" I will work diligently to ensure that the residents of the district are the top priority in every decision the board makes. Our community comes first"
LIST OF PRIORITIES
Safety
Providing quality fire service requires that we ensure that our firefighters, engineers, and paramedics are properly trained and equipped so that we mitigate the dangers inherent in their jobs. Keeping our first responders safe will be my top priority. Doing so, will guarantee that the entire coastside community is provided with the highest level of emergency services available.
Two valuable tools for improving the safety of the citizens of the coast would be to:
• Acquire a second ambulance to serve the coast (approx. 52% of all calls are medical aids)
• Replace outdated 85' Ladder truck with a 105' Ladder Truck
Transparency
The Coastside Fire Protection District stretches from Montara to south of Half Moon Bay. This encompasses ethnically, politically, and economically diverse groups of people. I am committed to making decisions that serve the interests of all of those groups. These decisions will be done in strict accordance with the Brown Act. Therefore, the decisions I make as a board member will also be a product of transparent and open governance.
• Contract Administrator -Increased accountability, contract compliance, financial oversite
CalFire
I am committed to continue our constructive relationship with CalFire. The 2013 recall election sent a clear mandate to the board regarding who should provide emergency services to the coast. I will honor that mandate by working within the contract to ensure that every decision the board makes reaffirms the choice that the majority of coastsiders made. The focus will be on getting the best value for our tax dollars.
Station 41 and 44
Station 41 (El Granada) and 44 (Moss Beach) are both significantly outdated buildings. They are seismically out of compliance. They are also both inadequate to house the equipment and staff that are necessary to safely and appropriately respond to today's array of calls. In order to maintain response times, it will be critical that the district maintain a fairly even distance between the stations. The number of locations available that meet this requirement will make this a difficult process to complete. However, rebuilding both stations in a manner that respects the interests of the residents of El Granada and Moss Beach must be a significant consideration in the location and design of each building. The buildings must fit into the scale of surrounding buildings without unnecessarily blocking views.
• LEED
• Multiple purpose community rooms
Fiscal Responsibility
I believe the fireboard should be able to justify all of its expenditures in terms of the utility those choices provide the district. While quantitative analysis is not the only way to measure utility, it is a necessary consideration to make every time the district spends the taxpayers' money. Therefore, I commit to support all of the decisions I will make as a board member with a quantitative analysis of how that choice will be a net benefit to the district.
One such item that is of great concern to me is the the proposal to purchase a new technical rescue vehicle. According to the draft 2014 Strategic Business Plan, the district hopes to acquire the new vehicle by 2015/2016. However, the type of calls this district receives year after year do not warrant the expense of a technical rescue vehicle. In addition to the initial price tag (roughly $1,000,000 fully equipped), this type of vehicle requires a tremendous amount of training in order for it to be used in a manner consistent with its mission. There is no way, given the current staffing patterns, our district will be able to maintain enough staff that have the qualifications and certifications to address the types of calls for which a technical rescue vehicle was made. I believe the district would be better served by focusing on the new stations, replacing outdated equipment and properly outfitting our existing resources.
