The City of Palo Alto Fire Department provides services to a resident population of 75,000. The large number of high-technology businesses and the Stanford University campus increase the daytime population to over 125,000 persons. Service areas for the Fire Department include the Stanford University campus, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), and unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County.
The Department's response area covers nearly 50 square miles, from Skyline Boulevard in the Palo Alto foothills to the Palo Alto Baylands, and includes major freeways, an airport, major hospitals and medical centers, a large industrial and research park, a major university, high-rise buildings, a large wildland and urban interface, and the southern portion of the San Francisco Bay.
The Palo Alto Fire Department responds to approximately 6,700 incidents annually, more than half of which are calls for medical response. For more details, refer to the Fire Audit Report.
Mission Statement The Palo Alto Fire Department is dedicated to protect life, property and the environment from the perils of fire, hazardous materials, and other disasters; through rapid emergency response, proactive code enforcement, modern fire prevention methods, and progressive public safety education for the benefit of the community.
Palo Alto Fire Department Core Values "The core values of the department guide the manner in which the organization conducts its business. The pursuit of these values focus the workforce in the direction of leadership, professionalism, and excellence." --Fire Chief Ruben Grijalva
We Are Customer-Oriented
Our decisions and actions are responsive to the customer's needs.
We exist to serve the community.
We foster a participatory manner of doing business where the opinions and input of diverse stakeholders are sought and considered early in the decision-making process.
Programs and solutions to major issues are developed in a proactive way with our customers and stakeholders.
People Are Our Most Important Resource
We value the needs of individuals.
We celebrate and honor our diversity, recognizing that our individual differences enrich the whole organization.
We are committed to improving the knowledge, skills, and abilities of our employees by providing opportunities for professional development and achievement.
We are committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all our employees.
We value the richness, experience, and imaginative ideas contributed by a diverse workforce.
We share credit with all contributors.
We value listening as an essential tool in learning from others.
Employees are forthright in sharing their experiences so that we can learn from each other.
Creativity and Innovation are Valued
We are committed to a flexible operating environment that facilitates the pursuit of new technologies, processes, programmatic approaches, and ideas that challenge the status quo.
We seek out, nurture, and reward innovation in daily activities, ranging from the routine to the complex.
Employees are empowered to pursue creative solutions.
Resourcefulness, efficiency, and effectiveness are recognized and rewarded.
Adaptable, entrepreneurial approaches that can respond quickly to the rapidly changing business and political environment are essential.
We are Committed to Excellence
Quality and continuous improvement are essential to our success.
We are committed to excellence in everything we do.
Through dedication, a strong work ethic, and professional excellence, we are committed to enhancing the community's access to high quality emergency services.
Palo Alto Fire Department Works as a Team and Advocates Teamwork
We reinforce the notion of a common or greater departmental good and encourage interdepartmental teamwork to achieve this goal.
We value teamwork, participation, and pursuit of win/win solutions as essential elements of our operating style.
We work as a team with other city departments, government organizations, and external stakeholders in pursuing broader citywide goals.
We recognize the needs of others for information and communicate knowledge and information in an open and candid manner.
We respect authority and are constructive in our criticisms.
We Respect the Environment
We recognize our leadership role and responsibility to improve the quality of the environment for future generations.
We recognize the importance of the environmental impacts of certain emergency operations and develop and employ processes and technologies to reduce or eliminate waste production and pollution in these operations.
Leadership Empowerment, and Accountability Are Essential
We are visionaries in our everyday activities.
Leaders trust and support responsible individuals to make informed decisions about the processes for which they are accountable.
We are effective stewards of the taxpayer's interest.
Our actions are result-oriented.
We Pursue the Highest Standards of Ethical Behavior
We maintain a personal commitment to professionalism and integrity.
We treat ourselves and others with dignity and respect.
We assure conformance with applicable laws, regulations, and responsible business practices.
We keep our commitments.
We are objective and fair.
FIRE STATIONS The Fire Department staffs seven full time stations located strategically throughout the City. To provide coverage in the sparsely developed hillside areas, an additional fire station in the foothills is operated during summer months when fire danger is high. Fire protection services for the Stanford University campus and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) have been provided by the Palo Alto Fire Department on a contract basis since 1976.
The Fire Department facilities are located as follows:
Fire Administration 250 Hamilton Avenue, City Hall
Fire Station 1 301 Alma Street
Fire Station 2 2675 Hanover
Fire Station 3 799 Embarcadero Road
Fire Station 4 3600 Middlefield Road
Fire Station 5 600 Arastradero Road
Fire Station 6 711 Serra Street, Stanford
Fire Station 7 2575 San Hill Road, Menlo Park
Fire Station 8 Foothills Park
Insurance Rating The current Insurance Service Organization rating for the City of Palo Alto is ISO Class 2.
FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION The Fire Department has 122 personnel organized in four areas:
