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The panel will discuss a resolution about providing service to the North Valley town during its next regular meeting, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 at the fire district administrative office, 18602 N. 99th Ave.. Board members expressed their desire to opt out of such assistance in the future during an Oct. 20 workshop meeting.
The issue arose after Phoenix Fire Department officials sent a letter to Cave Creek leaders saying the department would no longer respond to fire or other emergency issues unless there was a known and immediate threat of life.
“If it is a non-emergency, the event would likely be over by the time we get there,” said Tim Wilmess, SCFD board member. “I would be OK if we bowed out.”
Dave Scott, SCFD board president, said he could not see an occasion where Sun City would respond to a Cave Creek call.
“Any response would come from the three agencies around the town,” he said.
Ron Deadman, Sun City fire chief, said department personnel and equipment would be sent to a department closer to Cave Creek to backfill assets sent to the town to respond.
“It would be much like the position the board took on the Wittmann area,” he said. “It would be more of a mutual aid situation rather than automatic aid.”
The Valley’s automatic aid consortium consists of 22 departments that agree to respond to incidents regardless of jurisdictional boundaries if they have the closest assets.
Phoenix fire officials took the opt out action following three multiple alarm incidents in Cave Creek in May. They claimed continued use of the automatic aid system as a defacto fire department for the town would have significant impacts on the Cave Creek community and the fire departments involved.
Rural Metro Fire Department continues to cover the Cave Creek area, but only on a subscriber basis. That means those not subscribed are left unprotected without automatic aid support.
Town officials contracted with Facets Consulting to develop some options, which were presented Aug. 10 during a town council meeting. But the council took no action and gave no direction to the town manger about moving forward.
Rusty Bradshaw News Editor | Sun City &
Sun City West @SunCitiesEditor
Rusty Bradshaw is a 40-year veteran of community journalism, having worked at newspapers in Wyoming, Oregon and Arizona. He has been with Independent Newsmedia 15 years.
Rusty earned a junior college certificate from Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and a bachelor of science degree from Eastern Oregon University in LaGrande Oregon.
An avid football fan, Rusty also enjoys photography, reading, spending time outdoors and enjoying life with his wife. He also authored three books of fiction, “The Rehabilitation of Miss Little,” “Moist on the Mountain” and "Gorge Justice." Visit www.rustythewriter.org.
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