| | Published June 9th, 2010
| Daryl Louder Named Contra Costa County Fire Chief; Inherits Budget Challenges
| | By Lucy Amaral |  | | Photo provided by Chief Louder
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The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors announced that Daryl L. Louder has been named Fire Chief for the Contra Costa Fire Protection District (CCCFPD); Louder started the job June 1, taking over from interim Fire Chief John Ross. In his new position, Louder will oversee fire and emergency medical services to nine cities (including Lafayette) across a 304 square mile area with 30 fire stations.
"It's an honor and a privilege to be selected as the Fire Chief for the District," he said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for my family and me to live in a great community and for me to work with a great organization."
Louder has been a firefighter for over 27 years, most recently holding the positions of Assistant Chief of Business Services and Deputy Chief of Special Operations for Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in Virginia. Louder said he looks forward to working with CCCFPD.
"I have always had a lot of professional respect for the west coast fire and emergency medical services. They tend to be very professional and progressive," said Louder. "Additionally, there are many unique hazards and threats in California that provide professional challenges. Many of the socio-economic and demographic factors in Contra Costa County are similar to where I lived in Virginia, so that made the area attractive."
With the economic downturn, Louder said he does face serious issues and is currently meeting with District partners and stakeholders to garner information. "The most obvious and immediate concern is the economic environment facing the District," he said. "Once (those meetings) are complete we will prioritize the areas that we need to address. We will then identify the best solutions and develop a strategy to address them."
A preliminary 2010/2011 budget for the Fire District has been proposed, Ross said, with various budgeting scenarios available depending on final numbers.
One "worst case scenario" budget reduction item that has been discussed is the temporary closing of a number of low-volume stations. Lafayette's Station 16, located on Los Arabis, has made the short list of possible sites targeted for short-term closures. 'Short-term' in this case could be several years, added Ross.
As actual revenue numbers won't be available until July 1, Ross said that the Board of Supervisors will delay final approval of the budget until after those numbers are available and evaluated by Chief Louder.
Louder affirmed that his goal is to continue to offer quality service to District residents. "(CCCFPD) is a quality organization that provides excellent all-hazards service to our community with limited resources. I want to ensure that we stay focused on the community and residents during our fire prevention and emergency response efforts," Louder said. "I look forward to working with the community and all of our stakeholders to plan and prepare for the future of the District."
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA