We will be watching our spending very closely during the next six months. Anything we can save now will be critical in funding
the FY 12/13 budget. We have several cost-savings ideas brewing at this time. Some will not be easy to swallow, but we must make sure that we do all that
we can to maintain our operational readiness as it currently is. Going backwards is not an option with respect to service delivery, service demands, and
most importantly, the safety of our personnel. As with every budget development process, I welcome and encourage ANYONE with an interest in the process to
stop by the office and visit with me or with Ellen if you have any questions regarding the process.
Another potential for positive results is our Volunteer Firefighter Academy. I am being advised that we have a good number of serious
candidates this year. I have high expectations for Deputy Chief Soule's approach to the academy and the success that it will bring. While our recruitment
efforts fell short of my hopes, we do have a better idea of what we are facing in the future.
We continue to carry out our mission for the County in the area of Emergency Management. Most recently we received our grant for the CERT
program. One of the benefits this program may offer is a way for some of our support volunteers to transition into this program and still actively serve
the communities without the training and physical demands of the volunteer positions.
Secondly, we have been working hard to complete the Continuity of Operations Planning that has been underway regionally for over six months
now. We do have good participation from most Douglas County departments and agencies, including some special districts, both fire districts, and one
private utility. Once the draft plan is prepared we will have a review before the final document is ready for the Board to review and hopefully approve.
The development of a COOP will meet both federal and state directives and laws requiring such a plan, and most importantly keep us eligible for federal grants.
Also, because of our Emergency Management ties, we have been working with Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and DCSO and are attempting
to redirect some unused funding from Bomb Team Grants to purchase needed items for DCSO , Tahoe Douglas, and East Fork. With this effort, combined with
the Helen Close Grant, (Thanks to Firefighter Jeff Cates) we may be able to enhance our technologies in the apparatus to include GIS mapping at a minimum.
So, I do want to make a couple of New Year's resolutions as I close my last short article of the year. The administration, i.e. Chief
Officers, will be visiting the volunteer stations early in 2012 to follow up on our last visits and I personally will also be spending more time in the
career stations at your kitchen table. The busy schedules that we "Chiefs" have been having to keep recently need to be more focused towards our personnel.
In closing, I sincerely want to thank all of you for your outstanding commitment to serving the districts and want to also wish everyone
the very best in the new year.
