Funding to the tune of $2.5 million was secured for three northern San Luis Obispo County projects to help solve local challenges through direct federal investment.
Rep. Jimmy Panetta of California's 19th congressional district secured the funding, his office announced in a press release late last week.
Some of those challenges include first responders’ need for better resources.
In Templeton, Rep. Panetta secured $1 million for a new fire engine for the city’s fire department.
Templeton Fire Chief Tom Peterson shared why replacing the old engine is critical.
“We currently have a 23-year-old engine that definitely lets us know its age every once in a while," he said. "And it’s cost us quite a bit the last few years to keep it going."
Without a new engine, they have to rely on an engine that isn’t designed for fighting structural fires.
“It’s the capability of what we can do on a large commercial fire or even a residential fire in a woodland engine as opposed to a structure engine that’s designed for structural firefighting,” Peterson said.
In Paso Robles, Rep. Panetta allotted $500,000 towards a joint training facility for the city’s fire and law enforcement agencies.
Paso Robles Deputy Fire Chief Randy Harris explained how the training facility will help with training incoming first responders.
“This public safety training facility is designed for both police and fire and it will be searchable rooms with movable walls," Harris said. "That will have huge benefits both on the fire side in searching a structural fire environment, but also on the police department side for different tactics in clearing rooms."
He says the training facility will better equip the responders to serve the public.
“Just like the real world, every training scenario we can vary, so that way the rooms are all differently laid out,” Harris said.
In Atascadero, Rep. Panetta directed $1 million toward the city’s El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement to help convert the thoroughfare into a two-lane passageway with more parking spots and better downtown access.
Approximate completion times for these projects are as follows:
- #1: Templeton Fire Engine — 2 years
- #2: Paso Robles Regional Fire and Emergency Services Training Facility — 1 year
- #3: El Camino Real Downtown Infrastructure Enhancement Plan — 1 year/Spring 2025
