SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Santa Margarita, CA · San Luis Obispo County
SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Volunteer department serving Santa Margarita, CA (San Luis Obispo County), with 1 station and 17 total personnel. Full equipment, coverage, and staffing data from HIFLD are below.
- 17
- Total personnel
- 1
- Stations
- —
- Fire trucks
- No
- EMS service
(37/dept)
of 737 CA depts
staffing density
AFG / SAFER
Department Profile
- Type
- VOLUNTEER
- Location
- Santa Margarita, CA
- County
- San Luis Obispo County
- FDID
- 40070
Staffing vs the California average
How SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT's personnel count compares to the typical department in California. It is larger than 18% of the 737 reporting departments statewide.
- Stations
- 1
- State fire deaths/yr
- 346
- CA departments
- 1,309
What This Data Tells You About SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT operates as a Volunteer department in Santa Margarita, within San Luis Obispo County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 17 total personnel, 1 station, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as not provided, which directly affects how medical calls in the service area are routed and how quickly an advanced life support unit can reach a patient. Department type matters because career, volunteer, and combination organizations carry very different response-time profiles and funding sources.
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. SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT runs 54% 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. Residents, insurers, and mutual-aid partners use these data points to judge whether coverage is adequate for the built environment, whether ISO ratings are defensible, and where future capital investment should flow. All figures on this page come from the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) public dataset, USFA published statistics, and USAspending.gov, and are presented without editing so the underlying federal record remains transparent and verifiable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many firefighters does SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT have? ▼
SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT has 17 total personnel according to HIFLD data. This is 54% below the California average of 37 per department.
Does SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT provide EMS services? ▼
SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT does not provide EMS. A separate EMS agency likely covers this area.
How many fire stations does SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT operate? ▼
SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT operates 1 fire station.
What type of fire department is SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT? ▼
SANTA MARGARITA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Volunteer department serving San Luis Obispo County, CA. Volunteer departments rely on community members who serve without full-time compensation.
How many fire departments are in California? ▼
California has 1,309 fire departments with 48,526 total personnel. 40% are volunteer departments.
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Related Fire Data
Data from HIFLD Open Data (FEMA/DHS). Not all departments report equally.
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Related
Federal data sources
- HIFLD Fire Stations (DHS/CISA) — station inventory, personnel, and apparatus counts.
- USFA National Fire Department Registry (FEMA) — department-type classification and federal registration.
- FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants — federal grant award history.
- NFPA 1710 / NFPA 1720 — career and volunteer response benchmarks.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from FEMA/DHS HIFLD Open Data. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.