Agenda Item No: 3.a
PLACENTIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: October 21, 2025
Submitted by: Crystal Adams
From: Fire and Life Safety Department
Subject:
PLACENTIA FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY DEPARTMENT 2023-2025 BIENNIAL REPORT Financial Impact:
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact to receive and file the Biennial Report.
Recommendation:
Recommended Action: It is recommended that the City Council:
Receive and file.
Strategic Plan Statement:
This item is consistent with the City Council approved Five Year Strategic Goal 2: Ensure that Public Safety Continues to be a High Priority, under Objective 2.3: Maintain operation readiness and provide full-services during a disaster.
Discussion:
The Fire Department has completed a Biennial Report for 2023-2025. The Report gathers information about departmental activity throughout the year and is a produced publication that summarizes statistics, updates, and Department highlights occurring throughout the past two years. This Report is produced for the public to relay information about the Department’s performance, accomplishments, and organizational changes. The Report in its entirety will be posted to the City's website.
Fiscal Impact Summary:
There is no fiscal impact to receive and file the Biennial Report.
Attachments
Placentia Fire & Life Safety Biennial Report.pdf
Fire PPT_102125.pdf
1 2
3 Placentia Fire and Life Safety Update
July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025
October 21, 2025
City of Placentia
4 Command Staff
Jason Dobine,
Fire Chief
Api Weinert,
Deputy Fire Chief
Michael Finnerty,
Battalion Chief
Anthony Davis,
Battalion Chief
Cody Roesti,
Battalion Chief
Amanda Horner,
Fire Marshal
5 Call Summary
July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025
•10,645 Calls for Service
–2,924 Fire Calls
–7,721 EMS Calls
Average Response Time:
•Fire: 0:06:56
•EMS: 0:04:54
*Source: Placentia Public Safety Communications Center 6
Fire Calls
July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025:
2,924 Calls
•Fire Calls – 360
•Traffic Collisions – 520
•Alarms / Service Calls – 1,310
•Mutual Aid – 539
•Single Resource Assignments: 14
•Other Calls - 181
*Source: Placentia Public Safety Communications Center 7
EMS Calls
July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025:
7,721 Calls
•Breathing & Sick Person – 2,389
•Falls – 1,277
•Chest Pain / Cardiac Arrest – 579
•Bleeding / Traumatic Injuries – 373
•Stroke – 185
•Psychiatric / Abnormal, Overdose,
Poisoning – 261
*Source: Placentia Public Safety Communications Center 8
Single Resource Deployments
•Sent personnel on 14 assignments
across California in 2024
RADO, HEQBT, IMCMT, EMT
•Received state reimbursements
totaling over $272,600
Offsetting overtime, supplies,
travel, and fleet expenses
Netting over $100,000 to the
General Fund
9 Notable Events
•Clyde’s Hot Chicken Fire –
November 26,2024
Structure fire
Mutual Aid from Anaheim, Brea, and
Fullerton
Knockdown within 15 minutes
Avoided spread of fire to adjoining
businesses
Damage repairs took five months and
Clyde’s reopened in April 2025
10 Notable Events
•Confined Space Rescue
Reports of woman trapped in storm
drain during fire
Utilizing a New York Hook, crews
hoisted the woman out to safety
through a manhole
Responding crew recognized by
Orange County Business Council in
September 2024
11 The Placentia Fire and Life Safety Model
2020 to 2025
12 The Beginning
•June 4, 2019: Council voted to
create the Fire and Life Safety
Department
•Immediate actions:
Purchase apparatus/equipment
Hire and train personnel
13 Fire Academy
•May 2020
Peak COVID
Gomez Center
El Dorado High School
No outside agency help
14 Department Training
Original Program for All Personnel Current Updates Notes City will adhere to CA State Fire Training
mandatory training requirements
Original budget was $35K, now
increased to $175K, first live burn in
2024
Schedule additional live burns, rent
NorthNet for practical trainings
City will join California Firefighters Joint
Apprentice Committee (CFJAC) to secure
additional training funds
Participate in the Santa Ana College
(SAC) program
Earned $13,500 last FY
Meet NFPA firefighter, fire inspector, and
fire officer standards
Suppression personnel are not actively
receiving inspector training, but train
to meet other standards
Training in fire prevention, inspections, fire
code enforcement, public education,
customer service
Received basic inspection instructions
and began engine company
inspections in 2024 under direction of
Fire Marshal
We have hired a Fire Prevention
Specialist to take on these
responsibilities
City will connect with regional fire training
center for fire ground training
Secured NorthNet training agreement
in 2021
Training may only occur one crew at
a time, or when backfilled with OT
15 Rank Original Program for Personnel Current Program Notes Battalion Chief N/A SFT Chief Officer, ICS 400, STEN
Determine if
training occurs
in-house across
shifts, or if OT is
paid to take courses
Captain Obtain NFPA Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor,
and Fire Inspector certificates
Obtain & maintain SFT Fire Officer,
CICCS Engine Boss, ICS 200 & 300,
Engineer
Obtain NFPA Driver Operator, Fire Inspector,
Hazardous Materials Operations, Urban
Search and Rescue, swift water rescue,
high/low angle rescue, confined space, auto
extrication
Obtain & maintain ICS 200, SFT
Driver Operator
Firefighter
Obtain NFPA Firefighter II, Fire Inspector,
Hazardous Materials Operations, Urban
Search and Rescue, swift water rescue,
high/low angle rescue, confined space
rescue, auto extrication
Obtain & maintain FFI, FFII
Reserve FF
Have completed CA State Fire Marshal
approved academy, work toward FF I and FF
II certifications
Participates in on-duty trainings
within City limits
16 Staffing
Apparatus Proposed Model Current Model
E1
•(1) Captain
•(1) Engineer
•(1) FT Firefighter
•(1) Reserve FF
•(1) Captain
•(1) Engineer
•(1) FT Firefighter
•(1) Reserve FF (If available)
T2
•(1) Captain
•(1) Engineer
•(1) FT Firefighter
•(1) Reserve FF
•(1) Captain
•(1) Engineer
•(1) FT Firefighter
PPAT
•(1) PT Captain AND
•(1) PT Engineer OR
•(1) Reserve Firefighter
•(1) FT Firefighter
E2
(Reserve Engine)
•Unstaffed •Unstaffed
17 Org Chart on July 1, 2020
Fire Chief
A Shift
Battalion Chief
(2) Captains
(2) Engineers
(2) Firefighter
B Shift
Battalion Chief
(2) Captains
(2) Engineers
(2) Firefighter
C Shift
Battalion Chief
(2) Captains
(2) Engineers
(2) Firefighter
Part Time Staff
(1) Part Time
Captain
(1) Part Time
Engineer
(1) Patrol
Engineer
(2) Part Time
Firefighters
(13) Reserve
Firefighters
Management
Analyst
18 Org Chart on July 1, 2025
Fire Chief
Deputy Chief
A Shift
Battalion Chief
(2) Captains
(2) Engineers
(3) Firefighters
B Shift
Battalion Chief
(2) Captains
(2) Engineers
(3) Firefighters
C Shift
Battalion Chief
(2) Captains
(2) Engineers
(3) Firefighters
Part Time Staff
(1) Reserve
Firefighter
Fire Marshal
Fire Inspector
Admin Assistant
Contracted Staff
Senior
Management
Analyst
19 Expanding the Department
Original Proposal
•Administration
Fire Chief
Management Analyst
•Operations
FT Battalion Chiefs, Captains, Engineers, Firefighters Part Time Firefighters
Reserve Firefighters
Current Model
•Administration
Fire Chief
Deputy Fire Chief
Senior Management Analyst
•Operations
FT Battalion Chiefs, Captains, Engineers, Firefighters Reserve Firefighter
•Community Risk Reduction
Fire Marshal
Fire Inspector
Administrative Assistant
Contracted Staff
20 Lessons Learned
Part-Time and Reserve Firefighters
21 Placentia Recruitment Timeline
•Recruitment opens for one month
•Interviews over two days by
department personnel
•Background checks / ordering
uniforms – up to six months
•Department Academy
Location
Staff
Apparatus
22 Original Onboarding Costs
•Each person is issued the following
equipment upon hire:
•(1) set of duty uniforms (boots, shirt,
pants, belt, buckle, nameplate, jacket,
PT shirt, PT shorts, raincoat, hemming)
•(1) set of turnouts, structure boots,
gloves, helmet, shield, hood
•Used turnouts, would need to be
custom tailored
•(1) brush coat and pair of pants
•(1) gear bag
Item Cost
Recruitment (Flying
position, interviews, etc.)
In House
Background Check $1,800
Medical Clearance $600
DOT Physical $100
Uniform/PPE $4,200
TOTAL PER PERSON $6,700
23 Updated PT/Reserve Onboarding Costs
Item Original Costs Current Costs Notes
Recruitment (Flying position,
interviews, etc.)In House In House
Background Check $1,800 $1,800 Can take up to six months to clear backgrounds
Medical Clearance $600 $709
DOT Physical $100 $120
Uniform/PPE $4,200 $1,000*
Assuming that only tailoring is needed.
Mandated 3rd Party Annual Inspection and
Cleaning.
3-Day Mini Academy $0 $5,500 OT for Staffing, Rental/Equip. Fees Live Burn $0 $18,000 Part Time / Reserve Testing for IDLH TOTAL PER PERSON $6,700 $3,904
Total Estimated Cost: $78,080
Est. Cost per person: $3,904 (with 20 hires)
24 Retention
•Hired 30 Reserve Firefighters since 2020
•22 reserves resigned
Most within nine months of hiring
•Due to accepting full-time positions elsewhere
•7 reserves hired into full-time Placentia positions
1 has resigned
•1 current Reserve Firefighter
Hired March 2023
Worked (75) 24-hour shifts in the last year
Does not participate in IDLH
•No current Part-Time Firefighters
25 Part Time / Reserve Fiscal Impact
•$236,400 on onboarding Reserve Firefighters
This fiscal year, we have spent less than $4,000 on stipends • Over $226,100 has been spent on Reserves that have resigned Out of 30 reserves, we had 22 resign - resulting in a 76% attrition rate •In FY 23/24 – we had one (1) part time firefighter
12 hour shift each Saturday
Salary Cost last FY: >$12,000
26 Additional Financial Considerations
•PPE expiration dates
As early as 2026
•Budgeting for replacement
apparatus and equipment
Everything purchased in 2020
Annual certification for turnouts
•Budgeting for ongoing training
Certificates and succession planning
PPE # in Inventory
Turnout Coat 11
Turnout Pants 11
Used Turnout Sets 16
Flash Hoods (Used)16
Structure Helmet 6
Structure Gloves 18
Wildland Coat 9
27 The Risk a Reserve/PT FF Takes
•Worker’s Compensation
Entitled to compensation related to their rate
•$50/day for reserves, $24.36/hr. for part time
•Most reserves/part time personnel have additional jobs Ambulance Operator, private sector, student
•This creates a risk to personnel if they are injured and unable to work at their primary employer
28 Required Training
•Assumption: 3-day Academy for Reserve/PT FF
Forgo other employment for the minimal Department stipend •Department Costs:
OT for personnel to operate academy
Facility Rental/Supply Fees
•On-site consumable training supplies
Purchase additional equipment dedicated specifically for training purposes •To not remove tools from front-line apparatus
29 Additional Considerations
•Reserve Firefighter programs have decreased across the state and have been replaced with AO programs
•Most applicants apply for Part-Time / Reserve positions until they secure full time employment
Serve as a training ground that benefits other agencies •Interested applicants may not apply due to the benefits package for full time personnel
Will hold out for employment with another agency
•Neighboring fire agencies may bristle at the idea utilizing part-time firefighters and/or reserves to supplement our full-time personnel 30 Conclusion
•Onboarding costs for a Part-Time or Reserve Firefighter do not outweigh the benefits of having a Part-Time or Reserve Firefighter program.
A two -station department does not have the hiring demands of other departments
•The original model did not account for Department academy costs, or the required ongoing training to be IDLH compliant Material costs, OT for the trainers, site rental fees
•If a part time or reserve firefighter was to be trained to enter an IDLH environment, each would need another set of turnouts Additional expense of $20,000-$92,000
31 Mutual Aid
32 Mutual Aid Requests
Original Proposal
•Surrounding cities committed
Letters of Intent to provide
Auto/Mutual Aid to Placentia
Current Model
•Placentia has not entered into any
Auto/Mutual Aid Agreements with
any surrounding agencies
# Times Dispatched Into
Placentia
# Times Placentia
Dispatched Into Jurisdiction
841 929
33 Mutual Aid
122
159
191 195
178
104
163
131
169
361
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Aid into PLA PLA Providing Aid
34 Community Risk Reduction
Established 2023
35 Community Risk Reduction
•Fire Chief (also Deputy and Fire Marshal)
Oversee Fire Department Operations
Conducts required regulatory inspections for businesses and public areas Building plan reviews
•Engine Companies
Provide robust public education focusing on CRR
Conducts minor required regulatory inspections for businesses and public areas •Fire Marshal (Hired Feb. 2023)
Oversees fire code compliance
Building plan reviews
•Fire Inspector
Conducts required regulatory inspections for businesses and public areas •Administrative Assistant
Serves as Department first point of contact, schedules inspections, tracks CRR invoices •Contracted Staff
Plan Reviews
Other items as assigned
Original Proposal Current Model
36 Community Risk Reduction
•1,107 inspections
268 – New construction
839 – State mandated, routine, compliance, etc.
•Conducted 280 plan reviews
•Generated over $220,000 in revenues
37 Community Risk Reduction
•Conducted over 280 engine company
inspections
Multi-Family dwellings, primarily apartment
complexes
•Each crew provided with basic fire and life
safety inspection training
•Field guides were issued for use during
inspections
38 Community Risk Reduction
•Provided community outreach and public
education at community events
Station Open House
3rd Grade Visits
Easter Eggcitement
National Night Out
Trunk or Treat
•Provided resources to the community
39 Placentia Fire and Life Safety Budget
Forecasts and Actuals
40 Original Proposal
$6,789,929 $7,102,705 $7,429,487 $7,771,243
$8,128,720 $8,502,641 $8,893,762
$9,302,875 $9,730,807 $10,178,424
$10,646,632
$1,640,158
$6,129,218
$5,706,131 $5,867,146 $5,963,769 $6,062,306 $5,702,801 $5,805,298 $5,909,840 $6,016,475 $6,125,249 $-
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$8,000,000
$10,000,000
$12,000,000
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 2026-27 2027-28 2028-29 2029-30 City of Placentia
Fire Service Comparison: OCFA vs Placentia Fire
Projections From FY 2020 to FY 2030
OCFA Placentia Fire 41
Proposed and Fully Burdened
$0
$2,000,000
$4,000,000
$6,000,000
$8,000,000
$10,000,000
$12,000,000
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
OCFA Proposed PLA PLA Fully Burdened
42 Fire and Life Safety Revenues
$3,993
$18,577
$49,601
$80,000 $82,400
$17,177
$43,320
$100,000
$14,500
$12,837
$18,953
$216,418
$140,000
$4,545 $11,359 $9,091
$72,000
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26
Plan Checks Inspections State Reimbursements Other Revenue Grants 43 Fire and Life Safety Revenues
•Community Risk Reduction
Began collecting revenue in
2022
•Fire plan reviews and business
inspections
•Used contracted provider
Created Fire Prevention
Specialist (Inspector) position to
keep revenues in-house
•Currently recruiting for a part-time
inspector
44 Fire and Life Safety Revenues
•First deployment in 2023
•Two -week assignments
•Reimbursements include OT
for both the deployed
personnel and the backfill
•Apparatus daily rate
•Administrative rate $12,837 $18,953
$216,418
$140,000
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
22-23 23-24 24-25 25-26
Reimbursements by Fiscal Year
Reimbursements by FY
45 Future Challenges
•Replacement apparatus
Timeline for repairs and replacements
•Months for repairs, years to order
•Turnouts
•Equipment: SCBAs, radios, hose,
chainsaws, etc.
•Station Upgrades
•New / Additional Station
46 Future Goals
•Standards of Cover
Accreditation
•Strategic Plan
Succession Planning
47 Questions & Comments
48