lItem Number: 18
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: July 21, 2026
Submitted By:
Robert Clemmer, Fire Chief
Subject:
Budget Amendment for Various Strike Team Deployments During the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year
Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council adopt Resolution No. 26-049 to amend the 2025-2026 Fiscal Year budget appropriating additional revenue in the amount of $234,292.56 and expenses in the amount of $154,753.05 for said strike team deployments.
Fiscal Impact:
The recommended action will result in the following revenue and expenses adjustments:
Fire/Assignment
Name
Account
Org
Account
Objects
Account
Project
Code
Adjusted
Expenses
Adjusted
Revenue
Gifford Fire 1002010 47231,51100,51110,
51200, 51300,52110 96167 $85,370.54 $101,043.57
Rosa Fire 1002010 47231,51100,51110,
51200, 51300,52110 96168 $6,704.10 $7,875.91
XBO-250112 1002010 47231,51100,51110,
51200, 51300,52110 96169 $19,837.75 $27,842.63
Garnet Fire 1002010 47231,51100,51110,
51200, 51300,52110 96170 $28,767.74 $70,856.76
XBO-250130 1002010 47231,51100,51110,
51200, 51300,52110 96172 $7,959.76 $15,338.71
XBOC-250148 1002010 47231,51100,51110,
51200, 51300,52110 96173 $6,113.16 $11,334.98
Total $154,753.05 $234,292.56
Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal B. Public Safety – Implement public safety strategies to support a thriving and growing community.
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Background:
Through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), California Fire Assistance Agreement, our fire personnel may get deployment orders, known as strike teams, to assist other regions. The response of fire and rescue personnel and resources, through the Mutual Aid System, includes responses to major fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, hazardous materials, and other disasters. When a strike team is deployed, the State reimburses the City for most of the costs incurred during the deployment.
Discussion:
During the budget process, the Fire Department does not account for potential expenditures and revenues related to strike team deployments due to the unpredictable nature of fires. Predicting strike team deployments is challenging, as each year varies significantly; some years may have three deployments, while others can exceed twenty.
Therefore, the Fire Department must revise the budget annually to account for the expenses and reimbursements associated with strike team deployments for each fiscal year. The Fire Department received eight deployment orders to assist in the rapidly expanding wildfire incidents across multiple operational zones in Southern and Northern California during Fiscal Year 2025-2026. The following is a short summary of the fires attended.
Gifford Fire
Date Range: August 2 – September 7, 2025
Location: Santa Barbara County
Total Personnel Attended: 3
Orders were received on August 1, 2025, for the Gifford Fire. The Department deployed three personnel consisting of one Captain, one Engineer, and one Firefighter Paramedic on August 2, 2025, and returned on August 17, 2025, for a total of 369.75 hours. The Engineer was deployed back out as a Heavy Equipment Boss on August 24, 2025, and returned on September 7, 2025, for a total of 337.50 hours. Total personnel expenses for deployment were $80,922.83, with additional expenses of $4,447.71 for a total of $85,370.54. The Department received a reimbursement total of $101,043.57.
Rosa Fire
Date Range: August 5 – August 8, 2025
Location: Riverside County
Total Personnel Attended: 1
Orders were received on August 4, 2025, for the Rosa Fire. The Department deployed one Battalion Chief as a Strike Team Leader on August 5, 2025, and returned on August 8, 2025, for a total of 57.50 hours. Total personnel expenses for deployment were $6,584.32, with supply expenses of $119.78 for a total of $6,704.10. The Department received a reimbursement total of $7,875.91.
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XBO-250112 Preposition
Date Range: August 20 – August 23, 2025
Location: San Bernardino County
Total Personnel Attended: 4
Orders were received on August 19, 2025, for the XBO-250112 Preposition due to wildland fire threat. The Department deployed four personnel consisting of one Battalion Chief as a Strike Team Leader, and a team consisting of one Captain, one Engineer, and one Firefighter Paramedic on August 20, 2025, and returned on August 23, 2025, for a total of 73 hours. Total personnel expenses for deployment were $17,966.11, with additional expenses of $1,871.64 for a total of $19,837.75. The Department received a reimbursement total of $27,842.63.
Garnet Fire
Date Range: August 26 – September 21, 2025
Location: Fresno County
Total Personnel Attended: 2
Orders were received on August 24, 2025. The Department deployed a Battalion Chief as a Strike Team Leader on August 26, 2025, and returned on September 10, 2025, for a total of 358 hours. An Engineer was deployed as a Heavy Equipment Boss on September 7, 2025, and returned on September 21, 2025, for a total of 337 hours. Total personnel expenses for deployment were $27,026.51, with additional expenses of $1,741.23 for a total of $28,767.74. The Department received a reimbursement total of $70,856.76.
XBO-250130 Preposition
Date Range: September 26 – September 28, 2025
Location: San Bernardino County
Total Personnel Attended: 4
Orders were received on September 26, 2025, for the XBO-250130 Preposition due to wildland fire threat. The Department deployed one Battalion Chief as a Strike Team Leader and a team consisting of one Captain, one Engineer, and one Firefighter Paramedic on September 26, 2025, and returned on September 28, 2025, for a total of 41 hours. Total personnel expenses for deployment were $6,620.46, with additional expenses of $1,339.30 for a total of $7,959.76. The Department received a reimbursement total of $15,338.71.
XBOC-250148 Preposition
Date Range: November 14 – November 16, 2025
Location: San Bernardino County
Total Personnel Attended: 4
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Orders were received for the XBOC-250148 Preposition on November 13, 2025, due to potential flooding and swift water conditions. The Department deployed a team consisting of one Captain, one Engineer, and one Firefighter Paramedic on November 14, 2025.
There was a Captain personnel swap on November 15, 2025. The team returned on November 16, 2025, staying a total of 50 hours. Total personnel expenses for deployment were $5,170.16, with additional expenses of $943 for a total of $6,113.16. The Department received a reimbursement total of $11,334.98.
Verona Fire
Date Range: May 20 – May 23, 2026
Location: Riverside County
Total Personnel Attended: 3
Orders were received on May 19, 2026. The Department deployed a team consisting of one Captain, one Engineer, and one Firefighter Paramedic on May 20, 2026, and returned on May 23, 2026, for a total of 75.87 hours. The Fire Department does not have final costs or reimbursement amounts yet as it is still in process with CalOES. An amendment will be submitted when the incident reimbursement is complete.
Shore Fire
Date Range: June 15 – June 18, 2026
Location: Riverside County
Total Personnel Attended: 6
Orders were received on June 15, 2026. The Department deployed a team consisting of one Captain, one Engineer, and one Firefighter Paramedic on June 15, 2026, and returned on June 17, 2026, for a total of 43.5 hours. A second team was deployed consisting of one Captain, one Engineer, and one Firefighter Paramedic on June 17, 2026, and returned on June 18, 2026, for a total of 33.5 hours. The Fire Department does not have final costs or reimbursement amounts yet as it is still in process with CalOES.
An amendment will be submitted when the incident reimbursement is complete.
Other than personnel expenses, strike team expenses may include hotel stays, meals, and any needed tools or miscellaneous items that might require replacement or fixing. A Strike Team Leader is an overhead position that supervises five engine companies. The Strike Team Leader insures span of control within the incident command system. A Heavy Equipment Boss supervises either a single resource dozer or a strike team of dozers (two dozers and 2 swampers). They primarily coordinate with division/group supervisors to develop the scope of work for dozer teams.
All reimbursements for the mentioned fires have been processed and received from the State with the exception of the Verona and Shore Fire. Due to the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2026, and since the reimbursements have not been received, the budget amendment for the Verona and Shore Fire will be recorded and included in the strike team amendment report taken at the end of the 2026-2027 Fiscal Year. 4 7
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Staff is available to answer questions the Council may have.
Prepared by:
Summer Virgilio, Management Technician
Karem Ostrom, Administrative Manager
Attachments: A. Resolution No. 26-049