Special Fire Commission 11/10/26

The City of San Rafael Special Fire Commission met on November 10, 2026. Commissioners approved the prior meeting minutes. The Fire Department reported that, following the city’s October 5 local emergency declaration for anticipated El Niño conditions, it received part of a $500,000 emergency-fund allocation and had spent nearly all of it on preparedness supplies, including flood barriers and protective materials. The department said it was monitoring expenditures because the city will need to replenish the emergency fund in a future fiscal year. No spending vote was taken at this meeting. A renewal of the Marin County Hazardous Materials JPA, costing approximately $20,000 annually, is expected to go to City Council in December; the fiscal-agent role is due to transition from San Rafael to Marin County Fire, with no other substantial changes reported.

The commission also discussed water-rescue equipment and the Fire Foundation’s drone program. A grant writer will work with department representatives to pursue larger funding for the drone program, and a smaller indoor-use drone, “Little Mac,” was expected the following month; a dedicated drone operations vehicle was discussed as a future goal. Commissioners also discussed a planned water-rescue demonstration and community flood preparedness, including sandbag assistance and communications about king-tide flooding. The transcript identifies no procurement award or approval vote for the drone or other equipment.