Training Division

The River Delta Fire District Training Division develops, implements and maintains programs supporting the safe, efficient and effective actions of District personnel. The Training Division serves all departments including Suppression, Management and Administration and Support Staff. The District's Training Division is staffed with one Training Captain, Deputy Chief and on-shift crew.

The Training Division coordinates specialized in-house training to convey new concepts and techniques, reinforce existing skills and address modern advances in the delivery of emergency services which maintain the high skill level of District personnel. Specialized training programs cover such diverse topics as Low Angle Rope Rescue, Confined Space Rescue Operations, Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting, Auto Extrication, and the Art of Reading Smoke.

The District is committed to providing training that meets or exceeds fire service industry standards and accomplishes this in part by utilizing instructors certified by the California State Fire Marshal, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, the California Incident Command Certification System and other recognized certifying agencies. The District is fortunate to count among its employees several such certified and qualified instructors and where possible utilizes some of the most notable industry professionals to instruct District personnel.

The Training Division coordinates and provides instruction for recruit firefighters through an in-house Firefighter Academy. Other District-specific training produced and delivered by the Training Division includes an Engineer Academy for personnel interested in becoming apparatus operators. In addition, a Captain Academy for prospective company officers and a Battalion Chief Academy for future shift commanders are being developed. 

The Training Division maintains a very active role in joint regional training with surrounding agencies, County and State fire training officer associations, and through its affiliations with national organizations dedicated to increasing the quality and safety of fire training. This network helps fulfill the Training Division's mission to ensure District personnel provide a very high level of emergency and non-emergency services to the community and return home safely at the end of each shift. 

Operations Division

The Operations Division provides fire, technical rescue, and basic life support emergency medical services to an area covering more than 30 square miles and a population in excess of 10,000 residents during summer months.

Responding to nearly 400 requests for emergency service annually, the dedicated men and women of the River Delta Fire District are committed to providing extraordinary service to their community through prevention, preparedness, and emergency response, and strive to exceed expectations at all times.

The Operations Division provides “All Risk” emergency and non-emergency services to the community. Services include emergency response to:

• Fires: structure, vegetation, vehicles, miscellaneous.
• Medical and Traumatic Emergencies: medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, traumatic injuries, multi-casualty incidents.
• Vehicle Rescue: disentanglement and extrication.
• Technical Rescue: low- and high-angle, confined space, trench, and water rescue.
• Hazardous Materials: spills, leaks, releases at fixed facilities and at rail/roadway incidents.
• Hazardous Conditions: electric and natural gas emergencies, flooding, etc.
• Special Operations: preparedness and response to seismic events, petrochemical plants, airports, mass transit, terrorism, marine fires and emergencies, etc.

Special programs managed by Battalion Chiefs and on-shift Officers with assistance from line personnel include:

• After Action Report System
• Disaster Planning and Preparedness
• Firefighter Safety and Survival
• Firefighting Equipment – (Procurement, Maintenance, and Testing)
  • Hose
  • Ladders
  • Nozzles
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Respiratory Protection Equipment
• Fire Trail Maintenance / Heavy Equipment
• Grant Writing
• Hazardous Materials
• Hydrant Maintenance
• Mapping / G.I.S. Update
• Mutual Aid and Automatic Aid Operations
• Physical Fitness
• Pre-Incident Planning
• Report Writing
• Reserve Firefighters
• Target Information Program
• Technical Rescue
• Telestaff (Staffing and Payroll reporting)
• Urban Search and Rescue
• Wildland Firefighting

Battalion Chiefs

Battalion coverage is shared and rotated between Fire Chief Paul Cutino, Deputy Fire Chief Hue Henderson, Assistant Fire Chief Larry Gardener, Battalion Chief's Chris McPeak, Robert Jones, Taylor King and Mark Trilevsky are responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of their respective shifts.

Staff & Equipment Size

The Department staffs a minimum of 1-Engine Company and a command officer on a 24-hour basis.  Additionally, the Operations Division cross-staffs the following apparatus as seasons and emergency circumstances dictate:

(2) Type I Engines, (1) Type 5 wildland fire engine, (1) Technical Rescue unit for breathing support unit, (1) inflatable rescue boat and (1) 18-foot rescue boat during planned events and major holidays on our water ways.

Thermal Imaging Camera

This essential tool will allow our fire crews to have a thermal imaging camera on the fire ground to enhance firefighter safety and will help mitigate incidents quickly and efficiently. The camera will allow firefighters to look through smoke and darkness to determine fire locations and search for victims during limited visibility conditions. In addition, the tool can help a firefighter find an exit.