On Thursday, September 15, 2022, Assemblyman Tom Lackey attended a press conference at Wrightwood Fire Station 14 and presented a one-million-dollar check to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCoFD). Through state budget requests from SBCoFD, a total of 6 million dollars of funding for the county was included in the recently passed 2022-23 budget. SBCoFD allocated 1 million dollars to the Wrightwood Fire Station to obtain wildland fire fighting equipment. The remaining 5 million dollars was allocated to the Hesperia Fire Station to renovate existing 50-year-old facilities.

Wrightwood will obtain a new Type 3 fire engine with the funds. According to Lackey’s speech, the vehicle will be essential to fighting wildland fires since it enables off-roading and makes driving easier over rough terrain. Lackey stated, “We advocated for this station because it is strategically located right here in the Angeles National Forest, and we know the [fire] tragedies that we have dealt with before.” Battalion Chief, Steve Tracy of the SBCoFD, acknowledged the immense need for these funds stating, “I want to thank Assemblyman Tom Lackey for securing these monies that will go a long way in the protection of the citizens that live in Wrightwood and the community and city of Hesperia.”

After the event, Assemblyman Lackey posed for pictures with fire crew personnel and even spent time learning about search and rescue dog Remi. Remi is one year old, and from the non-profit organization Working Dogs for Warriors, and Remi is currently still in training and is based out of the Phelan Fire Station.