Fire Stations Project
The New Fire Stations and Renovation of Fire Station No. 1 have been completed.
Construction began on Fire Station No.'s 5 and 6 on December 14, 2007 and were completed in April, 2009. Fire Station No. 1 was renovated beginning in April, 2009 and re-opened in May, 2010.
Fire Station No. 5 (S. Melrose Station)
Fire Station No. 5 is located at 2009 S. Melrose Drive, at S. Melrose Drive and Green Oak Road.
Photos: South Melrose Fire Station No. 5 - Grand Opening, April 18, 2009 (top photo)
Fire Chief Gary Fisher welcoming the community (above left); Ceremonial "Push-in" (above right)
View Station No. 5 Construction Photos
Fire Station No. 6 (Wildwood Station)
Fire Station No. 6 located at 651 E. Vista Way, between Escondido Ave and Franklin Lane.
Photos: Wildwood Fire Station No. 6 - Grand Opening April 18, 2009 (top photo)
L to R: Councilman Bob Campbell, Mayor Morris Vance, Mayor Pro Tem Judy Ritter, Council members Frank Lopez and Steve Gronke, and Fire Chief Gary Fisher (above left), Presentation of flags (above right)
View Station No. 6 Construction Photos
Firefighter Statue at Station No. 6
The Vista Firefighters Association raised funds for a memorial statue to be built at Fire Station No. 6 near the front entrance. The memorial statue reflects the City’s appreciation for art, as well as a declaration of support to all fallen firefighters in the nation.
The artist, Thomas King, of Vista, is renowned within the region for his work, and has been sculpting professionally for over 15 years. His work is also on display throughout Vista and at the San Diego Zoo.
The bronze statue features a firefighter kneeling with a child, symbolizing the dedication and involvement the Fire Department has with the youth in the community, as well as looking toward the future generations in Vista. The child who posed for the statue is a local boy from the Townsite neighborhood. Stature contributors have been recognized on a plaque at Fire Station No. 6.
Background
Before the new stations opened, the City was served by four fire station locations which provide firefighting, advanced emergency medical services and technical rescue responses. Because the City had grown, the four fire stations were challenged by demand for service. In addition, the Fire Department serves properties in the 19 square mile Vista Fire Protection District, which includes unincorporated areas of San Diego County.
The Vista Fire Department covers approximately 36.5 square miles for fire protection and ambulance service for the City of Vista and the rural fire district.
The City now has six operational fire stations located throughout the City.
STANDARDS OF RESPONSE COVER ANALYSIS
A Standards of Response Cover Deployment Analysis was conducted to evaluate the fire department's ability to provide minimum levels of service and to establish objectives. The purpose of the Analysis was to evaluate and identify staffing, station locations, and equipment placements, relative to call loading, access impediments, community risks and expectations, and response times. In summary, some of the main findings of the Standards of Response Cover Deployment Analysis are:
1. Given the response time information and the risks present in the City and the Fire District, the Analysis recommends revising response time standards to achieving a 7 minute response 90% of the time.
2. The department dispatching is outstanding, achieving 60 seconds or less 90% of the time.
3. There is not adequate primary or overlap response coverage in the higher response workload centers of the city. The light rail line will exacerbate long response times.
4. Statistical analysis of historical response times show the Vista Fire Department's (Department) total response time from the dispatcher starting to notify the staff and arrival on scene is only within six minutes 51.6 percent of the time.
5. Further statistical analysis shows an extraordinarily high level of simultaneous calls for service. At least two calls for service occur 52 percent of the time, and at least three calls for service occurring nineteen percent of the time.
6. The Department has inadequate station spacing, in that there are not enough fire stations spaced across its area to provide the best outcome response times and to back each other up in a timely manner when back-to-back calls for service occur at the extraordinary rate of 52 percent.
7. Construction of a fifth station in the mid-town area, somewhere around city hall, would help fill the gap between Stations 1 and 2 as well as help absorb the high call load in the central part of the city.
8. If the District constructs a new Fire Station, relocate Station #3 (Old Taylor Street) to the northern Fire District Area, which will provide better spacing and balance for station distribution.
9. Adding a sixth fire station in southwest Vista, near Shadowridge and Melrose will reduce response times, and improve resource depth throughout the city, but especially in the southwestern area that currently has poor response times.
10. Utilize current staff for one station. Additional staff will have to be hired to staff the other additional station.
Groundbreaking Ceremony - May 27, 2008
The groundbreaking ceremony for Fire Stations No. 5 and No. 6 were both held on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at the Wildwood Fire Station.
Grand Opening Ceremony - April 18, 2009
The opening ceremony events for both new stations was held Saturday, April 18, 2009 at the two stations.