Hanford Fire Department

08/29/2026

🔥HANFORD FIRE DEPARTMENT PROMOTIONS 🚒

The Hanford Fire Department is proud to recognize and congratulate three of our members on their recent promotions! 🚒👏

Battalion Chief Dustin Costa
Originally from Lemoore, CA, Dustin began his fire service journey by attending the EMT program in 2002 and graduating from the in 2003. After volunteering with Kings County Fire Department for a year and a half, he was hired by the Hanford Fire Department as a full-time Firefighter in May 2005. He has over 21 years of service to his community.

Dustin was promoted to Engineer in November 2019, Captain in August 2020, and now Battalion Chief in August 2026.

Outside of the firehouse, Dustin enjoys camping and spending time with his family.

Captain Austin Hiatt
Austin grew up in Fresno, CA, and graduated from the FCC Fire Academy in December 2018. He began serving our community as a Hanford Volunteer Firefighter in July 2018 before being hired as a full-time Firefighter in April 2019.

Austin was promoted to Engineer in May 2022 and now Captain in August 2026.

When he’s off duty, Austin enjoys traveling and creating memories with his wife and their two sons.

Engineer Brian Vazquez
Brian grew up in Atascadero, CA, and brought valuable wildland and municipal fire experience to Hanford Fire Department, including four seasons with Atascadero Fire Department and one season with the Los Padres Hotshots.

Brian graduated from the Allan Hancock Fire Academy. He joined Hanford Fire Department on April 3, 2023, and we are proud to recognize his promotion to Engineer.

Outside of work, Brian enjoys spending time with his family.

Please join us in congratulating Battalion Chief Dustin Costa, Captain Austin Hiatt, and Engineer Brian Vazquez on their well-earned promotions! Their dedication, hard work, and commitment to serving the Hanford community are greatly appreciated.


🔥🚒Congratulations, gentlemen! 🔥🚒

08/24/2026

🔥 Kitchen Fire Safety Starts With Prevention! 🔥

Cooking brings families together, but it’s also one of the leading causes of home fires. A few simple habits can make a big difference:

🍳 Stay in the kitchen while cooking.
🔥 Keep towels, potholders, paper, and other flammable items away from the stove.
🧽 Keep your stovetop and cooking area clean and free of grease buildup.
👧 Keep children at least 3 feet away from hot appliances and cooking areas.
🧯 Keep a fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it.
🚨 Make sure your home has working smoke alarms—test them monthly.

If a pan catches fire: turn off the burner, cover the pan with a lid, alert everyone in the home, and get out if the fire does not go out. Once safely outside, call 911 and close the door behind you. Never use water on a grease fire.

A few simple steps today can prevent a tragedy tomorrow.

Cook with care. Stay alert. Be fire safe.

— Hanford Fire Department 🚒

08/12/2026

On this day 135 years ago, then-California Secretary of State Edwin Waite signed the Articles of Incorporation for the City of Hanford.

So you may know it's our birthday (no gifts, please!) 🎉

But do you know the origin story of the City's incorporation? 🔥

In July of 1887, a fire destroyed most of the downtown business district. Then in June 1891, another devastating fire raged uncontrollably for hours, once again burning many downtown businesses. A town meeting was held that same month to discuss incorporation due to inadequate fire protection. In July, a group of businessmen and civic leaders petitioned the Tulare County Board of Supervisors (Hanford was then in Tulare County) for an election to determine whether or not the town should incorporate. The petition was granted and the election was held August 8, 1891. The following vote was recorded: 127 for incorporation vs. 47 against. The articles were filed and Hanford officially became a city four days later, on August 12, 1891.

So you might say Hanford was forged by fire. Or born from the ashes. Or that we blazed our own trail...now we're rethinking our mottos! Anyways, if you didn't know, now you know!

And if you feel like celebrating the City's birthday, we'll be out at Civic Park with some cake at tomorrow night's Thursday Night Market Place in Downtown Hanford. 🎂 We hope to see you there.

Photo Courtesy: San Joaquin Valley Library System and Kings County Library (Hanford Fire Department on Douty Street, 1914)

08/11/2026

08/03/2026

July 2026 Response Statistics

This July, the dedicated members of the Hanford Fire Department proudly answered 577 calls for service, standing ready to protect and serve our community every hour of every day.

🚒 46 Fire Incidents
⚠️ 17 Hazardous Situations
🚑 313 Medical Emergencies
🚫 189 No Emergency Responses
🛠️ 10 Public Service Calls
🛟 2 Rescue Incidents

Every response represents someone in need—a neighbor, a family, a business, or a visitor. Whether responding to a life-threatening emergency, providing public assistance, or helping during a hazardous situation, our commitment remains the same.

At Hanford Fire Department, our service is guided by our core values:
❤️ Compassion – Caring for every person with empathy and professionalism.
🛡️ Integrity – Doing what is right, every call, every time.
✔️ Accountability – Taking responsibility for our actions and the trust placed in us.
🤝 Respect – Treating everyone with dignity, fairness, and courtesy.
👨‍🚒 Teamwork – Working together to provide the highest level of service.
🏡 Family – Supporting one another while serving and protecting our community as one family.

As we celebrate the spirit of Independence Day, we are honored to continue Proudly Serving Our Community Since 1891.t

577 calls. One mission. One community. Always Ready. Always There. 🚒🔥

07/23/2026

Keeping Hanford Ready—One Hydrant at a Time 🚒💧

A big thank you to our dedicated part-time fire help personnel who are lending a hand with our annual fire hydrant maintenance program. Their hard work helps ensure our hydrants are ready when our community needs them most.

The Hanford Fire Department is responsible for maintaining more than 2,400 fire hydrants throughout the City of Hanford. As our community continues to grow, so do our responsibilities.

Each year, our crews:
🔹 Inspect every hydrant
🔹 Test for proper operation and flow
🔹 Repaint hydrants to maintain visibility and identification
🔹 Repair or replace hydrants as needed

Preventive maintenance like this is an important part of keeping our firefighters prepared and our community protected. Thank you to everyone on our Hydrant Crew for their commitment to public safety and to keeping Hanford fire-ready year-round.

07/16/2026

🎆 IT’S NOT WORTH IT. 🎆

This year’s “It’s Not Worth It” campaign sent a clear message: Illegal fireworks have consequences.

Over the 4th of July holiday, our enforcement crews issued 34 citations for illegal fireworks.

📊 Citation Breakdown:
• 16 citations – $1,000
• 7 citations – $2,000
• 1 citation – $3,000
• 2 citations – $4,000
• 2 citations – $5,000
• 1 citation – $7,000
• 1 citation – $8,000
• 1 citation – $9,000
• 3 citations – $10,000

These citations represent more than just fines, they reflect our commitment to protecting our community from preventable fires, injuries, property damage, and disruptions caused by illegal fireworks.

We appreciate the many residents who celebrated responsibly and helped keep our neighborhoods safe. Your cooperation makes a difference.

As a reminder, illegal fireworks simply aren’t worth the risk or the cost. Let’s continue working together to keep our community safe, not just on the Fourth of July, but year-round.

🚒🎇 Fireworks safety is everyone’s responsibility.

07/16/2026

🇺🇸 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY BY THE NUMBERS 🇺🇸

This Independence Day Holiday, our Police and Fire personnel worked around the clock to keep our community safe while thousands celebrated responsibly.

📊 2026 vs. 2025
🚔 518 total calls for service (+9 | 1.8% increase)
🎆 123 fireworks-related calls (+18 | 17.1% increase)

Fireworks complaints accounted for nearly 1 in every 4 calls for service (23.7%) over the holiday weekend, up from 20.6% in 2025.

While the overall increase in calls was modest, the significant rise in fireworks-related incidents highlights the continued impact illegal fireworks have on our community. Every fireworks call requires officers and firefighters to divert their attention from other emergencies, placing additional demands on public safety resources.

We appreciate everyone who celebrated responsibly and reported unsafe activity. Your partnership helps us protect lives, property, and the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

Together, we can continue reducing illegal fireworks and making every Fourth of July safer for everyone.

🇺🇸 Thank you, Hanford, for helping keep our community safe!

FireworksSafety CelebrateResponsibly PublicSafety ItsNotWorthIt TogetherWeServe

07/13/2026

☀️💦 Make a Splash—Not a Tragedy! 💦☀️

Summer is here, and that means it’s time for fun in the sun! 🏖️ Whether you’re at the pool, lake, or backyard oasis, remember that water safety is everyone’s responsibility.

🏊 Always supervise children—active adult supervision saves lives.
🛟 Keep weak or inexperienced swimmers within arm’s reach.
📵 Put the phone down and keep your eyes on the water.
🚪 Secure pools with self-latching gates and locked fences.
🦺 Wear a properly fitted life jacket when appropriate.
🚑 Learn CPR—you could save a life before first responders arrive.

A few moments of attention can make a lifetime of memories. Let’s work together to keep this summer safe, fun, and full of smiles! 😎☀️

Thank you, and be safe!
❤️🚒 Hanford Fire Department

07/07/2026

☀️ As the weather warmed up for summer, so did our response volume. 🚒

In June 2026, your responded to 606 calls for service, answering the call whenever our community needed us.

📊 June by the Numbers:

🚑 Medical: 301
🚫 No Emergency: 223
🔥 Fire: 34
⚠️ Hazardous Situations: 27
🛡️ Public Service: 15
🪢 Rescue: 6

Whether responding to emergencies, providing medical care, mitigating hazards, or assisting residents with public service calls, our members remain committed to protecting lives and property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

As we move into the busiest part of the summer, please remember to stay hydrated, use caution around swimming pools and outdoor grilling. Never hesitate to call 911 when an emergency occurs.

Thank you for your continued trust and support. It is our honor to proudly serve this community.