WESTMINSTER : Fire Department Ends Reorganization

The reorganization of the Fire Department is finally complete after more than a year, Fire Chief John T. DeMonaco Jr. has announced.

The final step was the hiring of a former battalion chief from the San Marino Fire Department to fill the remaining management position on the 63-member force.

Cliff Handell, 34, was appointed earlier this month to head the newly created administration division. He also will be responsible for officer training and will serve as paramedic coordinator, DeMonaco said.

“Everything is in place,” said DeMonaco, a former San Marino fire chief who was hired last year in part to revamp the Fire Department and control its growing overtime expenses.

The reorganization, which included reducing equipment and personnel, spawned an unsuccessful recall drive against four city officials by the Westminster Firefighters Assn., which said the cuts jeopardized public safety.

Last month, DeMonaco appointed another former San Marino battalion chief, Timothy J. Murphy, as assistant fire chief. Buena Park’s former fire marshal, Donald C. Tully, also was hired to be chief of the fire-prevention division.

DeMonaco said the department has increased its ability to provide paramedic service, which represents about 80% of the calls to the department.

Of the department’s 63 sworn officers, 21 are paramedics, he said. Each of the city’s three fire stations has a four-paramedic crew.

In addition, the city has contracted with a private company to provides ambulance service from two fire stations.