TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Dave Shew, Napa County Fire Administrator
REPORT BY: J.R. Rodgers, Napa County Fire Administrator
SUBJECT: Napa County Fire Department Volunteer Program
RECOMMENDATION
title
Receive a presentation on the organizational structure of the Napa County Fire Department volunteer program and associated policies to support volunteers. (No Fiscal Impact)
body
BACKGROUND
The Napa County Fire Department (NCFD) was established in 1932 and contracted with the California Division of Forestry (CDF) to provide fire protection and services to the unincorporated areas of Napa County. The department worked in cooperation with 10 volunteer and three city fire departments to provide comprehensive coverage to the County of Napa. The department has incorporated resources and personnel, with the County taking ownership of all firefighting resources and maintaining all volunteers on its books.
In 2023, the NCFD initiated a process of policy review and revision, setting the stage for the largest update to the organization since 1973. The updated framework and stipend policy will go into effect on July 1, 2024. The review process will include role realignment. Current role titles will be aligned with best practices and will reduce liability. The Volunteer Chief will now be called Volunteer Station Lead Captain, the Volunteer Deputy Chief will be called Volunteer Captain, and the Volunteer Captain will be called Volunteer Lieutenant. Volunteer Engineer, Firefighter, EMS Responder, and Support roles will largely remain the same. Some variations in this organizational structure will be accommodated to better align with different volunteer station memberships.
The role descriptions will be updated to reflect today's fire service, while overall responsibilities for stations, training, and station personnel will remain intact. Each person will enter into a volunteer agreement with the Napa County Fire Department, like all current county volunteers. The dep...
Click here for full text