Responsibilities

The Fire Department is responsible for protecting the lives and property of the citizens of Manteca. As a full service fire department it provides fire protection, emergency medical care, hazardous materials response, community risk reduction, water rescue, and emergency operations preparations and oversight. The three primary department functions are Administration, Operations and Prevention.

Department Functions

Office of the Fire Chief develops and facilitates implementation of the vision of the Department. The Chief uses a transformational leadership approach involving members of the organization in establishing department processes, setting formal Department policies, facilitating planning, setting goals and objectives, and communicating with the public. The office of the Fire Chief fosters and maintains relationships and partnerships with other City departments, various community groups, professional organizations, surrounding jurisdictions and other governmental agencies in ways that contribute to the best possible service delivery to our customers.

Administration is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the activities and regulations of the Manteca Fire Department. The responsibilities include budget preparation and control, purchasing, personnel management, employee health and safety, record keeping, facilities management, information and press releases, and clerical management. Administration provides for and manages several important functions of the Department including department wide training, cost-recovery, grant writing, and maximizing the department’s volunteer programs.

Prevention actively reduces the likelihood of fire, burns, and environmental emergencies, and mitigates the potential severity of events that do occur. Safety and prevention is accomplished through plan review, inspection of buildings and premises, monitoring and regulating the storage handling and use of hazardous materials, preparing and revising laws and codes, public education, fire investigation, and the enforcement of all fire and life safety related regulations.

Operations is responsible for the most traditional elements of the Department’s mission by managing the emergency response component and associated resources of the Fire Department. This Division provides for a constant state of readiness and provides 24-hour emergency response to a variety of emergencies including, but not limited to, fires, medical, vehicle accidents, hazardous materials, and public assistance. Personnel resources include 45 full-time firefighters as well as a cadre of Reserve Firefighters. Other vital resources essential to the emergency response component of the department include vehicles and equipment, communications and dispatch, and many other support functions. For example, the Operations Division’s functions also include implementation of fire prevention practices such as hazard abatement, pre-fire planning, and public education. Similarly, when not engaged in emergency response, operational personnel provide logistical support in the areas of facility preservation, communication equipment maintenance, and apparatus upkeep and repair.

Volunteer Programs include Seniors Assisting the Fire Effort (SAFE), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Fire Explorer Post #24. These volunteers assist with various non-hazardous duties including public education, fire prevention inspections, clerical work, community events, and radio communication. The volunteer programs continue to maximize fire department resources, encourage citizen participation in the community, and help create a new generation of citizen advocates for fire safety.