1921 REO Speedwagon
The History of Shasta Lake Fire District
The Central Valley Fire Protection District was first formed in 1939 as the Central Valley Fire Department, a volunteer fire department, their first meetings were held in Bargers Café until its removal in late 1939 to make way for the railroad when it was rerouted through Central Valley, after which they stored the apparatus in a garage behind Louie’s Barbershop on Shasta Dam Blvd.. The Garage and the property it stood on were donated to the Fire Department by Charlie House.
The first fire fighting equipment owned by the Fire Department was a trailer towed soda and acid extinguisher that they called “Little Squirt”. Next the members built a fire engine out of a flat bed truck donated by Pacific Constructors (the contractor building Shasta Dam), a tank donated by the shell oil company and a front mounted pump that they were able to acquire.
The Shasta Lake Fire Protection District is the result of a merger in 1994 of the former Central Valley Fire Protection District and the former Summit City Fire Protection District.
Central Valley
9-11 Memorial
On September 10, 1940 the fire department was abolished and the Fire Protection District was formed to take advantage of the recently enacted special districts law. This allowed the Central Valley Fire Protection District to establish a good source of funding through its ability to establish a tax rate for fire protection within the district. The Central Valley Fire Protection District Board of Commissioners consisted of three members from the time of formation until the late 1970’s when two more members were added.
At this time there were no paid employees, the Fire Chief was elected by the volunteers and approved by the Board of Commissioners. August Hamel, and then Eddie Farmer were the first two Fire Chiefs of the volunteer fire department, with Art Hammonds being appointed to the post after the formation of the Fire Protection District.
At this time there were no paid employees, the Fire Chief was elected by the volunteers and approved by the Board of Commissioners. August Hamel, and then Eddie Farmer were the first two Fire Chiefs of the volunteer fire department, with Art Hammonds being appointed to the post after the formation of the Fire Protection District.