On Tuesday, Jan 30, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors appointed Dan Talbot as acting chief of the Riverside County Fire
Photo courtesy Riverside County Fire Department
Department.
After a closed session to discuss a replacement of former Fire Chief John Hawkins, whom Cal Fire removed on Jan. 19, the board announced its concurrence with the Cal Fire decision to appoint Talbot as the acting unit chief for Riverside County.
County officials will be involved in the recruitment process to select a permanent chief.
“I look forward to working with the Board of Supervisors and county administrators to build and maintain our integrated, cooperative and regional fire-protection system,” he said in a press release.
The chief of the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department is an employee of Cal Fire. In addition to any appointment by the state, the supervisors must separately designate a county fire chief.
Hawkins came to the county in early 2004 as a deputy chief and was named fire chief in August 2006.
Most recently, Talbot was deputy chief of the Eastern Operational Area, which consists of three divisions, six battalions, 32 fire stations and the Oak Glen Conservation Camp.
Talbot began his career with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department in April 1985 and has held numerous positions in the department since then.
Talbot has lived in the Coachella Valley since 1987 and currently lives in Bermuda Dunes. He has been married to his wife, Catherine, for 28 years and has two adult children, William and Elizabeth.
