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Get To Know San Fire - Division of Field Operations
April 13, 2023
Public Information Officer Thea Price
The Division of Field Operations at San Fire is a crucial component of the department's efforts to protect communities from fires and other emergencies. Field Operations Deputies are responsible for a wide range of duties within the division, including conducting business inspections, performing fire watch patrols, and investigating fires.
One of the primary responsibilities of Field Operations Deputies is conducting business inspections. These inspections are designed to ensure that businesses are in compliance with fire codes and regulations. During an inspection, a Deputy may look for hazards such as blocked exits, improper storage of flammable materials, or faulty wiring. By identifying and addressing these hazards, Field Operations Deputies can help to prevent fires and other emergencies from occurring in the first place.
DIVISION CHIEF INTERVIEW - Vincenzo Calvani
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What are your duties as Division Chief?
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"My duties as Division Chief in Field Operations cover an extremely wide spectrum. Beginning when I accompany and supervise my people as on simple inspections or at Cease and Desists. To the planning of special task forces which I lead under Field Operations. As I said before, leading Special Taskforces as well as the Canine unit, which is under Field Operation, as well as overseeing Fire Investigations is one of my daily tasks. So I supervise almost the whole regional department as the head of the biggest Division. I am also the contact person for problems within the department as well as for problems with external partners during our daily work. Furthermore, I represent the department at official events and sit down with other representatives of other departments."
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How long have you been with San Fire, and what made you choose Field Operations?
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"I have been with San Fire for several years, starting as a trainee with no prior experience. Over the years I have worked my way up to my current position. I started as a regular deputy, moving up to the Recruit and Training Unit and the Canine Unit, to the Head of the Canine Unit, and finally to the Field Operations Division Chief. I owe that position to our State Fire Marshal Liam Madison, who gave me the opportunity to move up to Head of the Canine Unit when I was a specialist and continued to support me from there. Furthermore, I picked field operations because that is what I have always focused on throughout my career. It was State Fire Marshal Madison who gave me this unique opportunity to move up into this position since I was already a part of field operations as the head of the canine unit."
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What difficulties, if any, have you encountered as Division Chief?
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"My job as Division Chief of Field Operations presents me with new challenges every day, and I'm happy to take them on each time. This often includes keeping a cool head, as my job can be considered hectic at scenes. Likewise, meeting deadlines, and other projects that I can do during my regular service, prove to be stressful. Nevertheless, I would never trade my job as I always excel with all these tasks."
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How does one become a "Field Operator"?
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"To become a part of our Field Operations Division you simply apply as a Deputy Fire Marshal and go through our Academy. Practically every Fire Marshal is part of the Field Operations Division while performing his normal duties, be it a Business Fire Inspection to Fire Investigation to a Fire watch patrol."
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Do you have any stories worth telling?
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"Honestly, over the years I have experienced many and through that I have experienced a lot within the department. Personally, it's hard for me to pick one story out of there. Despite that, I can say that it is an absolutely multifaceted job that has many tasks and duties. So the best I can tell everyone is to get in touch with us to see what we do."
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DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL INTERVIEW - Maya Scott
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What are your duties as a Field Operations Deputy?
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"My duties are responding to any arson-related calls, doing fire safety inspections, checking if businesses have valid certificates, and at times, assisting other departments."
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What made you go for Field Operations?
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"I used to work in Field Operations back when I was a part of San Andreas Park Rangers. It's a field I've always been working in."
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Do you recommend other marshals join Field Operations, if so, why?
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"Well... To be fair, if you become a Fire Marshal you'll automatically be in Field Operations unless you start specializing in a specific division. I think it really depends on the person. If you're willing to put in the effort in Public Relations, K9 or APT then go for it. But if you're interested in sticking to the "regular" tasks a Fire Marshal has then you can stick to Field Operations and focus on that."
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How long have you been with San Fire, and do you have any regrets about joining?
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"I've been in San Fire for almost three months now. I don't have any regrets about joining so far."
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Do you have any stories worth telling?
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"I guess I could talk a bit about my first few weeks on the job. The general opinion is that San Fire does not have a lot going on and usually, Marshals stick to fire safety inspections, fire watches, and maybe a few fire investigations here and there. But to my surprise, when I joined we had quite a few different incidents. For example, there was an electrical fire at the dam in Tataviam Mountains. It was a huge scene that we've spent hours on. We had to evacuate Mirror Park for everyone's safety and ensure that no one approached the area. And it's fair to say that it's not something I would've expected would happen during my first few weeks on the job, but it did and I've learned a lot from it."
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The Field Operations Division includes many duties, starting with simple but very important business fire inspections. To Firewatch Patrols where we watch for the County and try to eliminate potential fire hot spots even before a fire starts. Fire investigations are a big component where deputies investigate fires and determine if they were caused by a third party or due to an accident/defect. This also includes determining who caused the fire. San Fire's Canine Unit is part of this division and assists the department's investigator in determining the cause of the fire to see if accelerants were used or not. Are you interested in becoming a Field Operations Deputy? Follow closely when San Fire posts about recruitment on their Facebrowser page the official San Fire portal SFM.sa.gov ((sfm-forum.gta.world)).