2023 In Review & Looking Ahead

Before we close out the first quarter of 2024, Montecito Fire Protection District is pleased to share our 2023 Annual Report to reflect on our successes, challenges, and opportunities to further provide the Montecito community with exceptional service. 

“This report serves as a comprehensive overview of our department’s achievements and ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community,” Montecito Fire Chief David Neels said. 

In 2023, Montecito Fire Department responded to 1,738 calls for service. This was an increase of more than 200 calls from the year prior. 

Montecito Fire Department houses the South Coast Dispatch center which receives and tracks calls for both our department and Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District. In 2023, our personnel effectively dispatched and tracked resources for a total of 4,067 incidents for both agencies. 

“Our personnel pride themselves on delivering high-quality 911 response to emergencies and other calls for service. This is accomplished through a multifaceted approach of effective dispatch, a robust and skilled response force, paramedics who offer a high level of care to patients, and a well-maintained fleet of apparatus and support vehicles,” said Chief Neels.

Operations Report Recap

2023 began with a series of significant storms in January and March that caused extreme saturation of our mountains and foothills, creating serious risk for flooding and the movement of sediment and rock from our hillsides. The significant weather required the evacuation of multiple areas on the South Coast and portions of our community near creeks and water conveyance systems were asked to leave. Our firefighters responded to issues throughout the district including many downed trees and electrical lines, roadway flooding, and minor slides.

Ahead of the 2023/2024 rain season, we transitioned from providing plastic bags to burlap bags at our sandbag filling station at Lower Manning Park. This environmentally conscious change was made possible through a partnership between the fire department and local nonprofit organization Heal the Ocean. 

Firefighters responded to many emergency incidents along the Highway 101 corridor in 2023 including a fatal traffic collision near the Olive Mill offramp on August 13 and a tour bus fire on September 16 near the Sheffield Drive exit. We are thankful for the strong partnerships and collaboration we share with Carpinteria-Summerland Fire, Santa Barbara City Fire, AMR, CHP, and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office when responding to incidents on Highway 101.

The ongoing Highway 101 construction led to a change in Montecito Fire’s service last summer. We placed a Type 6 engine into service on the southern end of our jurisdiction from mid-June to mid-August while the San Ysidro overcrossing was closed, and ancillary construction projects posed delays to our emergency response capabilities. Engine 691, as well as a temporary housing unit for the two firefighters staffing the engine, were stationed on Hill Road near the Biltmore property. We are greatly appreciative of Ty Warner for facilitating the opportunity to station this engine in an area of our community that was a challenge to access due to ongoing construction. Engine 691 responded to more than 50 calls for service during its period of service ensuring timely response to our community even during times of roadway impacts.

Fire Prevention Wrap-Up

Our Prevention Bureau made exceptional strides in reducing our wildfire risk and ensuring firesafe building development throughout our community in 2023. A total of 215 properties participated in our 14th annual Neighborhood Chipping Program, resulting in 136 tons of excess vegetation being cut down, chipped and hauled away. An additional 89 residences will be added to the project area this year. 

We partnered with the Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council to organize grazing of 30 acres with sheep within the open spaces of Ennisbrook, San Ysidro, and East Mountain Drive. This was a collaborative project with the Land Trust of Santa Barbara County, Montecito Trails Foundation, UCSB, and the Santa Barbara Regional Wildfire Mitigation Program. We have an additional 100 acres planned for grazing in 2024. 

Our Fire Family

2023 was a significant year for the Montecito Fire Family. Chief Kevin Taylor retired on March 31 after 35 years dedicated to the fire service, the last eight of which were with Montecito Fire Department. David Neels, formerly Montecito Fire Division Chief of Operations, was appointed Fire Chief on April 1, bringing more than 25 years of local firefighting experience to the position. 

We also celebrated the promotions and appointments of six of our members. At a promotional ceremony in April, we recognized three newly appointed engineers, a captain, a battalion chief, and our Division Chief of Operations. We also honored the exceptional actions of Fire Mechanic Jess Moran who repaired critical emergency generator infrastructure following the damaging January storms.

Culminating in Community

The year was enriched by many opportunities to engage with our community, from hosting a Wildfire Preparedness Community Meeting to visiting schools for Fire Prevention Week and welcoming people into Station 91 for our Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast. 

When our existing AEDs needed to be replaced to meet new requirements for first responders, yet still had several years of service life yet, we looked for a way to repurpose them for the community’s benefit. The result was the launch of our Public Access Automatic External Defibrillator Program. We engaged with local businesses, fitness centers, schools and community gathering places to identify locations that could benefit from having these AEDs. Having AEDs reliably located throughout our community vastly increases our chances of being able to save a life. 

“As we move into 2024, our focus remains on continuous improvement and service delivery to our community,” Chief Neels said. “We will explore innovative technologies in the response to fire and emergency medical services, enhance community partnerships in emergency preparedness, and reinforce our commitment to professional development. Moreover, we will actively seek feedback from the community to better understand their evolving needs and expectations. It is through collaboration and shared responsibility that we can create a safer, more resilient Montecito.”

To learn more about your fire department, we encourage you to review our 2023 Annual Report by scanning the QR code or visiting montecitofire.com.