Manteca Fire Department



What We Do For You


Introduction
Emergency Response
Preparation for Emergency Response
Fire Prevention
Public Education
Support of other Departments or Agencies
Who Pays and How much?
Staffing
Who Manages the Manteca Fire Department
A Recipe for Disaster
Major Incidents
What can you do to help?
Downloadable PDF file


Introduction

Dear Customer,

As a customer of the City of Manteca Fire Department, you are no doubt well aware of the tough fiscal and financial times that we as a community face in the 1990's-2000's. The Fire Department and all of it's employees have embarked on a program to examine and improve the level of customer service that we provide to the residents and visitors of the City of Manteca. In order for customers to make an informed decision about the products that they purchase, it is necessary to examine the quality of the product and the price that they have to pay for the goods or services. This pamphlet has been produced for the benefit of the public and others who are concerned or interested about the level of fire protection that they receive.

Dramatic events often hit the headlines but the day to day work of the Fire Department is no less important and frequently just as hazardous. The job of all those working in the fire service is first and foremost to safeguard the general public. It is a job which the members of the Manteca Fire Department are proud to do. It is a job which has changed dramatically in the last decade - becoming increasingly technical and dealing with an ever wider range of incidents.

 

What does the Manteca Fire Department Do?


The Fire Department's main function is to provide; public fire education, fire prevention, organized and efficient response to fires, first response to hazardous materials incidents, and to provide basic level "first responder" medical response. The main effort of the organization can be divided into the following categories of work:

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Emergency Response

The City of Manteca Fire Department responds to emergencies and calls for service from three fire stations located within the City limits.

Fires and other Emergencies

As our organization's name implies, we respond to and extinguish hostile fires of all types within the City and upon a request for assistance, outside of the City. The Manteca Fire Department responds to calls from the follwing locations:

Station #241 290 South Powers Ave.
Station #242 1154 S. Union Road
Station #243 399 West Louise Ave.

 

Types of Calls

Fire - All fire responses including structure fires, vehicle fires, grass fires, and any other fires.
EMS - All medical responses
Service - All service calls (odor investigation, public assist, alarms sounding, etc.)
Other Emergencies - All other calls not listed above (vehicle accidents, hazardous materials, false alarms, citizen complaints, etc.)

Medical Emergencies/Rescues

The Manteca Fire Department's response goal is to maintain as average 5 minute response time for all emergencies. With the strategic location of the three fire stations, fire personnel normally arrive prior to other responders (ambulance etc.) to begin emergency medical care. It is the responsibility of the Manteca Fire Department to provide emergency medical services to our customers. Medically related responses account for slightly over 50 percent of all requests for service. To maintain a standard level of care, all fire personnel are trained and certified Emergency Medical Technician-1(EMT) and EMT-D. The Manteca Fire Department has adopted an EMT-Defibrillation program. This program allows the fire personnel to deliver an electrical shock to victims of cardiac arrest while also doing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

The State of California mandates that Certified Emergency Medical personnel receive continuing education on the current trends of emergency medical care. To reduce the cost to the customer, all EMS training is provided by qualified, state accredited, Fire Department instructors. The Fire Department works very closely with the Manteca District Ambulance in the delivery of prehospital emergency care in Manteca. By not charging a user fee for medical treatment, the Fire Department has become the only part of the medical system that subsidizes the medical insurance system. All medical treatments and services provided by Fire Department personnel are free of charge to our customers.

 

Chaplain Program (Emergency Crisis Intervention)

Community members, local clergy and Fire Department personnel have combined to form a response network that provides emotional and spiritual support to people in crisis. Working under the joint guidance of the Manteca Ministerial Association and the City of Manteca Fire Department, local church leaders are dedicated to assisting distraught community members when disaster strikes. If during an emergency, Fire Department personnel deem intervention could be helpful, the on duty chaplain is summoned to assist the victims and others.

Chaplains have responded to all types of calls since the program was initiated in 1991. Structure fires, vehicle accidents, medical emergencies and even explosions have become the work arena for Manteca's spiritual leaders.

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Preparation for Emergency Response

Training

An old Fire Chief once said: The personnel that you have in a department are only as good as the equipment that they use and the training that they receive. This function of the Department is truly a part of all the things that we do for our customers. Training ranges from fire service basics such as hose lays, firefighting etc. but, also includes subjects such as computers, critical incident stress management, and management effectiveness. One of the goals of the training program is to increase the productivity of our personnel by learning new techniques and practicing safer methods of doing the job.

The training program is conducted for the benefit of our fulltime personnel and a special curriculum is presented to our Reserve Firefighting force of 16 people. The goals of the training program entail the certification of our personnel at various levels within the State Fire Marshal's training system. We are also working towards improving our response to larger incidents by training with neighboring fire departments and practicing various firefighting strategy and tactics with them in the hope that we will be more effective when operating at larger fires both in Manteca and in other parts of the State during urban interface fires in the fire season. The Department has made a serious commitment to training and its value to the customer, much of our time is spent doing this activity.

Maintenance

The Fire Department provides a continuous program for the care, maintenance, purchase and replacement of fire vehicles and equipment. Daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual and annual maintenance is performed in order to maintain reliability and longevity of our apparatus. A side benefit is reduced emergency repairs.

The Fire Department is responsible for the maintenance of all land and buildings on which we have fire stations. We perform all regular structural and landscaping maintenance on a year-round basis.

The Manteca Fire Department insures that all of the self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) in the department is maintained in a state of readiness. These units are absolutely critical in the performance of the job and are used by all fire personnel. The Department has six factory trained SCBA Technicians who perform regular inspections and maintenance of our SCBA to insure reliability. Our program also maintains the self contained breathing apparatus of the other City departments and assists some local businesses with filling their compressed air cylinders.

The Fire Department assists the Water Department by maintaining all of the City's 1500 fire hydrants. This includes regular lubrication, accessibility, location marking, and hydraulic flow testing. Firefighters are regularly seen during the months of February and March in all parts of the City doing this important maintenance. The Department is also responsible for the maintenance of its large inventory of fire hose. As one could well imagine, a fire department that does not have trustworthy fire hose would be of little benefit to the customers that they serve. We test, repair, and maintain all of our fire hose on an annual basis according to a nationally recognized standard. The Department owns over 1 mile of large 5 inch diameter supply line and over 4 miles of smaller sized fire hose used for attack lines.

Other Maintenance Duties

Besides all of the other types of maintenance that you have read about, there is still one more that is the most important. Human resource maintenance is a serious undertaking by our personnel. Most of our personnel are involved in various physical fitness programs that are designed to improve strength and cardiovascular performance. In addition to working out, we have not hired smokers since 1984 and were one of the first fire departments to do so.

There are many other types of maintenance that are performed by our personnel in the efforts of preparing to respond to emergencies. Space is limited in this pamphlet, but it is easy for the reader to understand the scope of all the tools, equipment, computers, specialized protective clothing, etc., that must be maintained in order for us to be able to do the job in an effective and efficient manner. The Department is much like a chain, in that we are only as strong as the weakest link in the system.

Pre Incident Data/Information/ Access

As many local business persons know, we are extensively involved in the collection and preparation of data that aids our personnel in the response to emergencies. We perform pre incident surveys of all buildings/businesses that have been identified as a "target hazard" or of a significant consequence if there was an emergency to happen at that building. During the survey we identify and prioritize those occupancies that are subject to the greatest potential life loss, hazard to firefighter safety, resources required for fire control, or economic loss to the community. The goal of the program is to better prepare our firefighters in their mission to minimize the loss of life and property to the Citizens of Manteca.

The Fire Department also maintains information on the various maps of the City by keeping our wall maps, map run books, and hydrant locations up to date. This information is then sent to many different agencies such as; the Manteca Police dispatch center, Manteca Ambulance, Manteca-Lathrop Rural Fire Department, Stockton Fire dispatch center, and all of our fire stations. This is done so we can respond quickly and accurately to calls for service.

Lock Box Program

The Fire Department has experienced emergency fire calls within business structures that were locked and the only means of entry was through forcibly breaking in windows or doors, which proves to be very expensive for the building owner. In an attempt to make access to businesses faster and easier in the event of an emergency, the Fire Department participates in the Lock Box Program. This enables the business owner to purchase a key lock box which is a sturdy metal, lockable compartment that is mounted to the exterior of the building and holds they keys to the respective building. Many lock boxes are in use throughout the City.

Manteca Firefighters Implement Computer System

As demands for digitized reporting increase, Manteca's firefighters are responding with their own solutions. Basing their system on PC type computers, firefighters have been able to develop electronic solutions to comply with local, regional, state and federal reporting requirements.

National training data and state fire reporting information are also reported via the computer. The California State Fire Marshal requires that complete data from every incident the fire department responds to is documented and forwarded via computer. A specialized data base and program are dedicated to this mission. The computers are occasionally pressed into critical service assisting in chemical emergencies. When a hazardous material is released, Manteca firefighters can utilize a federally developed program to identify, and predict down wind spreading of any resulting toxic vapor.

Finally, almost all other fire department operations are organized, recorded or assigned via computer. Manteca's firefighters plan to continue taking advantage of the available computer technology in order to offer more effective, efficient service to our customers.

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Fire Prevention

Business Inspection Program

The overall goal of the business inspection program is to enhance life safety and fire protection in our community. To achieve this goal the fire department attempts to educate business owners how to monitor their own business as it relates to fire safety as well as the safety of the general public.

Each business is inspected on a regular basis depending on the nature of the business conducted. Each business is inspected for conformance to the Uniform Fire Code and other nationally recognized fire safety practices that will lead to the reduction of life loss, injury, and damage to homes and businesses. On the average, most businesses are inspected annually by the personnel assigned to engine companies, however, many other specialized inspections are performed by the Fire Prevention Bureau Inspectors.

Weed and Auto Abatement/Nuisance Program

The City of Manteca has an ordinance which prohibits the accumulation of weeds, debris, rubbish, trash, grass and vegetation, and the accumulation and/or storage of abandoned, wrecked or dismantled automobiles on private property. To assist our customers in compliance with this ordinance, the Fire Department has a semi-annual Weed/Auto Abatement Program in which we canvass the entire city to rid our neighborhoods of such nuisances.

The Fire Department responds to all citizen complaints that deal with life safety, or those that constitute a public nuisance. Our goal is not only to protect or community from tragic events, but also to ensure a safe, clean city to live in.

Fire Investigations

The Manteca Department of Fire and Rescue investigates the cause, origin and circumstances of each and every reported hostile fire occurring in our jurisdiction. The Fire Department keeps a record of all fires occurring within the City and of statistics concerning the extent and cause of such fires. Some investigation personnel also are certified peace officers and have the powers of arrest if the situation arises.

 

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Public Fire Education

F.A.I.T.S. (Fire Awareness In The Schools)

The total number of elementary schools in which we teach the Fire Awareness In The Schools program (F.A.I.T.S.) is eleven. Nine of those schools are public and the remaining two are private schools.

The engine company personnel teach various public fire safety lessons that children will need in order to be safe from fire and other accidents. In each class the students are challenged to participate in the lesson and each lesson is designed with their safety needs in mind.

Manteca firefighters teach approximately 2,600 students in the 80+ separate classes that participate in the program on a regular basis. The FAITS program has been conducted by the department for many years and has helped with the departments efforts in keeping fire and injury rates low in the City.

Child Firesetter Program

The Child Firesetter Program is one of the most important programs within the Fire Prevention Bureau. We strongly believe that if we can counsel and educate the potential child fire setter at the earliest possible moment, we can prevent him or her from starting down the road to potentially larger arson fires and the resultant grief.

At least one firefighter on each shift has been assigned the task of meeting with referred children. These firefighters have been specifically trained to talk to both the child and the respective parents so as to attempt to ascertain the cause for his/her having starting the fire.

If the Fire Department counselor feels that professional counseling is warranted, a recommendation is made to the parent for voluntary action. The Firefighters then follow up at a later date to determine the child's progress.

Earthquake Preparedness

The Fire Department coordinates the annual Earthquake Preparedness Month activities and provides support and resources for anyone in need of information. Approximately 295 Manteca City employees participate each year in these exercises. Members of our Department receive training on how to prepare for, and respond to, the potential earthquake that our area is prone to. The Department in turn, prepares and delivers classes to the public when requested, on how to best prepare your family for this type of disaster.

Other Public Education Efforts

The Fire Department meets with the various Neighborhood Watch Groups and provides information regarding home safety, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and home inspection programs. Our personnel provide informative classes and demonstrations on the use and types of fire extinguishers to various civic groups, businesses and organizations.

Fire Department personnel install smoke detectors and/or change their batteries in the homes of Senior Citizens. This service is provided free of charge, when the citizen provides the smoke detector and battery. Smoke detectors are available through the Manteca Senior Citizens Center.

The Fire Prevention Bureau publishes various articles on fire safety, public fire education, upcoming events, and provides statistics on Fire Department activities in the local newspapers. These articles are provided to educate and inform our customers about fire safety and keep them advised about the events of their fire department.

 

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Support of Other Departments or Agencies

The Manteca Fire Department serves a support role for several other Departments and Agencies at both the Local, State and Federal levels of Government. Below is a brief review of some of the Departments or Agencies that we support while doing our jobs.

 

 Local Department/Agency

Support/Service Provided

 All City Depts.

First Aid/ CPR Training/ Earthquake Preparedness

 Police Dept.

Hazardous Materials, Training, Arson Investigation

 

Disaster Planning, Public Education

Planning Dept.

City Growth Planning, Fire input/impact

Building Dept.

Building inspection and Referral

Public Works Dept.

Hydrant Markers, Haz Mat Intervention

Water Dept.

Hydrant Maintenance, *SCBA maintenance/ training

Sanitation Dept.

*SCBA maintenance/ training

Finance Dept.

Business License Inspection

Parks Dept.

*SCBA maintenance/ training

 

 * SCBA = Self Contained Breathing Apparatus

 

 

 County Dept./Agency

Support/Service Provided

Office of Emergency Services 

Hazardous Materials response and code enforcement

Health Dept.

Building inspection/ reporting

Environmental Health Dept.

Hazardous Materials response

 Air Pollution Control

 Hazardous Materials response, agricultural fires

 

 

State Dept./Agency

 Support/Service Provided

State Fire Marshal

Code Enforcement / training

Office of Emergency Services

Hazardous Materials response, Disaster response

California Division of Forestry

Fire Mutual Aid

California State Parks Dept.

Fire Mutual Aid

Dept. of Health Services

Hazardous Materials response - Radiological

 

 

Federal Dept./ Agency

  Support/Service Provided

 U.S. Forest Service

Fire Mutual Aid

Bureau of Land Management

Fire Mutual Aid

National Parks Service

Fire Mutual Aid

National Fire Academy

Fire Training

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Disaster Response

 

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Who Pays For These Services And How Much?

 

In 1978 the voters in California passed Proposition 13, then described as a "taxpayer revolt or revolution". This proposition significantly changed the way in which local governments were funded. In the past there was heavy reliance on property taxes to provide a "general fund", from which each department was in turn funded. Now there are far fewer City departments which are solely funded by the general fund and the monies coming in from taxes are legislatively earmarked for particular uses. Cities have much less latitude for funding public safety efforts, because a large portion of their monies go to other purposes in the City. At present, 59% of Manteca's general fund is spent on public safety (Police and Fire). The Fire Department gets over 21% of the general fund and is solely funded from this source.

 

A High Quality Service

The Insurance industry has a rating service for the purpose of determining fire insurance rates in various cities throughout the United States. The Insurance Services Office has rated Manteca as a class 3. This is on a scale of 1 to 10; 10 being no fire protection at all, and class 1 being reserved for a few very select cities. This rating evaluates not only the fire department, but also the City's water system and the fire department's communications and training functions. Manteca shares the second best rating in the County and is rated in the top 15% of fire departments in San Joaquin County. The most common ISO rating in San Joaquin County is 8.

 

Value For The Money

What does the fire department and emergency medical service system cost you, the Manteca citizen and taxpayer? The answer is $61.91 per year per citizen. Broken down further, this reflects a cost of $5.16 per month, or less than 17 cents per day! A telephone call, a cup of coffee, or your daily newspaper costs more than your total daily proactive fire protection and emergency medical services system.

A look at how much others are paying for fire protection:

 

 Average cost per capita per year

 Average ISO rating

 San Joaquin County (rural)

$85.62

6.9

 San Joaquin County (entire)

 $77.98

6.2

 San Joaquin County (cities)

 $68.28

3.6

 Manteca Fire Department

 $61.91

3


We are constantly examining our service delivery and trying to find new and better ways of providing services more effectively and efficiently. The Manteca Fire Department entered into a cooperative agreement with the Stockton fire department for the consolidation of emergency dispatching services. This agreement significantly increased the department's capabilities, reduced redundant services, reduced the number of emergency calls for service, and is much more effective than before. We are also examining the areas of joint purchasing, training and fire prevention inspection for similar cost savings.

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Staffing


The subject of staffing levels in the fire service has at times been very controversial. Many standards have been discussed, but none of them are mandated. Some fire agencies set a goal of 1 firefighter per 1000 population. This is a very common guideline for much of the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) opinioned that prior to an initial interior structure fire attack taking place, at least 4 firefighters must be on scene. The Manteca Fire Department currently averages 9 persons on an initial response (three engine companies and one division chief). These forces are then supported by off duty and Reserve Firefighters. If the fire is larger and beyond the scope of the on scene personnel, a greater alarm may be struck. A request from predetermined mutual aid resources is made and within approximately 14 minutes, another 7 firefighters are on the scene to assist.

Other Local Fire Department's Staffing Levels (firefighters per 1,000 population)

Manteca-Lathrop RFD

1.16

Stockton FD.

.93

Lodi FD

.89

Tracy FD

.62

Manteca City FD

.77

 

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Who Manages The Manteca Fire Department ?

The City of Manteca is governed by the Council/Manager form of government. The five members of the City Council and the City Manager represent the citizens of Manteca in the all matters and issues as they relate to our local government and the services that it provides. One of those services is fire protection and rescue. The Department Head for the Fire Department is Kirk Waters the Fire Chief. He is charged with the effective and efficient operation of the department. Chief Waters has three Battalion Chiefs and a Fire Marshal that are part of his management team and who are responsible for the various functions of the organization.

The Fire Department changed its focus about who we serve and how we see ourselves several years ago. We realized that we don't just serve taxpayers, since not everybody pays taxes. We realized that we don't just serve citizens, since some are not. We have come to understand that we serve our customers and have changed our perception to include all of the people that live in, work in, or travel through our City. Our customer oriented services are best observed in the time and effort that we take to restore and salvage a building after a fire. We take great pride in our salvage efforts and treat the building and its contents as though they belong to one of our best friends and are trying to get him/her back on their feet. Few people understand the grief and hardship that one experiences after a fire, better than we do.

 

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A Recipe For Disaster!

Manteca is known as the "Cross roads of California" and as such has an inordinate amount of transportation through and around it. This is convenient but also lends itself to frequent transportation related emergencies. The proximity to Highways 99, 120, and 5 have caused the Fire Department to respond to several large accidents, fires and spills. During the "fog" season many Mantecan's can remember the vehicle accidents and injuries on the highways, some of which have totaled more than 100 damaged cars in a single incident. We also have the Union Pacific Railroad tracks bisecting the City and the freight trains can be seen traveling though town about every 30 minutes. In February of 1989, we responded to a 58 car train that derailed in the heart of Manteca. Many of the cars were off the track, but there were no injuries. Other potential transportation related incidents include the proximity to, and in the flight path of, several large nearby airports.

A common misconception that many Mantecan's have is the belief that there is not a fire problem in their City and that "big" fires do not tend to happen here. Listed below are some interesting fire facts that will serve to put the fire problem in Manteca in perspective. The fact is that for the past 10 years, the City of Manteca has lost over three quarters of a million dollars per year (average) to the effects of hostile fires. Better news is that during the same period of time, the death and injury rate for both civilians and firefighters is well below the national averages. Manteca suffers (5) civilian injuries per year, (.5) civilian deaths per year, (5.3) firefighter injuries per year, and (0 ) firefighter deaths per year on average.

 

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Major Incidents

A partial summary of some of the larger and more costly (commercial, industrial and residential) incidents that have happened here in Manteca.

 Date

Event

Location

$ Loss

Death(s)

Injured

5/7/1972

Structure Fire

600 W. Yosemite - Church

$100,000

0

0

 7/25/1973

 Structure Fire

Manteca Motor Sales

$250,000

0

0

6/12/1974

 Structure Fire

Tomato Growers Plant

$1,000,000

0

0

5/6/1977

 Structure Fire

El Rey Theater

$250,000

0

0

8/13/1980

 Structure Fire

Manteca Produce

$300,000

0

0

 1/13/1982

 Structure Fire

707 Sonora

$75,000

1

0

5/30/1982

Structure Fire

East Union High School

$96,000

0

0

9/29/1982

Structure Fire

Tony's Pizzaria

$100,000

0

0

1010/1983

Structure Fire

Sycamore Apartments

$200,000

3

15

2/21/1989

Train Derailment

SPRR (58 Cars involved)

 

0

0

7/8/1989

Structure Fire

1108 Palomino

$100,000

0

0

1/5/1990

Roof Collapse

TG&Y Store

 

0

0

9/3/1990

Structure Fire

951 Yolo

$85,000

0

0

4/27/1992

Structure Fire

Home Video

$275,000

0

0

5/8/1992

Structure Fire

Stockton Savings Bank

$150,000

0

0

6/8/1992

Structure Fire

423 N. Maple Ave.

$170,000

0

2

6/21/1992

Structure Fire

593 N. Acacia Ave.

$180,000

0

1

 7/6/1992

Structure Fire

556 E. Edison St.

$185,000

0

2

8/31/1992

Structure Fire

Golden Oldies Deli

$160,000

0

0

11/3/1992

Explosion/Fire

218 Elm St,

$170,000

0

5

3/27/1993

Structure Fire

1135 Aldwina

$80,000

0

0

3/25/1994

Structure Fire

Sequoia School

$140,000

0

0

5/30/1994

Structure Fire

1405 Stonewood

$90,000

0

0

9/6/1994

Structure Fire

619 Privot

$170,000

0

0

11/21/1994

Structure Fire

190 Sky Pl.

$90,000

0

1

12/10/1994

Vehicle Fire

Airport Way at Hwy 120

$16,500

1

0

12/24/1994

Structure Fire

649 Scott Pl.

$105,000

0

0

3/20/1996

Structure Fire

908 S. Maple

$145,000

0

0

7/8/1996

Structure Fire

1870 Pecanwood

$160,000

0

1

 10/19/1996

Structure Fire

1027 Hacienda Ave.

$86,000

0

0

10/29/1996

Structure Fire

344 S. Powers Ave.

$100,000

0

0

January 1997

Flood

South Manteca Area

 

0

0

 2/5/1997

Structure Fire

1133 Devonshire

$180,000

0

2

4/1/1997

Structure Fire

137 Goodale Ct.

$110,000

0

0

7/13/1997

Structure Fire

261 Birchwood

$175,000

0

0

11/19/1997

Structure Fire

472 Tami Ct.

$75,000

0

1

12/26/1997

Structure Fire

238 N. Airport Way

$75,000

0

0

1/15/1998

Trailer Fire

220 N. Grant St

 $3,000

0

3

6/1/1999

Structure Fire

Long John Silvers

$150,000

0

0

6/11/1999

Structure Fire

Pac N. Save Store

$90,000

0

0

6/19/1999

Structure Fire

Sierra High School

$525,000

0

0

7/26/1999

Structure Fire

524 S. Locust

$70,000

0

0

11/22/1999

Structure Fire

2693 Bronzan Rd.

$60,000

0

0

12/16/1999

Structure Fire

1260 N. Main St.

$80,000

0

0

3/31/2000

Structure Fire

426 Cherry Apartments

$315,000

0

0

7/4/2000

Structure Fire

469 Sevile

$105,000

0

1

           

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What Can You Do To Help?

We ask that once you have read this document, "What We Do For You", to make the decision on whether you are receiving value for your money with regard to our service. We expect further cuts in State funding for Manteca local government services, including your Fire Department! One immediate form of assistance that you can do is to increase the fire protection in your home by having an operational automatic smoke detector in the hallway leading to your bedroom area.

 

What We Do For You

Click here for a downloadable PDF file of this report

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