City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: OCTOBER 20, 2026 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF A $100,000 CHARITABLE GRANT AWARD FROM YUHAAVIATAM OF SAN MANUEL NATION THROUGH THE SAN MANUEL CARES PROGRAM – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Accept a $100,000 charitable grant award from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation through the San Manuel Cares program for the Riverside Fire Department All-Hazards Situational Awareness and Community Fire Safety Initiative and authorize a supplemental appropriation.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Accept a $100,000 charitable grant award from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation through the San Manuel Cares program for the Riverside Fire Department All-Hazards Situational Awareness and Community Fire Safety Initiative; With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record an increase in revenues and appropriate expenditures in the amount of $100,000 in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, San Manuel All Hazards Training Program, revenue and expenditure accounts; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to administer the San Manuel Cares award, including the ability to make minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
On March 30, 2026, the Riverside Fire Department submitted a $100,000 funding request to Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation through the San Manuel Cares program for the Riverside Fire Department All-Hazards Situational Awareness and Community Fire Safety Initiative. Following submission, the Fire Department participated in San Manuel Cares' review and due diligence process, which included a project interview and additional review of the proposed project, budget, implementation approach, and anticipated community impact. On September 1, 2026, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation approved the Fire Department's request for the full $100,000 award.
The award will support investments in drone technology and mobile incident command tools that enhance the Fire Department's ability to assess and manage complex emergencies. The drone technology will provide incident commanders with an aerial perspective, thermal imaging and real-time information-sharing capabilities that can support wildfire response, hazardous materials incidents, search and rescue operations, and other situations where rapidly assessing conditions can improve responder safety and operational decision-making.
The award will also fund a digital fire extinguisher training system that provides a direct community benefit. The reusable system will allow residents, students, businesses, and community organizations to receive hands-on fire extinguisher training using a digital fire simulation rather than live fire, expanding the Fire Department's ability to provide practical fire safety education in schools, businesses, community events, and other outreach settings.
Funding will also support the training and implementation activities necessary to place these capabilities into service and integrate them into Fire Department operations and community outreach. The grant term is September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed investments provide complementary capabilities that support both emergency operations and community risk reduction. During complex incidents, drone-based thermal imaging and real-time information sharing can provide incident commanders with information that may not be readily available from ground-level observations. Integrating this information with mobile incident command tools will improve the Department's ability to develop and maintain situational awareness as incident conditions change.
The community fire safety component extends the benefit of the award beyond emergency response. The digital fire extinguisher training system will provide a reusable platform for hands-on instruction at schools, businesses, community events, and preparedness activities without requiring live-fire training. This capability will allow the Fire Department to expand practical fire safety education and provide participants an opportunity to practice extinguisher use in a controlled environment.
Together, the equipment, technology, and associated training will strengthen the Fire Department's ability to prepare for, respond to, and educate the community about emergencies while maximizing the benefit of the $100,000 San Manuel Cares award.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is an increase in revenues and expenditures of $100,000. No matching funds are required for the San Manuel Cares award. Upon Council approval an increase in revenue and an appropriation will be recorded as shown in the table below:
Fund
Program
Account
Amount
Grants & Restricted Programs
San Manuel All Hazards Training
Revenues
9938800-339000
$100,000
Expenditures
9938800-462200
$100,000
Prepared by: Mike Avila, Administrative Services Manager Approved by: Steve McKinster, Fire Chief
Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Finance Director
Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer Approved as to form: James Johnson, City Attorney
Attachment: Award Letter
San Manuel Cares Grant Award ● Page 2