General Information

The Fire Department is organized into three divisions:  Fire Operations, Training / Emergency Medical Services, and Fire Prevention. The Department responded to approximately 2,600 requests for emergency service in 2008. The majority of these incidents are emergency medical related. Responses to fires in buildings, vehicles or the wild land account for another 15% of the calls; 15% of emergency responses are rescues involving trapped persons as a result of vehicle accidents, falls from a cliff, construction site accidents, and weather related incidents. The department also responds to spills and releases of hazardous materials, public service and other miscellaneous requests, which account for the remaining 20% of the responses. The department maintains a fully equipped emergency response force of twelve firefighters on duty, at all times, assigned to suppression; in addition to four staff personnel, fifteen reserve firefighters, and an administrative assistant.  The Department organization is outlined below: