Public Information Request results

I just received the following letter from the Metro Fire District regarding my Public Information Request dated July 14, 2009 (similar to a Federal FOIA request) regarding the following:

Implementation Measures:

C. Develop a system of fire hazard mitigation based on the probability of occurrence and the number of people at risk. Acceptable mitigation shall include, but not be limited to, a staffed and equipped fire station. (MSA - PLANNING, Fire Districts) Request of current information related to C.

1. Please provide a copy of the updated system of fire hazard mitigation based on the probability of occurrence and the number of people at risk that encompasses the geographic area of Orangevale and Fair Oaks as related to the closure of Station # 33.


2. Specifically, what is the plan to remove the tall grass in contact with lower tree branches, dead trees and combustibles adjacent to the roadway as you approach the intersections of Sunset and Main Avenues, Winding Oak and Main Avenue, and the bluffs overlooking Lake Natoma?


3. When did the removal of combustibles start or will start?


4. When is the removal of combustibles expected to be finished?


5. Then, within a three (3) mile radius of the location of fire station # 33, and in particular within the area identified in #2, please provide copies of fire risk inspections, warning notices, citations for violations issued by Mike Stewart, Fire Marshall or any other SMFD personnel responsible for such inspections for the time period of June 1, 2008 to June 1 2009.

I received the following response:

Here's what I received from Jane Schultz, the neighborhood watch coordinator for homes on Dredger.

Community Meeting Notes:

DREDGER WAY, ORANGEVALE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH ... report on meeting that occurred at Round Table Pizza restaurant on Monday, August 3, 6 PM. Many of us were unable to attend so I asked "Neighbor Vic" to please write up a quick synopsis of the meeting. Thank you for your efforts Vic!

This is a synopsis of the meeting that began at 6 PM on Monday, August 3rd at Round Table Pizza in one of the meeting rooms. A large crowd pretty much filled the room and listened to representatives from the Rollingwood Homeowners Association and several officials – Fire Chief Don Mette and Deputy Chief Geoff Miller of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District; president and Fire District 7 Director of Metro Fire, Tom Lawson; Rodney Melton, County of Sacramento, Municipal Services Agency Department of Regional Parks; Jim Michaels of State Parks. All told us, almost verbatim, that there wasn’t the funding, there weren’t the personnel and that we should not expect very much in the way of service or services from them or their of their agencies.

Listening to what Tom Lawson, Metro Fire Board president and District Number 7 representative, and what other officials had to tell us, was that our Firehouse Station 33 was closed, that the closure was based on “data” that had been arduously analyzed regarding the number of times various fire stations had responded to calls for aide. The ‘less than before’ number of fire stations to remain open was said to be based on the scrutiny afforded the “data” perused. This “data” was not provided to those of us attending to peruse but only referred to as the source used in the decision making regarding which fire stations will remain in operation and those chosen to be taken out of service.

At one point, verbalized by most of the officials, it was suggested that homeowners and coalitions of homeowners could mitigate weed abatement themselves and that before they could do so they must first obtain a “Right of Entry Permit” from the Bureau of Reclamation and or the County and adhere to guidelines which must be followed. The agencies stated they did not want to be burdened by having to issue permits individually to homeowners in a piece meal fashion but would be willing to deal with a lesser number of requests that would be required of them by issuing permits to groups of homeowners or Neighborhood Watch groups who had or were banded together to take on the task of mitigating weed abatement. A suggestion was that a home owner or homeowners or groups of homeowners could hire contractors to cut down weeds. Director Lawson offered to come out to Neighborhood Watch groups and inform and instruct them on what will be required to mobilize to take on this task.

And then, clearly, what I was led to believe over the years has been that homeowners relied on having these kinds of services performed for them and that payment was made each year through the taxes assessed the homeowner. When this recollection was voiced at the meeting it was shrugged off as not going to happen now because of the cut backs in funding and personnel the various agencies are now being compelled to operate without.

The collective mind set of the various agencies, now, seems to be that a homeowner or homeowners-collectively should not ask (or expect) what tax money can provide but what can be done instead by them to relieve designated agencies of the province of responding to requests, instead, by first obtaining a permit or permits; then to perform the task individually or by groups or to actually contract it out to be done.

To a degree it would appear to be a calling back to usage or a harkening back to the concept of the volunteer fire department - a somewhat confusing, convoluted conundrum that involves already assessed and paid tax-money. The agencies appear to be attempting to keep themselves alive at the expense of performing the services they were created to provide.

My synopsis ... "Ask NOT what your county can do for you 'cause you'll just be spitt'n in the wind!"