Fire

Fire Department

Message from the Chief

Welcome to the Los Banos Fire Department website. The Los Banos Fire Department was first organized in 1890 and has a rich history of successfully providing a high level of service to the citizens of our community. The Los Banos Fire Department is proud of the fact that our Volunteer and Career Firefighters, as well as our administrative staff, are very talented, highly trained, extremely motivated and loyally focused on their core mission of compassionate and professional service to the City of Los Banos and our residents.
The Los Banos Fire Department provides a variety of services to our community that include fire suppression, first responder emergency medical services, fire prevention, public education and a wide variety of technical rescue operations. The department currently maintains two fire stations within the City limits that are staffed with career Firefighters and augmented by very dedicated and professional Volunteer Firefighters.
The ultimate goal of the department is to continue to foster and enhance the volunteer department as well as expand our career staffing and facilities to keep pace with the anticipated growth of our community using nationally recognized standards and fiscally responsible accountability.
Please feel free to review the information provided on our web site. However, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the department directly and we would be happy to assist you in any way possible.
Sincerely,
Mason Hurley
Fire Chief

Fire Department Goal and Objectives Statement

GOAL:

The goal of the Los Banos Fire Department and Volunteer Fire Department is to continue to provide cost effective fire protection and emergency services to the citizens of Los Banos. To improve operational efficiency and accountability, to continue moving in a positive direction providing the best possible service to the community. To continue to foster the Volunteer Fire Department providing training, camraudery and pride in their department. To support the goals, objectives and mission of the City of Los Banos.

OBJECTIVES:

To continue to foster the addition of new full-time fire fighters, and to increase the number of volunteer fire fighters.
To continue to provide quality training to enhance the proficiency, quality and safety for full-time and volunteer fire fighters.
To continue the replacement of older apparatus and equipment. To improve preventive maintenance and operator training.
To stay abreast of new changes in the fire service through training and communications.
To continue to foster good relationships between the full-time fire fighters and the volunteer fire fighters. To continue to recruit volunteer fire fighters, and maintain a pool of qualified fire fighters for full-time positions as needed.
To continue to pursue alternative ways to improve the level of fire protection and services within the City of Los Banos.
To assist city administration in addressing long term funding and alternative funding in order to maintain and enhance current levels of fire protection and services.
To continue to improve services to achieve a lower fire insurance rating (ISO) Insurance Services Office. To provide lower cost for fire insurance in the community. Currently the City has a 3 rating.

Fire Department Mission Statement

The primary mission of the Los Banos Fire Department and Volunteer Fire Department is to protect life and property for the citizens of the City of Los Banos, California. From the effect of fires, medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, exposure to hazardous materials, earthquakes, floods, disasters and dangerous conditions.

The life safety and property protection mission is accomplished through a wide range of programs which include fire protection, fire prevention, planning, fire prevention education, fire inspections, code enforcement, fire suppression, and training.

To provide first responder and EMT’s for the delivery of emergency medical services, to include auto extrication, trench and building collapse rescue as well as controlling hazardous material emergency incidents.

The Los Banos Fire Department also provides mutual aid for fire/rescue and EMS services to other local agencies in Merced County, and participates in the statewide Master Mutual Aid plan.

Criteria and Process for Becoming a Volunteer Fire Fighter

Application shall be picked up at Fire Station Number One during normal business hours.

Applicant shall fill out application in its entirety, signed and returned.

Application will be filed with the Administrative Assistant of the City of Los Banos Fire Department.

Applicant will attend the next scheduled business meeting of the Volunteer Fire Department.

Applicant must be minimum age of eighteen (18) years.

Applicant must possess and present the Fire Department with a copy of a valid California Driver’s License at the time of filing this application.

A signed Personal Inquiry Waiver – Authority for Release of Information shall be submitted at the time of filing this Application.

High School graduate (diploma) or equivalent (G.E.D.). Note: If applicant is still in school, must have proof indicating that a passing grade and/or graduation of applicant is pending.

Applicant must have resided in the City of Los Banos for no less than one year.

Applicant must live within two and one half miles of the City limits.

Applicant will be scheduled for the following testing process:

a. 100 Question Test (General Knowledge).
b. Physical Agility Test.
c. Background Investigation, including Fingerprint Check through Los Banos Police Department.
d. Medical Examination.

Applicant must present the Fire Department with a current DMV printout within 48 hours of applicant’s start date.

Applicant shall be on probation for a period of one year, at which time he/she will become a Volunteer Fire Fighter with permanent status, or be terminated.

Applicant will be evaluated four times throughout the year by a panel of Fire Department Officers. Each evaluation will be discussed with the applicant. At the end of one year the Fire Department Officers will evaluate all four evaluations and recommend permanent status or termination of the applicant.

Fire Station 1 and Equipment

Fire Station #1

333 7th Street

Los Banos, CA 93635

Fire Station 2 and Equipment

Fire Station #2

1150 West I Street

Los Banos, CA 93635

Contact the Fire Department and Code Enforcement

Administration/Prevention/Code Enforcement

Fire Station #1
333 7th Street
Los Banos, CA 93635

Phone: (209) 827-7025
Fax: (209) 827-7028
Email: fire@losbanos.org

Illegal Fireworks Enforcement

Los Banos Police, Fire & Code Enforcement Officers are teaming together throughout the year to enforce State and Local laws pertaining to Dangerous and Illegal fireworks, as well as Safe & Sane Fireworks violations.

Dangerous and Illegal Fireworks are defined as any fireworks device that explodes or leaves the ground or does not display the State Fire Marshals Safe & Sane seal. All violations issued for Dangerous and Illegal fireworks will be subject to a $1,250.00 fine for each and every violation. Safe & Sane Fireworks are legal within the City of Los Banos, however, are illegal in unincorporated areas of Merced County. Violations of Safe & Sane Fireworks laws are subject to a $50.00 fine and include, but are not limited to:

It is unlawful for individuals under eighteen years of age to sell, purchase, or possess, “Safe and Sane Fireworks.”
It shall be unlawful to discharge any “Safe and Sane Fireworks” except from the first day of July to the fourth day of July during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
It shall be unlawful to ignite or otherwise use any “Safe and Sane Fireworks,” or permit the discharge thereof, upon, over, or onto the property of another without his/her consent.
It shall be unlawful to discharge any “Safe and Sane Fireworks” except on private property and as otherwise provided in this chapter. No fireworks shall be discharged on public, semipublic, or private open areas such as parking lots, vacant properties, or in a public street or right-of-way, or in public parks.

For more information regarding fireworks rules and regulations visit the Los Banos Fire Department’s web site @ www.losbanos.org or contact the Fire Department at (209)827-7025.

Click here to view the English and Spanish flyer regarding dangerous and illegal fireworks.

Click here to view the recently amended Municipal Code section regarding fireworks

Click here to go to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention Web page regarding the Fireworks Program. Some pages at that site that you can visit:

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Click to view Merced County Emergency Notification System