What does the Manteca Fire Department Do? - City of Manteca

Dear Customer,
Introduction
As a customer of the City of Manteca Fire Department, you are no doubt well aware of the tough fiscal
and financial times that we as a community face in the 1990's. The Fire Department and all of it's
employees have embarked on a program to examine and improve the level of customer service that we
provide to the residents and visitors of the City of Manteca. In order for customers to make an informed
decision about the products that they purchase, it is necessary to examine the quality of the product and
the price that they have to pay for the goods or services. This pamphlet has been produced for the benefit
of the public and others who are concerned or interested about the level of fire protection that they
receive.
Dramatic events often hit the headlines but the day to day work of the Fire Department is no less
important and frequently just as hazardous. The job of all those working in the fire service is first and
foremost to safeguard the general public. It is a job which the members of the Manteca Fire Department
are proud to do. It is a job which has changed dramatically in the last decade - becoming increasingly
technical and dealing with an ever wider range of incidents.
What does the Manteca Fire Department Do?
The Fire Department's main function is to provide; public fire education, fire prevention, organized
and efficient response to fires, first response to hazardous materials incidents, and to provide basic level
"first responder" medical response. The main effort of the organization can be divided into the following
categories of work:
Emergency response page 1
Preparation for emergency response page 4
Fire prevention/Public education page 5/6
Support of other departments or agencies page 7
Who pays and How much? page 8/9
Staffing page 9
Major Incidents page 11
What can you do to help? page 11
Emergency Response
The City of Manteca Fire Department responds to emergencies and calls for service from three fire
stations located within the City limits.
Fires and other Emergencies
As our organization's name implies, we respond to and extinguish hostile fires of all types within the
City and upon a request for assistance, outside of the City. The Manteca Fire Department responds to
calls from the following locations:
Station #1 290 Powers Ave.
Station #2 730 Center St.
Station #3 399 Louise Ave.
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Types of Calls
Fire - All fire responses including structure fires, vehicle fires, grass fires, and any
other fires.
EMS - All medical responses
Service - All service calls (odor investigation, public assist, alarms sounding, etc.)
Other Emergencies - All other calls not listed above (vehicle accidents, hazardous materials,
false alarms, citizen complaints, etc.)
Types of Calls
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Fire 11.2%
EMS 50.9%
Service 25.7%
Other 12.2%
Medical Emergencies/Rescues
The Manteca Fire Department's response goal is to maintain as average 5 minute response time for all
emergencies. With the strategic location of the three fire stations, fire personnel normally arrive prior to
other responders (ambulance etc.) to begin emergency medical care. It is the responsibility of the Manteca
Fire Department to provide emergency medical services to our customers. Medically related responses
account for slightly over 50 percent of all requests for service. To maintain a standard level of care, all
fire personnel are trained and certified Emergency Medical Technician-1(EMT) and EMT-D. The Manteca
Fire Department has adopted an EMT-Defibrillation program. This program allows the fire personnel to
deliver an electrical shock to victims of cardiac arrest while also doing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR).
The state of California mandates that Certified Emergency Medical personnel receive continuing
education on the current trends of emergency medical care. To reduce the cost to the customer, all EMS
training is provided by qualified, state accredited, Fire Department instructors. The Fire Department
works very closely with the Manteca District Ambulance in the delivery of prehospital emergency care in
Manteca. By not charging a user fee for medical treatment, the Fire Department has become the only part
of the medical system that subsidizes the medical insurance system. All medical treatments and services
provided by Fire Department personnel are free of charge to our customers.

Chaplain Program (Emergency Crisis Intervention)
Community members, local clergy and Fire Department personnel have combined to form a response
network that provides emotional and spiritual support to people in crisis. Working under the joint
guidance of the Manteca Ministerial Association and the City of Manteca Fire Department, local church
leaders are dedicated to assisting distraught community members when disaster strikes. If during an
emergency, Fire Department personnel deem intervention could be helpful, the on duty chaplain is
summoned to assist the victims and others.
Chaplains have responded to all types of calls since the program was initiated in 1991. Structure fires,
vehicle accidents, medical emergencies and even explosions have become the work arena for Manteca's
spiritual leaders.
Preparation for Emergency Response
Training
An old Fire Chief once said: The personnel that you have in a department are only as good as the
equipment that they use and the training that they receive. This function of the Department is truly a part
of all the things that we do for our customers. Training ranges from fire service basics such as hose lays,
firefighting etc. but, also includes subjects such as computers, critical incident stress management, and
management effectiveness. One of the goals of the training program is to increase the productivity of our
personnel by learning new techniques and practicing safer methods of doing the job.
The training program is conducted for the benefit of our fulltime personnel and a special curriculum is
presented to our Reserve Firefighting force of 16 people. The goals of the training program entail the
certification of our personnel at various levels within the State Fire Marshal's training system. We are also
working towards improving our response to larger incidents by training with neighboring fire
departments and practicing various firefighting strategy and tactics with them in the hope that we will be
more effective when operating at larger fires both in Manteca and in other parts of the State during urban
interface fires in the fire season. The Department has made a serious commitment to training and its
value to the customer, much of our time is spent doing this activity.
Maintenance
The Fire Department provides a continuous program for the care, maintenance, purchase and
replacement of fire vehicles and equipment. Daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual and annual
maintenance is performed in order to maintain reliability and longevity of our apparatus. A side benefit
is reduced emergency repairs.
The Fire Department is responsible for the maintenance of all land and buildings on which we have
fire stations. We perform all regular structural and landscaping maintenance on a year-round basis.
The Manteca Fire Department insures that all of the self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) in the
department is maintained in a state of readiness. These units are absolutely critical in the performance of
the job and are used by all fire personnel. The Department has six factory trained SCBA Technicians who
perform regular inspections and maintenance of our SCBA to insure reliability. Our program also
maintains the self contained breathing apparatus of the other City departments and assists some local
businesses with filling their compressed air cylinders.
The Fire Department assists the Water Department by maintaining all of the City's 1300 fire hydrants.
This includes regular lubrication, accessibility, location marking, and hydraulic flow testing. Firefighters
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are regularly seen during the months of February and March in all parts of the City doing this important
maintenance.
Maintenance cont.
The Department is also responsible for the maintenance of its large inventory of fire hose. As one could
well imagine, a fire department that does not have trustworthy fire hose would be of little benefit to the
customers that they serve. We test, repair, and maintain all of our fire hose on an annual basis according
to a nationally recognized standard. The Department owns over 1 mile of large 5 inch diameter supply
line and over 4 miles of smaller sized fire hose used for attack lines.
Other Maintenance Duties
Besides all of the other types of maintenance that you have read about, there is still one more that is
the most important. Human resource maintenance is a serious undertaking by our personnel. Most of our
personnel are involved in various physical fitness programs that are designed to improve strength and
cardiovascular performance. In addition to working out, we have not hired smokers since 1984 and were
one of the first fire departments to do so.
There are many other types of maintenance that are performed by our personnel in the efforts of
preparing to respond to emergencies. Space is limited in this pamphlet, but it is easy for the reader to
understand the scope of all the tools, equipment, computers, specialized protective clothing, etc., that
must be maintained in order for us to be able to do the job in an effective and efficient manner. The
Department is much like a chain, in that we are only as strong as the weakest link in the system.
Pre Incident Data/Information/ Access
As many local business persons know, we are extensively involved in the collection and preparation
of data that aids our personnel in the response to emergencies. We perform pre incident surveys of all
buildings/businesses that have been identified as a "target hazard" or of a significant consequence if
there was an emergency to happen at that building. During the survey we identify and prioritize those
occupancies that are subject to the greatest potential life loss, hazard to firefighter safety, resources
required for fire control, or economic loss to the community. The goal of the program is to better prepare
our firefighters in their mission to minimize the loss of life and property to the Citizens of Manteca.
The Fire Department also maintains information on the various maps of the City by keeping our wall
maps, map run books, and hydrant locations up to date. This information is then sent to many different
agencies such as; the Manteca Police dispatch center, Manteca Ambulance, Manteca-Lathrop Rural Fire
Department, Stockton Fire dispatch center, and all of our fire stations. This is done so we can respond
quickly and accurately to calls for service.
Lock Box Program
The Fire Department has experienced emergency fire calls within business structures that were locked
and the only means of entry was through forcibly breaking in windows or doors, which proves to be very
expensive for the building owner. In an attempt to make access to businesses faster and easier in the
event of an emergency, the Fire Department participates in the Lock Box Program. This enables the
business owner to purchase a key lock box which is a sturdy metal, lockable compartment that is
mounted to the exterior of the building and holds they keys to the respective building. Many lock boxes
are in use throughout the City.
Manteca Firefighters Implement Computer System
As demands for digitized reporting increase, Manteca's firefighters are responding with their own
solutions. Basing their system on PC type computers, firefighters have been able to develop electronic
solutions to comply with local, regional, state and federal reporting requirements.
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Computer Systems cont'd
National training data and state fire reporting information are also reported via the computer. The
California State Fire Marshal requires that complete data from every incident the fire department
responds to is documented and forwarded via computer. A specialized data base and program are
dedicated to this mission. The computers are occasionally pressed into critical service assisting in
chemical emergencies. When a hazardous material is released, Manteca firefighters can utilize a
federally developed program to identify, and predict downwind spreading of any resulting toxic vapor.
Finally, almost all other fire department operations are organized, recorded or assigned via computer.
Manteca's firefighters plan to continue taking advantage of the available computer technology in order to
offer more effective, efficient service to our customers.
Fire Prevention
Business Inspection Program
The overall goal of the business inspection program is to enhance life safety and fire protection in our
community. To achieve this goal the fire department attempts to educate business owners how to
monitor their own business as it relates to fire safety as well as the safety of the general public.
Each business is inspected on a regular basis depending on the nature of the business conducted.
Each business is inspected for conformance to the Uniform Fire Code and other nationally recognized fire
safety practices that will lead to the reduction of life loss, injury, and damage to homes and businesses.
On the average, most businesses are inspected annually by the personnel assigned to engine companies;
however, many other specialized inspections are performed by the Fire Prevention Bureau Inspectors.
Weed and Auto Abatement/Nuisance Program
The City of Manteca has an ordinance which prohibits the accumulation of weeds, debris, rubbish,
trash, grass and vegetation, and the accumulation and/or storage of abandoned, wrecked or dismantled
automobiles on private property. To assist our customers in compliance with this ordinance, the Fire
Department has a semi-annual Weed/Auto Abatement Program in which we canvass the entire city to
rid our neighborhoods of such nuisances.
The Fire Department responds to all citizen complaints that deal with life safety, or those that
constitute a public nuisance. Our goal is not only to protect or community from tragic events, but also to
ensure a safe, clean city to live in.
Fire Investigations
The Manteca Department of Fire and Rescue investigates the cause, origin and circumstances of each
and every reported hostile fire occurring in our jurisdiction. The Fire Department keeps a record of all
fires occurring within the City and of statistics concerning the extent and cause of such fires. Some
investigation personnel also are certified peace officers and have the powers of arrest if the situation
arises.
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Public Fire Education
F.A.I.T.S. (Fire Awareness In The Schools)
The total number of elementary schools in which we teach the Fire Awareness In The Schools program
(F.A.I.T.S.) is eleven. Nine of those schools are public and the remaining two are private schools.
The engine company personnel teach various public fire safety lessons that children will need in order
to be safe from fire and other accidents. In each class the students are challenged to participate in the
lesson and each lesson is designed with their safety needs in mind.
Manteca firefighters teach approximately 2,600 students in the 80+ separate classes that participate in
the program on a regular basis. The FAITS program has been conducted by the department for many
years and has helped with the departments efforts in keeping fire and injury rates low in the City.
Child Firesetter Program
The Child Firesetter Program is one of the most important programs within the Fire Prevention
Bureau. We strongly believe that if we can counsel and educate the potential child fire setter at the
earliest possible moment, we can prevent him or her from starting down the road to potentially larger
arson fires and the resultant grief.
At least one firefighter on each shift has been assigned the task of meeting with referred children.
These firefighters have been specifically trained to talk to both the child and the respective parents so as
to attempt to ascertain the cause for his/her having starting the fire.
If the Fire Department counselor feels that professional counseling is warranted, a recommendation is
made to the parent for voluntary action. The Firefighters then follow up at a later date to determine the
child's progress.
Earthquake Preparedness
The Fire Department coordinates the annual Earthquake Preparedness Month activities and provides
support and resources for anyone in need of information. Approximately 295 Manteca City employees
participate each year in these exercises. Members of our Department receive training on how to prepare
for, and respond to, the potential earthquake that our area is prone to. The Department in turn, prepares
and delivers classes to the public when requested, on how to best prepare your family for this type of
disaster.
Other Public Education Efforts
The Fire Department meets with the various Neighborhood Watch Groups and provides information
regarding home safety, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and home inspection programs. Our
personnel provide informative classes and demonstrations on the use and types of fire extinguishers to
various civic groups, businesses and organizations.
Fire Department personnel install smoke detectors and/or change their batteries in the homes of
Senior Citizens. This service is provided free of charge, when the citizen provides the smoke detector
and battery. Smoke detectors are available through the Manteca Senior Citizens Center.
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The Fire Prevention Bureau publishes various articles on fire safety, public fire education, upcoming
events, and provides statistics on Fire Department activities in the local newspapers. These articles are
provided to educate and inform our customers about fire safety and keep them advised about the events
of their fire department.
Support of Other Departments or Agencies
The Manteca Fire Department serves a support role for several other Departments and Agencies at
both the Local, State and Federal levels of Government. Below is a brief review of some of the
Departments or Agencies that we support while doing our jobs.
Local Department/Agency Support/Service Provided
All City Depts. First aid/ CPR Training/Earthquake preparedness
Police Dept. Hazardous materials, Training, Arson Investigation
Disaster Planning, Public Education
Planning Dept. City growth planning - fire input/impact
Building Dept. Building inspection and referral
Public Works Hydrant markers, HazMat intervention
Water Dept. Hydrant maintenance, *SCBA maintenance/training
Sanitation Dept. * SCBA maintenance and training
Finance Dept. Business license inspection
Parks Dept. * SCBA maintenance and training
* Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
County Department/Agency Support/Service Provided
Office of Emergency Services Hazardous materials response and code enforcement
Health Dept. Building inspection/reporting
Environmental Health Dept. Hazardous materials response
Air Pollution Control Hazardous materials response, Agricultural fires
State Department/Agency Support/Service Provided
State Fire Marshal Code enforcement, training
Office of Emergency Services Hazardous materials response, Disaster response
California Division of Forestry Fire Mutual Aid
California State Parks Dept. Fire Mutual Aid
Department of Health Services Hazardous materials response- Radiological
Federal Department/Agency Support/Service Provided
U.S. Forest Service Fire Mutual Aid
Bureau of Land Management Fire Mutual Aid
National Parks Service Fire Mutual Aid
National Fire Academy Fire Training
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Who Pays For These Services And How Much?
Budget Distribution
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Police 38.0%
Fire 21.0%
Public Works 15.0%
General Gov't 9.0%
Parks/Rec. 10.0%
Non Dept. 2.0%
Library 0.5%
Comm. Developmen 4.5%
Fire Dept.
In 1978 the voters in California passed Proposition 13, then described as a "taxpayer revolt or
revolution". This proposition significantly changed the way in which local governments were funded. In
the past there was heavy reliance on property taxes to provide a "general fund", from which each
department was in turn funded. Now there are far fewer City departments which are solely funded by
the general fund and the monies coming in from taxes are legislatively earmarked for particular uses.
Cities have much less latitude for funding public safety efforts, because a large portion of their monies go
to other purposes in the City. At present, 59% of Manteca's general fund is spent on public safety (Police
and Fire). The Fire Department gets over 21% of the general fund and is solely funded from this source.
A High Quality Service
The Insurance industry has a rating service for the purpose of determining fire insurance rates in
various cities throughout the United States. The Insurance Services Office has rated Manteca as a class 3.
This is on a scale of 1 to 10; 10 being no fire protection at all, and class 1 being reserved for a few very
select cities. This rating evaluates not only the fire department, but also the City's water system and the
fire department's communications and training functions. Manteca shares the second best rating in the
County and is rated in the top 15% of fire departments in San Joaquin County. The most common ISO
rating in San Joaquin County is 8.

Value For The Money
What does the fire department and emergency medical service system cost you, the Manteca citizen
and taxpayer? The answer is $61.91 per year per citizen. Broken down further, this reflects a cost of $5.16
per month, or less than 17 cents per day! A telephone call, a cup of coffee, or your daily newspaper costs
more than your total daily proactive fire protection and emergency medical services system.
A look at how much others are paying for fire protection:
Average cost per capita per year Average ISO rating
San Joaquin County (rural) $85.62 6.9
San Joaquin County (entire) $77.98 6.2
San Joaquin County (cities) $68.28 3.6
Manteca Fire Department $61.91 3
We are constantly examining our service delivery and trying to find new and better ways of providing
services more effectively and efficiently. The Manteca Fire Department entered into a cooperative
agreement with the Stockton fire department for the consolidation of emergency dispatching services.
This agreement significantly increased the department's capabilities, reduced redundant services,
reduced the number of emergency calls for service, and is much more effective than before. We are also
examining the areas of joint purchasing, training and fire prevention inspection for similar cost savings.
Staffing
The subject of staffing levels in the fire service has at times been very controversial. Many standards
have been discussed, but none of them are mandated. Some fire agencies set a goal of 1 firefighter per
1000 population. This is a very common guideline for much of the United States. The Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) opinioned that prior to an initial interior structure fire attack taking
place, at least 4 firefighters must be on scene. The Manteca Fire Department currently averages 9 persons
on an initial response (three engine companies and one division chief). These forces are then supported
by off duty and Reserve Firefighters. If the fire is larger and beyond the scope of the on scene personnel,
a greater alarm may be struck. A request from predetermined mutual aid resources is made and within
approximately 14 minutes, another 7 firefighters are on the scene to assist.
Other Local Fire Department's Staffing Levels (firefighters per 1,000 population)
Manteca- Lathrop R.F.D. 1.16
Stockton F.D. .93
Lodi City F.D. .89
Tracy City F.D. .62
Manteca City F.D. .77
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Who Manages The Manteca Fire Department?
The City of Manteca is governed by the Council/Manager form of government. The five members of
the City Council and the City Manager represent the citizens of Manteca in the all matters and issues as
they relate to our local government and the services that it provides. One of those services is fire
protection and rescue. The Department Head for the Fire Department is George M. Quaresma, the Fire
Chief. He is charged with the effective and efficient operation of the department. Chief Quaresma has
four Division Chiefs that are part of his management team and who are responsible for the various
functions of the organization.
The Fire Department changed its focus about who we serve and how we see ourselves several years
ago. We realized that we don't just serve taxpayers, since not everybody pays taxes. We realized that we
don't just serve citizens, since some are not. We have come to understand that we serve our customers
and have changed our perception to include all of the people that live in, work in, or travel through our
City. Our customer oriented services are best observed in the time and effort that we take to restore and
salvage a building after a fire. We take great pride in our salvage efforts and treat the building and its
contents as though they belong to one of our best friends and are trying to get him/her back on their feet.
Few people understand the grief and hardship that one experiences after a fire, better than we do.
A Recipe For Disaster!
Manteca is known as the "Cross roads of California" and as such has an inordinate amount of
transportation through and around it. This is convenient but also lends itself to frequent transportation
related emergencies. The proximity to Highways 99, 120, and 5 have caused the Fire Department to
respond to several large accidents, fires and spills. During the "fog" season many Mantecan’s can
remember the vehicle accidents and injuries on the highways, some of which have totaled more than 100
damaged cars in a single incident. We also have the Union Pacific Railroad tracks bisecting the City and
the freight trains can be seen traveling though town about every 30 minutes. In February of 1989, we
responded to a 58 car train that derailed in the heart of Manteca. Many of the cars were off the track, but
there were no injuries. Other potential transportation related incidents include the proximity to, and in
the flight path of, several large nearby airports.
A common misconception that many Mantecan's have is the belief that there is not a fire problem in
their City and that "big" fires do not tend to happen here. Listed below are some interesting fire facts that
will serve to put the fire problem in Manteca in perspective. The fact is that for the past 10 years, the City
of Manteca has lost over three quarters of a million dollars per year (average) to the effects of hostile
fires. Better news is that during the same period of time, the death and injury rate for both civilians and
firefighters is well below the national averages. Manteca suffers (5) civilian injuries per year, (.5) civilian
deaths per year, (5.3) firefighter injuries per year, and (0) firefighter deaths per year on average.
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Major Incidents
A partial summary of some of the larger and more costly (commercial, industrial and residential)
incidents that have happened here in Manteca.
Date Event Location $ Loss Dead/Injured
5/7/72 Structure Fire 600 W. Yosemite - Church $100,000 0 0
7/25/73 Structure Fire Manteca Motor Sales $250,000 0 0
6/12/74 Structure Fire Tomato Growers Plant $1,000,000 0 0
5/6/77 Structure Fire El Rey Theater $250,000 0 0
8/13/80 Structure Fire Manteca Produce $300,000 0 0
1/13/82 Structure Fire 707 Sonora $75,000 1 0
5/30/82 Structure Fire East Union High School $96,000 0 0
9/29/82 Structure Fire Tony's Pizzaria $100,000 0 0
10/10/83 Structure Fire Sycamore Apartments $200,000 3 15
2/21/89 Train Derailment S.P.R.R. Tracks (58 cars involved) 0 0
7/8/89 Structure Fire 1108 Palomino $100,000 0 0
1/5/90 Roof Collapse TG&Y Store N/A 0 0
9/3/90 Structure Fire 951 Yolo $85,000 0 0
4/27/92 Structure Fire Home Video $275,000 0 0
5/8/92 Structure Fire Stockton Savings Bank $150,000 0 0
6/8/92 Structure Fire 423 N. Maple $170,000 0 2
6/21/92 Structure Fire 593 N. Acacia $180,000 0 1
7/6/92 Structure Fire 556 E. Edison $185,000 0 2
8/31/92 Structure Fire Golden Oldies Deli $160,000 0 0
11/3/92 Explosion 218 Elm Street $170,000 0 5
3/27/93 Structure Fire 1135 Aldwina $ 80,000 0 0
3/25/94 Structure Fire Sequoia School $140,000 0 0
5/30/94 Structure Fire 1405 Stonewood $ 90,000 0 0
9/6/94 Structure Fire 619 Privot $170,000 0 0
11/21/94 Structure Fire 190 Sky Place $ 90,000 0 1
12/10/94 Vehicle Fire Airport & Hwy. 120 $ 16,500 1 0
12/24/94 Structure Fire 649 Scott Pl. $105,000 0 0
3/20/96 Structure Fire 908 S. Maple $145,000 0 0
7/8/96 Structure Fire 1870 Pecanwood $160,000 0 1
10/17/96 Structure Fire 1027 Hacienda $ 86,000 0 0
10/29/96 Structure Fire 344 S. Powers $ 100,000 0 0
Jan. 1997 Flood South Manteca
What Can You Do To Help?
We ask that once you have read this document, "What We Do For You", to make the decision on whether
you are receiving value for your money with regard to our service. We expect further cuts in State
funding for Manteca local government services, including your Fire Department! One immediate form of
assistance that you can do is to increase the fire protection in your home by having an operational
automatic smoke detector in every bedroom.
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Should you have any questions about this report or any facet of the fire department, please contact:
Kirk Waters - Fire Chief 209.456.8300
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