BECKWOURTH PEAK FIRE DISTRICT’S SIX MONTH ANNIVERSARY

January 8, 2025

Board Members and Staff:  Congratulations on the District’s six-month anniversary! 

The following is a summary of activities and accomplishments since July 1, 2024:

• July 1- Operations began
• July 21- District participates in its first OES preposition- It lasts 24 hours.
• July 22- Preposition extension request denied- Lightning strikes start the Mill and Smith Fires- structures saved.  Communities of Delleker, Portola City, Gold Mountain and White Hawk threatened. 3,000 acres burned with a suppression cost of $4,000 per acre.
• Honored the life and legacy of Captain Scott Thompson- 9407
• Preposition Staffed Shifts- 19 (24-hour shifts). Numerous calls responded to by staff, including a CPR save and response to fires- Bear Fire- Loyalton (structures saved).
• Major Incident Deployment Staffed Days-19 (24-hour shifts- Gold, Crozier, Bear, Airport).
• Total OES Reimbursements- $380,000- all payroll paid within the pay period worked.
• Enhanced staffing plan (Option D) established- testing/hiring process for three FT shift personnel and three BCs.  Result- 24-hour staffing at Station 1 and consistent staffing for the East Battalion. Promotion of a Captain. Established Training Officer and Safety Officer positions. Big thank you to President Rich McLaughlin for his budget work and the Board’s support to implement enhanced staffing. This has tremendously improved our response times and ability to serve the Community.
• Conversion of District apparatus with updated County compliant re-numbering and new District logos.
• Branding of District with personnel uniforms, badges, patches. New turnouts proposed.
• Merger with Eastern Plumas Rural Fire District- 3 Fire stations, 8 Apparatus.  Numerous meetings with EPRFPD Board, LAFCO and Board of Supervisors.  Achieved Tax Sharing agreement with Board of Supervisors. Thank you Director Cary Curtis for your tireless efforts to get this done with adequate financial support.
• Automatic Aid agreement with Graeagle FD.
• Established a new policy manual through Lexipol and added the training platform Target Solutions (paid by Insurance carrier).
• Completed new salary survey for OES reimbursements.
• Hosted a District formation celebration and Christmas Dinner events.
• Station signs designed and currently being made- installation soon.
• FEMA AFG grant submitted for station diesel exhaust systems (5) and Extractors (2) Requesting $300k.
• On-Boarded five new firefighters- two additional in progress.
• Participated in Community Events (Grizzly Community Firewise, Gold Mountain Annual Homeowners Meeting, Portola HS Homecoming Parade, Portola Christmas Parade, Loyalton Christmas and July 4 parades.
• Agreement with Cal Fire for dispatching assistance in the Hwy 395 corridor. Taking positive steps to form a lasting relationship for the future, which includes full time dispatching for the District.
• Established adequate insurance coverage for all District assets and nine fire stations, including Eastern Plumas Rural FD.  Actively involved in working with District’s insurance advisor and GSRMA risk management manager to reduce liability and policy cost. 
• Sold six surplus fire apparatus and returned three unused Federal Excess Program engines. Sales revenue towards purchase of water tender- $45k.
• Worked closely with the Plumas County Auditor to review fire tax exemption requests and assisted property owners with questions regarding their tax bills.
• Fundraiser event for Christmas tree sale.
• Responded to 690 incidents.  369 calls from July 1.  The first District response on 7/1 was a Lift Assist.  (See attached call breakdown)

Winter/Spring 2025- Goals/Expectations:

• Hire Administrative Assistant/Finance Officer for 32 hour office staffing.
• Submit Office of Traffic Safety Grant for $235k for rescue equipment and PPE by January 30
• Verify relationship with USFS to enhance mutual response/training and renegotiate lease for Station 4. Recover past due rent.
• Host Training Classes- Wildland certification classes (5) and Operator 1A/1B.
• Submit FEMA SAFER grant applications for full time staffing and Volunteer Recruitment and Retention.
• Begin Strategic Planning Process with Chief Forrest Craig.
• Convert to full time Cal Fire Dispatch (SIFC) for Fire Season 2025.
• Receive remaining $110k in OES reimbursements
• Prepare the 2025-26 Preliminary Budget
• Decide to enter into an agreement with Gold Mountain CSD for operation of their fire engine and training their Fire Cadre as Fire District members, for wildland fire operations in the 2025 Fire Season.
• Work with Truckee Meadows Community College Fire Academy to create a remote Firefighter 1 academy in East Plumas County.
• Prepare for Fire Season 2025.

BPFPD Formation Background

How Did This Effort Come About?

Actions to Date Overview

• Local Emergency Services Study Group (LESSG), with representation from Beckwourth Fire Protection District, Sierra Valley Fire Protection District, Gold Mountain Community Services District and the City of Portola, was formed and conducted a feasibility study about whether to consolidate resources and establish one new fire protection district.   Beckwourth Fire Protection District, Sierra Valley Fire Protection District, Gold Mountain Community Services District and the City of Portola submitted requests to Plumas Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) to form a new district.
• LAFCo approved the application and held a hearing to adopt a resolution requesting Plumas County Board of Supervisors to call an election to place a measure to form a new District the November 2023 ballot.
• Secured a tax-sharing agreement with Plumas County Board of Supervisors to receive a portion of monies collected from property taxes.
• Plumas County Board of Supervisors called the election to place Measure E and Measure F on the November 7, 2023 ballot.
• Measures E & F were approved by the voters