A report issued by the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury on July 12 questions whether the Menlo Park Fire Protection District is prepared to meet the challenges brought on by the rapid development and population growth within the district, criticizing the district for lacking long-term strategic and fiscal planning.
The 96-page report discusses the massive changes taking place within the district's boundaries, an area that includes Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Atherton and adjacent unincorporated San Mateo areas including North Fair Oaks and West Menlo Park. The report concludes that the district is ill-equipped to deal with the changes.
In a press release announcing the report, Grand Jury Foreperson Richard Edminster said that "the district’s firefighters perform their duties admirably every day, and the community can have great confidence in their skills and abilities."