Division Chief Thom Wellman assists with County Fire’s reorganization and other administrative duties at the department’s headquarters in San Bernardino. Wellman transferred to his present job in January 2008. Previously, he had been Division Chief in command of the Valley Division since November 2005.

Chief Wellman began his career in the fire service in 1971 as a Paid Call Firefighter for Forest Falls Fire Department. In 1987, he became the Forest Falls Fire Chief and a Battalion Chief for the then County Fire Agency. He has worked in both the Training and Operations divisions. In 1994 he transferred to manage the North Desert Battalion and then promoted to Division Chief of the North Desert in 1998. He served there until September 2001, when he accepted command of the Mountain Division.

Chief Wellman has worked on a Type II Interagency Fire Management Team. He is a qualified Fire Instructor through the State Fire Marshals Office. Chief Wellman holds an Associate’s degree in Fire Technology and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program.

Chief Wellman enjoys reading, racquetball and bird hunting, and is an avid hiker. He enjoys spending time in the San Gorgonio wilderness area with his two Labrador retrievers. He is currently the Shepherding Pastor in the community church in Forest Falls, where he and his wife Becky were married. Thom has three children, two of whom are involved in the fire service, and one who is a California Highway Patrol Officer.

He stated, “Our greatest strength is our personnel and our greatest virtue is
Chief Wellman believes a great leader is a great servant, and that being a firefighter is a privilege and a calling from God.



Updated February 11, 2008