Visalia Fire Department

== Area Served ==
The Visalia Fire Department (VFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Visalia, located in western Tulare County and the south-central portion of the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. It is the County seat a of Tulare County. The city is named for its founder, Nathaniel Vise's ancestral home, Visalia, Kentucky. Incorporated on February 27, 1874, the city encompasses an area covering 36.3 square miles and serves a population of approximately 141,384. Visalia is bordered by the unincorporated community of Goshen to the northwest, the unincorporated community of Ivanhoe to the northeast, the City of Farmersville, the unincorporated community of Linnell Camp, and the Sierra Nevada foothills to the east, the City of Tulare and the the unincorporated communities of Loma and Tagus to the south, and the City of Hanford in Kings County to the west.
=== Mutual Aid ===
The Visalia Fire Department has mutual aid agreements with the Tulare County Fire Department, the Farmersville Volunteer Fire Department, and the CAL FIRE Tulare Unit.
== Department Profile ==
The Visalia Fire Department is budgeted for 75 sworn employees and 8 civilian support/administrative personnel providing structural firefighting, emergency medical services (EMS), advanced life support (ALS), hazardous materials (hazmat) response. fire prevention, fire investigation, code enforcement, disaster preparedness, and public education to the citizens of Visalia. The department consists of five divisions: Administration/Support Services; Emergency Services/Operations; Fire Prevention; Training, 'and Hazardous Materials Response. Daily staffing consists of twenty nine (29) on-duty personnel (one battalion chief, seven fire captain/paramedics, seven fire apparatus engineer/paramedics, ten firefighter/paramedics, and four p/t squad paramedics), working a 48/96 shift out of six fire stations. The department's resources include ten front-line emergency apparatus comprised of five paramedic assessment engine companies, two paramedic assessment aerial ladder truck companies, two paramedic ALS rescue squads, and one battalion chief vehicle. Each engine and truck company is staffed with a minimum of three firefighters with one member being a licensed paramedic. In addition, VFD cross staffs an air and light unit, a hazardous materials response unit which is part of the Tulare-Kings County Regional Hazardous Materials Response Unit, and an OES Type-1 engine company. VFD responds to approximately 18,000 calls for service annually, the majority of which are medical calls.
== History ==
Prior to the 1860’s, fires in Visalia were fought by volunteer bucket brigades, formed at the spur of the moment, with Mill Creek as the source of water. The Visalia Fire Department was formed on July 4, 1869 as Eureka Company No. 1, consisting of a used Button & Blake engine and hose carriage with 650 feet of hose. The equipment was housed in a rented building. Besides fighting fire, the company engaged in fraternal and social activities. In 1872, the council was authorized to spend $1,400 for a firehouse. In 1872 an engine house was built on the lot at South Church Street and East Acequia Avenue. In 1876, the lot was deeded to the city and a second floor was added to the brick building. In January 1886, the firemen acquired a new piece of equipment, a hook and ladder wagon, which was locally built at the Visalia Iron Works; it was called "The Rescue." In December, 1888, the city bought a Silsby Steam Fire Engine, known as "Old Betsy," for $4,000 and J. B. O'Connor was hired as engineer at $60 a month, becoming the first paid fireman. In 1913, the firemen acquired their first fire truck, a Gorham pumper which would throw 830 gallons of water per minute at 100 pounds of pressure. Visalia gave up its volunteer fire department in 1935,
=== Former Station ===
Station 	Address 	In Service	Notes
Fire Station	35 West Grand Avenue	1955-2018 	New Station built at location
==Apparatus Roster==
All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
===Fire Station 51 - 309 South Johnson Street===
:Engine 51 (ALS) - 2012 Spartan ERV Gladiator (1500/500/30F)
:Truck 51 (ALS) - 2009 Pierce Quantum aerial (-/-/105' rear-mount) (SN#21582) (CA#1317016) 
:Squad 51 (ALS) - Chevrolet Tahoe (CA#1299757) (staffed six days a week from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm)
:Breathing Support 51 - Pierce walk-around w/ light tower
:Utility 51 -
:Engine 251 (Reserve) -
:Truck 251 (Reserve) - 2004 Pierce Dash 2000 6710 6x4 quint (1500/300/75' rear-mount platform) (SN#15145) (Ex-Truck 55, ex-Truck 3)
===Fire Station 52 - 2224 West Monte Vista Avenue "the Whitendale Station”===
:Engine 52 (ALS) - 2017 Pierce Arrow XT (1500/500/30F)
:Engine 252 (Reserve) -
===Fire Station 53 - 5025 West Walnut Avenue===
Dedicated April, 2016
:Engine 53 (ALS) - Pierce Arrow XT (1500/500/30F)
:Squad 53 (ALS) - Ford F-series (staffed daily from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm)
:Cal OES Engine 375 - 2013 HME Ahrens-Fox 1871-SFO SMFD Model 18 Type 1 (1250/850/20F) (CA#1433568)
:Engine 253 (Reserve) - (CA#1208842) 
===Fire Station 54 - 440 West Ferguson Street===
:Engine 54 (ALS) - 2017 Pierce Arrow XT (1500/500/30F) (SN#31136)
:Battalion 54 - 2021 Ford Expedition
:Battalion 55 - 
:Battalion 58 -
===Fire Station 55 - 6921 West Ferguson Avenue / Training Facility===
Dedicated 2009
:Truck 55 (ALS) - 2018 Pierce Arrow XT (1500/500/20F/105' rear-mount ladder) (SN#31538)
:HazMat 55 - 2007 Pierce Quantum combination walk-around (SN#19020) (CA#1442519) (Ex-Hanford Fire Department) 
:Battalion 57 - Ford F-450 4x4 w/ canopy (CA#1368768)
:Parade - 1935 Seagrave pumper (500/100) (Ex-Engine 1)
:Parade - 1888 Silsby steam pumper "Old Betsy"
===Temporary Fire Station 56 - 1968 South Lovers Lane / CAL FIRE Tulare campus===
:Engine 56 (ALS) - 2019 Pierce Arrow XT 6710 (1500/500/30F) (SN#33716) (CA#1574655)
:Engine 256 (Reserve) -
===Assignment Unknown===
:2019 Peterbilt 337 / Pierce Encore walk-around rescue (SN#32424)
:2014 Pierce Arrow XT pumper (SN#27806-02)
:2014 Pierce Arrow XT pumper (SN#27806-01)
:2006 Pierce Dash 2000 6710 pumper (SN#17549)
:2005 Pierce Dash 2000 6710 pumper (1500/500/20A) (SN#16627) (Ex-Engine 51) 
== Future plans ==
Ground was broken on January 4, 2023 on new Fire Station 56 to be located at 1321 South Lovers Lane. Once completed, Fire Station 56 will be the new home of Engine 56, which is currently stationed on the CAL FIRE Tulare campus just south of the site at 1968 South Lovers Lane. 
== Retired Apparatus ==
: 1999 Pierce Arrow pumper pumper (1500/500/20A) (SN#10704/ED704) (Ex-Engine 54) 
: 1995 International 4700 / Spec Concept tractor-trailer walk-in (Ex-HazMat 55) 
: 1995 Pierce Arrow pumper (1250/500/20A) (SN#E8870-01)
: 1995 Pierce Arrow pumper (1250/500/20A) (SN#E8870-02) (Ex-Engine 56) 
: 1993 Pierce Arrow aerial (?/?/105' rear-mount ladder) (SN#E7831)
: 1993 Oshkosh T-1500 4x4 ARFF (1500/1500/210/500) (Ex-Crash 3) 
: 1991 Pierce Arrow pumper (1250/500/20A) (SN#E6927) (Ex-Engine 251 Reserve) 
: 1989 Pierce Arrow pumper (1250/500/20A) (SN#E5330-01)
: 1989 Pierce Arrow pumper (1250/500/20A) (SN#E5330-02) (Ex-Engine 255 Reserve)
: 1979 Oshkosh T-6 4x4 ARFF (1250/1585/205/700 lbs. PK) (Ex-Crash 2) 
: 1979 Walter Z-CQS-500 4x4 ARFF (500/110/500 lbs. Halotron/500 lbs. PK) (Ex-Crash 1, ex-CFR 1)
: 1975 Crown Firecoach / Pierce / Oshkosh (-/-/85' Snorkel) (Ex-Truck 1) 
==External Links==
Visalia Fire Department
==Station Map==
Category:Tulare County
Category:California departments operating Pierce apparatus
Category:California departments operating Spartan ER / Crimson apparatus
Category:Departments operating Silsby antique or parade apparatus
Category:Former operators of Seagrave apparatus