The Hollister City Council approved a mutual aid agreement
between the city’s two fire stations and the county’s lone station
Monday night that will allow firefighters from the city’s new
station to respond to Ridgemark.
Hollister – The Hollister City Council approved a mutual aid agreement between the city’s two fire stations and the county’s lone station Monday night that will allow firefighters from the city’s new station to respond to Ridgemark.
Once approved by the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, the agreement will also allow fire stations to respond to the emergencies closest to them regardless of if the fire is in the city or county to decrease response times to emergencies.
Without the agreement, the city’s two fire stations on East Street and Union Road would respond only to fires in the city’s sphere of influence, while the county’s fire station on Fairview Road would respond only to calls from areas in the county’s jurisdiction.
With the new agreement, fires will get immediate attention from the station closest to them while another fire engine is being dispatched from the city or county station that technically oversees the area.
“(County residents) will still get an engine from Fairview, but now they’ll also get an engine from us with three guys on it. And we’ll get there quicker,” City Fire Chief Bill Garringer has said. “Fire protection is going to improve with this new agreement.”
