County Station 27

41 Newsome Street
New Cuyama, California 93254
661-766-2469

Station 27 provides Fire and Paramedic services for the Cuyama Valley, town of New Cuyama and surrounding areas. Station 27’s Northern boundary extends to portions of San Louis Obispo County and the Caliente Mountains, in the South to the Sierra Madre, West on Highway 166 to the Rockfront Ranch and East to Highway 33.

Staffing

Station 27 is staffed by one Captain, one Engineer, one Firefighter/Paramedic, and one Firefighter.

History

The Final Frontier. Station 27 is unique in many ways. This station sits in the middle of vast ranch lands and oil fields in the tiny town of New Cuyama. The only way in or out of this picturesque area is via State Highway 166 which meanders between the Santa Maria Valley and the California Central Valley. Time seems to stand still here. In the summer, thunderstorms roll through, while in the winter, below freezing temperatures and even snowfall is not uncommon.

Highway 166 is the main artery from the Pacific Ocean to Bakersfield, and high-speed vehicle accidents are frequent along the road, as are vegetation fires. Because of their station’s isolation, the crew of 27s, know that the next-in engine will take some time to reach them. Medical calls to this area also generate a helicopter response to help expedite the patients reaching a hospital.

Back in 1948, Fire Warden Jack Anderson was approved to employ two men as a part-time patrol. The patrolmen were stationed in New Cuyama in their temporary quarters, a small quonset hut. During a flurry of fire station construction that took place throughout the County in the 1950’s the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors agreed to provide fire protection for Cuyama at the request of the Richfield Oil Corporation. Richfield Oil Corporation was to provide the land, fire station and to have two dwelling units built on the property. (These dwelling units were inhabited by married personnel, whose wives would work at the stations as dispatchers for their respective districts. This arrangement was typical of the period and most of the houses are still standing at Stations 11, 13, 24, 31, 27 and 34, where today they serve as offices or residences.) In February of that year, plans were approved and construction began. Construction was completed in the spring of 1952 and on May 19th of 1952, the County purchased the land and dwellings which Richfield had built for $45,000.