South Lake Tahoe, CA (October 1, 2013) – City Manager Nancy Kerry announced the appointment of Jeffrey Meston as South Lake Tahoe Fire Departments new Fire Chief at City Council meeting.

“We are very pleased to have been able to acquire a Fire Chief of Jeff’s experience and leadership caliber. He has already been engaged with the Fire Department and I expect he will deliver excellent results and build upon the efforts of Chief Martin to support and lead the team. With his wealth of leadership training acumen, he will also be a very positive addition to the City’s senior management team. We’re thrilled to have him on board,” said City Manager Nancy Kerry.

A “Change of Command” ceremony was held at city hall today where Interim Fire Chief Bruce Martin officially passed command to Chief Meston.

After a 30+ year career in fire service, retirement from the Novato Fire District, and the past seven years in private consulting, Chief Meston brings his knowledge of team building, planning and leadership training to South Lake Tahoe.

Chief Meston holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, certification as a Firefighter 1, Firefighter 2 (the first in California), Driver Operator, Fire Officer, Chief Officer and Fire Chief. He is a Chief Fire Officer Designee with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and a graduate of the Executive Fire Officers program at the national Fire Academy.

“I’m enthusiastic about joining South Lake Tahoe Fire Department and look forward to helping them grow and develop in their own careers,” said Chief Meston. “There are several people working in newer positions within SLTFD and I look forward to sharing my own experiences to support a dynamic team.”

Chief Meston’s accomplishments includes creating a citizen disaster preparedness training program for business and homeowners groups which won an International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) National Award, appointment by the State Fire Marshal to serve on the State Training and Education Committee (STEAC), and served on the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company’s Heritage Program as a technical expert – to just name a few.

Additional information about the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department can be found online at www.cityofslt.us/fire.