Fire Station Safety, Yuba City FD

OSHA: California Dept. Didn't Address MRSA at Firehouse
A complaint has been filed against the Yuba City FD, alleging health violations have not been addressed.
BY ASHLEY GEBB - Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.

Posted: Mon, 10/24/2011 - 10:27am
Updated: Mon, 10/24/2011 - 10:43am
..A complaint has been filed against the Yuba City Fire Department, alleging MRSA outbreaks and other health violations have not been addressed at a fire station.

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health notified the Fire Department on Oct. 13 that it has until Thursday to provide a response.

The complaint alleged:

--Four outbreaks of MRSA -- an antibiotic resistant staph infection -- at the Butte House Road Station in the last 16 months.

--A toilet drain in the living area plugged with fabric.

--Insulation exposed in the living room.

--The septic system backed up three to six months ago with no official cleanup.

A Yuba City firefighter, saying he feared retribution, spoke to the Appeal-Democrat on condition of anonymity. He said one of the greatest frustrations is firefighters are doing their jobs, but do not have a clean, safe station.

"We do take risks, that's our job, but in this place, people are starting to feel like the department doesn't have their backs, and people are getting sick," he said.

Firefighters at the station are frustrated by the prolonged conditions, he said.

"They finished the exterior so it looks great from the outside. As people drive by it looks completed, but you go inside and it's a mess," the firefighter, who does not work at the station, said. "If we inspected a building like that, we'd shut it down."

Fire Chief Pete Daley is preparing a response to the workplace safety agency, known as Cal/OSHA. He said the Butte House Road station, also known as Station 7, is in the middle of a major remodel, and all health and safety issues are being overseen with the help of an industr al hygienist.

Daley said he was "disappointed" when the letter arrived, since Station 7 firefighters have been involved in the remodel and are frequently updated on its status.

"The letter from Cal/OSHA, what it allows everyone to do is make sure we are focusing on taking care of the problem," he said. "That's the primary goal, to make sure the facility is safe and that our employees are safe."

The Fire Department inherited the Butte House Road station when it merged with the Walton Fire Department in 2001. The structure was built only as a daytime-use station, not a 24-hour live-in station, and remodeling was needed, Daley said.

The first priority was to weatherize the building, Daley said, and a $316,000 exterior remodel was completed earlier this year.

It was during the exterior remodel that interior remodel discussions began. Firefighters at the station asked to remove a living room bathroom to create more space and were allowed to make the change themselves, exposing the insulation and causing the plugged toilet drain.

It was difficult to remodel a fire station while it's in use, Daley said. Exposed walls and other issues inevitably occur, and the remodel has taken longer than usual.

Six months ago, the Fire Department brought in an industrial hygienist to focus on sanitation, resulting in new safety and cleaning policies and sanitation training for all firefighters. The county Health Department was also brought in to provide additional training.

Daley stressed that MRSA -- methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus -- is common in hospitals, care homes and other locations. Its ease of contraction makes it a risk even in public places like grocery stores. As firefighters enter private homes and provide medical aid services, it is not unexpected they would be exposed to various health issues, he said.

"We deal with a lot of sick people," Daley said. "MRSA is just one of the concerns we have in our facility and with our people. As far as safety, there is hepatitis, there is MRSA, there is the flu-influenza."

Additional improvements have been identified to improve sanitation, such as replacing carpeting with a nonporous surface, switching fabric chairs to plastic, and firefighters sanitizing their boots before entering the station.

"We are using Station 7 as a prototype as we go through and remodel other stations," Daley said. "Our No. 1 priority is taking care of our customers and the community as well as our employees."

In its current condition, the anonymous firefighter said, the station has egregious fire safety violations, including covered smoke detectors and open walls that would allow the quick spread of fire.

"Here we are, the Fire Department, and we are breaking our own rules," he said.

The plans and specifications for the interior remodel went before the council Sept. 20, and the advertisement of bids was authorized with an anticipation of a November construction start. The improvements include new flooring, drywall, electrical, mechanical, painting, sound insulation, doors, appliances, cabinets, counters and plumbing.

The interior project is estimated to cost $318,000. Funding for the work has been in the city's Capital Improvement Program budget since 2009.

During the improvements, the department has saved money and create a better living situation for the firefighters by renting the house next door, Daley said.

"We are doing everything we can to deal with all the issues and all the concerns we have at Station 7," he said. "(With the) industrial hygienist to help us, I think we have taken all the precautions we can."

Mayor John Dukes had not heard about the letter Friday but after speaking with Daley, he said he trusted the Fire Department to keep its facilities and firefighters safe. The remodel of the Butte House Road station will be a model for all other stations for health and safety once it is complete.

"They are working on the issues, they were aware of these issues and had been working on them for some time," he said.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service