Northern Division Director Report – Chief Steve Akre

Overview
The Northern Division of the California Fire Chiefs Association experienced an active and productive year marked by collaboration, innovation, and resilience. Despite funding challenges, workforce shortages, and rising operational costs, agencies across the North continue to deliver exceptional service to their communities.

The seven Northern Area Directors have demonstrated strong engagement with County Fire Chiefs Associations and CalChiefs leadership—advocating for local needs, advancing key initiatives, and ensuring regional voices are represented effectively at the state level.

Division-Wide Priorities

Funding and Financial Stability
Sustaining local funding remains the foremost challenge across rural and suburban areas. Many small agencies lack the administrative capacity to defend limited budgets. Counties are exploring Joint Powers Agreements (JPAs), mergers, and local sales tax measures to create efficiencies and secure sustainable revenue. Several agencies continue to rely on CFAA and ABH assignments to supplement operating costs.

Key Successes:

• Calaveras County: Passed a 1% local sales tax measure to fund fire protection.
  
• Sonoma County: Countywide sales tax (~$60M annually) enabled approximately 200 firefighter hires and multiple capital projects.
  
• San Joaquin County: Secured 1% synthetic Prop 172 funding.
  
• Central Valley: PP-GEMT program reforms provided financial relief to EMS providers.
  

Recruitment and Retention
Attracting and retaining firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs remains a critical challenge—especially for smaller, volunteer-based departments. The Northern Division strongly supports the Fighting Fire with Funding initiative and statewide efforts to remove financial barriers to firefighter certification and training, including the passage of Senate Bill 345 (Hurtado).

EMS System Challenges
Many rural counties face ongoing pressures maintaining emergency medical transport services. Key actions include:

• Exploring collaborative public-private partnership models for ambulance transport.
  
• Mendocino County & Covelo Fire Department: Developing new EMS models to stabilize operations.
  San Joaquin County: CENCAL JPA launching in 2026 for coordinated countywide EMS service.
• Shortages of paramedics, and a higher dependence on BLS units.
  

Operational and Regional Highlights

Communications and Dispatch

• New repeaters and CAD-to-CAD systems improving interoperability across counties.
  
• Placer County evaluating Central Square CAD-to-CAD system among five dispatch centers.
  
• REDCOM JPA (Sonoma County) transitioned to independent employer, enhancing dispatch capability.
  

Training and Preparedness

• Shield Regional Training Center expanded cross-discipline courses for fire, law enforcement, and EMS.
  
• OES Region III HazMat Unit fully operational in Redding.
  

Regional Collaboration

• Quarterly Chiefs meetings foster alignment and shared problem-solving.
  
• Engagement with CFAA, FIRESCOPE, and Governor’s Task Force to improve mutual aid and resource management policy.

Infrastructure and Equipment

• Rocklin FD: SAFER funding hired 9 firefighters and opened 4th station.
  
• South Placer Fire: Increased staffing through federal grants.
  
• Mendocino County agencies exploring funding partnerships to avoid operational reductions.

Firefighter Wellness and Behavioral Health
Firefighter wellness remains a top priority. Agencies have expanded behavioral health programs, cancer prevention initiatives, and early screening efforts through regional cooperation and shared grants, improving long-term personnel health and resilience.

Cross-Area Themes

• Funding Sustainability: Securing stable, diversified revenue streams.
  
• Staffing and Succession: Recruitment, retention, and leadership planning.
  
• Interoperability: Dispatch and technology integration.
  
• Zone Zero initiative: enforcement and funding responsibilities?
  
• Responder Safety: Active Shooter and Rescue Task Force programs.
  
• Governance and Oversight: LAFCO and local governance reforms.
  
• Infrastructure Modernization: Investment in stations, apparatus, and equipment.

Looking Ahead: 2026 Objectives

1. Advocate for long-term sustainable funding.
   
2. Expand leadership development and recruitment programs.
   
3. Continue to support and expand firefighter health and wellness programs.
   
4. Advance dispatch and communications interoperability.
   
5. Finalize and implement multi-hazard response guidelines.
   
6. Support station and apparatus modernization through partnerships.
7. Engage in governance and LAFCO discussions to protect district autonomy and service levels.

Acknowledgments
The Division extends sincere gratitude to Cal Chiefs leadership, the Executive Board, and all Sections, Committees, and Members for their continued collaboration and support. Together, we are strengthening the fire service and protecting the communities we serve across Northern California and our entire state.

Respectfully,

Chief Steve Akre
Northern Division Director, California Fire Chiefs Association