Lafayette's fire station 16 in Happy Valley is on the chopping block today (Tuesday) as ConFire's board of directors (that is, the county supervisors) meet.
That meeting is at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the County Administration Building, 651 Pine St., Martinez.
When the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District's parcel fire tax did not pass Nov. 6, officials began preparing the potential sites for closure. Station 16 is on Los Arabis Road in Upper Happy Valley.
"Considering that ConFire earlier this year moved all of its personnel out of that station due to mold problems and a rodent infestation, the move is not surprising," wrote Lafayette City Manager Steve Falk in his regular subscribers' email. "After the failure of Measure Q, few expected that the District would use its rapidly dwindling funds to build a new fire station in Lafayette."
Falk said that to counter the loss of service in west Lafayette expected with the Station 16 closure, ConFire Chief Daryl Louder has indicated the district would:
- "Leverage automatic/mutual aid" from partners.
- Use reserves to provide some coverage for closed stations.
- Consider placing a paramedic only unit in the station during peak periods.
- Develop a paramedic reserve or volunteer program for coverage in non-peak times.
