Just some thought provoking. Although these are not complete mergers, the thought is it will lead to that. These are two different articles. The depts. share borders.

Four North County fire departments will join forces to provide services in the coastal cities of Encinitas, Solana Beach and Del Mar, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the agencies.

The cities' fire departments and the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District are set to sign a joint fire services agreement Thursday that officials said would enhance fire protection in the area.

Under the agreement, Encinitas would provide administrative services for the Solana Beach and Del Mar fire departments. The Solana Beach Fire Department would keep its deputy fire marshal to provide operational oversight, according to the agreement.

The Encinitas Fire Department also would provide Solana Beach a training chief to coordinate training for the department's firefighters. Rancho Santa Fe would provide battalion chiefs, who would manage fire captains for the cities of Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach.

"It's very much a win-win for everybody," said Solana Beach City Manager David Ott, who also is the city's fire chief.

The agreement, which would last two years, was approved on a unanimous vote Wednesday night by the Solana Beach City Council. The two other cities had already approved the agreement, Ott said.

The agreement will cost Solana Beach $205,000 a year, Ott said. However, if the city had to hire personnel to fill the positions covered by the agreement, it would cost more than $750,000 a year, Ott said.

And:
The El Cajon and La Mesa city councils yesterday were the latest to approve a three-way agreement with Lemon Grove that will merge some services, including sharing costs and selecting a fire chief. The Lemon Grove City Council approved the same agreement last week.

The agreement stops short of forming a single fire department, but moves the cities in that direction.

Officials said the increased coordination will improve services and lead to an estimated $560,000 in annual savings.

“With resources being limited as they are, we're in a new era. We have to look for every chance to save a dollar here and there,” El Cajon City Councilman Gary Kendrick said. “There are tremendous advantages for public safety when we cooperate with the adjoining fire departments, and I think this is the wave of the future.”

The process of joining services has been gradual, with the cities in July agreeing to provide joint senior-staff coverage after hours.

La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid said local governments may have to increasingly form such partnerships.

“This is a marathon, and this is the first step in a marathon in a lot of other services that could be provided” jointly, Madrid said yesterday.

Under the agreement, which will take effect in January, the city managers in La Mesa, El Cajon and Lemon Grove will work together as part of an executive committee and a single fire chief will be selected.

The three cities will also share costs under a formula based on population and number of calls. El Cajon is expected to save about $126,000 annually, La Mesa will save $255,000 and Lemon Grove will save about $179,000.

Santee opted to not join the effort. The agreement says new members cannot join for at least two years.