California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - Pajaro Valley

What This Data Tells You About California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - Pajaro Valley

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - Pajaro Valley operates as a Career (Paid) department in Watsonville, within Santa Cruz County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 27 total personnel, 2 stations, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as not provided.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. California has 1,309 registered fire departments and 48,526 total personnel, averaging roughly 37 staff per department. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection - Pajaro Valley runs 27% below that state average, signalling a leaner crew typical of smaller jurisdictions or heavily volunteer-staffed areas. The state records about 168,000 fires, 346 fire deaths, and 40% volunteer coverage each year, which shapes training, funding priorities, and mutual-aid patterns felt at every department in the state.

No FEMA AFG or SAFER grant awards are recorded against this department's FDID in USAspending data, which is common for smaller or volunteer-heavy organizations that lean on state and local funding instead.