Fallen Leaf Lake Fire added to CalTahoe JPA

For years the Fallen Leaf Lake Fire Department (FLLF) has wanted to join the South Lake Tahoe and Lake Valley fire departments and be part of the California Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority (CTESOA), and today they finally got their wish.

During Monday's meeting of CTESOA, also known as the CalTahoe JPA, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to add FLFF, giving them an ALS to be stationed at Fallen Leaf Lake as well as a possible voting spot on the board. (ALS-Advanced Life Support)

FLLF Chief Greg Gerren said he wanted to provide a higher level of care to those that live and visit Fallen Leaf Lake, which is located east of South Lake Tahoe. Currently an ambulance trip from either Lake Valley or SLT is about 20 minutes. With an ambulance based at FLLF, that response time is closer to three minutes.

There was no monetary support requested by Gerren's department, which is fully operational six months a year. During the winter months they use a skeleton crew. Gerren has already added the paramedics, now they'll have a vehicle to use. Once the JPA gets their new ambulance delivered they will have seven of them, three of which are fully staffed, two partially staffed. FLLF will get one of those two extra ambulances.

"You are a natural partner," Tom Davis told Gerren. Davis is a SLT City Councilman and a member of the JPA board.

Gerren said he wanted to join with his neighboring chiefs since many of their operations already overlap. His crew will be able to train with others on the JPA. Another benefit of their being part of the JPA will be for supplies at a group rate, cheaper than he can currently buy them for.

"We work together already," Gerren said of their new partnership. "We should be a part of the JPA, we want to be a part of the JPA."

The engine is already to go to Fallen Leaf and all that is needed now is a final contract. Also to be worked out is the future makeup of the board. With the addition of Fallen Leaf Lake Fire there would be five on the board, but Barton Hospital may also be coming to the table in January. If each partner on the JPA only had one voting member, then they'd have the much sought after "odd" number on the board. That will be determined at a future meeting.