Berkeley Voters Approve New Funding For Emergency Response and Preventing Wildfires
November 6, 2020
Fires Devastated California in 2020, and Berkeley Voters Overwhelmingly Supported An Initiative to Mitigate the Potential Harm to Its Fire Prone Communities
BERKELEY–Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin declared victory on Measure FF, a local ballot measure that will strengthen fire and paramedic services and emergency preparedness.
“Berkeley voters recognize that our risk of earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters warrants modernizing our ability to respond and keep constituents safe,” said Mayor Arreguin. “With an aging population and this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, funding additional ambulances and improving training and education is key in adapting to the risks we face.”
As of the latest update from the Alameda County Registrar of voters on November 5th shortly before 5pm, Measure II is passing with 75.32% of the vote. An estimated 34% of ballots remain uncounted, but based on the voting trends, it is statistically impossible for the outcome to change.
Among the life-saving services being upgraded, Measure FF will:
Implement state-of-the-art 911 dispatch systems to ensure rapid assistance to emergency calls
Increase ambulance and paramedic capacity, to better meet the needs of all residents
Strengthen wildfire, earthquake, and other disaster prevention and preparedness with new, expanded emergency warning systems, fire fuel reduction and evacuation planning.
Sutter Health is planning on closing Alta Bates Hospital by 2030, meaning patients will have to be transported further away, tying up ambulances and staff. Additionally, Alameda County has cut funding for first responder and ambulance calls just before the COVID-19 crisis struck, placing great strains on the healthcare system. With climate change making fires burn with greater intensity, it has become increasingly critical to further efforts to mitigate the risks in a city prone to major wildfires. An estimated $8.5 million will be generated annually to address these issues and meet Berkeley’s emergency response, communications, and disaster preparedness.
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