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Children hopped on new and restored fire trucks while nursing juice boxes as firefighters toured visitors around the Woodside Fire Protection District’s newly constructed Station 7 on Saturday, March 22. It was all part of the grand opening of a facility 12 years in the making and to celebrate the district’s 100th birthday.
The station, which is twice as large as the 73-year-old one it replaced at 21,827 square feet, officially opened its doors at 3111 Woodside Road in 2024. The district’s first official tours took place at the March 22 event. There were games for kids, displays from the Woodside History Committee, booths with information on fire safety, and with food and drinks.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening, Fire Chief Tom Cuschieri acknowledged the history of the district. The district formed in 1925 when residents came together so they could provide aid to their neighbors during emergencies. It serves the towns of Woodside and Portola Valley, and the communities of Emerald Hills, Ladera, Los Trancos and Vista Verde, according to the district’s website.
“One hundred years ago, a small group of brave residents came together with a vision to protect this community from the dangers of fire, and to serve as a beacon of hope in times of crisis,” Cuschieri said. “From humble beginnings, our fire department has grown and evolved, adapting to the changing needs of the community we cherish. … Equipped with the latest technology and resources, our new station will enhance our response capabilities and ensure that we are ready to meet any challenge that comes our way.”
Fire Marshal Kimberly Giuliacci said the station is a “reflection of the support we have from the community.” The Arrillaga Foundation donated $10 million to help fund $40.6 million in updates to fire district facilities. Station 7 cost $28.3 million to construct, according to Guiliacci. The fire district itself contributed $15 million. The Woodside-Portola Valley Fire Protection Foundation raised the remaining funds.
New facility features
The Station 7 upgrades include eight apparatus bays for storing firefighting and emergency response vehicles, five more than in the old station. There is also state-of-the-art emergency alerting technology, seismic safety and contamination isolation that provides a safer working environment for firefighters, according to fire district officials.
There are 13 bedrooms, which allow firefighters who live out of the area to have a place to stay while on call and to have more privacy; the old station featured bootcamp style sleeping quarters, according to the district. There is a gym with exercise equipment.
There are parts of the fire station that hark back to the history of the district, including a table with fire district axes built into it by a retired battalion chief.
A library holds books with records of emergency calls the district has received over the years dating back to the 1940s. Notes in the books include descriptions of the events of the day, which firefighters were working and which were on vacation. During one tour on Saturday, firefighters read a report from Oct. 17, 1989, the day of historic Loma Prieta earthquake, along with a day during the COVID-19 pandemic and more.
How the district formed
In 1924, Woodside and Portola Valley residents petitioned the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to create their own fire district, according to the town’s History Committee.
The residents filed articles of incorporation with the county on July 13, 1925.
Stanley Morsehead, Selah Chamberlain Sr., and James Neuman (who owned a general store in Woodside that was staffed with men who also served as volunteer firefighters) were elected as the first commissioners of Woodside Fire Protection District, according to the district website. Antone Davis became the first fire chief in 1926, according to the committee.
Down the road from Station 7, an abandoned barn, turned an ice cream parlor, became the district’s first headquarters. The space is now home to the Firehouse Bistro. There were about 15 volunteer junior firefighters and about 20 adults on call.
Around this time, Neuman offered John Volpiano a job in his store as the clerk, delivery driver and stock boy. However, before he had a chance to begin this new job, Neuman asked him to accept a job as a paid fireman for the newly formed district. Volpiano became the youngest fire chief in California history at the age of 22, going on to serve in the role from 1932 to 1973, according to the committee.
The district now serves about 25,000 people, approximately 6,000 homes and 151 commercial properties across 32 square miles and has 57 fulltime employees. There are three fire stations, along with an administrative office in Portola Valley.
The town’s History Committee is planning an exhibit on the history of the fire district for this summer.
Learn more about the district at woodsidefire.org.
Woodside Fire (portola valley firehouse) should cut all remaining Redwood down due to proximity to siding and roofline. A past chief told my neighbor they were concerned about a 3 foot Redwood touching the fence at my neighbors’ property in the MIDDLE OF AN OAK WOODLAND!
check out google and look at branches above PV firehouse