Almost 100 People Attended the Board of Directors Work Session
By MOFD
February 4, 2010
MORAGA On the evening of February 3, 2010, over 100 people attended the Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD) Board of Directors work session. The Board reviewed responses to the questions they provided in advance to the Fire and Infrastructure Renewal (F.A.I.R.) group. The questions were in response to F.A.I.R.'s proposal to dissolve MOFD and contract for fire and emergency medical services with Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) and American Medical Response (AMR).
During the meeting, F.A.I. R. representatives clarified that financial projections they used to illustrate the potential cost for contracting fire protection and EMS services were the result of conversations with the County Administrator and local representatives from AMR. They stressed the need to validate these projections since the F.A.I.R. group does not have the authority to negotiate contracts and they were uncertain of the actual service levels and costs.
During public testimony, Manuel Navarro, the Vice President of EMS Development for American Medical Response, cautioned the Board and the community on giving up their rights to provide and determine ambulance service levels in Moraga and Orinda. Navarro was referring to Section 1797.201 of the California Health and Safety Code that allows existing cities and fire districts that provided care prior to June 1, 1980 to continue and retain administration of ambulances services. Navarro stated, "Right now this Board has full authority over its emergency medical services. By contracting with AMR you would give up that authority and it would roll over to Contra Costa County to determine service levels. Irrespective of what you want in your community, relative to the proposed contract services, it would become the county's call."
