County profile

San Luis Obispo County, CA 19 departments

450 HIFLD personnel across 19 departments in San Luis Obispo County · #29 of 58 in-state.

450 personnel · #29 of 58

San Luis Obispo County, CA carries a heavy HIFLD roster (450 personnel across 19 departments) - #29 of 58 in-state; mix 12/7/0 career/volunteer/combination.

  • Personnel rank #29 of 58 in California
  • 5.56 stations per 100 personnel
  • 12% of roster in San Luis Obispo City Fire Department
  • 14 of 19 depts provide EMS
  • 19 of 1,309 California departments statewide
19
Departments
450
Total Personnel
#29 of 58
In-state by personnel
7
Volunteer Depts

Fire Departments in San Luis Obispo County

All fire departments in San Luis Obispo County, CA with personnel and station counts
Department Type Personnel
Arroyo Grande Fire Department
Arroyo Grande · EMS
career 47
Atascadero City Fire Department
Atascadero · EMS
career 48
Atascadero State Hospital Fire Department
Atascadero
career 13
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Pismo Beach · EMS
volunteer 22
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Los Osos · EMS
volunteer 29
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
San Luis Obispo · EMS
career -
California Mens Colony Fire Department
San Luis Obispo · EMS
career -
Cambria Fire Department
Cambria · EMS
career 25
Camp Roberts Emergency Services
San Miguel · EMS
career 16
Cayucos Fire Protection District
Cayucos
volunteer 17
Grover Beach Fire Department
Grover Beach · EMS
career 34
Hearst Castle Fire Department
San Simeon
career 8
Morro Bay Fire Department
Morro Bay · EMS
career 33
Oceano Community Services District
Oceano · EMS
volunteer 22
Paso Robles Department of Emergency Services
Paso Robles · EMS
career 22
San Luis Obispo City Fire Department
San Luis Obispo · EMS
career 53
San Miguel Community Services District Fire Department
San Miguel
volunteer 18
Santa Margarita Volunteer Fire Department
Santa Margarita
volunteer 17
Templeton Fire Protection District
Templeton · EMS
volunteer 26

Coverage desk

Roster-weight lane (450 personnel) - station density and largest-book share from HIFLD.

Staffing mix: 12 career, 7 volunteer, 0 combination (37% volunteer).

5.56 stations per 100 HIFLD personnel (25 stations / 450 roster).

Largest book: San Luis Obispo City Fire Department holds 12% of county personnel (53 of 450).

Photo-finish peer: Elmore County, AL (+0 personnel).

California roster context

State departments
1,309
Annual fires
168,000
Volunteer %
40%
View California →

FAQ

How many firefighters serve San Luis Obispo County?

San Luis Obispo County has 450 total fire department personnel across 19 departments. The average per department is 24, which is 35% below the California average.

How many fire departments are in San Luis Obispo County, CA?

San Luis Obispo County, CA has 19 fire departments with available federal data. 12 career, 7 volunteer, By total reported personnel it ranks #29 of 58 among California counties with at least one listed department.

Are San Luis Obispo County fire departments mostly volunteer?

No, 12 of 19 departments (63%) are career (paid) departments.

Does San Luis Obispo County have EMS coverage?

Yes - 17 departments in San Luis Obispo County provide EMS services.

Nationwide counties with similar fire coverage

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details.
Top fire departments in San Luis Obispo, CA Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (personnel). Top fire departments in San Luis Obispo, CA Top 5 1. San Luis Obispo City Fire Department 53 personnel 2. Atascadero City Fire Department 48 personnel 3. Arroyo Grande Fire Department 47 personnel 4. Grover Beach Fire Department 34 personnel 5. Morro Bay Fire Department 33 personnel Top 5 fire departments by total personnel in this county.Source: U.S. Fire Administration NFDR.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration, National Fire Department Registry NFDR (National Fire Department Registry) · 2024 Personnel totals for San Luis Obispo County sum HIFLD roster fields (career + volunteer) where reported.