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The Sacramento County
Fire Protection District was an independent special fire district organized
under the Fire Districts Law of 1987. A seven member Board of Directors
governed the District.
History
To briefly focus on its
historical development in the county, Sacramento County Fire Protection
District was actually a result of the blending of several predecessor fire
agencies, as indicated below:
Citrus Heights/North Highlands
Reorganization
The former North
Highlands and Citrus Heights Fire Protection Districts reorganized in 1984,
providing full-time paid fire protection and advanced life support services
to those communities.
• The North Highlands
Fire District was formed with one fire station in 1951. In 1957, it added a
second fire station, where it remained until the 1984 reorganization with
Citrus Heights.
Citrus Heights and Rancho Cordova
Consolidation
The District was born
with the consolidation of the Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights Fire
Protection Districts on July 1, 1989. This consolidation was the second
major reorganization of the fire service in the northern communities served
by the District.
• The Citrus Heights
Fire Protection District was formed in 1928 as a citizens’ “Fire
Committee.” In 1935, the group became a non-profit corporation. The
District became a legal governmental entity in 1945 with the merger of the
Citrus Heights Fire District and the Orangevale Volunteer Fire District.
• The Rancho Cordova
Fire Protection District was originally a community protected by the Mills
Fire Department, which was established in 1922. In 1958, the name of the
Fire Department was changed to the Rancho Cordova Fire District.
SCFPD/Fair Oaks Reorganization
On April 1, 1994, the
District reorganized with the former Fair Oaks Fire Protection District,
adding three more fire stations and 14.7 square miles.
• The Fair Oaks Fire
Protection District was legally formed in 1942, under the 1881 Fire
Protection District Act. At that time, ten volunteer firemen using a 1932
Model “B” Ford pickup with a small water tank, pump and some miscellaneous
equipment staffed the District.
In its latest form, the
Sacramento County Fire Protection District employed 470 career personnel,
covered 141.7 square miles and served a population of 350,000.
Fire Chiefs
Though it only existed
for 11 years, the District benefited from the leadership of five Fire
Chiefs:
• David L. Stoddard
• Michael W. Dacy
• Walter R. Larsen
• James E. Emerson
• Rick D. Martinez
During the transition
phase of the merge with the American River Fire Protection District, Gary
Costamagna, former Fire Chief of Sacramento Fire Department, came out of
retirement to serve as the Transition Coordinator for the District; thus
contributing to the creation of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
Emergency Operations
Emergency services were
provided to the community through 20 fire stations. The area within the
District’s jurisdictional boundaries was divided geographically into three
battalions. Personnel responded to more than 32,000 calls per year.
In-service apparatus inventory consisted of 20 engines, 3 trucks, 8 medics,
4 in-service reserve medics, 14 grass units, and a variety of miscellaneous
(air units, squads, etc.) equipment.
Operationally, the
District met new challenges in innovative ways. Emergency plans were
developed to address some of the major target hazards including the Bradshaw
Tank Farm, rail yard emergencies, vertical rescue, water rescue capabilities
on the American River, emergency operations for Mather Airport and the
development of a full 9-1-1 ambulance transport program (medic
program) to replace American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance services in
October, 1994. Additionally, the District acted as Office of Emergency
Services Region IV Coordinator, participated in Office of Emergency Services
responses at the company level and had membership on the Urban Search and
Rescue and Overhead Management teams.
Prepared by Deputy Chief
Jim Ritter |
