Southern Marin Fire Protection District is an independent special district established by the Marin County Board of Supervisors in July of 1999. The District was formed by the merger of the Alto-Richardson Fire Protection District and the Tamalpais Fire Protection District. 

On June 26, 2012  the City of Sausalito Fire Department was annexed into the Fire District. In October of 2010 the District signed a contract with the National Park Service to provide services to the Marin Headlands and Fort Baker areas of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  

The Fire District serves the communities of Tamalpais Valley, Almonte, Homestead Valley, Alto, Strawberry, approximately 1/4 of the town of Tiburon, the City of Sausalito, Fort Baker and the Marin Headlands.  The District covers 20.5 square miles, a population of approximately 26,175 and over 14,100 homes and commercial properties.

The District has 54 full time employees including a Fire Chief, a Deputy Fire Chief, 2 Battalion Chiefs, a Deputy Fire Marshal, a Fire Inspector, 9 captains, 36 firefighters/engineers (15 of whom are also paramedics), and 3 administrative staff.  The District shares Battalion Chiefs with the City of Mill Valley.  This results in a total of 4 Battalion Chiefs between both agencies.