FIRE DEPT. SEEKING TO CUT RESPONSE TIME.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

A major reconfiguration of how the Los Angeles Fire Department staffs its stations and uses its resources is in the works in an effort to decrease response times throughout the city, Fire Chief Bill Bamattre said Tuesday.

``This will affect us operationally as well as the culture of the Fire Department,'' Bamattre said. ``We are trying to recognize the areas that need to be served and build in enough promise (for firefighters) that any individual or group can look at this and see it will be effective.''

Among his proposals, which he hopes take effect by the first of the year, are plans to add 13 new paramedic ambulances - six to go in the San Fernando Valley - shift 45 firefighters from light forces units to staff the new ambulances, and transfer 48 staff assistants to work in stations.

In addition, Bamattre said he wants to add a full-time urban search-and-rescue team in the Valley. Such a move would require six firefighters.

Bamattre said the proposal is designed to improve response time as well as create other job opportunities within the department for women and minorities as part of a new human resources plan.

Work on the new master plan - the current one is about 20 years old - began earlier this year and new impetus has been given to it as the result of a Daily News analysis of the city budget that was published Sunday, Bamattre said.

The special report found that the Valley, which makes up 35 percent of the city population and provides 40 percent of property taxes, gets less than its share of city services, particularly police and fire.

As an example, 31 percent of the LAFD resources are in the Valley, which also has fewer firefighters, paramedics and stations than the rest of the city even though it has a larger area to cover.

``Our (current) master plan is built on a firefighting base line, but it was developed before we had EMS (emergency medical service) responsibilities,'' Bamattre said. ``Our workload now is 70 percent EMS and all of our resources are dedicated to that.

``We're trying to change to respond to those EMS calls and still have flexibility to bring staffing to a fire incident. We aren't losing any bodies, we're moving them from one apparatus to another.''

Mayor Richard Riordan is backing the effort by Bamattre.

``The mayor commends the chief for his vision and leadership in recognizing the need to adjust Fire Department resources to not only maximize operations but to maintain the excellence the LAFD is known for,'' said spokeswoman Noelia Rodriguez.

The fire chief said the addition of the ambulances is needed to cope with the increased workload demand as well as reduce response times.

Bamattre said the department has a goal of responding to 90 percent of all emergencies within five minutes. Under the current operation, the LAFD is able to hit that goal only 26 percent of the time.

``By adding these units, we think we can avoid those collisions - two calls at the same time - and keep equipment in the area where it's assigned,'' Bamattre said.

Bamattre, however, might run into trouble with United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, the union representing the nearly 2,400 firefighters.

UFLAC President Ken Buzzell said there is nothing new in Bamattre's proposal and the union will fight it.

``This is the third time he's tried to reduce fire suppression protection and come up with some other way of supposedly providing resources,'' Buzzell said. ``No one argues the need for more paramedics, but we should be hiring people, not taking them away from the best fire suppression force in the nation.''