Fire Department History
From its earliest history, the towns of Groveland and Big Oak Flat were served by an all volunteer fire department. As the population and needs increased, the community responded by purchasing equipment and hiring personnel.
In 1986 a used 1971 American Le France 1250 gpm Engine was acquired and for the first time a full-time Fire Chief, Steve Williamson, was hired to manage the fire department and its volunteers. Fire Station 1, located in Groveland along Highway 120, was constructed in 1988, and the first full-time Firefighter, Jim Middleton, was hired. Additional equipment was needed, and in 1989 a used 1969 Van Pelt 1250 gpm Engine was purchased.
A second full-time firefighter, Bob Bechtold, joined the ranks in 1990 and in 1991 Jim Middleton was promoted to Fire Engineer and Shane Warner replaced Bechtold. In 1999 a third full-time Firefighter came on board. In the years between 1990 and 2000 a new state-of-the-art Engine, SCBA's turnouts and a Rescue squad were purchased.
The Departments present staff includes:
Fire Chief
Assistant Fire Chief
3 Engineers
3 Firefighters
plus vital and active volunteer and reserve programs. Equipment and personnel are of the highest importance as the Groveland Fire Department strives to serve the community.
In November of 2007 the Fire Department began a reserve firefighter program. These firefighters fill an important role by providing a third, part-time firefighter on each shift. Some reserves come to us highly qualified from CAL Fire, the Forest Service, the City of Sonora, Tuolumne County Fire Department, and other Special Districts or Fire Departments. Others come as recent graduates of fire academies looking for experience to apply what they have learned. This reserve program makes it possible to stay within the budget while maintaining the highest level of service attributed to the Groveland Fire Department. Having a third person on duty has broadened the scope of what the Fire Department can do on initial attack in fire situations, vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, public service assists, and the day-to-day operations of the fire station.
March 2008 the Fire Department submitted a vehicle acquisition grant request through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We were notified on November 28, 2008 that we were successful in receiving the grant! The Fire Department then released bid documents to 11 manufacturing companies for bid proposals. Our engine was build in 2009 by Pierce Manufacturing at their Appleton, Wisconsin plant.
The Groveland Fire Department covers 14.7 square miles including Groveland, Pine Mountain Lake and Big Oak Flat. In downtown Groveland Station 1 houses 3 engines, a rescue squad and a utility truck. The Big Oak Flat Station houses 1 apparatus and the District also houses one small apparatus at the County-owned building at the Pine Mountain Lake Airport. The Department also provides support and mutual aid to the Tuolumne County Fire Department, the California Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service.
Groveland Fire responds to medical aid calls, vehicle accidents and fires, structure fires, smoke checks, vegetation fires, all other types of fires and offers public assistance. As with any emergency service, response time is critical. The average apparatus response time on emergency medical-rescue calls is five minutes and the average apparatus response time on fire calls is seven minutes. Annual call volume has increased from 290 calls for service in 1999 to 675 calls for service in 2008.