Located in northern Marin County approximately 29 miles north of San Francisco, the Novato Fire Protection District encompasses 71 square miles, including the City of Novato, with a population of nearly 60,000 residents.2 Formed in 1894 as the Novato Volunteer Fire Department and subsequently established as a fire district in 1926, it is governed by a five-member Board of Directors representing 5 different geographical locations, elected by the citizens of those districts to staggered four-year terms. We are an ISO 2 rated fire agency as determined by the Insurance Services Organization.

The District provides fire suppression, rescue, basic and advanced pre-hospital emergency medical services and ground ambulance transportation, and related services from five fire stations and an administration building with a staff of approximately 78 personnel. The District also has an aerial ladder truck, two Type-3 wildland fire engines, and one water tender that are cross-staffed as needed by on-duty or call-back personnel.

All response personnel are trained to either the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) level, capable of providing Basic Life Support (BLS) pre-hospital emergency medical care, or EMTparamedic (paramedic) level, capable of providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) pre-hospital emergency medical care. Engine staffing includes at least one EMT paramedic at all times. The District also provides ALS ground ambulance service. Air ambulance services, when needed, are provided by REACH Air Medical Services from Santa Rosa or Napa or by Life Flight from Palo Alto. Three hospitals provide emergency medical services within the region, including Novato Community Hospital, Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center, and Marin Health Medical Center (Kentfield). Marin Health Medical Center is also a Level III Trauma Center.

Response personnel are also trained to the US Department of Transportation Hazardous Material First Responder Operational level to provide initial hazardous material incident assessment, hazard isolation, and support for the Marin County Hazardous Materials Response Team from Ross Valley. Response personnel are further trained to the confined space awareness level, and technical rescue services are available as needed by the Marin County Urban Search and Rescue Team.

The District has automatic mutual aid agreements with the Marinwood Community Services District, the Marin County Fire Department, the City of San Rafael Fire Department, and the City of Petaluma Fire Department.

The District was also a key agency partner in the development of the initial and updated Marin Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) that provides a science-based assessment of wildfire hazard in Marin County and provides fire agencies and other stakeholders guidance and strategies to reduce wildland fire risk and resultant impacts. In addition, the District was a key stakeholder in the creation of the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA), a Countywide Joint Powers Authority with 17 member agencies, including cities, towns, the County, and special districts, whose mission is to lead “the development of fire adapted communities using sound scientific, financial, programmatic, ecological practices, vegetation management, community education, evacuation and warning systems with the support of its member and partner agencies.”