HANFORD, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) has introduced a bill providing additional sources of funding to the state’s fire training programs. Senate Bill 345, the State Fire Training Accessibility Act of 2025 will ensure the State Fire Marshall can utilize additional funding from Federal and state programs to reduce the training costs paid for by those seeking fire-training certification through the California Fire Service Training and Education Program.

“Most people don’t realize how vital fire training is—until you’ve walked in their shoes, carried their gear, and faced the flames. Only then do you begin to grasp the physical and emotional weight they carry. This bill builds on the more than $84 million I’ve secured for public safety across the Central Valley,” said Senator Melissa Hurtado. “From Fresno to Wasco, we’ve delivered the infrastructure—now we must ensure the training is there to match it. Because public safety is the foundation of a free society—and we can’t protect those freedoms without real, lasting investment. I’ll keep demanding more for our firefighters, because freedom requires it—and our Valley deserves it.”

“I thank Senator Hurtado for partnering with firefighters on this bill. New sources of funding are needed to build courses that prepare firefighters for the accelerating threats facing California while also providing incentives to expand the training opportunities for those applying for entry-level certification and testing to become Firefighters,” said California Fire Chiefs Association Executive Director Jeff Meston.

“The Kings County Fire Department along with every department in California faces training challenges for firefighters. The recruitment and retention of firefighters demands training to meet the demands of the future. An investment in Firefighters training will benefit every community in California!” said King County Supervisor Joe Neves.

“Over the next three years, the Hanford Fire Department expects that more than half of its staff will either be new to the organization or assuming a new role within the organization,” Hanford City Council Member Mark Kairis said. “Training will be tremendously important as the department enters this new era, and I am grateful for Senator Hurtado’s efforts to make state-level training more affordable and accessible for our firefighters. We appreciate her steadfast support for public safety personnel in Hanford and the greater Central Valley region she serves.”

The bill is currently making its way through the California legislature, with expected bipartisan support as a crucial pillar in the state’s efforts to expand firefighting into a year-round role. Updated fire-vulnerability modeling increasingly predicts urban-dense communities will be on the frontlines during fires, necessitating enhanced investments in firefighter training, equipment and facilities in the years ahead.

As fire season grows, California senators push for more year-round firefighters, Cal Matters, Feb.5, 2025   

Senator Melissa Hurtado currently represents the 16th Senate District in the California Legislature, which includes portions of Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern Counties. Hurtado is Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, and a member of the Environmental Quality, Health, Human Services, and Natural Resources and Water Committees, and Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies. 

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