SMARTSVILLE, Calif. July 7, 2020 – The Smartsville Fire District covers approximately 92 square miles of wildland urban interface. There are over 650 residences with approximately 1,600 residents in the District. Both Hwy 20 and the Yuba River pass through the center of the area while the primary employers in the area are Beale Air Force Base, light manufacturing and mining. The employees and volunteers respond to all fires, medical emergencies, hazardous material events and public assists within the District and provide automatic and mutual aid to others outside the District. While the annual call volume is just over 200 per year, the variety and complexity of the calls can match those of much larger departments.
The District is currently staffed with one Chief, a Training Officer, two fully trained Volunteers, three additional Volunteers in training and one Explorer. We have one Type I (structure) engine, one Type 3 (wildland) engine, two Type 6 (quick attack) engines. For the first six months of 2020 the District has responded to 88 calls the majority of which were medical emergencies, vehicle accidents and vegetation fires. Most of the volunteers have regular jobs elsewhere and are not always available to respond during the day.
We are always looking for trained responders that may be available to volunteer one or two days a week to assist with our staffing needs. For those fresh out of a fire academy looking to build your skills and resume, we can offer opportunities to accomplish both of those. We are also looking for someone with construction skills to assist in minor station repairs and others that may be willing to assist as needed in non-emergency functions. Some of the technical assistance needs includes website development, woodworking, media and community relations and donation organizer.
If you, or somebody you know, is interested in volunteering with the District, please leave a message on the station phone (530) 639-0405 or send an email to BC6820@gmail.com. Once we get your message, someone will contact you to discuss the opportunities and requirements.