Fremont Fire closes brand new fire station

• Station closures have reduced the number of engine and truck companies serving the city from the recommended 14 to 12 on weekdays and now 11 on weekends.

 Calif. city's new $3.9 million fire station to remain empty
Rather than rotate fire station closures to balance its budget, the Fire Department will leave the station un-staffed

By Matthew Artz
The Oakland Tribune via The Contra Costa Times  -Original article Link


FREMONT, Calif. — Construction is just about complete on the city's newest fire station, but don't expect to see Fremont's bravest inside the $3.9 million structure anytime soon.
Rather than rotate fire station closures to balance its budget, the Fire Department has decided not to staff the new Fire Station 11 in Fremont's industrial area, west of Interstate 880.
The station, at 4720 Lakeview Blvd., is surrounded largely by commercial buildings with sprinkler systems, which generate fewer service calls than other areas of the city.
"From a risk perspective, browning out Fire Station 11 makes the most sense," Deputy Fire Chief Geoff LaTendresse said.
The Fire Department has been keeping at least one station closed for most of the past seven years to help cut down on firefighter overtime and balance its budget. This month, the department will decrease service further by closing a second station on weekends, LaTendresse said.
Station closures have reduced the number of engine and truck companies serving the city from the recommended 14 to 12 on weekdays and now 11 on weekends.
That has contributed to the department's failure to achieve its goal of responding to 90 percent of service calls within six minutes and 40 seconds, LaTendresse said. The department is meeting that goal about 70 percent of the time.
Fire Station 11 was built to replace an already dismantled temporary station near the Fremont Marriott. The city determined in 2003 that it needed 11 stations to provide adequate fire response times, and that the development of the Pacific Commons shopping center demanded another station in south Fremont.
But when city officials learned that much of the original Pacific Commons proposal wouldn't be developed, they decided to locate Station 11 farther south, in the industrial area, LaTendresse said.
With Station 11 out of service, Fremont's industrial area will be served by Fire Station 5 in the Warm Springs District and Fire Station 7 at Auto Mall Parkway and Grimmer Boulevard.
Response from those stations has been "fairly quick," especially with the newly improved freeway interchange at Warren Avenue, LaTendresse said.
Station 11, which is two stories and has bays for three firetrucks, was built with funds from a $51 million, 2002 voter-approved bond. The bond has allowed the Fire Department to either replace or seismically upgrade and expand all of the city's existing stations.
The renovation of Fire Station 3 in the Irvington district is scheduled for completion later this year, as is a new training center. All of the projects have been completed on time and under budget, LaTendresse said.