Placentia looking at proposals for fire and emergency service other than OCFA

Placentia is considering five proposals from potential fire and emergency service providers and is expected to decide in the next few months whether to hire one of them or remain with the Orange County Fire Authority.

The city gave notice to the authority last June that it might withdraw from the joint powers agency, in the hope of finding cost savings with another provider without sacrificing quality service.

What Placentia pays OCFA has gone up 47 percent over the past 10 years while the service level hasn’t changed, city officials have said. That far exceeds the 9 percent increase in the city’s Police Department budget and 12 percent increase in its general fund spending over the same period.

City officials said an independent panel of emergency service experts is reviewing the five bids and will make a recommendation to the City Council. Names of the companies and details of their proposals were not disclosed.

Mayor Rhonda Shader, who hasn’t seen the bids, said residents support the city exploring its options.

“I would hope that we can even possibly enhance the services through this process,” she said. “I’m hoping we’re going to get lots of ideas and lots of choices.”

In an email, City Administrator Damien Arrula wrote that nearly 80 percent of Placentia’s 911 calls are for medical emergencies, and the city hopes to maintain or improve response times while also potentially reducing its costs.

Officials could ultimately decide to stick with the fire authority, which serves 23 cities and unincorporated parts of the county. Irvine, which also gave notice it might leave, appears to have reached a deal to remain in OCFA that the authority’s board will vote on March 28. And Garden Grove is on track to contract with the agency for service, at an apparent savings of almost $3 million over operating its own department.

“The regional services provided by Orange County Fire Authority gives our member cities comprehensive fire, rescue, education and prevention services,” OCFA spokeswoman Colleen Windsor. “Regionalization allows for efficiencies such as an Emergency Command Center to process 9-1-1 calls, hazardous material units, helicopters, specialty firefighting equipment, arson investigators, community educators, in addition to personnel focused on preventing wildfires. Community educators deployed throughout the county provide free public services including smoke alarm, water safety, and fire prevention programs.”

Shader said when she evaluates the alternative proposals, she’ll be looking at each organization’s qualifications, the response times it can deliver, where its services will be based and its relationships with local hospitals.

“A lot of it’s obviously going to be patient-centric because I live in the city too,” she said, “and if something happens to me and my family I want us to be taken care of.”