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HISTORY OF THE WINDSOR FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

The Town We Serve

The Town of Windsor, incorporated in 1992, is the newest and one of the fastest growing cities in Sonoma County. From the late 1800s through the early 1980s, Windsor was primarily a small farming community. As late as 1970 Windsor's population was about 1,000. Since 1990 the community has exploded to a population of nearly 25,000.

Many of the area's farms have been converted to vineyards, a number of which produce world-class, award-winning wines. The Town itself is home to five retail shopping centers, several light industrial and business parks, new office buildings, and many new homes and neighborhoods. A major downtown renaissance is in progress, including renovation of historic buildings, construction of new hotels and mixed-use 3-story buildings, and the addition of a town green that serves as a multipurpose community outdoor event venue.

The Early Fire Department

The Windsor Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) began operation on June 1, 1965, in an old blacksmith's shop, with 11 volunteers (one of whom is still with the department) and a single apparatus: a 1954 open-cab Dodge pumper with a 500-gallon tank, purchased for $286. A second engine, a 1946 Chevrolet with a 900-gallon tank, was added shortly thereafter, followed by a 1955 International 1800-gallon water tender in 1968. During its first year of service, WVFD responded to 45 calls (by comparison, in 2002 WFPD responded to 1,688 calls).

In its earliest days, emergency calls to the WVFD were answered by women volunteers, called "Fire Phone" operators, who would telephone each volunteer firefighter on the list and notify him of the emergency. This system was in operation until 1979, when enough money was raised to purchase pagers, and dispatch duties were turned over to the California Department of Forestry, at that time the main dispatch for all of Sonoma County.

The WVFD was funded solely by donations and funds raised at the annual "Firemen's" pancake breakfast. An important early donation was the land at 444 Windsor River Road, where a 3600 square foot fire station (also funded with donations) was built in 1968. Another very important gift was a 1967 American LaFrance fire engine, given by a local developer in 1977.

The Fire Department Comes of Age

In 1985, under the direction of new fire chief Ron Collier, the department began to undergo major change. In 1986 the voters of Windsor overwhelmingly approved the formation of a special tax district, creating the Windsor Fire Protection District (WFPD). During this time, the department obtained its first brand new apparatus, a rescue squad, and began its program of replacing its old equipment with new, state-of-the-art equipment. WFPD now owns one of the most modern and advanced fleets in northern California.

In 1988, two full-time captains were hired (the department's first paid suppression staff). The station was staffed Monday-Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The paid staff was on call-back status for after-hours emergencies, and the department's volunteers provided the majority of the response to nighttime emergencies. In 1991, two engineer/firefighters were hired and the District went to daytime staffing seven days a week.

In 1995, as a result of the improved District services, the Insurance Services Organization lowered the insurance risk classifications from 9 to 8 in areas without fire hydrants; and from 7 to 3 in areas with hydrants. (Note: Lower numbers are best.) This resulted in lower insurance premiums for everyone within the District.

As the department and the community grew, so did the need for a larger, more modern fire station. In May 1997 construction of an 18,000 square foot headquarters fire station at 8200 Old Redwood Highway was completed. Now Station 1, this $2.6 million facility comprises administrative offices and a modern, efficient fire station. The original station is now Station 2 and remains in service as an unstaffed, volunteer response station.

Station 1's second floor houses administration, fire prevention and a conference room. The first floor is devoted to the suppression staff: offices, training/meeting room, kitchen, day room, tool room, ten individual sleeping rooms, a fully equipped gym, equipment rooms, service areas, and the apparatus bay. The downstairs training/meeting room also serves as the Town of Windsor's Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which is prepared to respond to major emergencies such as earthquakes, floods, or even terrorist attacks.

In 1997 the department hired a full-time battalion chief/fire marshal, and in August 1998, with the addition of another captain and engineer/firefighter, the department began 24-hour staffing. Today WFPD has ten paid employees and 31 volunteers-including two volunteer battalion chiefs, a department chaplain, and a department photographer-who serve 30,000 citizens in a 30.75-square-mile area.

In addition to its dedication to having modern, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, WFPD is committed to embracing the new thinking in the fire service. A strong emphasis is placed on public education, and an aggressive fire prevention program has been implemented that includes business inspections and preincident surveys and planning. The Town of Windsor has adopted an ordinance that requires automatic sprinkler systems for all buildings 4,000 square feet or larger and they are advocating for an ordinance that will require sprinklers in all newly built buildings.

Working to Meet the Challenges

Growth and the unique characteristics of the Windsor area present WFPD with its own set of challenges:

• Though the county's airport is just outside the District's southern border, WFPD is integrated into the automatic response plan for the facility. Currently, plans for airport expansion are under consideration.
• Highway 101-the county's main thoroughfare-carries thousand of vehicles each day through the heart of the fire protection district. Many are truck-and-trailer combinations carrying various types and amounts of cargo including some that may be hazardous.
• The Russian River, which-according to FEMA-has flooded more than any river west of the Rocky Mountain, poses a hazard to lives and properties in winter months.

To help meet these and other challenges and to serve the growing west side of town, a new Station 2 is planned. The District also looks forward to the expansion of public education programs, including CPR and first-aid classes.

WFPD's number one commitment is to provide superior service while protecting and improving the safety and welfare of the members of our community.

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