GARDEN GROVE fire truck (GGFD photo).

By Jim Tortolano

The issue of dissolving the city fire department in favor of getting those services from the Orange County Fire Authority surfaced at Tuesday’s meeting of the Garden Grove City Council.

Eric Thorson of the Garden Grove Firefighters Assn., Local 2005, told the council that membership of the union was in support of such a change. “The GGFA is in favor of merging with the OCFA.” The membership of the union voted “over 90 percent to support the move,” he said.

He went on to say that he believed that the countywide service could do a better job and at less cost than the GGFD. “We are convinced that the people of Garden Grove will be best served by the OCFA,” he said.

The city has not made a decision on such a change. The GGFD dates back to 1926 and was one of the first government services included into the new City of Garden Grove in 1956 when the community incorporated.

OCFA is headquartered in Irvine, where it has 11 stations. It serves 23 cities, including the nearby cities of Cypress, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster. However, the City of Irvine has reported its intention to leave the agency as of 2020, perhaps complicating some financial and operational aspects of the OCFA.

Also on Tuesday night, the council honored Jack Wallin and Marge Wallin as the 2018 Strawberry Ball King and Queen and Senior Volunteer Man and Woman of the Year. Additionally the council recognized the Strawberry Festival Association, its directors and associates, for organizing the 2018 festival.