Like most communities in California during the 1800’s, Lompoc was built almost entirely around wood frame construction. The community realized early on that some sort of organizational structure was needed to cope with the threat of fires in the community. According to Lompoc Record archives, Lompoc’s first all-volunteer fire brigade was formed on August 31, 1875 – nearly 13-years before Lompoc was even incorporated as a city. 

Early records indicate that H.R. Fabing was elected foreman of the fire brigade, making him Lompoc’s first fire chief. Back then, firefighters were summoned to an emergency through the use of a fire bell. The bell would ring and volunteers would rush to the fire house. A brigade of water buckets were then used to extinguish the fire.  In 1893, a shiny new and larger bell was purchased from W.R. Garratt & Company. Today, that same bell is permanently mounted in front of Lompoc Fire Station 51. 

On August 13, 1888, Lompoc was incorporated as a city. Later that year on October 4th, the Board of Trustees of the Town of Lompoc approved Ordinance No. 16, which defined the “fire limits of the Town of Lompoc to protect life and property from fire and fixing the penalty for non-observance thereof.” The only problem was that the original fire brigade was a private organization. Therefore, it was incumbent on the town marshal to enforce the ordinance. Such is common with volunteer fire departments, the brigade experienced years of great support from the community followed by years of inactivity by its members. 

Fire protection services in Lompoc went through three periods of reorganization. It seemed that whenever the community experienced a large fire or loss of property, the local newspaper noted the brigade’s shortcomings and would call for some form of reorganization. 

In 1891, funding was put towards the building of a combined City Hall and fire department. The ground floor served as the fire department and the second floor was utilized as a combination City Hall/meeting area. The two-story brick building was built at 115 South “G” Street and designated Fire Station 1. In 1978, the fire station was rebuilt and still serves as fire headquarters for the Department. In 2019, the fire station was renumbered as Fire Station 51. The apparatus located at the fire station subsequently changed as well to follow the County’s new numbering scheme. 

On May 12, 1916, the residence of A.L. Jacobs was destroyed in a large fire. Once again, the Lompoc Record publicized the brigade’s inability to extinguish the fire and adequately protect property. It was evident to many at the “Jacob’s Fire” that the volunteers were ill-equipped and lacked the training needed to be competent firefighters.  

The editorial blasts by reporter Ronald Adam in the Record were undoubtedly responsible for establishing the official, Lompoc Fire Department.

PAST FIRE CHIEFS

• Victor L. Mohr succeeded Charles Everett and served from 1950 to 1953. Mohr went on to serve as Fire Chief of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. 

• Forrest Pollard served from 1953 to 1961.

• John Baker served from 1961-1970. Baker was a fire captain with City of Downey prior to becoming Lompoc's fire chief. Baker left Lompoc to become fire chief for the City of Vallejo. 

• Don Johnson served from 1971 to 1972. Prior to Lompoc, Johnson was the fire chief for the City of Tracy. Johnson left Lompoc to serve as fire chief for the City of Mesa, Arizona. 

• Doug Spickard served from 1973 to 1976. Prior to Lompoc, Spickard was a division chief with the City of Huntington Beach. Spickard left Lompoc to become fire chief for the City of Garden Grove. 

• John Mulligan served from 1976 to 1978. Mulligan was a firefighter for Lompoc and then left to become the fire marshal for the City of Rancho Cucamonga. Five years later, Mulligan returned to serve as Lompoc's fire chief. Mulligan left Lompoc to become fire chief for Fort Collins, Colorado. 

• Michael Ellison served from 1978 to 1985. Prior to Lompoc, Ellison was a battalion chief with the City of Rialto. Upon leaving Lompoc, Ellison retired from the fire service. 

• Ron Reid served from 1986 to 1993. Reid began his career as a firefighter with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department but transferred to Lompoc shortly after. Reid rose through the ranks and served as acting fire chief on two separate occasions before becoming the Department's first in-house fire chief since Charles Everett. Reid retired from Lompoc with 33-years of service. 

• Ed Casarez served from 1994 to 2002. Like Reid, Casarez rose through the ranks and was appointed to fire chief in 1994. Casarez was the first Hispanic firefighter and fire chief in Lompoc's history. Additionally, Casarez joins Everett as being one of two Lompoc-natives who served as the Department's fire chief. 

• Linual W. White Jr. served from 2002-2010. White was a second-generation firefighter, having been born and raised in the fire service. White spent 25-years service the community of El Centro before accepting a fire chief appointment with Lompoc. 

• Jeffrey R. States served from 2010 to 2012. States was appointed to fire chief in 2010 from within the Department's ranks. States retired from Lompoc with 26-years of service. 

• Kurt Latipow served from 2012 to 2017. Latipow's 40-year fire service career spans across multiple agencies throughout California and Nevada. During Latipow's tenure, seven additional positions were created to include the staffing and implementation of Rescue 51 and the establishment of a fire marshal position. Latipow also placed in service a brand new Type III fire engine. 

• Gerald Kuras served from 2017 to 2020. Kuras retired as a battalion chief in 2011 after more than 36-years of service with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. In 2017, Kuras came out of retirement when he was hired with Lompoc.