The Alma Fire District was a dependent district (the County Board of Supervisors controlled the district) that contracted with CDF for fire protection. CDF provided service to the area from the Alma fire station on Highway 17, south of Los Gatos. When Los Gatos annexed into the Central Fire District in 1970, it made sense to the Board that since now there was a common boundary between Central Fire District and Alma Fire District, the two should be formally consolidated into one district. When it took this action, the Board terminated the contract with CDF, and Central Fire set up a new station in Redwood Estates, on the same site currently occupied by the Redwood Fire Station. There was, at the time, a volunteer fire group in Redwood Estates, but they had no formal sanction or structure and were only loosely affilitated with the Alma Fire District. The group dissolved after the arrival of the Central Fire crews; a few of the members joined the Central Fire District's volunteer division and continued to serve the community for many years.
CDF still uses the Alma fire station; Alma Helitack is also stationed there. Interestingly enough, the people of Redwood Estates et al asked that the Alma District be consolidated with Central in 1948, when Central was formed. The Board declined, believing that because there was no common border, and because CDF was willing and able to provide contract fire protection, that Alma was best left out of the new Central Fire District. It should be remembered that the Central Fire District came into being not because the Board thought it was a good idea, but because they had no choice, as CDF was no longer willing to provide service to the rapidly developing valley floor. Because they had a choice with Alma, they chose to remain with CDF.
The original station's location now lies at the bottom of the Lexington reservoir; the location was moved up the hill above the high-water mark when the reservoir was constructed. The station, now known as CDF Alma station 13, is located at 19650 Santa Cruz Highway, Los Gatos, and is staffed seasonally.
Two shots of Alma Fire District's 1941 Autocar, with a 350gpm pump and a 1700 gallon tank. Photo dates unknown.
Then and Now: Alma's 1967 Ford C/Van Pelt. 750gpm pump, 600 gallon tank. Left photo date unknown; right photo 2 March 2004.
This Ford engine was a 1967 Ford/Van Pelt, originally purchased by Alma Fire District, inherited by County Fire in the 1970 consolidation. Date unknown.
Two shots of Alma station's helipad. Left photo facing roughly north, right photo roughly east. Photos 2 March 2004.
There are a number of small buildings behind the Alma station, for truck and helicopter support and living quarters. Photo 2 March 2004.
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