Santa Rosa details Measure H spending plan; Engine 9 and new battalion set for Oct. 6

The City of Santa Rosa Fire Department told the Public Safety Subcommittee that it has begun implementing voter-approved Measure H and plans to place Engine 9 and a second battalion chief into service on Oct. 6, 2025, while a new Rescue 1 heavy-rescue unit is scheduled to enter service July 1, 2026.

“We have received 2 payments on 2 tax rolls to date, totaling just about $4,200,000 in the bank currently,” Fire Chief Scott Westrope said, describing the city’s early Measure H receipts and an approved financial plan that funds new personnel and apparatus. Chief Westrope said the city receives 14.4% of Measure H direct proceeds and also receives about $1,500,000 indirectly for countywide technology and training (REDCOM) fees.

Measure H funding will pay for: one three-person, 24/7 engine company to be designated Engine 9 and located on the city’s southeast side; two additional vegetation-management inspectors; one additional on-duty battalion chief to split the city into a north–south configuration; and a two-person, 24/7 heavy rescue company (Rescue 1) that requires six full-time equivalents. Chief Westrope called Rescue 1 “a countywide operational area resource” with specialized shoring and technical-rescue tools.

The chief said the city is working with the real estate team to identify temporary storefront space for Engine 9 on Santa Rosa Avenue for daytime coverage and to acquire a permanent property for Station 9 instead of building from scratch. “One of the things we’re exploring is can we find storefront space, something that’s inexpensive where we can get Engine 9 in service,” he said. He added that firefighters assigned to Engine 9 may initially sleep at Station 1 to provide overnight coverage while a daytime site is secured.

Chief Westrope described the deployment timeline as subject to change. “None of this is set in stone so they could be moved up if things work out really well ... or they might have to be delayed if we run into problems,” he said.

On staffing, the department said two limited-term fire inspector positions funded by a vegetation-management grant were transferred to full-time Measure H positions immediately to provide stability and allow backfilling of the grant-funded slots. The rescue implementation will be guided by an internal working group led by Chief Jenkins to rewrite policies, procedures and company standards for the new resource.

In a later staff update, the fire department provided additional details on staffing, stations and fleet. Construction of Station 5 in Fountain Grove is underway with an estimated October completion and a tentative grand-opening window in November; Station 8 grading in Roseland has been approved and could break ground this fall with a projected completion in June (year not specified); and for Station 9 the department prefers acquiring and retrofitting an existing commercial building to limit cost and timeline compared with new construction.

Fleet updates include five Type 1 engines on order (four general-fund replacements plus one PSAP engine) and two Type 6 engines purchased with PG&E settlement funds that were in final fitting and expected to be in service within about 30 days from the update. The department also said it prepared its first annual report for calendar year 2024 and planned to distribute a PDF to the city manager and copies to elected offices.

Why this matters: Measure H is a countywide half-cent sales tax that funds fire and other public safety services. The city’s choices about where to locate new stations and how to staff new apparatus will shape response coverage in southeast Santa Rosa and affect long-term budget planning.

Discussion and next steps: Committee members asked for periodic updates and clarification of timelines. Chief Westrope said Engine 9 and Battalion 2 are scheduled to start service Oct. 6 and Rescue 1 is scheduled for July 1. He emphasized that timelines could shift and that implementation will be guided by the financial plan approved to preserve long-term sustainability.