The Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District, also known as the Santa Clara County Fire Department, is a special district. It provides firefighting and emergency medical services in much of unincorporated Santa Clara County. Its service area includes Cupertino, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, parts of Saratoga, and, starting July 1, 2025, areas previously served by the South Santa Clara County Fire District. These areas include San Martin and unincorporated regions near Morgan Hill and Gilroy. The district also serves Campbell, Los Altos, and other areas through service contracts.
The Central Fire Protection District is not part of the Santa Clara County government. It operates as a separate legal entity. Its staff are not county employees. The district is mainly funded by property taxes and service contracts. It does not receive money from the County General Fund or other county sources.
The County Board of Supervisors oversees the district and acts as its board of directors. The Board approves the district’s budget. The fire chief is appointed by the Board and reports to County Executive James R. Williams. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the district’s budget is $184.2 million. About 70% of its revenue comes from local property taxes…