NEWPORT BEACH FIREFIGHTERS APPLAUD RETURN TO FULL FOUR-FIREFIGHTER STAFFING ON THE PENINSULA

Approved in the 2026/27 budget, the restoration reverses 2015–18 Curry Council era cuts and NBFA credits Mayor Lauren Kleiman for stronger public safety.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA, UNITED STATES, July 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Newport Beach Firefighters Association on Wednesday applauded the city’s decision to restore full four-firefighter staffing to Truck 2 on the Balboa Peninsula, calling it a major investment in public safety for residents, visitors and businesses. The staffing restoration will take effect at the July 6, 2026, 7:30 a.m. shift change at Newport Beach Fire Department Station 2, 2807 Newport Blvd.

The return to full staffing brings Truck 2 back in line with NFPA 1710, the national deployment standard for career fire departments. This investment restores critical fire rescue capacity that had been reduced during the 2015-2018 Curry Council era and reflects Mayor Lauren Kleiman’s leadership and commitment to true public safety in Newport Beach.

“Restoring the fourth firefighter dramatically improves public safety, and it means the people who live, work and visit on the peninsula will be better protected when seconds matter most,” Newport Beach Firefighters Association President Robert Salerno said. “After a decade of cuts, Mayor Lauren Kleiman deserves credit for helping move this forward and for recognizing that public safety requires more than promises. It requires action.”

Fire service research has repeatedly shown that staffing levels directly affect how quickly firefighters can carry out critical tasks on the fireground. Four-person crews are proven to complete essential firefighting and rescue tasks 25 percent faster than three-person crews, with faster search and rescue, faster laddering and ventilation, and faster water application.

“For years, Newport Beach firefighters were asked to do more with less, and our community was forced to shoulder unnecessary risk,” Salerno said. “This restoration adds an additional Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedic/Firefighter which means safer operations for firefighters, faster coordinated action for the public, increased emergency medical capacity, and represents a clear sign that this city is once again taking emergency response and public safety seriously.”

Braden Frame, Media Contact
Newport Beach Firefighters Association
+1 512-413-6953
braden@moderncartographers.com
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