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 14, 2025
SUBJECT: Appropriate federal and State grant funds from statewide master mutual aid assignments to the Fire Department General Fund operating budget
Appropriate $1,744,818 in Federal grant funds from the USDA Forest Service and the USDI Bureau of Land Management and $322,761 in state grant funds from the California Office of Emergency Services to the Fire Department operating budget within the General Fund for reimbursement of personnel and equipment costs on statewide master mutual aid assignments.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the appropriation.
BACKGROUND:
The Bakersfield Fire Department participated in numerous Strike Team deployments (statewide master mutual aid) to significant emergency events during the 20 23-2024 and 2024 -2025 fire season. Federal reimbursements include $1,744,818 from the US Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management, and State reimbursements of $ 322,761 from California Office of Emergency Services. Th e total reimbursement amount to the City is $2,067,579.
When firefighters are working on mutual aid assignments, the City is reimbursed for labor costs at the overtime rate for the entire deployment and equipment costs are reimbursed on an hourly basis. The Fire Department’s operating budget has already incurred these costs by paying the overtime and equipment costs. This reimbursement is needed to appropriate these funds back into the Fire Department’s budget.
FISCAL IMPACT:
All funds are reimbursed by federal and state departments, therefore no fiscal impact to the City General Fund.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Innovative and Efficient City Government
ATTACHMENTS:
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