This week the La Verne City Council authorized the execution of an agreement with AP  Triton to provide a Standards of Cover and Community Risk Analysis (SOC/CRA) on the City’s fire and emergency medical services. This comprehensive study will provide essential data and insights that will assist City leaders in determining next steps for the La Verne Fire Department. 

“While the hiring process for a permanent fire chief has not yet been completed, moving forward with the  SOC/CRA is a very important path to go down,” said Tim Hepburn, Mayor of La Verne. “As our new chief  gets ramped up and settled into their role, the information provided in this report will provide them with  the tools they need to make the best possible recommendations and decisions for emergency services in  La Verne that will help keep our residents safe.”  

Interim Fire Chief Larry Waterhouse also emphasized how important this step is for the City by stating that  “Without the study, you really don’t have the hard data that is needed to drill down on all the issues and  figure out how they can be addressed.” La Verne Mayor Pro Tem Muir Davis and Council Members Robin  Carder, Rick Crosby and Wendy Lau also joined the Mayor in thanking Chief Waterhouse for his service and hard work in getting the City to this critical point.  

After an approximate 5-month process, the SOC/CRA will provide three main takeaways. Firstly, it will evaluate LVFD’s current effectiveness as measured against industry standards and best practices. Second,  every area of the city, from buildings to open spaces, will be examined to determine all potential hazards and associated levels of risk to better understand the community’s needs. And lastly, it will take into account the current condition of all aspects of the LVFD – including policies, equipment, staffing and even communication practices – to make detailed and actionable recommendations to improve service delivery and increase the department’s effectiveness. 

Although the City of La Verne is initiating the SOC/CRA, residents are reminded that the City is also awaiting a proposal from LA County Fire. Pursuing both pathways will help ensure the City Council has all the information needed to determine the best option for fire and emergency medical services for the La  Verne community. Should the Council decide that LA County’s fire services contract terms are more favorable, however, the decision to move forward with these services will need to be ratified by La Verne voters during the June 2022 election before being finalized.

The recommendation to pursue a SOC/CRA was originally surfaced during the “City of La Verne Fire  Department Service Deployment Review,” conducted by Messina and Associates last year. For additional background information and a timeline on the La Verne fire and emergency services topic, please visit  LVFireServices.com.