Some Felton firefighters have said the agency is not prepared to respond to 911 calls without Ben Lomond Fire’s support. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)

Brownlee has served as chief of Felton Fire since November. Felton Fire has had four fire chiefs since 2023 and has struggled with money and staffing. Its leaders are now considering options to improve its emergency response.

“I feel, just, frustrated that we’re here again,” said Felton firefighter Jamie Berlanga at a Monday meeting of the Felton Fire directors. Without Ben Lomond’s assistance, Felton Fire’s emergency response “is on thin ice” with no fire captains, four or fewer firefighters trained as EMTs, two fire engine drivers and one driver trained to pump water, he said. 

Felton Fire has about 20 volunteers in all, Brownlee said.

Uncertain path forward

Felton Fire responds to about 900 emergency calls annually across about 6 square miles of the Felton area. 

Initiated in November, Felton Fire’s contract with Ben Lomond Fire is now set to end June 8. The end of the contract would not make emergency response times slower, said Felton Fire Board Director Erica Schwanbeck. 

“In the past, there has been a lot of support from neighboring districts to make sure that the Felton community is taken care of,” Schwanbeck said. “I would want to assure the community that that’s the priority, first and foremost, that services are available.”

Prior to the contract, Zayante Fire had responded to scores of Felton’s 911 calls because Felton Fire did not respond, said Zayante Fire Chief Jeff Maxwell. With the end of the Ben Lomond contract, Maxwell said he worried that his firefighters would have to cover more for Felton.

“My primary mission is to the constituents — my neighbors and the Lompico area,” Maxwell said. “If we take on more than we can deliver, it’s going to erode our ability to provide service.”

At the Felton Fire board meeting Monday, Board Chair Norm Crandell said the board would consider multiple options for service after the contract ends, including stipends for volunteers to cover a 24-hour shift or a contract with Zayante Fire or a private firefighting company.

Felton Firefighter Jamie Berlanga addresses the Felton Fire Board of Directors at a meeting Monday. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)

Staff problems

Felton Fire formerly employed a chief, two full-time fire captains, and two full-time firefighters. One captain still works at the Felton station, but is now formally employed by Ben Lomond. Brownlee said she’s not sure whether the captain will continue with Felton. Prior to Brownlee’s tenure, Felton Fire also paid some firefighters hourly for shifts.

Now, Felton Fire now has about 20 volunteers, many new to firefighting, Brownlee said. Some volunteers work for Cal Fire and may not respond to calls during the summer, said Felton firefighter Victor Albers.

Like many volunteer fire departments in Northern California, Felton Fire has struggled to recruit and retain enough volunteers to respond to calls. The high cost of living and more opportunities for paid firefighting jobs have contributed to fewer volunteers. 

In November and December, Brownlee removed several firefighters and EMTs from service who she said didn’t respond to calls or didn’t live within the district.

Felton Fire is usually led by a paid chief. Since former chief Bob Grey retired in September 2023, leadership has changed four times: 

• Dan Walters, a retired Santa Cruz city firefighter, served as interim chief for less than a year before he reached the limit of the hours he could work without losing his state pension. 
• In 2024, longtime volunteer firefighter Dan Arndt served as acting chief for less than five months before resigning. 
• Former Felton firefighter Issac Blum served as a volunteer interim chief from August 2024 until the contract with Ben Lomond began in November.

Since November, Ben Lomond Fire Chief Stacie Brownlee has been Felton’s chief. But the Felton board of directors created a “hostile working environment,” Brownlee said.

“They didn’t talk to me as a chief. They talked to me as, you know, ‘sweetie,’” Brownlee said. “I’ve been doing this job for 15 years, and for them to not trust me and not let me do my job, it’s disappointing.”

Crandell, the Felton Fire board chair, said he never saw someone call Brownlee “sweetie” or act hostile towards her. Brownlee “liked to be in control of a situation, and a good fire chief should have control,” Crandell said. “She felt like — and I believe she stated this directly — that she was not our employee, that we were paying for her services, and that she would run our station how she felt.”

Felton had about 3,700 residents in 2023, according to census data. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)

Money problems

Hiring paid staff or a paid chief would be financially difficult for the district, its leaders have said. As a member of the CalPERS pension system, Felton Fire must contribute money towards pensions with every paycheck. 

Pension debt has strained Felton Fire’s budget for years. This year, the district submitted a petition to exit CalPERS, which can be a long and costly process. For more than a year, the board of directors has considered placing a parcel tax or bond measure on the ballot to bolster the budget.

Felton Fire is struggling with issues common to many fire districts, former Aptos/La Selva Fire Chief Don Jarvis said at Monday’s meeting. Jarvis said Felton Fire should consider consolidating with Zayante Fire or Santa Cruz County Fire. Aptos/La Selva Fire merged with Central Fire in 2021.

Jarvis has also worked as a consultant on fire district issues with the Local Agency Formation of Santa Cruz County, or LAFCO, which regulates boundaries and other aspects of special districts. 

“In my professional opinion, Felton Fire District has reached the point where it no longer has the means to provide the level of service that the Felton community really deserves,” Jarvis said.

Crandell said he hoped the Felton board could find an alternative to the “nuclear option” of dissolving entirely. “Maybe I’m nostalgic, but I like the idea of having an agency that has a room for young people to volunteer and try out to see whether or not fire service is a good idea for them,” he said.

Crandell outlined his top priorities: “We’ve got to keep the community safe, and we’ve got to keep the crew safe.” 

Clarification: More information about pay for Felton firefighters has been added to this story.

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