CA Crews Still Displaced by Station Flooding

Aug. 03 -- It’s been a tough 10 months for members of the Marysville Fire Department. Solar panels were being installed last October when heavy rains flooded the firehouse, requiring the city to gut the entire inside and essentially displace firefighters until it can be replaced.

Fire Chief Ron Karlen, who has been at the helm for just over a month, shared his optimism about the future of the department, but said it will take some work to get there.

“Things are challenging right now. As I learn more about the different facets of the department, I’m finding weak areas,” Karlen said.

Station

The most obvious challenge facing the department is the fact firefighters are operating without a fully operational headquarters.

“The fire station is in disrepair because of the storm damage last year. We are trying to figure out how to move forward, but we keep finding issues as we go along,” Karlen said.

The city hired a subcontractor last year to install solar panels on the department’s roof. Progress was being made, but a storm moved in and the covering was blown away. Water poured through the roof’s holes, resulting in damage to fire engines, electric devices, furnishings, carpeting, wall coverings, electrical wiring and communication devices. Afterward, tests were conducted and found lead and asbestos, which required the department to be fully gutted.

“It turned into an insurance claim with the vendor and the city, so that also required some negotiating over the contents and the true value of the damage,” Karlen said. “We are putting plans together on how to piece it back together.”

Karlen said the city is fairly close to starting the rebuild process. Aside from some challenges with water lines and sewage, the reconstruction plans have already been submitted and approved, and the permits have been paid for.

Once work starts, Karlen said it will likely take six months to complete. In the meantime, firefighters are living out of trailers in the back that struggle to cool off in the summer heat – Karlen is working out of a modular unit for the time being. Besides a garage, firefighters only have a small side room to use as a common room – before a few days ago, that room didn’t even have a real air conditioner to cool it down below 85 degrees.

“Not having a firehouse has impacted us. There is nothing normal for the guys, no kitchen or living space. Firefighters sleeping in the farthest trailer out back now have to run a longer distance when we get a call. A lot of those little things have impacted our normal daily response,” Karlen said.

Karlen estimates reconstruction will cost $2.8 million from start to finish, and insurance will cover the majority of it.

Solar panels were installed on the roof and went live about three weeks ago. Karlen said the department is currently making energy, which will result in savings because it cuts down on costs to operate out of the facility.

Staffing and aging equipment

Another issue facing the department is low staffing levels. Karlen said there are nine full-time firefighters with the department. Though there is a reserve program – Karlen hopes to built it up and make it stronger in the future – there are three firefighters assigned per shift. In other words, only three firefighters are available 24/7 to help respond to calls in the department’s 85 square miles it is responsible for (including the District 10 area and Hallwood).

The department receives an average of about 10-12 calls per day.

“We are not able to effectively respond when we get back-to-back calls. So, we are suffering from that,” he said.

Karlen said the department is also trying to figure out how to replace some of its old and aging fleet.

Because of the wear and tear fire engines experience racing to and from incidents, adding a new truck would help expand the department’s fleet and give it more options. Plus, it would ensure firefighters make it safely to their destination and can more efficiently respond to calls without having to deal with engine issues, Karlen said.

Looking ahead

Karlen said the department will tackle its challenges one step at a time. There’s not much in the city budget to help address the issues the department faces, which is why he said they will have to get creative in applying for grants and using any available funding they can find.

“There is no real thorough plan for the department. We plan on starting next month to identify some of the problems and goals to give the department a sort of roadmap of where it should be headed in the future,” Karlen said.

His number one priority, he said, is to make sure his firefighters are healthy and happy. That will help them complete their mission, which is being there for the public when they need it.

The city has been supportive of the fire department’s efforts, Karlen said. Officials understand the department’s needs and wants, he said, as well as the importance of bringing economic development to the city – which in turn will help the department because the need for it will grow.

“I’m confident in the direction we are headed,” Karlen said.

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