One of the most daunting tasks a fire chief of a volunteer or combination department faces is how to quantify and communicate the value that organization represents to the community.  While reducing that value to dollars and cents terms is not the only way, it does provide one very important element to the equation.  With that in mind, I have attached the reports for the each month that summarizes the financial value of time and travel our volunteer members donated to their communities.  Had the County paid “fair market value” for those services, this report outlines the dollar value received.

The pay scale is based on established assistance-by-hire rates established by California OES for local agency response.  The mileage rate is based on 2007 IRS guidelines and the miles driven are either actual miles (in the case of organization-wide meetings) or company averages (in the case of local emergency response or company-level training).  The format was developed by Rebecca Smith, our capable Office Assistant II, and will be refined as we are able to become more sophisticated in capturing data. 

This report includes only volunteer time and mileage donated through use of private vehicles.  All data involving County employees’ time or use of County vehicles were excluded from the report.  I hope it illustrates the value our members provide.

 Thanks,   Jim Wilson

Fire Chief  Mariposa County Fire Department