El Cajon Fire Chief To Oversee Heartland Fire & Rescue
January 1, 2010
Filed under Press Releases
In November of 2009, the City Managers of the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove announced the appointment of the Fire Chief to oversee operations of the cooperative management services for the three fire and rescue departments as they officially merged on January 1, 2010. Mike Scott, who was then the Fire Chief in El Cajon, will now head the new command called “Heartland Fire & Rescue.”
In October of 2009, the City Councils approved the Joint Powers Agreement that created a single management team to oversee the day-to-day operations of the three fire departments.
The City Managers sought an individual from within the three organizations able to perpetuate the work started in preparation for the coordinated services. In this situation, the City Managers felt it was important to continue the momentum while at the same time being aware of the history and partnering that brought them to this point.
Mike Scott had been the Fire Chief in El Cajon since June 2005. He began his career with the department in 1984 as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Chief Scott is currently the Chair of the Board of Chiefs for the Heartland Training Facility Authority and the Heartland Communications Authority. These Joint Powers Authorities serve multiple cities. He is also the Zone 4 Coordinator for the Heartland Fire District.
Chief Scott said following the announcement, “I am honored to be selected to lead this cooperative effort of fire and emergency medical services delivery. We have three great organizations that will now operate as one. The result will be an improved level of coordination of service on a regional level, ultimately benefiting each of our communities.”
El Cajon City Manager Kathi Henry said that Mike is a capable leader with a proven track record. “There is no doubt that he has the skills necessary to take us in a positive direction”. Henry said. “He is both visionary and practical which makes him the perfect choice for this position.”
La Mesa City Manager, Sandy Kerl and Lemon Grove City Manager Graham Mitchell have worked closely with Chief Scott over the past several months while developing the Joint Powers Agreement. La Mesa City Manager Sandra Kerl said, “Chief Scott is a proven leader in the fire profession, particularly in East County, and has the skills and abilities to make this unique fire service model work successfully”. Graham Mitchell indicated that he looks forward to working with Chief Scott in this exciting time to provide even better service to the community through a cooperative approach.
