Stanislaus Consolidated board to review performance of fire chief

Chief Randall Bradley is up for a performance review in a closed session at the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District board meeting Thursday evening.

Bradley had a short-lived stint as chief of the Modesto Regional Fire Authority, which was disbanded last year. His performance came under the scrutiny of MRFA board members in late 2013 and early 2014 before they voted to retain him.

Bradley, who had the support of union members, decided to accept a job offer from Stanislaus Consolidated in April 2014, saying the district was a better fit for him.

David Woods, board president for Stanislaus Consolidated, said the closed session is mainly to discuss the goals set for the chief. His employment contract calls for semiannual performance reviews.

Bradley may still have to answer for his conduct and statements regarding a dramatic fire that swept through the wooded area near north McHenry Avenue last month.

Bradley previously told The Bee that tensions ran high at the incident command post June 18 and that he was not diplomatic about expressing concerns over coordination of the multiagency response to the fire. Fueled by trees and dry vegetation, the fire began on the north side of the Stanislaus River and jumped to the south side near Del Rio and Hogue Road.

Bradley also expressed concern that there was no “dropped boundary” agreement between Stanislaus Consolidated and the neighboring Salida Fire Protection District. Under those agreements, the closest units are automatically dispatched to suppress a fire regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.

In a report for the meeting Thursday evening, Bradley said he’s called for a review of an incident in which a three-person Stanislaus Consolidated engine crew was cut off without support June 18 on the east side of McHenry Avenue near the bridge.

County Fire Warden Dale Skiles, who serves as Salida Fire Protection District chief and was incident commander for the McHenry fire, said he was not aware of the incident and could not provide details on what happened.

Bradley said the engine crew was protecting a home that was threatened.

“They sounded really concerned on the radio,” Bradley said. The firefighters set up a safety zone, or a clear area where they could retreat, and waited for the fire to blow through.

“There was fire all around them with 50-foot flames,” the chief said.

The firefighters made their way to safety after the main fire passed, he said.

An internal review is being conducted to determine if additional training is necessary or policies need to change to prevent a similar incident, the chief said.

The department is reviewing a second close call involving Stanislaus Consolidated firefighters. Two firefighters were temporarily trapped inside the Empire Community Center when part of the roof collapsed during a May 30 fire. The firefighters were able to escape and all personnel were accounted for a few minutes later.

Bradley said it’s not the kind of review that leads to disciplinary action. But the district’s executive staff and front-line personnel hope to learn from the incident.

In another closed-session item, the Stanislaus Consolidated board will consider the price and terms of purchasing property on E Street in Waterford for a new fire station.

The city of Waterford wants to acquire the old station, at 123 E St., for its Public Works Department and sell the city-owned property two blocks away at 321 E St., near City Hall. Randall and City Manager Tim Ogden have been negotiating the terms, which have not been disclosed.

Randall has said the purchase price is included in the estimated $3 million cost of the new fire station. The new, 7,600-square-foot station will be larger than the old one, which was originally designed for volunteers. The station will house up to a four-person crew, with the living quarters including dorm rooms, a day room, kitchen and dining room, and exercise room.

If the district board gives its approval, construction could begin in December and take a year to complete.

Stanislaus Consolidated has $1.6 million in funding allocated for facilities and an additional $400,000 in reserves that can be committed to the project. Bradley said revenue growth from rising property values should give the district an additional $500,000 in each of the next two years to cover the remainder of the cost, so the district should not have to issue debt.

This story was originally published July 8, 2015 at 7:21 PM with the headline "Stanislaus Consolidated board to review performance of fire chief."