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History
In the early days, Ramona, as many other small communities, had no fire protection other than unorganized help from neighbors. About 1924, John Barger, who owned what is now Ransom Brothers Lumber, donated a wheeled soda acid fire extinguished that he kept at the lumber yard. Using a large steel railroad engine tire, volunteer firefighters would strike the wheel with a sledge hammer to sound an alarm for fires. The old engine tire was replaced by a
siren until World War 2 when the siren was reserved for air raid duty. By 1927, Mr. Barger had donated a used truck with a 50 gallon water tank mounted on top. Air pressure from the local service station was applied to furnish a water stream. A fire at the Kay Darling ranch was successfully extinguished with this apparatus. After the war the siren's deep ringing tone was heard during the historic Kenilworth Inn fire in 1943. The building was completely destroyed.
Between 1927 and 1934, the first fire station was built to house two fire engines on land donated by Frank Creelman on Seventh Street. Mr. L.P. Coddington took over the fire alarm duties for the fire department, answering all alarms on his private phone, then activating the siren.
By 1945 the fire dept had raised $300 dollars and purchased materials to build the 9th street fire station pictured above. The Ramona Fire Protection District took shape in 1946, covering over 22 square miles. With the construction of the 9th street station on land donated by Mrs. Morretti of Santa Isabel, a home for the fire department was established by 1952 and was occupied until the early 1990's.
Early records of 1952 show that the Ramona volunteer firefighters responded to 32 calls for the year. Today, the downtown fire Station 80 responds to over 1800 a year. In 1978, the San Diego Country Estates became a part of the RFPD and a new Fire Station was added. Since that time the District has grown to over 74 square miles and 3 fire stations. The enactment of Proposition 13 brought about financial trouble for the RFPD. In 1981, the Ramona Municipal Water District offered assistance, and the the Ramona Fire Department was formed.
Finally in July of 1993, a cooperative agreement between the RMWD and the California Department of Forestry and Fire which allowed for employees of the CDF to staff RMWD fire equipment. The department now has over 34 paid firefighters, paramedics, and staff working between the 3 fire stations.