City of Montebello

On behalf of the City of Montebello Fire Department, I want to welcome you to our website. It is with great pride to share valuable information on a wide-range of services that our Department offers. Our Department is an “all-risk” organization that responds to a wide-range of needs in our community, these services are provided by highly dedicated, compassionate and skillful fire personnel.

Our Department continues to grow and develop, seeking innovated best-practices to better serve you. We currently utilize a system of eight (8) divisions that that include the: 1) Community Risk Reduction Division, 2) Fire Operations Division, 3) Fire Community Services & Outreach Division, 4) Training Division, 5) EMS Division, 6) Public Safety Communications Division, 7) Emergency Operations Center (EOC)/Disaster Resilience Division and 8) Fire Administration.

As your Fire Chief, I strive to lead a Department that is founded on professionalism, compassion, integrity, innovation and service. That our daily motto is to “We work to serve anyone in our community”. This has been fundamental of “Why I do what I do” to support building a better and safer community where we can all thrive and achieve wellness.

I am humbled and thankful to be serving as your Fire Chief, alongside an outstanding group of professionals that ensure our Department is functioning to its fullest potential. There is no greater privilege than serving the City of Montebello and its residents.

Fernando Peláez, Fire Chief

Department Description

As the Montebello Fire Department is an “all–risk” organization, Montebello Fire & Rescue responds to the needs of the community regardless of the nature of the incident. Our Department continues to grow and develop, seeking innovated best-practices to better serve you. We currently utilize a system of eight (8) divisions that that include the: 1) Community Risk Reduction Division, 2) Fire Operations Division, 3) Fire Community Services & Outreach Division, 4) Training Division, 5) EMS Division, 6) Public Safety Communications Division, 7) Emergency Operations Center (EOC)/Disaster Resilience Division and 8) Fire Administration. Our Divisions are comprised by innovated strategic approaches and non-traditional models to provide higher standards of service the Montebello community. The Department has a total of 76 full-time employees (FTE) and four part-time employees (PTE).

The Department has six apparatus: three type 1 engines, one tractor drawn aerial truck, one brush engine, and one Cal-OES fire engine. Call volume runs approximately 8,000 annually, and has been trending upward with a 17% increase from 2013 to 2018, and a 9% projected increase in 2021. MFD follows a firefighter/paramedic model, and thus the Department is the first responder for all emergency medical service (EMS) needs; the City contracts with an ambulance service for EMS transport. Dispatch services are provided by Verdugo Fire Communications Services (VFCC) which answers calls for 13 local agencies.

Fire Operations Division (Suppression and Emergency Medical Services): The Operations Division's operational mission and objective is to save lives, conserve property, and minimize environmental impact with efficient and effective response to fires, floods, medical emergencies, hazardous materials releases, extrication incidents and other rescue calls while also providing non-emergency public assistance. To support this objective, the fire department participates in automatic and mutual aid agreements with neighboring fire jurisdictions, as well as State agencies. Our Firefighter/Paramedics provide emergency medical services, providing pre-hospital emergency medical care and patient stabilization while assisting with transportation (CARE Ambulance) to medical facilities as necessary. Medical services provided to patients who are injured or ill are provided by advanced life support (ALS) by State certified Paramedics. The Firefighter/Paramedics are managed by a team of emergency medical professionals, including the EMS Battalion Chief, Medical Director (MD), a paramedic coordinator (Fire Captain), and a registered nurse educator, they are responsible for paramedic training, certification, equipment, quality improvement, and legal aspects for all basic and advanced emergency medical services. The registered nurse directs EMS continuing education, to ensure quality assurance of care and advanced use of medical equipment and technology support.

Shift Battalion Chief: Responsible for the day to day activities performed by the line personnel, the division is staffed by 56 sworn fire personnel assigned to three shifts (Shift A, Shift B and Shift C), currently staffed by Fire Battalion Chiefs (3), Fire Captains (12), Fire Engineers (13), Firefighter/Paramedics (24), and Paramedic Trainees (4). This Division provides firefighting capability, emergency medical response, and other emergency services, including wildland services. On a daily basis the division staffs 3 fire engines, and 1 ladder truck, at 3 fire stations that are strategically located in the city. Montebello is the fourth busiest fire department of the 13 agencies (fourteen public and two industrial) served by the Verdugo Fire Communications Center. The Division also oversees the Firefighter Auxiliary (18+) and the Youth Fire Explorer (Ages 12-17) Programs. Currently, the Division responds to nearly 8,000 calls for service each year, with 75% of the Montebello service incidents are medical in nature.

Community Risk Reduction Division (CRRD): CRRD's main responsibility is to educate the community about the benefits of proper safety practices and to identify and eliminate all types of hazardous conditions that pose a threat to life, property, and the environment. This Division is comprised of a mix of civilian and sworn personnel, such personnel are the Fire Marshal, Fire Prevention Captain(s), Senior Fire Inspector, and two Fire Inspectors. The CRRD Division completes a wide variety of inspections. These include land entitlement, new construction, commercial and industrial facilities, schools and institutions, and specialized inspections related to film permits. Additional specialized functions are: Land development services, Inspection of schools, institutions, high-rise buildings, and Arson investigations.

Public Safety Communications Division (PSCD): The PSCD's primary objective is to ensure the life safety of first responders (Fire, Police, Transportation, and other emergency professionals) that participate in the City of Montebello’s communication radio system and that all radio users can operate safely in these extreme dynamic communication environments. The Fire Department is a committee member of the Interagency Communications Interoperability (ICI) as a Governance Member due to owing our own radio system infrastructure, and also supports active subscriber members (Public Safety Agencies) through access agreements. The Division is currently staffed by full-time Communications Supervisor and a Communications Technician. They provide an uninterrupted operational radio system for all Montebello personnel, including police, fire, transit, public works, code enforcement, parks, etc. Montebello also provides access to its radio system for the following Police Departments: Downey, Vernon, Whittier, and Montebello Unified School District. The Fire Department has a total of seven (7) radio sites, located around the City of Montebello.

Fire Community Services & Outreach Division (FCS&OD): The FCS&OD is a unique division as it has an emphasis on community health and wellness through the implementation of innovated approaches to address health and safety conditions that impact vulnerable populations, reduces the use of the 911 Dispatch System and hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency issues, and improves the quality-of-life for those at-risk through a field-based paramedic service and educational outreach and engagement. This effort serves seniors, home-bound, unhoused, behavioral health (mental health and substance use), and medically compromised individuals.

Programs include:

· Montebello Community Assistance Program (MCAP), is a field-based outreach program that serves a wide-range of individuals with multiple medical complexities, facing multiple conditions that impact their quality of life, such as compromised health conditions, homelessness and behavioral health conditions. The program is staffed by a Firefighter/Paramedic, Social Work Coordinator, Field Based Case Manager and Housing Navigator.

· Operation Stay Safe (Tiny Homes) A community of 30 tiny homes serving individuals who are unhoused, creating a bridge to permanent housing and/or long-term housing. Residents here receive wrap-around supportive services including case management, transportation, housing services, and emotional supportive services.

The Fire Administration Division: This division responsible for the oversight and direction of all activities within the fire department including fire suppression, emergency medical services, communications, community and outreach services and prevention activities. Supervision of department staff, coordination of activities with other departments, completion of complex assignments and staff support to the City Manager and City Council is included. This Division oversees budget management, personnel, human resources and payroll administration and organizational development of Fire Department staff.

The Fire Department budget comes from the City's General Fund, Fee-for-Service and project-specific funding from grants, such as FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency, CalWater, San Gabriel Valley Council of City Governments (SGVCOG), San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust (SGVRHT), Gateway Cities Council of Governments (Gateway COG), and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Organizational Chart

Mission: The mission of the Fire Department is to provide efficient and effective life safety, property conservation and environment protection to the community through control of fire, rescue and emergency services, fire prevention, emergency preparedness, and mitigation of hazardous materials incidents. We will stand ready to support, and assist other fire service organizations in accomplishing their missions. This commitment is intended to safeguard the general economy, and welfare of the citizens of Montebello.

Department Motto: "Proudly serving the City of Montebello since 1922"

Vision Statement: Community focused, value centered.

Core Values: The Montebello Fire Department achieves its mission by building upon a system of values. We uphold Professionalism, Integrity, Compassion, Service, Honesty, Stewardship and Courteousness as our core values.

Fire Administration Office

1600 W. Beverly Blvd

Montebello, CA 90640

Fire Administration Office Hours of Operation

Monday - Thursday 7:30am - 5:30pm

Fire Station 55 (HQ)

600 N. Montebello Blvd

Montebello, CA 90640

Fire Station 56

1166 S. Greenwood Ave

Montebello, CA 90640

Fire Station 57

2950 W Via Acosta

Montebello, CA 90640