With the green light from City Council on Tuesday, the Oxnard Fire Department will host an academy next month with plans to hire 26 firefighters. The academy, approved unanimously, will cost approximately $1.2 million from the city's general fund.
There are currently 17 vacant positions in the department and according to Fire Chief Darwin Base, there are "whisperings" of others leaving for neighboring agencies. The 26 new employees will be considered firefighters on terms limited to June 2018. Attrition for the academy is estimated to be 25 percent. As positions become available, graduates could become full-time firefighters.