Santa Cruz Fire Department

06/01/2026

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Jonah Simoneaux to the position of Fire Captain!

Jonah has over 23 years of experience in the fire and EMS service, having served the communities of Davenport, Watsonville, and the City of Santa Cruz. Jonah is a tenured rescue swimmer and PWC operator who has been instrumental in our marine operations. He also provides strong leadership in health and wellness, ensuring our personnel have access to the highest level of PPE in the industry. In addition, Jonah is an active and certified instructor within the department, contributing to the ongoing development and readiness of our members.

Please join us in congratulating Jonah on this well-earned promotion!

05/28/2026

Check out photos from last week's CA 219 controlled burn at Camp Roberts, in which the Santa Cruz Fire Department participated in.

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Greg Gardner to the position of Fire Captain!

Greg brings 19 years of service with the Santa Cruz Fire Department and a total of 28 years in the fire and EMS profession. Throughout his career, Greg has been a respected leader, trainer, and mentor in both fire suppression and EMS. Most recently, he has taken on a critical leadership role in behavioral health, establishing the Santa Cruz Fire Department’s peer support team and extending that same leadership to both the City and IAFF. Greg’s commitment to the well-being of our personnel and the profession as a whole has had a lasting and meaningful impact.

Please join us in congratulating Greg on his well-earned promotion!

05/21/2026

Shout out to for hosting a great Touch a Truck event yesterday! We had a great time attending and sharing what we do with the community!

05/21/2026

On May 17, the Santa Cruz Fire Department and the City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation hosted Día del Mar, an event centered on Spanish-speaking and Latino/Chicano communities in Santa Cruz to instill a sense of belonging to the ocean.

Participants of all ages and experiences paired up with Spanish-speaking lifeguards and fire rescue swimmers for 1:1 time in the ocean. Participants played in waves, learned ocean safety and gained confidence in the water. A special thanks to Richard Schmidt Surf School for providing wetsuits for the day, and thank you to Fire Captain Kenny and his crew for cooking up a storm.

Everyone belongs in the ocean and deserves a fun, safe day at the beach. We hope to see you at the next one!

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El 17 de mayo, el Departamento de Bomberos de Santa Cruz organizó Día del Mar, un evento enfocado en la comunidad latina/chicana y en las personas hispanohablantes de Santa Cruz, con el propósito de fomentar un sentido de pertenencia en el océano.
Participantes de todas las edades y niveles de experiencia se unieron a salvavidas bilingües y rescatistas acuáticos del Departamento de Bomberos para disfrutar de tiempo individual en el mar. Jugaron entre las olas, aprendieron sobre seguridad en el océano y fortalecieron su confianza en el agua.
Un agradecimiento especial a Richard Schmidt Surf School por proporcionar los trajes de neopreno para el evento, y al Capitán de Bomberos Kenny y su equipo por preparar una deliciosa comida para todos.
¡Todos pertenecemos al océano y merecemos disfrutar de un día divertido y seguro en la playa!
¡Esperamos verlos en el próximo Día del Mar!

05/20/2026

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Eric Chitwood to Battalion Chief.

Eric brings over 30 years of fire service experience across four departments and a body of work that consistently exceeds expectations. He has served as a Fire Engineer and Fire Captain, a lead regional fire academy instructor, and a regular instructor at both the regional academy and BFFA. His additional contributions include serving as a live fire burn cadre member, participating on the Santa Cruz Fire Investigation Task Force and apparatus committee, union leadership, WFI Peer Fitness Trainer, and being a two-time Firefighter of the Year recipient.

Please join us in congratulating Battalion Chief Chitwood on this well-deserved promotion!

05/20/2026

National Beach Safety Week was made to help make citizens aware of the need to be safe while in and near the water, with special emphasis on the hazards associated with Rip Currents.

National Beach Safety Week was created to raise citizens' awareness of the need to be safe in and near the water, with special emphasis on the hazards associated with Rip Currents.

· Swim Near a Lifeguard

· Learn to Swim

· Learn Rip Current Safety

· Never Swim Alone

· Designate a Water Watcher

· Alcohol and Water Don’t Mix

· Feet First Water Entry

· Life Jackets Save Lives

· Observe Signs & Flags

· Beat the Heat & Block the Sun

05/19/2026

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Cody Muhly to the position of Shift Battalion Chief!

Cody joined the department as a Firefighter/Paramedic in 2007 and has consistently demonstrated strong leadership and commitment to the profession. He was promoted to Fire Engineer in 2010 and Fire Captain in 2014. As a captain, he made significant contributions, including serving as Marine Safety Captain in 2016, helping advance our marine operations and coastal response capabilities. He has also deployed to numerous major wild land fires across California, supporting complex incidents and communities statewide.

Please join us in congratulating Cody on this well-deserved promotion!

05/18/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the installation of a new SaveStation and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at Lighthouse Point!

The new station gives bystanders and first responders immediate access to life-saving equipment — dramatically improving emergency cardiac response at this beloved public destination before professional medical services can arrive.

This effort was made possible through incredible community partnerships. Six Minutes to Live: Santa Cruz — co-founded by local resident Hilary Gates — coordinated the AED and SaveStation donations, with support from the Santa Cruz Fire Department. The SaveStation Tower was generously donated by Deb Henning of Action First Aid, and the AED by Jeremy Gruber of RescueOne. This installation would also not be possible without the help of City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation.

Together, we're making Santa Cruz a safer place for everyone.