County profile
Kern County, CA 9 departments
1,050 HIFLD personnel across 9 departments in Kern County · #12 of 58 in-state.
Kern County, CA carries a heavy HIFLD roster (1,050 personnel across 9 departments) - #12 of 58 in-state; mix 7/2/0 career/volunteer/combination.
- Personnel rank #12 of 58 in California
- 6.48 stations per 100 personnel
- 60% of roster in Kern County Fire Department
- 7 of 9 depts provide EMS
- 9 of 1,309 California departments statewide
Fire Departments in Kern County
| Department | Type | Personnel |
|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield Fire Department Bakersfield · EMS | career | 202 |
| California City Fire Department California City · EMS | career | 31 |
| California Correctional Institution Fire Department Tehachapi · EMS | volunteer | 14 |
| China Lake Naval Air Weapons Fire Department China Lake · EMS | career | - |
| Edwards Air Force Base Fire Protection Division Edwards · EMS | career | 143 |
| Kern County Fire Department Bakersfield | career | 625 |
| North Kern State Prison Fire Department Delano · EMS | career | - |
| Sand Canyon Volunteer Fire Department Tehachapi · EMS | volunteer | 20 |
| Wasco State Prison Fire Department Wasco | career | 15 |
Coverage desk
Roster-weight lane (1,050 personnel) - station density and largest-book share from HIFLD.
Staffing mix: 7 career, 2 volunteer, 0 combination (22% volunteer).
6.48 stations per 100 HIFLD personnel (68 stations / 1,050 roster).
Largest book: Kern County Fire Department holds 60% of county personnel (625 of 1,050).
Photo-finish peer: Carroll County, MD (+0 personnel).
California roster context
- State departments
- 1,309
- Annual fires
- 168,000
- Volunteer %
- 40%
FAQ
How many firefighters serve Kern County? ▼
Kern County has 1,050 total fire department personnel across 9 departments. The average per department is 117, which is 216% above the California average.
How many fire departments are in Kern County, CA? ▼
Kern County, CA has 9 fire departments with available federal data. 7 career, 2 volunteer, By total reported personnel it ranks #12 of 58 among California counties with at least one listed department.
Are Kern County fire departments mostly volunteer? ▼
No, 7 of 9 departments (78%) are career (paid) departments.
Does Kern County have EMS coverage? ▼
Yes - 11 departments in Kern County provide EMS services.
Nationwide counties with similar fire coverage
Source: U.S. Fire Administration, National Fire Department Registry NFDR (National Fire Department Registry) · 2024 Personnel totals for Kern County sum HIFLD roster fields (career + volunteer) where reported.