Fire department funding

Thanked the board for progress on fire funding but objected to comments about closing the Palo Verde station.

Criticized Supervisor Kelley for ignoring firefighter needs across four terms and urged the Board to cut the car allowance and fund the fire department properly.

Rural resident said her home would burn with no fire response available and slammed the county for running the fire department on overtime.

Fire captain since 2012 said the department fights the same budget battle every year and gets only band-aids, urging the Board to treat fire service as a must, not an amenity.

Said she feels shame at the fire department's state, called overtime-based operations idiotic, and demanded accountability before someone dies from slow response.

Said funding firefighters is a no-brainer and criticized the Board for making residents come plead for life-and-death services.

Speaking for the firefighters association, he urged the board to fund staffing, equipment, medical supplies, and physicals, warning that personnel are leaving.