To: Board of Supervisors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Contract for Firefighting Helicopter Services
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing body of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief or designee, to negotiate and execute a contract with an aviation firm to be determined by the Fire Chief, in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000 for aerial firefighting services during an approximately 60-day period commencing on or about September 1, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% CCCFPD General Operating Fund. The Fire District anticipates a simultaneous agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company to reimburse the district for 80% of the costs. Following reimbursement, the net impact on the CCCFPD general fund is not expected to exceed $300,000 (20% of $1,500,000).
BACKGROUND:
The Fire District has contemplated a more advanced aerial firefighting option for several years. Following two years of relatively mild fire seasons, the 2024 season is proving to be challenging, locally, regionally, and throughout the State. The district was approached by Pacific Gas and Electric this season with an offer to participate in a program that allows the district to receive reimbursement for approximately 80% of leasing a firefighting helicopter for two months, the peak months of fire season. Through this partnership, the district can lease this tool and make it immediately available locally to lessen the impact of wildland fires in the County.
The district proposes contracting with an aviation firm specializing in supplying helicopters to CAL FIRE and/or the United States Forest Service (USFS) for firefighting. The selected firm will provide a type 2 helicopter, pilot, and associated support crew for 60 days during what is anticipated to be the peak fire season months of September and October 2024. The type 2 helicopter is expected to be a “restricted” type 2 helicopter that cannot carry passengers. The dedicated aircraft will be under the exclusive use of the Fire District for all vegetation fires in both the local responsibility area (LRA) and the State responsibility area (SRA). The selected firm will already have qualified aircraft and quailed pilots to interact with CAL FIRE in the highly controlled and restricted airspace. The helicopter may be based at one of the airports in the County or it may be based out of the Byron Wildland Fire Center.
The Fire District may, in turn, make the aircraft available to CAL FIRE in the surrounding region for firefighting purposes on a fee-for-service basis. This would be for the immediate threat to life or property, and it would offset the district's expenses.
The contract will be awarded as a sole source contract for aerial fire suppression services during an approximately 60-day period commencing on or about September 1, 2024. The payment limit of the contract is not expected to exceed $2 million, and the Fire District expects to be reimbursed by PG&E for 80% of those costs under a separate reimbursement agreement. The Fire District has not identified a specific vendor, but based on a review of terms in contracts between other agencies and vendors in this industry, staff expects that any contract will include the following negotiated terms:
• The aircraft will be available all permissible daytime flight hours for the duration of the contract.
• The Fire District may provide housing for vendor personnel.
• The contract will include payment terms.
• The vendor will be responsible for providing air and ground personnel, necessary
T technology, phones, communications, and other equipment.
• The contract will provide staffing requirements and flight time references based on Cal
Fire/USFS accepted best practices, or other accepted standards.
• The vendor will perform all firefighting services in coordination with Fire District staff.
• The vendor will maintain professional and/or general liability insurance, aviation
liability, automobile liability insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance; and the
Fire District, its officers, and employees will be named as additional insureds.
• The contract may require the Fire District to indemnify the vendor from the proportion of
liabilities that arise from the negligence or willful misconduct of the district, its officers,
employees, and representatives.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The Fire District could not participate in this 60-day program to gain local access to aerial firefighting capabilities.