City Of Pinole, Con Fire Celebrate Service Contract

PINOLE, CA — Contra Costa County, the City of Pinole, and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District on Saturday announced the implementation of a contract with Con Fire for all fire and emergency medical services in the city.

Both the Pinole City Council and Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, acting as the Contra Costa Fire board, as well as the Contra Costa Local Area Formation Commission, unanimously approved the contract, which was effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Effective March 1, Contra Costa Fire assumed responsibility for all firefighting staff, support staff, facilities and equipment of the former City of Pinole Fire Department.

The merger of the former City of Pinole Fire Department into the Contra Costa Fire family, through this contract for service arrangement, provides improved fire and emergency services to the city’s 19,000 residents. One of the most noteworthy of these improvements is the reopening and staffing of Fire Station 74 which had been shuttered since 2011 when it was closed due to Great Recession-related budget cuts. Fire Station 74 reopened on March 1.

Measure X funds are contributing $2 million to the reopening and continued staffing of Fire Station 74.

“The new service arrangement with the City of Pinole and the reopening of Pinole Valley Station 74 will improve fire and emergency medical services in West Contra Costa County and will save lives and property,” said John Gioia, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board. “Contra Costa’s Measure X sales tax and the City of Pinole are jointly funding these improved and expanded vital services because we place community health and safety first.”

Located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, Fire Station 74 is now staffed by an engine crew operating both a standard structure fire engine and a specialized wildland fire engine. The availability of this specialty wildland fire apparatus significantly improves response times to area wildfires, further improving safety for nearby residents, Con Fire said in a news release.

"As mayor, addressing our climate crisis, emergency preparedness, and the safety of our residents impacted by potential wildfires is a critical priority for me,” said Mayor Devin T. Murphy, City of Pinole. “We are pleased to be in partnership with Contra Costa Fire to reopen Fire Station 74 and deliver the necessary enhancements to fire prevention, staffing, and emergency medical services to Pinole residents that will, indeed, also benefit all West Contra Costa County residents. After a long 12 years of closure, it's time we move our city forward."

Benefits of the new contract for service arrangement for residents include more coordinated, cohesive, and streamlined fire and emergency services, according to the news release. Another important benefit will be better alignment of firefighting models across districts that could net both increased fire services and improved firefighter safety.

“I am pleased by the collaborative effort of all involved in the long and challenging process that has led to final implementation of this contract for service in the City of Pinole,” said Lewis T. Broschard III, fire chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. “As a result, and because of generous Measure X funding for Fire Station 74, Contra Costa Fire has been able to leverage the cost efficiencies of one of the largest fire districts in the state to increase fire, rescue, and emergency medical services for city residents and deliver additional resources for them and all of west county.”

The City of Pinole City Council unanimously approved the contract for service on Oct. 10, 2022. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, acting as the Contra Costa Fire Board, unanimously approved a resolution for Contra Costa Fire to provide contracted services to the City of Pinole on Oct. 11, 2022. The Contra Costa LAFCo approval, the final step in a multi-layered approval process, occurred in a unanimous decision of commissioners at its Nov. 9, 2023 meeting.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the City of Pinole and west county, which is enhancing fire and emergency service delivery for the benefit of all residents,” said Pinole Fire Chief Chris Wynkoop. “Our work with city and county stakeholders has resulted in finalization of the arrangement between our agencies and has facilitated the reopening of Station 74. This is a testament to the collaborative efforts among city and county officials, county fire chiefs, labor, and citizens, to address our common goal of providing the highest level of fire and emergency services to residents countywide.”

Watch a video of Saturday's ceremony.