Save Station 56 | Steve Green Emergency Response Plan

Saving Station 56 Starts with Getting Back to the Basics

Station 56 in Soulsbyville is set to close at the end of June when the current Cal Fire contract expires. For a lot of folks in this community, that’s a hard thing to accept. What makes it even harder is knowing the county has had three years to come up with a plan to keep it open—and nothing meaningful has been put forward.

But after spending time with Steve Green and hearing his approach, it’s clear this situation didn’t have to land here.

Understanding the Real Problem

 What Steve keeps coming back to is simple: the system we’re using doesn’t match the calls we’re responding to. Around 85 to 90 percent of emergency calls in this area are medical, not fires. Yet we’re still sending out full fire engines—equipment that costs over a million dollars—to situations that don’t require that level of response. From his perspective, that’s not just inefficient, it’s part of why resources are stretched thin in the first place.

A Smarter Way to Use Station 56
Instead of shutting Station 56 down, Steve’s plan is to keep it open and use it in a way that actually fits the needs of the community. He proposes turning it into a full-time medical response station. The building itself already has what’s needed—a two-bay setup with space that can be adapted. One side remains operational for response, while the other is converted into proper living quarters so EMTs can be stationed there full-time.

In his words, it’s not about losing a station—it’s about using it the right way.

Matching the Right Equipment to the Right Call
Another part of the plan is changing what we send out on calls. Instead of relying on million-dollar fire engines for everything, Steve points to fast response trucks equipped with medical gear. These vehicles come in at around $150,000 and are better suited for the majority of calls happening every day. They’re quicker, more practical, and allow the county to respond more effectively without overspending.

Keeping Full Fire Response Where It’s Needed
This isn’t about cutting fire protection. Steve is clear on that. Stations like Hillsdale and Twain Harte would still be there to handle fires, major accidents, and situations that truly require full engine response. The idea is to line up the right resources with the right type of emergency, instead of using the same approach across the board.

Paying for It Without Raising Taxes
What stood out in the conversation was how much emphasis Steve puts on working within what we already have. The county is currently paying about $500,000 a year toward internal borrowing tied to the courthouse elevator project. His proposal is to restructure that payment down to $250,000 annually and use the remaining funds to purchase a fast response truck, remodel Station 56, and support staffing.

No new taxes. Just a shift in priorities.

Getting Back to the Basics
Talking through this plan, what comes across most is that it’s not complicated. It’s about focusing on the basics—making sure essential services are there, and that they’re set up in a way that actually works for the people relying on them.

Station 56 doesn’t need to disappear. It needs to be rethought.

If this approach makes sense to you, it’s worth sharing with others. The more people understand what’s possible here, the better the conversation gets. And when the time comes, Steve Green is asking for your vote.

If you’d like to support this campaign and help keep these ideas moving forward, consider making a donation. It’s how this message continues to reach more people across the county. You can find the link to help us on the Donation Page of this website. -  Donation Page