Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department History

The Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department grew out of the ashes of fires that burned two cottages to the ground in a single month.

The Bello Beach Fire Department, a private organization, provided fire protection at the time of the 1970 incidents. The volunteer department refused to respond to the blazes because the owners of the burning structures were not members of the Bello Beach group. One outraged Muir Beach resident snatched the keys to the fire engine and drove to the scene of the second fire, but flames had already consumed the structure.

Angry and concerned about potential loss of life and further property damage, Muir Beach residents voted to form their own fire department and elected John Sward, then 27, as the first chief.

The new department bought the Bello Beach fire truck, a 1951 International. "You felt like your rear end was banging on the road," Chief Sward said about the suspension.

The first three volunteers began training at the Tam Valley fire station. As the number of volunteers slowly grew, Chief Sward hired county firefighters to come to Muir Beach to teach the new recruits. The first "turnout gear" – a ragtag collection of coats, pants, helmets and gloves – was acquired from the fire department at the decommissioned Hamilton Field.

Volunteers only trained for structural fires in the department's early years. The county fire department was responsible for grass and wildland fires.

In the late 70s, the department handed over its first truck to Green Gulch and acquired a '49 Studebaker fire engine from Tam Valley as a replacement. This vehicle was later used as a maintenance truck for the utility district and is now retired at Banducci Ranch.

In 1982, MBVFD acquired Engine 680, built to the department's specifications with federal funds provided to the community as payment for loss of property taxes due to the expansion of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It eventually was donated to the Salmon River Fire Department.

Engine 676 Engine 676, the current MBVFD workhorse, is equipped to handle both structural and wildland fires and can pump 350 gallons per minute. The department also utilizes Engine 660, an aging two-wheel-drive "brush truck" that can carry two firefighters and has a 150-gallon tank mounted in the bed.

The first MBVFD firehouse was located at what's now the front parking lot of the Pelican Inn. Calling it a "firehouse" is probably an exaggeration. It was just a long garage at the site of the community's old water well. The fire station was moved in the mid-'70s to its present location at the old Golden Gate Dairy barn. The building, built around 1898, required extensive renovation and in 1972 members of the community pitched in to get it done. National Park Service began stewardship of the site in 1974 and in 2007 the building was designated a historic structure. The building has deteriorated badly since its last renovation and the MBVFD is currently negotiating a Cooperative Agreement with the NPS for continued use. MBVFD will be required to find funding to finance extensive rehabilitation of the building.

An estimated 80 Muir Beach residents have volunteered to serve since the department's inception. About 17 volunteers are members of the department now and put in more than 16 hours training a month – usually much more. Cost to outfit a new volunteer with safety gear is estimated at $3500.

With 150 homes and 500 residents, Muir Beach is one of the smallest communities in the area. Because MBVFD is not a fire district, residents do not pay taxes to support its operation. As a result, the Muir Beach Volunteer Firemen's Association was founded in 1994 to raise money for training, equipment and operations. The annual Memorial Day BBQ, grants, and generous donations from neighboring fire districts and members of the community are the principal sources of funds.

The department's responsibilities have expanded dramatically since its inception. In addition to training for structural fires, the MBVFD volunteers are also trained to respond to wildland fires, medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, biking and hiking accidents, floods, mudslides, earthquakes, even chemical and biological emergencies. The response area includes Muir Beach, Green Gulch Farm, Slide Ranch, Muir Woods National Monument, and Mt. Tamalpais State Park. Many of the incidents involve tourists unfamiliar with twisty Highway One.

The Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department may have been born out of the ashes of fiery destruction, but structural fires have fortunately been infrequent during its history. There have been no fire deaths since the department was organized, and the dedicated volunteer firefighters intend to keep it that way.

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