Why is the Sebastopol Fire Department merging with the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District?
Why is the Sebastopol Fire Department merging with the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District?
February 10, 2025
- The City wants to provide better fire protection and emergency response to everyone, but running our own fire department is getting too expensive for the quality residents deserve. The time it takes for firefighters to respond to emergencies is crucial. The merger will reduce response times.
- By teaming up with Gold Ridge, Sebastopol can provide better fire protection while spending less City money.
- However, the merger requires extending Gold Ridge’s existing parcel taxes to Sebastopol. These taxes will total approximately $265 per year for a typical single-family home and could vary based on the number of structures on the property. (See detailed explanation of tax in the How does the Gold Ridge tax work? FAQ) It will raise $1.1 million/year. If we did not merge with Gold Ridge, we would still need to adopt a parcel tax of the same amount – plus spend another $1 million/year in City funds.
- The current fire station – which is 50 years old – needs major upgrades; Gold Ridge to take over responsibility and funding for improvements.
- Gold Ridge has more firefighters and trucks, which means they can respond to emergencies faster and have backup crews ready when needed.
