WHO WILL ANSWER THE CALL?

KEEP UNION CITY SAFE

When every second counts, you rely on firefighters to arrive quickly and be fully prepared for a fire or medical emergency. A fast response can mean the difference between life and death.

By voting to close Fire Station 30, the Union City Council has chosen slower emergency response.

The result is longer waits for fire and medical help at the moments when it matters most.

In 2016, Union City voters passed Measure QQ to keep all fire stations open. The Mayor and a majority of the City Council have decided to disregard your vote and close Fire Station 30.

As a Union City resident, you deserve to feel safe in your community, and your elected officials should hear what you have to say.

If you are concerned about your access to adequate public safety and emergency response, reach out to your City Council member today.

Questions & Answers

Q. How will closing Station 30 affect response times?

A. With Station 30 open today, it takes 20 minutes to get the required number of firefighters to a residential structure fire. That is already well beyond the national standard of 12 minutes. If Station 30 closes, response times for fires, medical emergencies, vehicle accidents and every level of response will be significantly affected.

Q. How much longer will medical response times become?

A. Response times depend on many factors. Consider Station 32, the nearest station available to residents once served by Station 30. If Station 32 is handling a call in its own district and a medical emergency occurs at Pioneer Elementary School, the closest engine would have to come from the middle of town. That drive alone takes more than 10 minutes without traffic — far too long to wait in a medical emergency.

Q. Why is a longer response time so dangerous?

A. In both fire and medical calls, seconds can mean the difference between life and death. The longer the response takes, the greater the danger to a building or a person.

Q. What do national response time standards call for?

A. For medical emergencies, the national standard is under 6 minutes. For fire response, all firefighters should be on scene within 12 minutes.

Q. How many fire stations should Union City have?

A. Studies indicate Union City needs more staffing and fire companies, not fewer, based on call volume, city geography and density.

Q. What is the yearly call volume for Union City’s Fire Department?

A. Roughly 4,500 calls per year.

Q. What was Measure QQ, and would closing Station 30 break the city’s promise to voters?

A. Measure QQ is the “Public Safety Parcel Tax.”  It passed in the early 2000s and has been reauthorized several times, including in 2016.  The measure guaranteed that fire stations would stay open if citizens agreed to pass it.  Closing Station 30 means the city will not meet its Measure QQ obligation — essentially breaking its promise to voters.

Q. What can we do to stop the closure?

A. Contact your City Council and demand that Fire Station 30 stay open. Click here for their contact information.