Initial draft of Saratoga fire district study raises concerns
Firefighters wanted to see copies of draft report
Commissioners cite mistakes
By Kara Chalmers
Some firefighters are unhappy about being left out of the loop last month when a "level of service" study, which examined the Saratoga Fire District, was distributed to SFD commissioners and committee members.
DMG Maximus, a consulting group, has been studying the level of the district's fire and medical services. The initial report, dated April 4, contains a profile of the district's organization and describes the staff's duties. The report presents data that was collected from SFD officials and firefighters, but contained no conclusions.
SFD Commissioner Robert Egan said the document is not public and is subject to misinterpretation. He said he does not want incorrect information circulating around the district, but that he will distribute copies when the final version of the report is approved. Egan also complained that DMG Maximus ignored the district's wishes by including the Santa Clara County Fire Department in the study.
In Saratoga, the county department serves half of the city and the SFD serves the other.
According to Egan, the chief of the county department did not ask that his department be studied. In addition, Egan said, there are technical mistakes concerning finances in the report.
"We don't want more copies made simply because it's a draft," said SFD Commissioner Jay Geddes. "We're not hiding anything, it's just what a prudent individual would do."
Commissioners said that firefighters are welcome to view the report, which is stamped with the words "draft" and "confidential," if they like. The commissioners said they just do not want anyone mistaking the document for a final report.
"This is only one little, tiny portion of the study," Egan said.
According to Capt. Bill Morrison, president of the firefighters' union, his troops are upset because the consultants interviewed them for the first draft, yet they have not been allowed to see the result.
"I feel that everyone should look at it," Morrison said. "The study itself is based on interviews with everyone, including firefighters. They'd like to be able to see it and they don't understand why they can't see it."
Morrison said the firefighters probably would not see the document until after a May 25 study session with a representative of the consulting firm. Morrison was given a copy of the document, because he is part of the study's committee.
Matt Dhillon, a consultant with DMG Maximus, would not comment on whether the SFD Commissioners did anything unusual by not distributing the draft to everyone in the district, including the fire fighters. Dhillon said that the district has taken longer to review this first draft than other organizations he has worked with. He attributed the delay to the district's involvement with the April 11 bond measure election to finance a new fire station.
In September, SFD union fire fighters agreed to support the April bond measure for a new fire station if a level of service study was done on the district. The union wants to merge with the county fire department for what they say would be better fire and medical services for themselves and the citizens of Saratoga. SFD Commissioners say the district's level-of-service is fine, but agreed to the study in September.
The study's committee will hold a public meeting with a representative from DMG Maximus on May 25, at 8:30 a.m. at the fire station. The attendees will discuss the draft report and make any additions and changes.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
