The fire department responds to roughly 10,000 emergency calls a year, according to the city’s website. “So, in reality, we don’t have aerial capability and we would have to rely on outside agencies for that type of capability.” “Anything that requires any type of aerial support, for example, vehicle accidents if we need to, rescues or fires, it’s not in service,” he said. That’s because Compton firefighters are fed up with run-down facilities and outdated equipment, including the department’s only aerial ladder, which isn’t certified, he said. He’s been doing it for over 16 years, but lately, he’s been focusing on something different - organizing a union rally, handing out flyers and reaching out to city council members. Putting out fires is second nature for Compton City firefighter Daniel Salazar. He also warned that the county could not match the city’s recruiting of residents to join the department.COMPTON, Calif. Citing county statistics, he said his department’s average response time was roughly half that of county fire stations in neighboring cities. In May they passed a vote of no confidence in him and two battalion chiefs.įonza said he supports efforts to win higher pay but opposes turning over fire services to the county. Union members have accused Fonza of disrupting their efforts to gather signatures for the ballot initiative. Since then, relations between the union and the fire chief have become increasingly strained. Union members began considering support for a county takeover last September after a breakdown in pay negotiations.
The county department also offers better pay for some firefighters, a sensitive issue in Compton.Ĭompton firefighters have not received a raise for seven years, despite an independent arbitrator’s recent recommendation that the city award them a 16% increase, said union President Frank Sotelo. Proponents argue that the county Fire Department brings more sophisticated resources for less money.
Opponents of such proposals say that county mergers leave fire services less accountable to local citizens and elected officials. Inglewood will consider a ballot initiative on the issue in November. Lynwood is negotiating with the county after a citywide vote on a similar switch. Within the last year and a half, Covina, El Monte and Hawthorne have dissolved their fire departments in favor of county services. Recent disagreements over disbanding city fire departments in favor of county contracts have split communities across the county as more cities consider the switch. Union officials said they are regrouping for another attempt. The union learned about two weeks ago that its petition for an initiative on November’s ballot failed by 600 signatures. Taylor was on vacation Wednesday, but Fonza said the charges against the police chief are false.
Taylor is accused of trailing one union activist who was gathering signatures. The suit also names the city and Compton Police Chief Hourie Taylor as defendants. Prosecutors rejected the case for lack of evidence, said Brian Wooldridge, assistant head deputy of the district attorney’s special investigations division. Investigators considered the incident a pushing and grappling match over the petitions rather than an assault, he said. The alleged assault was investigated by the Compton Police Department and a report of its findings handed over to the district attorney’s office, a Compton police official said.
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