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La Verne Fire Department launches peer support program, highlights $1.3 million in mutual-aid reimbursements
Summary
La Verne officials recognized firefighter deployments to statewide wildfires, reported roughly $1.3M in personnel reimbursements plus equipment and admin reimbursements, and unveiled a new confidential peer support program that pairs trained firefighters with licensed professionals for behavioral-health support.
La Verne’s fire leadership on March 3 detailed months of mutual-aid deployments and introduced the department’s first formal peer support program to address firefighter behavioral and mental health.
Chief Nigg told the council the department has been heavily engaged in statewide responses since June 2024 and that costs are largely recovered through statewide agreements coordinated by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. “To date for this particular year, we received over $1,300,000 in personnel reimbursements, $240,000 in equipment reimbursements, [and] $380,000 in administrative fees, and just under $600,000 still pending,” the chief said.
The department is relying on reimbursement mechanisms in the California Fire Assistance Agreement (CFAA) and Cal OES coordination, which Chief Nigg and staff said are designed to avoid local budget impacts when jurisdictions provide mutual aid. “Costs are reimbursed under the California Fire Assistance Agreement,” the chief said, explaining the city tracks administrative rates to capture eligible expenses.
Laverne (La Verne) Fire Department Captain Travis Moore, identified himself as the program lead, described the program’s components: peer supporters drawn from the fire department who have received specialized training, access to licensed professionals, proactive education and workshops, critical-incident stress management, and a referral pathway for clinical care when needed. "This program will create a structured confidential support system where firefighters can seek guidance and assistance from their peers and colleagues who understand the unique challenges of the job," Moore said.
Moore introduced members of the peer support team and asked Fire Chief Nick (displayed in the transcript as "chief") and the firefighters’ association president to sign a document titled A Commitment to Firefighter Behavioral Health, which the department will display at Station 1. The pledge commits management and rank-and-file personnel to reduce stigma, use available resources, communicate regularly about behavioral health services, and provide peer support.
The program includes a partnership with Counseling Team International for training and follow-up support. Moore and Chief Nigg said the program is not intended to provide clinical care directly but to be a first line for peers to offer emotional support and to facilitate referral to clinical services where appropriate.
Council members expressed support. Mayor Hepburn called the step “very timely,” and members praised the department’s leadership and the mutual-aid coordination that enabled reimbursements and sustained deployments.
What’s next: The department will display the signed pledge at Fire Station 1 and proceed with program roll-out and training. Officials said reimbursement processes are ongoing and that some amounts remain pending while the state and federal agencies complete cost-recovery steps.
