In his Letter to the Editor on April 11, City Council member Zach Hilton misleads readers with several observations and assumptions. He makes erroneous claims about existing Cal Fire service.
And he overlooks some facts that make his support for proposed changes without logic or reason.
First, he implies that “On any given day (Engine 69 at Tree Haven Station) could be downgraded, staffing two on the fire engine as opposed to three.” He concludes this would result in reduced service. Truth is, when there’s a crew member absent, Cal Fire fills the slot with a replacement, thereby avoiding any drop in service.
Next, Hilton says if Engine 69 were called into the City of Morgan Hill to provide mutual aid coverage there, the Gilroy district would be left empty, unprotected. This statement is ludicrous and blatantly incorrect. Mutual aid relies on resources that can be moved without jeopardizing coverage in their home territory. Morgan Hill might get aid from Cal Fire’s Masten Avenue station (or from South San Jose), NOT from the Tree Haven Station.
Zach then discusses the “structural failure and impending insolvency of the South County Fire District” impacting residents.
He claims that the South Santa Clara County Fire District has been “underfunded and underserved in terms of fire protection services.” Mr. Hilton, there’s been NO structural failure in the South County Fire District.
And the residents of the unincorporated regions have NEVER been underserved.
Cal Fire has given us exemplary service for more than four decades. Example? In the most recent report for February 2025, Cal Fire finished with a 96.75% time compliance rate for 154 code 3 responses. They were fast, thorough and professional.
But Mr. Hilton, here’s the kicker. You’ve suggested that the annexation by the Santa Clara County Central Fire District will “(increase) service levels but will also create a more balanced and sustainable budget.” Not so, sir.
Central’s own Strategic Plan for 2023-27 states on page 16 that their “District revenue is not sufficient to meet increases in service demands…We must achieve adequate levels of funding for increased service provision.” Their own words describe a budget that’s out of balance.
What does this tell us? Again, their words… “(Santa Clara County Central Fire) District is not currently able to meet its long-term obligation funding its pension and retiree medical programs.” They can’t fully support their present situation.
So how will they sustainably fund the services they say they’ll provide? How will they finance building a new station (replacing the Cal Fire station on Monterey Road)?
Their budget is “insufficient” to cover the same services South County residents have had for all these years.
They’ll tell you they have a “nest egg,” a budget surplus at the moment. But they’re drawing from it, depleting it annually.
And by some measurements, it appears that nest egg will be exhausted in just a few years. Where, then, will the money come from?
Look at the facts. The Santa Clara County Central Fire District isn’t financially the right solution for South County fire protection.
And the decision to make this change was rushed through the board of supervisors without the knowledge of the SSCCFD Fire commission and without community input.
Methinks this was a poorly planned change that just “kicks the can down the road.” The facts show that.
Peter T. Keesling, DVM
Commissioner, South Santa Clara County Fire District
The City of Gilroy has been impacted by the operational decisions over the years by SCFD. The SCFD Commissioners know of this and more impacts. Treehaven Fire Station E69 at Gilroy Gardens through the drop borders agreement, provides 1st due responses to areas within the City of Gilroy like Eagle Ridge and Heartland neighborhoods. For years I have been briefed often from City of Gilroy Fire Admin, City Admin, and residents regarding the status of when E69 is in service, out of service, staffed 2 vs 3 personnel, and ALS vs BLS. For instance I have been told that several days this week E69 has been staffed with 2 and I was briefed when E69 was out of service at Treehaven and covering the Pacheco Station on February 9, 2025. I know that in December 2023 our Gilroy Fire Division Chief Gerry Laird told Fire Operations that CalFire Treehaven crew started notifying Gilroy Communication when they are out of their first due area. The goal was to increase communications and to reduce a request for auto-aid by us only to find out that Treehaven was not available which results in an increased response time.
City Admin reported out already that this will impact Gilroy and that they met with the County Fire Chief on April 11. He mentioned that one improvement will be that Gilroy will have a County Fire unit at Treehaven Station 365 days a year 24/7. That is a commitment County Fire made and service improvement that will impact Gilroy in a good way. We have already begun negotiations with County Fire on boundary drop, mutual aid, and automatic aid agreements.
I had a personal experience while at Fortino Winery several years ago where I was at my nephews benefit and an adult female collapsed, everyone was stating that there’s a fire engine at Gilroy Gardens, but when I contacted our dispatch to report the incident while caring for the patient, our dispatcher told me that E69 was out of service and Gilroy’s E48 responded. That’s when I started asking for the frequent briefings.