While working at the Long Beach Parks and Recreation Department early in her career, Alicia Welch turned over her pay stub to see that the city’s fire department was recruiting females. Immediately she knew she wanted to become a firefighter.
More than three decades later, she continues to pursue her calling as Lompoc’s new fire chief. Welch was sworn in on Aug. 17 with several of her colleagues and loved ones by her side. This is Welch’s 30th year serving in a fire department, and said she has a lot of confidence in her experience. She moved to Lompoc from Colorado, where she was the Golden Fire Department’s chief.
“I want to leave a legacy of safety by making sure our firefighters go home safely and that we take care of them. I want to demonstrate a care that will carry on to the care of customers in order for us to go out there and do the best we can,” Welch said. “I’m trying to get face time and engage with my team. I want to be approachable and at ease. I was a firefighter, too; I haven’t forgotten what it means. I engage, listen, and encourage team ideas.”
Upon stepping into her new role, she held a crew meeting to understand both the strengths and weaknesses within the department and in the community. She learned that the city’s been in a financial crisis for quite some time now, but the fire department is scheduled to get new trucks, and, Welch said, she is hoping for infrastructure improvements on stations that are more than 100 years old.
Chief Welch said she’s done a complete SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis along with putting together 30-, 60- and 90-day plans for department improvements. She’s gained input from all 30 crew members, and now she has to synthesize that information into a strategic plan.
“It’s like a playbook,” Welch said regarding her plan.
Being a firefighter is like being on a sports team, she said. Team members learn their positions and practice drills in order to be prepared for any situation. Once that bell rings, it’s game time, and everything the team practiced goes into action—but nothing will make sense without a playbook.
“Once a plan is in place, we have to budget after the plan. If we don’t have adequate resources, we cannot achieve our goals,” Welch said.
With the 2020-21 budget cycle having ended in late June, Chief Welch needs to study what the department budget looked like in the past and what’s needed today.
Budget items at the top of her list include updated uniforms, modernized radio equipment, and a reevaluation of emergency medial services funds due to higher call volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In 2021, it felt like we were rounding a corner and coming out of COVID-19, but there was a step back in terms of vaccination rates. Now, there are pushes for firefighter health and safety, both on and off duty. It’s been hard, a rough roller-coaster the past year and a half,” she said.
By 60 to 90 days, Welch said she would like to get a clear sense of direction and meet with the city manager and mayor to have a data conversation, specifically focusing on call volume from neighboring communities.
“We have the largest wildfire burning in California history. [Lompoc] firefighters are on 14-day deployments to help with the fires. That being said, do we have enough resources and firefighters on-site to handle the issues within their own community?” she said.
Welch said she wants to put an emphasis on mental wellness by providing team support, counseling support, and other mental health services, as well as better reflecting the community the team serves by focusing on the diversity, equity, and inclusion of fire department personnel. Currently, there are only two women in the department.
“We all need to care about inclusion and to be mindful of the makeup of our community,” she said. “I want people of color, people of different backgrounds and gender to see they can do this, like I saw on the back of my pay stub.”
Highlight
• The city of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is hosting a free star gazing party at Los Flores Ranch Park, 6271 Dominion Road. Telescopes will be provided by the Central Coast Astronomy Society, the Astronomy club of Lompoc, and the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit. Participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment as well as chairs, and registration is required for either of the two available sessions at cityofsantamaria.org/register. On-site, viewers must wear masks and only use red lights. No flashlights or dogs are allowed.
Staff Writer Taylor O’Connor can be reached at toconnor@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 26 – Sep 2, 2021.