
This article is about the County fire department, the City fire department is a separate entity.
Area Served[]
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the Santa Barbara County Fire Protection District which includes unincorporated portions of the County as well as the Cities of Buellton, Goleta, and Solvang. The District also protects 797,382 acres of State Responsibility Area (SRA) under contract with Cal Fire, 820,154 acres of Federal Responsibility Area (FRA), and 139,556 acres of Local Responsibility Area (LRA) within the County. Most of the county is part of the California Central Coast, and it includes four of the Channel Islands – San Miguel Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island and Santa Barbara Island. The Fire District encompasses nearly 2,480 square miles. while providing services to an estimated population of 172,000. Santa Barbara County is bordered by San Luis Obispo County to the north, Kern County to the northeast, the Los Padres National Forest to the east, Ventura County to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Department Profile[]
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department responds from 16 fire stations (16 engines / 2 truck companies) to all types of emergencies, including: structure and wildland firefighting, emergency medical care and transportation, rescue, fire prevention and inspection, hazardous material and oil spill response and containment. The Department is divided into 5 Divisions: Operations, Support Services, Fire Prevention, EMS, & Training. Staffing wise, there are 245 full-time sworn firefighters in 3 battalions (south, central, and north). The Department also staffs a wildland firefighting hand crew program, a construction section, an air support unit, and support and administrative staff. Each fire station is staffed around the clock with a minimum of 3 firefighters and a Type I (structure) engine company. Specialized equipment such as Type III (wildland) engine companies, water tenders, paramedic rescue ambulances, technical rescue, and water rescue equipment are strategically placed throughout the county and are cross‐staffed with existing engine personnel. In addition to fire station response capabilities, the Department staffs and responds with water dropping helicopters, bulldozers and hand crews to fire, pre‐fire, flood, and other disasters. Santa Barbara County Fire responds to over 15,000 incidents annually,
History[]
The Department began on April 5, 1926, as a service which the Board of Supervisors said, “…was of vital interest to all of the people of Santa Barbara County.” Battling primarily vegetation fires with small trailers towed to the scene behind a Model A and Model T, those firefighters braved flames on the same hillsides and grasslands that today’s firefighters climb when called to service. In 1956, the Santa Barbara County Forestry Department officially became the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Two years later, the tradition began where all fire apparatus were painted with the familiar white paint. The reasoning was simple: to provide a safer, more visible appearance, and to make the interior of the cab cooler, as at that time there were no air conditioning units.
Fire Stations[]
Station | Address | In Service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
18 | 1700 Calle Mariposa Reina Road, Gaviota | ?-2020 | Now Fire Station 38 |
22 | 1600 Tiffany Park Court, Santa Maria | ?-2020 | Now Fire Station 26 |
41 | 41 Newsome Street, New Cuyama | ?-2020 | Now Fire Station 27 |
51 | 3510 Harris Grade Road, Lompoc | ?-2020 | Now Fire Station 34 |
Apparatus Roster[]
All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
Battalion 1[]
Fire Station 11 - 6901 Frey Way, Goleta[]
Built 1967
- Engine 11 - 2016 KME Predator Severe Service XMFD (1500/500/25A)
- Truck 11 - 2016 KME Severe Service XMFD (1500/350/101' AerialCat tractor-drawn aerial) (SN#GSO-10253)
- Battalion 1 - 2019 Chevrolet Suburban
- EMS 1 - 2009 Ford F-150
- Recon 11 (6142) - 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor towing UTV 11
- UTV 11 - 2018 Honda 4x4 ATV
- Rescue 11 -
- USAR 11 - 2009 Ford F-550 / Knapheide towing 2009 Haulmark trailer
- Utility 11 - 2009 Ford F-350
- Water Rescue 11 (4875) - 2009 Ford F-350 / Pacific
- RCW 1 - Yamaha WaveRunner Jet ski
- RCW 2 - Yamaha WaveRunner Jet ski
Fire Station 12 - 5330 Calle Real, Goleta[]
Built 1997
- Engine 12 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 312 - 2007 International WorkStar 4x4 / West-Mark (500/500/20A)
Fire Station 13 - 4570 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara[]
Built 1958
- Engine 13 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 313 - 2007 International WorkStar 4x4 / West-Mark (500/500/20A)
- Utility 13 - 2017 Ford F-350 / Knapheide
Fire Station 14 - 320 Los Carneros Road, Goleta[]
Built 1970
- Engine 14 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 314 - 1998 International 4800 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
Fire Station 15 - 2491 Foothill Road, Santa Barbara[]
Built 1970
- Engine 15 - 2016 KME Predator Severe Service XMFD (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 315 - 2003 International WorkStar 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
Fire Station 17 - University of California (Santa Barbara), Mesa Road, Bldg 547[]
Built 1967
- Engine 17 - 2016 KME Predator Severe Service XMFD (1500/500/25A)
- Rescue 17 - 2015 Ford E-350 / Leader ambulance
- Water Rescue 17 - 2017 Ford F-350 towing RCW 3 and RCW 4
- RCW 3 - Yamaha WaveRunner Jet ski
- RCW 4 - Yamaha WaveRunner Jet ski
Battalion 2[]
Fire Station 21 - 335 Union Avenue, Orcutt[]
Built 2008
- Engine 21 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 321 - 1998 International 4800 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
Fire Station 23 - 5003 Depot Avenue, Santa Maria[]
Built 1990
- Engine 23 - 2016 KME Predator Severe Service XMFD (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 323 - 2007 International WorkStar 4x4 / West-Mark (500/500/25A)
Fire Station 24 - 99 Centennial Street, Los Alamos[]
Built 1966
- Engine 24 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 324 - 1998 International 4800 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
- Battalion 2 - 2016 Chevrolet Suburban
- EMS 2 - 2009 Ford F-150
Fire Station 26 - 1600 Tiffany Park Court, Santa Maria[]
Built 1981
- Engine 26 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 326 - 2003 International WorkStar 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
- Water Tender 26 - 2009 International 4900 SBA / Pierce (300/1500) (SN#22211-01)
Fire Station 27 - 41 Newsome Street, New Cuyama[]
- Engine 27 - 2016 KME Predator Severe Service XMFD (1500/500/25A)
- Rescue 27 - 2007 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach
Battalion 3[]
Fire Station 30 - 1644 Oak Street, Solvang[]
- Engine 30 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Truck 30 - 2017 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/103' rear mount)
- Engine 330 - 1998 International 4800 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
- Utility 30 - 2005 Ford F-350
Fire Station 31 - 168 West Highway 246, Buellton[]
Built 1965
- Engine 31 (5717) - 2016 KME Predator Severe Service XMFD XMFD (1500/500/25A) (SN#GSO-10255)
- Hazmat 31 - 1998 International 4900 towing 2007 Haulmark walk-in
Fire Station 32 - 906 Airport Road, Santa Ynez / Santa Ynez Airport[]
Built 1990
- Engine 32 - 2021 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 332 - 1998 International 4800 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
- Water Tender 32 - 2009 International 4900 SBA / Pierce (300/1500) (SN#22211-02)
- Utility 32 - 2009 Ford F-350
Air Support Unit (ASU) (Jointly operated with Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department) -
- Copter 308 - 1967 Bell UH-1H Iroquois C/N 9526 & 67-17328 (Civil Registration N205KS)
- Copter 309 - 1966 Bell UH-1D Iroquois C/N 5305 & 66-0822 (Civil Registration N205FD)
- Copter 964 - 2002 Sikorsky HH-60L Firehawk / 2022 United Rotorcraft Rehab C/N 70-2814 (Civil Registration N964SB)
Fire Station 34 - 3500 Harris Grade Road, Lompoc[]
Built 2008
- Engine 34 - 2007 KME Predator Severe Service (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 334 - 2014 International WorkStar 4x4 / KME (500/500/20A)
- Rescue 34 - 2007 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach
Fire Station 38 - 17200 Calle Mariposa Reina, Gaviota Coast[]
Built 1989
- Engine 38 - 2016 KME Predator Severe Service XMFD (1500/500/25A)
- Engine 338 - 2018 International WorkStar 7400 4x4 / West-Mark (500/500/20A)
- Water Tender 38 (5284) - 2011 International WorkStar 7600 6x4 / Pierce elliptical (500/3000) (SN#24119)
- Foam Tender 38 - 1991 Spartan Gladiator / Westates (1500/-/3000F)
- Air & Light 38 (5040) - 2009 International DuraStar 4400 / Pierce Encore walk-around rescue (SN#22151)
Assignment Unknown[]
- 2016 KME tractor-drawn aerial
- 2014 International WorkStar 7400 SBA 6x4 / Pierce elliptical tanker (SN#27327)
- 2007 KME Predator Severe Service pumper (1500/500/25A) (Ex-Engine 32)
- 2007 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach ambulance (Ex-Rescue 11)
- 2007 Ford E-450 / Wheeled Coach ambulance (Ex-Rescue 17)
- 2004 KME Excel pumper (1500/500/25A) (Ex-Engine 38)
- 2003 International 7400 4x4 / Master Body Works brush engine (500/500)
- 2003 KME Excel pumper (1500/500/25A) (Ex-Engine 27)
- 2003 KME Excel pumper (1500/500/25A) (Ex-Engine 23)
- 2003 KME Excel pumper (1500/500/25A) (Ex-Engine 17)
- 2003 KME Excel pumper (1500/500/25A) (Ex-Engine 11)
- 2000 KME pumper (1500/500/25)
- 1998 KME pumper (1500/500/25)
- 1988 Mack / Westates tanker (240/3500) (Ex-Water Tender 41)