Senator Dave Cortese A Co-Author and Supporter of Year-Round CalFire Firefighting Bill “The Fight for Firefighters Act”

SACRAMENTO -  California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) today joined CalFire firefighters, Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire and a bipartisan group of State Senators to support new legislation to make state firefighting stronger year round instead of seasonally with “The Fight for Firefighters Act.” This comes after the devastating Los Angeles fire and the acknowledgment that fire season is now year round not seasonal. Senator Cortese is a co-author of the bill.

“In my district, this gives me great hope for the Cal Fire stations and residents living in the East San Jose back country and in the Santa Cruz Mountains,” said California State Senator Dave Cortese. “It would be reckless not to have year round firefighting in California. The devastation has been too great not to change the system.”

The Fight for Firefighters Act proposes a staffing plan, at the cost of $175-185 million per year ongoing, to include the following:

  1. The state would phase out seasonal CalFire firefighters who work nine months out the year - typically laid off during the winter months - and transition these 3,000 firefighters to full-time status.
  2. All 356 CalFire fire engines would be fully operational 365 days per year. This would give every corner of this state a needed shot in the arm when it comes to fire and emergency response.
  3. All of CalFire’s 38 vegetation management crews would be fully operational all throughout the year.

###