Oxnard--The Community Services Public Safety, Housing, and Development Committee approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the Oxnard Fire Department and Oxnard Union High School District during its Tuesday, November 14 meeting.
The program will cost about $20,000 in overtime over five weekends and is part of the 2023-2024 Fire Department budget in the general fund. The Department hopes to enlist former Fire Department Explorers who’ve aged out of the program as temporary help with the after-school program.
Fire Chief Alexander Hamilton presented the item to the committee and said the MOA moves an after-school program that introduces students to the Fire Service.
He said the Fire Department released a five-year strategic plan in May 2022, and one of the six identified goals was related to recruitment and investing in strategies aimed toward hiring more women and Oxnard community members as Firefighters.
“To accomplish this goal, the Fire Department seeks to foster partnerships with existing community organizations and develop partnerships with local high schools,” he said. “The desired outcome is a Fire Department that better represents and reflects the diverse Oxnard community it serves.”
Hamilton said the partnership adds to the myriad of programs the…
