Two 2004 fire engines are ready to respond at a moments notice to fires, medical aids, vehicle collisions or any emergency posing a threat to the members of the community.

Rumsey Rancheria has a minimum of seven personnel on duty at all times, including: one Battalion Chief, two Captains, two Engineer/paramedics and two Firefighter/paramedics.

The Rumsey Rancheria Fire Department provides the highest quality fire protection by hiring personnel with full California State Fire Marshal certification consistent with their rank. All paramedic personnel are certified through the Sierra-Sacramento Valley Emergency Medical Services Agency.

Fire Prevention

The Rumsey Rancheria Fire Department provides full service fire and life safety response, including response to neighboring areas in the Capay Valley.

Training

A minimum of three hours per day is dedicated to “in-service” training to maintain the skills of the staff.  In addition, the department supports placement of personnel in off-site training to improve the skills of the department.

Classes in 2005 included Swift Water Rescue as well as Low Angle Rescue. Current classes include Fire Management IA, Confined Space Rescue, I-300.

Emergency Response

The Rumsey Rancheria Fire Department provides primary fire and paramedic medical response to the Cache Creek Casino and Resort which is comprised of a 277,521 square foot casino with entertainment auditorium, a 200-room hotel, a Mini-mart and all the associated support facilities necessary to operate the complex.

The department also provides primary response to the Tribal Housing area, consisting of more than two dozen residences, a community center and K-12 school.

The department, through the Automatic Aid Agreement also provides first response fire and paramedic medical response to the entire Capay Valley Fire District and the northern extents of the Esparto Fire District.

State Highway 16 has historically experienced a number of serious traffic collisions, and the Rumsey Rancheria Fire Department provides immediate response under the Automatic Aid Agreement to all of Highway 16, north of the township of Capay.

Responses are conducted on one of two engines. Presently a 2004 Westates Type 1 engine provides primary response to the casino property. A 2004 Placer Fire Apparatus Type III engine responds to all off-casino calls for service.

During the fire season, the department responds to wildland fire incidents in concert with California Department of Forestry and Capay Valley Fire Department throughout the Capay Valley area.

Automatic Aid Agreement

Setting a tone of cooperation for other agencies in Yolo County to follow, the Rumsey Rancheria Fire Department entered into an historic, formal Automatic Aid Agreement with the Capay Valley and Esparto Fire Districts on March 26, 2004.

This agreement set the framework for each department to automatically be dispatched to the other’s calls for service.  By formalizing the Automatic Aid Agreement, the departments improved their levels of service by increasing the number of personnel on calls, while setting into motion common training sessions and standardizing many operations.

Since the adoption of the Automatic Aid Agreement, Rumsey Rancheria has responded to over 50 calls in the Capay Valley and Esparto Fire Districts.