San Clemente Votes to Let County Take Over Firefighting

Over the objections of firefighters, the San Clemente City Council voted unanimously Monday to disband its 66-year-old Fire Department and contract fire services with the county.

City Councilman Truman Benedict called the decision “extremely tough. I’ve lived here in this town for 45 years. Most of these firemen have grown up here and gone to San Clemente High School. But we have to think of the whole city.”

With the shift, expected to take 60 to 90 days, San Clemente becomes the sixth city in Orange County to disband its own fire department and contract with the county.

Most council members said their vote was based on economics. An Orange County Fire Department report concludes the change not only will maintain the same level of service but also will save the city an estimated $200,000 the first year and a total of $2.7 million over the next five years.

Unlike the uproar last year when San Clemente disbanded its Police Department and contracted with the Sheriff’s Department, there has been little public opposition to the move except from the city firefighters’ association.

Although each member of the 40-firefighter force will be guaranteed a county job, only half will stay in San Clemente. The others will be assigned elsewhere in South County. The Orange County Fire Department will make up the staffing difference in the city with other firefighters.

The firefighters’ association decided not to protest the move Monday night, President Jim Dahl said.

“We could have jumped up and screamed about this, but there is nothing really we can do about it. Of course, we would like to be our own department, but there is no question the county can do it cheaper.”

The move comes amid a major downsizing of the San Clemente city staff at several levels. Starting with the switch to the Sheriff’s Department last spring, the city has more recently privatized its meter-reading services, beaches and park maintenance services, its fleet maintenance and street-striping crews.

The switch to the Sheriff’s Department reportedly saved $2.3 million this year, and the other moves--not including the Fire Department--are expected to save an additional $2.45 million over the next five years. They also will reduce the number of city personnel by 36% from its 1991-92 level of 353 employees, according to city reports.

City Manager Michael W. Parness called the cuts necessary but difficult.

“Any time you suggest something like this, you are going to have turmoil,” Parness said. “We have people who have been serving the city well for many years. This is a big shock to them, and of course they are not excited about it . . . but the alternatives, raising taxes or cutting services, are not real positive and not acceptable to the council.”

In the past 15 years, the cities of Stanton, Seal Beach, Tustin and Placentia also have joined the county Fire Department. Earlier this year the city of Buena Park also opted to join the county program, a move slated to take effect Oct. 1.