Two Merced County fire stations to remain open amid funding battle

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced County fire stations that were set to close next week are getting an extension.

The Board of Supervisors voted to keep the firehouses open until the end of the year, as local leaders work toward a more long-term solution. Local officials are going back and forth trying to find alternate financial plans to staff their fire stations, for many, this is life or death.

Two stations are in limbo, McKee Station 85 and Livingston Station 96 in Merced County.

For Livingston, a growing town of about 15,000 this station is their lifeline.

"If it wasn't for the firefighter department That came to my house during emergencies I had with my wife, I'd be telling you a different story. She wouldn't be here. Personally, I'm telling you we need them here," says David Vargas, Livingston Resident.

New CalFire rules now require the county to hire 27 new firefighters, costing about $6.9 million, which the county says they just don't have.

"Merced County sees a shortfall in their budgeting, so they're trying to do some consolidation to balance their budget," says Gurpal Samra, Livingston Mayor Pro Tem.

Mayor Pro Tem Gurpal Samra says the city already pays the county over a million dollars annually for its station and are willing to pay whatever necessary keep the station alive.
"We also are exploring the possibility of Livingston just funding its own station and just separate from the county. If that's what they wish, then that's what we have to do," says Samra.

There are a few backup plans that could stop this from happening. The county and city hope to receive a SAFER grant that could buy them some time. But, if that doesn't come through, it could be in the voter's hands in November as the county and city are putting up sales tax measures on the ballot.

"If the county-wide sales tax passes, we'll probably continue to run a joint fire station. If, for some reason, the county doesn't pass the Livingston Measure L passes, then we're hoping to work out some sort of agreement with the county to buy us some time so we can put our transition into effect," says Samra.

If the closures go through, those in Livingston can expect wait times to go from about 5 minutes to over 20 minutes.

"If someone is suffering a heart attack, you call 911there's no need because in 15 minutes that person is dead. You might as well call the morgue. That's how serious it is," says Samra.

Gary Pintner lives in a senior community and says the town's aging population can't wait that long for help.

"I sit on my porch a lot, and I can tell you the number of times firetrucks have come in the older group a lot of us here. We need the fire station here. I don't know how else to say it," says Pintner.

At this point the county and the city remain at odds as the city is threatening to file a lawsuit. But at this point a lawsuit has yet to be filed.

In a statement to Action News, Merced County said, "Merced County continues to explore every available option to adequately staff our fire stations. While stations may need to be consolidated and streamlined, the goal is to provide the best fire protection services possible with the finite resources available."