Atascadero Fire Department celebrates centennial anniversary
From 1915 through 1920, initial fire protection was provided during the summer months only, by Lew Cole (pictured above) who owned his own fire engine.
Celebratory open house happening May 7
– This year, Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services is celebrating 100 years of fire service to the community. Atascadero firefighters will honor those who came before them, recognize all who are currently serving, and express appreciation for those who will carry on the legacy into the future at a 100-Year Anniversary Open House happening May 7 at Fire Station One. All members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend.
In 1915, Atascadero fire protection was initially provided by volunteers who responded to the fire scene and were paid $1 per fire. Volunteers were directed by Lew Cole, who owned his own fire engine and was hired only during the summer months. Community leaders had also purchased a Ford Model T truck equipped with a soda-acid tank to respond to fires in these early years.
Charles Adams (pictured above) served as the first Fire Chief from 1922 to 1929.
Atascadero Fire Protection District was officially created in 1922 as a direct response to a 5,000-acre wildland fire that struck Eagle Ranch. Charles Adams served as the first fire chief until 1929 when he suddenly passed away from heart failure at the young age of 30. The first fire station was constructed in 1927 at 5815 Traffic Way and included living quarters above the engine bay where the fire chief resided. This building still stands today and can be recognized by the unique engine bay arches. The fire district originally served a population of 3,000 residents and seven square miles.
One of the first apparatus purchased by the district was an REO Speedwagon which carried ladders, 490 gallons of water, and 800 feet of hose. This same fire engine was recently located and purchased back by the Atascadero Firefighters Association in an effort to rebuild and eventually utilize it for future community events.
The first fire station, located at 5815 Traffic Way, was built in 1927. Pictured above is Harlan Finch, who served until 1936 as the third Fire Chief.
As Atascadero continued to grow in size and population, a larger structure was built to replace Station One in 1952. At the time, the fire district was comprised of two full-time firefighters and 21 reserve firefighters, handling about 100 annual calls for service. The new fire station was located just down the street at 6005 Lewis Avenue and remains Fire Station One to this day. Several alterations occurred over the years to accommodate increased staffing, a growing knowledge of safety concerns, and expanding fire services to the community.
The Atascadero Fire Protection District dissolved in 1979 when the department became an official part of the newly incorporated city. The Atascadero Fire Department included one staff position and nine firefighters. The population at the time was about 14,000 with 14 square miles of the city to protect. The calls for service had increased to about 600 annually.
Atascadero Fire increased medical services to the community in 1984 by providing at least one Advanced Life Support (ALS) trained firefighter on responding fire apparatus, referred to as a fire paramedic. Prior to this, the highest medical training firefighters had received was Basic Life Support (BLS), the equivalent of EMT skills. Broadened ALS skills offered by fire paramedics today include gaining intravenous access, administering life-saving medications, cardiac monitoring with interventions, and more.
In 1986, Fire Station 2 was built at 9801 West Front on the south side of town. The station was built in conjunction with the development of the Bordeaux Apartments, which substantially increased the need for closer firefighting resources to adequately serve the expanding community in southern Atascadero. During this time, the department saw an increase in personnel, which now included two staff positions and 12 firefighters. The population had grown to 19,000 with 26.7 square miles to protect, averaging just under 1,000 annual calls for service.
The new and current Fire Station 1, located at 6005 Lewis Ave, was built in 1952.
In 2016, the department officially changed its name to Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services to better reflect the variety of safety services provided to the community. Currently, Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services protects a population of 30,000 residents and 25.6 square miles of the city. Staffing includes a fire chief, battalion chief of operations, battalion chief of risk reduction, an administrative assistant, and 18 firefighting personnel. Over 3,000 calls for service occur annually and include medical aids, public assists, traffic collisions, hazardous material incidents, technical rescues, vegetation fires, structure fires, and more.
Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services has a long, rich history of public service and engagement with the community. “As this year marks the Centennial Anniversary of our humble beginning as the Atascadero Fire Protection District,” reflects Fire Chief Casey Bryson, “we would like to extend our gratitude to those that came before us and those that will follow in our footsteps of public service to the community we love and that many of us call home.”
