ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: May 1, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent-Miscellaneous TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Kevin Albertson, Fire Chief
DATE: May 27, 2026
SUBJECT: Appropriate $77,250 from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) 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 equi pped 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 2023 to execute a mobilization training exercise for team members. Cal OES awarded BFD an additional $92,700 in 2024 and $77,250 in 2025 to support ongoing training and equipment needs . Cal OES has since made available an additional $77,250, for a total of $324,450, for additional training, equipment, and training consumables.
BFD seeks approval to appropriate the se 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:
CalOES Agreement # A231012274-A2