At Idyllwild Fire Protection District’s (IFPD) semimonthly commissioners’ meeting Tuesday, May 23, President Dan Messina reported that the new repeater site is up and running. Chief Mark LaMont added that licensing is complete and temporary equipment installed. Riverside County Sheriff and Fern Valley Water may be using the repeater. Other potential users include Hemet Police and Fire, and IFPD is soliciting other partners to help with the cost.

LaMont also reported on a second Mutual Aid incident the new hand crew had assisted: the Ramona Fire in San Jacinto, south of Ramona Expressway and west of Warren Road. The fire burned around 300 acres of grass brush and shrub, with no reports of structures damaged. Evacuated residents were returning home.

Batallion Chief Adam Rodriguez spoke about training events for IFPD personnel. Full-time staff must participate in 30 hours per month, part-timers 20. Classroom and field wildfire training started April 1 and continues until June 1. Mid-level personnel, engine and crew bosses participated in off-site training at Riverside County Fire’s Ben Clark Training Center April 4, and here April 24 and 25. Local classes included a U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Air Operations class after which nine people received training certificates. June local classes will include Intermediate Wild-land Fire Behavior and Fire Rig Operations.

IFPD also provided community outreach including three CPR classes in April and three in May. In response to a question from Commissioner Stephanie Yost about CPR classes for the public, LaMont answered that IFPD tries to train at least three times per year, and that interested persons may call the IFPD office to get on the list.

Rodriguez also described his duties, including attending meetings the chief cannot as his delegate. These include the Local Government Crew Working Group every other month (attended by all local government fire agencies with hand crews) and a passel of others including; the Riverside County Fire Chief’s Association, Training Officers’ Association, and various roundtables and meetings of leaders of local fire agencies. Notwithstanding Zoom, “the chief can’t be in two places at once,” he said. LaMont added that he has been to six meetings so far this year dedicated to predicting the 2023 fire season. Except for one at Keenwild, all were off the Hill, taking the greater part of a day.

Returning Commissioner Henry Sawicki was seated. Sawicki fills the seat vacated by Christina Reitz. He has served in the past as president and vice president, and has a background in law enforcement with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. He lost the last IFPD election to Reitz and Messina.

The report of annual (financial year) incident statistics showed a total, at the end of April, of 886 calls, “on track” for an annual 1,200 to 1,250, up 9% over last year. LaMont attributed the increase to “the way they are tracking,” with so-called “good intent” calls accounting for the increase. Good intent calls are calls that, upon arrival, turn out to be no threat. This includes things like slip-and-fall calls that do not require medical attention or transport, or “power line down” calls that turn out to be phone lines. Mutual Aid calls also are up.

LaMont does not believe short-term rentals (STR) have contribute to the increase, but he shared his view on the issue: If the new ordinance does not include the necessity for certified STRs to pass a fire inspection, the board can and should vote to require such an inspection in Idyllwild.

The chief told the board that the accounting software currently used is becoming “uncooperative.” It is a Government Accounting Standards Board qualified program and expensive to update. The board should expect a request to purchase a “new platform … not Peachtree or ASSIST,” maybe for next year.

LaMont also presented three options from local dealers to purchase a new pickup truck, a Dodge Ram, ranging from $55,790 to $75,270. The new hand crew will require transport, and the chief expects prices of light utility vehicles to increase steeply in the near future. A Dodge maintains a fleet standard, streamlining maintenance.

He told the board the truck could be paid for out of reserves, and that although Federal Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security grants to pay interest on financing are currently unavailable, a new portion of money may be available in October, and the self-financing could then be transferred to a lending institution. Trucks like this also create a revenue stream for IFPD; Mutual Aid calls are reimbursed $230 per day for a light truck, he said. The chief estimated the truck would pay for itself in five years.

Later in the meeting LaMont pointed out that the department’s budget had predicted income of $1,025,000 for Mutual Aid calls this last year, but invoiced $1,362,339, a surplus of over $250,000.

Commissioners had many questions that LaMont answered. “What about a van?” They are less stable and lack the clearance for the rough roads fire crews must navigate. They also do not allow the separation of crew and equipment, including petroleum fuel. “What about electric vehicles?” Until the state can provide charging stations at fire incidents, they are impractical. “You never want to be in the first group of buyers …” Other departments who have purchased electric vehicles are not satisfied yet. New Ford Lightnings cost around $123,000 and have a range of 412 miles fully charged (though Ford estimates that to be 240 miles.) Charging takes up to four hours.

LaMont also told the board that three vehicle purchases are slated before 2026, an ambulance and two administrative vehicles. In the end, the board approved the Ram purchase, with a $65,000 cap.

Commissioner Denise Fogle said he would like to place on the agenda for the July meeting a possible one-time bonus to IFPD employees. “Because of our success in the fire season last year, we brought in more money than what we used …”

The chief also said that they do have the cash flow to pay their “unfunded liability” to CALPERS. This was done last year, paying $331,000 in a lump sum, saving over $14,000. This year the predicted amount is $276,000, “a significant reduction.”

Yost and Sawicki asked about IFPD presence at concerts like the one scheduled for Memorial Day weekend at the Butterfield Amphitheater, as community outreach, to hand out fliers perhaps. LaMont expressed concern with keeping emergency aid available at the station. Executive Assistant Rachel Teeguarden brought up complaints from the public after past events, ranging from “Don’t they have something better to do?” “They wouldn’t dance with me” and “They wouldn’t accept a glass of wine.” In the end, the chief said, “We’ll make a concerted effort to provide a presence as appropriate.”

Under correspondence, the board and press were directed to a set of brief, heart-felt notes of thanks from members of the public who received aid from IFPD. This included one from staff at Buckhorn Camp after the crew, working on the Bear Trap fire break, discovered and restored the camp’s wooden cross, chopped down by vandals. Another gave thanks for “expert care and professionalism” during a family’s “difficult circumstances” on the Ernie Maxwell Trail.

The next board meeting is 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 25.