Santa Barbara County Fire Department
 |
|
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 California
|
| County |
 Santa Barbara
|
| Agency overview | |
| Established | 1926 |
| Annual calls | 13,989 (2012) |
| Employees | 239 (2015) |
| Annual budget | $56,037,297 (2015) |
| Staffing | Career |
| Fire chief | Eric Peterson |
| EMS level | ALS & BLS |
| IAFF | 2046 |
| Facilities and equipment | |
| Battalions | 2 |
| Stations | 16 |
| Engines | 16 - Type 1 frontline 5 - Type 1 reserve |
| Tillers | 1 |
| Ambulances | 3 - frontline 2 - reserve |
| Tenders | 4 |
| HAZMAT | 1 |
| Wildland | 14 - Type 3 |
| Bulldozers | 3 |
| Helicopters | 2 |
| Light and air | 1 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| IAFF website | |
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County, California, and for multiple cities within the county. Together, these areas compose the Santa Barbara County Fire Protection District.
In addition to the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County, the department also services the cities of Solvang and Buellton. Calls within the City of Santa Barbara are fielded by the Santa Barbara City Fire Department.
The hills above Santa Barbara that comprise the Santa Ynez Mountains are a unique challenge on the California coast as they cause an effect known as the sundowner winds, which are very similar to the Santa Ana winds seen in nearby Santa Ana, California.
The SBCFD was initially founded on April 5, 1926. In 1974, Santa Barbara launched the paramedic program which placed trained paramedics at station 11 to work alongside the firefighters.
Each of the 16 stations service by SBC FD are equipped with at least one Type 1 engine. The engines have the ability to pump 1,500 GPM and carry 500 gallons of water as well as 25 gallons of foam. For moving the water the engines carry over 2000 feet of hose in various diameters and over 100 feet of ladders. Each engine also has a set of the "Jaws of Life" as well as various other power tools, rescue gear and hand tools for both urban and brush fires.
The Type 3 Engines are smaller than the Type 1’s and are primarily used for vegetation fires as well as any type of emergency in the back country where the Type 1's cannot respond. The Type 3 has 4 x 4 capability and can thus climb hills and 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 driving, whereas the Type 1 engine must be put into park to flow water. This allows the Type 3 to make "running attacks" on vegetation fires, a tactic that can help minimize the rate of spread by having a firefighter walk the edge of a fire with a hose line and the Type 3 trailing close behind. Each of the engines feature a 500 gallon water tank and a pump capable of producing 500 gpm @ 150 psi. It also carries a 20 gallon tank for the Class A foam injection.
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Wikipedia