Sonora, CA—A nearly $9 million federal grant has significantly expanded the Tuolumne County Fire Department’s ability to respond to emergencies, according to a report detailing the impact of the three-year Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.
Awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2022, the grant funded 19 full-time firefighting positions beginning in March 2023. The additional staffing increased daily coverage from three staffed engines with six firefighters per shift to five engines staffed by an average of 12 to 14 personnel. Fire officials said the increase has improved response times, reduced firefighter fatigue, and enabled more aggressive firefighting and rescue operations while maintaining countywide emergency coverage. Since the grant took effect, SAFER-funded personnel have responded to dozens of major incidents ranging from residential fires and technical rescues to aircraft crashes, wildfires, and mutual aid deployments throughout California. A series of incidents has been highlighted that show the grants’ impacts, and they have been detailed below.
- March 7, 2023: A SAFER-funded engine arrived simultaneously with another engine at a 6,700-square-foot house fire, allowing firefighters to rescue two trapped occupants in zero visibility conditions.
- March 11, 2023: During severe weather, crews rescued two residents from a burning mobile home despite hazardous live power lines.
- June 25, 2023: Firefighters reached the historic Groveland Community Hall within two minutes of dispatch, partially saving the building and preserving Groveland Historical Society archives. Officials said response time would have exceeded 40 minutes without the additional engine.
- 2023-2024: Additional staffing supported multiple structure fires throughout Sonora and Tuolumne County, allowing interior fire attacks while maintaining emergency coverage elsewhere in the county.
- May 2024: SAFER crews rescued crash victims during several major vehicle accidents, including extricating a trapped driver on Highway 108 in less than 10 minutes and performing rope rescues following Highway 120 crashes.
- June-August 2024: The department maintained local emergency coverage while simultaneously deploying personnel to major wildfires throughout California, including the Post Fire, Aero Fire, Park Fire, and other statewide incidents.
- October-December 2024: Firefighters rescued a trapped resident from a heavily involved house fire, protected homes during multiple structure fires, and handled more than 100 emergency calls during a severe windstorm.
- January 2025: SAFER personnel helped rescue a trapped occupant following a small aircraft crash near Columbia while also allowing the department to send multiple engines to assist with Southern California wildfires without reducing local coverage.
- September 2025: During a lightning storm that sparked 22 vegetation fires, including the more than 7,000-acre 6-5 fire, all 19 grant-funded firefighters were deployed. Officials credited the additional staffing with helping protect homes and lives during one of the county’s largest fire events.
- February 2026: Firefighters contained an attic fire on Ivy Drive through an aggressive interior attack and ventilation operations, preserving the home and preventing injuries.
The report also found that the increased staffing allowed the department to expand public outreach efforts. Community events grew from 17 in 2022 to 36 in 2023, 69 in 2024, and 134 in 2025, increasing fire prevention education and public engagement.
More information about the impact of the grant can be found here.
