FPUD approves revised MOU with NCFPD

The Fallbrook Public Utility District approved revisions to FPUD's memorandum of understanding with the North County Fire Protection District.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote May 24 amended the MOU which transfers fire hydrant maintenance from the fire district to FPUD and also addresses training, emergency response plans, and emergency communications.

"We've been working with North County Fire to align our services with both agencies to support the community," said FPUD General Manager Jack Bebee. "We decided that the best way to do this is by having us provide water hydrant maintenance and North County Fire provide more support on emergency preparedness and emergency response."

Routine maintenance on fire hydrants must be performed to ensure that the hydrants are functional. The fire district's priorities have forced North County Fire to cease maintenance of the hydrants. FPUD staff and board members agree that the fire district should focus on emergency response rather than fire hydrants.

In some cases a power outage is a planned precaution to mitigate wildfire risk rather than an actual emergency, but recent wildfires and power outages have also shown the need for comprehensive emergency response planning. FPUD has its own emergency response plans but has not previously coordinated emergency planning with the fire district.

Under the MOU terms FPUD will perform hydrant maintenance, repair, and replacement within shared boundaries (some of the NCFPD territory is within the Rainbow Municipal Water District and some of the FPUD service area is within the San Diego County Fire Protection District), and FPUD will be responsible for all costs.

The fire district's responsibilities under the MOU will include providing emergency service training to FPUD staff, providing annual community emergency preparedness training, assisting with the development and maintenance of FPUD's emergency response plan, conducting annual functional disaster planning exercises, and providing FPUD with three emergency response radios. Conducting quarterly joint operations meetings for disaster planning will be a shared responsibility.

FPUD expects an annual $60,000 cost for the labor and materials associated with fire hydrant maintenance and repair within the FPUD and NCFPD common service area although FPUD also expects some savings in emergency response planning and training expenses.