Borrego Springs is the 20th fire department absorbed by San Diego County Fire since it was formed in 2008, with its 14 former employees now working for Cal Fire
Over the years, the organization grew — initially targeting rural fire companies that mainly used volunteer firefighters and then fire departments funded through taxes paid by property owners in county service areas. In its final phase, the department absorbed fire protection districts such as San Diego Rural, Pine Valley, Julian and now, Borrego Springs.
The remaining independent fire districts that operate in unincorporated areas of the county are managed by their own elected boards, the chief said. “I think there’s this perception that we are out to take people over and that’s just not true... We don’t go raid other people’s jurisdictions,” he said.Other fire departments are “always invited to join, but we are not seeking anybody else to join,” Mecham said.
Bruce Kelley, who headed a group of Borrego Springs residents who studied the issue, said the old setup left the department unable to provide competitive benefits to staff or to update equipment. To cover the district’s needs, the supplemental tax would have had to increase more than six-fold, he said.Meetings were held with residents in Borrego Springs before the district board voted last year on transitioning to County Fire and Cal Fire control.
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