FD History

Fire Station 4

Station 4 located at 3510 Cranford opened in 1961 and is our oldest fire station along with the busiest single engine company house with the most fire life safety inspections and pre-fire plans.

Station 4 can trace their origin back to the Volunteer Eastside Hose Wagon that was opened on the corner of 9th X Commerce in 1909. Station 4 became a full-time paid station and relocated to 2211 University Ave in 1937.

During the department's strategic planning process in the mid-1950’s, station design for single engine company stations and multi-company stations were designed. Station 4 Architect William Lee Gates design was chosen to design Station 4 and Station 3. The station pictured is the design for Station 4, located at 3510 Cranford and still in service. Station 7 was also modeled after this design in the late 1960's. Station 8 and Station 9 are also based upon this design as well, built in the 1970's.

Fire Station 6

Fire Station No. 6 was constructed in 1955/1956 and opened on May 17, 1956 and was located at 2293 Main Street. The station funding came from 1955 Fire Improvement Bonds. Twenty additional firefighters were hired on May 1, 1956 to support the opening of Station 5 and Station 6.

Two new Pirsch Fire Engines were purchased for the two new stations. Station 6 was constructed due to the post WWII and Korea War housing and commercial growth. Fire Station No. 6 was designed in the Ranch Style with a very low-pitch gable roof and overhanging eaves that emphasize the horizontal form and nearly eclipse the height needed to incorporate tall fire engine bays on the façade. Station 5, which was located at 6693 Streeter, was its sister station built at the same time.

Fire Station No. 6 was relocated in May of 2007 to its current location at 1077 Orange Street as part of Measure G fire bond.

A volunteer fire station did serve the area of Fairmount Park/Springbrook area in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, but the location is unknown.

Station 7 – Arlanza Fire Station

The Arlanza Fire Department was originally built in 1941 by the Army as an integral part of Camp Anza. The neighborhood of Arlanza was formally formed in 1942 when the U.S. Army purchased 1,250 acres of the former Rancho west of Van Buren Blvd on both sides of Arlington Ave.

When Camp Anza was abandoned and subdivided, the station was located at the southwesterly corner of Cypress and Challen Aves and was operated by the Arlanza Fire District. The foundation remains of the original fire station, and today is the Arlanza Community Garden.

Upon annexation to the City of Riverside, the station was incorporated into the City’s fire protection network. The second oldest station in the RFD and still in service to this day, Fire Station #7 was completed on October 1, 1967. Original staffing was an Engine Company, Battalion 2 and a Water Tender.

Timeline:

• 1941 – Arlanza Fire Department created for Camp Arlanza
• 1961 – Arlanza annexed into the City of Riverside Fire Department
• 1962 – Battalion 2 created with the Arlanza Fire Department management staff filling the role of Battalion 2 Chiefs, based out of Station 7
• 1967 – Station 7 moved to 10191 Cypress Ave
• 1972 – Battalion 2 moved to Station 2
• 1985 – Goodhew MED 837 added to Station 7; staffing consisted of Engine 837 and MED 837
• 1987 – New Fire Engine Pierce Arrow 1,500 GPM pumper added to the station
• 1999 – Goodhew MED 837 leaves the station; MED Trans pulls out of all fire stations
• 2000 – Engine 7 increases staffing to 4-0 with Firefighter Paramedic added to the engine
• 2001 – Engine 7 Pierce Arrow replaced with a 2001 KME Short Door Renegade 1,250 GPM Pumper
• 2016 – Brush 12 moved from Station 12 to Station 7 to become Brush 7
• 2019 – Engine 7 KME replaced with 2019 Pierce 1,500 GPM Pumper
• 2019 – Brush 7 moved back to Station 12
• 2021 – CAL-OES Engine 6314 added to Station 7; equipment includes Engine 7, Engine 6314 and Utility 7

Fire Station Saturday for the Month of August – Station 8

Prior to the annexation of the community of La Sierra, Fire Station #8 started out as the La Sierra Volunteer Fire Department in cooperation with the Riverside County/CDF Fire Station. At this time there were no county fire station numbers and this station was referred to as the La Sierra Fire Station.

In 1947 the La Sierra Volunteer Fire Department was organized to assist the County of Riverside in protecting the area against fire losses. A number of men joined together and decided to donate their time and labor to provide volunteer services to the community. Assisting them in their efforts, the La Sierra Chamber of Commerce constructed a room in which to meet and train themselves for this volunteer activity. By various fundraising campaigns such as Christmas tree sales, watermelon sales, carnivals, popular movie films and donations, these men built their own financial budget.

Since the people of La Sierra were desiring additional fire protection and were willing to assist the volunteers in their efforts, the men who so willingly donated their time and labor felt that it was only right that the community’s money was put to use for the protection of the community.

The La Sierra Community Services District supplied a pick-up truck with only the cab and chassis and a pump to the now-growing La Sierra Volunteer Fire Department. The community-minded men, who left their homes and jobs any time of the day and night to answer a call for help, equipped the bare chassis at their own expense.

During 1962 the La Sierra Volunteer Fire Department responded to 149 fires in La Sierra, 49 fire calls outside of La Sierra and 33 resuscitator calls. During this time the La Sierra Fire Station was the busiest fire station in all of Riverside County for fire call volume. Prior to annexation the station had two fire engines, a rescue squad and a water tender.

After annexation into the City of Riverside in 1967 the station equipment was a Fire Engine and Water Tender.

• 1984: Staffing at Station 8 became Engine 8 and MED 8 from Goodhew and the community of La Sierra had dual Paramedic service on MED 8.
• 1998: MED 8 left the station when AMR left the stations and Paramedic service began with Firefighter/Paramedics on the engine and squad companies. Equipment was Engine 8 and Engine 8R.
• 2005: The City of Riverside experienced its first on-duty LODD when Firefighter Ed “T-REX” Teran passed away at a structure fire RIV Incident #05-22702 at 5202 La Sierra Ave.
• 2010: Equipment was OES Engine 255 and Engine 8.
• 2014: Equipment is Engine 8 and OES Engine 369.

RFD Training Tower Memorial

RFD Training Tower Memorial that was dedicated on July 13, 1965.