# Ventura Fire misses lifesaving window about half the time



## MMiz (Mar 31, 2010)

*Ventura Fire misses lifesaving window about  half the time*

For the first time in three years, the Ventura Fire Department in February failed to reach emergencies citywide within five minutes more than half the time, according to response time data. The department’s goal is based on a national standard: arrive within five minutes 90 percent of the time.

“Every call is different and many factors can affect our response, but clearly our response times are not where we want them to be,” said Assistant Fire Chief Don McPherson.

*Read more!*


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## DV_EMT (Apr 11, 2010)

ouch... that's a bad wrap for all the ventura fire guys. and they've got firehouses everywhere too! they do have trouble with getting to area between carpinteria and ventura though. there's a long portion of road that takes a while for fire to get there... and if theres a car accident, you'd better hope that cCHP is nearby... I'm not sure where AMR posts in those 30 miles though... if they do.


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## mycrofft (Apr 11, 2010)

*More and more remote houses and tax shortfall cutbacks I bet.*

Not like they're sitting there finishing their lattes.
Or are they stuck with second rate Garmins? ("Quick, Watson, the Thomas Brothers Guide!").
An area where helos and GOOD ACLS make sense.


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## terrible one (Apr 11, 2010)

DV_EMT said:


> ouch... that's a bad wrap for all the ventura fire guys. and they've got firehouses everywhere too! they do have trouble with getting to area between carpinteria and ventura though. there's a long portion of road that takes a while for fire to get there... and if theres a car accident, you'd better hope that cCHP is nearby... I'm not sure where AMR posts in those 30 miles though... if they do.




The area you are referring to is Ventura Co FD area not Ventura City. And Ventura City doesn't have stations everywhere they have 6. They also recently cut out their "day car" engine that used system status to fill gaps in the city.


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## DV_EMT (Apr 14, 2010)

terrible one said:


> The area you are referring to is Ventura Co FD area not Ventura City. And Ventura City doesn't have stations everywhere they have 6. They also recently cut out their "day car" engine that used system status to fill gaps in the city.



well, i've only be down this way for a few months now, but seems like they're everywhere. I'm more familiar with Santa Barbara area, since I've lived there longer.


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## mycrofft (Apr 14, 2010)

*Ventura County versus other rural/urban areas.*

I'm betting Ventura has a higher median income than many similarly challenged area (in regards to topography, remote houses, winding roads, etc) and better in many areas due to paved and graded roads. Areas to comparre to would be in the Appalachians, Ozarks, and the non-ski-resort Sierra Nevadan foothills. As hard or harder to get to, and much more restricted tax base.


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## terrible one (Apr 14, 2010)

DV_EMT said:


> well, i've only be down this way for a few months now, but seems like they're everywhere. I'm more familiar with Santa Barbara area, since I've lived there longer.



If you see yellow fire engines that is ventura county, red is ventura city. 
AMR has a north ventura station and a station in Carpenteria, nothing in between and they don't post north of ventura between Carp/Ventura City (very low call volume)


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## terrible one (Apr 14, 2010)

mycrofft said:


> I'm betting Ventura has a higher median income than many similarly challenged area (in regards to topography, remote houses, winding roads, etc) and better in many areas due to paved and graded roads. Areas to comparre to would be in the Appalachians, Ozarks, and the non-ski-resort Sierra Nevadan foothills. As hard or harder to get to, and much more restricted tax base.



What is the population/call volume of those cities?
Ventura has roughly 106,000 citizens with 11,533 calls a year. Are those cities simiar?
Yes Ventura does have a higher median income than average, however, most of their funding does not go towards public safety. Check ventura PD as well, they are understaffed as well for their call volume. Ventura has repeadtly tried to recurit more FD and PD but the city votes down the majority of their measures for added funding. I'd say the problem is not with the FD/PD per say but with internal government. Im not sure where the majority of their money goes but it isn't allocated properly for public safety. just my 2cents


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## DV_EMT (Apr 14, 2010)

terrible one said:


> If you see yellow fire engines that is ventura county, red is ventura city.
> AMR has a north ventura station and a station in Carpenteria, nothing in between and they don't post north of Ventura between Carp/Ventura City (very low call volume)



I assumed that AMR didn't post out there, it's similar to the Goleta to Buelton stretch. Thanks for the clarification on City vs. County too!


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## mycrofft (Apr 14, 2010)

*I'm talking Possum Wallow, West Virginia and the like.*

Winding roads in steep topography without much crossfeeder roads.
Entire COUNTIES in those places do not have as many people as the City of Ventura.
Sierran foothills might be more populous, but many are seasonal.

Ventura just seems the ideal place to raise the bar...lots of potential patients, many folks withabove average incomes living in the outback, and transport time issues.


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