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Modesto fire contract credited with deeper coverage; council told contract expires June 2026
Summary
Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Hunter told the Ceres City Council the Modesto–Ceres fire partnership has expanded available firefighting and EMS resources, improved the city's ISO rating and offers operational alignment; staff said a contract will be brought to council ahead of its June 2026 expiration.
Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Hunter said the contract with Modesto Fire Department has given Ceres greater depth in firefighting and emergency medical services and has improved the city’s Insurance Services Office rating.
Hunter told the City Council that before the contract Ceres staffed three stations with 11 on‑duty firefighters and that the Modesto contract provides access to 24 staffed engines, four ladder trucks and five battalion chiefs across the system. "This means that as additional calls for service come in, resources can move to ensure there's the best possible coverage throughout the system," Hunter said.
Hunter described other contract benefits — centralized fleet maintenance, a dedicated EMS division and a training academy shared with regional partners — and said those changes reduced apparatus downtime and allowed for consistent operational policies. He said the current full‑service contract was approved in June 2021 and is set to expire in June 2026; staff will work with the city manager to bring any contract extensions or replacements to council for review.
Council members thanked staff for the briefing and asked how Ceres staffing compared to pre‑contract levels. Hunter answered that Ceres previously averaged 11 firefighters on duty, which limited the city’s ability to meet National Fire Protection Association staffing recommendations for multi‑engine responses; under the regional contract, he said, responses to a working residential structure fire now typically include multiple engines, a ladder truck, battalion chief roles and an EMS captain.
No council action was taken; Hunter said next steps include bringing contract proposals to council for consideration prior to the June 2026 expiration.
The presentation and council Q&A highlighted operational and safety benefits of the Modesto partnership and flagged the contract renewal timeline for the council’s attention.
