By Sean Emery
The Orange County Register
IRVINE, Calif. — Orange County Fire Authority leaders have agreed to retain paramedic services at a station near the Great Park, embracing an alternative that lessened service cuts which angered city leaders.
The OCFA board of directors agreed to retain one of two Irvine paramedic positions that were targeted for removal during recent budget cuts.
Irvine leaders were caught off-guard by theOCFA board’s earlier decision to remove a two-person medic-van crew from the Great Park adjacent station as part of an effort to slice $3.3 million out of the agency’s overall budget.
Under the newly amended budget plan, the Irvine station will still lose the paramedic van; the remaining paramedic will join a three-member fire engine crew.
In order to retain the paramedic position, OCFA will move an administrative captain assigned to Irvine into a vacant field captain position elsewhere within the organization’s coverage area, and will leave unfilled three administration positions that will soon open due to retirements.
The Irvine station was targeted for cuts due to its low call volume. However, Irvine officials, who represent the largest member of the fire authority, claimed the cuts would have significantly impacted local service.
Copyright 2010 Orange County Register