Administration

Our Fire Chief

Don Wagner, Fire Chief

I began my career in the fire service in the summer of 1986 as a volunteer with Wilton Fire District in Sacramento County. It was there that the ambitions of becoming a career firefighter were realized. I obtained my EMT 1 in 1990, went to pre paramedic training in 1991, paramedic training in 1992 and became a Paramedic in the summer of 1993.

I saw the career realized being hired as a Firefighter Paramedic here at Penn Valley in early 1996, was promoted to Fire Apparatus Engineer Paramedic later that same year. I was promoted to Captain Paramedic in 2002, promoted to Battalion Chief in 2006. With Chief Vander Plaats retirement in June of 2014, I became the Fire Chief.

I have maintained my Paramedic license throughout the my career and continue to use those skills and abilities when needed or necessary to provide the best service I am available to the public I work for. I have been an instructor with the State Fire Training for several years and teach a variety of classes locally to volunteers and career firefighters alike. I feel strongly about giving back to the profession that frankly chose me. I feel I still have a lot to give and look forward to the future of the fire service in Western Nevada County and to serving the Penn Valley community and citizens.