As part of a cost-saving measure, the soledad fire department has merged with cal-fire. the state agency will provide the administrative and operational oversight, (as well as a chief for the new department), while the local department will share the costs of a battalion chief. The battalion chief will be shared with the south monterey county fire protection district. The merger is expected to save soledad 650-thousand dollars, during the 3-and-a-half-year contract. Operations at the local department are not expected to change significantly.
