Porterville library where firefighters died needed critical fire upgrades, officials say

For two decades, the city of Porterville discussed the need to upgrade its 67-year-old library where two firefighters were killed Tuesday.

The structure was so old it lacked the fire sprinklers required in modern buildings and had numerous other structural problems, according to city officials.

A library assessment commissioned by the Porterville City Council in 2008 said that the building whose original floor was built in 1953 “is in relatively good shape,” but several repairs including a fire-reporting system “must be addressed.” The report recommended a smoke alarm system directly linked to the fire department central station.

“With the renovation, a fire-safety upgrade is required,” the report says. “A smoke alarm system with central station reporting is a good inexpensive solution. Its estimated cost is $25,000.”

It’s not clear if any of the fire alarm upgrades were made following the 2008 report. A message to the city manager wasn’t immediately returned Wednesday.

The library is so close to a fire station that the risks seemed minimal, said Edith La Vonne, the chairwoman of the Porterville Library and Literacy Commission.

“The back wall of the library butts up against Fire Station 1,” La Vonne said. “They’re just around the corner, so for me the proximity to the fire department ... I happen to know they’re extremely efficient. They’re good. They’re well trained and so a fire never occurred to me.”

Authorities said Wednesday two 13-year-olds were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and arson after they were caught running from the library. The firefighters were identified as Raymond Figueroa, 35, and Patrick Jones, 25.

Library funding an issue

The 2008 report noted other problems with the library building. Water had damaged the roof in the northeastern corner and the building’s foundation was sinking in places due to being built on poor soil. “Electrical service is maxed out and requires an upgrade,” the report said. “The suspended ceiling is not braced for earthquakes.”

The original 3,824-square-foot building constructed in 1953 was expanded in 1974 to two stories, adding 6,100 square feet to the library, according to the 2008 report.

Susan Uptain, a retired teacher who’s on the Porterville Library and Literacy Commission, said the city was 20 years into a 30-year General Plan that includes an upgrade to the facility.

“The building structure itself has not been changed since the 1970s,” Uptain said.

State grants to repair and construct libraries have not been available since 2000 when voters approved $350 million statewide through Proposition 14. Voters defeated a $600 million bond for library repairs and construction in 2006. For the most part, funding today for new community library facilities would likely require a combination of a local bond measure and a fundraising campaign.

A ballot initiative that calls for raising taxes for a library is a major undertaking for an impoverished San Joaquin Valley community like Porterville, where its 60,000 residents have a per capita income of $17,334 — less than half the income level in the rest of the state.

“Paying out of pocket is pretty impossible unless the city is really wealthy,” said Michael Coleman, a fiscal policy advisor who runs the California Local Government Finance Almanac. “Certainly not (possible) for a Central Valley town like Porterville.”

Upgrade was planned

As recently as last month, the Porterville City Council discussed upgrading the library. In a staff report, officials noted that the plan was to build a library of between 48,250 and 53,000 square feet, with construction estimated to cost between $20 million and $25 million.

The hope was to begin construction in the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to the January report to the council.

The city’s 2019-2020 budget included about $160,000 for library improvements, but most went to remodeling restrooms. The budget included forecasts for when construction could begin.

Uptain said securing funding for a major new construction project was far from certain.

“This is a lot of money,” Uptain said. “There’d have to be a bond or something would have to pass if we’re going to build a new facility. Now that the library has burned to the ground, we’re going to have to start over from scratch.”

At the January meeting, the councilmembers agreed that a new library was needed, but some questioned where the funds would come from. Councilmember Virginia Gurrola said there was a need for a new facility, but said, “the city has many needs, and the library is just one of those needs,” according to a Porterville Recorder story summarizing the meeting.

The library was preparing to host a Dr. Seuss book reading March 2, and was promoting a “1,000 Books before Kindergarten Challenge” encouraging families and caregivers to read with their young children.

The community is reeling from the deaths of two firefighters and the loss of the library’s book collection and the irreplaceable local historical documents kept on the top floor.

“We are heartbroken for our library staff, the firefighters and our community,” Catherine May, a local teacher and former chairwoman of the library commission said Wednesday in an email. “A library is more than books. Many of us have grown up going to our library.”

This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 12:38 PM.