Santa Monica Fire Provides Mutual Aid to Protect All of California

August 7, 2019 9:00 AM
by Patrick Nulty

This article originally appeared in the August edition of Seascape.

One big responsibility our Firefighters assume is responding to wildfires throughout California. The California Mutual Aid System requires Fire Departments to respond when large amounts of resources are needed to combat large fires and other emergencies. Santa Monica Firefighters are trained and specially qualified to operate safely and effectively in these dangerous infernos and have been responding to wildfire events every year for the last several decades. In fact, the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) has been on the front lines making a difference in some of the most devastating fires in California’s history, including the recent Mendocino and Thomas fires.

During mutual aid requests, SMFD typically teams up with the Beverly Hills Fire Department, Culver City Fire Department, and the Los Angeles Fire Department. This is known as a “Strike Team”. Strike teams consist of five engine companies and a battalion chief. When a mutual aid request is made, SMFD sends one or two Fire engine companies, which may be deployed for 7 – 14 days. On average, the SMFD will deploy with a Strike Team three to five times per year. During Strike Team deployments, off-duty Firefighters are called back to work staffing reserve fire engines, so that mutual aid responses don’t negatively impact their responsibilities here at home.

Acquiring the skills necessary for these unique assignments takes additional training and annual refreshers to maintain qualifications. The experience that our members gain fighting these massive fires is brought back to Santa Monica, which helps provide an even higher level of service to our community.

Authored By

Patrick Nulty
Fire Captain