March 22, 2026
BROOKS, Calif. — Yolo County is home to a fire department making history once again. The Yocha Dehe Fire Department has earned reaccreditation and remains the only Native American fire department in the country with this prestigious international distinction.
In the Capay Valley, crews at Fire Station 25 train like lives depend on it, because they do. The department has once again achieved international accreditation, a rigorous and voluntary process that evaluates everything from response times and staffing to training and community safety.
Fire Chief Shawn Kinney said it’s far more than a title.
“You can’t just say you are good, put it on your T-shirt, pat yourself on the back and move on,” Kinney said. “It’s a little more than that. In fact, it’s a lot more than that.”
Kinney said very few agencies have the resources and discipline to meet the standard.
“Very, very few agencies have the resources, and the drive and the direction to do this… and we are still the only tribal fire department in the world that has been able to achieve this,” he said, noting the department met 250 performance indicators. The department formed about 22 years ago and has built a reputation for excellence, even referring to itself as a “unicorn” in the fire service.
“Accreditation is the gold standard,” Kinney said. “If you want to say you are world class, then this is how you prove it.”
Despite being a smaller department serving a rural area where help can be miles away, leaders say their training sets them apart.
“I would put our department up against any other department, hands down, for strategies and tactics,” said Battalion Chief Scott Stimson.
Crews respond to a wide range of emergencies, from fires to medical calls and rescues, often in remote areas with limited nearby resources.
“Here at Yocha, we strive to train as hard as we can every single day,” Stimson said. “We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to the community… so when we get the call… we are ready for response.”
Leaders say the accreditation process pushes them beyond emergency response, focusing on prevention, firefighter well-being and even supporting neighboring agencies when needed.
“We are a smaller department with a lower call volume, but we train every single day and we work hard to keep our standards,” Stimson said.
The Yocha Dehe Fire Department has maintained accredited status since 2010 and will keep that designation through 2031.
Right now, just 334 agencies worldwide hold that distinction, protecting about 14% of the U.S. population.
Kinney said the work doesn’t stop here.
“You can’t rest. You can never stop. We always have to keep going,” he said.
Department leaders are also proud to be working closely with tribal youth, helping train the next generation of first responders who will one day serve and protect their community.