Monterey Budget Lacks Funding For Part Time Firefighters

The upcoming fiscal year budget for Monterey does not include funding to hire 6 part time firefighters for the fire department.

Fire Chief Kevin Peters said he requested the funding because he wants to transition from a 13-member volunteer structure.

“To do the daily basic stuff as far as making sure the engines are in service, the hydrants are inspected, and pre planning,” Peters said. “There is a lot more involved in it now than 35 years ago when I got on. It’s just a whole different thing now with all of the regulations.”

City officials said the budget can’t supply the $100,000 a year it would take to fund the positions.

Peters said safety is also another reason he wants to transition to a part time system.

“There’s going to be a time there we will be reactive rather than proactive,” Peters said. “Something is going to happen where nobody will show up and for every minute a fire burns, it doubles in size.”

Right now the department works off a paging system, with no one manned at the station throughout the day. Those on shift will receive a call while at home or at work.

“If a fire call come in we respond. We’ve got about a seven minute response time,” Peters said. “That’s from the time that we get the response call to the time an engine arrives on scene.”

Peters said he will continue to push for the transition in the coming years.