In a mostly symbolic move, the Richmond Fire Department will no longer offer “automatic aid” to their neighbor, Pinole. This move comes in response to a brownout at one of the local fire stations that the Firemen’s union Local 1230 says proves the city isn’t committed to public safety.

But according to the Richmond Fire Chief, there was no written automatic aid agreement in place anyway, and “mutual” aid will continue unchanged.

This means the difference is that now a request must be made and then firefighters would be tasked to help or firefighters automatically being dispatched.

From the Oakland Tribune:

Richmond firefighters will no longer give automatic aid to Pinole in emergencies because the Pinole Valley station brownout shows the city is not sufficiently committed to fire protection, the Pinole firefighters’ union president announced this week.

But Richmond fire Chief Michael Banks said there is no automatic aid agreement between his department and Pinole, and that mutual aid between the two agencies, which occurs by request, will continue unchanged.




Local 1230 union president Vince Wells fired his shot across Pinole’s bow during the public comment period of a city council meeting Thursday. The council is the governing board of the Pinole Fire Department.

Read the full article here.