Ventura Fire Department awarded $4.07 million federal grant to strengthen emergency response
VENTURA, Calif. — The Ventura Fire Department has been awarded a $4.07 million federal FY 2025 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant to support the hiring of 11 new firefighter-paramedics, strengthening the department’s ability to maintain staffing around the clock and respond when multiple emergencies occur at the same time. The Ventura City Council accepted the award during its regular meeting on October 6, 2026.
The three-year grant, awarded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will fund salaries and benefits for 11 additional firefighter-paramedic positions from March 2027, through March 2030. The total three-year cost of the positions is $6.6 million, including $4.07 million in federal funding and $2.53 million in City matching funds. The grant's three-year period of performance begins March 24, 2027.
“This is a tremendous investment in the safety and well-being of our community,” said Ventura Fire Chief Kris McDonald. “Adding 11 firefighter-paramedics strengthens our ability to maintain staffing around the clock and gives our crews greater capacity to respond when demand is at its highest. We are grateful to FEMA for this investment in Ventura’s public safety.”
The additional positions will bring the department’s authorized staffing to 92 full-time positions and support 24-hour staffing for 11 personnel assigned to the Department’s paramedic squads. The department expects to begin filling the positions as soon as the grant period begins. With additional personnel available, the Ventura Fire will have greater capacity to respond to simultaneous emergencies, maintain coverage when crews are committed to larger incidents, and support emergency response in Ventura as well as throughout Ventura County under existing Automatic Aid agreements.
The SAFER Grant Program is designed to help fire departments increase the number of firefighters in their communities, meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. FEMA's award specifically approves Ventura's request to hire 11 new, additional firefighters.
The award builds upon the City’s continued investment in emergency preparedness, prevention, and response. In 2023, Ventura received a FY 2021 SAFER grant to fund 13 Firefighter-Paramedic positions through February 2027. During the FY 2027 budget process, two of those positions permanently moved into the City’s General Fund operating budget.
For more information about the Ventura Fire Department, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/Fire.
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