Reserve Firefighter Program Destined To Be a Financial Sinkhole

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The proposed elimination of volunteer firefighters and startup of a reserve firefighter program will very likely add to the budget woes facing Riverside County.  A proposal by the Fire Department is again coming before the Board of Supervisors this Tuesday.

The new program is modeled after Orange County's Reserve Program.  A recent study by the Orange County Fire Authority put their current budget for the fledgling program at $3.6 million or $12,396 per reserve firefighter with a roster of 296 members.  Compare that to the more efficient Riverside County Volunteer Firefighter program with a current budget of $663,931 or $1,327 per volunteer firefighter with a roster of 500 members.

"It's just fiscally irresponsible to eliminate a valuable and efficient volunteer firefighter program," said Tim Young, Vice Chairman of the Riverside County Volunteer Firefighters Association.  "Our County shouldn't embark on a journey into the unknown with a program that our neighboring county has shown to be completely unmanageable with a runaway budget."

Convinced by special interests their volunteers were a problem that needed to be fixed, Orange County eliminated its very successful volunteer firefighter program in 1998 then immediately replaced it with a watered down reserve program that's been fraught with issues ever since.  A report last week in the Orange County Register said, "The program has been plagued by a series of problems involving recruitment, retention, response times and training."  Pending approval by Orange County Fire, deep cuts are expected in the program to help them solve the county's budget shortfalls.

Young says, "Even with all the negative press and public outcry surrounding the elimination of volunteer firefighters, the special interests in Riverside County have still been able to lobby the Fire Chief and Supervisors to continue down this path."

Because 19 cities contract with Riverside County and ultimately pay 59% of the Fire Department's  budget, it's very likely the city's allocation will have to be increased to offset any cost overruns.  Obviously, this is in the face of cities dealing with their own budget deficits.

Young added, "Look, if the Department has issues with the volunteer program, we've said we're ready and willing to address them.  But instead they're just throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Unfortunately, it's always the taxpayers who pay the cost of government mistakes."

SOURCE Save Our Volunteer Firefighters