Millbrae Approves Fire Department Merger

City council members on Tuesday unanimously approved initiating a fire station merger between Millbrae and three other cities in the Northern Peninsula.

The pilot program between Millbrae, San Bruno, Burlingame and Hillsborough will close Stations 35 and 38, and create a temporary station, most likely in the Burlingame Hills. The Millbrae Fire Department estimates an annual savings of $595,000 if the station closure becomes permanent.

Any savings would be initially offset by the $800,000 one-time cost associated with the temporary station, of which Millbrae would owe $400,000. However, the temporary station is expected to be paid for by the overtime costs saved through a consolidation of services.

“All cities have an interest in maintaing control, equality and decision making,” said Millbrae Battalion Chief Kevin McWhirter. 

Should any of the cities be unable to meet their financial commitment, no cities will pay for those cities’ share in the merger plan, McWhirter said.

In addition to the temporary station with one full-time engine, a flex engine would operate out of Millbrae’s station 37 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. when most of the calls come in.

Although no personnel would be fired, the departments will not hire a new firefighter when one leaves. 

The 5-0 vote Tuesday resulted from 4 years of discussion that included 15 possible cost-saving scenarios between the San Bruno, Millbrae and Central County Fire agencies. If a personnel and station merger did occur, Millbrae would contribute 20 percent of costs, while San Bruno and Central County Fire would provide 30 and 50 percent, respectively. 

The pilot program merges administration only; the departments maintain individual labor contracts and budgets, and the CCFD keeps its Fire Board. The Fire Board, as well as the Millbrae and San Bruno departments, would work under an Operational Oversight Committee composed of city managers, all under one fire chief.

The departments will begin sharing personnel by as early as Sept. 1, 2011 under the plan, with a set goal of Oct. 1. The temporary station will hopefully be built by July 1, 2012. Eight months later in March 2013, officials will analyze performance data from the station and begin drafting a Phase II plan, which will be decided on in May 2013.

San Bruno and Burlingame city council have approved to move forward with the merger, and next week the Hillsborough city council will be the last to vote on the fire department consolidation plan.

Burlingame Patch Editor Miriam Finder contributed to this report.