ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: May 28, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent - Miscellaneous TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Kevin Albertson, Interim Fire Chief
DATE: May 15, 2025
SUBJECT: Appropriate $77,250 from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services grant funds to the Fire Department Operating budget within the General Fund to provide training to local Regional Task Force members and for the purchase of necessary equipment and training consumables.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the appropriation.
BACKGROUND:
The Bakersfield Fire Department (BFD) is the host agency for Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Regional Task Force 11 (CA-RTF11) that covers Kern County jurisdiction. There are currently ten Regional Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces located throughout the State of California. Each Regional US&R Task Force is comprised of 29 people specially trained and equipped for large or complex urban search and rescue operations. The multi -disciplinary organization provides five functional elements: Command, Search, Rescue, Medical, and Logistics. The funding allocation from Cal OES shall provide specified training for CA- RTF11 team members, including continuing education to maintain competency, and for the purchase of equipment and training consumables.
As the host agency for Regional Task Force 11, the BFD was awarded $77,250 in 20 23 to execute a mobilization training exercise for team members. In 2024 Cal OES awarded BFD an additional $92,700 for training and equipment. Cal OES has since made available an additional $77,250, for a total of $247,200, for additional training and equipment. BFD seeks approval to appropriate the funds for necessary training, equipment, and training consumables specific to CA-RTF-11 certification.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for equipment will be provided by reimbursable State grant funds.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
None