Company Profile
Ventura County Fire Department
Company Overview
Who We Are
Composed of 583 dedicated men and women, the Ventura County Fire Department is an all-hazard, full-service agency. We proudly provide fire protection, medical aid, rescue, hazardous materials response, and a variety of other services to the public. Formed in 1928 as a special district, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors acts as the fire department's board of directors. These five elected supervisors appoint the fire chief, and task him with providing fire protection services for the district. This includes Supervisors Steve Bennett, Linda Parks, Kelly Long, Peter Foy, John Zaragoza, and County Executive Officer Michael Powers.
Who We Serve
We serve more than 480,000 citizens in unincorporated areas of Ventura County. Our response area covers 848 square miles, including the following cities: Ojai, Port Hueneme, Moorpark, Camarillo, Santa Paula, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.
What We Do
VCFD's services are built around our mission of anticipating and responding to the dynamic public safety needs of our diverse community. This includes prevention and education, response and communication.
Prevention and Education:
Providing safety involves planning, prevention and education to ensure that our citizens and communities can protect their homes, property and businesses against fire. A thorough knowledge of risk mitigation and fire prevention techniques allows VCFD to build a foundation of safe practices through historical successes. VCFD employs multiple fire prevention, education and safety programs for children, adults and seniors. This includes fire code and regulation enforcement, plan reviews, home and business inspections, fire code permits, film permits, and an award-winning, nationally recognized Fire Hazard Reduction Program.
Response:
VCFD responds to calls from 33 strategically placed fire stations located throughout Ventura County. Our firefighters are trained to provide the highest level of firefighting, rescue and emergency medical care. In addition to fighting fires, we respond to medical emergencies, traffic accidents, land and water rescues, hazardous materials calls, environmental hazards, and a variety of public service requests.
In 2017, VCFD responded to more than 44,000 incidents, including:
32,624 - Emergency Medical Calls
1,522 - Fires
3,098 - Rescue Calls
2,714 - Public Service Calls
3,623 - Alarm Calls
949 - Hazardous Material Calls
Greater than 110 calls each day
Communication:
VCFD makes it a priority to communicate with the public through our FCC dispatch center, public information office, which ensures that information is disseminated to the public for educational purposes and during emergencies, to our fire prevention counters, which help people determine how to protect their homes, property and businesses against fire.
Company History
1928 - On May 11, 1928, the Ventura County Fire Protection District (VCFPD) is established. Walter Emerick is appointed as the Fire Warden (Fire Chief). Fire headquarters is located at 845 E. Santa Barbara St. in Santa Paula. The building is still in use as the Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner's Office.
1930 - On July 11, 1930, a Fire Warden in the Santa Paula headquarters was on duty for a 24-hour shift.
1931 - The VCFPD purchased its first bulldozer in November.
1933 - First aid kits were added to all VCFPD equipment.
1942 - The Fire District hired its first handcrew to fight wildfires and repair forestry telephone poles.
1946 - Division Captains had radios installed in their trucks, all using the Sheriffs Dept. frequency. Total Fire District personnel: 34.
1950 - Division Captains reclassified as Battalion Chiefs.
1954 - The Battalion Chiefs devised a numbering system for the fire engines.
1960 - Fire station names were changed to coincide with the engine numbering system.
1964 - The VCFPD issued self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) masks to replace Chemox canister masks.
1966 - The firefighter work schedule was changed to a 72-hour, two platoon system.
1969 - A second radio frequency was added and a dispatch center was put into service at Fire Station 31 in Thousand Oaks.
1972 - Minimum staffing was instituted throughout the county, ensuring at least three people on duty in a station at all times. The VCFPD begins its Fire Cadet program. VCFPD apparatus color was changed from red to yellow. The Fire District's first aerial ladder truck goes into service in the city of Thousand Oaks.
1974 - The first diesel fire engines were put into service.
1975 - A mandatory physical fitness program is instituted.
1976 - A central dispatch center is established and headquarters is moved from Santa Paula to a location more central for the county in Camarillo. A 56-hour, three platoon work schedule is begun.
1980 - The Incident Command System is implemented by all partner agencies within Ventura County.
1983 - The 911-telephone system goes into service.
1985 - A special unit to respond to hazardous material incidents (Haz-Mat) is formed.
1986 - The VCFPD hires its first female firefighter.
1992 - VCFPD engine companies began carrying defibrillators.
2002 - VCFPD established its first paramedic program at Stations 31 and 45. Fire Boat 5 is placed into service as a joint venture between the Fire District and the Harbor Department.
2003 - The Ventura County Fire Protection District celebrates its 75th anniversary. From an organization formed in response to the fire protection needs of an agriculturally-oriented, mostly rural area, the Fire District has grown into an all-risk, first response emergency organization serving dynamic and diverse communities. The VCFPD headquarters facility in Camarillo is remodeled and enlarged from 6,492 sq. ft. to 28,492 sq. ft.
2006 - A new Support Complex housing the Wildland/Aviation division, Supply Unit and Repair Facilities opens in Oxnard. Computers are installed in all Fire District structural engines, ladder trucks and command vehicles to implement computer-aided dispatch.
2007 - Total Fire District personnel: 645 (uniform, civilian, reserve and seasonal). A new, state-of-the-art Fire Communications Center opens at headquarters in Camarillo.