Carmel Valley Fire District Merges with Monterey County Regional Fire District

Effective July 1^st, the Carmel Valley and Monterey County Regional fire districts will take the final step in the consolidation process by combining their emergency staffing.  During the two and a half years under an administrative  services contract, the two districts’ boards, firefighters, and administrations have been making final plans for the transition.  This merger was approved by Monterey County Local Agencies Formation Commission in December after both district boards and staff determined that the move to join forces was feasible.  On July 1, the firefighting personnel will take the next several months to work a rotational schedule, spending time at each of the fire stations before settling in at a regularly scheduled station.

Fire Chief Michael Urquides has stated that one of the significant savings to the combined district is a reduction in the cost of retirement contributions to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).  “Taxpayers in Carmel Valley will realize an immediate savings of 12 percent in retirement pension costs once the Carmel Valley fire personnel have been brought into our retirement plan,” Urquides said.  “This will help pay off the Carmel Valley Fire District’s $1 million debt obligation.”

Fire engines of both agencies, bearing the Regional emblems, have already begun rotating among the six fire stations so firefighters can become familiar with the engines and equipment. In addition to the career firefighter roster, the  combined agency under Monterey County Regional Fire District will have a total of 35 volunteer firefighters.  The volunteer roster will consist of established members of the Carmel Valley Volunteers and Monterey County Regional Volunteer Firefighter organizations as well as new volunteers currently undergoing a comprehensive training program.

Residents of the Carmel Valley district will continue to receive the same ambulance services in the Carmel Valley Village and Mid Valley areas, with enhanced staffing by a third ambulance stationed at the Laureles Station at the corner of Laureles Grade and Highway 68.  This ambulance would be staffed with personnel at the Laureles fire station and would be set to respond only to Carmel Valley in the event the two ambulances in the valley are committed to other calls.

Available to serve the entire 350 square mile consolidated district are 15 engines, 4 water tenders, and 7 utility vehicles.

The combined board of directors is scheduled to meet on the last Tuesday of each month.  Meeting times and locations will be listed on Monterey County Regional Fire District’s website:  www.mcrfd.org.

Administrative & Fire Prevention Divisions

19900 Portola Dr., Salinas, California 93908 - (831) 455-1828

 

Station 1 – Toro Station

19900 Portola Dr., Salinas – (831) 455-1721

 

Station 2 – Chualar Station

24281 Washington St., Chualar – (831) 679-2323

 

Station 3 – Laureles Station

31 Laureles Grade Rd., Salinas – (831) 484-1197

 

Station 4 – Carmel Valley Village

26 Via Contenta, Carmel Valley – (831) 659-2021

 

Station 5 – Mid Valley

8455 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel – (831) 624-5907

 

Station 6 – Santa Lucia Preserve

73 Rancho San Carlos Rd., Carmel – (831) 624-7334

Stray Bullet from Fatal Shooting Strikes Chualar Fire Station

Firefighters who responded to a fatal shooting in Chualar Tuesday afternoon returned to the Chualar fire station to discover that a stray bullet had broken a window on the station building and ricocheted off a fire training trailer parked inside the fire station.  Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies were immediately called to the Monterey County Regional Fire District’s Chualar station located at the corner of Washington and Jackson Streets to investigate the property damage.  Deputies quickly found the bullet in a trash can next to the fire training trailer near the struck window.  Because of the timing and direction of travel, the stray bullet was attributed to the shooting incident which had occurred one block away on Main Street, about an hour prior to its discovery.

At the time of the shooting, shortly before 2:00 p.m., the firefighters stationed at the Chualar firehouse were returning from another emergency call on Highway 101 north of Chualar.  The emergency dispatch was received for a reported shooting on Main Street, and the fire personnel responded directly to the scene without returning to the fire station. 

The window and trailer struck were in an area of the fire station where firefighters normally work, regularly conducting fire equipment checks and maintenance.  No fire personnel were at the station when the stray bullet hit the fire station window and vehicle.  Damage to the fire station and trailer are estimated at $750.00.

FIREPLACE ASHES IGNITE FIRE OUTSIDE OF HOME

SMOKE ALARMS ALERT RESIDENT INSIDE

Smoke alarms alerted a Calera Canyon resident Thursday morning after a paper bag of hot fireplace ashes ignited the exterior of her home and filled her home with smoke.  The resident escaped the home without injury and called 9-1-1 when she saw smoke outside the house. 

Monterey County Regional Fire District personnel were dispatched to the Calera Canyon Road residence near Corral de Tierra Road shortly after 10:00 a.m. and arrived to find that the smoke was coming from underneath the house. Fire had spread under the house, actively burning in the crawlspace area.  Fire personnel extinguished the fire in about 30 minutes, keeping fire from burning through any interior walls of the home. Fire crews were on scene for approximately 2 hours.

Investigators confirmed that the fire was started by a paper bag full of fireplace ashes left on the attached wood deck when the resident cleaned the fireplace earlier in the morning.  Fire ignited the paper bag, burning the deck and exterior siding of the home before extending underneath the house.  Firefighters confirmed that no damage occurred in the home’s interior, but PG&E was called to evaluate possible damage to the home’s electrical service.

Two fire engines, one water tender and 11 personnel from the Monterey County Regional Fire District were committed to the fire.  No firefighter injuries were reported.

Ashes from fireplaces, woodstoves, and other woodburning appliances can start fires for several days after they are removed.  For safe disposal, burned-wood ashes should ALWAYS be:

• placed in a sturdy metal bucket,
• fully soaked with water,
• set at least 10 feet away from buildings or decks, and
• allowed to cool completely before disposal. 

Ashes should never be stored in combustible containers such as paper bags, cardboard boxes or plastic pails.   

For additional information regarding fireplace safety, contact Dorothy Priolo at Monterey County Regional Fire District at (831) 455-1828.

Grass Fire on Old Stage Road Burns 2 Acres

Monterey County Regional Fire District responded to a report of a grass fire on Old Stage Road on Thursday afternoon.  Smoke was already visible as fire personnel left the Chualar Station just after 3:00 p.m.  When they arrived on scene, the fire was burning in an open field on the east side of Old Stage Road across from the Spence Road intersection.  The fire area was surrounded on two sides by a road and an open field, which enabled quick containment of the fire on the other two sides despite the customary afternoon winds. 

A total of 12 fire personnel with 2 fire engines, 2 water tenders and one chief officer from Monterey County Regional, as well as 1 fire engine from the City of Salinas.  The fire was located in an area where an automatic aid agreement is in effect with the City of Salinas fire department, who responded from their station on Rider Avenue.  Once the fire was contained, the Rancho Cielo Wildland Fuels Crew was requested to assist in creating a fuel break around the fire and helping ensure hot spots were extinguished.

The Monterey County Regional fire investigator requested Pacific Gas & Electric personnel to examine a power pole at the edge of where the fire started. The cause of the fire was not yet confirmed pending the arrival of PG&E representatives.   No structures were damaged or threatened during the incident.  No injuries were reported.

The fire was located in an area known as “Local Responsibility Area” or “LRA”.  Local fire agencies have primary responsibility for wildland fire protection in their jurisdiction’s LRA, and may request mutual aid from CAL FIRE or other fire agencies if warranted. 

As the dry, warm days of summer are underway, property owners should continue to mow tall, dry grass around their homes and along driveways to create a defensible space of 100 feet and maintain clear emergency access.  Use of mowers and other lawn equipment should be limited to the morning hours when the risk of fire started by sparks is lessened.  Information regarding defensible space requirements can be found at www.mcrfd.org/prevention.html.

Fire Training Exercise at Laguna Seca Is Complete – Second Day Cancelled

The Monterey County Regional Fire District has completed a fire training and wildland fuel mitigation exercise at the Laguna Seca Rifle & Pistol Range.  The training event was originally scheduled to be conducted over two days.  Since the training goals have been met on the first day, the second day is cancelled.  As of the writing of this news release late Wednesday afternoon, fire crews were completing the last section of the fire area.

 The 53-acre area at the Rifle & Pistol Range was the setting for the training event, and was made available by the Monterey County Parks Department.  The Laguna Seca Recreation Area is located at 1025 Monterey-Salinas Highway, off Highway 68 near Laureles Grade Road.

 A total of 60 fire personnel participated from 7 different fire and educational agencies.  Wildland firefighting skills were practiced by the fire personnel from agencies surrounding the Monterey County Regional Fire District, including Salinas (City), North County, Seaside, Monterey, Marina and CAL FIRE.  Activities that took place included fire behavior observation, backfiring operations, and mobile fire suppression along the grass-covered slopes. 

 In addition, basic wildland firefighting skills were refined by 12 students from the Rancho Cielo Wildland Fuels Crew, who participate in the Rancho Cielo Wildfire Suppression Program.  The students, ages 18 to 24, are obtaining wildland firefighting skills under the supervision of the North Monterey County Fire District.

 This training event was particularly valuable this year due to the cancellation of the 2010 Wildland Fire School conducted by the Monterey County Fire Training Officers Association at Fort Hunter-Liggett.  The Wildland Fire School traditionally takes place the first week of June, but was cancelled due to the late rain season, which kept the burn area too “green” to burn.

 If you have questions regarding this important training event, you may contact either Dorothy Priolo, Public Information Officer/Deputy Fire Marshal, or David Sargenti, Division Chief/Safety & Training, at (831) 455-1828.

Small Grass Fire Contained behind Las Palmas II Neighborhood

 A small grass fire was discovered along the grass-covered hillside behind Legends Court in the Las Palmas II neighborhood.  Monterey County Regional Fire District personnel arrived at about 5:00 pm to find a 7-foot by 150-foot strip burning before it was stopped by a drainage area.  Smoke from the fire was visible from Salinas.

No structures were immediately threatened as the wind-driven fire traveled outside the fences behind the Legends Court homes.  Las Palmas II is located off of River Road approximately 3 miles south of Highway 68.

Six firefighters, two fire engines, one water tender and two chief officers from Monterey County Regional Fire District remained on scene to extinguish the fire and to determine the cause.  One fire engine and one fire investigator from CAL FIRE also responded.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

The Monterey County Regional Fire District asks residents in the wildland areas to continue vegetation management activities up to 100 feet from structures or to the property line if closer.  Mowing tall grass, thinning brush and trimming low tree branches can help reduce the risk of fire spreading from surrounding grass and brush areas to structures.  Care should be taken when using powered yard equipment and barbecues, particularly when afternoon winds increase.  More information about making homes safer in wildland areas may be found at www.mcrfd.org or by calling the fire district office at (831) 455-1828.

Training Control Burn Planned at Laguna Seca Recreation Area

The Monterey County Regional Fire District will be conducting a control burn at the Rifle & Pistol Range located at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area on Wednesday and Thursday, June 23 and 24, 2010.  The burn operations on the 53-acre area have been scheduled to be held, weather permitting, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on both days. The Laguna Seca Recreation Area is located at 1025 Monterey-Salinas Highway, off Highway 68 near Laureles Grade Road.

The purpose of the burn is twofold.  As a valuable training exercise, Monterey County Regional firefighters will be practicing their wildland fire control skills along with firefighters from several neighboring fire departments, including Salinas (City), North County, Seaside, Monterey, and CAL FIRE.  These agencies represent the fire departments who would respond to the Laguna Seca area with the Monterey County Regional Fire District under the Monterey County Mutual Aid Agreement.  The mutual aid system in Monterey County is a cooperative countywide agreement among Monterey County fire agencies, based on a similar statewide mutual aid system providing additional fire and rescue personnel and equipment in the event of a large emergency.

 Additionally, the control burn will help mitigate the potential for wildfire around the Rifle & Pistol Range by reducing the flammable vegetation where maneuvering grass-removal equipment is difficult.  The Laguna Seca Rifle & Pistol Range is nestled in a steep hillside that has tall grass growth every spring and is susceptible to wildfire, particularly during the summer months. 

 Area neighborhoods are being notified through their homeowners associations.  Schools are being notified through their school offices.

 If you have questions regarding this important training event, you may contact either Dorothy Priolo, Public Information Officer/Deputy Fire Marshal, or David Sargenti, Division Chief/Safety & Training, at (831) 455-1828.

Propane Gas Explosion in Home Injures Two

Two people were injured early this morning when an apparent propane gas explosion occurred in a home on Whip Road in the Halcyon Heights neighborhood south of Highway 68.  Firefighters were initially dispatched to a medical emergency following an explosion after a 9-1-1 call was made by one of the occupants at the home at about 1:30 a.m .  When Monterey County Regional firefighters arrived on scene, they discovered that an explosion had occurred and had started a fire in the basement level of the home.  The residential fire sprinkler system had activated successfully despite being damaged from the explosion, and kept the fire in check, contributing to the resident’s ability to evacuate safely prior to the arrival of the fire personnel.  Crews were able to extinguish the fire within 10 minutes of arriving on scene.

 Two people, a man, who was a resident, age 58, and a woman, age unknown, were in the home when the explosion occurred.  The man suffered burn injuries and was transported by air ambulance to a Bay Area burn center.  The woman was transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital.  The woman suffered minor injuries, while the condition of the man is unknown at this time.

 The home sustained significant interior structural damage as a result of the explosion, with less significant damage occurring because of the fire.  An inspector with the Monterey County Building Services Department posted a “red tag”, determining that the home is unsafe to enter due to the structural instability. 

 The cause of the explosion is under investigation.   The value of the damage was estimated between $500,000 to $750,000.

As the First 75 Years Finish, the Next 75 Years Start With Fire District Name Change

After several months of discussion with staff and careful soul searching, the Board of Directors of the Salinas Rural Fire District agreed at its regular meeting on Tuesday to change the identity of the fire district.  Beginning immediately, the Salinas Rural Fire District will bear the new moniker “Monterey County Regional Fire District,” a name that reflects the evolution of the fire district from its mainly rural origins to its diverse character.  Over the last 75 years, since its formation in 1934, the nearly 300 square-mile area has gradually matured, transforming its areas into agriculturally associated commercial facilities, industrial complexes, suburban neighborhoods, hotels and country clubs, as well as the traditional Salad Bowl row crops, rural estates and historic ranches.  These various land uses reflect the diverse living and working environments that characterize this truly regional area of Monterey County, which includes the areas of the Highway 68 corridor, the northern Salinas Valley, community of Chualar, Bolsa Knolls, Boronda, and, most recently, the unincorporated areas of the former Fort Ord.

 The fire district has maintained many interdependent relationships with its neighboring jurisdictions as it is situated around the City of Salinas and adjoined with several other communities and cities, including the cities of Monterey, Marina, Seaside, Del Rey Oaks, and the communities of Carmel Valley, rural Gonzales, and Prunedale.  Since the advent of the Monterey County portion of the California State Mutual Aid System, the Monterey County Regional Fire District continues its participation in this vital and mutually beneficial agreement that allows fire agencies to assist one another in the event of large fire incidents or other emergencies that require  additional personnel and equipment.

 In 1934, the District was organized to help protect the various hay and grain crops that were prone to wildfires. The first Salinas Rural fire station was located on Salinas Street in the City of Salinas, co-locating with the Salinas Fire Department.  Today, the Monterey County Regional Fire District has three stations located in the Serra Village/Toro Park area, at Highway 68 and Laureles Grade Road and in the community of Chualar.  A fourth station is planned in the East Garrison area of the former Fort Ord.