Emergency Readiness

In Santee, California

In light of the recent fires in Los Angeles, frequent Red Flag wind warnings, and power shut-offs throughout San Diego County, the City of Santee would like to inform our community about the steps we have taken to prepare for emergencies in our area. Below is a summary of key actions, with additional details available from various city departments and local partners.

Are you emergency ready? Below is a list of recommended emergency readiness apps and websites that provide emergency updates and resources.

If you need to report an emergency call 9-1-1. If you see suspicious activity or something of concern please call the Sheriff Non-Emergency Dispatch (858) 868-3200. If you need to report a non urgent issue to the City of Santee (illegal dumping, an encampment, street light is out) please report it via the City's app (MySanteeCA) available on Apple | Android

Key Actions

Riverbed Encampment Management
Since April 2024, the City of Santee has cleared 100 encampments from the San Diego Riverbed. Following legal protocols, city staff and Sheriff’s Deputies regularly patrol the riverbed to check for ignition devices, pollution sources and other risks. The city enforces an ordinance (§7.20130) prohibiting such devices and activities in the river corridor, prosecuting violators when necessary. Encampments are revisited after clearing to monitor for reoccupation. Despite these efforts, individuals may return, creating ongoing safety concerns. Staff respond promptly and we have intensified efforts to protect the riverbed corridor. Additionally, the city collaborates with the County and Caltrans to clear encampments on their properties located within Santee’s jurisdictional boundaries. More information on the City's Homelessness effort.

Defensible Space Maintenance
The city has cleared defensible space in several areas along the riverbed to create safe buffers for properties bordering the waterway. These areas are maintained annually to prevent regrowth. While ensuring compliance with habitat protection regulations, the city continues to seek opportunities for additional clearing to enhance safety.

Santee Fire Department Preparedness
The Santee Fire Department is fully staffed and trained for urban, suburban and wildland fire response. The department closely coordinates with regional and state agencies, including Cal Fire. The Fire Department fleet is regularly maintained and the City recently acquired new off-road vehicles to navigate narrow pathways in the riverbed, enhancing response capabilities. Resources from throughout the region are ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Law Enforcement Support
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has increased patrols in the riverbed and other high-risk areas. The department has also acquired off-road vehicles to access wildland areas. As a contracted law enforcement agency, the full resources of the Sheriff’s Department are available to support Santee in the event of a local emergency.

Interagency Collaboration
The city works closely with the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, other municipalities, agencies and the County of San Diego to ensure the highest level of service and protection for our community. All city employees are classified as emergency workers and systems are in place to activate an Emergency Operations Center if needed.

More detailed information:

Santee Fire Department

Fire Threat Mitigation Measures Completed in 2024

San Diego River Corridor Wildfire Tracking – Continued tracking and reporting of exact GPS location for each fire related incident within the San Diego River Corridor, including conveying information to all city departments related to encampments in violation of prohibited activities per the existing ordinance in the City of Santee.
Type 6 Fire Apparatus Deployment – Type 6 wildland firefighting apparatus placed into service. The unit is utilized for up-staffing as a Patrol during fire threat weather events.
Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) Unit Deployment – Off-road Polaris side-by-side unit placed into service. This unit allows for accessing narrow pathways and uneven terrain (e.g., SD River Corridor, Mission Trails Regional Park) for personnel and equipment.
Squad Deployment – One-year trial of adding two firefighting personnel on a light duty emergency response apparatus (Squad) to increase the effective firefighting force during emergency incidents.
Type 3 Fire Apparatus Procurement – Order placed for an additional Type 3 firefighting apparatus to be located at Fire Station 5 (Brush 5).
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Grant Award – Received formal notification of $7.2 million grant from FEMA to perform defensible space clearing and hazardous fuels reduction throughout the San Diego River Corridor. This grant includes funding for the necessary environmental studies (to be completed in 2025) and the clearing of vegetation (to be completed in 2026).
Fire Station 20 Construction – A temporary fire station is currently under construction in the southern portion of the City of Santee. The design of the permanent fire station is also underway. The temporary fire station is anticipated to become operational in Spring 2025.
Additional Unit Up-Staffing - The Fire Department supports local, regional and statewide fire response efforts through deploying additional fire apparatus and personnel during large fire events. This includes the strategic prepositioning of response units in collaboration with local agencies and the placement of additional response units in-service in Santee during anticipated high fire threat conditions.
State Mandated Fire Marshal Inspections – Completion of fire prevention inspections for all pre-identified state mandated occupancies.
Community Outreach & Education – Staffing of additional personnel and resources for large community gatherings; hosting fire prevention events at fire stations; conducting fire prevention presentations at local schools; and providing Fire and Life Safety messaging through the City of Santee Marketing Team.
Maintenance of ISO Class I Fire Rating – Santee Fire Department maintains the highest fire protection classification from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) through strict adherence to nationally recognized training, prevention, and preparedness standards.
Fire Safety Plan Checks – The Fire Department reviews all construction plans submitted to the city to ensure compliance with local, state and federal (if applicable) fire safety codes.
Regional Vegetation Management Project – Collaboration with adjoining jurisdictions to determine vegetation management strategies to slow or stop the spread of wildfire.

Planned Fire Threat Mitigation Measures 2025

Opening of Temporary Fire Station (Spring 2025)
Completion of Phase 1 of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Grant Award (December 2025)
4th Fire Station Feasibility (Fall 2025)
Hiring and Training Firefighters (Spring 2025 and Fall 2025)
Deployment of Brush 5 (Summer 2025)
Submission of SDRC Grant Application for Fire Mitigation Projects (Spring 2025)

San Diego County Sheriff's Department - Santee Station

Constant communication not only with the Santee Fire Department, but also county and state entities to ensure they are ready and able to respond to any emergencies, wildfires in this case.
Maintains robust Emergency Planning Detail that monitors and distributes information in a timely manner and also coordinates responses to wildfires and other emergencies. When there is an emergency, they coordinate our response and may send 50% of our on duty personnel department wide to help or even activate mobile field force squads and platoons if additional personnel are needed.
Conduct training frequently on their own and in collaboration with the Fire Department, as having a unified command is vital to our effectiveness. The Fire Department focuses on battling the fire while the Sherriff's Department focus our efforts on evacuation warnings, evacuation orders, road closures, anti-looting patrols, etc.

City of Santee

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) - The City of Santee's EOC is ready to deploy for any type of emergency. All City employees are disaster service workers who attend and participate in regular trainings.
Strategic Partnerships - The City works closely with agencies like the San Diego River Park Foundation to conduct monthly cleanups in the river corridor.
Drone - Early 2025 implementing the use of the City drone to help identify fire hazards and debris along the river corridor.
River Corridor Abatement - From April 2024 - January 2025, 100 encampments have been cleaned up.
San Diego River Corridor Ordinance - In 2023 established a new ordinance to mitigate the threat of fire, flooding, water pollution, habitat destruction and other potential causes of destructions and damage to and interference with the San Diego River Corridor.
MySanteeCA App - Released in October 2023 to open up direct lines of communication with residents. Residents can submit service requests for a variety of things including illegal dumping and encampments. This allows City staff to receive real time information that can responded to in a timely manner. Search MySanteeCA in your app store to download for free.