Career (Paid) EMS Provider

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT

South San Francisco, CA · San Mateo County

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Career (Paid) department serving South San Francisco, CA (San Mateo County), with 5 stations and 95 total personnel. The department also provides EMS services. Full equipment, coverage, and staffing data from HIFLD are below.

95
Total personnel
5
Stations
Fire trucks
Yes
EMS service
+157%
above CA avg personnel
(37/dept)
89th
percentile by size
of 737 CA depts
19
personnel per station
staffing density
None
no FEMA grants on record
AFG / SAFER

Department Profile

Type
CAREER
Location
South San Francisco, CA
Ambulances
3
FDID
41095

Staffing vs the California average

How SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT's personnel count compares to the typical department in California. It is larger than 89% of the 737 reporting departments statewide.

▲ 157% above the state average
Stations
5
State fire deaths/yr
346
CA departments
1,309

What This Data Tells You About SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT operates as a Career (Paid) department in South San Francisco, within San Mateo County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 95 total personnel, 5 stations, no truck inventory reported, and 3 ambulances. EMS capability is listed as active, 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. SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT runs 157% 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.

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 SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT have?

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT has 95 total personnel according to HIFLD data. This is 157% above the California average of 37 per department.

Does SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT provide EMS services?

Yes, SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT provides Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in addition to fire response.

How many fire stations does SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT operate?

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT operates 5 fire stations.

What type of fire department is SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT?

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Career (Paid) department serving San Mateo County, CA. Career departments employ full-time paid firefighters.

How many fire departments are in California?

California has 1,309 fire departments with 48,526 total personnel. 40% are volunteer departments.

Data from HIFLD Open Data (FEMA/DHS). Not all departments report equally.

Related

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFireData Editorial

Federal data sources

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.