Woodside Fire

What Woodside Fire does

Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD) is an independent California special district established in 1925, providing all-hazards fire protection and emergency services to approximately 25,000 residents across 32 square miles of San Mateo County, including the Towns of Woodside and Portola Valley and unincorporated areas (Emerald Hills, Ladera, Los Trancos, Skyline, Vista Verde). The district is governed by a three-member elected Board of Directors and funded primarily through property taxes and special assessments, with additional fee-based revenue from fire prevention permits, plan reviews, and operational permits.

WFPD operates three fire stations staffed by 57 full-time personnel organized into three shifts of 15, delivering integrated paramedic engine company response, advanced life support (ALS) emergency medical services, technical rescue, wildland firefighting, and fire prevention/inspection services. The district holds an ISO rating of 2/2X and responds to approximately 2,200 incidents annually. Its service portfolio is organized into four divisions: Emergency Response (suppression, EMS, rescue), the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Life Safety (code enforcement, plan review, permitting, WUI oversight), Fuel Mitigation (vegetation management, chipper program, fuel breaks, Skyline grant work), and Community Risk Reduction (public education, EPiC nonprofit, WPV-Ready, WPV-CERT).

The district's commercial and technology footprint includes the Accela Citizen Access Portal (launched March 2025) for digital permitting, Genasys Protect (Zonehaven) and SMC Alert for evacuation notifications, PulsePoint for CPR response, and integration with Watch Duty, ALERTCalifornia, Alert Wildfire, FireDispatch.com, and PG&E Outage Center. The revenue model blends recurring tax/assessment funding with transactional permit and inspection fees. ALS transport was discontinued in December 2023 and is now provided by AMR under county contract. As a public agency, WFPD is not an investable entity; it has no parent company, subsidiaries, or funding rounds.

Name

Woodside Fire

Legal name

Woodside Fire Protection District

Website

https://woodsidefire.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Woodside Fire Protection District is a California special district providing fire suppression, ALS emergency medical services, technical rescue, wildland firefighting, and fire prevention to 25,000 residents across 32 square miles in San Mateo County. Operates three fire stations with 57 FTEs funded by property taxes and fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Fire Protection and Emergency Services

NAICS

Fire Protection (922160), Fire Protection (92216)

akta.pro primary industry

Fire Prevention, Inspection & Code Enforcement (Life Safety) (BPAIAGAL)

Keywords

• Fire protection services
• Emergency medical services
• Fire prevention inspections
• Wildfire preparedness
• Vegetation management

Headquarters

HQ city

Redwood City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Woodside Fire Protection District is an independent special district established in 1925, funded primarily through property taxes from residents within district boundaries.
2. Fire Prevention Fees and Permits: Fee-based services including construction permits, plan reviews, operational permits, inspection fees, and fire safety disclosure inspections for property sales.
3. Special Assessments: Special district assessments for fire protection services levied on properties within the district.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Woodside Fire Protection District provides all-hazards fire suppression, advanced life support emergency medical services, technical rescue, and wildland firefighting to roughly 25,000 residents across 32 square miles in San Mateo County. It also delivers fire prevention code enforcement (plan reviews, construction permits, inspections), vegetation management and defensible-space programs, and community emergency preparedness education.

Product overview

Woodside Fire Protection District is an independent special district established in 1925, providing comprehensive fire protection and emergency services to approximately 25,000 residents across 32 square miles in San Mateo County, California. The district operates through multiple divisions including Emergency Response (fire suppression, EMS with 23 paramedics, technical rescue), the Bureau of Fire Prevention and Life Safety (code enforcement, plan reviews, inspections), Fuel Mitigation Division (vegetation management, chipper programs, fuel breaks), and Community Risk Reduction (public education, EPiC nonprofit, WPV-Ready and WPV-CERT programs). Key digital services include the Accela Citizen Access Portal for permitting, Genasys Protect (Zonehaven) for evacuation notifications, and various emergency alert systems. The district serves Woodside, Portola Valley, Emerald Hills, Ladera, Los Trancos, Skyline, and Vista Verde communities with a staff of 57 full-time employees operating from three fire stations, responding to approximately 2,200 incidents annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EPiC (Emergency Preparedness in Communities): District-wide 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation focused on emergency preparedness, funded by WFPD, Town of Woodside, Town of Portola Valley, and supplemented by grants and private fundraising.

Products and services

• Emergency Response Services
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Fire Prevention and Life Safety Bureau Services
• Fuel Mitigation Division Services
• Defensible Space and Vegetation Management Inspections
• Community Risk Reduction / Preparedness Education
• EPiC (Emergency Preparedness in Communities)
• Accela Citizen Access Portal
• Firewise USA Communities Program
• WPV-Ready Community Preparedness Program
• WPV-CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)

Quantifiable outcome

• Responds to approximately 2,200 incidents per year with daily staffing of 15 personnel across 3 stations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• CAL FIREmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2026CAL FIRE is participating in WFPD's first-ever full-scale Community Evacuation Exercise in Portola Valley scheduled for September 11, 2026, along with San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, Redwood City Fire, Menlo Park Fire, PG&E, Cal Water, and Town of Portola Valley.
• San Mateo County Sheriff's OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2026Partner in community evacuation exercise and emergency response coordination with WFPD.
• Redwood City FiremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2026Partner in community evacuation exercise and automatic/mutual aid agreements.
• Menlo Park Fire Protection DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2026Partner in community evacuation exercise and automatic/mutual aid agreements.
• American Medical Response (AMR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023AMR is the San Mateo County 911 ambulance contractor. Woodside Fire previously operated Medic 107 with 2 paramedics 24/7, 365 days per year providing ALS transport. In December 2023, WFPD changed staffing model and reallocated Medic 107 personnel. AMR continues to provide transport services to the district.
• EPiC (Emergency Preparedness in Communities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPiC is a district-wide 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation funded by Woodside Fire Protection District, Town of Woodside, Town of Portola Valley, and supplemented by grants and private fundraising. It is overseen by a Board of Directors made up of residents, town managers, retired and current fire chiefs. Selena Brown, WFPD Public Education Officer and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, serves as EPiC's Vice-President. Programs include WPV-Ready and WPV-CERT.
• Genasys (Zonehaven)coreTechnology or IntegrationGenasys Protect evacuation zone mapping system that helps bridge the gap between first responders and community members. Residents can find their evacuation zone and download the app for notifications. Evacuation notifications pushed via SMC Alert.
• Watch DutymajorTechnology or IntegrationFree nonprofit app providing real-time, verified wildfire and evacuation alerts vetted by active and retired firefighters, dispatchers, and first responders monitoring radio traffic around the clock.
• San Mateo County EMScoreTechnology or IntegrationSan Mateo County EMS provides operational guidelines through county protocols. WFPD participates with other fire agencies in the county. EMS care managed through standard operating procedures, standing orders, and in-service training.
• San Mateo County Fire DispatchcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCounty-wide fire dispatch service handling 911 calls and coordinating emergency response for WFPD and other San Mateo County fire agencies.
• PG&EmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Gas and Electric partner for Public Safety Power Shutoff coordination and outage information. Partner in community evacuation exercises.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Redwood City Fire Department: Municipal fire department serving Redwood City and the Emerald Hills area (which is also served by WFPD). Direct mutual aid partner with automatic response agreements and shared San Mateo County dispatch infrastructure.
• San Mateo County Fire: County-wide fire service that coordinates dispatch and emergency response across San Mateo County agencies including WFPD. Provides operational coordination, EMS protocols, and shared dispatch infrastructure.
• Los Altos Hills County Fire District: Independent special fire protection district serving the similarly affluent WUI community of Los Altos Hills. Comparable property-tax-funded model serving a small, high-property-value area with high WUI wildfire exposure.
• Menlo Park Fire Protection District: Neighboring independent special district providing fire and EMS services to Menlo Park and surrounding areas. Operates a similar special-district governance model with property tax funding, mutual aid agreements with WFPD, and comparable suburban/WUI service territory.

Regional players

• Central Fire Authority: California special district providing fire and EMS services in Santa Cruz County, operating under a similar Joint Powers Authority model with comparable WUI risk profile and service-mix emphasis on wildland fire response.

Broad incumbents

• CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection): State-level wildland firefighting agency that participates in evacuation exercises with WFPD and provides automatic aid. Operates at much larger scale across California with primary responsibility for wildland fire response in State Responsibility Areas.
• Alameda County Fire Department: Larger Bay Area fire agency that provides mutual aid and shares EMS protocols with San Mateo County agencies. Comparable all-hazards service delivery model with ALS-capable paramedic engine companies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/woodsidefire_CA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Woodside-Fire-Protection-District-1024933300905948
• Instagraminstagram.com/woodsidefireprotectiondistrict

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woodside Fire