Who is Graton Fire?

Graton Fire has a tremendous history of fighting fires both within its borders as well as the major fires in Santa Rosa, Guerneville, and Healdsburg. Eventually, Graton firefighters started responding to medical aids and vehicle accidents. Graton Fire was one of the first districts to purchase the “Jaws of Life” to pry open cars in the 1970’s and responded throughout a significant section of Western Sonoma County with them. We have been working out of the same fire station (once the train depot) since the 1940’s.

History- During the 1920’s and 1930’s, Graton experienced many bad fires. When veterans returned to Graton after World War II, they used their military fire experience to help prepare Graton to fight fires. Initially, this was done with a large soda acid extinguisher on wheels that was kept in town and people would come get it when needed. Farmers would bring water spray tanks and tenders from their fields as well. Through donations and a very committed Graton community, the fire department was formed in the mid to late 1940’s. In 1951, it was officially recognized as a Fire Protection District and officially accepted the responsibility and duty to respond to fires. We cover from the Sebastopol city limits (roughly Mill Station Road) to as far north as the top of Vine Hill and Laguna Roads and west to Green Hill Road and east to the Laguna that separates us from Santa Rosa.

Graton Fire has a tremendous history of fighting fires both within its borders as well as the major fires in Santa Rosa, Guerneville, and Healdsburg. Eventually, Graton firefighters started responding to medical aids and vehicle accidents. Graton Fire was one of the first districts to purchase the “Jaws of Life” to pry open cars in the 1970’s and responded throughout a significant section of Western Sonoma County with them. We have been working out of the same fire station (once the train depot) since the 1940’s. In 1961, the meeting room/kitchen, bathroom, office, and three engine bays were added using donated/reclaimed lumber from Graton chicken coops and the labor of the Graton volunteer firefighters.

There are no hydrants or water system in Graton or the surrounding community. You may see a hydrant in Graton; however, these are typically hooked to neighborhoods that share a water system and have limited storage. When there is a fire, we must bring the water to the fire and establish a water-hauling system to maintain the firefighting operations. This is done through a county-wide mutual aid system where all fire departments support each other during major fires.

Graton Fire is managed by a board of directors, comprised of five residents who have been elected to serve the interests of the district. They are charged with spending the money received through property taxes (roughly one percent of the tax bill) and donations from the community. The board meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm. During this meeting, the board pays bills, approves purchases over $500, reviews correspondence, and receives reports from the fire chief on how many calls and trainings happened the prior month. This meeting is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend.

Today- From the fire chief to the trainees... every Graton firefighter is still a volunteer. We respond to more calls each year than any other 100 percent volunteer fire department in Sonoma County and more than a couple of the paid departments. We have only been able to accomplish this due to 60+ years of dedicated Graton men and women. Our roster is consistently filled with 20-30 firefighters who are willing to put their personal and professional lives on hold to respond to the 500 calls for service we receive each year.

Graton conducts its own training for new volunteers, following the standards set by the International Fire Service Training Association. After six months and a minimum of 120 hours of training, new firefighters may run calls. They, along with the rest of the department, continue to train every Thursday night to keep their skills sharp. This is accomplished through a combination of our own firefighters teaching in their areas of expertise, guest instructors, and a contract with Sonoma County for an outside fire instructor to teach one or two times a month. Occasionally, we can get live fire training when we burn homes that are scheduled for demolition. It is cheaper for the homeowner and great training for us.

Due to the level of training, equipment, water-hauling proficiency, and dedicated volunteers, Graton obtained a protection rating of 6 (out of 10) from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) in 2006. This is the service that your homeowner’s insurance company uses to rate your fire insurance. Most volunteer departments without hydrant systems score a 9.

The fire department has four types of fire engines to serve the different needs we encounter. The structure engine, of which we have two per ISO, is designed to fight house fires. The wildland engine is smaller, designed to go off-road, and attack the fire while still driving. The water tender carries 2,000 gallons of water and supports the structure and wildland engines. Lastly, the rescue squad carries equipment for vehicle accidents, medical aids, and other service calls. It carries no water or fire equipment, making it smaller and more easily adaptable to our rural driveways.

Future- The brightest light in our future is the new fire station; we are all very excited. The current station cannot fit all of our engines, there is no storage space, the building is literally falling apart, it is not seismically safe, etc. The board of directors has been saving and planning for a new station for close to 30 years. In 2006, the board purchased the Davis Tree Farm on Highway 116 using cash reserves set aside for this purpose. Of the 9 acres, only 20-30 percent are being developed for the station; the rest will remain Christmas trees and will serve as another community fundraising event for the department. The goal of the board is to use the remaining cash reserves, financing, and a federal grant to build the new station without requiring any new taxes. There is significant competition for the federal grant, which will be awarded next month. Our fire station plans were submitted to the Sonoma County building department this month.

As you can see from the chart, Graton Fire continues to serve more calls every year. The new station will support the increasing responsibility of the fire district. It will house all of our fire engines and have excellent space for training and equipment. In addition, we are designing it with space for up to four bedrooms. Establishing a “sleeper program,” where volunteers are paid a small stipend (e.g. $25) to sleep at the station, will be possible at the new building. This could be a first step towards easing the call burden on the volunteers with only “sleeper” firefighters running calls at night unless they need additional help.

Summary- The Graton Fire Protection District is very fortunate. We have a great community that supports us, a solid tax base to purchase reliable equipment, and, most importantly, an incredible group of residents who are willing to complete the training necessary to become a volunteer firefighter. Each day, we respond to 1-2 calls for service. Today, it was a lift assist for a father on hospice care at home and a vehicle accident for a car into an apple orchard. Tomorrow, it could be a house fire or another baby delivery... you never know and that is what makes volunteering so exciting!

For more information, please call the fire district at (707) 823-5515 or visit our website at http://www.gratonfire.com/