One of San Jose’s busiest fire stations has a new, state-of-the-art facility in downtown that will better serve its firefighters and residents. The San Jose Fire Department, city leaders and neighborhood residents on Thursday celebrated the opening of Fire Station 8 at 601 E. Santa Clara St. The previous fire station, located a few blocks...
San Jose paramedicine pilot could provide timely intervention
The San Jose Fire Department is rethinking how it responds to emergency medical calls. Under a new pilot program, greenlit by the City Council as part of the recently completed annual budget process, the city is preparing to launch a “community paramedicine” team of firefighter paramedics trained to help patients with complex needs that can’t be...
Interest soars in San Jose female firefighter boot camp
Signing up for the San Jose Fire Department Women’s Boot Camp was one of the hottest tickets in town, filling up shortly after the Saturday event opened. Capt. Corey Condren launched the program in 2018 in an effort to increase the number of women in the SJFD. Her efforts have paid off, growing from 50...
Aztec mural designed to protect San Jose firefighters
An East San Jose artist is invoking an Aztec deity to keep a new fire station and its firefighters safe from harm. Artist Jesse Hernandez has created two metal murals featuring Tlaloc, the Aztec rain god, displayed on the exterior of Fire Station 8, slated to open later this year. The new 5,500 square-foot, two-story...
San Jose cuts drug oversight program days after it restarts
San Jose officials have quietly killed a firefighter drug oversight program just days after reinstating it. This comes after a paramedic drug theft scandal exposed patients to tampered narcotics and sparked backlash against funding cuts that originally dissolved the initiative. The program known as Med 30 was deactivated on Dec. 21, the same month it...
Audit calls for changes after San Jose firefighter drug tampering
A city audit is recommending the San Jose Fire Department strengthen its drug tracking and inventory security after painkiller thefts by a firefighter led to patients receiving morphine from tampered vials. The audit, released Monday, recommends Fire Chief Robert Sapien’s department updates its policies on storage and access to paramedic drug kits, timing of inventory inspections, as...
Santa Clara County Fourth of July fireworks to light up the sky
While some Fourth of July celebrations have been canceled, numerous cities and venues throughout Santa Clara County are going all out with festivities and fireworks. There are eight light shows across the county ready to dazzle residents. San Jose is hosting the city’s first drone show at Lake Cunningham. The city had planned to shoot...
San Jose police and fire unions want reserve funds to fill vacancies
Union leaders representing hundreds of San Jose police officers, firefighters and other workers said they shouldn’t be dealing with service and staffing cuts when the city has millions in reserve funds. Leaders with the San Jose Police Officers’ Association and San Jose Fire Fighters Local 230 are arguing the city has the necessary funding to...
UPDATE: San Jose officials approve charging first responder fee
City leaders have approved a fee program allowing the San Jose Fire Department’s emergency medical services to collect payments from people they treat. Fire Chief Robert Sapien said San Jose needs to join the 23 fire agencies across California that already have first responder fees for people using the fire department’s emergency medical services. While...
San Jose firefighters take part in cancer research after initial denial
San Jose said no to letting its firefighters participate in a state-funded cancer prevention and research program — until pressure forced the city to reverse course. Thirteen state legislators advocated for San Jose firefighters in a Feb. 14 letter to participate in the program that wouldn’t cost the city a dime. San Jose was awarded...
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