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ORANGE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE STUDY <br />CEDAR GROVE <br />1 Cedar Grove, as with other departments, conducts "live burn training" when <br />2 structures are available for demolition by burning. However, current regulations <br />3 require an asbestos inspection that can cost in excess of $300.00. This is a limiting <br />4 factor, as Orange County apparently does not have a licensed asbestos inspector. <br />5 <br />6 Cedar Grove currently has 2 base station radios, 7 mobile unit radios, and 22 <br />7 portable radios. With the Count~s nugration to 800 MHz., Cedaz Grove has been <br />8 allotted 3 portable radios. This is clearly insufficient and Cedar Grove is hardly in a <br />9 financial position to be able to afford the additional radios necessary for it to be on <br />10 the current communications level. The Department has submitted a Fire Act Grant <br />11 application to supplement the County allocation. However, there has been a <br />12 significant cutback Fire Act Grant funding and competition for the award of these grants <br />13 will be fierce. <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 Recommendations <br />17 <br />18 We recommend that the Department begin the process of planning what is <br />19 desirable in its renovated stations. This should include additional apparatus bay <br />20 azea as well as dornv.tory space, office space and meeting space for training and <br />21 general department meetings. <br />22 <br />23 We recommend that the Deparhnent certify and document its water sources in <br />24 preparation for its ISO rating exam. ('This is also a countywide recommendation: all <br />25 departments need to formalize their water supply if they are to improve LSO <br />26 ratings.) <br />27 <br />28 We recommend that the District increase its tax rate from $0.73 to $0.78. This <br />29 should generate another $10,500. This amount could be put toward covering <br />30 weekday daytime hours. <br />31 <br />32 We recommend that the department identify and formally document volunteers available for <br />33 weekday daytime response. Following this process, the Departlnent should hire 2 part-time <br />34 personnel to cover those periods when volunteers are not available. <br />24 <br />