Operations
Operations Division
The City serves 19.4 square miles which includes rural areas Northeast of the City center just across the I-5 and Southwest just past the Avenal State Prison. Historically, the city has been provided with fire protection as part of a service agreement with the Kings County Fire Department, but in 2025, the City of Avenal Fire Department was formed through City Ordinance. In March of 2026, the council hired the City’s first fire chief, with the responsibility of building a full functional municipal fire department to serve the community of Avenal. Since that time the City has hired (8) full-time paid professional fire positions, added (6) intern and (8) reserve firefighters that staff one Type I engine each day.
In total the department hosts two type I engines, one water tender, one patrol, a rapid intervention vehicle (RIV), and an aerial apparatus, along with one Assistant chief. Total daily staffing will range from 3-6 firefighters per day year round, serving one urban and one rural planning zone, from a strategically placed fire station, with one first out engine and/or an additionally staffed type VI. Firefighters work a 48/96 schedule assigned to one of three shifts A, B, or C.
The Operations Division is the frontline of the Avenal Fire Department, providing 24-hour emergency response to protect the lives, property, and environment of our community. Staffed by highly trained firefighters and company officers, the division responds to emergencies with professionalism, urgency, and a commitment to operational excellence.
Our personnel are prepared to respond to a wide range of emergencies, including structure fires, wildland fires, emergency medical incidents, traffic collisions, hazardous materials incidents, technical rescues, public service calls, and natural disasters. Every response is guided by sound risk management principles, strong leadership, and a focus on firefighter and public safety.
The Operations Division is responsible for:
- Structure fire suppression
- Wildland fire suppression and vegetation fire response
- Emergency medical response
- Vehicle extrication and traffic collision response
- Hazardous materials initial response
- Technical rescue operations
- Public assistance and service calls
- Firefighter rescue and rapid intervention
- Incident command and emergency scene management
- Mutual aid and regional emergency response
- Disaster response and recovery operations
- Community emergency preparedness support
- Daily apparatus readiness and equipment maintenance
- Operational planning and deployment
- Continuous operational training and performance improvement
Operating from one fire station, the Operations Division is committed to delivering a rapid, coordinated, and effective response whenever our community calls for help. Whether responding to a medical emergency, mitigating a hazardous incident, or protecting homes and businesses from fire, our firefighters stand ready to serve with courage, integrity, and compassion.
Fire Season Staffing
During the peak of California's fire season, the Avenal Fire Department increases daily staffing with six Limited-Term firefighters, allowing us to place an additional fire engine in service every day. This seasonal upstaffing will be in effect from August through November.
What this looks like:
✅ Minimum daily staffing increases from 2 to 4 firefighters
✅ Two fire apparatus will be staffed every day at a minimum
✅ Our Intern and Reserve Firefighter/EMT programs will continue to supplement staffing, often allowing us to:
• Increase staffing on both engines for more effective emergency operations, or
• Staff a third apparatus to improve our ability to handle multiple incidents simultaneously.
This seasonal up-staffing strengthens our response capabilities, improves firefighter safety, enhances our readiness for wildland fires, and ensures we can continue providing exceptional service to the City of Avenal throughout the busiest and highest-risk months of the year.
The Avenal Fire Department is committed to building a modern, data-informed emergency response system that continuously evaluates performance, embraces innovation, and strives to improve outcomes for both our firefighters and the community we proudly serve.