards, a San Bernardino City Fire dispatcher said.

Stacia Glenn,
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO - The San Bernardino City Professional Fire Managers may continue using their name for the time being, a judge ruled Thursday.

The name of the recently formed association has caused a deep rift between the firefighters union and the firefighters' bosses, who are endorsing opposing candidates in the 4th Ward City Council race.

Believing that the fire managers chose a name similar to the union's in order to deceive residents, the San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters asked for a temporary restraining order and an injunction against the battalion chiefs to prevent them from using the name, which they already plan to change for collective bargaining purposes.

Superior Court Judge Robert Fawke denied the restraining order, saying it is a political matter he should not get entangled in.

"We are gratified the court recognized this suit for what it was: a politically motivated effort to stifle a contrary position," Battalion Chief Denis Moon, president of the group, said in a written statement. "However, we regret that getting to this predictable and logical conclusion required wasting money" in court.

Union President Scott Moss said he was disappointed by the judge's decision.

"But I understand the judge not wanting to get involved," he said. "We'll move forward with it."

A court date for a hearing on the injunction has not been set. All nine fire managers are expected to be deposed before that Moon said the fire managers chose the name "to let people know who we are," not to confuse voters.

Most of the Fire Department heads support incumbent Fred Shorett, who voted to cut Fire Department staffing. The union endorsed challenger Joe Arnett.

Moon, Fire Chief Mike Conrad, Deputy Chief Mat Fratus and four other battalion chiefs formed the fire managers group three months ago. They said the name has only been used to endorse Shorett.

The group is not officially recognized by the city, but Moon said it plans to file the proper paperwork to become a recognized bargaining group for fire managers known as the San Bernardino City Fire Management Association.

"We decided not to use `San Bernardino City Fire Management Association' for the political endorsement because we were unsure if doing so would impact our ability to use the name subsequently as a recognized bargaining unit," Moon wrote in a declaration to the court.

Two battalion chiefs were also "uncomfortable" with a political endorsement, according to court documents.

Moss said using two names is clear proof the fire managers are trying to deceive voters into thinking that most of the Fire Department supports Shorett.

"Otherwise, they'd use one name," he said.

Moon's attorney, Mark Edwards, denied that the managers intended to confuse the public by choosing a similar-sounding name.

"While there are a lot of similarities, it's unavoidable," he said. "Both believe they're professional and both believe they're firefighters. But people are clearly aware of the distinction between management and the union."

Stacia Glenn
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO - Firefighters and their managers are squaring off on opposite sides of the 4th Ward City Council race, sparking an investigation into a battalion chief and touching off a dispute that's headed to court this morning.

The San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters, a union representing 148 San Bernardino firemen, is supporting challenger Joe Arnett for the council seat.

But in recent months, a group of department commanders created the San Bernardino City Professional Fire Managers, which is supporting incumbent Fred Shorett.

The firefighters' union claims the similar-sounding name is being used to mislead voters into thinking that most Fire Department employees support the incumbent.

They plan to file for an emergency injunction in San Bernardino Superior Court this morning seeking to stop the managers' group from using the name.

"They picked a name just like ours to confuse and deceive the voters, and it's working," said union President Scott Moss. "This threw up a huge division between a few managers and the whole labor force. All of a sudden, they're working against us."

Fire Chief Mike Conrad said the dispute was part of the normal contentiousness of political seasons.

"We think we should, on occasion, have a voice," he said.

Battalion Chief Dennis Moon, president of the fire managers group, did not return repeated calls for comment.

City officials said the fire managers group is not officially recognized by the city as a bargaining unit because no petition has been filed. If one is filed, the matter would go to the City Council for approval.

The union has lodged a lengthy complaint against Moon, accusing him of engaging in campaign business on duty and harassing firefighters into listening to his political views.

The complaint also accuses Conrad of conspiring and participating with Moon in political business while on duty.

Conrad denied the allegations.

City Manager Charles McNeely said he has asked the Human Resources Department to investigate the allegations. He declined to comment specifically because it's a personnel matter.

Conrad cannot join the managers association because he is a contract employee. But he said he supports the group, which he said formed to negotiate with the city for fire manager benefits.

But firefighters are suspicious because the group formed within the last two months and has only used its name to endorse Shorett.

Conrad pointed out the similarity in several management and labor union association names and said the fire managers are following the path of police managers, who last year formed the San Bernardino Police Management Association.

Dan Crow, a California Professional Firefighters district vice president who represents the Inland Empire, said the similarity in names could be misleading to residents and questioned why fire officials are getting involved in city politics.

"It's very uncommon," he said. "Department heads usually do not involve themselves in city politics. They usually just involve themselves in their department."

Conrad acknowledged the rarity of top officials endorsing council candidates.

"To be political is not common, but we voiced support for Fred Shorett because we've had a good working relationship with him," he said. "We feel like he has a heart for safety and that he'll help rebuild this department when the funds become available."

The city eliminated eight vacant firefighter positions in April to save $1.2million, reducing nine of the city's 12 fire stations to three-man crews. Firefighters were outraged, claiming the move risks public safety.

Moss said the union does not begrudge fire managers their own association. But he said concerns have risen now that administrators have gotten involved in city politics.

"It's caused a Grand Canyon between us," he said.

Recently-elected councilman Fred Shorett is going to have some competition in his effort to win a full term.

Joe Arnett, who took second place to Shorett in a Special Election that was held in March, is scheduled to make a formal announcement on Thursday that he will challenge Shorett in November. He has already picked up endorsements from people who supported Shorett in the previous election.

"March's election was a mile marker in the real race," Arnett said by telephone Monday.

Monday, Arnett's campaign dispatched a press release stating that he is set to make a "major political announcement" Thursday outside City Hall.

Shorett represents the city's northeastern neighborhoods in the Fourth Ward. He succeeded Neil Derry, who left the council after winning a seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

In March, Shorett won by a large margin after running with the support of a number of San Bernardino's political players, including the firefighters' union and politicians who often disagree with each other, such as Mayor Pat Morris and Seventh Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack.

But now, Shorett's decision not to support other council members' attempts to restore funding to the Fire Department has cost him some political support.

Shorett said he was not surprised by the news, and said he will again campaign on a platform to make San Bernardino government more business friendly and business minded.

"That's the only thing that's going to save this city and cities around the country," Shorett said.

Fifth Ward Councilman Chas Kelley led efforts in April and May to restore funding to a dozen firefighting positions. No firefighters were laid off when the council cut funding for the positions in February, but the cuts meant that some fire engines are now staffed with three firefighters instead of four crew members.

The council never actually voted on Kelley's proposal, which was defeated twice through procedural methods. Other council members said the cash-strapped city cannot afford to pay for the positions, which were vacant and filled by firefighters working overtime shifts.

Some say it's dangerous to have three firefighters on an engine because three-person crews generally have to wait for backup before entering a burning building. Fire Chief Michael Conrad said at the time that three-firefighter engine companies can adequately provide rescue services.

Kelley supported Shorett in the special election but now supports Arnett. The fire union has also changed sides.

"We were just disappointed in regards to some of Fred's issues in regards to public safety," fire union president Scott Moss said.

The city has a big warning on its Web site reminding residents that illegal fireworks use will result in $1,000 fines for those who get caught with prohibited pyrotechnics.

City law makes it illegal to light any fireworks north of the 210 Freeway. It's also unlawful to set off fireworks in public streets, parks or parking lots. The fine is also applicable to people using dangerous fireworks or "safe and sane" fireworks in an unsafe and insane manner.

"Safe and sane" fireworks have an official seal on the packaging marking them as such. Fireworks with packaging marked with notifications like "Warning: Shoots flaming balls" are not legal in San Bernardino.

The City Council on Monday approved a package of concessions from city firefighters that's expected to result in $1.4 million in savings for the city over 13 months.

The council voted 7-0 to approve the deal.

Police and general employees have previously agreed to concessions packages. Previous attempts to negotiate a deal with firefighters stalled in February when fire union leaders accused former interim City Manager Mark F. Weinberg of attempting to change terms in the written deal after reaching a verbal agreement.

Weinberg said in a March 3 posting on SB Now that he was worried about an upsurge in overtime costs if firefighters were able to take leave given in exchange for a pay cut before the end of the 2009-10 fiscal year. Whenever a firefighter takes time off, is ill or injured, other firefighters cover the shift at overtime rates.

The waiting period is included in the deal approved Monday.

Key provisions of the deal are:

-Firefighters agree to give up 8.7 percent of their base salary via a line item deduction on their paycheck.

- Firefighters current collective bargaining agreement is extended one year, to expire June 30, 2010.

- Firefighters will earn 4 hours of paid leave time per week, but will not be able to take that time off until July 1, 2010. The time off will not have cash value unless firefighters retire before that date.

- Firefighters agree to sell back 48 hours of vacation time before June 30 and another 48 hours before the end of the next fiscal year. (The item was not discussed during the meeting, but this appears to be a way to reduce overtime expenditures, as firefighters will not have to have colleagues cover their shifts at overtime rates if they take less time off.)

- There are also provisions related to firefighters' medical plans, including a medical benefit cash-out program.

The full agreement can be accessed by reading the council's agenda at www.sbcity.org.

At least one commenter has asserted that the two-in/two-out firefighting tactic is merely a recommendation of the National Fire Protection Association, not law.

Fire departments are not required to have four firefighters attached to each engine company, but the two-in/two-out deployment is a federal regulation.

The following is taken from Title 29, Sec. 1910.134 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

(4) Procedures for interior structural firefighting. In addition to
the requirements set forth under paragraph (g)(3), in interior structural
fires, the employer shall ensure that:
(i) At least two employees enter the IDLH atmosphere and remain
in visual or voice contact with one another at all times;
(ii) At least two employees are located outside the IDLH atmosphere;
and
(iii) All employees engaged in interior structural firefighting use
SCBAs.

IDLH stands for "Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health."

The City Council acted again on Monday to reject 5th Ward Councilman Chas Kelley's attempt to beef up Fire Department staffing.

Kelley wanted to reverse budget cuts made in February that had the effect of taking a fourth firefighter off some city engine companies. A three-person firefighter crew cannot enter a burning building without backup from another engine company unless it's immediately obvious that someone needs to be rescued.

The February cuts eliminated funding for 12 firefighting positions, and eight jobs that had been filled by firefighters working overtime were deleted from the payroll. Kelley proposed using part of $1.4 million in concessions that the firefighters union approved Monday to finance the restoration of the jobs to the city payroll.

The stage was set for the council to debate what levels of public service the city could afford. That didn't happen. Instead, Third Ward Councilman Tobin Brinker rushed to introduce a motion to table Kelley's proposal. A motion to table means that the council drops discussion of an issue without setting a time to resume talks.

This is what ultimately happened. The council voted 4-3 to stop talking about Kelley's proposal. Brinker and councilmen Dennis Baxter, Fred Shorett and Rikke Van Johnson voted to table the proposal.

Kelley, McCammack and Councilwoman Esther Estrada voted against Brinker.

The vote followed a raucous argument over whether the council had the ability to vote on Brinker's motion. Several firefighters also argued in favor of Kelley's proposal and also agreed with Kelley that council members ducked their responsibilities by refusing to debate the merits of the proposal.

"Which of your constituents said 'Go table that?,'" asked fire union vice president Jim McMullen said from the podium reserved for members of the public.

Brinker said after the council voted that he thought it was pointless to debate Kelley's idea after the council chose not to support his idea during the April 20 meeting.

"We talked about it last meeting. There was no reason to talk about it again," Brinker said.

Seventh Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack, who supported Kelley's proposal, tried to introduce her own motion that would have given the council a chance to discuss the merit's of Kelley's proposal. And that's when people got angry.

Mayor Pat Morris sided with Brinker. He argued that the council had to vote on Brinker's move to end discussion first. City Attorney James F. Penman, raising his voice, disagreed. Penman countered that council rules require that the body to consider a substitute motion before considering a motion to table.

Boring stuff, but boring stuff that had an impact on city policy, since the council ended up doing things the way the mayor wanted to. For a while, Morris wanted to immediately move forward the motion to table without taking time to let the public step up to the city microphone and weigh in.

After a heated exchange between Morris and Penman over what the council's rules require, Estrada took exception to the possibility that the public might not have been afforded an opportunity to address their representatives.

"I would hope that we would not topple the Freedom of Speech here, your honor," Estrada said.

Morris changed his mind after aide Peggy Hazlett stepped to his seat with a message. McCammack angrily charged that the mayor only allowed the public to speak after relying on the advice of his son, mayoral chief of staff Jim Morris.

It was then that several firefighters spoke in favor of Kelley's idea. Fire union spokesman Tom Rubio said city officials were wasting their time in argument when they should be attempting to figure out how they can finance fire protection.

"We have very resourceful people on this Fire Department. We've done it before. We can do it again," Rubio said.

Rubio said the city could apply for grants to increase engine company staffing. Fire Capt. Richard Lewis later stepped to the microphone to contend that the city could ask San Bernardino voters for a charter amendment to mandate that engine companies have four-person crews.

Because of Brinker's motion, Kelley, McCammack and Penman had to speak from the public microphone instead of from the council dais.

"Tonight ladies and gentleman, democracy was thwarted, deliberately," Kelley said from City Hall's public comment podium.

"The candidates, and I said candidates, on that dais would have had a chance to explain to their residents why they thought my motion was wrong," he said later.

McCammack also accused Pat Morris of seeking revenge against the fire union since they did not support his candidacy.

Firefighters erupted into applause when speakers agreed with theirs and Kelley's positions. At least one man in the audience shouted "withdraw the motion" to Brinker.

Speaking from the public podium, Penman put forth that the speed with which Brinker put forward his bid to end debate meant that his action was prearranged. Reached in the City Hall lobby, Penman said he had no evidence that more than three council members discussed the issue before Monday's meeting.

It's illegal in California for a majority of any city council to privately discuss official business outside of a proper meeting.

Brinker said after the vote that he did not prearrange the outcome of Monday's discussion.

Asked if he spoke with council members during a meeting break, Pat Morris held up his hands but any spoken response was not heard by this reporter before Hazlett told this reporter to leave the dais because the council was returning to session.

Reached by telephone for clarification later Monday night, Jim Morris said "the mayor may have had talked to some council people in general, but the allegation that he drove this issue is completely and utterly ridiculous.

"He's got no agenda here," Jim Morris added, saying that the mayor's goals Monday night were to foster an orderly discussion, and that the decision on whether to debate Kelley's proposal was made by a council majority not the mayor.

Jim Morris also said the mayor has no interest to offend firefighters.

"What interest does he have other than a balanced budget?," Jim Morris asked.

From the San Bernardino City Fire Department:

Additional cases of Swine Flu have been reported in the United States and Mexico. The San Bernardino City Fire Department is issuing this announcement to provide information on these events and endorse the recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the CA Department of Public Health.

* As of April 29, 2009, fourteen CA residents have been diagnosed with confirmed swine Influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. All have recovered.
*
There are 77 more cases confirmed from nine other states, totaling 91 cases in the U.S. including one death.
*
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a common respiratory disease of pigs, but it doesn't normally infect humans. Human cases have occurred, however, most commonly among people with direct exposure to pigs.
*
You cannot get swine flu from eating pork.
*
There is no vaccine to protect people from swine flu.
*
The public does not need to take any unusual precautions at this time, other than what they would do for normal seasonal influenza.
o Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
o Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
o Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
o Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
o Stay home and limit contact with others if you're sick.

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people with swine flu also have reported vomiting and diarrhea.

If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, such as a fever over 100 degrees with a cough or sore throat, please consult with your medical provider.

For more information about swine influenza, you can access the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's web page on swine influenza at www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/index.htm

This is a evolving situation and we will continue to provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.

The Sun has had a few articles recently dealing with the issue of whether the city should restore funding to a dozen firefighting positions that were eliminated during this winter's round of budget cuts.

No firefighters were laid off, but eight of those positions had been filled by firefighters working overtime shifts. Having those eight positions on the books allowed the Fire Department to put four firefighters on fire engines that now have only three-person crews. Having three firefighters on an engine means that firefighters have to wait for backup to enter a burning building unless it's obvious that someone needs to be rescued. Otherwise, firefighters operate on a two-in, two-out principle.

Fifth Ward Councilman Chas Kelley wanted to restore funding, but other council members would not join in his effort at Monday's meeting.

One aspect of that meeting that did not make its way into printed stories was deputy city attorney Jolena Grider's suggestion that the city use Administrative Civil Penalties, called ACP's in City Hall's alphabet soup, to help fund the department.

ACPs are a relatively new fine mechanism that the city can use to assess penalties on those who violate any provision of San Bernardino's municipal code. A maximum penalty of $1,000 per day can be levied in addition to other penalties as long as a violation is observed.

Grider's boss, City Attorney James F. Penman, is a proponent of ACPs. FIrefighters are required to perform inspections and Grider said Monday that Penman's office supports the use of ACPs to bolster the Fire budget.

"That could be a good way of raising revenue that hasn't been used at that point," she said.

However, the idea didn't seem to get any traction. Interim City Manager Mark Weinberg and 6th Ward Councilman Rikke Van Johnson both said they didn't want to employ firefighters as revenue collection agents.

"That's not any more palatable to me than if we had our police officers write more traffic citations on the street so we would be able to fund more officers," Weinberg said.

Weinberg also said the city's hearing officer frequently reduced ACP fines from the $1,000 max to amounts like $100.

Police union president Rich Lawhead said members are scheduled to vote today and Wednesday on a concessions package.

SB Now has yet to obtain the package's formal language, but Lawhead said the deal calls for officers to give up compensation in the form of medical benefits, uniform allowances and the ability to sell back vacation and holiday time.

Lawhead said today that surrendering the uniform allowance amounts to a $1,900 loss per officer over two years. He said Monday that the concessions would mean officers would lose a little less than $500 in compensation per month.

The union's acceptance of the concessions package could negate furloughs, which the city council imposed Feb. 19 to cut costs by reducing cops' paid time by four hours per week. A judge on Monday denied the union's attempt to obtain a temporary restraining order against furloughs.

In related news, the city and firefighters union have been unable to finalize an agreement on a concessions package. Sun reporter Stacia Glenn reported in today's edition that a City Council vote to ratify the deal has been postponed.

The city-firefighters agreement would have allowed firefighters to bank four hours of unpaid leave time per week in exchange for a 10 percent salary cut. The breakdown happened after interim City Manager Mark Weinberg added a provision to prevent firefighters from using the leave time before June 2010.

Firefighters' contract requires that all stations be constantly manned, and that firefighters who fill in for others' shifts be paid overtime. Weinberg said that allowing firefighters to use their new leave time before June 2010 risked an uptick in overtime costs.

"That will leave the city vulnerable for there to be a run on those bank hours, which has the potential to completely erase any of the negotiated savings," Weinberg said. "We're still giving them the same number of hours, the only thing that we wanted them to restrict was the amount of time they took off."

Interim City Manager Mark Weinberg said on the telephone that the fire union was not accurate in its assertion today that he tried to change the city's concessions deal with association.

"It's a real mischaracterization to say that we're trying to change the terms," he said.

Weinberg said he had negotiated "deal points" with the union, and the current dispute relates to how those deal points were being translated into contract language. He declined to be quoted on specifics.

San Bernardino's fire union issued a statement a few minutes ago claiming that interim City Manager Mark Weinberg wants to renegotiate salary concessions.

Here's the union's full statement:

"San Bernardino Firefighters have been informed by interim City Manager Mark Weinberg that he wishes to change the terms of a 10 percent salary cut agreement accepted by city firefighters.

"On Feb. 19, the San Bernardino Firefighters approved a wage and benefit concession that was requested by the city, so we would be in-line with the city's mandate of a 10 percent across-the-board salary cut for all city employees.

"It would seem that Mr. Weinberg wishes to renegotiate and change the terms of our agreement - even though the written terms of which were proposed by Mr. Weinberg himself. In short, he now believes that our concession is not great enough and even though he acknowledges that this was his proposal, he still wants to change several terms of the agreement. We have not received his suggested changes in writing as of this time.

"We entered into budget cut discussions with the City with a great deal of openness, cooperation and trust. We understand and share in the pain of the city's budget crisis and the toll it has already taken on city residents and our fellow employees. It was in this spirit of shared sacrifice that we chose to seek a conciliatory tone in our approach to the budget crisis rather than confrontational.

"We are now concerned that our wage cut agreement was used to earn our trust and show support for the city's effort to push for tough budget cuts. And now that our ranks have voted to accept the agreement, he is attempting to change the terms of our agreement at our expense. We are greatly concerned with both the ethical and legal ramifications of this action.
We remain hopeful, however, that the City Council will see that "bait and switch" tactics in matters of wage cut agreements are a very serious matter. We are hopeful the City Manager will abide by the agreement as it stands."

Weinberg could not be reached immediately for comment.

Here's an announcement from San Bernardino Professional Firefighters:

San Bernardino Firefighters Approve 10 Percent Salary Reduction
SBCPF Local 891 Membership Supports City Budget Reduction Proposal

SAN BERNARDINO (February 17, 2009) - The San Bernardino City Professional Firefighters voted today to support an employee wage and benefit concession equivalent to a reduction of 10 percent of base salary in an effort to address the City's deepening fiscal crisis.

The across-the-board salary reduction was requested by city management to address its anticipated $9 million deficit for this year, as well as the projected $19.8 million deficit in FY 2009-2010. All 155 members of the SBCPF Local 891 will participate in the concession, which produces the same percentage savings as the 36-hour work week reduction by non-safety city employees.

"We recognize and commend the city firefighters for their personal sacrifices and willingness to work together for the greater good of their fellow employees, and also of the community we serve," said interim City Manager Mark Weinberg.

In supporting the wage reduction, San Bernardino firefighters are working with city management to minimize the need for staffing cuts.

"Our first priority is to ensure that the city's station and engine staffing will continue to guarantee public safety," said Scott Moss, president of the SBCPF Local 891. "In addition, we will insist that budget decisions always take into consideration the safety and welfare of our professional force."

In addition to their service to the city as public employees, the San Bernardino Professional Firefighters also fund a robust philanthropy program. Every year, city firefighters volunteer time and money toward city non-profit programs and organizations. In 2008, San Bernardino firefighters donated over $35,000 to help fund city programs that directly help residents, and they have also volunteered over 3,100 hours of time in community support.

Here's a link to interim City Manager Mark Weinberg's memo on the new hiring freeze.

CMBudDirectives.doc

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the freeze for many people will be the impacts on public safety. Weinberg wrote that considerations for exemption from the freeze will be given to positions that are needed for imminent safety concerns. Other jobs that may remain unfrozen are those that are not financed by general fund revenues or those that generate enough money to be worth keeping.

Assistant city manager Lori Sassoon wrote today in an email regarding public safety departments that "public safety is not categorically exempt from the freeze, however front line police and fire positions will be filled, and emergency services will not adversely affected."

Are posted here:

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - Caltrans workers and local firefighters are gearing up for another bout of Santa Ana winds expected to hit the area today and last through Thursday - with gusts predicted to hit 50 mph in some areas.

Caltrans workers continue to repair freeway guardrails, replace damaged road signs and clear burned and dead vegetation along the 215 Freeway from Mill Street to Base Line, where wind-
whipped fires destroyed a house and warehouse on Oct. 13 and also damaged a self-storage facility.

Caltrans, criticized by city officials for not clearing the tinder-dry brush along the freeway much sooner, issued an emergency order the next day, Oct. 14, allowing the state transportation agency to spend up to $1million on cleanup and repairs.

Mayor Pat Morris met with Raymond Wolfe, the new Caltrans supervisor for the San Bernardino area, and city fire officials on Tuesday to discuss the cleanup efforts along the freeway.

Morris said Caltrans has deployed about 150 workers on the cleanup mission. They're clearing the burned and dead brush along the medians and shoulders of the freeway and stripping away groundcover in order to stabilize the soil to prevent runoff when winter rains hit.

Workers are also clearing dead oleanders, trees and other vegetation along the freeway north to University Parkway. If all goes according to plan, the work should be done by the end of November, Morris said.

"They'll be working straight through and on the weekends," said Caltrans spokeswoman Barbara Miller. "I know they want to get this all cleared up and taken care of as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, firefighters are on standby and have bolstered manpower and equipment.

Dire predictions of gusty winds and extended periods of relative humidity below 10percent prompted the National Weather Service to issue a red-flag warning for the mountains and valleys of Southern California. It is expected to remain in effect through 11 p.m. Friday.

Northeast winds between 20 and 30 mph are expected, and 50 mph gusts are possible through and below passes and canyons.

The U.S. Forest Service is on high alert, with 25 local engines and five engines from the Plumas National Forest on standby. In addition, it has four hotshot crews, three airtankers, three Skycrane helitankers, two helicopters and an air attack plane at the ready should there be any flare-ups.

"We take the forecasted weather very seriously and add additional resources as needed," said National Forest Fire Chief Michael Dietrich in a news release.

He encourages the public to remain cautious and report any suspicious activity to their local fire or police agencies.

SANTA ANA WARNINGS

Another bout of Santa Ana winds is expected to hit the area today - with gusts predicted to hit 50 mph in some areas. A red-flag warning for the mountains and valleys of Southern California is expected to last until 11 p.m. Friday.

I took the 215 in to work today and say that the cleanup crews that Caltrans has promised are indeed working along the freeway, clearing away vegetation in the path of last week's fire.

San Bernardino officials have criticized Caltrans for not doing more to clean up dry plants as a preventive measure before the recent fires. Mayor Pat Morris and Fire Chief Michael Conrad are scheduled to meet with local Caltrans director Raymond Wolfe today to discuss the issue.

The cause of a fire that a path of destruction along the 215 Freeway on Monday remains a mystery, although firefighters have considered several possibilities.

"It's difficult for the investigators to nail down one specific thing," said San Bernardino City fire spokesman Steve Tracy.

Tracy said there's a chance investigators may never determine the cause of the blaze. They have narrowed the site where the fire started to vegetation around the Base Line Road overpass.
Investigators suspect some potential causes of the blaze could be burning embers from palm trees, hot exhaust components from vehicles on the freeway or cigarettes tossed from vehicles, fire officials said.

The earlier freeway fire was determined to be caused by a homeless man tossing a cigarette into dry brush behind a recycling plant on H Street. Brenton Marvin Jacques was charged with recklessly causing a fire of a structure or forest and pleaded not guilty to the charge Wednesday in San Bernardino Superior Court.

-melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- City officials say that before a recent pair of fires, Caltrans failed to respond to requests to clean up combustible landscaping along the 215 Freeway.

Palm trees and dry vegetation along the 215 corridor fueled two brush fires that swept alongside the freeway on Monday. Santa Ana winds carried blazing embers that helped the fire to spread southward from its ignition point.

The second of the two fires destroyed a house, a warehouse and caused major damage to a self-storage business.

San Bernardino Fire Chief Michael Conradsaid he attended a meeting with Caltrans officials in July 2007 to press for improved landscaping efforts along 215. But as far as he can tell, the highway agency simply allowed landscaping to dry out.

"The bottom line is, it was left to die," Conrad said.

Following the urban brush fires, Caltrans pledged to immediately go to work on fire-related maintenance.

Agency spokeswoman Barbara Miller cq said that an emergency order -- issued Tuesday night -- will allow Caltrans to spend up to $1 million on work such as fixing guardrails and clearing out burned vegetation.

"They will be going through and removing all the damaged, dry brush and trees," Miller said.
Miller also said ongoing freeway widening efforts will eventually lead much of the current landscaping on 215 being replaced by pavement.

Monday's fires burned along more than one mile of 215, from Base Line to Mill Street. Conrad said the blazes have "pretty much fireproofed that area," but he's still concerned about the dead plants that could line the freeway in a year's time.

Mayor Pat Morris said that on Tuesday, he and Conrad plan to meet with Raymond W. Wolfe, cq director of Caltrans' operations in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, to talk about the continued hazards posed by 215 landscaping.

"We need to get out there and clean it up," Morris said. "There's still a lot of fuel out there."
Morris said Wolfe is new in his post and Tuesday's meeting will be the first time the two will be able to talk about the issue.

But that doesn't mean city officials haven't made previous entreaties to Caltrans. Besides the July 2007 discussion mentioned by Conrad, mayoral chief of staff Jim Morris said city Fire Marshall Doug Dupree has written to Caltrans about the dangers of dry vegetation on 215.

Dupree was not available to comment on Friday. Miller said she could not speak to Caltrans' past interactions with San Bernardino officials concerning hazardous landscaping.

Caltrans' pledges to make improvements don't erase the frustration felt by those who feel that Caltrans has ignored San Bernardino.

Seventh Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack said there's no reason for Caltrans officials not to be aware of the hazards posed by unmaintained landscaping.

"This is not the first, second or third time there has been a fire along the freeway," she said.

Laying aside the threat of urban brush fires, there's the issue of whether Caltrans has allowed the the appearance of freeways passing through San Bernardino to deteriorate.

Bob Edwards, cq a member of the city's building and code commission, fire hazards aren't the only landscaping-related problem along 215. He also maintained that freeways are better maintained as they pass through nearby Redlands and Rancho Cucamonga.

In his view, a driver approaching San Bernardino from the Cajon Pass is greeted by a tangle of unkempt landscaping that sends the same message as a "keep out" sign.

"There's nothing that says 'Stop. Let's shop here. Let's eat here. This is a nice town,'" Edwards said.

Here's a letter from Mayor Pat Morris and Fire Chief Michael Conrad requesting a meeting with local Caltrans director Raymond W. Wolfe to discuss the need to clean up vegetation along the 215 freeway.

The dry plants helped fuel two fires that swept through the freeway corridor on Monday.

Morris said a meeting is set for Tuesday.

Letter_Dr._Raymond_W._Wolfe.pdf

As reported previously on this blog, San Bernardino Fire Chief Michael Conrad has taken issue on what he sees as Caltrans' failure to clear away problem vegetation on the 215 median.

Dry plants helped to fuel the fire that swept southward along the 215 corridor on Monday, causing damage to some businesses in its path.

This morning, Caltrans spokeswoman Barbara Miller said that in the future, the highway agency's plans to widen the 215 freeway mean that some landscaping will have to give way to pavement, reducing the amount of plants that can dry out and catch fire.

Miller also said agency officials are working on an emergency order that would authorize an immediate cleanup of the 215 median.

"They will be going through and remove all the dry brush," Miller said.

I asked Miller about the agency's past interactions with San Bernardino officials. She said she would have to check on that and get back to me.

More to come ...

San Bernardino Fire Chief Michael Conrad said today that Monday's blazes "pretty much fireproofed" the stretch of the 215 median that burned Monday, but there's still work to be done to prevent fires along other portions of the freeway.

"I'm kind of hoping Caltrans will take the opportunity to put some crews in there and thin that stuff out," Conrad said in reference to vegetation growing north of where Monday's fire burned.

Monday, two fires burned along the 215 from Base Line to Mill Street. The flames destroyed a house and caused major damage to a storage business and a warehouse. The flames also damaged eight cars parked outside an auto repair shop and caused some damaged to a building where pool tables are manufactured.

Conrad said that in July 2007, city and Caltrans officials met to discuss fire risks posed by palm trees and other vegetation on the 215 meeting, but the plants were simply "left to die."

I'm working on a larger story on the subject for a future issue. I called Caltrans shortly before 4 p.m. and was told that a staffer able to comment on the subject will be in Thursday morning.

The Press Enterprise has also covered Monday's fires. That newspaper quoted Caltrans spokeswoman Rose Melgoza as saying vegetation "wasn't watered as much as possible" and that the highway agency would remove plants from the 215's median.

The city Fire Department has a public safety fair scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 222 North Lugo Street, across the street from one of the city's fire stations.

The City Council's approval of salary increases for members of the Police and Fire Departments on Monday will require San Bernardino officials to dig into budget reserves to make payroll obligations.

The pay increases were mandated by a City Charter formula. The pay hikes were divided into a trio of agenda items.

The first action increased pay for Police Department commanders. In total, the council's action is expected to cost $128,500 in general fund money. Police Chief Michael Billdt, slated to retire in March, will see his monthly salary increase from $15,770 to $16,975.

The second decision raised pay for high-level Fire Department personnel. The cost expected cost is $66,300 from the general fund. Fire Chief Michael Conrad's monthly pay will increase from $14,982 to $15,675.

The third action hiked pay for the Fire Department employees ranging from new firefighters to captains. The expected cost is $483,400. According to the city's Human Resources Department, there is not enough budgeted money to cover this expense so $226,900 will be pulled from the city's savings to make up the difference. The move will increase the monthly pay of the city's lowest paid firefighters, excluding trainees, from $5,088 to $5,187.