Area Served[]
The Santa Cruz Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the seaside resort city of Santa Cruz, located on the northern edge of Monterey Bay at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 80 miles south of San Francisco, in Santa Cruz County, Northern California. It was Spanish military officer Gaspar de Portolá, who named the hills above the river running through the area Santa Cruz, meaning “Holy Cross” in Spanish. Incorporated as a city on March 31, 1866, the city of Santa Cruz, also known as "Surf City." encompasses an area covering 15.8 square miles, of which 12.7 square miles is land, and 3.1 square miles is water, and serves a population of approximately 62,956, plus an annual visitor population of over 2,000,000.
Mutual Aid[]
The Santa Cruz Fire Department has mutual aid agreements with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) / San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit, the Branciforte Fire Protection District, the Scotts Valley Fire Protection District, and the Central Fire District, among others.
Department Profile[]
Santa Cruz FD is currently comprised of over 60 personnel which includes firefighter/paramedics, fire captains, fire battalion chiefs, fire prevention staff, fire department training staff, and administrative staff. Additionally, the department employs approximately 70 seasonal lifeguards on its beaches in the Marine Safety Division. Its resources include four fire stations, one lifeguard headquarters, and six front-line emergency vehicles comprised of four engine companies, one tiller operated ladder truck company, and one battalion chief vehicle. Daily Platoon staffing consist of least 15 firefighters. In addition. Santa Cruz Fire cross staffs one Type 3 wildland engine company and one all-terrain vehicle. All fire personnel are certified firefighter/emergency medical technicians or firefighter/paramedics. Santa Cruz Fire respond to nearly 8,000 calls for service annually.
History[]
In 1857, the Santa Cruz citizens organized a volunteer fire department and purchased a hand drawn hook and ladder, replaced in 1877 by a new hand drawn hook and ladder which was placed in service at City Hall, located on Front Street. Thus, the Santa Cruz City Volunteer Fire Department was born. An April 14, 1894 fire convinced the city fathers to establish a paid fire department in October 1894 resulting in a firehouse being built on Church Street with the fire volunteers becoming "Call Men." In 1911, the city of Santa Cruz invited bids for the first piece of motorized fire equipment, and in 1912 received delivery of an American LaFrance chemical wagon. This engine shared quarters on Church Street with the hook and ladder from the volunteer days. In 1939, the city had a new fire station built on Center Street with three bays for equipment and facilities to accommodate the then 16 man department. During the 1970's, all firefighters were trained as emergency medical technicians and the call volume skyrocketed, providing victims with treatment in the field that had previously only been available in hospital emergency rooms. In the fall of 1999, the department began providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) services in the form of firefighter/paramedics. All four fire stations currently provide ALS service. In 2015, the University of California Santa Cruz Fire Department consolidated with the Santa Cruz Fire Department which increased fire protection coverage to include the university campus and added another fire station and nine more firefighters to the department.
Fire Stations[]
| Station | Address | In Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Church Street & Center Street | 1894 - 1939 | Closed and demolished; replaced by new fire station at 711 Center Street |
Apparatus Roster[]
- All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
- California License Plate denoted by CA#
Fire Station No. 1 - 711 Center Street[]
Built 1939 / Renovated 2001
- Chief 3101 - 2014 Toyota Tundra 4x4
- Command 3102 - 2020 Ford F-350 4x4
- Battalion 3103 - 2020 Ford F-250 4x4
- Battalion 3109 (Reserve) - 2009 Toyota Tundra 4x4
- Engine 3110 - 2023 Pierce Enforcer 7000 (1500/750/20A) (SN#39133)
- Engine 3111 (Reserve) - 2015 Pierce Arrow XT 6700 (1500/500/20F) (SN#28118) (CA#1466620) (VIN#4P1BAAGFXFA015248) (Ex-Engine 3110)
- Engine 3134 (Reserve) - 2001 International 4800 4x4 / Master Body Works (500/500)
- Utility 3160 - 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 / Knapheide
- Truck 3170 - 2011 Pierce Arrow XT 5700 (-/-/100' tractor-drawn) (SN#24724) (CA#1371513) (VIN#4P1CA01D8BA012333)
- Prevention 3181 - 2012 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
Fire Station No. 2 - 1103 Soquel Avenue[]
Built 1947 / Renovated 2001
- Engine 3112 - 2023 Pierce Arrow XT 6700 (1500/500/20A) (SN#38004)
- Engine 3116 (Reserve) - 2013 Pierce Arrow XT (1250/500) (SN#26143-01) (Ex-Engine 3112)
- Utility 3192 - Ford F-150 4x4
Fire Station No. 3 - 335 Younglove Avenue[]
Built 1954 / Renovated 2001
- Engine 3113 - 2013 Pierce Arrow XT (1250/500) (SN#26143-02)
- Engine 3115 (Reserve) - 2004 Sutphen Imperial (1500/250/75' mid-mount) (Ex-Truck 3170)
Fire Station No. 4 - 701 Chinquapin Road / UC Santa Cruz Campus[]
Built 1975 / Renovated 2001
- Engine 3114 - 2013 Pierce Arrow XT (1250/500) (SN#26143-03)
- Engine 3137 - 2021 International HV507 4x4 / Pierce FX3 Type 3 wildland (500PTO/500/20F) (SN#34292) (CA#1601294) (VIN#1HTEETAR4MH399415)
- UTV 3199 - 2020 Polaris Ranger 4x4 (hp/50)
Assignment Unknown[]
- 2002 Pierce Saber (1500/500/20A) (SN#13195)
Marine Safety Division[]
Lifeguard Station - 21 Municipal Wharf[]
- Lifeguard 3161 - 2018 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
- Lifeguard 3162 - 2018 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
- Lifeguard 3163 - 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 (CA#1353253) (VIN# (Ex-Lifeguard 3108, ex-Lifeguard 3166)
- Lifeguard 3164 - 2012 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
- Lifeguard 3165 - 2018 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
- LV 3169 - Kawasaki Jet Ski Ultra 250X PWC
Retired Apparatus[]
- 1998 Pierce Saber pumper (1250/500/30A) (SN#EC179) (Ex-Engine 3110, ex-Engine 3116)
- 1996 Pierce Saber pumper (1250/500) (SN#EA231) (Ex-Engine 3111) (Donated to Bomberos San Jose Del Cabo)
- 1976 Willard Marine 32' Ports and Waterways Boat (500/-) (Ex-Alameda Fire Department (California), ex-US Coast Guard) (Donated to Santa Cruz Sea Scouts)
- 1979 Crown Firecoach CPTSQ150-50-V56TAC pumper (1500/500/50' TeleSqurt) (SN#F-1800) (Ex-Engine 3113)
- 1967 Van Pelt Custom 300 pumper (1250/500) (SN#618777) (Ex-Engine 3114)
- 1957 Seagrave pumper (1000/?)
- 1950 Seagrave 66-1000 pumper (1000/?) (SN#F-1950) (Ex-Engine 2)
- 1949 American LaFrance aerial (-/-/75' mid-mount ladder) (Ex-Truck 1)
- 1925 Seagrave pumper (750/?)
- 1915 Studebaker chemical wagon (Ex-Engine 2)
- 1912 American LaFrance Type 10 chemical engine / hose wagon (Ex-Engine 1)