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<\/p>\nFire season 2017 had been very busy at Idyllwild Fire Department and it continued during Battalion Chief Mark LaMont\u2019s discussion of the season.<\/p>\n
In the midst of his presentation of the fires, to which IFPD sent staff from June through early October, the department received another call to join a strike team being formed for the Freeway Fire in Rancho Cucamonga.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been assigned to 13; today it\u2019s 14 fires,\u201d he told the commission. \u201cNot bad for our size.\u201d (See accompanying list of fires to which IFPD sent staff and the hours spent at the fire.)<\/p>\n
The opportunity to work in this many fires offers invaluable, \u201cpriceless\u201d training, LaMont told the commission. \u201cWhat we learn will serve you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although IFPD staff were gone for more than 7,000 hours, LaMont assured the commission that all of this time, as well as the necessary overtime at the Idyllwild Station while staff was gone, is reimbursed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat also includes the use of equipment, which the other fire departments essentially rent from us. IFPD is not paying for equipment or manpower on these events,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
Commissioner Jerry Buchanan, chair of the finance committee, reported the committee would meet on Nov. 8.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first quarter financials look good,\u201d he told his colleagues.<\/p>\n
Through Sept. 30, the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2017-18, found expenses were\u00a0nearly $180,000 greater than revenue. However, as with the other special districts, Riverside County does not distribute any property-tax revenue until December.<\/p>\n
\u201cSalaries are high because of the fire season,\u201d Buchanan acknowledged, and also said, \u201cWe\u2019ll catch up with the reimbursements.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also noted that emergency medical calls had dropped this year compared to 2016, but these are not seasonal and could increase as winter arrives.<\/p>\n
In other business, the commission reviewed six board policies. Four were approved as is or as amended. Staff was asked to review and revise two policies. These include property claims against the district and employee records.<\/p>\n
The commission also sent its Conflict of Ethics policy to the Board of Supervisors, which has not acknowledged a new policy since 1978.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fire season 2017 had been very busy at Idyllwild Fire Department and it continued during Battalion Chief Mark LaMont\u2019s discussion of the season. In the midst of his presentation of the fires, to which IFPD sent staff from June through early October, the department received another call to join a strike team being formed for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n