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Several concerned
citizens first conceived the idea of fire protection for the small community
of Fair Oaks in 1935. The California Division of Forestry donated the first
firefighting equipment in the form of eight Indian back pumps.
In 1942, the Fair Oaks
Fire Protection District was legally formed under the 1881 Fire Protection
District Act. Ten volunteer firemen using a 1932 Model “B” Ford pickup with
a small water tank, pump, hose, and various first aid items manned the Fire
District. This “fire truck” was purchased in 1938 when the community
appropriated $250 for this purpose. In 1947, the Fair Oaks Rotary Club
presented the department’s first resuscitator and boat to the District.
Station 1 (now Station
31) was built in 1948 and housed a 1939 Mack truck with a 500 gpm pump, a
1949 Ford with a 500 gpm pump (Eng. #2), and a surplus 3/4 ton command car
built by the force for use on grass fires (Grass #3).
On August 1, 1951, the
first two paid men were hired at a monthly salary of $225. These two men
and a volunteer force made up the Fair Oaks District in its entirety. On
September 1, 1953, the Chief of the volunteer force, George Payne, was hired
as the Fire Chief.
In September 1958,
Station 2 (now Station 32) was built and three more paid firefighters were
hired to staff this station. In 1961, an addition was added to Station 31 to
accommodate additional staff and equipment. By the end of 1963, the District
had a total of 15 full paid firefighters in addition to its volunteer force.
In 1964, Station 32 was expanded, allowing the District to increase the
number of personnel.
Toward the end of 1974,
the unincorporated community of Fair Oaks covered approximately 6,000 acres,
or roughly fifteen square miles. The population was under 30,000 people,
including over 300 retail establishments and shops, which accounted for the
need for a modern and efficient fire department. Two relatively up-to-date
fire stations complete with 26 paid staff plus ten volunteers and 12 pieces
of equipment were responsible for the fire and emergency protection
throughout the District. The paid manpower was made up of one Fire Chief,
one Battalion Chief, four Captains, six Engineers, and fourteen
Firefighters.
The firefighting
apparatus was a fleet of up-to-date equipment. It included two 1,250 gpm
class “A” pumpers, one 1,000 GPM Class “A” pumper, one 500 GPM class “A”
pumper, one 500 gpm Class “B” pumper, two salvage and lightweight rescue
squads, three four-wheel drive patrol pumpers, one utility pickup and one
Chief’s car. All the units were equipped with one-channel radios for extra
assurance of reliable radio communications. The Chief’s car and two patrol
pumpers were equipped with two-channel radios for busy days during the
summer months due to the increase in grass fire activity.
Chief George Payne
retired on January 1, 1976, after many years of service to the community of
Fair Oaks. Assistant Chief Vernon Rosevear was appointed to replace Fire
Chief Payne.
In 1978, during a very
rapid growth in population in the eastern area of the District, the Lee
Sammis Corporation donated land and building materials, at cost, to build
Station 33. Prior to opening this station, the District hired ten new
firefighters to staff the new addition to the District.
State Proposition 13 hit
the District hard in 1979. They were forced to close Station 33 and layoff
five employees for a one-year period until the budget could be rebuilt. In
1980, Station 33 was reopened and two laid-off firefighters were rehired
along with the secretary and the mechanic. Two vacancies due to retirements
remained. All planned future growth for the District virtually stopped with
the passage of Proposition 13. During the succeeding years the District
expanded slowly and cautiously. Two new 1250 gpm Class “A” pumpers were
purchased in 1983 and a few firefighters were hired to replace vacancies
created by retirements.
Chief Rosevear retired on
March 30, 1984, and Assistant Chief William Gallaher was promoted to Interim
Chief, and then Fire Chief on September 1, 1984. During this same year the
District added Truck 31 (an aerial apparatus), which was received from the
neighboring Citrus Heights Fire Protection District.
On April 1, 1994, Fair
Oaks Fire Protection District reorganized with Sacramento County Fire
Protection District.
Written by Captain Ron Pierce |
