Grant keeps Calif. fire station open for 2 years

By John Asbury
The Press Enterprise

HEMET, Calif. — Hemet firefighters say they've found their "lottery ticket" that will help keep a fire station open for at least two more years.

The City Council will vote next week to approve a measure that would accept a $2.26 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

The grant would fund the Fire Department for the next two years, continuing firefighting service to Hemet residents. Because of budget cuts, the city might have had to close a station, which would have reduced firefighters' response time.

"We got this good news literally on the darkest hour of the darkest day," Hemet Fire Chief Matt Shobert said. "We would not be equipped to handle emergencies in our community, and this will at least keep us at where we're at."

In 2008, the Fire Department responded to 12,000 calls with five stations throughout the city. One station in eastern Hemet was closed in December 2008 due to budget cuts, and the proposed closure in September would have reduced the number of fire stations to three, Shobert said.

The Fire Department sought the funding, with efforts by Rep. Mary Bono-Mack, R-Palm Springs, through Homeland Security's SAFER grant program, which stands for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response.

The grant will also allow the department to keep nine firefighters who were scheduled to be laid off, as well as add three more positions. The department currently employs 47 full-time firefighters.

"We've been operating at a decreased level. We are barely able to keep up with the emergency needs of our community," Shobert said. "When we were tasked to put the safety of our community in jeopardy, it was unacceptable."

The department has also added a wildland fire danger warning sign in front of its headquarters on Florida Avenue. The sign will show up to 35,000 commuters daily of the current fire weather and precautions needed to avoid a wildfire.

The city has had at least six wildfires in recent months that damaged or threatened homes.

"With decreased resources, we're hoping the community will think more fire-smart," Shobert said.

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