San Jose Fire Fighters

05/22/2026

San Jose residents were promised stronger public safety. Instead, they are being asked to accept fewer firefighters, fewer emergency resources and longer response times during emergencies.

05/22/2026

San José residents were promised stronger public safety. Instead, we are being asked to accept fewer Fire Fighters, fewer emergency resources, and longer response times when seconds matter most.

Today, San José has only about 650 sworn Fire Fighters protecting nearly 1 million residents — one of the lowest staffing levels among major cities in America.

• San José: 0.75 Fire Fighters per 1,000 residents
• Oakland: 1.07
• San Francisco: 1.98

That should concern every resident.

Voters passed Measure T to improve public safety infrastructure and fire protection. Now the city says it cannot open Station 32 without cutting critical emergency resources like Rescue Medic 3 and Rescue Medic 26.

Recently, Rescue Medic 3 removed and treated a critically injured victim from a working structure fire while no AMR ambulance arrived for over 25 minutes. Crews were forced to leave the fireground to transport the patient themselves.

This is not “extra staffing.”
This is the safety net holding the system together.

San José cannot continue calling itself one of the safest big cities in America while operating one of the lowest-staffed metropolitan fire departments in the nation.

I wrote an opinion piece for the San José Spotlight outlining why these proposed cuts put both residents and Fire Fighters at risk.

Read the full article at the link in bio and help us demand real investment in public safety.

Every second counts.

— Jerry May
President, San José Fire Fighters IAFF Local 230

https://sanjosespotlight.com/may-the-dangerous-reality-behind-san-joses-safest-big-city-narrative/

05/20/2026

05/18/2026

Our thoughts remain with the family, friends, and members of the Buffalo Fire Department following the tragic line-of-duty death of Fire Fighter Jason Arno. No family should ever have to experience that loss, and no department should wait until tragedy strikes before addressing known safety concerns.

According to reporting by IPOSTNews, the recent wrongful death settlement and investigative findings identified serious operational failures, including inadequate accountability, lack of formal officer training, excessive radio traffic, and equipment issues during the incident. These findings should serve as a wake-up call for fire departments across the country.

For the last two years, San Jose Fire Fighters Local 230 has been raising concerns about the dangerous practice of forcing Fire Fighters to act as Captains without meeting the minimum qualifications established for the Captain promotional process. Thousands of hours of forced acting time have been assigned to members with little to no formal company officer training while filling critical leadership roles on emergency scenes.

We have continued to push for solutions through meetings, side letter agreements, and ongoing discussions because we believe leadership, training, and accountability matter on every emergency scene.

San Jose should not wait for a tragedy involving one of our own members or a citizen before meaningful changes are made. Attempting to save overtime costs by lowering standards or relying on underqualified acting officers creates unnecessary risk for firefighters and the public we serve.

This conversation is not about politics. It is about making sure every Fire Fighter goes home safely and every citizen receives the highest level of professional emergency response possible.

Local 230 will continue advocating for proper training, qualified leadership, and safe staffing practices because protecting our members and our community will always come first.

Story by IPOSTNews.

Visit SafeSanJose.org to contact your representative and demand that public safety remains a priority.

05/15/2026

San José is facing a public safety crisis.

Over the last 7 years, emergency call volume has increased by nearly 20% — but our fire department is only meeting response time goals about 65% of the time.

Every second matters when you’re trapped in a fire, suffering a cardiac arrest, or waiting for help to arrive. Delayed response times can mean the difference between life and death.

At the same time demand is increasing, the City continues to defer resources, close stations, and cross-staff equipment that delays emergency response.

San José residents deserve a fully staffed fire department that can respond when lives are on the line.

Visit SafeSanJose.org to learn more and contact your elected officials.

Your life depends on it.

05/15/2026

🚨 CUTS TO THE SAN JOSÉ FIRE DEPARTMENT 🚨
San José is now operating with ONLY 650 sworn firefighters serving a city of MORE THAN 1 MILLION PEOPLE.
At the same time, the City continues to eliminate critical fire department resources and expand dangerous cross-staffing models that delay emergency response when EVERY SECOND COUNTS.
⚠️ PERMANENTLY CLOSED:
• Truck 3
• Hazardous Incident Team
• Med 30 EMS Supervisor
• Station 33
• Engine 33
• Sworn Public Information Officer
• Safety Battalion Chief
⚠️ CURRENT PROPOSED CUTS:
• BFO Staff Captain
• Rescue Medic 3
• Rescue Medic 26
• Indefinite deferral of Truck 32
• Elimination of 28 full-time firefighter positions
The proposal also starts by eliminating 3 Fire Engineer positions from Station 24 and replacing dedicated staffing with another cross-staffed resource.
Cross staffing means equipment may NOT immediately respond when your family calls 911.
City leaders promised enhanced wildfire response and improved public safety. Instead, San José firefighters are being asked to do MORE with LESS.
🔥 Delayed response times cost lives.
🔥 Fewer firefighters means fewer resources during major emergencies.
🔥 Public safety should never be balanced on the backs of firefighters and residents.
📢 DEMAND NO MORE CUTS.
📢 FUND FIRE STATION 32.
📢 INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
➡️ Visit SAFESANJOSE.ORG to contact your council members today.
➡️ Share and repost to help spread the message.
PublicSafety ProtectSanJose StopTheCuts FundStation32 EverySecondCounts

05/13/2026

San José has not added a new truck company in over 20 years. Truck 3 was eliminated in 2008, and since then our city has continued to grow upward with more high-rise and mid-rise buildings, while critical fire resources have not kept pace.

Truck companies are the lifeline for people trapped in fires where access is difficult. They perform rescues, ventilation, ladder operations, forcible entry, and support firefighters operating inside dangerous conditions.

Measure T funded Fire Station 32 to help protect one of the busiest and fastest-growing areas in San José. The original plan included a fully staffed truck company. Now the current budget proposal defers Truck 32 indefinitely.

San José residents voted for improved fire protection. Our firefighters and our community deserve fully staffed resources, not delayed promises.

We need Station 32 fully opened and staffed. We need city leaders to invest in public safety before another tragedy forces the conversation.

Visit safesanjose.org and contact your elected officials today.

Station32 TruckCompany IAFF Local230 FirefighterSafety