Progress continues in the preparation of the construction documents for the reconstruction of Fire Station No. 1.  The station was originally built in 1961 and is currently experiencing foundation settlement causing structural damage. The station is not built to current building codes and standards, and does not provide efficient multi-gender accommodations.

The Public Services Department in coordination with the Fire Department is working with WLC Architects to complete the construction documents for a state of the art Fire Station.

The new station will be equipped with a three-bay and double-deep apparatus room, ten fire fighter dorm rooms, administrative offices, kitchen, dining room, day room, physical training room, EMS training room, mechanic shop area, and emergency medical supply room within the 11,675 square foot building.  Additional site features include an emergency generator, fuel station, hose drying tower, and a City emergency supply storage unit.

The new station will provide direct access to Adams Avenue in an effort to minimize emergency response time and improve traffic safety. The floor plan is being designed and coordinated to ensure that usability and circulation are maximized.

The new station will achieve LEED Gold certification and exceed California Title 24 Energy Code requirements by at least 15%. The attached architectural concept was approved by the Planning Commission in January. It is anticipated that bidding on the project will begin in the summer of 2017 with award of the contract by the council in October of 2016. Construction is anticipated to begin in January 2017.

The Costa Mesa Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on April 15, 2016, at Baker St. and Bear St., between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

The deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol or drug involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well-publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.

Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. Officers will also check drivers for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily.

Specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving. Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.

Based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests, DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving impaired driving deterrence. Locations are chosen with safety considerations for the officers and the public.

This checkpoint was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On April 13, 2016, the Engine 81 team of Capt. Taylor Voss, Engineer Cinnamon Basco and Firefighter/Paramedic Jeff Bibler responded to Southbound Harbor north of the San Diego Freeway to investigate a report that several ducklings had fallen into a storm drain.

See video of the rescue below:

When the crew from Engine 81 arrived they used a pry bar to gain access to the storm drain and were able to rescue nine ducklings.

Initially, one of the ducklings was resistant to being rescued; however, the firefighters were persistent and successful in rescuing all the ducklings.

We are happy to report that all ducklings were released and reunited with Mama Duck.

After the rescue, the crew was said to be quacking up as they reflected on the day’s events.

The 20-plus members of Costa Mesa’s Telecommunications Bureau received some special recognition this week as city, police and fire officials celebrated the National Public Safety Communicators Week that runs through April 16.

The week, sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International and celebrated annually, honors the thousands of men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to the world’s citizens, according to a statement on the association’s website.

City CEO office staff, including CEO Tom Hatch, was one of several departments to provide food, deserts and beverages to the team as a way to honor and thank them for the work they do.

On Wednesday April 13, Hatch and others visited the bureau, located just behind City Hall, and met with members of the telecom team and got a demonstration of their duties.

“They provide quality customer service to residents by continually and quickly helping to solve problems for the community,” Hatch said.

CEO Tom Hatch and telecom Supervisor Sandra Marquez

The communications officers who work in the bureau take in more than 100 calls a day and put in 12 and sometimes 18-hour shifts taking calls from accident victims, suicidal, belligerent and despondent callers or victims of fire or crime.

“How often do you have to take a call from someone who is having perhaps the worst experience in their life,” said Costa Mesa Police Lt. Keith Davis, who supervises the Telecommunications Bureau. “They do it every single day.”

Davis noted the bureau is only one of two in the county that manages all dispatch duties for a single city.  The telecom team handles both emergency and non-emergency calls for police, fire, animal control maintenance and water services. They provide members of the public with directions on how to respond to medical emergencies.

Davis, who has supervised the crew for a little more than a year, said he’s learned a lot about just what they do.

“I think they are extremely deserving of the recognition,” he said. “This is an opportunity to tell them that we do appreciate them and there are a lot of people dropping by and recognizing them. It makes them feel they are not unnoticed. They are real excited.”

Davis pointed out that the dispatchers and call takers end up being spokespeople for the city. How a member of the public is treated can really change perceptions.

“It helps to have talented people,” he said. “I thought I knew a little bit about dispatch. I had no idea about the scope of their responsibilities. Doing what they do on a daily basis, especially being short staffed, is even more admirable.”

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On Monday April 4, Costa Mesa Police Department leadership attended the Class No. 219 graduation ceremonies at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy to welcome two new officers to the department.

“We want to extend a big welcome to new officers Candyce McMorris and Jason Santos,” Police Chief Rob Sharpnack said. “We are thrilled to have them join our team, and we look forward to these individuals making big contributions to the department and the community for years to come.”

Graduates McMorris and Santos both received awards for their academy achievements.

McMorris was presented with the Outstanding Practical Application Skills Award and Santos received the Outstanding Physical Training Award.

The officers are part of a major recruitment effort led by the department that has seen approximately 40 new officers hired over the course of two years and more on the way.

“This is further proof that we are a department on the rise,” Chief Sharpnack said. “Costa Mesa is a prime destination for the best and brightest officers in the county and we are proud of that hard-earned reputation.”

Believe it or not, Southern California is on the verge of beginning the fire season.

In preparation for that, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue has started the first phase of wildland firefighting training.

Fire crews traveled to Gypsum Canyon to train with other Orange County agencies to prepare for what is expected to be a busy season.

In addition to preparing for potential brush fires, members of the Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue have been training diligently to prepare probationary firefighters for their manipulative testing.

Although, the focus is to train probationary firefighters,  seasoned firefighters benefit from the training as they coach our new generation of firefighters.

The battalion chiefs have been conducting evaluated drills for every crew assigned to their shift.

This training exercises communications, tactical decisions and crew continuity.

At the monthly Meet and Greet ceremony, City CEO Tom Hatch awarded CMPD Crime Scene Investigation Supervisor Kimberlee Guluzian with the Leadership Award for March.

Prior to coming to Costa Mesa in 2013, Guluzian began her career in law enforcement working in the jails for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department as a Forensic Specialist where she worked 10 years processing crime scenes.

Guluzian has been recognized for her leadership, initiative, positive attitude, and willingness to take responsibility for ensuring sound crime scene investigative services are provided to the Police Department and the City of Costa Mesa.

CSI Supervisor Guluzian is known for routinely responding in the field to handle calls for service or coming in after hours for major incidents when CSI is not available. These incidents have ranged from basic theft scenes to active homicide investigations. As a supervisor, she has also addressed several operational challenges to ensure the CSI Unit remains effective.

In addition to her primary responsibilities, Guluzian instructs for the Field Evidence Technician and Crime Scene Investigator courses, the CMPD Citizens’ and Teen Academies, and for new Costa Mesa officers during patrol school. She also regularly participates in other department related activities like the annual Baker to Vegas relay and OCSD academy graduations to name a few.

Guluzian’s forensic expertise and skills have not been limited to law enforcement. For eight seasons, she provided her expertise as a crime scene technical advisor for the hit TV show Dexter and worked on the Oscar Pistorius case as a technical expert for the TV program Carte Blanche.

In addition, the Leadership Award, six newly hired employees were welcomed to City Hall at the event.

There was plenty of praise and awards to go around as several members of the Costa Mesa Police Department received top honors in the company of their family, colleagues and top city leaders at the annual Employee Recognition Breakfast held Tuesday morning March 22 at The Crossing Church.

“Today’s award recipients all share a common thread,” Chief Rob Sharpnack said. “They are servant leaders, passionately driven toward their duty and responsibility to improve the community. They are driven by a sense of what is right and good. They are the difference makers in our organization and the community.”

The event, emceed by Sgt. Clint Dieball, recognized Volunteer of the Year George Villazuela; Explorers of the Year Celia Quijivix and Kimberly Velasquez; Civilian of the Year Community Service Specialist Jessica Peters; Civilian Supervisor of the Year Administrator Sandra Lozano; Sworn Supervisor of the Year Sgt. Stephanie Selinske and Officer of the Year Lance Healey.

After winning the award, Officer Healey took to the stage and gave a rousing speech to his fellow police department colleagues.

“My entire adult life I’ve been part of an organization that is bigger than myself,” said Officer Healey, who is a military veteran and a key trainer in the department’s pre-academy program. “We are a department that is on the way up. I can see it. And I’m proud to have been a part of that.”

To read more about the award winners click here.

In addition to the staff members honored, the department named Mika Community Development Corp. as the Community Partner of the Year and paid tribute to all the newly hired and promoted personnel.

Dieball commended others who didn’t receive awards but deserved special recognition, including Officer Kha Bao, who made 108 DUI arrests while on patrol, Tony Reitz, who recovered 88 stolen vehicles at a value of $866,000,  Officer Blake Clements was nominated for the Trauma Intervention Program award in 2015 for compassionate handling of an elder abuse case and veteran Lt. Keith Davis, who recently stepped down from the SWAT team after 24 years.

Also, in a new twist, Chief Sharpnack singled out the Wozniak murder trial as the Case of the Year and honored the detectives and investigators who went “above and beyond” on what he called “one of the most complex cases in the history of the Costa Mesa Police Department.”

Sharpnack said while the police department is in a rebuilding phase today, the recruitment efforts are strong and he is working hard on a new five-year strategic plan that will outline the mission, vision and goals of the department.

“We have been galvanized as a team,” the chief said. “The future for the Costa Mesa Police Department is bright. We will solidify our position as the top of Orange County law enforcement agencies. I am truly honored to serve alongside members of the CMPD and the city organization as a whole.”

Fire and Rescue teams responded to two working fires this week.  The first took place in an unincorporated area of Costa Mesa on Willo Lane where units from Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Orange County Fire.

Several animals were able to escape or be rescued while the damage to the house left four people without shelter.  Red Cross was offered and will assist with lodging if needed.

The second fire occurred in Talbert Park South and burned a large amount of vegetation. The cause of the fires is under investigation. Orange County Fire Authority, Huntington Beach Fire Department and Anaheim Police Department assisted with gaining control of the brush fire.

Access to the fire was hampered by mud due the recent rains and thick brush slowed down the suppression efforts.  HBFD and OCFA provided helicopters with water dropping capabilities to gain control until ground resources could make access.

With residents reporting a recent increase in the number of coyote sightings in Costa Mesa, we want to again share some tips on what to do to if a resident has a coyote encounter and how to make your home or backyard less inviting to these predators.

The public should keep in mind that historically, coyote attacks upon humans are extremely rare. In a study presented at the 2004 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, there were only 56 reported coyote-versus-human attacks resulting in injuries in Southern California in the previous 25 years.

This figure is extremely small when compared to an average 4.5 million people who are bitten by dogs nationally each year. While not normally a danger to humans, coyotes will display defensive behaviors if threatened or cornered. Therefore, it is important to leave a comfortable distance between you and a coyote.

Small pets can easily become coyote prey. Cats and small dogs should not be allowed outside alone, even in a fenced yard. It is highly recommended that small pets always be accompanied by their owner. Though coyotes generally hunt between sunset and sunrise, they can be observed at all hours of the day and will not pass up the opportunity for an easy meal. A dog or cat left in a backyard can be taken in a matter of moments.

Many steps can be taken to protect you and your property from nuisance animals like coyotes and other wildlife:

• Fence off animal enclosures (fully enclose if possible).
• Keep cats and small dogs indoors or in the close presence of an adult.
• Feed pets indoors.
• Store trash in covered heavy-duty containers.
• Keep yards free from potential shelter such as thick brush and weeds.
• Enclose the bottoms of porches and decks.
• Eliminate potential food and water sources, such as fallen fruit and standing water.
• Eradication and/or relocation of the urban coyote is not effective. These programs actually provide a vacuum in nature, causing these animals to have even larger litters, ultimately increasing the coyote population.
• Practicing these measures will help minimize the nuisances and losses caused by urban coyotes.
• If you locate an injured or potentially dangerous coyote in Costa Mesa, call CMPD Dispatch at 714-754-5252, or for general inquiries leave a message with Costa Mesa Animal Control Services at 714-754-5311.

For even more information, we encourage residents to watch the following Public Service Announcement regarding coyotes and ways to discourage them.

With the arrival of the Asian tiger mosquito or Aedes species in the county, the Orange County Vector Control District has issued an alert and is urging residents to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites. Aside from being itchy and annoying, the bite of an infected female tiger mosquito can spread dengue, chikungunya, or Zika virus.

The district advises residents to use mosquito repellent and mosquito-proof homes by dumping standing water both inside and outside, discarding water-holding containers not being used, and making sure all window and door screens are in good repair.

Click here for more information, including an interactive map to locate infested areas. Also, literature about this health advisory is available at City Hall.

Costa Mesa PD Special Investigations Unit (SIU) made 32 arrests for prostitution over the last two weeks, according to Police Chief Rob Sharpnack.

The majority of these arrests have come from the Vagabond Inn and the La Quinta, Sharpnack said.

These arrests involved both in-person solicitations and meet ups secured through online advertisements, he said.

Additional investigation has shown the prostitutes have left for other cities and the word from multiple interviews is that the Costa Mesa Vice Unit is cracking down and Costa Mesa is not a safe haven for prostitutes.