Columbia College Fire Station Preparing For Official Opening

Columbia, CA — According to Columbia College President Dr. Joan Smith, the on-campus fire station is very close to reopening for off-campus calls.

With the seven defendants in the hazing incident cases awaiting their scheduled court appearances (September 12 and 19), the department, according to Smith, may be fully operational by Monday, September 3.

The college is contracting with the county for a battalion chief. County resources will be present at the station. Organizational meetings are scheduled for this weekend. $140,000 will be utilized for services and equipment.

The college will provide a fire station manager who will be responsible for overseeing the firefighting program, a budget, employment rules and procedures and policy statements. That individual will report to the vocational education dean and in turn to the vice president of student learning.

The college and CAL FIRE officials have been formulating a Memorandum Of Understand (MOU) in regards to proper conduct within the department given the hazing incident of this past January.

Written by Bill Johnson