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Santa Barbara Fire Department presents Standards of Cover study recommending paramedics, station studies and staffing increases
Summary
Fire Chief and consultants presented a Standards of Cover study recommending strategic ALS (paramedic) deployment, a facilities and station‑location study (Stations 3 and 7), additional EMS and training staff, expanded multilingual outreach, and consideration of adding 21 firefighters (one per engine) over time.
City staff and consultants on Wednesday previewed a multi‑year Standards of Cover (SOC) and Community Risk Assessment for the Santa Barbara Fire Department that recommends near‑ and long‑term changes to staffing, apparatus deployment and facilities to match evolving community risk, commissioners heard.
City Administrator Kelly McAtee introduced the SOC presentation and Chief Chris Mails described the study’s scope and data sources, noting the report began in 2022 and was completed in 2023 but delayed for staffing updates. The SOC reviewed calls across the city’s varied geography—from beaches to mountains—and made nine key recommendations for improving response capability.
Chief Mails emphasized station constraints and aging facilities, citing Station 3 (415 East Sola Street) as a 1929 state historic landmark…
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