County profile
San Mateo County, CA 23 departments
826 HIFLD personnel across 23 departments in San Mateo County · #17 of 58 in-state.
San Mateo County, CA carries a heavy HIFLD roster (826 personnel across 23 departments) - #17 of 58 in-state; mix 14/3/0 career/volunteer/combination.
- Personnel rank #17 of 58 in California
- 5.57 stations per 100 personnel
- 12% of roster in Menlo Park Fire Protection District
- 21 of 23 depts provide EMS
- 23 of 1,309 California departments statewide
Fire Departments in San Mateo County
Coverage desk
Roster-weight lane (826 personnel) - station density and largest-book share from HIFLD.
Staffing mix: 14 career, 3 volunteer, 0 combination (13% volunteer).
5.57 stations per 100 HIFLD personnel (46 stations / 826 roster).
Largest book: Menlo Park Fire Protection District holds 12% of county personnel (103 of 826).
Photo-finish peer: Berkshire County, MA (+2 personnel).
California roster context
- State departments
- 1,309
- Annual fires
- 168,000
- Volunteer %
- 40%
FAQ
How many firefighters serve San Mateo County? ▼
San Mateo County has 826 total fire department personnel across 23 departments. The average per department is 36, which is 3% below the California average.
How many fire departments are in San Mateo County, CA? ▼
San Mateo County, CA has 23 fire departments with available federal data. 14 career, 3 volunteer, By total reported personnel it ranks #17 of 58 among California counties with at least one listed department.
Are San Mateo County fire departments mostly volunteer? ▼
No, 14 of 23 departments (61%) are career (paid) departments.
Does San Mateo County have EMS coverage? ▼
Yes - 27 departments in San Mateo 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 San Mateo County sum HIFLD roster fields (career + volunteer) where reported.