Public Safety – Barstow FIRE / EMS
As Mayor, I propose a goal of continuing to exhaust all efforts to keep the Barstow Fire Protection District under local control (City of Barstow) and creating an appointed Fire Commission Board. One Commissioner will come from each city district 1,2,3,4 and there will be a member at large. I also propose to re-start the “paid call” firefighter positions that proved to be cost-effective, professionally efficient and useful in our ever-changing community.
What do you think? Share your thoughts below.
I am opposed to “paid-call” firefighters as an answer to budget woes. If it can assist with crazy overtime, only address that issue. A blanket answer of paid-call will only further cause recruitment and training issues. I truly believe we need to re-think the recent decisions to create positions and promotions I do not personally see a need for. Same as the school district. Way too much administration and not enough service providers. Measure Q was not meant to create an environment of highly paid administrators and great position titles. Let us get to the business of responding to fires and providing needed medical response. I support this fire department 100%. But, inflated wages, excessive overtime and glorious titles is not, and should not be, what Barstow is about.
This will certainly be a lively discussion and debate in the coming months/year or so. This COVID-19 economic crisis have created a “landslide” of uncertainty.