Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Ray Mueller, District 3
Subject: San Mateo County Firefighting Training Center
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution directing the County Executive to convene all appropriate stakeholders and work to identify the location and sources of funding for the future development of a San Mateo County Regional Firefighting Training Center.
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BACKGROUND:
San Mateo County is home to nearly 750,000 residents, all of whom depend on local fire agencies to provide medical and fire suppression services during an emergency. In San Mateo County, fire agencies operate under a coordinated countywide mutual aid system that dispatches the closest available resources to an incident regardless of municipal boundaries. In 2025, fire agencies were dispatched to 86,262 calls for service.
Given the county’s mutual aid system, it is in the best interest of all county residents for each fire agency to have the best trained and most prepared firefighters. Thus, the County of San Mateo desires for there to be a countywide firefighting training center that is available to all fire agencies in the county and that can support countywide firefighter training and preparedness.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed resolution directs the County Executive to convene all appropriate stakeholders to identify a suitable location and potential funding sources for the construction of a regional firefighting training center. As no location for the center has been located, the location review would include evaluating County-owned land, including, but not limited to, at Tower Road in unincorporated San Mateo County and a parcel at the junction of Woodside Road and Veterans Boulevard in the City of Redwood City.
Funding has not yet been identified for the design, permitting, construction, or operation of such a center. The County staff would work with all appropriate stakeholders on developing a funding plan. At such time a such a center is built on County-owned land, the County Executive’s Office working with all stakeholders to develop an agreement to detail responsibilities for the operation and maintenance of the center.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Because San Mateo County fire agencies respond through a coordinated mutual aid system, a training center available to all fire agencies would support consistent training and preparedness for personnel serving communities throughout the County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with adopting the resolution. Any expenditure that results from this effort will first be presented to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.