Manteca Fire Department to Expand with New Station and More Firefighters

The city council approved funding for a new fire station and 9 additional firefighters to improve emergency response times.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Manteca Fire Department is set to expand with the addition of a new fire station and nine new firefighters. The city council recently approved a budget appropriation of over $760,000 for onboarding expenses and salaries for the new firefighters, and a federal grant of over $2 million will also help fund the expansion. The new station and additional firefighters will allow the department to respond more quickly to emergencies, especially in the busy southwest portion of the city.

Why it matters

Manteca is a growing city, and the addition of a new fire station and more firefighters will help the fire department keep up with increasing demand for emergency services. The new resources will improve response times and coverage across the city, enhancing public safety for residents.

The details

The new fire station will be located at the intersection of Oak Trail Drive and Joshua Street in the southwest part of Manteca, which is the second busiest area in the county in terms of call volume with nearly 13,000 calls last year. The nine new firefighters will allow the department to staff an additional fire engine, providing quicker service to this high-demand area. Currently, it takes fire crews 12 to 15 minutes to respond to calls in this part of the city, and the new resources will help reduce those response times.

  • The nine new firefighters will start in March 2026.
  • The city plans to break ground on the new fire station by the end of 2026.

The players

Manteca Fire Department

The fire department serving the city of Manteca, California.

Sterrie McLeod

Manteca Fire Department Battalion Chief.

Measure Q

A ballot measure approved by Manteca voters in 2024 that is helping to fund the fire department expansion.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Building this station and adding another engine to our system really is going to improve our response times to not only the community here, but throughout the whole city.”

— Sterrie McLeod, Battalion Chief, Manteca Fire Department (cbsnews.com)

“In case of an emergency, I think the better the response time and the closer the fire department is, I think that would be great help to the community.”

— Avdeep Sandhu, Manteca Resident (cbsnews.com)

“It makes me feel safer for sure knowing that there's a resource that I'm able to call them on that'd be close to the community in case there's ever an emergency around my house for me and my daughter.”

— Tatiana Mao, Manteca Resident (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The city plans to break ground on the new fire station by the end of 2026.

The takeaway

The expansion of the Manteca Fire Department with a new station and additional firefighters is a proactive step to improve emergency response times and public safety as the city continues to grow. The new resources will help the department better serve the community and respond more quickly to calls, especially in the busy southwest portion of the city.