City updates community on new Fire Dept. progress

By Tyler Ferrari
Management Analyst, City of Canyon Lake

The City of Canyon Lake is now less than six months away from implementing the Canyon Lake Fire Department. With the approval and funding of the budget for the Department beginning on July 1, work will increase greatly and results will be more visible.

The successful applicants will have to complete a formal review of qualifications, successful completion of a written test, skills evaluation for all paramedics, an oral interview, a background investigation, medical evaluation, and successful completion of a training/orientation academy before fire operations begin on Jan. 1.

Interim Chief Jeff LaTendresse has also been working on the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) application with the County of Riverside and has identified and reached an agreement with a local emergency room physician to serve as the Department’s medical director.

In this role as medical director, the physician will guide the Department through the application process with Riverside County Emergency Medical Services Agency (REMSA), assist with establishing policies and procedures for both the delivery of Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) Services, provide medical oversight for the EMS program, assist with medical evaluation and fitness programs for employees, and serve as a liaison between the Department and the medical community.

The City has also purchased for the new Fire Department an online policy and procedure program that is state-specific and fully customizable, and that is regularly updated in response to new state and federal laws and court decisions.

The online training platform delivers courses and videos designed to meet both Fire and EMS training mandates. Firefighters will receive monthly online training classes on the policy and procedures for the Department and will document the completion of each component. City staff is now working on customizing these policies and procedures for the new Fire Department.

During the next couple of months, the City will be preparing for the testing of all employees; reviewing computer programs for incident reporting, staffing, and fire prevention; preparing needed ordinances for the Fire Department; and beginning to start the purchasing process for the equipment needed for the fire engines, command vehicles, and fire station.

The City will continue to provide monthly updates to the City Council at their monthly meetings and to the residents via these monthly articles in The Friday Flyer.