On Sunday, a vehicle fire south of Brentwood grew quickly from half an acre into a 50-acre brush fire due to high winds and dry vegetation. The response required both crews from the only station in Brentwood, as well as all our East County engines from Antioch, Oakley and Discovery Bay.
Contra Costa Fire responded with 50 personnel, six fire engines and Station 92’s truck, and CAL FIRE responded with an additional 70 personnel, five fire engines and aerial support.
The fire’s growth was stopped at 50 acres within a couple hours with no lives lost and no structures damaged, thanks to Contra Costa Fire’s professionalism up and down the chain of command.
The incident forced Contra Costa Fire to shift resources away from Concord, Martinez and Walnut Creek to cover any other incidents that might have occurred in East County at the same time. Fortunately, there were no other incidents that further stretched our fire protection district’s resources, and our CAL FIRE personnel were not busy fighting other fires, as often occurs this time of year.
The same folks that are responsible for making sure our fire protection systems operate efficiently and effectively, as they did on Sunday, tell us that we should rebuild a modern fire house at the site of the old Downtown Brentwood station, which was closed a decade ago because of financial challenges. To best protect our community, we should listen to our firefighters—not to people who have chosen to oppose and sabotage efforts to build Station 94 on First Street.
If you break your arm, you go to a doctor. If you need legal advice, you consult an attorney. If you’re building a fire station, you ask firefighters where it belongs.
Unfortunately, a small but vocal group in Brentwood thinks we should disregard our firefighters who recommend this location. Contra Costa Fire’s data show that the Downtown Brentwood station would be in the exact middle of Brentwood’s densest demand for emergency response and some of the most vulnerable populations and properties. But opponents have chosen to further distract, delay and confuse people into thinking that a property at the end of Sand Creek Road is a better option.
That’s not how we should make decisions when lives and property are on the line. Contra Costa Fire (and other fire districts that have previously covered Brentwood) have rejected the Sand Creek property for multiple reasons. Bottom line, this location is not optimal for fire truck access to the community, is more expensive, and further delays a fire station at a time when it is needed now.
People have strong feelings on this issue, and for the past two years I have tried to address their concerns. But please don’t be misled as they grasp at straws to list new objections. The same people who object to Fire Station 94 being two blocks away from a high school have no problem suggesting a station be placed on the same block as an elementary school. And after renderings of the design have been public and shared with the community for more than a year, opponents declared only this month that they don’t want a fire station made of brick, which was what city staff recommended. The fire district is open to modifying the building appearance if given input.
The Brentwood City Council is scheduled to approve or deny the First Street location in their meeting on June 10. I encourage you, whether you live in Brentwood or in surrounding areas, to contact Mayor Susannah Meyer and members of the City Council before the meeting and in the Council Chambers that night. Let your elected officials know we trust our firefighters and support Station 94 being built on First Street.
Learn the facts about Station 94: contracosta.ca.gov/District3 and www.cccfpd.org/new-stations/
Supervisor Diane Burgis
Related Stories to Fire Safety and Downtown Station
- May 15 – Burgis: Brentwood Planning Commission’s Reckless Decision Jeopardizes Community Fire Safety
- May 7 – Brentwood Planning Commission Denies Downtown Fire Station
- March 19 – Brentwood Planning Commission Punts Decision on Downtown Fire Station
- Feb 2025 – Burgis: Op-Ed: Downtown Brentwood Fire Station Will Return Life-Saving Services, Upgrades Veterans Hall
- Feb 2025 – Supervisors Get Update on East County Service Center, Youth Centers
- Oct 2024 – Letter: Veterans Issue Statement on Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building
- Jan 2024 – Brentwood Gets Update on Two Future Contra Costa Fire Stations
- Oct 2023 – Burgis: New Fire Stations Will Make Brentwood Safer (fire safety)
