Administration/Reimbursement

Introduction

The Administration/Reimbursement section is responsible for the administration of the terms and conditions prescribed under the California Fire Assistance Agreement (CFAA) which includes but is not limited to processing the reimbursement of certain resources that are requested and utilized under the CFAA.

Administration/Reimbursement Contact Information

​California Fire Assistance Agreement (CFAA)

2015 - 2019 CFAA Agreement with 2016 Exhibits

The CFAA is the negotiated reimbursement mechanism for local government fire agency responses through the California Fire Service and Rescue Emergency Mutual Aid System. The terms and conditions that outline the methods of reimbursement calculation are defined in Exhibit A. Understanding the CFAA is recommended for developing business practices when responding under the Mutual Aid System. 

​Salary Survey / Actual Administrative Rate

The salary survey can be updated any time throughout the year. Keep in mind that rates are effective the day our office receives them, and cannot be retroacted. Acceptable means of submission are by email, fax, or regular post office mail. Please review the instructions to understand allowed procedures for completing the survey. All fields are required. Incomplete salary surveys will be returned, and not accepted until completed. 

The salary survey has a new field for providing your department's administrative rate in lieu of the base rate of 10% to be applied to all departments beginning July 1, 2015. Below are the instructions, definitions, and the calculation form that can help you arrive at an appropriate rate.

​Cal OES Emergency Activity Record (OES F-42) Form

For information on how to request the new OES F-42 form, please contact your regional Cal OES Assistant Chief.

The PDF version of the OES F-42 form available for download is to be used for training purposes only and is not intended for official use.

​Current Apparatus, Support Equipment, & Volunteer Rates

The Rate Letter provides current set reimbursement rates for engines, water tenders, support vehicles, privately-owned vehicles, and base volunteer personnel rates. The rates are set by the California Fire Assistance Agreement (CFAA) Committee, and cannot be altered. The Rate Letter is effective on the date of the letter (publish date), and remains in effect until a new one is published. Only the most current Rate Letter is available on this site.

      See 2017 CFAA Rate Letter Effective October 1, 2017

​Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

 Fire Management Assistance is available to States, local and tribal governments, for the mitigation, management, and control of fires on publicly or privately owned forests or grasslands, which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster. The Fire Management Assistance declaration process is initiated when a State submits a request for assistance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Director at the time a "threat of major disaster" exists. The entire process is accomplished on an expedited basis and a FEMA decision is rendered in a matter of hours.

The Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (FMAGP) provides a 75 percent Federal cost share and the State pays the remaining 25 percent for actual costs. Before a grant can be awarded, a State must demonstrate that total eligible costs for the declared fire meet or exceed either the individual fire cost threshold - which is applies to single fires, or the cumulative fire cost threshold, which recognizes numerous smaller fires burning throughout a State.

Eligible firefighting costs may include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; tools, materials and supplies; and mobilization and demobilization activities.

More information concerning the FMAG Program can be found on the FEMA FMAG web page:
https://www.fema.gov/fire-management-assistance-grant-program

​Travel Expense Log

Under normal conditions, travel expenses that occur in California are not reimbursable per the CFAA. However, there are uncommon situations that arise, and an Incident Commander may approve certain travel costs associated with a mutual aid response. Any expenses submitted on a travel expense log must follow the procedures outlined in Exhibit "H" of the CFAA (link to the agreement is above). There are no exceptions to the documentation requirements in Exhibit "H".