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Fire Chief Kris McDonald. Courtesy photo.
VENTURA — The City of Ventura has selected Interim Chief Kris McDonald to serve as the next Fire Chief of the Ventura Fire Department after the retirement of Fire Chief David Endaya in December 2025. Following a nationwide recruitment process, Chief McDonald will assume the role on January 31, 2026.
As Assistant Chief, McDonald has overseen key operational functions within the department and brings broad experience across multiple areas of fire service leadership. He has served in several command and training roles, supporting department operations, personnel development, and emergency response readiness. Regionally, he also holds multiple qualifications within California’s Incident Command System, strengthening the City’s capabilities during large-scale and complex incidents.
“Kris brings deep operational expertise, a commitment to training and safety, and a steady leadership style,” said City Manager Bill Ayub. “He is well prepared to lead the Ventura Fire Department into its next chapter.”
Each year, the Ventura Fire Department responds to more than 18,000 incidents, including fires, medical emergencies, rescues, hazardous materials responses, and mutual aid calls.
Born and raised in Northern California, McDonald began his firefighting career as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT) in 1994 and became a paramedic in 1997. He joined the Eureka Fire Department in 1998 and began serving the Ventura community in 2002 as a Lateral Firefighter-Paramedic. Since then, he has advanced through the ranks of Engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief.
In accepting the appointment, McDonald remarked,” I am profoundly honored and humbled to assume the role of Fire Chief for the City of Ventura, and I remain committed to guiding the department toward enhanced public safety, innovation, and service excellence.”
As Fire Chief, McDonald will oversee nearly 100 sworn and professional staff and six strategically located fire stations providing all-hazards emergency response services, and will earn an annual base salary of $270,922.00
For more information about the Ventura Fire Department, visit www.cityofventura.ca.gov/Fire.