REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 25, 2025
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
One-Time Procurement and Donation of Emergency Supplies to the Mt. Baldy Volunteer Fire Department
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Find that the proposed one-time donation of a Connex storage container and emergency supplies serves a significant public purpose by improving public safety and community resilience in an area identified as highly vulnerable to postfire hazards, including debris flows, flooding, and rockfall, as documented in the Bridge Post-Fire Burned Area Emergency Response Assessment Report and Watershed Emergency Response Teams Report, and the continuation of the Local Emergency Proclamations related to the Line and Bridge Fires.
2. Approve the one-time donation of a Connex storage container and emergency supplies to the Mt. Baldy Volunteer Fire Department, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to enhance emergency preparedness and disaster response capabilities in the high-risk Mt. Baldy area.
3. Approve an allocation from the 2024-25 Second District’s Board of Supervisors Discretionary Fund - District Specific Priorities Program budget to the Office of Emergency Services budget for the purchase of one Connex storage container, in an amount not to exceed $4,500, as part of the one-time donation to the Mt. Baldy Volunteer Fire Department.
4. Authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue Purchase Orders for several associated emergency supplies, in an amount not to exceed $13,500, from the Office of Emergency Services 2024-25 budget, as outlined in the Financial Impact section.
(Presenter: Crisanta Gonzalez, Director of Emergency Management, 356-3998)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). On September 21, 2021 (Item No. 18), November 16, 2021 (Item No. 33), February 6, 2024 (Item No. 61), and June 11, 2024 (Item No. 110), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved an allocation of $4 million, $7 million, $6 million, and $3 million, respectively, to the Board Discretionary Fund - District Specific Priorities Program (Priorities Program), for each of the five supervisorial districts for projects that meet a public purpose, and provide services to citizens that promote health, safety, economic well-being, and other public services that enhance quality of life and meet the needs of County residents. On an annual basis, unspent appropriations for discretionary funding will be carried over into the subsequent year’s budget.
The Connex storage container under Recommendation No. 3 will be funded by the Second District’s Priorities Program Budget. A budget adjustment is not necessary because the Office of Emergency Services (OES) will be reimbursed for the purchase of the Connex storage container using the Second District’s Priorities Program Budget.
The Connex storage container will be equipped with a variety of emergency supplies including, but not limited to, Meals Ready to Eat (MRE), water, single-use blankets, pop-up lanterns, and snow roof rakes. Some emergency supplies will be procured, in an amount not to exceed $13,500, and some will be provided by OES’ current stock and then backfilled as needed. The estimated value of supplies that will be donated from current stock is $34,107. Adequate appropriation has been included in OES’ 2024-25 budget to purchase and backfill the necessary items.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On September 8, 2024, the Bridge Fire began in Los Angeles County, rapidly spreading into San Bernardino County (County) near the communities of Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy on September 10, 2024. In response, the County Executive Officer, acting as the Director of Emergency Services, proclaimed a local emergency on September 10, 2024, which the Board ratified on September 12, 2024 (Item No. 1). The Board last took action to continue the Local Emergency Proclamation on February 11, 2025 (Item No. 16). Due to the ongoing Local Emergency Proclamation, the donation of the critical emergency supplies serves as a mitigation and preparedness effort, serving a significant public benefit to the Mt. Baldy community. The Mt. Baldy Volunteer Fire Department’s (Fire Department) location in the Mt. Baldy community also serves as a strategic pre-positioning of emergency resources.
To assess the Bridge Fire's short- and long-term impacts, the California Department of Conservation deployed specialized teams, including the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) and Watershed Emergency Response Teams (WERT). Their evaluations revealed extensive destruction across more than 56,000 acres. The region's steep terrain, high soil burn severity, and proximity to critical infrastructure have left it particularly vulnerable to post-fire hazards, including debris flows, flooding, and erosion.
Given the heightened risks, the County has prioritized mitigation and preparedness efforts to protect public safety and vital infrastructure. The Fire Department, a key partner in these efforts, has faced challenges due to limited storage capacity for emergency supplies. This proposal addresses those challenges through the donation of a 20-foot Connex storage container, which will store 500 kits that will include single use supplies including MRE’s, water, single-use blankets, pop-up lanterns, and other emergency supplies. In addition to the kits, some additional tools and resources will be included like shovels, empty sandbags, snow roof rakes, dog food, and activity books for children (Connex Kit). OES estimates that this supply will provide 250 residents with two-days’ worth of supplies. The Connex Kit will provide secure, centralized storage, significantly enhancing the Fire Department’s ability to respond efficiently to emergencies and mitigate postfire hazards. This initiative addresses the findings of the BAER and WERT reports, which identified the Mt. Baldy area as being at significant risk of postfire flooding and debris flows. This funding supports the County’s commitment to proactive preparedness and mitigation efforts in collaboration with the Board, the Fire Department, and other key stakeholders.
OES is also proactively assessing other locations in the county to determine if similar partnerships are available.
Under the authority of California Government Code section 26227, the County is empowered to appropriate and expend funds for programs and services addressing the social needs of its population, including public safety and emergency preparedness. The proposed donation aligns with this legal authority by serving a vital public purpose: enhancing the operational capacity of the Fire Department to respond to emergencies in a high-risk area. This initiative strengthens the County’s strategic partnership with the Fire Department, ensuring that critical emergency resources are available in a timely and effective manner. This demonstrates the County’s commitment to fostering community resilience, protecting public safety, and enhancing overall emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
PROCUREMENT
The Connex Kit will be procured utilizing competitive bidding.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 3, 2025; Finance (Penelope Chang, 387-4886, Carl Lofton, 387-5404, Administrative Analysts) on March 6, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Stephenie Shea and Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officers, 387-5423) on March 10, 2025.