The Santa Cruz Fire Department began the transition to a new station numbering system on Jan. 6. The department is the first in Santa Cruz County to adopt this two-digit renumbering model.
“We needed to come up with a better way to number our equipment so that we could collect and enhance our data accuracy for response planning and future funding efforts,” said Rob Oatey, Santa Cruz city fire chief.
The renumbered stations are as follows:
Station 60 – Administration
Station 61 – Station 1
Station 62 – Station 2
Station 63 – Station 3
Station 64 – Station 4
Station 67 – Office of Emergency Services
Station 68 – Lifeguard Headquarters
Station 69 – Fire Prevention
Fire engines, specialty units and other firefighting apparatus will now carry the number of their assigned station, so a ladder truck from Station 61 would carry the number 61. Previously, stations had four-digit numbers all ending in the number 12, which became a problem for large incidents that required multiple units on scene.
“This is something that’s done in Santa Clara County, San Mateo County and San Benito County, so we’re sort of unique for having the four-digit structure prior,” said Oatey.
Other fire departments throughout the county are expected to transition as well, with the Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County – which serves Live Oak, Capitola, Soquel, Aptos, Rio Del Mar and La Selva Beach – planning to switch to new numbers later in the year, Oatey said.
He acknowledged the confusion this change could cause for the broader Santa Cruz community and emphasized that the change is needed to improve communication in emergencies.
“The change is primarily for safety, and also a way for us to become more efficient on scene and be better coordinated throughout our region,” said Oatey.
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