Calif. fire chief hopes to recruit more local firefighters

Less than 10 percent of the 82 firefighters and paramedics hired in the past 15 years have been San Bernardino residents

May 16, 2011 06:12 AM

By Brian Rokos
The Press Enterprise

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — San Bernardino Fire Chief Mike Conrad wants to create a cadet program to increase the number of city residents in the department and improve diversity in the fire houses.

The City Council will consider Conrad’s proposal at 3 p.m. today at City Hall, 300 North D St.

Less than 10 percent of the 82 firefighters and paramedics hired in the past 15 years have been San Bernardino residents, Conrad wrote in a staff report.

“This under-representation of community members deprives the city organization of some of the positive elements of hiring locally. These elements include knowledge of community characteristics, long-established connections to community members and increased diversity among Fire Department ranks that reflect the city’s diverse community,” Conrad wrote. “Presence of these elements has been shown to improve the quality of service in organizations.”

Here’s how the program would work:

Youths participating in the Explorer program would be eligible to become cadets at age 18. Each year, a maximum of 10 cadets would be selected. They would receive basic firefighting training and take college courses while receiving part-time pay.

The cadets who show the most skill and pass physical tests, oral interviews and background checks would be hired full time as firefighter trainees.

The firefighter trainees would have priority when regular firefighter positions become available, Conrad wrote.

The chief also wants to create a fire recruitment supervisor to oversee the program.

The city’s cost of the position would be $43,200 for eight months. Conrad estimated San Bernardino’s cost for the entire program, including the supervisor, at $145,500 annually.

Expected sources for the money include $64,000 from the San Bernardino Employment and Training Agency, $25,000 from the Santa Ana Community College District, $20,000 from the general fund that pays for the city’s daily expenses, $20,000 from the Fire Department’s discretionary budget and $4,000 from Councilwoman Virginia Marquez’s travel budget, Conrad wrote.

Fire Department Management Recruitment and Retention