National City Fire Department

What This Data Tells You About National City Fire Department

National City Fire Department operates as a Career (Paid) department in National City, within San Diego County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 54 total personnel, 2 stations, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as active.

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. National City Fire Department runs 46% above that state average, signalling a larger-than-typical crew likely tied to denser population or higher call volume. 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.

Federal investment further defines this department's trajectory: National City Fire Department has received 1 FEMA grant totaling $1,448,031.56 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.