The San Diego County Fire Authority was supposed to take over two stations from the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District Monday. But volunteer firefighters took over one of the stations, saying the move to dissolve their force is illegal. In the interim, Cal Fire is responding to all fire and EMS service calls from their station in the Julian-Cuyamaca area.
The volunteers have stayed locked inside Fire Station 56 since Monday. Cars block the roll-up doors where fire trucks would normally roll out. Paper covers the windows so no one can see in.
It's the latest move in a fight that's been going on since last year when the previous fire board voted to dissolve the district. The board's decision was upheld by LAFCO, the Local Agency Formation Commission, which oversees special districts like the JCFPD.
Last month, residents of the district voted for its dissolution. Now, the volunteers are suing, saying the 2018 application for dissolution was illegal. Last Friday, a San Diego County judge agreed the previous board violated the Brown Act in the process of asking for the dissolution.
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In a statement, the volunteers said, "LAFCO knew that JCFPD's dissolution application had been submitted illegally after three former board members conspired with Supervisor Dianne Jacob to eliminate local control over fire protection and emergency medical services."
Jacob responded with a written statement of her own Tuesday: “Cooler heads need to prevail. A sit-in that disrupts the operation of a fire station only jeopardizes the public’s safety. I urge those who continue to oppose dissolution to respect the process that has played out so far, including the recent election, and seek other ways to challenge the issue that don’t put the public at risk.”
The dispute returns to court on Wednesday morning.
