Fire chiefs: Humboldt volunteers logged 98,041 hours in 2023, worth about $4.14M; chiefs urge consolidation and boundary fixes

The Humboldt County Fire Chiefs Association presented its 2023 annual report to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, highlighting the scale and economic value of volunteer firefighting and urging efforts to consolidate services, clarify response boundaries and resolve negative fund issues.

Association leaders told supervisors there are 39 fire and emergency‑service agencies in the county — including 28 fire‑related districts, volunteer companies and technical‑rescue teams — and roughly 850 local government firefighters. The association reported 98,041 volunteer hours in 2023, which association staff valued at approximately $4,143,212, based on standard firefighter hourly equivalents.

"These are volunteer hours and they represent about a 200 percent match contribution to Measure Z funding," said Chief Tanner (Telegraph Ridge), summarizing the volunteer value and the county's recent investments in fire services planning. The report also documented 18,561 calls for service in 2023, of which 16,280 were emergency responses; "that's two calls an hour every single hour of every single day of the year," presenters said.

Chiefs used the presentation to emphasize long‑standing operational issues: large gaps in coverage in some rural areas, costly out‑of‑area responses where jurisdictional lines are unclear and recruitment/retention pressures for volunteer departments. Several chiefs and supervisors described ongoing talks about consolidations, annexations and joint powers authorities (JPAs) to centralize administrative functions and create more resilient service delivery models in the north and southern parts of the county.

The association noted specific consolidation successes and ongoing efforts: Garberville Fire Protection District absorbing nearby volunteer companies, Riedell's consolidation actions and the Ferndale/Bridal/Petrolia discussions. Chiefs also flagged administrative burdens and suggested county planning staff continue to support mapping and boundary work to reduce confusion about primary responders.

Board members thanked chiefs for the report and noted Measure Z funding and the county's fire services planning team had enabled mapping tools and volunteer management improvements. The board voted to receive and file the report 5‑0.

Chiefs asked supervisors to maintain financial support for planning, to expedite annexation work where feasible, and to consider longer‑term workforce models that combine volunteerism and paid staffing to reduce the risk of service gaps.

The association indicated plans for continued collaboration with county staff on grant reimbursement, boundary management and workforce development.