Lompoc Fire Department
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| City |  Lompoc |
| Agency overview[1] | |
| Established | 1875 |
| Annual calls | 5,297 (2022) |
| Employees | 30 |
| Annual budget | $7,868,460 (2021-2022) $7,582.757 (2022-2023) |
| Staffing | Career |
| Fire chief | Brian Fallon |
| EMS level | Basic Life Support |
| IAFF | 1906 |
| Facilities and equipment[2] | |
| Divisions | 3 |
| Battalions | 1 |
| Stations | 2 |
| Engines | 2 - Type 1 frontline 2 - Type 1 reserve |
| Rescues | 1 - frontline 1 - reserve |
| USAR | 1 - Type: Medium |
| Wildland | 1 - Type 3 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| Lompoc Firefighters Association | |
The Lompoc Fire Department (LFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services for Lompoc, California. The department's primary response area is approximately 12 square miles (31 km2) and includes the United States Penitentiary, Lompoc.[3]
The Lompoc Fire Department is dedicated to serving the community of Lompoc by providing the highest level of emergency/rescue services, hazard prevention, and safety education, ensuring the protection of life, property and environment. Above all else, we realize that we are here to meet the needs of the public. We conduct ourselves at all times in a manner befitting the oath we swore to uphold, and treat others as they desire to be treated.[4]
History
According to the Lompoc Journal archives (now Lompoc Record), the first organized fire protection in the Lompoc colony was formed on August 31, 1875.[5] The first "Fire Company or Hook and Ladder Company" was an all volunteer fire brigade organized 13 years before Lompoc became a city. H.R. Fabing was elected foreman of the Fire Company, making him Lompoc's first unofficial fire chief.[4]
During this era, volunteer firefighters were alerted to the presence of a fire with the use of a large fire bell that rang. Firefighters would then report to the fire station and pick up the necessary equipment before heading to the emergency. Firefighters used buckets of waters to extinguish the fire since mechanical firefighting equipment wasn't in heavy use yet.[4] In 1893, a new and much larger fire bell was purchased from the W.T. Garatt & Company. The bell still resides outside of Fire Station 1 as a remembrance of the department's history.
On October 4, 1888, the Town of Lompoc's board of trustees approved Ordinance No. 16, defining the "Fire Limits of the Town of Lompoc to Protect LIfe and Property from Fire and Fixing the Penalty for Non-Observance Thereof."[6] The town's marshal was entrusted to enforce the ordinance since the existing fire company was a private entity.
In 1891 money was allocated for the building of a combined city hall and fire department. The bottom half served as the fire department, while the upper floors were utilized as a combination City Hall and meeting area. The building was made of brick and located at 115 South G Street. This building served as "Station 1" and administrative headquarters until 1978, when it was torn down and rebuilt as the existing fire headquarters.[4]
On May 12, 1916, the residence of A.L. Jacobs was destroyed by fire. The Lompoc Journal reported the next week, on May 19, 1916: "The idea which will be presented at Monday's meeting will be the suggestion that chief be elected and a company organized, each member of which is to be assigned some special duty, thus making every move at a fire count."[7]
On June 2, 1916, Charles Everett was elected as chief engineer (fire chief) of the volunteer fire department.[8] Chief Everett served as Lompoc's fire chief from 1916 until 1950, when he had to retire due to a heart condition. In honor of Chief Everett, a special mural was commissioned to local artists Pat and Robert Saul. The mural is taken from a 1923 family photograph of Charles Everett and his three-year-old son Ed in front of the fire house on a 1922 Seagrave fire engine.[9]
