Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – The fire station that serves Stinson Beach and surrounding rural areas along Marin County’s Pacific Coast was built 77 years ago. The County of Marin has committed $600,000 toward the estimated $14.7 million to modernize one of the county’s oldest public safety buildings and one of West Marin’s most important epicenters for first responders.
The Marin County Board of Supervisors on August 18 authorized County Executive Derek Johnson to complete an agreement with the Stinson Beach Fire Protection District on the $500,000 contribution, which is added onto a $100,000 County commitment from 2023. The new half-million is evenly split between the County’s West Marin Infrastructure Fund and proceeds from the regional Measure W Transient Occupancy Tax.
The firehouse, originally a converted garage built in 1949, is not up to seismic standards nor meets the needs of a modern emergency response facility. Yet it remains a critical location for medical transport and ambulance services for the geographically isolated coastal population and visitors that can number tens of thousands on a busy summer weekend. The facility no longer adequately supports modern fire and emergency medical operations and lacks space for training, daily operations, community meetings, and patient care.
Stinson Beach Fire Protection District staff respond to structure and wildland fires, medical emergencies, vehicle collisions, natural disasters, and other public safety incidents, while also providing mutual aid support throughout coastal Marin. Stinson Beach and nearby areas are visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year.
The Stinson Beach Fire Protection District had already secured $14.2 million in pledges and donations toward the project. The allocation approved August 18 will close the funding gap to start Phase 1 of construction.