BUENA PARK : City OKs Study on County Fire Service

The City Council this week voted 4-1 to proceed with the second phase of a study to determine whether the Orange County Fire Department should be contracted to provide fire services for Buena Park.

The second half of the study, which will take about three months to complete but will not cost the city any money, should address personnel-related issues and the disposition of city fire stations, apparatus and tools and equipment, said Fire Chief Herb Jewell.

The first half of the study, started in May and completed in July, showed three staffing and resource distribution scenarios that could save Buena Park between $100,000 and $1 million if the city contracts with the county, Jewell said.

City officials said the city is looking at a contract with the County Fire Department as a cost-saving measure.

Councilman Don R. Griffin cast the dissenting vote, saying that many of his concerns have not been addressed. He said he was “frustrated and unable to get answers” to questions he had after the preliminary study and asked his colleagues to postpone a decision.

Among the issues Griffin said he wanted addressed included more details on how the county came up with the estimated cost savings for the city, an evaluation on whether fire insurance would increase for residents and the effects on fire personnel and service.

The council majority attempted to appease Griffin’s concerns by adding to the motion that his questions be answered in the next two to three weeks before the start of the second half of the study.

But Griffin still voted against proceeding with the study because he believes Buena Park could be the loser in such a proposal, he said.

Before the study begins--probably in late August--Jewell said approval must be given by the County Board of Supervisors and the city managers of the other 16 cities that contract with the county for fire services.