In early Nov. 2024, the Town of San Anselmo began preparation for the renovation of Fire Station 20 on Butterfield Road. The renovation, which the San Anselmo Town Council authorized Oct. 22, 2024 after a unanimous vote, aims to support additional personnel to combat local emergencies with the upcoming closure of Station 18 in Ross. Renovations include several improvements to the amenities within the station, as well as an expansion of space for additional personnel.
Prior to 1982, Fairfax, San Anselmo, and Ross each had their own stations and fire departments, while Station 20 remained unaffiliated with a specific fire district. After Fairfax and San Anselmo joined together to create the Ross Valley Fire Department in 1982, Station 18 joined as a subsidiary in 2010, and now Station 20 is affiliated as well.
Thomas Finn, one of the Directors of the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District, believes this renovation is vital to the community.
“Sleepy Hollow desperately relies on this station, and that’s why we’re willing to contribute funding to its renovation, which we believe will be a prolonged useful life of the station generations,” Finn said.
To fund the Fire Station 20 renovations, the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection Authority allocated 1.5 million dollars, and the Town of San Anselmo used 1.65 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as well as the town building maintenance fund. On March 11, 2021, 60 percent of funding from the ARPA was enacted, for a combined 3.168 million dollars. The ARPA funds originated when former President Joe Biden signed a 1.9 trillion dollar economic stimulus package into law, designed to help the U.S. recover from the economic and public health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Archie Williams junior and Sleepy Hollow resident Nadya Wachelka believes Station 20 is crucial for the area because of the fires and seasonal power outages experienced within Sleepy Hollow.
“Every year, we get countless power outages, and sometimes incidents where houses catch on fire, and [the] residents of Sleepy Hollow need that quick [emergency] response, especially because of the poor service,” Nadya said.
In addition to two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room, Station 20 houses two Type 1 fire engines, one of which is dispatchable to any area in California. The renovation will expand the living space to approximately 2,400 square feet, supply the station with modern amenities, and construct a two-flight lift in the flooring of the living space for potential flood dangers from the Sleepy Hollow Creek. While the Ross Valley Fire Department has not released an estimated end date for the renovations, Finn assures emergency response times will not be affected.
“The renovation will result in no changes in the response times,” Finn said.
Since the renovation’s Nov. 2024 inception, it has yet to provoke concerns from the surrounding community. Archie Williams sophomore Nalin Lloyd, who lives close to the station, states that noise has been the only issue.
“They haven’t really closed the roads for it or anything, so it’s kind of just a noise thing more than anything.”
The renovation of Fire Station 20 is intended to enhance emergency response capabilities and modernize the facility to better serve the community. With the impending closure of Fire Station 18 in Ross, the remodel ensures that the Ross Valley Fire Department will remain able to respond to emergencies throughout Marin County and house necessary personnel and resources.
