There is good news and bad news to report. The good news is that this fire station, which is just south of Placerville, CA is now part of the El Dorado County Fire Protection District, and is listed as Fire Station 49. Diamond Springs is not an incorporated city, it technically has no borders, it is just a name on a map. It has no government fire department or police department. Population is about 11,000. Small unincorporated towns and First Responders has become a national disaster. They have a new Fire Station and new and up to date Fire Engines and a Paramedic Rescue Squad (Medic 49). The Fire Department is made up of a mix of paid and volunteer members. Here is a note on their Facebook Page... "Effective July 1, 2022, Medic 49 will be “browned out” down staffed, due to circumstances beyond the Fire Districts control specifically, inadequate staffing. The decision to brown out the medic unit has not been an easy one. Every effort has been made to try to prevent this outcome. At the current time Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District has 5 firefighter/paramedic vacancies. It takes 6 firefighter/paramedics to staff Medic 49, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The fire district has been working short staffed for most of the past year due to 8 resignations, 2 retirements, and 2 promotions. Despite continuous recruitment efforts the past 12 months, we have only been able to fill 5 positions. This situation is not an isolated one. There is a well-documented national shortage of firefighter/paramedics. Many Fire Departments throughout the state and the nation are struggling with recruitment and retention, including Cal FIRE. Due to the size of Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District there is not enough depth of staff and resources to work with this large of a deficit."
The Jalopy Journal
