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San Rafael Fire Commission approves proclamation to mayor, elects new leaders and reviews grant-funded equipment purchases
Summary
The Commission voted to send a proclamation recognizing the Fire Foundation to the mayor, elected Ken as chair and Donna as vice chair, agreed to skip the January meeting, and heard staff updates on Medi‑Cal EMS add‑ons, a $2,000,000 joint SCBA replacement grant (San Rafael share ~ $650,000), a $900,000 federal boat grant, and a BLS ambulance pilot due in January 2026.
At its Dec. 10 meeting, the San Rafael Fire Commission approved sending a proclamation recognizing the Fire Foundation to the mayor, elected new leadership for 2026 and reviewed several council-bound items including grant-funded equipment purchases.
The Commission voted to forward the proclamation to the mayor for signature; staff said, if the mayor signs, the proclamation could be presented to the foundation at a council meeting. "If there are no edits, then you can vote on it," staff said before commissioners approved the action by voice vote.
On leadership, the Commission elected Ken as chair and Donna as vice chair after floor motions and voice votes that passed unanimously on the record. Commissioners also voted to cancel the Commission’s January meeting to align calendars with City Hall staff availability and to consider whether to take July off later.
Staff reviewed items expected to go to the City Council in January. One routine item concerns Medi‑Cal EMS add-ons — extra state dollars tied to Medi‑Cal transports — that staff said have generated about $600,000 for the department and require Council authorization to process payments. According to staff, the item will likely go to a consent calendar.
The Commission received a summary of a collaborative grant to replace self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Staff said the joint FEMA (or federal) award totals about $2,000,000 across participating agencies; San Rafael’s portion was described at the meeting as about $650,000, with the city contributing roughly $140,000 toward nearly $800,000 of equipment for the department. Staff said the packs are standardized across partner agencies and will improve safety and reduce weight for crews. Older units may be retained for training or sold to recoup funds.
An RFP for a new fireboat closed recently, staff said, and the department is reviewing bids. Staff told the Commission the department was awarded a roughly $900,000 federal grant toward a new boat but cautioned that Council must appropriate any additional city funds needed and approve contracts. Commissioners asked whether bidders were domestic; staff said shipyards bidding have U.S.-based operations and federal rules require certain domestic content. On procurement, staff noted the city takes the "lowest responsible bid," not necessarily the absolute low bid if quality differs.
Finally, staff and the chief briefed the Commission on the Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance pilot, which staff said is in orientation with a kickoff expected in January 2026 and will be based out of Station 51. The pilot is aimed at keeping paramedic ambulances available for ALS care while BLS units handle lower-acuity transports and to create a pathway for EMT hires.
The Commission asked staff to provide further details to commissioners and to notify the Commission when the Council calendar items will appear so commissioners may attend consent or hearing items as appropriate.
