Fire District Overview


Station 281

The following vision and mission statements have been utilized to provide fiscal and operational direction to the Fire District

VISION

The Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District pledges to focus on the highest possible quality of fire protection and EMS services through means that are efficient and practical for the citizens we serve.  As a professional team, we will strive to be dynamic, flexible, and responsive to the needs of our constituents.  Respect, trust, and excellence will guide our efforts.

MISSION

It is the mission of the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District to serve and protect the community through public education, fire prevention, fire suppression, emergency rescue, disaster preparedness, and other services in order to minimize the loss of life and property, damage to the environment, and adverse economic impacts due to natural or manmade emergencies and events.

OVERVIEW

Mission development has been guided by the following history: the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District was formed in 1927 with an assumed primary objective of providing fire suppression services.  It is the belief of current personnel that while fire suppression capabilities increased, a significant role change did not occur until the decades of the 1960’s and 1970’s.  At that time, the Fire Protection District trained firefighters to the level of advanced first aid providers, and then, emergency medical technicians.  Thus, the District began to provide a significantly increased  level of service to the community in the emergency medical service arena. 

Legislation and fire service trends in the 1980’s encouraged the Department to begin training members to the level of first responder for hazardous materials incidents, resulting in a greater role in protecting the environment. 

In 2000, the Department made another significant stride in the emergency medical services (EMS) area by implementing an Advanced Life Support paramedic program.  Today, we continue to build on our success of the past and improve our vision of the future.

DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS

The Fire Protection District’s boundaries currently incorporate approximately nine square miles. This includes the City of Big Bear Lake and adjacent Forest Service lands encompassing Forest Service leased cabins. Annual call volume has increased significantly through the years, with an average response time of five to six minutes from receipt of alarm.

Property tax revenues fund the Department with additional fees charged for services which include our business license inspections, permits, plan checks, and most emergency responses.

The Department budget provides for the operation and maintenance of:

  • One 24-hour staffed headquarters fire station

  • Two outlying Paid Call fire stations

  • Three first-line fire engines

  • One ladder truck

  • One quick attack (brush patrol) unit

  • One heavy rescue

  • One rescue squad

  • Five utility/staff vehicles

Department staffing levels are:

  • Fire Chief

  • Assistant Fire Chief

  • Two Administrative Secretaries

  • Sixteen Suppression personnel assigned to 3 shifts

  • Fire Prevention Officer

  • An allocation for twelve Paid Call Firefighters to better assist Suppression personnel during emergencies our Paid Call Firefighters receive weekly training drills and rotate through weekend shifts for additional training and experience.

The Department’s vehicle fleet is maintained primarily in-house.  This includes annual pump tests for all fire engines, semi-annual fluid changes and lubrication, brake inspections and repairs, tune-ups, filter replacements, fire pump valve rebuilds, electrical repairs, and maintenance of all tools and equipment on the engines.

In addition, Department Administration compiles data on Department activities to establish benchmarks to measure our success and areas where improvement may be necessary, orders supplies and materials, prepares check requests, provides payroll calculations to the Financial Services Division, provides support services to the community, assigns addresses, provides technical assistance to engineers/architects/contractors, maintains a computer network system solely with in-house staff, provides general public information and assistance, prepares and maintains records of incident reports, conducts business license inspections, handles fire prevention complaints, conducts fire flow verifications for dwelling remodel/construction, initiates notices to remove hazardous trees, investigates the cause and origin of fires, counsels juvenile fire setters, participates in the plan check process including final inspections with Building & Safety, works with the Planning Division on new and existing developments, and advises the Department of Water on system upgrades and fire hydrant placement.

DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Within our present budget, the Department’s general goal is to maintain current service levels in respect to requests for emergency assistance and in other areas of responsibility necessary to achieve/maintain public safety while constantly reviewing and improving upon the quality of delivery.

Each year, Fire Department goals and objectives are established in certain specific areas of responsibility that are: 

  • Administrative Operations

  • Communications                                         

  • Safety

  • Driver Testing

  • Training

  • Maintenance

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE

With the exception of Administrative Operations, these goals are developed and overseen by the Department’s Fire Captains particularly Captain Ryan Harold operating as EMS Coordinator.

The Fire Department sets aside revenue for the replacement of fire apparatus, staff vehicles, communications equipment, station construction, and a contingency fund.

Suppression members are actively pursuing various Homeland Security grants and should a heavy rescue vehicle in-service to provide rescue in confined spaces as well as mutual aid to other communities in need of rescue services due to natural disasters or terrorism events.

Training for full-time personnel is a high priority with a goal of 240 hours per year for each Suppression member.  This includes 24 hours dedicated to safety training and 24 hours dedicated to hazardous materials training.  The Department also has an in-house Department of Motor Vehicles-approved driver training program which meets the criteria for Class ‘B’ commercial drivers’ license testing.

Paramedic, emergency medical technician, and CPR re-certifications are ongoing, including twelve hours of continuing education units required per employee per year with a written and skills re-certification test every four years.  The Department's EMS Coordinator provides this training.  Approximately half of the Department members have obtained California State Fire Marshal (CSFM) Fire Officer certification with other members working toward this goal.  Captains and above are strongly encouraged to take CSFM Chief Officer level courses and to apply to the National Fire Academy for advanced management courses that are provided by the Federal government.

Fire Protection

The Valley is protected from fire and disaster by four different full-time fire protection agencies, including the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District, which serves the City of Big Bear Lake, the Big Bear City Community Services District Fire Department, which serves the east valley area, the County of San Bernardino Fire Department providing service to the community of Fawnskin, and the U.S. Forest Service protecting the surrounding federal forest land. All four agencies provide mutual aid to each other upon request.