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Will Morro Bay and Los Osos merge fire and emergency medical services?

November 10, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

The Morro Bay City Council plans to vote on Tuesday to create a subcommittee to look into the feasibility of sharing fire and emergency medical services with Los Osos, according to the Morro Bay City Council agenda.

For more than two decades, the Los Osos Community Services District has contracted with Cal Fire for essential services. However, recent sharp increases in costs prompted Los Osos directors to
send a letter to Morro Bay proposing sharing services to reduce costs.

“One promising strategy is a partnership with a neighboring agency,” according to the Sept. 19 Los Osos CSD letter. “The City of Morro Bay, as our closest neighbor, represents the most logical and mutually beneficial partner for a shared approach to fire protection and EMS.”

The letter suggests benefits for both Morro Bay and Los Osos CSD:

• Greater local control over operations and standards
• Increased operational flexibility
• Collaborative staff scheduling to maximize coverage and efficiency
• Opportunities for service level enhancements for both agencies

The Morro Bay City Council will vote on whether or not to create a subcommittee to look into sharing services on Tuesday.

 


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This is a terrible idea. If they contract with Morro Bay Fire Department, Los Osos will inherit a pension liability on every employee. This doesn’t happen with the CAL FIRE employees as these fees are paid up front in the contract and the state takes the pension liability. Just check out the Transparent California website. Additionally, the South Bay Fire Department used to be under San Luis Obispo County Planning and Engineering prior to the formation of the CSD. The fire department only lasted 5 years (from 1999-2004) under the LOCSD until it was spending into the red forcing the passage of a special fire tax and contract with CAL FIRE.


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The FCFA was supposed yo save AG, GB and Oceano money but it never did, it likely even cost everyone more, it was and continues to be a failure


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