The unincorporated town of Kensington began a volunteer fire department in 1928. Twenty-four years later, the Kensington Fire Protection District (formed in 1937) hired a staff of professional firefighters under the supervision of a fire chief. The District is organized under the State's Health & Safety Code Section 13800, commonly known as the Bergeson Fire District Law. In 1995, the District entered into a contract with the City of El Cerrito whereby El Cerrito would provide all fire prevention, fire suppression and emergency services within Kensington for an annual fee