Westminster Studies Switch to County Fire Services

The City Council has allocated $15,000 to study whether the city should contract with the Orange County Fire Department for fire protection.

Council members voted 4-1 Tuesday for the study, which could take three to six months to complete. Councilwoman Margie L. Rice dissented, contending the city would lose autonomy over its Fire Department by contracting with the county.

City Manager Bill Smith said other options would be explored, including combining fire services with Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and other nearby cities. The city will also examine contracting with private companies for fire protection services.

The city could save $1.1 million to $1.3 million a year by contracting with the county without reducing services, Smith said. The Fire Department has a $7-million budget for fiscal year 1994-95.

Smith said the study would involve a comprehensive review of the city Fire Department’s equipment, staffing levels and fire stations, and how they would fit in with other county fire stations in the vicinity.

“There’s no intention to have anybody lose their job,” said Smith, adding that the county would absorb the department’s 69 employees if the city decides to contract with the county.

Paul Gilbrook, president of the firefighters union, said the organization will make a decision on whether to support a contract with the county once the study is completed.

Gilbrook, who was fired from the department last year but remains the union head, said that “it doesn’t make sense for the city to be involved with a bankrupt county.”

“This is the worst time to get involved with the county,” said Gilbrook, who was fired for alleged payroll fraud, but has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city.