President's Message

Welcome!

From early childhood, many people are captivated by the image and excitement associated with the job of a fire fighter. It may be the noble cause of helping others, the possibility of danger or even as simple as the large, shiny red, fire apparatus that rumble by. In any event, fire fighters provide crucial public service when it’s needed most.

The goal of this website is to provide a greater depth of understanding as to the role of a modern fire fighter, the men and woman who undertake this profession and the work that we do here at San Diego City Fire Fighters L145 to support our members. While we hope that you’ll find this site to be a good resource, we assure you that there is no replacement for the real experience. We encourage you to stop by your local fire stations, ask questions, look at the equipment up close and, most importantly, meet the people who serve you!

San Diego City fire fighters standing outside rescue helicopter

The Modern Fire Fighter

Historically, fire fighters are relied on to extinguish structure, wildland and other fires but that is no longer their only mission. The modern fire fighter has become an all-hazard responder who is frequently called upon to be the first line of defense to a broad range of emergencies. Fire fighters can be called at a moment’s notice to respond to emergencies across the City, State or Country. Last year, our members deployed to hurricanes in Texas and Florida, responded to wildfires and mudslides in northern California and were called on to administer Hepatitis A vaccines to our City’s homeless population.

We provide paramedic services, vehicle extrication, explosive ordinance disposal, hazardous materials response, confined space rescue, trench rescue, high-angle rope and other technical rescue, airport fire fighting, arson investigation, fire safety inspections and public education. We work collaboratively with SDPD, San Diego Lifeguards and other agencies to provide a comprehensive emergency response to the Citizens of San Diego.

No matter what the call, our fire fighters and paramedics will answer it. We will do what it takes to protect life, property and the environment!

San Diego City Fire Fighters group

Our Membership

Our diverse membership consists of hard working men and women of every race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion and political affiliation. We have all been united by the fundamental desire to help others. Our members live among you and serve every community in San Diego.

When at work, our members work tirelessly to ensure the Citizens of San Diego enjoy the highest level of fire protection, rescue and emergency services available. We normally work 24-hour shifts on a rotating basis however, emergencies and staffing shortages cause us to routinely work shifts of 72 hours in a row or longer.

When off-duty, many of our members can be found coaching youth sports, visiting schools and volunteering throughout the communities.

Looking to the Future

Our role here at Local 145 is to educate and advocate for the resources needed to protect and support our fire fighters. The job of a fire fighter has always been inherently dangerous. Although we have made tremendous improvements to safety practices, training and equipment over the years, we still face many challenges. Cancer, heart disease and post-traumatic stress injury are the latest threats that fire fighters and paramedics experience at disproportionately high rates. We must continue to study, treat and prevent these silent killers.

Locally, we must address a fire fighter recruitment and retention problem. San Diego City Fire Fighters are the only fire fighters in the state without a pension. San Diego City Fire Fighters are the only fire fighters in the State to have no employer, defined death and disability benefit if killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. Additionally, Fire fighters working in San Diego today, take home less pay than they did in 2008. We have become a training ground for other fire departments. Many of those who are hired here, take advantage of the training and experience only then to move on to other fire departments. We must overcome this challenge by pursuing the competitive wages necessary to recruit and retain a talented and diverse workforce.

The goal is to protect those who protect others, so they can focus on providing the highest quality fire, rescue and emergency medical service to San Diego.

Our members responded to over 150,000 emergency responses last year. While it is my hope that you never need the services of our fire fighters and paramedics, statistics suggest that many people will. We are honored to protect the Communities of San Diego and commit to remain diligent in our duties. The men and women of San Diego City Fire Fighters Local 145 will be there for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Thank you for visiting our website and thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,

George Duardo

George Duardo, President
San Diego City Fire Fighters
IAFF Local 145

Read our Mission Statement