Cal Water Announces 2021 Firefighter Grant Program Recipients: South San Francisco Fire Department to Receive $14,500

South San Francisco, CA  December 14, 2021

California Water Service continues their generous support of Firefighters within their service district who are in need of supplies and equipment. Calwater assures the firefighter grants are part of parent company California Water Service Group’s philanthropic giving program and do not affect customers’ rates.

Today, Cal Water announced the South San Francisco Fire Department will receive $14,500 for the purchase of new wildland fire protective apparel, as part of the Cal Water Firefighter Grant Program.

South San Francisco Fire is one of eight departments this year awarded a total of $174,500 from Cal Water, an increase of 18% from last year. Recipients are professional and volunteer departments that serve at least a portion of one of Cal Water’s service areas.

The South San Francisco Fire Department’s new wildland firefighting replacement pants will provide firefighters safer and more functional personal protective equipment to use on vegetation fire responses. The old pants created a bulky, hot, and sometimes dangerous layer of required personal protective equipment, but these funds alleviate those hazards and ensure firefighters are wearing the safest personal protective equipment.

Cal Water is pleased to provide this grant and support those who risk their own lives to protect ours. We’ve included the full release below and would be happy to answer any questions about the program or this year’s grantees.

The full press release is copies below showing which Fire Departments were recipients of these generous grants.

As part of its commitment to supporting fire departments in its service areas, California Water Service (Cal Water) today announced the recipients of its third annual Firefighter Grant Program. Eight fire departments were awarded a total of $174,500 to purchase or fund equipment that will help protect life and property.

The 2021 grant recipients were selected based on need for items to protect first responders or the communities in which Cal Water serves. The recipients include:

• Chico Fire Department – for wildland firefighting web gear that will help firefighters carry drinking water, tools, safety equipment, and supplies
• Dixon Fire Department – for a rapid inflatable rescue raft, specifically designed for standing water rescues, that can carry multiple passengers
• Kern County Fire Department – for 17 sets of hoses and nozzles to extinguish fires quicker and more effectively
• Los Angeles County Fire Department – for a HeloPod, an automatic-filling, high-capacity, helicopter dip source and cistern so helicopters fighting wildfires can fill their water tanks faster and conduct more water drops per hour
• Oroville Fire Department – for two state-of-the-art, battery-powered hydraulic vehicle extrication tools to help rescue patients from vehicles faster
• Selma Fire Department – for new firefighting hose nozzles that will replace old, deteriorating nozzles
• South San Francisco Fire Department – to replace old wildland firefighting pants with safer, more functional pants for each firefighter
• Willows Fire Department – to replace outdated personal protective equipment, such as structural firefighting pants, coats, boots, helmets, and gloves, for six firefighters

“Our partnership with the firefighters in our service areas extends beyond providing the water they need to protect our communities; as they put their lives on the line for us, we want to support them as best we can,” said Martin A. Kropelnicki, President and CEO. “With many fire departments stretched for resources, we are glad that our Firefighter Grant Program can help them obtain the equipment they need to be safe and protect others, especially as we have seen the frequency and severity of fires grow year after year due to climate change.”