Occidental Volunteer Fire Dept

The Cloverdale Fire Protection District has a long-standing tradition of providing the highest level of public service to our citizens. The fire district protects over 75 square miles in northern Sonoma County, including the City of Cloverdale. Providing services to such a large area is a challenge. Revenue received from property tax and a special tax is not adequate to sustain a paid fire department. The fire district depends on volunteers to fulfill staffing needs. The fire district employs three full-time paid and one 40 hour firefighter and a time administrative assistant in addition to its volunteer work force. Due to the need for additional staffing, we also contract with CalFire ( formerly California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ) for service from their Cloverdale station. The two agencies operate as one. This is why you will often see both agencies responding to emergencies within our community. The goal is community service delivered with PRIDE. Firefighters attend training sessions each week from 7: 00 pm to 10: 00 pm. Additional training is often scheduled on weekends. The commitment to become a firefighter in our community is extensive. In addition to the time commitment for regular scheduled training there are special training sessions and call outs for emergencies. Personnel are on call 24 hours a day and often respond throughout the night. As you sleep, your dedicated volunteer and professional firefighters are in the community providing service. Many of these dedicated professionals then go on to work in their regular line of employment. The fire district cannot express enough gratitude to our personnel. It is rewarding to see how frequently our citizens share their appreciation for the services we deliver. The Cloverdale Firefighters, both paid and volunteer, also help to staff the Cloverdale Health Care District's Ambulance. Often, the driver ( EMT-1 ) of the ambulance is a Cloverdale Fire District Firefighter who is on call to serve the Ambulance District. When the primary ambulance is transporting patients to the hospital, the Cloverdale Fire Protection District provides the back-up ambulance staffing. This is just one example of the extended service you receive from your local fire department. The Cloverdale Community Development District has agreed to fund the construction of a new firefighting facility at 451 South Cloverdale Boulevard. The Fire District has owned this land for six years. The building was designed in 2003 but funds were unavailable without additional taxation. The Citizens of Cloverdale wanted us to find another way without raising taxes. We did, albeit four years later. The CDA will use existing property tax revenue that it receives to debt service a bond that will build the new station. We are very proud of our design and look forward to welcoming the community and our volunteer workforce into their new home ( summer of 2008 ). The Cloverdale Fire Protection District Board of Directors and personnel encourage your participation in our effort to provide the highest level of service we can, given the revenues provided. If you have any comments or would like to attend our public board meetings, please contact our office at 894-3545, the fire district meets on the second Monday of each month.