Division Chief Tim Wessel started his employment with San Bernardino County Fire Department in November 1999 as a Battalion Chief assigned to the South Desert Division. Prior to his assignment as Chief of Operations in February of 2010, he served as the North Desert Division Chief beginning in September of 2005. Tim also served as a Battalion Chief in the North Desert Division from 2001 to 2005.

Chief Wessel first entered the fire service in 1985 as a seasonal firefighter for the California Department of Forestry in Yucaipa. In 1986 he was hired as a full-time firefighter with the Downey Fire Department. Chief Wessel made the transition to the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Department in 1989, where he earned his promotion to Engineer and then Captain.

Chief Wessel held the position of Operations Section Chief and served on a United States Forest Service Type 2 Management Team for 9 years before stepping down. Chief Wessel holds a Bachelors Degree in Public Administration from the University of LaVerne.

Chief Wessel and his fiancé Jetta live in the San Bernardino valley. Tim has two sons and enjoys snowboarding, water sports, golfing and NASCAR racing.



Updated 03/2010