April 2026 President's Report

Executive Leadership: Strategic Advocacy & Partnerships

• Meeting with OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs: I recently held a very productive meeting with the newly appointed OES Director, Caroline Thomas Jacobs. We discussed the deep historical partnership between Cal Chiefs and OES. Director Thomas Jacobs has a strong grasp of our current initiatives from her previous tenure with the agency, and we will continue this high-level advocacy during our Quarterly Alliance Meetings.
  

• Western Fire Chiefs Congressional Engagement: From April 20–23, I will be in Washington, D.C. alongside Chief Dan Munsey, who represents Cal Chiefs with the Western Fire Chiefs Association. We will be participating in the Western Fire Chiefs Congressional Engagement Event to meet directly with our federal legislators. This is a critical opportunity to advocate for the specific needs of the California Fire Service at the national level.
  

• FIRESCOPE Board of Directors Meeting: The next FIRESCOPE meeting is scheduled for April 14–15 in Sacramento. Your Cal Chiefs leadership will be in attendance to continue advocating for our specific initiatives. While the formal agenda has not yet been released, we remain committed to ensuring the local government fire service has a strong voice in statewide mutual aid and operational standards.

Section & Training Highlights: Record-Breaking Success

• Training Section: Fresno Training Symposium: The Training Section successfully completed the Fresno Training Symposium two weeks ago. This year was an incredible success, with over 600 people in attendance. The energy and professional development seen in Fresno underscore the value of this program to our members. I want to thank the Training Section for their hard work; planning for next year’s symposium is already well underway.

• California Fire Chiefs Academy: Concurrent with the symposium, we concluded a highly successful week for the California Fire Chiefs Academy with 20 emerging fire service leaders. This modernized program (formerly COLS) is proving essential for newly appointed chiefs navigating the political and organizational realities of the office.

• Logistics Section: Following a successful pre-planning meeting, the Logistics group is growing and actively identifying new opportunities to support fleet, facilities, and procurement across the state.

EMS Updates: Digital Infrastructure Overhauls

Our EMS section is heavily engaged with EMSA on two major system transitions:

• New Centralized Registry System Launch:
  o Action Required: The legacy system was decommissioned on March 30.
  o The new system officially goes live on April 1, 2026. Starting tomorrow, all EMS professionals must visit the new portal to create an account and establish login credentials.
  
• EMSFlow Data Platform Migration: EMSA is transitioning CEMSIS to the EMSFlow platform.
  o Mandatory Webinar: A statewide migration webinar is scheduled for May 12, 2026.
  o Deadlines: LEMSAs will migrate in waves through August. The state deadline for NEMSIS v3.5.1 compliance is November 1, 2026.

Industry Financial Sustainability: GEMT, CFAA & OES Rates

PPIGT & GEMT Advocacy

We are continuing to monitor and refine plans for the PPIGT program.

• April 6 Meeting: CalChiefs has secured a speaking slot with the Cal Cities Fiscal Officers Leadership Group. We will address this group to explain the fiscal complexities and operational realities of GEMT, and how it is essential that our financial professionals in our cities, counties, and districts support the fire service in making this a continuous success.

OES Rate Letter & CFAA Support

• Upcoming Webinar: We will host an OES Rate Letter update webinar with Chief Lori Lopez on April 30th. Watch for an e-blast in the coming days to register.
  
• Data Collection (Immediate Action): We are still seeking procurement documentation (POs or contracts) for Type 6 Engines and Tactical Water Tenders to help develop California-specific reimbursement rates. Please submit data to Lori.Lopez@caloes.ca.gov.

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