Staffing for adequate fire and emergency response (SAFER)

On December 19, 2025, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded Butte County Fire Department a $815,000 project grant under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program (CFDA 97.083). The award period extends through December 18, 2029. This funding supports enhanced firefighting and emergency response capabilities in Oroville, California, with allocation directed toward increasing frontline firefighter staffing through two primary activities: hiring of new career firefighters and recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.

The SAFER program provides direct operational funding to help fire departments meet industry minimum staffing standards and maintain 24-hour service availability to protect communities from fire and fire-related hazards. As a standalone award with no sub-awardees identified, Butte County Fire Department will utilize the $815,000 to execute its staffing expansion initiatives, complementing the organization's broader federal grant portfolio that includes $4.9 million in wildfire mitigation funding and $1.5 million in equipment acquisition grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.