Large area of western San Joaquin County has no dedicated fire protection
CBS News Sacramento
[{'start': '0.240', 'end': '4.640', 'text': "No man's land in Sanwaqin County. CBS 13"}, {'start': '2.879', 'end': '6.799', 'text': 'getting answers after we discovered part'}, {'start': '4.640', 'end': '9.599', 'text': 'of the county left without any fire'}, {'start': '6.799', 'end': '11.120', 'text': 'department or agency to cover it. Thanks'}, {'start': '9.599', 'end': '12.960', 'text': "for joining us here at 10. I'm Tony"}, {'start': '11.120', 'end': '15.120', 'text': "Lopez and I'm Marley Ginter. We started"}, {'start': '12.960', 'end': '17.119', 'text': 'asking questions last month when a fire'}, {'start': '15.120', 'end': '19.039', 'text': 'sparked. When we called for information,'}, {'start': '17.119', 'end': '21.520', 'text': 'we kept getting dead ends. Well, turns'}, {'start': '19.039', 'end': '22.960', 'text': 'out the CHP was actually in charge.'}, {'start': '21.520', 'end': '24.880', 'text': "We're talking about this area out here"}, {'start': '22.960', 'end': '26.640', 'text': 'west of Stockton and north of Tracy.'}, {'start': '24.880', 'end': '28.080', 'text': 'Highway 4 runs right through it. The'}, {'start': '26.640', 'end': '30.560', 'text': "area is covered only by the sheriff's"}, {'start': '28.080', 'end': '32.480', 'text': 'office and the CHP. If there is a need'}, {'start': '30.560', 'end': '35.440', 'text': 'for fire response, they have to call an'}, {'start': '32.480', 'end': '37.280', 'text': 'apartment in for help. Our reporter'}, {'start': '35.440', 'end': '39.600', 'text': 'covering Sanwaqin County, Estabbon'}, {'start': '37.280', 'end': '42.960', 'text': 'Renoso, is live for us in Stockton on'}, {'start': '39.600', 'end': '44.640', 'text': 'this one. Estabbon.'}, {'start': '42.960', 'end': '46.320', 'text': 'Now guys, the city of Stockton is'}, {'start': '44.640', 'end': '48.320', 'text': 'covered with fire protection. But just'}, {'start': '46.320', 'end': '51.039', 'text': "to the west of us, there's an area"}, {'start': '48.320', 'end': '53.520', 'text': 'without it. About 1,500 people without'}, {'start': '51.039', 'end': '55.600', 'text': 'fire protection in Sanwaqin County.'}, {'start': '53.520', 'end': '58.160', 'text': 'Miles and miles of land in Sanwaqin'}, {'start': '55.600', 'end': '61.280', 'text': 'County without fire protection. Then'}, {'start': '58.160', 'end': '63.199', 'text': 'protected is all of this area right here'}, {'start': '61.280', 'end': '65.280', 'text': 'outlined. This is fire chief Eric'}, {'start': '63.199', 'end': '67.280', 'text': "Walder. He's the former president of the"}, {'start': '65.280', 'end': '69.320', 'text': 'fire district associations of California'}, {'start': '67.280', 'end': '71.680', 'text': 'and has 35 years of firefighting'}, {'start': '69.320', 'end': '73.760', 'text': 'experience. He says right now that area'}, {'start': '71.680', 'end': '75.920', 'text': 'of Sanwaqin County and the state in'}, {'start': '73.760', 'end': '79.200', 'text': "terms of firefighters is a no man's"}, {'start': '75.920', 'end': '81.119', 'text': 'land. For years uh I was told used to'}, {'start': '79.200', 'end': '82.880', 'text': 'used to respond out to the unprotected.'}, {'start': '81.119', 'end': '85.119', 'text': 'The vast majority of the land is used'}, {'start': '82.880', 'end': '86.479', 'text': 'for agriculture. There are about 500'}, {'start': '85.119', 'end': '88.720', 'text': 'private properties within this'}, {'start': '86.479', 'end': '91.040', 'text': 'unprotected land. But Chief Walder says'}, {'start': '88.720', 'end': '93.280', 'text': 'if the nearby agencies respond to every'}, {'start': '91.040', 'end': '95.680', 'text': 'call, it leaves not only their actual'}, {'start': '93.280', 'end': '97.600', 'text': 'service area vulnerable, but also their'}, {'start': '95.680', 'end': '99.680', 'text': 'budgets. But over the years, with no'}, {'start': '97.600', 'end': '101.680', 'text': "reciprocal response, you're the people"}, {'start': '99.680', 'end': '104.159', 'text': 'that you work for are starting to fund'}, {'start': '101.680', 'end': '107.119', 'text': 'that response, right? And over time, it'}, {'start': '104.159', 'end': '108.479', 'text': 'becomes a a burden and a liability on'}, {'start': '107.119', 'end': '109.920', 'text': 'those agencies that are responding out'}, {'start': '108.479', 'end': '111.360', 'text': 'there. Walder says with the cost of'}, {'start': '109.920', 'end': '113.200', 'text': 'equipment and wages going up,'}, {'start': '111.360', 'end': '114.960', 'text': 'reimbursements for responding out there'}, {'start': '113.200', 'end': '116.960', 'text': "haven't leaving agencies"}, {'start': '114.960', 'end': '120.079', 'text': 'second-guessing. Is that the best thing'}, {'start': '116.960', 'end': '121.600', 'text': 'for you know um for your citizens and'}, {'start': '120.079', 'end': '123.280', 'text': 'the taxpayer, right? So, you really have'}, {'start': '121.600', 'end': '125.920', 'text': 'to think of all those things as a fire'}, {'start': '123.280', 'end': '127.600', 'text': "chief and making that decision if you're"}, {'start': '125.920', 'end': '129.280', 'text': 'going to respond or not. There are still'}, {'start': '127.600', 'end': '131.520', 'text': "emergency services like the sheriff's"}, {'start': '129.280', 'end': '133.360', 'text': 'office and the CHP, but they run into'}, {'start': '131.520', 'end': '135.040', 'text': 'their own issues out there, too. So, we'}, {'start': '133.360', 'end': '136.800', 'text': "respond out there knowing that we're not"}, {'start': '135.040', 'end': '138.400', 'text': 'going to get fire response. Just two'}, {'start': '136.800', 'end': '140.080', 'text': 'weeks ago, there was a small fire in'}, {'start': '138.400', 'end': '142.239', 'text': 'that unprotected area near Tracy'}, {'start': '140.080', 'end': '144.239', 'text': 'Boulevard, but no fire agencies came'}, {'start': '142.239', 'end': '146.400', 'text': "out. Uh, so we're out there for a few"}, {'start': '144.239', 'end': '148.000', 'text': 'hours and basically letting the fire'}, {'start': '146.400', 'end': '149.520', 'text': 'burn. We have officers out there at the'}, {'start': '148.000', 'end': '151.200', 'text': 'scene, which it takes our officers from'}, {'start': '149.520', 'end': '152.800', 'text': 'their area, the patrol area. So why is'}, {'start': '151.200', 'end': '154.319', 'text': 'this area unprotected by fire'}, {'start': '152.800', 'end': '155.760', 'text': "departments? Well, the county says it's"}, {'start': '154.319', 'end': '157.760', 'text': 'been that way for as long as they can'}, {'start': '155.760', 'end': '159.280', 'text': 'remember. And since in California'}, {'start': '157.760', 'end': '161.280', 'text': "there's no legal right to fire"}, {'start': '159.280', 'end': '164.319', 'text': "protection, it's up to the property"}, {'start': '161.280', 'end': '166.640', 'text': 'taxpaying owners on this area to say if'}, {'start': '164.319', 'end': '169.280', 'text': 'they want it or need it. then to pay for'}, {'start': '166.640', 'end': '171.280', 'text': "it. And so far that hasn't happened yet."}, {'start': '169.280', 'end': '174.000', 'text': 'JD High Totower with the Local Agency'}, {'start': '171.280', 'end': '176.000', 'text': 'Formation Coalition or LAFCO makes sure'}, {'start': '174.000', 'end': '178.640', 'text': 'the county is spending taxpayer money'}, {'start': '176.000', 'end': '181.440', 'text': "responsibly. Out where there's there's"}, {'start': '178.640', 'end': '183.440', 'text': 'very sparse population. It they just'}, {'start': '181.440', 'end': '185.680', 'text': 'never never there was never traction and'}, {'start': '183.440', 'end': '187.360', 'text': 'no need to do it. But how do you finance'}, {'start': '185.680', 'end': '188.959', 'text': "it? That's the big thing. Yeah. Yes,"}, {'start': '187.360', 'end': '190.480', 'text': 'they could, but how do you finance? Cuz'}, {'start': '188.959', 'end': '191.840', 'text': "every dollar you're taking and put it on"}, {'start': '190.480', 'end': '193.840', 'text': "there, you're taking it from somewhere"}, {'start': '191.840', 'end': '195.760', 'text': 'else. So, what do firefighters need in'}, {'start': '193.840', 'end': '197.680', 'text': 'order to not second guessess going out'}, {'start': '195.760', 'end': '200.800', 'text': 'to this unprotected land? If there was'}, {'start': '197.680', 'end': '203.120', 'text': 'just some mechanism in place, I know uh'}, {'start': '200.800', 'end': '205.360', 'text': 'for reimbursement, it would be an easier'}, {'start': '203.120', 'end': '208.360', 'text': 'thing for agencies within the county to'}, {'start': '205.360', 'end': '208.360', 'text': 'go.'}, {'start': '209.040', 'end': '212.799', 'text': 'Now, the county sends out a poll every'}, {'start': '211.120', 'end': '214.480', 'text': 'few years to gauge interest on getting'}, {'start': '212.799', 'end': '218.319', 'text': 'fire protection. The last time they did'}, {'start': '214.480', 'end': '220.720', 'text': 'one, 2017. It came back with nearly 60%'}, {'start': '218.319', 'end': '224.000', 'text': 'interested in fire protection, but it'}, {'start': '220.720', 'end': '226.000', 'text': 'needs 66% to pass, guys. Wow. Really eye'}, {'start': '224.000', 'end': '227.440', 'text': 'opening stuff out there, Estebon. So, is'}, {'start': '226.000', 'end': '229.440', 'text': 'that it? What can those people do if'}, {'start': '227.440', 'end': '231.760', 'text': 'they do want to get the fire protection'}, {'start': '229.440', 'end': '233.360', 'text': 'now?'}, {'start': '231.760', 'end': '235.120', 'text': "Well, LFCO tells us that now they're"}, {'start': '233.360', 'end': '236.959', 'text': 'going to send out another poll to gauge'}, {'start': '235.120', 'end': '239.840', 'text': 'interest again, this now eight years'}, {'start': '236.959', 'end': '242.720', 'text': 'later. But again, it needs that 66%'}, {'start': '239.840', 'end': '244.560', 'text': 'threshold of interest to pass. Then once'}, {'start': '242.720', 'end': '246.080', 'text': 'you gain interest, then you can start'}, {'start': '244.560', 'end': '247.599', 'text': 'looking into the actual dollars and'}, {'start': '246.080', 'end': '250.400', 'text': 'cents of what it would cost for that'}, {'start': '247.599', 'end': '250.400', 'text': 'fire protection out'}]