Santa Barbara Fire Department

Coordinates: 34°25′33″N 119°42′51″W / 34.42583°N 119.71417°W / 34.42583; -119.71417
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Santa Barbara Fire Department
Operational area
Country United States
State California
City Santa Barbara
Agency overview[1][2]
Established1881
Annual calls8,027 (2012)
Employees110
Annual budget$21,393,661
StaffingCareer
Fire chiefChristopher P. Mailes
EMS levelBLS
IAFF525
Facilities and equipment
Battalions1
Stations8
Engines7 frontline
4 reserve
Trucks2
Squads1
Rescues2
HAZMAT1
Airport crash2
Wildland2 - Type 3
1 - Type 6
Website
Official website
IAFF website

The Santa Barbara City Fire Department (SBFD) is the agency that provides fire protection and basic life support (BLS) emergency medical services for the city of Santa Barbara. Not to be confused with Santa Barbara County Fire Department which serves county residents.

Equipment[edit]

Truck 1 during a drill at the training tower.

Type 1 Engine[edit]

Santa Barbara has a total of 11 pumper engines with 7 acting as frontline engines and an additional 4 in reserve. These engines are staffed by 3 personnel, A captain, an engineer and a firefighter.[3] Each engine is fitted with a 1500 GPM pump and carries 750 gallons of water.[4]

Type 3 Engine[edit]

The Type 3 Engines, which are used mainly for vegetation fires, are smaller than the Type 1s which are used primarily in the city.[5] The Type 3 has 4x4 capability and can thus make it through rough terrain. One of the features that makes the Type 3 ideal for vegetation fires is that it can pump water while in motion, whereas the Type 1 engine must be put into park to pump. This allows the Type 3 to make "mobile attacks" on vegetation fires, a tactic that can help minimize the rate of spread. This is most commonly done by having a firefighter walk the edge of a fire with a hose line and the Type 3 trailing close behind, but spray nozzles can also be fitted to the bumper and under-carriage of the engine. Each of the engines feature a 500-gallon water tank and a 20-gallon tank for Class A foam.[6] In September 2013, the SBFD bought a second $400,000 Type 3 Engine and placed it at station 7, moving the older Type 3 to station 4.[5]

Special Response Unit[edit]

The Special Response Unit is a box van that contains supplies for a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI). It is dispatched automatically to any reported aircraft emergency on or off the airport property, as well as by request of any incident IC.[3]

Heavy Rescue[edit]

In March 2006, the SBFD acquired a $450,000 Heavy Rescue unit built by SVI Trucks. At over 33 feet long, the Heavy Rescue weighs 44,000 pounds fully loaded. The interior has seating for six people as well as storage for all the tools necessary. The vehicle also has foldout awnings on both sides.[7]

Airport Foam Engines[edit]

Station 8, located at the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, which was previously under the jurisdiction of Santa Barbara County Fire and was later annexed into the City of Santa Barbara, is home to 3 Oshkosh Striker vehicles. Responding to approximately 65 calls per year, each of these engines is fitted with a 1500 GPM pump, carry 1500 gallons water, 210 gallons of foam concentrate, and 450 pounds of dry chemical or Halotron.[8]

Stations and apparatus[edit]

Fire Station Number Address Engine Company or Reserve Engine Company Truck Company or Auxiliary Truck Company Rescue Units Other units
1 121 W. Carrillo St. Engine 1
Reserve Engine 1
Truck 1
Auxiliary Truck 1
Rescue 1 Heavy Rescue Squad 1, Battalion Chief [9]
2 819 Cacique St. Engine 2 HazMat 2 [10]
3 415 E. Sola St. Engine 3
Reserve Engine 3
[11]
4 19 N. Ontare Rd. Engine 4
Reserve Engine 4
Brush Engine 304 [4][5]
5 2505 Modoc Rd. Engine 5 Special Response Unit [12]
6 1802 Cliff Dr. Engine 6
Reserve Engine 6
[13]
7 2411 Stanwood Dr. Engine 7 Brush Engine 307, Patrol 7 [14]
8 Santa Barbara Airport Rescue 8 Foam 81, Foam 82, MCI 8 [8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Operations & Training". City of Santa Barbara. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Fiscal Year 2014 Budget - Fire" (PDF). Santa Barbara Government. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Glossary". IAFF 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Station 4". IAFF Local 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  5. ^ a b c Ford, Ray (8 September 2013). "City Dedicates New Type 3 Fire Engine". Santa Barbara Independent. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Type 3 Engine" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  7. ^ "Santa Barbara Fire Department Steps Up To Heavy-Rescue". Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  8. ^ a b "Station 8". IAFF Local 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Station 1". IAFF Local 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Station 2". IAFF Local 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Station 3". IAFF Local 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  12. ^ "Station 5". IAFF Local 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Station 6". IAFF Local 525. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  14. ^ "City of Santa Barbara Fire Stations and Buildings". Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2013.

34°25′33″N 119°42′51″W / 34.42583°N 119.71417°W / 34.42583; -119.71417