About Us
Department Overview
Newberry Springs Fire Department serves the rural High Desert community of Newberry Springs in San Bernardino County, situated between the Interstate 40 and Interstate 15 corridors. Operating from a single fire station, Station 392, the department provides an all hazard response, such as, structure and vegetation fires, medical emergencies, traffic collisions, hazardous conditions, rescues, and a variety of other calls for service across approximately 114 square miles of rural desert terrain. Newberry Springs Fire Department also works closely with neighboring agencies through mutual aid, including Barstow Fire Protection District, San Bernardino County Fire, Yermo/Calico Fire Department, Daggett Fire Department, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow Fire Department, and Fort Irwin Fire Department, providing resources when larger incidents occur.
Who Runs Newberry Springs Fire Department, and How Is It Funded?
One of the most common questions we hear from residents is: “Who is actually in charge of the Fire Department, and who pays for it?” Here’s a plain-language answer.
We are operated by the Newberry Community Services District. Newberry Springs Fire Department is not a department of San Bernardino County or the County Fire Protection District. It is operated by the Newberry Community Services District, an independent local government agency that provides several services within the community, including fire protection, parks and recreation, and street lighting.
The Community Services District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors. Because the Fire Department operates within the Community Services District, the District establishes overall policy, adopts the annual budget, and oversees the General Manager. The Fire Chief is responsible for the Department’s day-to-day operations, including personnel, training, emergency readiness, equipment, and fire and emergency services.
The District’s governing structure allows Newberry Springs to maintain local control over its Fire Department and other community services. The Board of Directors sets priorities and makes decisions through the public budget and meeting process.
Governed locally, serving Newberry Springs. Newberry Springs Fire Department is part of the Newberry Community Services District, but it is not operated as a division of San Bernardino County Fire. The Department provides local fire protection and emergency services to the Newberry Springs community while operating within the District’s available resources.
The Board of Directors provides policy and financial oversight, while the Fire Chief and Department personnel manage daily operations. This structure is similar to the way a city council oversees a city department, except that Newberry Springs’ services are provided through a community services district rather than a city government.
How Newberry Springs Fire is funded. Newberry Springs Fire Department is primarily supported through the Newberry Community Services District’s share of property-tax revenue collected within San Bernardino County. California property taxes are collected countywide and then distributed among local agencies according to state and county allocation formulas. Only a very small portion of the property-tax revenue generated across the county is allocated back to Newberry Community Services District.
That property-tax revenue must support all of the services provided by the Community Services District, including fire protection, parks and recreation, and street lighting. San Bernardino County LAFCO has previously noted that Newberry and similar rural community services districts operate with limited property-tax revenue and that fire protection is one of their largest expenses.
Unlike many fire districts in San Bernardino County, Newberry Springs does not receive funding from the County Fire Protection District’s FP-5 special parcel tax. There is no separate Newberry Springs fire parcel tax included in the FP-5 program. As a result, the Department must provide local fire protection with the District’s limited share of property-tax revenue and other available funding sources.
Additional funding is essential. Because regular property-tax revenue is limited, Newberry Springs Fire Department also relies on grants, donations, fees, and other outside funding opportunities. These funds help pay for apparatus, protective equipment, station improvements, training, communications, and other needs that the Department’s regular operating revenue may not be able to cover.
Grants and donations are especially important for major purchases and capital improvements. They allow the Department to strengthen emergency services without placing the entire cost on the Community Services District’s limited operating budget.
The District’s budgets and financial information provide additional detail about how available funds are allocated among community services.
Community Engagement
Newberry Springs Fire Department believes that serving our community goes well beyond responding to emergencies. Throughout the year, our firefighters take part in many of the events and traditions that bring Newberry Springs together. Each year, we participate in community events such as the 3rd of July Fireworks Celebration, the Newberry Springs Pistachio Festival, local school events, Trunk-or-Treat, community parades, and other activities throughout the High Desert.
During the Christmas season, Newberry Springs Fire Department also works alongside the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and neighboring fire departments through the annual Stars of Hope program, helping provide toys and Christmas gifts to children and families throughout Newberry Springs and surrounding communities. Whether we are attending a community event, visiting with local students, providing fire and life safety information, or simply giving families an opportunity to meet their local firefighters, we believe staying involved and connected is an important part of serving Newberry Springs.