In 1956, the Smith River Fire Protection District was formally incorporated under Fire District Law, Section 14017 of the California Health and Safety Code as the “Smith River Volunteer Fire Department”. Above all else, the District must be successful in these:

1. Protect life, property, and the environment:
The District is bound to maintain a high state of readiness to respond to emergencies ranging from medical assistance to regional disasters. This means that sufficient numbers of well-qualified personnel (see also Objective #3, below), the best possible station facilities, and well-maintained and up-to-date emergency apparatus are of primary importance. It is also equally important that the District integrate with other agencies to be able to function effectively on a regional basis.

2. Bring value to the communities we serve:
The District is bound by a duty to taxpayers to operate in a fiscally sound manner and to get the most value possible out of every tax dollar. In addition, as a rural volunteer-based department, the District is a central part of community life in Smith River, the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation and Hiouchi.

3. Retain active and well qualified volunteers:
It is crucial to the vitality of the District to recruit and retain a roster of fully committed and active volunteers. Because the District does not operate with unlimited funding, it is important to avoid the expense of carrying inactive members on the roster. We recognize the value of the contribution made by the families and employers of volunteers and their importance to the success of the District.

We are ALWAYS looking for volunteers for both emergency and non-emergency roles.