Published on January 10, 2019

 Menlo Park Fire Protection District – The Fire District expands

Essential Emergency services to East Palo Alto and Menlo Park and welcomes four new Firefighter/Paramedics into the organization

Pictured Above – The Menlo Park Fire Protection District’s new Truck 2 began service to its areas in the communities of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park (Belle Haven and M2) Monday.  From left to right - Firefighter Joe Foster, Engineer/Paramedic Scott Blandford, Engineer Joe Wallace, Captain Scott Hylton, Board President Virginia Kiraly, Vice President Robert Jones, Director Rob Silano, Director Chuck Bernstein, former Director Stephen Nachtsheim, former Director and former Chief Officer Ollie Brown - Credit Fire Photographer Peter Mootz

Pictured Above – From left to right, Truck Two Captain Scott Hylton and Board President Virginia Kiraly christen the new Aerial Ladder Truck with a bottle of champagne - Credit Fire Photographer Peter Mootz

After 12 years of continuous effort, the Menlo Park Fire Protection District held two dedication ceremonies on Monday, January 7, 2019 at its Fire Stations in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park to celebrate the addition and doubling of staffing and response units to create what Fire Chief Schapelhouman categorizes as “an effectively sized and capable fire force, needed to address the explosive growth, continued development and associated traffic congestion and gridlock that has challenged its effectiveness, acceptable response times and ability to serve the greater communities it protects and provides services too”.

The Fire District provides critical fire and essential emergency services to its areas in Atherton, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Unincorporated County Areas and on contract to the SLAC National Accelerator and Laboratories. Created in 1916, the District operates from seven fire stations, using 10 emergency response platforms with a frontline staff of 100 first responders.

The District has worked over the last twelve years to modernize, enlarge and rebuild Fire Station 2 in East Palo Alto, which re-opened in 2016. That paved the way for adding more personnel and Fire Equipment incrementally over the last four years. It also expanded the number of response units and personnel at its Fire Station 77, located in the Belle Haven community of Menlo Park, that also protects and responds to all three of Facebooks main Campuses.

Pictured Above – Engineer Joe Wallace places the traditional brass Fire Bell on Truck 2. The Fire Districts commemorative 100^th Anniversary Bell (1916 – 2016), is steeped in the proud traditions of the fire service, where bells have been used to alert a community of a fire for hundreds of years - Credit Fire Photographer Peter Mootz

Pictured Above – The Menlo Park Fire Protection District’s new Rescue 77 began its service to the areas in the communities of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park (Belle Haven and M2) today. From left to right Rescue 77 Captain Tim Bogner and Board President Virginia Kiraly christen the new Light Rescue unit with champagne - Credit Menlo Fire

Pictured Above – From left to right, New Firefighter/Paramedics Phil Mingus, Dave Magnan, Paul Kaufman and Mike Wegner are all sworn in as permanent members of the Fire District on Monday, after passing a grueling twelve month probation and sixteen week County Fire Academy. Administering the oath of office, Fire Board  President Virginia Kiraly finishes the day (Monday) with two separate apparatus dedication ceremonies at Fire Stations 2 and 77, and then the badging ceremony at Fire Station 1. “It was a busy but great and memorable day for the Fire District, our Firefighters and the Board today”, Chief Schapelhouman said - Credit Fire Photographer Peter Mootz