SavePQ.org and PQ-NE Action Group

Resources You Can Use -

FIRE SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY

Like many of you, we are concerned that our Rancho Peñasquitos Fire Station #40 located at 13393 Salmon River Road, is included in the rolling brownouts. Sadly, a young boy in Mira Mesa and his family have suffered because of these brownouts. In case you had not heard, a young boy died in Mira Mesa after choking on a gumball. Emergency service apparatus was not available due to other calls and it took approximately 10 minutes before they arrived.

San Diego has a duty to its residents to provide emergency services in a timely fashion and 10 minutes is far below the standards set for the time from an incoming call to arrival at the scene. We do not want this to happen to another family - ever.

What can you do to encourage our City government to restore ALL Fire/Emergency services? Take the time to write a letter to the Mayor and City Council members expressing your concerns about fire/emergency service coverage due to the brownouts or use the attached letter that the PQ-NE Action Group has prepared that you can sign (modify if you like) and mail to our Council members and the Mayor. Let your voices be heard! Sample Letter to use

Recent news articles:

SignonSanDiego.com article 7/21/10 “Brownout may have had role in tot’s death” http://uniontribune.mobi/sdut/article/PjU0YaO7

Search results for other articles on the brownouts can be found at http://www.signonsandiego.com/search/?q=brownouts+fire

Voice of San Diego article 7/29/10 “A Kid Is Dead” http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/this_just_in/article_40fdfeb4-9ac9-11df-a321-001cc4c03286.html

County fire agencies spend less per resident than SoCal counterparts By Kristina Davis, San Diego Union Tribune 9/1/10.

Fire Department Response Times

During an emergency, our fire department's response time can mean the difference between life and death. The National Fire Protection Association has a set standard of 5 minute response times. According to a study conducted in 2005, our local fire stations did not regularly meet that standard. We have great firefighters who do the best they can with the resources they are given.

Local Fire Stations:

Engine 33, Rancho Bernardo - 6 minutes 37 seconds

Engine 42, Carmel Mountain Ranch - 6 minutes 44 seconds

Engine 40, Rancho Peñasquitos - 6 minutes 30 seconds

"In 2001, the National Fire Protection (NFPA) developed a national benchmark standard, NFPA 1710, which details the minimum criteria for addressing the effectiveness of public fire suppression operations and emergency medical service delivery in protecting citizens and fire department employees. The time standard of four minutes or less was chosen by NFPA based on several criteria:

Clinical brain death occurs in four-to-six minutes for a non-breathing patient.
Every one minute without defibrillation decreases survival rate by 10 percent.
Flashover can occur within the first several minutes during a structure fire.
Lightweight truss systems can fail within 10 minutes during a structure fire, causing roof collapse."

Source: City Manager's Report, 1/6/04, REPORT NO. 04-022 - Subject: Acceptable Standards of Emergency Response Coverage for San Diego Fire-Rescue Department

The Commission on Fire Accreditation International recently denied accreditation to the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department because of its inability to meet several national standards of fire protection. The Fire Department is working to improve the time it takes for them to arrive at an emergency, but as the I-15 corridor develops with more homes, more traffic, and more people - resources will be spread too thin and times will become even longer. New facilities are needed, some 22 additional fire stations are recommended in San Diego.

News reports/articles:

Heavy on calls, light on resources - Strapped San Diego Fire Department refused accreditation, 3/26/06 - San Diego Union-Tribune

San Diego Fire: The Truth By Frank DeClercq

Rescue Response Zones, 4/24/06-NBCSandiego.com

Ambulance in Scripps Ranch urged, 6/1/06 - San Diego Union-Tribune Note: Carmel Mtn. Ranch does not have an ambulance.

City Documents:

City Manager's Report, 1/6/04, REPORT NO. 04-022 - Subject: Acceptable Standards of Emergency Response Coverage for San Diego Fire-Rescue Department International

Executive Summary Sheet, 2/16/2006 Prepared By: San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Subject: Committee on Fire Accreditation International This is an informational summary explaining the process of accreditation under the Committee on Fire Accreditation International.