Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/orange-county-fire-authority/)
Anaheim City Councilwoman Kris Murray publicly criticized Mayor Tom Tait at a city council meeting Tuesday over a phone call he had with Orange County Fire Authority Chief Jeff Bowman exploring the possibility of outsourcing the city’s fire department.
Council members violated the law by meeting secretly to approve a costly lobbying contract, according to open government advocates. While not admitting wrongdoing, the council promised Monday to not break the law in the future.
DA finds no criminal wrongdoing three years after disclosures that Orange County Fire Authority officials charged businesses fees for inspections that were never done.
As local officials continue a bitter debate over a firefighters union-backed bill, big players on the state level are taking notice.
The already drawn out and controversial process to choose which private ambulance contractors will serve more than half of Orange County’s cities hit more snags on Tuesday.
A proposed law to reduce the number of board members at the Orange County Fire Authority is being pushed by the agency’s main firefighters union, but also raising concerns that South County cities would have their representation unfairly reduced.
Orange County officials are preparing to award contracts to Care Ambulance Service that would increase its position as the dominant player among the county’s private ambulance services.
The state Fair Political Practices Commission is investigating whether associations with a consultant by former Chief Keith Richter and a top subordinate violated laws governing conflicts of interest and gifts to officials.
Under a pilot program, private paramedics will assist on 911 rescue calls. New chief hopes it will lead to more efficient deployment of rescue crews.
The Fire Authority’s system not communicating with other dispatch centers, which is complicating emergency responses.