News

Oct 8, 2026

Governor Newsom announces new swiftwater rescue fleet to strengthen California storm preparedness

New rescue vehicles, boats, and equipment strengthen local response and statewide mutual aid before winter storms arrive

Governor Gavin Newsom and Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs receive a hands-on briefing in Mather on new swiftwater rescue vehicles and equipment to strengthen California's storm preparedness.

What you need to know:  New vehicles, boats, and rescue equipment are being delivered to local fire departments across California ahead of potentially significant El Niño-driven storms. The upgrades strengthen teams that can rescue people from dangerous floodwaters in their own communities and deploy across the state when other communities need help.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced California is deploying a new wave of swiftwater rescue vehicles, boats, and specialized equipment to 13 local fire departments across the state, strengthening California's ability to rapidly respond to flooding and water rescues ahead of a potentially significant El Niño-driven storm season.

The new equipment will modernize California's fleet of specialized Swiftwater Rescue Teams, which can be deployed through the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System to support communities facing flash flooding, flooded roadways, fast-moving rivers, and other dangerous water emergencies.

While Donald Trump moves to cut disaster preparedness, we're putting new rescue vehicles, boats, and lifesaving equipment into the hands of highly trained local first responders now, so when floodwaters rise, California is ready to move quickly to protect communities and save lives.

Governor Gavin Newsom

B-roll package of the Governor's announcement can be downloaded here

That statewide system allows communities to call on additional personnel and equipment when an emergency exceeds local capacity, bringing critical resources from elsewhere in California to where they are needed.

California's swift water fleet upgrades build on the Governor's announcement this week of new disaster intelligence satellite capabilities and the opening of California's modernized State Operations Center — connecting better information and statewide coordination with lifesaving equipment in the hands of local firefighters.

Building California's flood response capacity before storms arrive

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is replacing and modernizing equipment assigned to all 13 teams under California's Swiftwater Rescue Program. These teams are staffed by highly trained local government firefighters who can respond to water emergencies in their communities and deploy elsewhere in California when additional resources are needed.



The upgrades strengthen and protect the communities where the teams are based and provide critical support for other communities during major storms and flooding.

"Our goal is simple. Make sure California's firefighters have the necessary equipment available before communities need them," said Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacob. "We are preparing now for the potential impacts of an El Niño-driven storm season, working directly with our local partners and strengthening the statewide mutual aid system so these highly trained teams can respond where they are needed."

Governor Gavin Newsom and Cal OES Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs receive a hands-on briefing in Mather on new swiftwater rescue vehicles and equipment to strengthen California's storm preparedness.

Each upgraded Type 1 Swiftwater Rescue Team will receive equipment designed to support complex rescue operations, including:

• New heavy-duty, four-wheel-drive tow vehicles capable of transporting rescue trailers and specialized equipment during hazardous weather.
• New rescue trailers designed to rapidly move equipment to flood and water rescue incidents.
• Two motorized inflatable rescue boats for each team.
• Updated personal protective equipment for firefighters operating in dangerous water environments.
• Specialized rescue tools and equipment required for swiftwater operations.
• Modern technology and equipment designed to help rescuers operate more safely and effectively during increasingly complex emergencies.

Together, these upgrades equip firefighters to transport boats and rescue gear, reach water emergencies, and operate in dangerous conditions while helping protect the rescuers themselves.

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Connecting disaster intelligence with lifesaving response

California's investment in swiftwater rescue capabilities is part of the state's broader effort to prepare early for the potential impacts of an El Niño-driven storm season.

Governor Newsom recently opened the modernized State Operations Center and announced new disaster intelligence satellites to deliver near-real-time information on flood impacts and other hazards statewide.

Together, the new capabilities strengthen California's ability to identify disaster impacts, coordinate resources, and support communities before, during, and after emergencies. The investments are part of Governor Newsom and the Legislature's commitment to protect lives, communities, businesses, and critical infrastructure as climate change drives increasingly complex and destructive disasters.

Through an agreement with ICEYE, a satellite-imaging company that helps governments assess disaster damage from space, Cal OES is expanding its ability to receive near-real-time information on floods, wildfires, and other disasters, even through clouds, smoke, or darkness. The technology can help emergency managers identify where flooding is occurring, estimate water depths, and assess potential damage to homes, roads, and critical infrastructure, including during periods of heavy cloud cover or severe weather.

The information will be integrated into California's statewide emergency operations and shared with state agencies and local emergency managers to help establish a common operating picture during significant storms. These capabilities can help officials more rapidly identify impacted communities, prioritize response resources, and begin assessing damage and recovery needs. The technology is one component of California's broader preparations for the upcoming storm season.

California steps up

California is expanding preparedness while President Trump proposes deep cuts that would shift greater costs and responsibilities to states and local governments. Trump's fiscal year 2027 budget proposes cutting FEMA by $1.3 billion — reducing state and local preparedness grants and eliminating the Next Generation Warning System Grant Program, which supports emergency alerts and warnings, including in rural communities.

California is moving in the opposite direction: strengthening statewide coordination, expanding local partnerships and investing in the personnel and infrastructure needed to protect communities from increasingly severe disasters. The state has also demonstrated enough capacity to assist others without weakening readiness at home, deploying 3,482 personnel and 271 pieces of equipment since June to support wildfire, flood, and earthquake response across 13 states and two countries.

A growing threat in the Pacific

This fall and winter could be dangerous, and Californians should take forecasted extreme weather seriously. Federal forecasters say El Niño is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event this fall and winter and a 75% chance it could reach historic strength. In plain terms, the Pacific is unusually warm, and that warmth can shift storm tracks and load the atmosphere with more energy over the months ahead.

For California, that can mean repeated rounds of heavy rain, strong winds, mountain snow, flooding, landslides, debris flows, large waves, and coastal flooding, especially when storms hit during very high tides. For families, that can mean roads closed by flooding or rockslides, power outages, neighborhoods cut off, damage to homes and businesses, and fast-changing conditions that leave little time to react.

That is why Governor Newsom is acting early, and why residents and homeowners should act now too: know their flood risk, clear drains and gutters, sign up for alerts, and make a plan before severe weather arrives.

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What is El Niño?

El Niño refers to the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Usually, the tropical western Pacific is warmer than the tropical eastern Pacific; in El Niño, however, this pattern reverses, and the eastern Pacific warms significantly. This changes circulation and precipitation patterns around the world. Although specific, localized impacts are unpredictable, El Niño often produces more frequent and intense storms over California. These storms can produce dangerous flooding, landslides, debris flows, erosion, and other dangerous impacts. This year, California has already experienced coastal flooding attributed to El Niño—as "Kelvin waves" raise sea levels and offshore Pacific hurricanes (fueled by warm water in the eastern Pacific) drive strong waves battering the California coast.

How Californians can prepare

El Niño does not guarantee a wet winter or any particular storm, but it heightens the risk of strong storms in California. Californians should prepare now for the possibility of heavy rain, snow, and flooding:

• Sign up for alerts. Get local emergency alerts here and follow trusted sources.
• Know your flood risk. Find out whether your home or workplace is in a flood-prone area or downslope of an area recently affected by wildfire, where heavy rain can increase the risk of flooding, debris flows, and mudslides.
• Stay informed. Pay attention to weather forecasts and sign up for emergency alerts from your city or county. Conditions can change quickly during major storms, so follow instructions from local emergency officials.
• Have an evacuation plan. Know where you would go and how you would get there if you need to leave quickly. Keep an emergency kit ready, including plans, medications, and supplies for pets and other animals.
• Never drive through floodwater. Water on flooded roads can be deeper and faster-moving than it appears, and roadways may be damaged or washed out beneath the water. Turn around and find another route.

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