City Council Agenda
Memo to:
Manteca City Council
From:
Steven Islas, Fire Chief
Prepared by:
Aimee Rubio, Executive Assistant
Date:
January 20, 2026
Subject:
Budget appropriation for hiring nine (9) firefighters funded through FEMA SAFER Grant
Recommendation:
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??Receive a presentation and adopt a resolution approving a budget appropriation of $762,169 for the initial onboarding expenses and salary costs associated with hiring nine (9) SAFER-funded firefighters, and the necessary promotions needed to staff an engine company, and amend the approved position control list to add three Firefighter, three Firefighter Engineer, and three Fire Captain positions.
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Background:
??The Fire Department has identified a critical need to increase staffing to maintain adequate emergency response times and ensure public safety. The opening of Fire Station 6 will enhance operational capacity, expand citywide coverage, and support adherence to industry benchmarks for fire and emergency services.
In October 2025, the City of Manteca accepted a FEMA SAFER Grant to hire nine (9) additional firefighters. This increase in personnel aligns with the City's strategic objective of strengthening public safety resources in response to a growing community.
To staff a new engine company, the position control list needs to be amended to include three additional Firefighters, Fire Engineers, and Fire Captains. Staff's intention is to hire nine new Firefighters, where three Firefighters and Firefighter Engineers would receive promotions to the new Fire Engineer and Fire Captain positions.
The requested appropriation includes both reimbursable and non-reimbursable costs under FEMA SAFER Grant guidelines. Personnel salary and benefit costs are eligible for reimbursement, while expenses related to equipment, uniforms, training, recruitment, and related promotions are not. All expenditures will be tracked and reported in accordance with federal grant requirements.
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