TITLE:
title
APPROVAL OF RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REGARDING ORANGE COUNTY EMS AND THE FIRE SERVICE
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DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER AND COSTA MESA FIRE & RESCUE
PRESENTED BY: CITY MANAGER AND COSTA MESA FIRE & RESCUE
CONTACT INFORMATION: DANIEL A. STEFANO, FIRE CHIEF, (714) 754-5106
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager and Fire Chief to respond to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court concerning the findings and recommendations made by the Orange County Grand Jury Report. 2021-2022.
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BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to Article 1, Section 23, of the California Constitution, each county is required to summon and impanel a Civil Grand Jury at least once a year. The purpose of the Civil Grand Jury is to investigate and report on the operations of local government, and to provide their findings and recommendations for improvement where appropriate.
The City of Costa Mesa was included in a response request, along with the majority of cities who provide Fire & Rescue services, including those served by contractual agreement with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). As such, a report was prepared by the Orange County Grand Jury during 2021-2022 regarding Fire-Based Emergency Medical Services and a final report was presented to the City and City Fire Chief. Under California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05, a response to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court regarding the Civil Grand Jury's Report is required.
ANALYSIS:
GRAND JURY FINDING #F1
FINDING: "Despite fire departments throughout Orange County having evolved into emergency medical departments, most have not updated their emergency response protocols accordingly, but have simply absorbed emergency medical responses into their existing fire response models."
RESPONSE: The City Disagrees Wholly with this Finding.
This finding is inconsistent with the historical facts of the California Fire Service generally and with the City of Costa Mesa speci...
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