Charles Varni is no good for Oceano 

Charles Varni's opposition to funding Oceano's portion of the Five Cities Fire Authority put Oceano's fire safety at serious risk, endangering the lives of Oceano citizens and property. By resisting the funding measures, Varni directly contributed to longer response times and left our community vulnerable to disaster. The safety of Oceano residents is at stake.

Varni's opposition forced Oceano to relinquish local control of its fire and emergency services, resulting in the closure of our fire station and transferring responsibility to the county of San Luis Obispo. While grateful to the county and Five Cities Fire Authority for continuing to serve Oceano, the extended response times—increased from five to seven minutes to eight to 10 minutes—are now unavoidable due to closure of the local fire station. This has put our citizens, business owners, and visitors at increased risk, especially in emergencies where every second counts

Experience has taught us that structure fires double in size every minute, and modern materials in homes can make fires more intense. National statistics show that the first five minutes on scene are critical in determining the outcome. Under Varni's leadership, the extended response times make a significant difference in fire containment and the safety of our residents.

The same risk applies to medical emergencies. Cardiac arrest survival rates drop by 10 percent for every minute without CPR or defibrillation, and if these critical interventions are delayed beyond five minutes, brain damage becomes likely. The increased response times in Oceano pose a direct threat to anyone suffering a medical emergency, especially sudden cardiac arrest.

The impact of Varni's opposition negatively impacts the financial well-being of residents as well. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) evaluates the fire preparedness of communities to help insurers determine risk and set property insurance rates. As response times increase and fire services become less effective, Oceano's ISO rating could worsen. A lower ISO rating means higher insurance premiums for property owners, further penalizing the community for Varni's poor decision.

In addition, the county now controls the funds originally dedicated to fire and medical services, and Oceano lost valuable public properties—including the OCSD office—to cover the financial deficit. OCSD will now pay approximately $120,000 annually to rent the administrative offices from the county in addition to losing the rental income from the Sheriff's Office substation, which the community of Oceano built.

Varni's reckless decisions have compromised the safety of our community, damaged our financial security, and left us with slower response times and higher insurance premiums. It's time to reject Varni's failed leadership and elect representatives who will fight to restore local control and keep our fire services strong. Oceano can't afford Varni.

Alyssa Hicks

Oceano