Safe Surrender site unveiled at Copperopolis Fire Dept

Copperopolis Fire Protection District has officially become the 5th Safe Surrender site in Calaveras County allowing for the anonymous surrender of an infant up to 72 hours old.

According to staff within CFPD a grant was written to help offset the costs of the supplies and signage.

From the programs inception in January 2001 to March of 2014, 621children in the state of California have been surrendered. Sites such as the safe surrender sites allow the parent the anonymity they wish and the infant access to immediate healthcare and emergency placement in qualified foster care homes.

Currently, CFPD has a contract with Mark Twain hospital for medical care of the surrendered infant.

It is not necessary for the parent surrendering the child to be a resident. However, each parent with be sent home with health documents that they can voluntarily fill out and return, again anonymously,  so that a health history of the child can be recorded. The parent, legally, has a small window of time where they can change their mind and reclaim their child.

24 Hour Safe Surrender Sites in Calaveras County

Mark Twain Medical Center - Emergency Room

768 Mountain Ranch Rd., San Andreas, CA 95249

(209) 754-3521

Calaveras Consolidated Fire Protection District

129 E. Highway 12, Valley Springs, CA 95252

(209)772-1268

Central Calaveras Fire & Rescue Protection District

19927 Jesus Maria Road, Mokelumne Hill, CA

(209) 754-4330

Copperopolis Fire Protection District Station 1

370 Main St, Copperopolis, CA 95228

(209) 785-2393

Copperopolis Fire Protection District Station 2

1927 Quiver St, Copperopolis, CA 95228

(209) 785-0800

Ebbetts Pass Fire Protection District Station 1

1037 Blagen Road, Arnold, CA 95223

(209) 795-1646

Volunteer firefighter Driver training at Copper Fire

Over the past few weeks you may have noticed and increase in fire vehicles about town and at Copper Fire running through their paces on a cone track as well as quite a bit of water flowing from engines and tenders at Town Square. This was all in preparation to serve you, the community.

The class was a Driver Operator 1A for county volunteer firefighters, taught by Battalion Chief Jim Toy of both Copper and Murhpys Fire.

Volunteers from West Point, San Andreas, Central Fire, Sutter Creek, Murphys, and Altaville-Melones participated in the driver operator course. The course, taught by Battalion Chief Jim Toy a volunteer with Copper Fire and Murhys, consisted of 40 hours of defensive driving - 16 hours behind the wheel - and an additional 16 hours on basic pump operations. 

A cone course was set up at Copper Fire for the city street portion of the behind the wheel course whereas approximately 40 acres of rugged wildland in the backhills of Copper was used for the behind the wheel training for wildland.

Pump training occurred at Town Square.

Copper Fire Volunteers receive donation from Copper Run

On December 6, 2013 at the organization meeting for the 2014 Copper Run, the Copper Run committee representative and Copper School principal Karen Vale presented Copper Fire Volunteers Don Rollings, Steve Marks and Stacey Nolan with a check for $1000.00 for the assocaitions unfailing help with the Copper Run.

For the past 27 years Copper School and the Copper Volunteer Firefighters assoc has organized and run the Copper run. In 2014 the Friends of the Library will also be helping.

Copper Fire welcomes kids

Copper Fire recently participated in a countywide open house showing off their equipment and their commitment to community.

At a recent board meeting Chief Kovacs stated that Copper Fire is an Open House 365 days a year, open to children who wish to vist and crawl in the engines and visit with the fire fighters. As well as those interested in learning how to become a volunteer.

Stop by Station #1 during business hours on any day and visit or pick up information on becoming a volunteer. If you want to help but do not want to be in the line of fire Kovacs stressed there are many volunteer positions that are not directly fire related, they are support positions.

Stop by to learn more!

Copper Fire trains for low angle rope rescue

On 9-13-13 Copper fire in conjunction with Sierra Conservation Center fire crew and CALFIRE trained for low angle rope rescue at the Lake Tulloch Bible Church hillside.
Low angle rope rescue involves ropes, anchors, rappelling and hauling devices (basket) and other specialized equipment to reach victims in precarious locations and safely recover them.

Copper Firefighters home safe from RIM fire

On August 20 2013 Copper Fire's Chief Steve Kovacs, Engineer Nick Maness, Engineer paramedic Matt Sowell and firefighter Eric Bavarro headed up the hill with a strike team to fire the RIM fire which began on August 17, 2013. On August 27, 2013 firefighter Doug Ungari replaced Bavarro on the line.
All firefighters came home late yesterday afternoon, 9-3-13, tired but safe.
Thank you firefighters for your service!
Well done!

Vehicle Collision Little John and Copper Cove

5-2-13 10:00 pm
Report of a vehicle collision on Little John and Copper Cove Drive. Emergency crews responding. Please use caution if in the area.
10:05
Sheriff en route from Angels Camp.

Sand bags available at Copper Fire

Sand bags will be available at Copper Fire Station #1 on the morning of 11-28-12.
If you are in a small stream flood zone you may wish to pick up some bags.
For more information call station #1 after 9 am at 785-2393.

Click 'read more' to read the flood watch warning from the National Weather Service.

Copper Fire reminds you Measure C in NOT a new tax nor an increase in taxes or fees

COPPEROPOLIS FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

MEASURE C

Statement of Facts

The Copperopolis Fire Protection District has placed Measure C on the November Ballot.  This Measure is to re-affirm the District’s Appropriation Limit, also known as the Gann Limit.  This ballot measure requirement comes from legal language that is still in place from the property tax movement of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

MEASURE C IS NOT AN INCREASE IN TAXES OR FEES

Measure C is not a new tax. It is simply a re-authorization to allow the Copperopolis Fire Protection District to spend the revenues from taxes that were already approved in 1997 and 2002 by more than 2/3 of the voters within the District.  Measure C is not a new tax or a tax increase.  By approving Measure C, your taxes will not be increased in any way, but the Copperopolis Fire Protection District will be allowed to spend the taxes that have already been approved and collected.  Article XII(b) of the California State Constitution requires the voters approve this Measure every four years.

The Gann Limit prohibits the District from spending tax revenue that equals more than the approved limit, thus restricting growth, and sometimes reducing tax-funded programs and services. 

If Measure C is not passed, the Copperopolis Fire Protection District will be unable to spend some of the tax revenues collected each year.  This may mean the loss of the paramedic services and the potential loss of firefighter positions.  As a result, residents might have to wait for up to 30 minutes for a paramedic response. 

MEASURE C IS NOT A NEW TAX. A YES vote on MEASURE C will allow the Copperopolis Fire Protection District to spend the tax revenue that you have previously approved and assist in maintaining the level of protection it provides to the community.

If you have any questions regarding Measure C, you may contact the Fire Station at 209-785-2393.

Structure fire Saddle Creek

A late night structure fire occurred in Saddle Creek last night 11-11-11 with the call coming out just before midnight. Multiple crews responded.
More details to follow as they come in.

Update: 0940
Possibly injury to one or more firefighters due to roof collapse. Will post details when more information comes in.

Update: 1115
Investigation still in progress. Kitten was recovered alive in the rubble.

Copperopolis Fire Protection District Board meeting Agenda 11-10-11

COPPEROPOLIS  FIRE  PROTECTION  DISTRICT

370   MAIN  STREET,  COPPEROPOLIS,  CA 95228

MEETING  AGENDA                NOVEMBER 10,  2011   

             PUBLIC  SESSION   6:30  P M 

CLOSED  SESSION   TO  FOLLOW  PUBLIC  SESSION

1.  Open Public Meeting

2.  Roll Call of Directors

3.  Approval of Agenda   This is the time for any Director to ask that an item be considered in a different order than listed below.  New items cannot be added to this agenda for deliberation or action, but may be added to the agenda of a future meeting pursuant to Item # 10 below        ( Identification of Items for Future Meetings).   

4.  Approval of Minutes   Minutes of the Public Meeting October 13, 2011.                                                                                                                   

CFPD 5-28-11 Board meeting recap

The majority of the meeting was spent discussing the budget and its woes.

Questioned arose about the maintenance of the water tender being the actual responsibility of the county. Apparently years ago the county bought water tenders for 8 departments, part of the deal with this purchase was that the county would assume responsibility for maintenance. While CFPD did not accept a water tender they did purchase one of significantly more value and were reimbursed for the amount equal to the purchase price of the other water tenders. Following this line of reasoning, maintenance may be the responsibility of the county. Chairman Maness stated that this would be an issue for our Supervisor as it was a Supervisor that was forthcoming with funding years ago.