REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BILLY P. ALCORN, Fire Chief
Fire Department
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 44th amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2024-122 to appropriate $765,500 to the FY 2025 Fire Department budget for out of county responses under the California Firefighters Assistance Agreement (Requires 5 Affirmative Votes) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended the Council adopt the annual appropriation resolution to appropriate $765,500 to the FY 2025 Fire Department budget for out of county responses under the California Firefighters Assistance Agreement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fire Department participated in reimbursable mutual aid responses under the California Firefighters Assistance Agreement. In anticipation of these out of county responses, the Fire Department estimated expenditures of $889,000 in the FY 2025 budget. At the January 9, 2025 council meeting, the department requested an additional allocation of $1,136,000 due to the high activity of the fire season, bringing the revised budget to $2,025,000. At that time, the fires in LA had not occurred. As of the end of February actual expenditures have reached $2,740,300 with an anticipated additional $50,000 to be expended between March and June 2025.
BACKGROUND
The California Firefighters Assistance Agreement (CFAA) is an agreement for local government fire and emergency assistance to the State of California and Federal Fire Agencies between:
- The State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
- State of California, Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region
- USDI Bureau of Land Management, California State Office
- USDI National Park Service, Pacific West Region
- USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Region and
- USDI Bureau of Indian Affairs Pacific Region
Under the CFAA, the Fresno Fire Department receives requests throughout the year for assistance in the management of natural disasters such as wildfires, floods and mudslides. The costs associated with responding to these requests are incurred upfront by the department and reimbursed through the participating agencies who request the assistance. Due to the unpredictability of a natural disaster occurring as well as the magnitude of the disaster, the Fire Department budgets conservatively based on the prior year’s activity.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This item is not a project pursuant to CEQA guidelines Section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this item is not an award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of the 44th Amendment to AAR No. 2024-122 will increase appropriations in the Fire Department by $765,500. There is no fiscal impact to the general fund.
Attachment:
44th Amendment to AAR 2024-122