2024
Annual Report
1 As the City of Santa Maria Fire Chief, I am privileged to present the Santa Maria Fire Department’s (SMFD) 2024 Annual Report.
Established in 1913, SMFD has been serving the residents of Santa Maria and all those who visit for 111 years. The annual report communicates SMFD 2024 statistics for review by elected officials, community leaders, and the residents of this great city. This report details our accomplishments, service levels over the last year, and future challenges faced in the coming years.
Deputy Chief Jim Clayton retired in December after 30 years of service in the department. We are grateful to Chief Clayton and wish him a long and happy retirement. Department growth has continued throughout 2024. We have added nine additional response team positions. The staff budget covers 87 dedicated, talented and committed members who ensure the community receives high-quality service from its fire department. Professionals consisting of our firefighters, prevention, training and administrative staff provide service to over 110,000 residents across six fire stations. Recruitment to fill the vacant Deputy Chief position will occur in 2025. Without question, our personnel are our most valuable resource!
In 2024, the department released its Master Plan. Published in the report were short-, mid- and long-term recommendations concerning department needs. Fire Administration worked to identify and meet immediate needs while continuing to evaluate the department's future needs identified in the Master Plan. Seven of 15 short-term goals were achieved. Five others have been identified as goals for the coming year. Two of the six mid-term goals were achieved, with one identified as a department goal for 2025. All remaining goals are being evaluated and prioritized for the benefit of the community.
A separate facilities report was provided to City leadership early in 2024. The report documented the findings, immediate recommendations, and future facility needs. Improvements and maintenance were made to all fire facilities, including the reroofing of Fire Headquarters. These improvements will increase the useful life of the department facilities and infrastructure, resulting in substantial savings for the community over the duration of their active use.
With the continued support from the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and the community, our commitment to service is unwavering. As the department grows, we will maintain the consistently high-quality service levels the City of Santa Maria has come to expect and receive. 2 City of Santa Maria
Population………………………………………….110,600
Land Area…………………………………...22.8 sq. miles
Elevation…………………………………………….217 ft.
Population Density…………………………..4,626/sq. mile
Population Rank………………………………63rd in CA
*Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Our Mission:
We are committed to enhancing public safety through:
1 2
3 Risk Prevention
Disaster Preparedness
Our Values
We:
¨ Put others first with pride, honor, and
integrity.
¨ Recognize that each person in the
department is a vital member of a
family that values honesty, fairness,
respect, and openness.
¨ Believe our members are our most
valuable resource. We are committed
to providing the best wellness
programs for our members’ health and
operational readiness.
¨ Support continued excellence in
recruitment, training, and career
development.
¨ Believe in being future focused
through continuous improvement
and innovation.
¨ Are committed to being prudent
stewards of the resources provided.
¨ Believe in the value of teamwork.
Our Vision
We are an organization that
¨ Is a regional leader in all-risk services provided to our community, our stakeholders, and our peers.
¨ Collaborates effectively with internal and external partners. ¨ Achieves excellence and professional growth within our workforce. ¨ Provides resources that serve the diverse nature of our community. ¨ Is a trusted and compassionate partner.
Emergency Services
3 FIRE CHIEF
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT
ADMINISTRATIVE
PROGRAM
LEADER
DEPUTY CHIEF
OPERATIONS TRAINING
ADMINISTRATIVE
BATTALION
CHIEF
TRAINING
CAPTAIN
CIVILIAN
TRAINING
COORDINATOR
CIVILIAN
SAFETY
COORDINATOR
BATTALION
CHIEFS
(3)
CAPTAINS
(21)
ENGINEERS
(24)
FIREFIGHTERS
(24)
PREVENTION
FIRE
MARSHAL
OFFICE
ASSISTANT
EMERGENCY
SERVICES
SPECIALIST
FIRE
INSPECTORS
(4)
4 The Operations Division provides staffing to 6 fire
stations. This support includes a coverage area of
approximately 23 square miles with service to the
City of Santa Maria and mutual aid service to Santa
Barbara and San Luis Obispo County departments.
Santa Maria City Fire’s resources include 5 engine
companies, 1 truck company, and various other
operational resources. Additionally, crews cross staff
1 USAR, 1 Type 3 Engine, 1 Breathing Support , and
1 ARFF apparatus.
2024 was once again a very busy year for the
firefighting force. SMFD’s response increased to
12,419 emergency incidents, including 499 fires,
which translated into 71 more fire calls from the
previous year.
As Santa Maria continued to have an increase in fire
activity, California also continued to experience
devastating wildland fires, impacting thousands of
residents in the Wildland Urban Interface. SMFD
continued to offer support through mutual aid by
filling resource orders for fires across the state. This commitment helped offset resource demands that
became depleted during these large incidents. These
expenses were reimbursed by the state.
Our Operations Division will continue to move
forward through the deployment of new resources
and development of our stations to maintain service
levels expected with our growing city.
2024 Master Plan Recommendations Completed
Short-Term Recommendations
· Identify all Commercial Properties and Target
___Hazards
· Develop a schedule to inspect all commercial
___occupancies
· Review the adopted fee schedule and implement
___proposed increases
· Immediately increase staffing levels by one
___additional paid firefighter per shift (three total
___personnel)
· Establish an internal Continuous Quality
___Improvement team in Santa Maria
· Improve Collection, Evaluation, and Application
___of Training Standards and Data Collection
· Implement an annual medical examination
___program for all Operational Firefighters
Mid-Term Recommendations
· Hire Additional Fire Inspectors
· Develop a new development impact fee to be used
___to fund the capital infrastructure necessary to
___expand the fire department’s deployment model
___into newly developed areas in the city
5 Budget
General Fund…………...$14,315,957
Measure U……………...$12,022,950
Total Budget…………..$26,338,907
Apparatus
Engine Companies…………………5
Truck Companies…………………..1
USAR………………………………1
Aircraft Rescue (ARFF)……………1
Breathing Support………………….1
Type 3 Engine……………………...1
Battalion Chief……………………..1
Personnel
Sworn Safety……………………..76
Sworn Non-Safety………………...5
Civilian……………………………6
Total……………………………...87
Minimum Daily Staffing………….20
Incidents
Fires……………………………...499
EMS…………….……………...5,881
Traffic Collisions………………...386
Hazardous Conditions……………302
False Alarms……………………..461
Miscellaneous………………….4,890
Total Incidents……….……...12,419
Development Review
Building Permit Related…………389
Accessory Dwelling Unit……......656
Planned Development…………….64
Business License Review………..277
Totals………………………….1,386
Annual Inspections
Assembly Inspections……………148
R-1/R-2 Inspections……………...301
Title 19 Inspections……………...131
Reinspection's……………………560
Other Inspection Types……………33
Totals…………………………..1,173
Permit Inspections
Alarm Inspections…………………39
Sprinkler Inspections……………...81
Business License Inspections……..66
Fire Final Inspections……………551
Temporary C of O Inspections……..5
Totals…………………………….742
CFC Inspections
Hazardous Materials Inspections…69
Commercial Bldg. Inspections…..296
Operational Permit Inspections…...32
Complaint Inspections…………….39
Totals…………………………….436
Investigations
Accidental………………………...32
Suspicious………………………...38
Intentional………………………...50
Totals…………………………….120
The Santa Maria Fire Department is supported 54.4 percent by the General Fund and 45.6 percent by Measure U. The budget supports both sworn and non-sworn personnel in four divisions: Administration, Operations, Prevention, and Training. As an “all-risk” public safety agency, the Santa Maria Fire Department is responsible for: fire, rescue, emergency medical services; reduction of the community’s fire and life safety risks; prevention and investigation of fires; public safety education; and planning, coordinating, training, and implementing the City’s Emergency Preparedness Plan. With City Council and City Manager support, the department fulfills these responsibilities by providing a full range of fire and life safety programs, equipment, supplies, and assets to the City of Santa Maria’s residents, businesses, visitors, and other City departments. 6 Company Response Times
E1……………….4:28 4:46
T1……………….4:53 4:55
E2……………….5:08 4:40
E3……………….5:38 4:50
E4……………….4:58 4:49
E5……………….5:09 4:55
Medical Structure
Fire
District Response Times
Total Responses
E1………………………….3,189
T1………………………….1,167
E2………………………….2,614
USAR2...……………………...27
E3………………………….2,274
E4………………………….1,802
E5………………………….2,543
E305………………………….30
ARFF 6……………………...116
Prevention…………………….25
Misc…………………………483
Battalion Responses
B2…………………………...246
B3…………………………….70
B4……………………………242
B5……………………………165
Total Responses…………14,993
Employee Acknowledgement
Andrew Garcia ran the most calls again in 2024, at 1,225 calls! We extend our sincere appreciation to Engineer Garcia for his tireless effort and remarkable work ethic, exemplifying a consistently positive demeanor marked by a genuine willingness to assist. * Incidents with multiple units assigned, such as a structure fire, may count as 1 incident but 5 responses
7 Santa Maria Fire Department responded to 52 building fires in and around our community in 2024. The above map depicts the general locations of these incidents in each council district. SMFD recommends having working smoke detectors in all homes. A smoke detector is crucial because it provides an early warning signal of a fire, significantly reducing the risk of fire / related injuries by allowing occupants to safely evacuate before smoke and flames spread. 8 The Santa Maria Fire Department is an All Hazard,
All Risk Fire Department. This requires personnel to
be proficient in multiple disciplines in several
different categories. These can be broadly
categorized into Firefighting, Emergency Medical,
and Special Operations.
In 2024, Santa Maria Firefighters logged over
26,000 hours of department-sponsored training, not
including hours spent preparing for promotions and
special certifications in their off hours.
Each member is expected to perform a minimum of
240 hours of training annually, comprised of
Federal, State, and Local mandates and specialized
training pertinent to our profession.
Department Training Hours
Administration…………………………………........2,343
Driver Operator………………………………….…..1,130
EMS…………………………………………………2,038
Fire Prevention………………………………………...361
Fireground Operations……………………………....7,949
Rescue Practices…………………………………….3,154
Company Training…………………………………..8,682
ARFF………………………………………………….751
Total………………………………………...……...26,408
Training Accomplishments
The Santa Maria Fire Department (SMFD) had a highly productive year in 2024, with an emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the skills of our personnel to meet both mandated and departmental standards. As part of our annual certification process, our team participated in a comprehensive range of training courses, including Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Wildland Firefighting, Structural Firefighting, Confined Space Rescue, and Driver’s Safety. These courses ensure our compliance with OSHA, state, and local requirements while bolstering the expertise of our firefighters.
In addition to routine training, SMFD successfully hosted two Firefighter Academies, welcoming 12 new recruits. The academies were divided into two tracks: a 6-week lateral academy for experienced firefighters and a 12-week entry-level academy. Both programs included a demanding curriculum designed to equip recruits with the skills necessary to perform effectively within our department. After completing their academies, recruits underwent further training and assessments to ensure they met SMFD's high operational standards.
The department also introduced promotional workshops this year to streamline the internal promotion process. These workshops culminated in exams for Battalion Chief, Captain, and Engineer positions providing a pathway for career advancement and leadership development within the department.
To further expand the specialized skills of our personnel, SMFD continued to send members to advanced training in areas such as Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Peer Support, Nozzle Forward, and Fire Investigation and Plan Checking. 9 2024 Prevention Summary
2024 marked growth for the Fire Prevention Bureau.
The addition of a Fire Inspector I and an Office
Assistant filled previously vacant positions,
strengthening the team. The Bureau also made strides
in its inspection programs, reintroducing the
Commercial Building Inspection program in 2023 and
expanding it in 2024 to include a broader range of
occupancies. To enhance the inspection process, new
Commercial Building Inspection fees were approved
by the City Council in December 2024. Additionally,
a member of the team completed their State task
book, earning certification as a fire investigator and
bringing the total number of certified fire
investigators within the department to two.
Commercial Occupancy Inspections
In 2023, 180 Commercial Building Inspections were
conducted when the program was initiated. In 2024,
296 Commercial Building Inspections were
conducted for a current total of 476. The goal of the
program is to inspect identified commercial properties
approximately every 3 years.
Special Events
One responsibility of the Fire Prevention Bureau that
is often overlooked is special events. The Fire
Prevention Bureau reviews, inspects, and approves,
along with other City Divisions, special events such
as parades, block parties, and outdoor events to
ensure emergency access, fire safety, and temporary
structures installed and maintained in accordance with
the California Fire Code. The Fire Prevention Bureau
reviewed and approved 33 events for 2024.
Fire Investigations
The Fire Prevention Bureau conducted a
total of 120 fire investigations in 2024. Of
those, 50 were determined to be intentional
in nature and resulted in 14 arrests.
Public Outreach
Public outreach was expanded by the Santa
Maria Fire Department when compared to
recent years. The Emergency Services
Specialist with support from the Fire
Prevention Bureau and engine companies
conducted 62 public education outreach
programs which resulted in contact with
approximately 7,000 Santa Maria residents.
10 11
Promotions are a testament to the outstanding skills and leadership brought to the team. The firefighting community is fortunate to have individuals who consistently go above and beyond to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. Congratulations to all on this well-deserved accomplishment! Captain Nicholas
LaMonica
Captain John
Wilkins
Engineer Nick
Ducasse
Engineer Eric
Kam
Engineer Jonah
Rowan
Engineer Leonel
Salas
Engineer Seth
Spears
Kyle Cowger Marc
Eyherabide
Justin Fulcher
Omar Torres
Daniel Chan Joseph Chaparro
Dylan Hathaway Kyle Leon Anthony Ramos
Jhony DiazRodriguez
Ryan Ventura
Supression
Administration
The Santa Maria Fire Department has experienced substantial growth in its administrative structure, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in fire services. This expansion is reflective of our dedication to enhancing organizational efficiency, training capabilities, and civilian safety coordination.
Safety Coordinator
Michael Ortiz
Fire Inspector
Alfonso Rodriguez
Office Assistant
Krystyn Green
Noah Thinger
12 New Limits. These two words were chosen by a recent fire academy graduate to sum up their transformative experience. This sentiment speaks volumes about the leadership and impact of Captain Derek McLeod, who has been an integral contributor to the success and work ethic of countless members of the Santa Maria Fire Department.
Serving as the lead member of the Santa Maria Fire. Department is no small task. Captain McLeod’s teachings, along with those of his fellow cadre members, helped recruits discover untapped potentials within themselves. This is a testament to the respect and leadership Captain McLeod has earned over the years. For more than a decade, Captain McLeod has been a cornerstone of the department, serving not only as a cadre member and lead instructor but also as an active contributor to the apparatus committee, training committee, tools and equipment committee, and as a member of the E-board. From his time as a firefighter to his current role as Captain, he has exemplified leadership, dedication, and commitment to excellence.
We deeply value Captain McLeod’s unwavering dedication to the members of our department and the community we serve. It is with great pride that we congratulate him on his well-deserved nomination for Firefighter of the Year.
Captain
Derek McLeod
After an esteemed 30-year career in the fire service, Deputy Fire Chief Jim Clayton retired at the end of December 2024. Jim’s career with the Santa Maria Fire Department began in 1993 as a Reserve Firefighter. He was hired full-time in 1995 and steadily advanced through the ranks, being promoted to Engineer in 1999, Captain in 2004, Battalion Chief in 2020, and ultimately Deputy Fire Chief in 2023.
Before joining the Santa Maria Fire Department, Jim served in the U.S. Air Force for four years from 1989 to 1993 as a Senior Airman (E4), working as a firefighter. During his military service, he was deployed for both Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Following his military service, Jim worked as a federal firefighter with a Hotshot crew. He transitioned to a civilian firefighter role with the Vandenberg Fire Department and was hired by Santa Maria Fire Department in 1995.
Throughout his tenure with the department, Jim made significant contributions, particularly in grant writing and application. His efforts helped secure approximately $13 million in grant funds, further enhancing the department’s capabilities. Leading up to his retirement, Jim played a crucial role in the transition to Regional Dispatch, working closely with Santa Barbara County to ensure a smooth shift while continuing to support ongoing Fire Department activities.
Deputy Chief
Jim Clayton
Proudly Served
1995-2024
13 14
314 W. Cook Street
Santa Maria, CA 93458
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