LABOR REPS: CHRIS WILLIAMS
AND TONY SICILIANO
JEFF BIRCHFIELD DIVISION CHIEF
BY PETER MCKERNAN
With El Niño winding down, Division 1 preps for the
approaching fire season. Meantime, a major retirement
brings a change in leadership to the valley, and all the while
the day-to-day operations, including major training objectives
and pending staffing upgrades, continues.
CHANGE AT THE TOP
RETIREMENT OF DIVISION CHIEF
JON MCLINN
After 30 years in the fire service, Division Chief Jon McLinn has decided
to hang up his turnouts for good. McLinn started with Central Valley Fire in
1984, promoting to engineer in 1989 and then to captain four years later.
After spending time with the fuels reduction and inmate crew programs, he
transferred to the training division in 2010. After a year there, he promoted
to battalion chief, spending two years in the mountains prior to achieving the
rank of DC. Chief McLinn’s efforts helped make County Fire a better place; his
demeanor, professionalism and leadership will be missed.
Division 1 welcomes Division Chief Jeff Birchfield
PROMOTION OF DIVISION CHIEF
JEFF BIRCHFIELD
Replacing Chief McLinn is Jeff Birchfield, who moves to the valley after several
years as a battalion chief in Division 2. Birchfield began his career as a paidcall firefighter in Mountain View Acres. After a stint at Redondo Beach Fire,
he came back to SBCoFD as a captain in 2005. Also a FIRESCOPE task force
vice chair, he has worked throughout the county, earning a perspective which
should serve him well in the valley. Welcome to Chief Birchfield!
Background photo: Louis Penna
INCIDENTS
6
BLOOMINGTON FIRE
On February 11 a structure fire was reported on the 18000 block of Slover
Ave. in Bloomington, with the first arriving unit reporting active smoke and fire
coming from a small single story home. A total of three engine companies,
two truck crews, a paramedic squad and a battalion chief fought the fire,
coordinating interior fire attack with ventilation operations on the roof. No
one was injured during the blaze.
FIREWIRE • Spring 2016
Congratulations to Division Chief Jon McLinn on his retirement.
FONTANA STRUCTURE FIRE
On the morning of April 2, Division 1 units responded to reports of a
house fire on Randall Avenue in Fontana. Once on scene, the first unit
reported a single story residence with smoke coming from the right
side. Crews made entry through the front door and were able to quickly
extinguish the fire, which was revealed to have started in the kitchen.
The home’s occupants were safely evacuated from the property and
there were no injuries to the residence or firefighters.