In addition to these efforts, local tribes have provided more than $13.7 million in funding to help fire departments and law enforcement agencies purchase vital equipment and services that tight budgets often can’t accommodate. Fire departments throughout the county have received essential equipment such as self-contained breathing apparatus, fire protective clothing (brush gear and structural turnouts), communications equipment, structure and brush response rigs, command vehicles, mobile data terminals (computers) and more. Our department, for example, received a grant from Sycuan, Viejas and Barona for a fully outfitted command vehicle and co-funding that allowed our jurisdiction to purchase three fully outfitted structure fire engines. These units are used daily to provide critical fire and emergency medical services to the communities we serve.

Other tribes have been just as generous donating “turnouts,” the fire protection suits worn by all firefighters. These suits cost as much as $2,000 each, and not all departments can afford timely replacements or the two sets that every firefighter should have.

In addition to their charitable support for fire departments in the region, several tribal governments have created their own independent fire departments, which provide protection not only to local casinos and the tribal members living on reservations but also protection to county residents living in rural areas near our local Indian casinos. Tribal fire departments from Viejas, Barona, Sycuan, Rincon and others added valuable manpower and firefighting equipment during recent wildfires. Located in rural areas of the county, tribal fire departments are often first on the line fighting wildfires in their areas. With our local mutual aid agreements, tribal departments are available to respond quickly beyond reservation boundaries. And, as we have learned, hitting wildfires fast is the key to preventing major catastrophic blazes.

Local tribal fire departments have fortunately been given the resources they need to expand in contrast to the fiscal challenges faced by our fire districts and local municipal fire departments. Recently, the Sycuan Fire Department announced that the Bureau of Indian Affairs was stationing one of its fire helicopters with the Sycuan Fire Department to be staffed and managed by the Sycuan Golden Eagle Flycrew, a specially trained unit of the Sycuan Fire Department. Sycuan is seeking an exclusive-use agreement with the BIA to have the helicopter stationed at Sycuan for a 180-day period during each year’s fire season. As voters consider the Feb. 5 referendum on the new tribal gaming compacts approved by Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Legislature last year, they should remember the positive record of our local tribes in supporting regional efforts to improve fire protection. That’s why the California Fire Chiefs Association endorses a Yes vote on Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97. These new tribal gaming agreements were negotiated by the governor to significantly increase revenue that will go to the state general fund, up to an additional $9 billion over the next 20 years. With these new revenues, the state will be in a stronger fiscal position to support fire protection programs in the years ahead.

Ghio is chief of the San Miguel Fire District.

© Copyright 2007 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.