REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 24, 2026
FROM
DAN MUNSEY, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
SUBJECT
Title
Reimbursement Agreement with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for Regional Hazardous Materials Response Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, approve reimbursement agreement with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, in an amount not to exceed $150,000, for reimbursement of costs pertaining to San Bernardino County Fire Protection District employees attending Regional Hazardous Materials Response Program Training, for the period effective July 1, 2026, or thereafter upon execution by State of California Department of General Services through June 30, 2029.
(Presenter: Dan Munsey, Fire Chief/Fire Warden, 387-5779)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Enhance Readiness for Major Emergency Responses.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended agreement will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). In accordance with this agreement, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) will reimburse San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD) up to $150,000 for the cost of employees attending training related to the Regional Hazardous Materials Response Program for the period effective July 1, 2026, or thereafter upon execution by State of California Department of General Services, through June 30, 2029.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
SBCFPD is a community based, all hazard emergency services organization providing various services dedicated to the protection of life and property of the public it serves. SBCFPD offers services beyond fire suppression and protection, including but not limited to emergency medical services, household hazardous waste collection, and hazardous response, and partners with various private and public collaborators to protect the community.
Releases of hazardous materials and/or hazardous waste occur daily in San Bernardino County. Most of these releases are confined to a small area, do not pose a public health threat, and are easily mitigated; however, incidents with more extensive releases require emergency response from highly trained teams. The SBCFPD Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) responds to the more extensive hazardous materials incidents that require control and containment, mitigation, or remediation.
This recommended reimbursement agreement with CalOES allows SBCFPD to receive reimbursement for training costs as needed to certify SBCFPD’s HMRT staff. More specifically, CalOES will reimburse SBCFPD for staff to attend and complete any of the following training: Certified Hazmat Technician A through D, Hazmat Specialist F and G, Assistant Safety Officer, Hazardous Materials Continuing Challenge Workshop, Terrorism for the Hazardous Materials Technician/Specialist, Hazardous Materials Incident Commander, Hazardous Materials Refresher, Rail Car, and Terrorism/Weapons of Mass Destruction courses provided by Federal agencies/Fire agencies, or any mutually agreed upon hazardous materials, terrorism, or other acceptable training/exercise that meets California Specialized Training Institute requirements/standards, or is approved by the CalOES contract manager.
Approval of the recommended agreement will ensure that SBCFPD has enough staff trained to properly respond to multiple types of hazardous material incidents. The reimbursement from CalOES will allow SBCFPD to maintain regular staffing to avoid any reduction in emergency response capabilities during the training period. Although the term of this agreement is through June 30, 2029, CalOES may terminate the agreement with 30 days written notice.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Rick Luczak, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 25, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Ivan Ramirez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4020) on March 6, 2026.