The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has directed Santa Clara County Fire Department to begin the process to expand services into South County Fire District territory covering San Martin and parts of unincorporated Gilroy and Morgan Hill. We look forward to participating collaboratively in this process with partner agencies.
To address questions the public may have about this potential change, we have developed the FAQs below.
How will this change impact fire and emergency services in my area?
The Santa Clara County Fire Department (SCCFD or County Fire) will keep working with CAL FIRE, Morgan Hill Fire, and Gilroy Fire to provide the same reliable service the community is used to from the fire service. In the South Santa Clara County Fire District, fire service will still come from the current Treehaven and Masten stations. The exact location for the new northern district station is still being decided. The fire equipment, which is owned by the South Santa Clara County Fire District, will stay in the south county and will be used by County Fire.
How will the change impact fire and emergency response times in San Martin?
9-1-1 calls from unincorporated areas of the county will continue to be answered by the Santa Clara County Communications Center. When you call 9-1-1, the nearest and most appropriate emergency resources will be sent to help you.
Will there be any changes to the services provided by the fire department?
You can expect the same high level of service with several enhancements, including faster access to expanded all-risk capabilities. For example, SCCFD operates one of only two Type 1 HazMat units in the county, as well as a Type 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team. Additionally, the department has a dedicated hand crew focused on fuel reduction and mitigation. SCCFD takes pride in leveraging local area knowledge and data to drive fire safety, education, and prevention programs.
What will CAL FIRE’s role be moving forward?
As a state resource, CAL FIRE will continue to play an important role in South County because they are responsible for State Responsibility Areas (SRA) and much of the area in Santa Clara County is SRA, including the watershed around the South County Fire District. Key to their mission is to protect state lands, not only in South County but also in other parts of the county further north in areas already protected by SCCFD. In places where both County Fire and CAL FIRE respond, they follow a dual jurisdiction model. This means both agencies work together to handle emergencies. This type of teamwork is common across the county and throughout the state.
Will I need to contact a different number for emergencies?
No. You should still call 9-1-1 for all emergencies, as it is the universal emergency number.
Who can I contact for more information or to give feedback about this reorganization?
If you have specific questions, you can email us at southcounty@sccfd.org.
When will the change take effect?
The change must first be approved by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). The timeline depends on LAFCO’s process, and right now, the exact timing is unknown.
County of Santa Clara FAQs
The County of Santa Clara has additional information available to answer questions regarding CAL FIRE contracts and firefighters, fire station locations, tax information, and more.
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