Fire departments outside San Diego County are frustrated that local leaders aren't doing more to beef up firefighting resources. KPBS Reporter Amita Sharma has more.
Fire agencies throughout California rely on what's called a mutual aid agreement during emergencies. It enables departments to call in firefighters and equipment from other counties to handle fires that are too big for local agencies.
But UCSD Political Science professor Steve Erie says there is frustration among some fire chiefs outside San Diego. They believe county leaders haven't done enough to hire badly needed firefighters, buy more aerial equipment and form a county fire department.
Erie: The other fire agencies in Southern California are deeply angry. Under the mutual aid pacts, they're called upon to bring their first line equipment down here when they believe and I think correctly that San Diego refuses to do much about it at home.
One fire chief, who spoke on background, said “despite all the huffing and puffing, other counties will never refuse to help San Diego the next time a fierce wildfire hits the region.”
Amita Sharma, KPBS News.
