Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove Fire Department

The Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove Fire Department Inc. operates under contract with the County of San Diego to provide fire suppression, fire prevention, and medical aid to the residents of County Service Area 107.

It was established in 1972 as a private fire brigade by the residents of the Elfin Forest Vacation Ranch for basic fire protection for their homes and the few other residences in the vicinity. At that time, the only mechanized fire apparatus was a flatbed truck with a water barrel and a hand pump. CDF donated hose. The truck was parked under a big oak tree in the park. It was quite a sight to see this truck respond to calls with oak leaves flying off the top. The vacation ranch named the brigade "The Elfin Forest Volunteer Fire Company". This name continued until 1982 when the Fire Department reorganized and became a nonprofit public benefit corporation called "Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove Fire Department Incorporated". The Fire Department is funded by a self-imposed benefit fee and numerous fund raising events. Because of voter approval of the benefit fee, the County Board Of Supervisors formed County Service Area (CSA-107).

In 1978, a riding stable in the park was converted to a fire station and an attached garage built with community volunteer labor and supplies. This station was used until 1991 when the department purchased an 8600 sq. ft building on 2 acres at Elfin Forest Rd and Aquilara Lane - its present site, 20223 Elfin Forest Rd. Renovations in 1995-6 involved a great many hours of fire fighter-volunteer time and were made possible through community donations, tax dollars and a grant from the Community Foundation.  This project transformed the large, one room building into a station that includes a training room, a truck bay and apron fronting on Elfin Forest Road, offices, a kitchen and a community meeting room. 

In 1975, San Diego County established the Volunteer Fire Protection program to provide fire protection to those structures in the rural areas of the county where no adequate protection existed. At this time, the Elfin Forest Volunteer Fire Dept. joined the program and received genuine used fire fighting vehicles and equipment. The county volunteer program was to run for a five year period, after which all areas serviced by the county-supported volunteer departments were either to be incorporated into neighboring fire protection districts or to evolve into County Service Areas or Protection Districts with their own source of funds.

In anticipation of the termination of County support of the volunteer program, the Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove community in May 1982, through a special initiative ballot, created and approved by an 89 percent vote (92% voter turnout unmatched in the County to this day) the creation of a County Service Area, CSA 107, with a corresponding special benefit tax to continue the financial support and operation of the fire department. The department then incorporated as a non-profit corporation known as the Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove Fire Dept., Inc. This is the only private fire department in the County. In 1988, the corporation entered into a formal agreement with the County of San Diego to provide fire suppression within the boundaries of CSA 107. Additionally through mutual aid and automatic aid agreements, the fire department responds to incidents outside CSA 107 and receives help from other fire agencies for incidents within CSA 107.

County Service Area 107 is approximately eleven square miles of mostly state responsibility land covered in chaparral. The area is made up of two communities: Elfin Forest and Harmony Grove. The area has about 250 homes of mostly rural estates, a couple of dairies and egg ranches, plus several nurseries and the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, a wilderness area and site for a proposed  water storage reservoir. The population of the area is about 1,200 people

Your fire department today has evolved from its elementary beginnings into a very active and respected department within San Diego County. The department maintains a 1980 Chevrolet medium rescue vehicle, a 1973 International Type 3 brush rig, a 1976 Dodge four wheel drive Type 4 quick attack engine, a 1977 Ford 2000 gallon water tender, and two recently purchased 1976 Van Pelt 1500 gpm Type1 structure engines.

The department has at all times 20 to 28 active men and woman volunteer firefighters who respond from the station on Elfin Forest Rd. They are fully trained in advanced first aid, fire fighting skills, heavy rescue (trapped in a vehicle or under a fallen structure) and swift water rescue. Nine of our members are trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs), one is a paramedic with a paid department, another is a trained emergency room trauma nurse, and one is a TIPS volunteer trained to give support to those traumatized by tragedy.  The fire department also responds to community service calls.  The department has an active Fire Board of Directors who serve as an interface with the community and administer the funds, and a superb auxiliary.

Today, your Volunteer Fire Department is your first response via Rancho Santa Fe radio dispatch for: any fire situation in homes or other structures, outdoor fire incidents including wildland fires; any medical emergency requiring first aid or medical stabilization and monitoring of the patient/victim until paramedic treatment and/or transportation arrives; any vehicular accidents on or off road; and public assistance where a potential hazard to life and property exists.

The fire department budget for 2000- 2001  is approximately $125,000 of which only $95,000 is provided by benefit fee and contract services. The remaining $30,000 must be raised by our numerous fund raising events such as our building construction program, annual July parade and picnic, private donations, and of course,  our pancake breakfasts. This year the fire department applied for and received 3 grants. 

MEMBERSHIP AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

A new fire fighter begins his or her participation on a probationary status which lasts for 1 year. During this period, the new member must attend at least 75 percent of the department training sessions and must demonstrate an understanding and mastery of basic firefighting and emergency medical skills, concepts and equipment, and show a willingness to donate approximately 20 hours a month of his or her personal time in support of the volunteer fire department and community. To ensure that individual firefighters can operate competently and safely in an emergency situation, several requirements for training are imposed by the State, County, and the department itself. All department members must complete certified courses in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), advanced first aid, a fire academy with the department, another fire department or certified college fire courses.

Regular training sessions are held the first and third Tuesday evening (three hours) and the fourth Saturday (six-seven hours) of each month.  Other specialty courses include swiftwater and other rescue training.

It has been the experience in this community that hundreds of dollars in insurance costs are being saved yearly by every family because of the existence and effectiveness of the fire department. In fact, some rural communities in the County have no fire protection and no fire insurance. Because we do live in a rural area, we are at least 20 minutes from any emergency medical assistance, 10 to 12 minutes from any adjoining fire department response, and 15 to 20 minutes from CDF wildland fire response. This is why it is so important to have an effective fire department in our own community.

We have been fortunate over the years that there have been men and women in this community who, besides paying tax dollars to maintain the department, have come forward to volunteer their time to maintain an active, well trained fire/medical force. As with any volunteer program, the more people involved, the less stress on its members. The fire department is always in need of new volunteers. Our charter allows for 40 members. Won't you take a few minutes to think about this need and, if you are able, come to one of our meetings and investigate joining the department. Each of us who has done so has found it to be a very satisfying, worthwhile endeavor. You are not only providing a much needed service to your neighbors but to your own families as well. For more information, call Chief Frank Twohy at the fire station 744-2186.

10/22/2002 Copyright Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove Town Council. All rights reserved. Web design by Evelyn Alemanni