Monterey County firefighters face gaps in emergency communications that threaten efforts to save lives and protect property, a civil grand jury said.
Rugged terrain leaves about 42% of the county without dependable digital radio coverage, meaning first responders can’t reliably communicate during emergencies, the grand jury said Friday.
More than 500,000 acres burned in the county between 2000 and 2022, according to the grand jury. It said CalFire has designated Monterey County as a high to very high fire-hazard severity zone.
The report recommended that the Monterey County Board of Supervisors take action to finance communication upgrades so that all fire districts have radios compatible with the county’s emergency communication system.
California’s civil grand juries are watchdog bodies authorized to investigate and make recommendations on local government operations. They differ from the grand juries that hear serious legal cases to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to charge someone with a criminal offense.
Monterey County spans more than 2 million acres ranging from sea level to more than 5,800 feet in elevation. About 470,000 acres are in the Los Padres National Forest and Ventana Wilderness Area, according to the grand jury report.