Santa Clara County Fire Department

The Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the county of Santa Clara, California. Established in 1947, the SCCFD is responsible for the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County as well as the communities of Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga.[1]

Santa Clara County Fire Department

Operational area
Country	United States
State	California
County	Santa Clara
Agency overview
Established	1947
Annual calls	17,495 (2015)
Employees	280
Annual budget	$97,079,239 (2015)
Staffing	Career
Fire chief	Tony Bowden
EMS level	ALS
IAFF	1165
Facilities and equipment
Battalions	3
Stations	15
Engines	14 - front-line 6 - reserve
Trucks	3 - front-line 1 - reserve
Rescues	3
Tenders	1
HAZMAT	1 - front-line 1 - reserve
USAR	1
Wildland	6 - type 3 2 - type 6
Light and air	1
Website
Official website
IAFF website

The service area encompasses approximately 128 square miles (330 km²) with a population of 226,700.[2] In addition to their career firefighters, the department is also augmented by approximately 27 volunteer firefighters.[1] Daily 24-hour emergency response staffing consists of 66 firefighters and officers operating out of 15 fire stations with 19 pieces of apparatus and 3 command vehicles.[1]

History

Formation

The Santa Clara County Fire Department is an all hazard department that has evolved through fire consolidations and contracts. In 1947, two agencies – the Cottage Grove Fire District and the Oakmead Farms Fire District – were consolidated to form the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District (a.k.a. Santa Clara County Fire Department). This consolidation was the result of the California Division of Forestry (a.k.a. CAL FIRE) withdrawing from the valley floor when its contract with Santa Clara County was terminated in 1947.

In that same year, an election was held which authorized the Department to provide fire suppression services to the unincorporated areas stretching from Highway 9 east across the valley to Mount Hamilton and south to the Almaden area.

In 1970, the Department consolidated with the Burbank Fire District and the Alma Fire District, and contracted with the Town of Los Gatos for fire protection services.

In 1977, the Department contracted with the cities of Campbell, Milpitas, San Jose, and Santa Clara to service portions of the Department referred to as “Zone 1.” The City of San Jose provides fire services for a vast majority of the unincorporated areas in the eastern part of County Fire. Five fire stations and assigned personnel ultimately transferred to the city. The “Zone 2” designation remains as the intrinsic service area for County Fire.

Prior to 1982, the Santa Clara County Fire Marshal's Office (FMO) operated as a Santa Clara County department. Following Proposition 13, this department was eliminated, and County Fire began its own Fire Prevention Division. In 1987, the Fire Chief of the Santa Clara County Fire Department was appointed to serve in the position of County Fire Marshal, and County Fire began providing fire marshal services to county facilities and unincorporated county areas.

In 1993, the City of Campbell; in 1995, the City of Morgan Hill; and in 1996, the City of Los Altos and the Los Altos Hills County Fire District contracted for fire services with the Department. Merging Campbell, Morgan Hill, and Los Altos personnel, facilities, and equipment into County Fire made the Department the second-largest fire agency in Santa Clara County. In 1997, for the 50-year service anniversary, the Department adopted the also known as (a.k.a.) name of Santa Clara County Fire Department. The name was changed to more accurately reflect the area served and to avoid confusion between agencies with similar names in adjacent counties. In 2008, following a three-year administrative management agreement, the Saratoga Fire District entered into a full-service fire, rescue, and emergency medical agreement with County Fire. In September 2010 the Department annexed 32,000 acres of underserved area along the western edge of Santa Clara County into the Fire District. In 2013 the City of Morgan Hill did not renew its contract for services with Santa Clara County Fire Department.

Today the Santa Clara County Fire Department provides fire protection services to one of the most diverse areas in the state. Challenges range from high-rise buildings, downtown commercial areas, large retail malls and wildland–urban interface areas to industrial business centers, semi-conductor manufacturing with related hazardous materials and hi-tech systems. Services have evolved to include fire protection, community education, hazardous materials response, rescue, and advanced life support.[3]

Governance

Since 1947, the State Fire Protection District Law has been rewritten several times. The Department's authority is granted by the California Health and Safety Code, Div. 12, Part 2.7, and the Fire Protection District Law of 1987, also known as the Bergeson Fire District Law. The Department is governed by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors sitting as the Board of Directors. As such, the Department is classified as a dependent district. The Fire Chief is appointed by the Board of Supervisors, and is responsible for the proper administration of all affairs of the Department.

The Fire Chief consults with city/town managers to assure local matters are addressed. The Department takes great pride in the ability to be responsive to local issues and priorities. Fire codes and regulations are typically adopted at the local government level.[3]

Historical Apparatus

Apparatus	Year	Make	Location
Engine #20	1949	Van Pelt/Kenworth	Central Fire
Hose Wagon	1936	Dodge	Burbank Fire District
Engine	1929	Model A	Los Altos
Chemical Hand Cart	1919	Reconstructed	Cupertino
Squad 1	1962	GMC Vanpelt	Central Fire District
Engine	1928	Model A	Saratoga

Accomplishments

Services

Fire prevention services were limited to land development and company inspection programs prior to 1978. The Department started the Fire Prevention Division in 1979, and took on the management role for the Santa Clara County Fire Marshal's Office in 1987.

The Department is a leader in emergency medical services. In 1974, members of Central Fire Protection District and the Campbell Fire Department participated in the first paramedic training program in northern California. The Campbell Fire Department established the first northern California fire department paramedic program that same year. EMT-1 level services were provided Department-wide in 1981, EMT-D in 1990, and first-responder paramedics in December 1995.

The Department advocates regional fire services. Hazardous materials regulation and response is a prime example of sharing scarce resources between multiple jurisdictions. In 1985, the California State Department of Health Services helped fund the basic training and equipping of the Department's regional hazardous materials response team. Since then the Department has continued to maintain a fully staffed dedicated hazardous materials team. In 2009, the Department applied to Cal OES for recognition as a Type I Hazardous Materials Response Team. After inspection by Cal OES to ensure the required equipment, staffing and training was in place, the team was awarded Type I status. The team is one of 29 Type I available throughout the State of California for mutual aid deployment.

Community education and preparedness programs provide the opportunity to educate children and adults about fire and injury prevention and train residents to become self-sufficient following a major disaster. The Department's program is staffed with five full-time employees, and is supported by on duty firefighting crews. The Department administers the Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services and assists cities and towns in the methods to prepare and respond to all hazards. Emergency management services include developing written Emergency Operations Plans, Maintaining Emergency Operations Centers and on-going emergency management training for city and town employees.

The Department is one of the few fire agencies in the Bay Area to staff two full-time fire investigator positions, augmented by on-call personnel. Investigation of fires provides important information about the cause and origin of the local fire problem. The Fire Chief of the Santa Clara County Fire Department has traditionally served as the Local Mutual Aid Fire and Rescue Coordinator,also known as, the Operational Area Coordinator. This position has become increasingly pivotal in promoting and coordinating local government fire resources. Staffing levels, equipment, and water supplies have improved dramatically over the past decade, resulting in an improved ISO rating. In most of the communities served by the Department, business owners and residents enjoy a Class 2/8 fire insurance rating that was awarded in 1996.

In 2001, the Department established a Special Operations Task Force consisting of 45 employees trained in both technical rescue and hazardous materials response.[3]

Personnel

Employees of the Department believe in, and enjoy, a collaborative labor/management relationship. The relationship has produced a motivated workforce whose members enjoy excellent working conditions and numerous opportunities to work with management in the delivery of quality services. The non-adversarial approach to issues works to the benefit of all: management, labor, and the citizens served.

Department personnel have been actively involved in the development and maintenance of programs including safety equipment, apparatus design, physical fitness, station design, human relations, and strategic planning.

Department personnel take pride in a professional image. Perceptions of the organization play an important part in establishing and maintaining credibility with the public and allied emergency service providers.

Diversity, reflecting the communities served, offers strength and opportunity for the Department. A diverse workforce helps to plan and deliver services, with each team member offering a unique perspective.[3]

Resources

County Fire takes great pride in its fleet of emergency response apparatus. The vehicles incorporate state-of-the-art features. They are equipped and maintained to meet the variety of challenges presented by an urban and wildland urban interface service area. Apparatus are designed by committees composed of driver/operators, company officers, fire mechanics, and chief officers.

A computer network, which became operational in 1992, provides an information link in real-time to facilitate reporting and communications to all levels within the organization. It includes real-time fire weather reporting from two Remote Area Weather Stations (RAWS) located in the wildland/urban interface area.

Employee safety is a high priority. Employees are trained and equipped to work safely in a variety of emergency environments and situations. In 1981, the Department established a comprehensive wellness program that now includes routine medical screening, physical fitness screening, and employee assistance for Department members and their families.

Mobile data computers are being upgraded on all first-responder apparatus for use with mapping, routing, automatic vehicle location and unit status reporting.[3]

Management

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors sits as the Board of Directors for the Santa Clara County Fire Department. This relationship has been very successful in addressing the needs of local constituents for fire protection services. This single-service form of government has resulted in economies of scale and reduced bureaucracy.

The addition of a Business Manager in 1982, now titled Director of Business Services, has helped define the Department as an organization concerned with making good business decisions. Risk management, self-insurance, health benefit analysis, and fiscal partnerships have all become Department business practices.

The Department embraces a non-traditional enterprise philosophy. New markets, consolidations, contracts, customer services, regional approaches, and public/private partnerships are all strategies employed to enhance fire protection services. The Department concluded the self-assessment process for accreditation by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) in 2010. The Department is currently in the process of its third accreditation with an anticipated completion date of August 2015. The accreditation process includes: the development of a revised Strategic Plan, Standards of Cover document, and a Fire Department Self Assessment Manual.

The reaccreditation process will conclude with a peer assessor team site visit and the submittal of an accreditation report recommending accreditation status to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI).[3]

Operations

Battalion 72

Fire Station	Area	Address	Engine	Wildland	Other
72	Cupertino	21000 Seven Springs Parkway	Engine 72			HazMat 72, HazMat 172 (reserve), Breathing Support 72 & Battalion 72	[4]
73	Saratoga	14380 Saratoga Avenue	Engine 73, Engine 173 (reserve) & Engine 973 (reserve)		Engine 373	Rescue 73	[3][5]
78	Los Gatos	18870 Los Gatos Road	Engine 78 & Engine 178 (reserve)		Engine 678 (reserve)	Water Tender 78	[3][6]
79	Saratoga	19800 Cox Avenue	Engine 79		679	Battalion 179 (reserve)	[3][7]

Battalion 74

Fire Station	Area	Address	Engine	Truck	Wildland	Other
71	Cupertino	20215 Stevens Creek Boulevard	Engine 71 & Engine 289 (OES)	Truck 71	Engine 371		[8]
74	Los Altos Hills	12355 El Monte Road		Truck 74	Engine 374	Rescue 74 & Battalion 74	[9]
75	Los Altos	10 Almond Avenue	Engine 75 & Engine 175 (reserve)		Engine 675		[3][10]
76	Los Altos	765 Fremont Avenue	Engine 76 & Engine 176 (reserve)			Strike Team 76	[3][11]
77	Cupertino	22620 Stevens Creek Boulevard	Engine 77		Engine 377		[12]

Battalion 83

Fire Station	Area	Address	Engine	Truck	Wildland	Other
80	Campbell	485 West Sunnyoaks Avenue	Engine 80 & Engine 180 (reserve)				[3][13]
81	Campbell	123 Union Avenue	Engine 81	Truck 181 (lease reserve)			[3][14]
82	Los Gatos	16565 Shannon Road	Engine 82		Engine 382	Utility 82, Trailer 782, DeCon 782, Wood 782, EMS 782, USAR 1187 (OES)	[3][15]
83	Los Gatos	306 University Avenue	Engine 83			Rescue 83 & Battalion 83	[16]
84	Redwood Estates	21452 Madrone Drive	Engine 84		Engine 384 (reserve)		[3][17]
85	Los Gatos	14850 Winchester Boulevard		Truck 85		USAR 85	[18]

Staffing

Staffing Mode	Staffed Equipment	Personnel Assigned
Mode – 0 Example: Non-fire season	Normal • 19 staffed apparatus • 3 BCs	(66 personnel)
Mode – 1 Example: Fire season, medium to high fire danger	Normal, plus: • 1 Type III (ALS at EM)	(69 personnel)
Mode – 2 Example: Fire season, BI 100+, Red Flag Warning, CAL FIRE local draw-down	Normal, plus: • 3 Type III's E374 (3/0 ALS) & Two additional (3/0 BLS)	(75 personnel)
Mode – 3 Example: Anticipated extreme fire weather, major state-wide commitment of CAL FIRE and local resources	Normal, plus: • 5 Type III's • 1 Water Tender 2/0 BLS (optional)	(83 personnel)
Mode – 4 Example: Extreme fire weather, BI 100+, major state-wide commitment of CAL FIRE and/or local mutual aid	Normal, plus: • 5 Type III's • 3 Additional engines • Additional BC • Officer to County Communications • Additional Dispatch positions staffed • Drill tower/classes cancelled • Overhead Team (stand-by) • Shop Fuel Tender (stand-by) • Administrative Support Team (stand-by)	(94 personnel) *not including standbys
MODE – 5 Example: MAJOR EVENT Loma Prieta Earthquake, Lexington Fire, etc.	Normal, plus: • 5 Type III's • 5 Additional engines • BC aides/drivers assigned • Officer to County Communications • Additional Dispatch positions staffed • Overhead Team activated • Shop Fuel Tender staffed • Administrative Support Team staffed • Non-emergency activities cancelled • Operational period work schedule • Days off cancelled	(110+ personnel) *not including standbys

See also

• Santa Clara County

References

1. "2015 Annual Report" (PDF). SCCFD. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
2. "2015 Annual Report" (PDF). Santa Clara County Fire Department. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
3. "SCCFD Business Plan 2015-2019" (PDF).
4. "Seven Springs Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
5. "Saratoga Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
6. "Quito Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
7. "West Valley Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
8. "Cupertino Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
9. "El Monte Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
10. "Los Altos Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
11. "Loyola Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
12. "Monta Vista Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
13. "Sunnyoaks Fire Station/McCormack Training Center". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
14. "Campbell Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
15. "Shannon Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
16. "Los Gatos Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
17. "Los Gatos Fire Station". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
18. "Winchester Fire Station/Maintenance Shopn". Santa Clara Fire Department. Retrieved 12 January 2015.

External links