Susanville Fire Department

Area Served[]

The Susanville Fire Department (SFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Susanville, located at the head of Honey Lake Valley, 40 miles east of Lassen Peak in the southern part of Lassen County, Northeastern California. The community was initially known as Rooptown in honor of the town's founder as well as pioneer Isaac Roop. In 1857 however, Roop renamed the town Susanville after his daughter Susan. Incorporated on August 24, 1900, the city encompasses an area covering 8.03 square miles, and serves a population of 16,728.

Mutual Aid[]

SFD has mutual aid agreements with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection / CAL FIRE Lassen-Modoc Unit, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Susanville Fire Department, the BLM Northern California District, the United States Forest Service / Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Fire Suppression / Lassen National Forest Fire Suppression / Lassen Volcanic National Park Fire Management, the Bieber Fire Department, the Big Valley Fire Protection District (California), the Clear Creek Volunteer Fire Department (California), the Doyle Fire Protection District (California), the Herlong Volunteer Fire Department, the High Desert State Prison Fire Department, the Janesville Fire Protection District, the Lake Forest Fire Protection District (California), the Little Valley Fire Department (California), the Madeline Fire Department, the Milford Volunteer Fire Department (California), the Sierra Army Depot Fire Department, the Spalding Community Services District Fire Department (California), the Standish-Litchfield Fire Department, the Stones-Bengard Volunteer Fire Department, the Susan River Fire Protection District, and the Westwood Fire Department (California), as well as the Chester Fire Protection District (California), and the Hamilton Branch Fire Protection District in neighboring Plumas County.

Department Profile[]

The Susanville Fire Department is a combination department budgeted for nine paid staff (one public safety chief, one assistant fire chief, three fire captains, three firefighter/engineers, and one non-sworn administrative assistant), supplemented by approximately 30 volunteer staff (one assistant fire chief, one fire captain, two lieutenants, 22 volunteer/seasonal firefighters and four incident support personnel). The paid staff is comprised of three shifts (A,B,C) and work schedule is a 48/96. Susanville's resources include a single fire station housing nine emergency vehicles comprised of two Type 1 engines, one quint aerial ladder truck, one reserve Type 2 engine/rescue, one reserve Type 3 wildland, one Type 6 wildland, one utility truck, and two chief's vehicle. The Susanville Fire Department i does not provide ambulance transport services as part of its mandate. All medical transport is provided under contract by SEMSA Air and Ground Ambulance Service.

History[]

Fire and fire prevention played a pivotal role in the development of Susanville. It was fire after all, why the city was formed. The original city/fire hall was a tall wooden structure that was destroyed by fire on November 7, 1921. On May 9, 1922, a newly re-organized Susanville Volunteer Fire Department was created. It initially consisted of five men: H.W. Wharton, Uel J. Travis, Ted Murphy, John Greig and Walter Agee. Baldwin was named fire chief. One of their first priorities was to recruit and train volunteers. More progress was made that year with the purchase of an American LaFrance fire truck. In addition, a Gamewell fire alarm system was installed throughout the town, In the fall of 1922, the Board of Fire Underwriters representatives came to Susanville for inspection. While they were pleased with the improvements, there was one additional requirement—a paid fireman. The City obliged and hire Walter Long at $125 a month.

Apparatus Roster[]

All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.

Fire Station - 1505 Main Street[]

Gator 1 - 4x4 ATV

Chief 600 - 200? Ford Expedition 4x4

Assistant Chief 601 -

Engine 621 - 2024 Spartan

Engine 622 - 2001 International 4800 / Ferrara (1250/750/15A/15B) (SN#H-1902)

Engine 623 (Reserve) - 1994 Seagrave (1500/500) (Ex-Cayuga Heights Fire Department)

Engine 628 (Reserve) - 1991 International 4800 4x4 Type 3 wildland (500/750)

Squad 651 - 2022 Ford F-450 DRW 4x4 / Skeeter Type 6 wildland (250/500) (SN#14703)

Utility 652 - 2019 Ford F-250

Truck 661 (Truck 1) - 2021 Pierce Enforcer (2000/350/107' Ascendant rear-mount ladder) (SN#35727)

Antique "Old 3" - 1940 GMC / Van Pelt pumper (500/300) (SN#273) (CA#115060) (Ex-Engine 623)

Retired Apparatus[]

2015 International WorkStar 7400 4x4 / HME Ahrens-Fox Model 34D Type 3 wildland (500pto,150aux/500/20A) (SN#22673) (CA#1460246) (VIN#1HTWEAZR3FH563494) (OES 8335, returned to OES and reassigned as OES 3305)

1992 Spartan / Westates (1500/750/10A/10B) (SN#92-586-93) (CA#001961) (Ex-Engine 621)

1976 Oshkosh A1838-3C1 / Van Pelt / Hamerly aerial / 2002 Hi-Tech refurb (-/-/100' LTI rear-mount) (SN#760613) (CA#1336984) (Ex-Truck 1) (Ex-Chico Fire Department (California))

1956 American LaFrance C-775-PDO pumper (750/500) (SN#N-127) (Ex-Engine 621)

Station Map[]

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External Links[]