DATE: November 5, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Fire Department
TITLE: APPROVAL OF THIRTY (30) NEW FUELS CREW MEMBER POSITIONS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RECLASSIFICATION OF THE HAND CREW PROGRAM BUDGET
RECOMMENDATION
title
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the creation of thirty (30) Provisional Fuels Crew Member hourly extra-help positions under the existing Hand Crew Program (Measure X budget); approve the new classification and salary; and authorize the reclassification of the FY 2025-26 Hand Crew Program appropriation of $300,000 to the appropriate object codes.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Oceanside Fire Department is creating the Hand Crew Program to strengthen the City’s wildfire prevention and response capabilities. The program is designed to reduce hazardous fuels, manage vegetation, and provide additional support during wildland fire incidents.
The program is supported through $300,000 in Measure X funding and $100,000 in grant funding, which will provide startup costs to establish the necessary infrastructure and resources. The Hand Crew Program budget includes personnel services, materials, and supplies needed to maintain operations. The Fire Department is requesting approval to establish thirty (30) extra-help Fuels Crew Member positions and to reclassify the program budget accordingly. These extra-help positions will be hired on an hourly, project basis and supervised by a full-time Fire Captain who will oversee leadership, training, operations, and accountability. Upon establishment, Provisional Fuels Crew Members will be compensated at an hourly rate of $18.50 (Step A).
The request for 30 positions is intended to create a pool of eligible workers to account for turnover and varying personnel availability. The crew will work on an intermittent basis, with different groups assigned as projects arise. This structure ensures the program remains within the allotted budget, supplemented by any revenues generated through project-based work. Extra-help staff are limited to 999 hours per fiscal year, therefore, sufficient positions are necessary to maintain workforce availability. For example, if a small group reaches their hour cap while deployed on a reimbursable mutual aid incident, another group must be available to step in. This model is comparable to the City’s part-time lifeguard and EMT staffing approach, providing operational flexibility without constant rehiring.
The crew will work four 10-hour shifts per week, with the number of employees on duty each day fluctuating based on the amount of project work assigned. While the crew’s primary role will be fuels mitigation projects within the City of Oceanside, their work will also extend to the broader region, providing valuable support during significant wildland fire incidents.
The crew’s primary assignments will focus on fuels mitigation projects within Oceanside, while also providing regional support during significant wildland fire incidents. Beginning January 1, 2026, the program is expected to engage in project-based service agreements with partners such as the Pauma Indian Reservation, City of Oceanside Public Works, City of Vista, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and Massachusetts Contingency Plan Ecological. Reimbursements received through these agreements will be recorded in the Hand Crew Program account and used to offset operating costs and support program growth. The long-term goal is to develop the Hand Crew Program into a self-sustaining model supported through partnerships with local agencies, ecological service providers, Oceanside Public Works, Mutual Aid deployments, and grants.
The program will not add any new full-time positions. A Fire Captain will serve as the crew lead on a temporary 40-hour assignment for the duration of the program, and the position will be backfilled using overtime.
The program will use the Fire Department’s three reserve light utility vehicles, serving as a contingent pool of Fire units, for transporting crew members to various project sites. All units remain in good working condition and adequately support program operations. Expenses will be limited to maintenance and operational costs, with no replacement costs expected.
The Fire Department will evaluate the Hand Crew Program’s impact by tracking key performance indicators such as response times, acres treated, successful fire containment rates, and interagency collaboration. The program’s benefits will extend beyond Oceanside’s 172,542 residents, strengthening wildfire resiliency across San Diego County and supporting long-term fire prevention efforts statewide.
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY 2025-26 budget includes $300,000 in the Hand Crew Program, Measure X account. Staff recommends reclassifying this appropriation as shown below; no additional appropriation is requested.
|
Account Description |
Account Number |
Adopted Budget |
Amended Budget |
|
Regular Employees |
550572103.5105 |
$ 164,000 |
$ |
|
Temporary/Part Time Empl |
550572103.5110 |
|
199,718 |
|
Fringe Benefit Burden-WC |
550572103.5206 |
|
5,974 |
|
Fringe Benefit Burden |
550572103.5207 |
|
3,968 |
|
Overtime |
550572103.5120 |
|
75,340 |
|
Materials, Supplies & Svcs |
550572103.5355 |
136,000 |
12,000 |
|
Internal Svc-IT |
550572103.5600 |
|
3,000 |
|
Total Budget |
|
$ 300,000 |
$ 300,000 |
The thirty position control numbers for Fuels Crew Members will be funded within the $209,660 allocated to temporary/part-time employees and related fringe benefit costs. The Department will manage hours and expenditures to comply with the 999-hour limit per employee and to remain within the overall appropriation.
Staff further requests that any unspent balance of the current appropriation be carried forward into the next fiscal year to continue supporting program costs.
Future revenues generated from project-based contracts will be deposited into the Hand Crew Program revenue account 550572103.4461. To support ongoing operations and potential program expansion, a budget adjustment will be required to transfer the necessary funds into the corresponding expenditure account.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Police and Fire Commission will receive an update at its regular meeting on December 9, 2025.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
Does not apply.
end
Prepared by: Alicia Mendoza, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: David Parsons, Fire Chief
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Fuels Crew Member Job Description