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The California Highway Patrol has closed its academy because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Cal Fire says its training academy in Ione is staying open for classes for its recruits.
“These are essential classes that we need to continue with,” Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said. “We are very cognizant of the situation and we will constantly re-evaluate the situation as conditions change.”
But with the state having endured years of devastating wildfires, Cal Fire says classes and training for recruits remains necessary, although officials are increasing the distance between recruits in classrooms and in training.
Some other classes, such as training sessions for public information officers, are being scrapped for now because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
But training for firefighters is continuing.
“It’s something we don’t treat lightly,” McLean said. “We’re going to continue to review this on a regular basis and if something’s not working out we’re going to stop it.”
The 420-acre training facility sits 35 miles southeast of Sacramento and has been in use since 1967.
“Each year, over 2,000 Cal Fire personnel participate in an academic curriculum ranging from Basic Fire Control and Arson Investigation, to Leadership Development and Forest Practice Enforcement,” the agency says on its website. “In addition, students from fire protection and law enforcement agencies throughout California and the nation attend courses during the academic year.”
The decision to remain open stands in contrast to a move the CHP announced Friday to close down the academy in West Sacramento, which opened in 1976 and has been closed only during the Los Angeles Rodney King riots in 1992 and during state budget shutdowns.
“I cannot accept the risk that any of the cadets or staff becomes ill and then be faced with having to quarantine the entire campus,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said.
The class of 79 senior cadets and 98 junior cadets instead are to report Tuesday to CHP offices near their homes for administrative duties until conditions improve.
“The move is temporary,” the CHP said. “As soon as the pandemic is over, the cadets will resume training where they left off.”
But Cal Fire considers its need for new firefighters critical, and McLean wasted no time during an interview Sunday in returning to his regular sermon about the need for California homeowners to make their property safe from wildfire.
“With a lot of people at home right now because of coronavirus fears, now’s the time to start your preventative measures to prevent fires,” he said.
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