SB 838: Fire Prevention and Protection Talking Points

1. The California Fire Safe Council clearinghouse operates under the authority of the California Fire Alliance, where the participating agencies have pooled their National Fire Plan funding into a one stop shop – that funds the development of fire risk reduction programs by local Fire Safe Councils and other local community- based organizations.
2. Participating agencies in the California Fire Alliance include California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal-Fire), Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, LA County Fire Department, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Agency, National Park Service, US Bureau of Land Management and the US Bureau of Indian Affairs.
3. SB 838 is a good investment for California - the California Fire Safe council Clearinghouse will leverage what the State contributes with the federal government for additional funding.
4. Without State funding California fire prevention efforts will be at a competitive disadvantage for federal fire prevention funding. The State of Nevada has invested and is set to invest almost $2 million to their fire prevention clearinghouse.
5. Unfortunately, the State of California, nor any of its participating agencies has ever provided funding to the clearinghouse for fire prevention efforts.
6. State funding will allow the California Fire Safe Council Clearinghouse to leverage additional federal dollars.
7. As you review the fire prevention elements of the open conference budget items for OES or California Department of Forestry (CAL FIRE), please consider direct grant or general fund fire prevention funding to the clearinghouse.
8. There is a large coalition of support for this funding including but not limited to:

California State Firefighters Association
California Fire Safe Councils
California Chamber of Commerce
California Association of Realtors ®
California Licensed Foresters Association
East Bay Regional Park District
Forest Landowners of California
Klamath Alliance for Resource & Environment
California Forestry Association
Lumber Association of California and Nevada
Tuolumne County Alliance for Resources & Environment
American Insurance Association
American Council of Insurance Companies
Personal Insurance Federation of California
San Mateo Fire Safe Council
Alpine Fire Safe Council
Big Santa Anita Fire Safe Council
Butte County Fire Safe Council
Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors
Day-Lassen Bench Fire Safe Council
Diablo Fire Safe Council
Fire Safe Council of Siskiyou County
Gold Mountain Community Services District
Morongo Valley Fire Safe Council
Lassen County Fire Safe Council
Mariposa County Fire Safe Council
Salmon River Fire Safe Council
Widland Residents Association