An Overview of the Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association
Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association Celebrates Good Year
(Originally published in Plumas News in November of 2013)
by Tom Forster
Not long ago I was in conversation with a local leader about regional fire protection issues. The Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association (PCFCA) came up, and I learned the leader thought it was a public agency with tax funding.
I explained it is a voluntary, non-profit 501(c)3 recognized group with no public funding - just an annual $25 dues payment from each Fire Chief who chooses to belong. There is no office, paid staff, or regulatory authority.
While various Fire Chief Associations have been around the fire service for a long time, there are no legal or regulatory requirements to have such a group. In the case of Plumas County, the roots of the current Chiefs Association go back perhaps 20-30 years. An accurate history is not well documented, and memories from past participants are not necessarily in agreement.
These types of fire associations have roots in the formation of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), originally called the National Association of Fire Engineers. IAFC was founded in 1873 by Boston Fire Chief John Damrell. This group eventually developed regional sections called divisions across America, including the Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs Association, founded in 1891. The divisions were roughly formed to be within a days train ride for regional members. The Pacific Coast division eventually was renamed the Western Fire Chiefs Association, today a division of IAFC. Each state also typically has a statewide association today, in our case the California Fire Chiefs Association.
Today’s Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association (PCFCA) is a voluntary, non-profit group that includes local fire departments and other related members such as the County Office of Emergency Services. Meetings are held quarterly, and regular communications about training classes, safety, mutual aid, best practices, and other information occurs through a web-based 'share site.' While the voting membership consists of the Fire Chiefs and the OES Director, participation is open and welcome to everyone in the fire service and law enforcement. Participants have also included fire service members from Sierra and Lassen Counties, and other regional guests.
Among many other activities, the group sponsors regional training sessions, maintains a mutual aid agreement, and shares and promotes best practices in the fire service. For example, this year state certified fire engine driver operator training classes were offered, along with fire district board training and instructional assistance in the regional Quincy Fire Academy. For example, Quincy DMV Manager Bridgett Prawl spoke on fire engine driver licensing changes at the most recent meeting.
Service awards are given annually in the fall, and this year’s recognition occurred at Sloat Town Hall in Cromberg. Outgoing or retiring Fire Chiefs were recognized for their service, including Chiefs Travis Schiavone from Portola, Ken Wilson from Prattville, Bill Shaw from La Porte, Bill Bradfield from Meadow Valley, and Cal Fire Lassen Modoc Plumas Unit Chief Brad Lutts. “In my career I’ve worked with many Chiefs Associations,” said Lutts, “…this one really has its act together.”
Jerry Sipe of the County Office of Emergency Services was recognized for outstanding leadership in his role. Jerry Hurley of the Plumas County Fire Safe Council received thanks for his outstanding leadership in fire prevention. Citizens Charlie Plopper, Pam Gill, and Fred Salvato received thanks for extensive volunteer work of over 2,000 hours researching and documenting parcel information on property not in fire districts.
Captain John Gay of Quincy Fire Protection District was given the annual Chief Robbie Cassou Plumas County Fire Instructor of the Year award for 2013. Gay is retired from the U.S. Forest Service, and has become a very active volunteer firefighter with Quincy. In addition to teaching in the wildland fire program at Feather River College, he has been recognized several times by students at the annual Quincy Fire Academy as their favorite instructor. “John is an incredibly valuable volunteer for Quincy and our County, we are very proud of him,” said Chief Cassou.
Our mission is to be “…united in our efforts to organize, lead, and improve the fire service in Plumas County,” said President Ed Ward, Graeagle’s Fire Chief. “Our vision for the group is to be ‘…united and working together to provide high quality Fire/EMS/Rescue services in a seamless and cost effective manner.’ The strategic plan of PCFCA goes on to explain ‘…to achieve this vision, we will strive to be leaders who promote regional efforts through common goals, mutual and automatic aid, fire prevention, and training; [we will] operate in a well organized manner and serve as a role model for other rural county fire chief associations…’ “We are all about sharing and helping each other out,” said Ward, “we have many serious challenges and are all in this together.”
(Originally published in Plumas News in November of 2013)
by Tom Forster
Not long ago I was in conversation with a local leader about regional fire protection issues. The Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association (PCFCA) came up, and I learned the leader thought it was a public agency with tax funding.
I explained it is a voluntary, non-profit 501(c)3 recognized group with no public funding - just an annual $25 dues payment from each Fire Chief who chooses to belong. There is no office, paid staff, or regulatory authority.
While various Fire Chief Associations have been around the fire service for a long time, there are no legal or regulatory requirements to have such a group. In the case of Plumas County, the roots of the current Chiefs Association go back perhaps 20-30 years. An accurate history is not well documented, and memories from past participants are not necessarily in agreement.
These types of fire associations have roots in the formation of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), originally called the National Association of Fire Engineers. IAFC was founded in 1873 by Boston Fire Chief John Damrell. This group eventually developed regional sections called divisions across America, including the Pacific Coast Fire Chiefs Association, founded in 1891. The divisions were roughly formed to be within a days train ride for regional members. The Pacific Coast division eventually was renamed the Western Fire Chiefs Association, today a division of IAFC. Each state also typically has a statewide association today, in our case the California Fire Chiefs Association.
Today’s Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association (PCFCA) is a voluntary, non-profit group that includes local fire departments and other related members such as the County Office of Emergency Services. Meetings are held quarterly, and regular communications about training classes, safety, mutual aid, best practices, and other information occurs through a web-based 'share site.' While the voting membership consists of the Fire Chiefs and the OES Director, participation is open and welcome to everyone in the fire service and law enforcement. Participants have also included fire service members from Sierra and Lassen Counties, and other regional guests.
Among many other activities, the group sponsors regional training sessions, maintains a mutual aid agreement, and shares and promotes best practices in the fire service. For example, this year state certified fire engine driver operator training classes were offered, along with fire district board training and instructional assistance in the regional Quincy Fire Academy. For example, Quincy DMV Manager Bridgett Prawl spoke on fire engine driver licensing changes at the most recent meeting.
Service awards are given annually in the fall, and this year’s recognition occurred at Sloat Town Hall in Cromberg. Outgoing or retiring Fire Chiefs were recognized for their service, including Chiefs Travis Schiavone from Portola, Ken Wilson from Prattville, Bill Shaw from La Porte, Bill Bradfield from Meadow Valley, and Cal Fire Lassen Modoc Plumas Unit Chief Brad Lutts. “In my career I’ve worked with many Chiefs Associations,” said Lutts, “…this one really has its act together.”
Jerry Sipe of the County Office of Emergency Services was recognized for outstanding leadership in his role. Jerry Hurley of the Plumas County Fire Safe Council received thanks for his outstanding leadership in fire prevention. Citizens Charlie Plopper, Pam Gill, and Fred Salvato received thanks for extensive volunteer work of over 2,000 hours researching and documenting parcel information on property not in fire districts.
Captain John Gay of Quincy Fire Protection District was given the annual Chief Robbie Cassou Plumas County Fire Instructor of the Year award for 2013. Gay is retired from the U.S. Forest Service, and has become a very active volunteer firefighter with Quincy. In addition to teaching in the wildland fire program at Feather River College, he has been recognized several times by students at the annual Quincy Fire Academy as their favorite instructor. “John is an incredibly valuable volunteer for Quincy and our County, we are very proud of him,” said Chief Cassou.
Our mission is to be “…united in our efforts to organize, lead, and improve the fire service in Plumas County,” said President Ed Ward, Graeagle’s Fire Chief. “Our vision for the group is to be ‘…united and working together to provide high quality Fire/EMS/Rescue services in a seamless and cost effective manner.’ The strategic plan of PCFCA goes on to explain ‘…to achieve this vision, we will strive to be leaders who promote regional efforts through common goals, mutual and automatic aid, fire prevention, and training; [we will] operate in a well organized manner and serve as a role model for other rural county fire chief associations…’ “We are all about sharing and helping each other out,” said Ward, “we have many serious challenges and are all in this together.”
