The Southern Marin Fire District has been providing marine emergency response to the region for over 40 years. Our water rescue service is a multi-layered program capable of delivering technician level personnel for surf rescue, open water, sub-surface, flood and swift water emergencies. Our rescue swimmers conduct emergency operations on the beaches, bay, and inland waterways throughout Marin averaging one water rescue response every 15 days. Our members have also been deployed as part of the OES Urban Search and Rescue Water Team throughout the state and nation during natural disasters.

The SMFD appreciates an excellent partnership with the Marin County Fire Department, United States Coast Guard, Golden Gate Bridge District, Tiburon Fire District, San Francisco Fire Department and the National Park Service. Buy sharing operational pre-planning, equipment, personnel and training we are able to deliver the highest level of layered emergency services on the waterways.

We utilize a variety of specialized delivery platforms to conduct water rescue operations in the area’s dynamic waters conditions. Our rescue swimmers can be found operating from rescue long boards, jet skis, inflatable rescue boats, helicopters, and our fireboat.

To maximize operational readiness and minimize response times the water rescue equipment is cached in different locations throughout the Southern Marin Fire District. All of our engine companies are equipped with rescue swimmer gear, rescue tubes and rescue long boards.

The jet skis (aka RWC- rescue water craft) are at the ready in two different locations. Two of the RWC’s are strategically stowed on trailers at our headquarters station located at 308 Reed Blvd in Mill Valley. There is a third RWC located on a jet dock at the USCG Motor Life Boat Station Golden Gate.

The district’s inflatable rescue boat is on a trailer located at 333 Johnson Street in Sausalito. The District’s twin jet fireboat is berthed less than 100 yards from the that station and is equipped with rescue swimmer gear, long board and S.C.U.B.A. gear.

The Southern Marin Fire District is committed to preventing water emergencies as much as we are in mitigating them. Public service safety messaging through social media, television news broadcasts and public safety fairs are a regular occurrence.

For information regarding Small Craft Advisories and Beach Hazard Statements check with NOAA and the National Weather Service. The Southern Marin Fire District home page and Facebook sites are another good resource.