With a career spanning over 36 years in the California fire service, Alex has over 50 years’ experience as a leader in emergency management and brings an extensive operational knowledge of the emergency response community to the EMSI cadre.
With a diverse knowledge and experience in emergency and incident management, Alex rose through the ranks of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE), from firefighter to ultimately retiring as a Fire Captain and Logistics Section Chief for Incident Command Team #8. In these roles, he specialized in Facilities, Supply, and Ground Support, functions that are critical to the success of response operations. Alex additionally worked in several Operations Sections as a Division Group Supervisor and Strike Team Leader. As a member of various Incident Management Teams, he has responded to fires, earthquakes, landslides, and floods throughout California, as well as hurricanes and hazardous materials incidents nationwide.
Recognized as a leader in the learning environment, he spent the last part of his CALFIRE career working closely with the California Youth Authority, where his primary mission was to develop inmate fire crews for fire suppression assignments. The camp environment provides an opportunity for inmates to learn a valued skill and requires the development of sound work ethics. For many criminal offenders, this is a first opportunity to productively work at a professional trade. Inmates quickly develop a sense of pride and accomplishment for the work they complete, and many pursue similar work upon release from custody.
Since retiring from CALFIRE, Alex has remained current in response operations through participation in several major incidents. During the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Alex spent five months deployed to command bases throughout Louisiana as a Logistics expert, where he coordinated warehouse operations, command center operations, inventory, and all other needed phases of the oil spill cleanup. He has also served in various leadership positions on major fires for CDF/CALFIRE and the United States Forest Service throughout California, bringing his expertise and local knowledge to aid in these incidents. Additionally, he is currently serving as Deputy Logistics Section Chief on CALFIRE IMT #5, a Type 1 All Hazards IMT. Most recently, he worked as a Crew Leader for the United States Census Bureau, where his knowledge and experience expedited the tasks in the rural sections of Central California. Indicative of his expertise, Alex assisted with design and implementation of various classes for CALFIRE.
Alex holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, CA. He is currently certified as a Type 1 Logistics Section Chief, Type 1 Supply Unit Leader, Type 1 Ground Support Unit Leader, and Facilities Unit Leader. He additionally holds CALFIRE certifications in Major Incident Command Center Operations, Emergency Command Center Operations, and Instructor Training 1A and 1B.