The California Fire Chiefs Association (CalChiefs) and Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC) encourage all members to submit public comments in opposition to the provisions in CMS Proposed Rule 2449-P that would cap Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) supplemental payments at the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule (AFS) rates.

If adopted, this proposal could significantly reduce Medicaid supplemental reimbursement for many public fire and EMS agencies, threatening the financial sustainability of local emergency medical services and limiting the resources available to serve California communities. CMS is accepting public comments through July 21, 2026.

How You Can Help

1. Review the attached comment template.
2. Personalize the template by adding information about your agency and the potential impacts on your community. Individual comments are more effective than identical submissions.
3. Submit your comments no later than July 21, 2026 through the official federal rulemaking portal.
4. When submitting your comments, reference CMS Proposed Rule 2449-P. 
   

Your participation is critical. Strong engagement from California's fire districts, fire departments, and EMS providers will help demonstrate the significant impact this proposal could have on emergency medical services and the communities we serve.

Thank you for taking the time to make your voice heard.

The California UAS Coordination Group (CALGRU) has officially launched as the newest State Group within the DroneResponders Network, marking a significant milestone for public-safety unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations across California.

Who Are DroneResponders?
DroneResponders is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the safe, effective, and legal use of unmanned aircraft systems by public-safety agencies. Its mission is to provide education, coordination, advocacy, and shared best practices to first responders using UAS for emergency response, disaster management, search and rescue, situational awareness, and critical infrastructure protection.

Through a growing network of state and regional coordination groups, DroneResponders connects agencies, pilots, program managers, regulators, and innovators to address rapidly evolving operational, regulatory, and technological challenges.

Why CALGRU Matters
CALGRU brings that national framework directly to California—one of the most complex and operationally demanding UAS environments in the country. From wildland fire and earthquakes to floods, law enforcement operations, and large-scale planned events, California agencies rely heavily on UAS to enhance safety and effectiveness.

CALGRU’s goal is to leverage the collective experience of its members to:

• Share timely regulatory and policy updates
  
• Provide practical tools that help shape their agencies operational guidance
  
• Foster collaboration across disciplines and jurisdictions
  
• Strengthen California’s unified voice on public-safety UAS issues

By participating in CALGRU, agencies and individual members gain access to a trusted peer network that helps them stay ahead of federal policy changes, operational trends, and emerging technologies—while ensuring programs remain compliant, resilient, and mission-focused.

CALGRU Website is Now Live
The CALGRU website is officially live and ready for members to create accounts. This platform will serve as the central hub for sharing updates and information impacting the public-safety UAS community statewide.

The first community post is already available, covering recent NDAA and FCC actions, and includes both a video briefing and a reference PDF—setting the tone for the type of actionable, practitioner-focused content CALGRU intends to provide.

Create your CALGRU profile here: https://www.droneresponders.org/calgru

Why Join DroneResponders and CALGRU?
Participation matters—now more than ever. Federal policy shifts (NDAA compliance, FCC covered entity, counter-UAS authorities, and FAA rulemaking) directly affect the ability of California agencies to acquire equipment, deploy aircraft, and operate effectively.

Joining DroneResponders and CALGRU helps ensure:

• Your agency’s voice is represented at the state and national level
  
• You receive early awareness of regulatory and legislative changes
  
• You can share lessons learned and proven practices
  
• California agencies move forward together with consistency and credibility

First CALGRU Membership Meeting – January 16
CALGRU will hold its first membership meeting on January 16, 2026, at 10:30 AM Pacific Time. Topics will include:

• Updates on NDAA requirements
  
• Counter-UAS developments
  
• Discussion of the FAA Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for drone package delivery operations, which is laying important groundwork for Part 108

Meeting Details

• Date: January 16, 2026
  
• Time: 10:30 AM Pacific
  
• Zoom Meeting ID: 822 7040 1269
  
• Passcode: 383899
  
• Join Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82270401269?pwd=7f95akogGgcDcvMRmPSBvlGWIa2NzP.1
  
  

Stay Connected
CALGRU will actively share resources, updates, and real-world examples of UAS use across California. Members are encouraged to follow and contribute:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calgru1850
  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/calgru

CALGRU is always looking for additional material and stories to feature. If your agency has lessons learned, innovative uses, or operational insights to share, the CALGRU team wants to hear from you.
________________________________________

We look forward to seeing you at the January meeting and to building a strong, coordinated future for public-safety UAS operations across California.

Fire protection districts need adequate funding to continue to provide vital local services to their communities as well as respond to the increasing calls for mutual aid. Fires in California are different from what they were even a decade ago. Fires are getting more frequent and larger, costs are skyrocketing, and our funding sources cannot keep pace with the increased demands placed on local government fire agencies. FDAC is committed to taking on this fight to secure sufficient funding for our members.

In early 2025, FDAC released its white paper entitled, Fighting Fire with Funding: The Urgent Need for Adequate Fire Service Resources in California. Armed with this report, FDAC leadership began meeting with legislators and others to elevate the understanding of the funding struggles facing local government fire service agencies. Now, we need our members to join the effort. Our voice needs to be strong and consistent throughout California.

To be successful in securing this vital funding, FDAC needs your support!

 FDAC created the toolkit to give our members a chance to advocate not just for themselves, but for local fire service across the state.

The toolkit itself is comprised of two main sections:

1. Advocacy, Information, & Examples

• Advocacy 101
• Legislative Engagement Best Practices
• Fact sheets, “What if” scenarios, & Talking Points
• Scripts for Phone, Email, Op-eds, and Social Media

2. Finding & Contacting Your Legislator

Securing a new funding stream is a long, complicated process that will require buy-in not just from our members, but from legislators and decision-makers from top to bottom. The toolkit is to enable our grassroots approach, spreading our message widely so that we can secure supporters in the Legislature and within the Administration.

Be a Part of the Voice

Use the toolkit to contact your legislators. Phone calls, emails, and meetings are our primary method of communication, and any relationships that we can form are important to our campaign. When speaking with a legislator, or their staff, make sure to have tangible examples of how funding would impact your work, and your community.

Speak with your district board and inquire among your staff about those who have, or may wish, to expand their scope into an advocacy building role.

Please email FDAC at staff@fdac.org. if you have any questions on the toolkit or how to engage in these efforts on the local or state level.

Advocacy Building Role

One of the most important tools a fire chief can have is authority to advocate on behalf of their fire district. FDAC President Don Butz has provided a sample resolution and staff report to request that ability. The sample resolution empowers the fire chief (or designated staff member) to engage in state legislative advocacy in support of the constituents and district mission. We encourage all FDAC members to take this resolution to your Board of Directors’ for consideration and adoption so district leadership can act quickly, strategically, and effectively when needed in the State Capitol.

In Appreciation

While there are too many people who have worked on this project to name, FDAC wishes to recognize the effort of two special individuals, Chief Brian Helmick and the late Chief Mark Baker. These two men took this issue under their wings, and without their time, sweat, and arduous work, none of this would be possible.

Thank you for your continued leadership and partnership. Together, our collective voice is stronger, and these steps will help us fight for the resources, legislation, and funding we need to protect our communities.

Chief Don Butz,
FDAC President

However, FDAC must highlight a critical oversight within this package: the lack of direct funding for California's local fire protection districts and departments. While the budget package is a vital step, it addresses only one part of California's complex fire suppression ecosystem.

"California's local fire protection districts are facing an unprecedented funding crisis that directly threatens public safety across the state," stated Chief Don Butz, FDAC President. "Our local fire agencies are the foundational layer of emergency response in our communities, providing essential all-risk services from structure fires and medical emergencies to hazardous materials and initial wildfire response within their specific jurisdictions. These are the boots on the ground, first to arrive and last to leave in our neighborhoods every single day."

 Crucially, these local agencies form the backbone of the statewide mutual aid system, providing over 60% of the personnel and a significant portion of the engines that support CAL FIRE and the US Forest Service during major incidents. The Senate's press release mentions the Eaton and Palisades fires, where over 60% of personnel deployed came from local agencies, and local government engines account for 42% of the total engines deployed in California's firefighting efforts.

The strength of California's entire emergency response system hinges on the robust funding and operational capacity of our local fire districts. The mutual aid system, which the state relies heavily upon during large-scale incidents, is already severely strained due to local funding shortfalls. This has led to an alarming increase in "Unable to Fill" (UTF) calls for additional resources, with 19,435 UTFs in 2020 and 11,422 UTFs in 2021, indicating a significant breakdown in operational capacity.

"Imagine a scenario where the state did not have this vital support from local fire agencies, their engines, and their staffing," Chief Butz added. "Without robust local fire districts, state resources would be quickly overwhelmed, leading to catastrophic mutual aid failures, increased risk to life and property, and potentially devolving manageable crises into unmitigated disasters. Our communities, and indeed the entire state, become more vulnerable."

 FDAC urges the Legislature to recognize that while investment in state fire services is essential, it must be complemented by equally critical support for the local fire districts that provide daily emergency services and are indispensable partners in statewide wildfire response. A truly comprehensive wildfire package must ensure the robust funding for staffing, equipment and operational capacity of both state and local firefighting forces for the sustained safety of all Californians.

FDAC stands ready to collaborate with the Legislature, the Governor and all stakeholders to ensure that future legislative efforts include direct and substantial funding for the local fire districts, safeguarding the full spectrum of emergency response for every community in the Golden State.

About the Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC): The Fire Districts Association of California is dedicated to supporting and advocating for California's independent fire protection districts, ensuring they have the resources and tools necessary to provide the highest level of fire and emergency services to their communities.

CONTACT: Catherine Smith
Executive Director 916.996.4345
csmith@fdac.org

News: These Northern California fire districts could fold. ‘People would end up dying’

• The Sacramento Bee
• FireRescue1

FDAC, along with its collaborative partners—the California Fire Chiefs Association and the California Volunteer and Combination Chiefs Association—aims to use the white paper to initiate dialogue and develop long-term, collaborative solutions that prioritize fire service readiness at every level.

“FDAC leadership has been concerned about the continued financial struggles facing our members,” said FDAC President Chief Eric Walder. “With the intensified conversations on wildfires and the need to ensure adequate resources are available, we felt it was essential to represent local government fire agencies.”

FDAC will engage its members in local advocacy efforts to distribute the fire district funding white paper to decision-makers. Your support of this initiative will be key to its success, ensuring that fire protection districts receive the funding they need for the future.

The White Paper will be discussed in person at our 2025 Annual Conference in Napa on Thursday, April 3rd. We encourage you to join us, bring your questions, and participate in this pivotal discussion as we navigate this important time together. Click here to register today!

“FDAC felt it was important to elevate the funding needs of local government fire agencies,” said Chief Eric Walder, FDAC President. “Investing in CalFire is essential, but it is equally critical to support the hundreds of local fire agencies that form the foundation of California’s emergency response.” 

At any one time, it was estimated that up to 60% of personnel that were deployed to the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires came from local agencies. California, long known for its world-class mutual aid system, is looking for ways to sustain and fund this collaborative model as demand skyrockets with the recent wildfires. Fire districts hold multiple essential roles. They protect their communities and provide essential mutual aid resources, including water rescues, urban search and rescue, and hazardous materials response teams. 

FDAC and its collaborative partners, California Fire Chiefs Association and California Volunteer and Combination Chiefs Association, hope the white paper will generate dialogue to develop long-term, collaborative solutions that prioritize fire service readiness at every level. 

“Local fire agencies provide all risk emergency response to their communities and support statewide mutual aid requests,” said Chief Walder. “California will not be prepared into the future without local fire agencies being staffed up and ready to respond.” 

FDAC was founded in 1972 as the voice of California’s fire protection districts. California has approximately 350 districts throughout the state that provide fire protection, suppression, and emergency responses to local communities. 

CalChiefs & FDAC are honored to represent California firefighters.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the communities affected by the recent Southern California fires. The loss of lives, homes, businesses, schools, and the sense of security is truly heartbreaking. The destruction of cherished spaces impacts us all profoundly. While tangible keepsakes may be lost, the resilience and memories of those affected remain a testament to their strength.

California continues to endure relentless firestorms, impacting every corner of our great state. Amid these challenges, we are reminded of the exceptional courage demonstrated by all those on the front lines.

We are profoundly grateful to every firefighter who is actively battling these devastating fires. Firefighters from across the nation and our colleagues to the north and south have answered the call. This mutual aid exemplifies the fire service's unique spirit: an unwavering passion to help and an unrelenting dedication to serve.

CalChiefs and FDAC are honored to represent the majority of California firefighters. We are privileged to share their stories of heroism and selflessness. Our unwavering commitment is to advocate for the resources, mitigation measures, and solutions necessary to protect our firefighters and prevent future devastation in California.

As containment efforts continue, supported by the tireless dedication of our members, CalChiefs and FDAC stand ready to serve as the unified voice of local government fire services. Together, we will navigate the path forward, ensuring the lessons from these tragedies create a safer future for all.

In the meantime, we encourage everyone to support the heroes on the ground and the victims of these fires in any way possible.

How You Can Help

• Donate to the California Fire Chiefs Foundation
  Your donation to the CFCF directly supports firefighters and agencies in California actively combating these fires, including in Los Angeles County.
• Donate to the California Fire Foundation
  Your contribution to the CFF Wildfire & Disaster Relief Fund provides direct support to victims of wildfires and disasters across California.

Together, we can make a meaningful difference—supporting those who protect us and those working to rebuild their lives.

AB 2557 is currently on the Committee’s suspense file, and the Coalition has met with every member of the Committee. But more is needed. In advance of the suspense file hearing on Thursday, August 15, 2024, we need FDAC members to reach out to the committee members listed below if you know them or have a relationship with them and ask them to vote no. Attached is the coalition letter for your talking points. 

Please let Legislative Assistant Brett Moore now at bmoore@fdac.org if you can help with any of the below listed committee members.

AB 2557 would impose new requirements on the governing bodies of local agencies that wish to contract out for certain services, as specified, including posting contracts and related documents on the local agency’s website and providing advance notice to the public agency’s affected workforce union representative, as specified. The bill would also require public contracts for functions currently or previously performed by unionized public employees to include specified information beginning July 1, 2026.

Anna Caballero (Chair)
Dem - 14
Contact Senator Anna Caballero
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7620
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4014
 
Brian W. Jones (Vice-Chair)
Rep - 40
Contact Senator Brian W. Jones
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7640
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4040
 
Angelique Ashby
Dem - 08
Contact Senator Angelique Ashby
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7320
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4008
 
Josh Becker
Dem - 13
Contact Senator Josh Becker
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7250
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4013
 
Steven Bradford
Dem - 35
Contact Senator Steven Bradford
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7210
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4035
 
Kelly Seyarto
Rep - 32
Contact Senator Kelly Seyarto
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7120
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4032
 
Aisha Wahab
Dem - 10
Contact Senator Aisha Wahab
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7330
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900; (916) 651-4410

Please call today or tomorrow to share you opposition to AB 2557!

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Decision Published Today by the CA Supreme Court

The California Supreme Court struck down Initiative #1935, better known as the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, barring it from appearing on the 2024 California Ballot. The Court cites that the initiative goes too far, “fundamentally” changing how local governments can plan and budget to fulfill their normal duties. The initiative would have changed the required votes needed to change taxes and fees from a majority to two-thirds.

The initiative will not show up on the November 2024 ballot.

To view Supreme Court document: Legislature v. Weber

FDAC was a contributor to the coalition against this initiative and would like to thank all those who supported this endeavor as well. Please stay tuned as more news and information comes out.

Significant Victory for California Fire District Comes from Riverside Case
The California Supreme Court has denied the petition for review filed by Symons in the Symons v. City of Riverside case. Earlier this year, the California Court of Appeal held that City of Riverside’s ambulance permitting and franchising ordinance (Riverside Municipal Code chapter 5.66) was neither preempted by the EMS Act nor invalid under the federal antitrust laws because Symons, a private ambulance provider, failed to prove that the City did not qualify for Health & Safety Code Section 1797.201 status. On May 1, 2024, the California Supreme Court denied Symons’ petition to review the opinion and request to de-publish the opinion.  

Symons v. City of Riverside is now final and constitutes precedent throughout California. FDAC, Cal Chiefs, and many other fire organizations had submitted requests to publish the City of Riverside case decision allowing it to be referenced in future litigation.

The Symons Emergency Specialties v. City of Riverside Legal Alert published by the legal firm Wright, L’ Estrange & Ergastolo is linked here. 

Bipartisan Bill on Special Districts Easily Passes House of Representatives
On Monday, the Special District Grant Accessibility Act (H.R. 7525) cruised through the House of Representatives with overwhelming support. H.R. 7525 would codify a first-ever definition of "special district" in federal law and ensure districts are eligible for all appropriate forms of federal financial assistance. Rep. Pat Fallon (R) and Brittany Pettersen (D-Colorado) co-sponsored the bipartisan bill. The legislation cleared the House by a vote of 352-27. The bill moved to the U.S. Senate and was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. FDAC joined the coalition in support of H.R. 7525 organized by the National Special Districts Coalition.  

Opposition Grows Against ERAF State Budget Proposal
Governor Newsom’s 2024-2025 budget includes a proposal regarding Charter School Eligibility for Education Revenue Augmentation Funds (ERAF). This proposal would result in the permanent loss of millions annually in excess ERAF funding to local government entities through the State that deliver vital transportation, public safety, safety net, and other services. FDAC and other local government associations are closely monitoring this budget proposal and if it remains as part of the Governor’s May Revise which is scheduled to be released tomorrow, FDAC may issue a Call to Action for our members to communicate with Legislators the impact this will have on local government fire. Stay tuned for more information to come.   

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 5-11, 2024, as “Wildfire Preparedness Week.”

 The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

PROCLAMATION

California and much of the West are experiencing more challenging wildfire seasons amid intensifying climate impacts. With our state on the frontlines of this growing threat, my Administration is taking unprecedented action to make our communities more resilient to wildfire and improve forest health.

Over the past five years, we’ve advanced historic investments to step up forest management and other projects that decrease catastrophic wildfire risk, fund robust emergency response efforts, and purchase state-of-the-art firefighting equipment and technology. Thanks in part to these efforts, as well as improved weather conditions, California last year saw many fewer structures destroyed compared to prior years.

CAL FIRE has also made significant progress on fuels reduction and mitigation, with more than 105,500 acres of fuels treatment last year. Fuels reduction projects are vital to slowing and reducing the intensity of wildfires and provide areas from which fire personnel can safely and aggressively suppress fires. Developing and maintaining these vital projects across the state will remain an ongoing focus to protect our communities.

This year’s Wildfire Preparedness Week theme, meeting the mission through partnerships, emphasizes the importance of collaboration and collective responsibility in reducing and managing wildfire risk. Californians can make their neighborhoods safer by creating defensible space around homes, hardening homes, developing wildfire action plans and teaming up to join Fire Safe Councils and Firewise Communities, which work to regularly assess wildfire risk and prioritize action to address it.

All of us have an essential role in protecting ourselves, loved ones, and communities from wildfire. During Wildfire Preparedness Week, I encourage all Californians to visit ReadyForWildfire.org to learn about steps we can take to prepare for wildfire season and help prevent loss of life and property. Together, we can create a more fire resilient California.

NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim May 5-11, 2024, as “Wildfire Preparedness Week.”

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 1st day of May 2024.

Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

News: 2024 Press Release
For Release: March 14, 2024
Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566
Email Inquiries: cdipress@insurance.ca.gov

Catastrophe modeling regulation promotes transparency, insurance availability, and wildfire safety

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara released his catastrophe modeling regulation that will help restore options for all Californians, the latest phase of his Sustainable Insurance Strategy to safeguard the integrity of the state’s insurance market. The Department of Insurance will hold a public workshop on April 23 to take input before starting the process of submitting the regulation for approval by the Office of Administrative Law.

Today’s announcement keeps California on track for a December 2024 goal of enacting the state’s largest insurance reform in over 30 years. It follows Commissioner Lara’s release last month of a new regulation to improve oversight and handling of insurance rate filings.

Catastrophic insurance losses are defined as those that are larger and affect multiple policyholders as a result of a severe event, such as a wildfire affecting dozens of homes compared to a common house fire. For more than 30 years, California regulations have allowed insurance companies to apply a catastrophe factor to insurance rates based on historical wildfire losses. These outdated rules have contributed to rate spikes and balloon premiums following major wildfire disasters without fully accounting for the growing risk caused by climate change or risk mitigation measures taken by communities or regionally, as a result of local, state, and federal investments.

Currently, the Department of Insurance allows the use of catastrophe models for earthquake losses and fire following earthquake. The proposed regulation expands the allowable use of catastrophe models to include wildfire, terrorism, and flood lines for homeowners and commercial insurance lines.

Commissioner Lara’s strategy addresses a major limitation of Proposition 103, passed by voters in 1988. Under that law, insurance companies are free to propose rates at any level needed to cover future losses but, unlike public utilities, are not required to cover all residents. With the combination of climate-intensified disasters, rising costs of repair and rebuilding, and global economic forces, major companies have increased rates while pulling back from higher-risk properties where the FAIR Plan is now the only option.

“My Sustainable Insurance Strategy is intended to address decades-long neglected issues. Under outdated rules, the growth of climate-driven mega fires has supercharged insurance costs for many Californians while making insurance harder to find,” said Commissioner Lara about the second in a series of a proposed regulatory changes where he is seeking public comment and review. “We can no longer look solely to the past as a guide to the future. My strategy will help modernize our marketplace, restoring options for consumers while safeguarding the independent, transparent review of rate filings by Department of Insurance experts, which is a bedrock principle of California law.”

Commissioner Lara’s proposed regulation will have major benefits for Californians in the form of:

• More reliable rates: Insurance consumers will have more stable costs than under current regulations, which have resulted in sudden and steep increases for those at higher risk of wildfire.
• Greater availability of insurance: Insurance companies will increase their writing because they can better anticipate future losses, rather than making abrupt decisions to non-renew higher-risk policyholders, pause writing, or rapidly increase rates.
  
• Stronger oversight: The Department of Insurance will have strong public oversight of modeling, which is already being widely used by insurance companies outside of rate-making and across the nation. The Department will have access to models and build expertise, so California can continue to lead on consumer protection.
  
• Safer communities: Catastrophe models can capture efforts taken by federal, state, and local governments, property owners, communities and utility companies to mitigate the exposure of communities to catastrophic events – encouraging and rewarding those efforts.

The regulation corrects a major shortfall of using historical data, which fails to account for wildfire mitigation. The regulation specifies that any model must incorporate the best available scientific information on risk mitigation at the property, community, and landscape scales, including risk mitigation initiated by local and regional utility companies. This forward-looking change will also enhance a recent regulation that Commissioner Lara spearheaded and now enforces, requiring wildfire safety discounts for homeowners and businesses and aligning with record investments in wildfire mitigation by Governor Newsom and the California Legislature.

The regulation complies with California’s strong consumer protection laws, which requires that anytime an insurance company seeks to change its rates, it must provide a complete rate application with all information that the Insurance Commissioner requires for review. The proposed regulation creates a new process for review of models by a panel of experts overseen by the Department of Insurance -- before insurance companies can use them in a rate filing and meet the stringent transparency requirements under Proposition 103. The panel would evaluate the appropriateness and soundness of each model and a Department of Insurance official would determine what information about the model must be included in rate applications. Any member of the public can participate in this review.

The Department of Insurance will hold a public workshop to take input on the proposed regulation on April 23, 2024, at 2PM/PT.

# # #

Media Notes:

• View the draft text of the catastrophe modeling regulation.
• View the workshop invitation.
• Catastrophe models are computerized processes that simulate potential catastrophic events. Catastrophe models have been rapidly evolving since their introduction in the 1980s, incorporating historical data, technology, scientific research, engineering methods, and statistical analysis to model complex scenarios and events. Catastrophe models were developed to estimate the probability of loss due to extreme weather events but have expanded to apply to non-weather risks including casualty or liability loss, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. 
  

FDAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS CALL FOR CANDIDATES
Please Submit Your Letter of Interest by Wednesday, April 3, 2024. 

The Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC) has seats on the Board of Directors up for election on April 25, 2024, at the FDAC Annual Membership Meeting held at the FDAC Annual Conference. The FDAC Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for all policy decisions affecting FDAC’s member services and legislative programs. Serving on the Board requires interest in the issues confronting fire districts statewide, and the commitment to take part in all Board meetings (in-person or virtually), approximately four per year. 

All Board seats are for two-year terms beginning at the 2024 Annual Meeting and ending at the 2026 Annual Meeting, unless otherwise noted. Following is a summary of seats up for election:

• Northern Zone 1 Director
• Northern Zone 2 Director
• Northern Zone 3 Director
• Southern Zone 4 Director
• Southern Zone 5 Director
• Southern Zone 6 Director
• Two At-Large Directors

*All incumbents are planning to rerun at this time. Nominations are encouraged and accepted.

To fill a Zone Director seat your district must reside in that geographical Zone. If you are not certain which zone your district is in, please review the FDAC zone map. There are no geographical requirements for At-Large Director positions. 

If you would like to be considered for one of the aforementioned seats on the FDAC Board of Directors, please submit a letter of interest to cberry@fdac.org on or before April 3, 2024. Nominations will also be taken from the floor at the Annual Meeting on April 25, 2024.

Your urgent in person presence is needed at the state capitol on July 12, 2023 for two legislative bills FDAC is supporting. The first bill is AB 40 Ambulance Patient Off-load Times, which is sponsored by CPF. The second is AB 1168 City of Oxnard JPA for ambulance 201, which is sponsored by Cal Cities. 

Both of these bills have opposition from several groups such as local EMS Agency, MDAC, AMR and the Hospital Association. So this is why your presence is needed. On July 12, 2023 at approximately 10:00 AM. Please attend in uniform if possible. Both of these bills will be heard by two separate senate committees. Please see below for the estimated times and where to go. 

Committees:

• Senate Health:  AB 40 (Rodriguez)
• Senate Governance & Finance:  AB 1168 (Bennett)

Start time of these Committees will be a bit complicated as the hearings on our bills will only convene upon adjournment of other Committees using the same hearing rooms.

Personnel coming to town for the hearings can stage at the PPA offices (Public Policy Advocates, LLC 1015 K Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814 or can go directly to the Swing Space where the hearings will be held.

Parking would probably be easiest at the Capitol Garage located at 10 & L Streets; entrance off of 10thStreet.

Assembly Bill 40 (Rodriguez): Emergency Medical Services.

• Committee: Senate Committee on Health
• Hearing Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
• Hearing Time: Approximately 10:00 - 10:30 AM, could be earlier/later; (Senate Health meeting upon adjournment of Senate EQ Committee Hearing that begins @ 9:00 AM)
• Location: 1021 O Street, Room 1200

Assembly Bill 1168 (Bennett: Emergency Medical Services (EMS): Prehospital EMS

• Committee: Senate Committee on Governance & Finance
• Hearing Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
• Hearing Time: Approximately 11:00 - 11:30 AM, could be earlier/later; (Senate Gov&Finance meeting upon adjournment of Senate Education hearing that begins @ 9:00 AM)
• Location: 1021 O Street, Room 2100

#1) AB 40 (APOT) - Hearing Save the Date and Time Sensitive Data Request

FDAC is requesting assistance in gathering information prior to the hearing, and for a strong fire service turnout for the hearing. 

• AB 40 Hearing in Assembly Health Committee April 18, 2023.
• Location: 1021 O Street, Room 1100, Sacramento, CA 95814
• Time: 1:30pm
• Testimony: Witnesses will be able to share their name, affiliation and support of the bill
• Uniform: Class A

RSVP IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE COMMITTEE HEARING

#2) Please send the following two sets of data to FDAC staff member, Brett Moore at bmoore@fdac.org no later than April 10th COB – this is critical. 

#3) Submit a letter of support for AB 40.

Please complete the attached letter template and return to FDAC staff member Brett Moore at bmoore@fdac.org no later than April 13th. 

Respectfully,

Eric Walder
President, California Fire Districts Association

#1) AB 40 (APOT) - Hearing Save the Date and Time Sensitive Data Request

FDAC is requesting assistance in gathering information prior to the hearing, and for a strong fire service turnout for the hearing. 

• AB 40 Hearing in Assembly Health Committee April 18, 2023.
• Location: 1021 O Street, Room 1100, Sacramento, CA 95814
• Time: 1:30pm
• Testimony: Witnesses will be able to share their name, affiliation and support of the bill
• Uniform: Class A

RSVP IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE COMMITTEE HEARING

#2) Please send the following two sets of data to FDAC staff member, Brett Moore at bmoore@fdac.org no later than April 10th COB – this is critical. 

#3) Submit a letter of support for AB 40.

Please complete the attached letter template and return to FDAC staff member Brett Moore at bmoore@fdac.org no later than April 13th. 

Respectfully,

Eric Walder
President, California Fire Districts Association

AB 40 (APOT) - Hearing Save the Date and Time Sensitive Data Request

AB 40 (APOT) is scheduled for a hearing on April 18 (please mark your calendar details to follow).  FDAC is requesting assistance on behalf of CPF in gathering information prior to the hearing, and for a strong fire service turnout for the hearing (Class A’s). 

CPF is requesting the following two sets of data be sent to Doug Subers, CPF at dsubers@cpf.org no later than April 10 COB – this is critical. Please copy FDAC staff member Brett Moore at bmoore@fdac.org.

Urgent Fire Service Responses Needed - State Responsibility Areas (SRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps Comments

As many of you know, CalFire is accepting comments on the draft State Responsibility Areas (SRA) Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps through April 4th. If you have not done so already, I strongly encourage you to review these maps and submit your comments to CalFire at fhszcomments@fire.ca.gov. CalFire has received over 600 comments and is committed to reviewing and responding to all submissions.
 
To explain the process, CalChiefs has shared a video recording with CalFire’s Chief Jim McDougal  and Chief Dave Winnacker which is available for viewing here: https://youtu.be/aJjPxvCdrkE
 
Additional information is available via CalFire’s website. 
 
Respectfully,

Chief Eric Walder
President, Fire Districts Association of California

“Upon proposal by the Board of Directors, these Bylaws may be amended, repealed, or altered, in whole or in part, (a) by a majority vote of members present at any meeting of the Association…”

The FDAC Board of Directors is proposing amending the following Articles of the FDAC Bylaws outlined below. 

Article IV Board of Directors
4.2 Number and 4.3 Qualifications

Article V Executive Board
5.1 Numbers, Titles, and Powers

The purpose of these amendments is to expand board member qualifications to include fire district staff leadership representatives such as Deputy, Assistant, Division or Battalion Chiefs. 

The current FDAC bylaws form a Board of eighteen (18) members:

“The Board of Directors shall consist of two (2) Directors elected from each zone, five (5) Directors elected at-large, and one (1) Director consisting of the Immediate Past President who serves by virtue of his or her position as the Immediate Past President.”

“All Directors shall be either an elected or appointed district director or fire chief of an active member in good standing, and no two Directors shall represent the same district.”

Upon approval of the amendments the new bylaws would allow for no more than five (5) of the eighteen (18) board seats to be filled by either an elected or appointed district director, or fire chief or other identified representative (Deputy, Assistant, Division, or Battalion Chief) of an active member in good standing, and no two Directors shall represent the same district. Board officer positions shall still be held by either a district director or fire chief of an active member in good standing only. 

The FDAC membership will vote on the purposed amendments at the March 16, 2023, FDAC Annual Meeting being held during the 2023 FDAC Annual Conference in Napa, CA. 

Copy of the proposed Amended Bylaws

FDAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS CALL FOR CANDIDATES
Please Submit Your Letter of Interest by Monday, March 13, 2023. 

The Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC) has seats on the Board of Directors up for election on March 16, 2023, at the FDAC Annual Meeting being held at the FDAC Annual Conference. The FDAC Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for all policy decisions affecting FDAC’s member services and legislative programs. Serving on the Board requires interest in the issues confronting fire districts statewide, and the commitment to participate in all Board meetings (in-person or virtually), approximately four per year. 

All Board seats are for two-year terms beginning at the 2023 Annual Meeting and ending at the 2025 Annual Meeting, unless otherwise noted. Following is a summary of seats up for election:

• Northern Zone 1 Director
• Northern Zone 2 Director
• Northern Zone 3 Director
• Southern Zone 4 Director
• Southern Zone 5 Director
• Southern Zone 6 Director
• Two At-Large Directors

*All incumbents are planning to rerun at this time. Nominations will still be accepted.

FDAC BOARD VACANCIES
We also have the following board vacancies. These terms end in 2024 and will be filled by appointment of the board. If you are interested in any of these vacant board seats, please send your letter of interest via email to cberry@fdac.org, on or before March 13, 2023. 

• Southern Zone 4 – Vacant term ends in 2024.
• Southern Zone 5 – Vacant term ends in 2024.
• One At-Large Director – Vacant term ends in 2024.

To fill a Zone Director seat your district must reside in that geographical Zone. If you are not certain which zone your district is in, please review the FDAC zone map. There are no geographical requirements for At-Large Director positions. 

If you would like to be considered for one of the aforementioned seats on the FDAC Board of Directors, please submit a letter of interest to cberry@fdac.org on or before March 13, 2023. Nominations will also be taken from the floor at the Annual Meeting on March 16, 2023.

Today is the last day for online registrations for the 2023 FDAC Annual Conference! Join us for an exciting conference and strong program with in-depth discussions covering pertinent information effecting fire service today. This year’s conference will be held on March 14-17, 2023 in the beautiful California Napa Valley!

PRE-CONFERENCE
FDAC is offering additional sessions taking place on March 14th, 2023. The Pre-Conference sessions are separate from the regular conference sessions and can be attended separately or in addition to the regular sessions.

VIEW FINAL AGENDA

REGISTER TODAY!

IN PERSON REGISTRATION 
If you are unable to register online, no worries, attendees will be able to register at the conference registration desk located in the Grand Foyer just outside the exhibit hall

HOTEL INFORMATION
FDAC’s hotel room block is full on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa
3425 Solano Ave. Napa, CA 94558
Conference Attendee Rate: $209
Deadline to Book: March 3, 2023

CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations notices must be made IN WRITING and received by FDAC no later than Friday, March 3, 2023 via email at staff@fdac.org. All cancellations received on or by Friday, March 3, 2023 will be refunded with a $50 processing fee. There will be no refunds for cancellations made after Friday, March 3, 2023. 

FDAC is happy to welcome Dr. Reginald Freeman as this years’ Opening Keynote Speaker for the 2023 Annual Conference! Dr. Freeman is the current Fire Chief for the City of Oakland where he manages a force of more than 400 firefighters and staff in a Fire Department that responds to more than 60,000 calls annually. Previously, Chief Freeman served as Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the City of Hartford, CT, and Fire Chief for Lockheed Martin. He also served as a civilian Fire Chief in Iraq for the U.S. Department of Defense from 2004-2008.

Dr. Freeman earned his B.A. in Leadership from Bellevue University, M.S. in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University, and Ph.D. in Emergency & Protective Services from Capitol Technology University. Dr. Freeman is a credentialed Chief Fire Officer (CFO) as well as a Fellow with the Institution of Fire Engineers (FIFireE). 

READ FULL BIO

FDAC is preparing the final program to be published next week. With that in mind, we have extended the early bird registration to Friday, February 17, 2023. After this date registration rates will increase.

UPDATED PRELIMINARY AGENDA

Tuesday, March 14th Pre-Conference (12:00 pm to 5:00 pm)

• The Ethical and Transparent Fire District: Ethics in Public Service
• Preventing Workplace Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation
  

Wednesday, March 15th Conference Day 1 (8:00 am – 4:30 pm)

• Opening Keynote: Dr. Reginald Freeman on DEI in the Fire Service
• State Fire Officials Update
• Building a Balanced Cash Management Program: Stable and Variable Net Asset Value Investment Pools
• From the Outside In: The Role of a Fire Chief
• Long Term Fire District Funding
• One More Pending Breakout Session
  

Thursday, March 16th Conference Day 3 (8:00 am – 5:00 pm)

• FDAC Annual Membership Meeting and Elections
• Care Court & What It Means For First Responders
• IWOW Session: Anatomy of an Annexation
• Planning for The Future: Financial Planning for Fire Districts
• Fire District California Legal and Legislative Changes
• WUI Loss Reduction Panel 
• Two More Pending Breakout Sessions
  

Friday, March 17th Conference Day 4 (8:30 am – 11:30 am)

• FDAC Legislative Update
• Closing Keynote: Tonya Hoover on Generational Workforce

REGISTER TODAY!

HOTEL INFORMATION
Accommodations are made with the conference host hotel, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa where a discounted rate has been reserved for all of our conference attendees!

Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa
3425 Solano Ave. Napa, CA 94558
Conference Attendee Rate: $209
Deadline to Book: March 3, 2023

We look forward to hosting you at our 2023 FDAC Annual Conference in Napa Valley March 14-17, 2023. To close out our conference we share with you the exciting expertise of one of our keynote speakers, Deputy Fire Administrator at the United States Fire Administration, Chief Tonya Hoover!

Chief Hoover is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the USFA. This includes the annual training of over 100,000 first responders at and through the National Fire Academy (NFA); the National Fire Incident Reporting System, which documents and analyzes 27 million fire department emergency responses a year; the USFA’s fire prevention, public information and public education programs; and the 26 campus buildings and the grounds of the historic National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She was named to this position in February 2020.

Chief Hoover is an accomplished executive with more than 20 years of management experience in both local and state government. She has successfully worked at high levels of government in developing and implementing fire protection, fire prevention, fire training and community risk reduction programs.

From May 2017 to January 2020, Chief Hoover served as the superintendent of the USFA’s NFA, which focuses on enhancing the ability of fire and emergency services and allied professionals to deal more effectively with fire and related emergencies.

From July 2009 to July 2016, Chief Hoover served as the California State Fire Marshal, where she was responsible for statewide fire prevention, fire service training, pipeline safety, code and regulations development, analysis and implementation. She was the California Assistant State Fire Marshal from September 2007 to June 2009. Previously, Chief Hoover served as a fire marshal/battalion chief for a local fire department and was a deputy campus fire marshal for the University of California at Berkeley. Chief Hoover served on the board of directors for the National Fire Protection Association and the International Fire Service Training Association and continues to engage with the International Code Council. 

The Fire Districts Association of California (FDAC) registration is open for the 2023 Annual Conference! This year's conference will be held on March 15-17 with two preconference sessions being held on March 14, 2023 at the Napa Marriott.

REGISTER TODAY!

PRE-CONFERENCE
FDAC is offering two additional sessions taking place on March 14, 2023. The Pre-Conference sessions are separate from the regular conference sessions and can be attended separately or in addition to the regular sessions.

HOTEL INFORMATION
Accommodations are made with the conference host hotel, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa where a discounted rate has been reserved for all of our conference attendees!

Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa
3425 Solano Ave. Napa, CA 94558
Conference Attendee Rate: $209
Deadline to Book: March 3, 2023