WGVFC — Whale Gulch Community

Whale Gulch
Volunteer Fire Company

The Whale Gulch Volunteer Fire Company (WGVFC) is a small fire protection and emergency medical organization with 15-20 all volunteer firefighters, first responders and 1 EMT, founded by the Whale Gulch Community in 1973 in response to the Finley Creek wildland fire.

WGVFC’s response area is 68 square miles in the extremely isolated, steep and heavily forested frontier wilderness “Lost Coast” section of North Western Mendocino County (70%) and South Western Humboldt County (30%).

WGVFC’s service covers 328 residents, 77 residences are located within the community of Whale Gulch along with the two acre K-12 Whale Gulch School campus and Whale Gulch VFC fire station across the road. There are also 10 residences east of the Gulch along the Briceland-Thorn Road (one of which is the well visited Redwoods Monastery) to the county line and an additional 8 residences on the northern end of the community in Humboldt County on Chemise Mountain road.

WGVFC’s wildland area of response also extends into the popular tourist destinations of the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park to the south and the Chemise Mountain Wilderness Area to the north where WGVFC responds to several medical rescues a year.

WGVFC has mutual aid agreements with their two closest Fire Agencies: Whitethorn Fire District to the east and Shelter Cove Fire to the north, both of which are located in Humboldt County.

THE DECISION MAKING COMMITTEE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/EMS DIRECTOR - Jessi Langston

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER - Syreeta Beckert Cox

FIRE DIRECTOR - Sascha Kissell

ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF - Kyle Umina

TASK FORCE LEADER - Leif Larson

LEAD OFFICER - John Hughes

2026 VOLUNTEER ROSTER

CHIEF 5900 - Sascha Kissell

ASSISTANT CHIEF 5901 - Kyle Umina

TASK FORCE LEADER CHIEF 5902 - Leif Larson

EMS CHIEF 5903 - Jessi Langston

5904 - Maceo Gienger

5905 - John Hughes

5906 - Spencer Noyce

5907 - James Lynn

5908 - Forest Pietila

5909 - Dave Barker

Firefighter Mattson - Amber Mattson

Firefighter Orion - Josh Orion

Firefighter Graham - Azul Graham

CALFIRE -Azul Graham, Jamal Kersh, and Salim Kersh

WGVFC POLICY (TO BE ADDED)

WGVFC 5 YEAR PLAN (updated 4-2-26)

Goals:

a. Reliable Fire, EMS, and Rescue Response

b. Make the community safer
c. Recruit a team of community minded people

d. Create jobs

What do we need to achieve these goals:

a. Staffing – Paid admin, grant writers, fuel reduction crew, community coverage program

b. Newer apparatus – New Type 6 Quick Attack, New Tactical Water tender, New multi- purpose outfitted pick up.

c. House Upgrades – Securing future rights to fire station land, getting rid of old trucks or rehousing them at substations, more efficient fire house door, metal grate at top vent of fire house, more consistent protection against mice.

d. Expanding office – fire station volunteer friendly office and admin home offices
e. Training – IC, Medivac, Structure Fire, Hazmat, Radio, in house medical training, more training with Whitethorn and Shelter Cove, Engine.
f. Funding – Staying in compliance with the Mendocino Fire Chiefs and the SoHum Fire Chiefs, grant writing, annual fundraiser, merchandise, sending out Type 6 on Fires.
g. Organization – creating a policy with training/certifications and Standard Operating Procedures that is clearly documented, using ICS for every call.
h. Building Morale – Creating a gym/meeting place at the watershed station. Having more frequent food and drink with trainings with games of horseshoes.
I. Recruitment – Demo at the WG School, and table info for joining at Bake Sale and trade fairs, word of mouth.
j. Community Engagement – Keeping the website up to date, working with the WGFSC to improve land owner maps, address labels, street labels?, alternate coms besides phone and internet, and developing our NEST and/or CERT Team.

27/28 fiscal year

1. Review what goals were met and what needs to be added this year. 2. Purchase Tactical Water Tender
3. Review benefits of Substation
4. Continue Fuel Reduction

5. Finalize any house upgrades
6. Continue Community Coverage
7. Review WGVFC resources used for fire for $.
8. Continue yearly demonstration at WGS
9. Continue work alongside WGFSC and FireWise Community

10. Continue recruitment and retention of volunteers

11. Review strategies for building morale
12. Get 1-3 volunteers trained for Hazmat
13. Create new 5 Year Plan

26/27 fiscal year

1. Review what goals were met and what needs to be added this year.

2. Explore options to purchase Tactical Water Tender
3. Continue to consider Upgrading fire station and substation
4. Continue Fuel Reduction Crew

5. Continue Community Coverage Program
6. Review WGVFC resources being used for fire for $
7. Continue work alongside WGFSC
8. Continue recruitment and retention of volunteers
9. Continue activities to build morale
10. Create a plan/budget just for upgrading the substation: gym/storage?
11. Install Washer/Dryer at the firestation
12. Do a demo at WGS
13. Delegate honoring chiefs and volunteers to the WGFSC

25/26 fiscal year

1. We reviewed 5 year plan and updated at the 4-2-26 DMC Meeting
2. We were awarded a $190,000 brand new Type 6 through SHFCA application.
3. We updated our Non-Employee Compensation Agreement
4. More trainings: Structure Academy, Firefighter Type I, In house medical, ICS, Radio, Engine, trainings with SC and Whitethorn.
5. Expand merchandise and where it can be purchased.
6. Restructuring WGFSC
7. Review WGVFC resources used for fire company income.
8. Continue recruitment and retention of volunteers
9. Support firefighter training requests
10. Continue activities to build morale
11. Review Community Coverage Program
12. 100% compliance for workers comp
13. Add metal screen along top of fire station
14. Is mouse trapping system still working or do we need to upgrade mouse traps?
15. Medivac/Air Rescue helicopter training
16. ICS training
17. Radio training
18. Engine Operator Training
19. Add Driver Safety Program to In house Engine Operator Training
20. Get more attendance at SC Mutual Aide Training – one training a month mandatory (starting July – Nov?)
21. Look into sending WGVFC resources out of county or Cal Fire cover assignments for $. Possible individuals 2026
22. Update website
23. Explore any fire station upgrades (new roof?)
24. Create an Action plan for 2026 and updated 2026 fuel reduction plan
25. Set up Admin Meeting with Nick
26. Create/Review Independent Contracts

27. Begin Annual Volunteer and Support Staff Review

28. Upgrade Station Office
29. Purchase land
30. Purchase Command truck

31. Organize Fuel Reduction Crew to ensure we have a crew to work grant funded jobs

ACTION PLAN 2026

Add metal grate/screen to top of fire station vents Experiment with different mouse traps
Improve in-house Engine Operator Training Explore/Research new roof

Update website
Upgrade station office
Begin Annual Volunteer and Support Staff Review in the fall or winter
Possible fall demo at WGS
If land available, purchase land
Purchase Command Truck
Create Private Contracts
Continue Restructuring CHA
Applied for Micro Grant to install “hybrid” repeater for “Improved Radio Coms” project – received funds to pay for equipment only 6-1-26 Applied for CAFF grant to pay for fuel reduction and labor costs for the project in July 2026-pending

FUEL REDUCTION PLAN 2026

Repeater Site
Access Roads/Driveways – FireWise CalFire Recommendation

DSAFIE
Chipper Days

FUNDRAISING PLAN 2026

Continue to have Fundraiser in the Meadow where we BBQ our own food and no catering. Changed the date to Saturday September 19th
Look for bands to perform
Possible Golf tournament in the Fall

Meet with Giovanna to discuss merchandise and raffle
Sascha will pursue research on sending out a professional letter

24/25 fiscal year

1. We reviewed 5 year plan and updated at the 4-29-25 DMC Meeting
2. Applied for Type 6 apparatus through SHFCA
3. We created a Fuel Reduction Plan to prioritize our projects for future grants.
4. We created a Non-Employee Compensation Agreement for all trainings, in house meetings, and community coverage.
5. We increased training in these areas: Structure Academy, Firefighter Type I, In house medical, ICS, Radio, Engine Operator, trainings with SC and Whitethorn.
6. Reviewed WGVFC resources being used for fire company income: ABH 4th of July

7. Expanded our merchandise.
8. Continued to collaborate with WGFSC
9. Continued recruitment and retention of volunteers – Added 2 Minus 3
10. Supported firefighters training requests
11. Continued to do activities to build morale
12. 60% in compliance for Target Solutions and Workers Compensation
13. Sascha has been in conversation with Charlie and Cietha about land easement

14. Is mouse trapping system still working or do we need to upgrade mouse traps?

15. Added current photos to fire station
16. Continued to imagine Sub-station
17. Added In house Engine Operator Training

18. Began Community Coverage Program

19. We created an Action Plan for 2025.

ACTION PLAN 2025

Fuel Reduction Projects: DSAFIE and Chipper Days
Cal Fire Grant – received
California Fire Foundation Grant due in June - applied
Do all prep-work to prepare for incoming Type 6 Apparatus

Do a fall demo for students at WGS - pending

Syreeta and Jessi are working on restructuring CHA

FUEL REDUCTION PLAN Started in 2025

McGreevy Lookout
Access road down Yellow Dirt
Repeater Site
Meadow
Access Roads/driveways
Clearing along main road/understory
Fuel Breaks – Road A
Evacuation Routes
Individual residences to have Defensible Space for all residents of Whale Gulch

23/24 fiscal year

1. Created Budget
2. Painted fire station and graded the road
3. Continuing to communicate with Charlie and Cietha about future fire house security
4. Better mouse trapping system with a bucket clearly labeled “mouse bait” added traps
5. Gathered some information on options for new apparatus: tactical water tender, type
pickup
6. Organized fuel reduction crew for equitable employment.
7. Made office in fire house more user friendly and up to date.
8. We let go of our old green forest service truck.
9. We now have 3 volunteers that went through the Structure Academy and certified to
structure and vehicle fires.
10. We added more in-house medical trainings to the calendar.
11. 3 volunteers started Engine Operator training
12. We added more food and drink with trainings and at least one day BBQ and horse shoes.
13. We worked with the WGFSC and added addresses along the roads and became a FireWise Community (grant funded by the Mendocino FSC micro grant).
14. We found and tested a site in Humboldt for a Humboldt and possibly Mendo radio repeater (grant funded by Mendocino FSC Grant).
15. We did fuel reduction work around the community center land. (Grant funded Mendocino FSC Grant).
16. We continued to work on being in compliance for our Worker’s Comp training requirements. 95% compliant as of 2026.

Community Projects

2026 CURRENT PROJECT

IMPROVED RADIO COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT

Because of the steep terrain of our response area, the Whale Gulch VFC has struggled with clear communications on the radio in certain “dead zones” within our response area. In 2026, we are working alongside Silke Communications to install a “hybrid repeater” using a mobile radio unit located at the top of Swift Peak. We have received funding through the Mendocino Fire Safe Council to pay for the equipment. We are currently seeking additional funding to pay for the labor costs and fuel reduction.

2024-OTHER MENDOCINO FIRE SAFE COUNCIL MICRO GRANT FUNDED PROJECTS-Purchasing and installing address signs and locating/testing fire radio repeater site

WGVFC 2026

2026 WGVFC SAYS HELLO TO BRAND NEW TYPE 6 ENGINE THANKS TO HUMBOLDT COUNTY MEASURE Z AND THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY FIRE CHIEF’s ASSOCIATION

Thanks to Humboldt County’s Measure Z, the Southern Humbodlt Fire Chief’s Association, the efforts of Chief Sascha Kissell for going through the application process to acquire this new type 6, and to the hard work and dedication of all of these volunteers who have increased all of their trainings and certifications to make us a qualified company to be responsible for maintaining, training, and serving our community with this new apparatus.