[Napa County] Grand jury: Volunteer firefighter training issues remain

Training volunteer firefighters is an ongoing struggle for the Napa County Fire Department as new certification requirements continue to be introduced and classes are not convenient for men and women with full-time jobs, the Napa County grand jury found.

In addition, Cal Fire does not have enough qualified trainers to conduct the classes or instruct volunteers when they are assigned to fires.

These are among the conclusions the grand jury reached in its final report on the Napa County Fire Department late last month.

In Napa County, Cal Fire is contracted for $8.9 million a year to provide fire protection services in unincorporated areas. The Napa County Fire Department includes career Cal Fire firefighters and about 200 volunteers assigned to nine fire companies: Angwin, Deer Park, Pope Valley, Capell Valley, Dry Creek Lokoya, Rutherford, Carneros, Gordon Valley and Soda Canyon.

The grand jury also found that a committee created in 2013 to address training and other issues has not met on a routine basis to effectively improve the fire department. The jury determined the fire service’s advisory committee, which includes three volunteer and three CalFire firefighers, Napa County staff employees, and a civilian, should establish regular meeting times. The jury advised that meeting dates and agendas should be announced, and minutes should be distributed to all volunteer firefighters.

Other suggested improvements include ensuring volunteer firefighters are paid within 30 days when they fill in for career firefighter dispatched to fires outside the area, the grand jurors said.

Molly Rattigan, a senior management analyst for Napa County, said county staff does not comment on grand jury reports until a draft response from the parties is presented to the Board of Supervisors. A response to the grand jury’s report will be presented to the board by August.

Napa County Fire Chief Barry Biermann also would not comment before the board meeting.

Davie Pina, a volunteer fire chief in Rutherford, said the Napa County Fire Department has started to address the issues such as training requirements.

The department is reviewing the training needed to make sure volunteers meet the requirements without being forced to undergo so much training that they want to quit.

People who want to volunteer and who work eight to 10 hours a day could be given a series of tasks to complete instead of having to attend a six-week fire academy, with classes taught three times a week and on weekends.

“Positive things are happening,” said Pina, who co-owns and manages Pina Vineyard Management LLC off Silverado Trail.

Angwin Fire Chief Avery Browne last week said he has not seen the grand jury report and would not comment on the document. “I don’t get involved with the grand jury report. I’m done with that,” he said.

Browne, whose day job is serving as chief of the California Highway Patrol’s Golden Gate Division, said the Angwin Fire Department has “very good” community support.

The department is the biggest volunteer company in Napa County. It now includes about 20 volunteers; 13 new firefighters will soon complete training and join its ranks.

May 25, 2015

Napa Valley Register

By Kerana Todorov