Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig plans to retire at the end of the year, county officials announced Friday.
Chief Hartwig began his firefighting career in 1992 with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. He also worked for the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District. In 2019, he was selected to lead the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
As Santa Barbara County’s Fire Chief, Hartwig is credited with leading efforts to expand paramedic services to all county fire stations, collaborating with regional fire chiefs to establish a countywide emergency dispatch center, and pursuing competitive bidding for emergency ambulance services, among other things including leading during major wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, improving fire department infrastructure, and enhancing training and preparedness.
Chief Hartwig says he looks forward to spending more time with his family and plans “to continue advocating for innovative approaches to connecting communities with medical care through public safety services and partnerships with healthcare providers.”
The county will begin the search for a new fire chief in the coming months.
