Branciforte Fire Protection District Reorganization
Special Announcement
Friday, July 21, 2023
The results regarding the Assessment Ballots have been tabulated and may be viewed at Ballot Results.
District Reorganization
Announcements:
Benefit Assessment Ballots
Benefit Assessment Ballots will be sent out June 2, 2023. If you have not received yours by June 10, 2023, contact us by email or phone:
natel@branciforte-fire.com
831-423-8856
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Reorganization Documents
Assessments and Reports:
Branciforte Travel Time Comparison
Branciforte Scotts Valley Key Summary
Reorganization Assessment Voting Information
Branciforte Fire Dept Community Presentation
Keeping Branciforte Safe
Fire protection and emergency medical support are an essential service not only for Santa Cruz County residents but throughout the state. As fire seasons become longer and service demands become more prevalent, it is more important than ever to ensure that the Branciforte community receives the best level of fire protection and emergency services possible.
Please visit our Reorganization FAQ page to to learn more.
Keeping Branciforte Safe
Branciforte Fire Protection District
Fire protection and emergency medical support are an essential service not only for Santa Cruz County residents but throughout the state. As fire seasons become longer and service demands become more prevalent, it is more important than ever to ensure that the Branciforte community receives the best level of fire protection and emergency services possible.
That is why the Branciforte Fire Protection District (“BFPD”) has teamed up with the Scotts Valley Fire Protection District (“SVFPD”) and the Local Agency Formation Commission of Santa Cruz County (“LAFCO”) to maximize existing resources through a fire reorganization.
What is a fire reorganization? This is a change in governance in which fire responsibilities will be under one fire district rather than two. In this case, BFPD will be dissolved and the dissolved area will be concurrently annexed into SVFPD – resulting in better oversight and more resources/services.
You may have questions about the proposed fire reorganization, such as – What’s wrong with the status quo? Will costs go up? Will the level of service get better or worse? What happens to the Branciforte Fire Station?
These are all valid questions, which is why BFPD, SVFPD, and LAFCO are scheduling to host a number of community workshops to address any concerns that you and/or your neighbors may have about the reorganization. The workshops are tentatively scheduled to begin in August. Please refer to BFPD’s home page on this website for more information.
Additional Information
In 2015, the Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury published a report that analyzed the fire agencies countywide and identified severe operational and financial issues for the Branciforte Fire Protection District. To view the 2015 Grand Jury Report, click here.
In 2021, the Santa Cruz County Local Agenda Formation Commission (“LAFCO”) also published a report that analyzed the fire agencies and determined that Branciforte Fire Protection District was facing financial and operational challenges following the termination of a six-year contract with Scotts Valley Fire Protection District for administrative services. LAFCO recommended that the District develop a long-term strategic plan to provide it can be sustainable on its own or consider a reorganization with Scotts Valley Fire Protection District. To view the 2021 LAFCO Report, click here.
Educational Workshops/Informational Sessions
In September 2022, the BFPD Board of Directors requested staff to conduct educational workshops to inform the community about the reorganization process. The first workshop was held on September 14, 2022. To view the 9/14 Workshop Recording, click on the following link: https://youtu.be/DQ2sreqi4aI
In the meantime, please refer to the FAQ section below to review frequently asked questions regarding fire reorganizations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Branciforte Fire Protection District
Why is this happening? At present, BFPD only has three full-time firefighters and can only afford a one-person crew on duty on any given shift. That is part of the reason why in 2020, about 30% of calls within Branciforte were responded to by another fire district under mutual aid agreements. Additionally, BFPD is struggling to fulfill the statutory requirements as a fire district, has a temporary fire chief, and continues to see low volunteer rates. The BFPD has temporarily added a second firefighter to each shift, which is not financially sustainable. These deficiencies may only get worse without a change in governance, such as a reorganization.
Wasn’t there a contract between BFPD and SVFPD? Yes. There was a six-year contract between the two districts which allowed SVFPD to provide administrative services and ensure that BFPD was fulfilling its statutory requirements. However, the contract expired in September 2021. Since then, BFPD struggled to find a permanent fire chief to run the district.
Will costs go up? Not necessarily. The reorganization can be accomplished without increasing costs. See the following section on the future of the Branciforte Fire Station for more information on cost and service implications.
Will services improve? Yes. All fire stations serving the Branciforte community will have at least a two-member crew on duty with paramedic capabilities rather than basic emergency medical services under the current structure.
What will happen to the Branciforte Fire Station? Keeping the fire station operating is the top priority for BFPD, SVFPD, and LAFCO. However, the station is understaffed and underfunded. Additional ongoing funding is needed to keep the station in operation, with at least two people on duty each shift. A benefit assessment study would be needed to determine the costs to keep the station open. If a study is completed, a subsequent mailed-in ballot will be distributed later in the process for a community vote. It is important that the Branciforte community determine whether they will authorize a new benefit assessment to fund the station with the minimum staffing required. The BFPD Board has the authority to hire an outside consultant to complete the study.
What if the new benefit assessment to fund the fire station does not pass? BFPD, SVFPD, and LAFCO are exploring alternative usage of the Branciforte Fire Station if the new benefit assessment fails. Potential options are currently being analyzed. It is important to note that calls after the reorganization will be served by the existing SVFPD fire stations.
Isn’t there an existing benefit assessment? Yes. The Measure T benefit assessment was approved in 2016 but can only be used to fund equipment and unfunded emergencies. This will remain in place to continue serving the Branciforte community.
What if I have other questions not listed here? We encourage you to share your questions, thoughts, and/or concerns with us. Please send your inquiries to: info@santacruzlafco.org
Links to Additional Community Information:
Please visit our Community Survey page here: https://branciforte-fire.com/survey/