Photo courtesy the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD).
THOUSAND OAKS — The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) is proud to announce the promotion of Division Chief Anthony Occhipinti to Assistant Chief of Training and Development.
Chief Occhipinti’s promotion to Assistant Chief of the newly reorganized Training and Development Bureau will enable him to assume responsibility for managing all aspects of recruitment, training, and professional development for our firefighters. Most recently, Chief Occhipinti served as a Division Chief, overseeing daily operations for the department. His 14-year fire service career began with VCFD’s hand crew, and he has served every rank in the department with assignments to both support and engine companies, as well as our wildland and aviation division.
“Tony has been an incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable leader throughout his entire career,” said Fire Chief Dustin Gardner. “His leadership, commitment to our firefighters and community, and exceptional program management abilities are exactly what we need for our newly reorganized division. Tony is exceptionally well suited to ensure our recruitment, training programs and professional development are comprehensive and inclusive for all staff.”
“I am very honored for this opportunity,” said Occhipinti. “The demands of the modern fire service are constantly evolving, and I look forward to helping develop a professional, resilient, adaptable, and highly skilled team of firefighters and professional staff across our organization.”
VCFD employs nearly 650 personnel and serves as the primary responder for fire, rescue, and medical emergencies across most of Ventura County, including Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Ojai, and Port Hueneme. Each year, VCFD responds to more than 56,000 calls for service.
For more information about the Ventura County Fire Department, visit fire.venturacounty.gov.