After Araiza left the position last year a recruitment was held to fill the Assistant Chief’s position: Fildes, the acting Assistant Fire Chief, came out on top during the competitive recruitment for the job.“I’m proud of him and it’s great to have Assistant Chief Fildes with us, he’s done many great things for the fire department,” noted Chief Skeels.“I look forward to continuing to serve the community,” Assistant Chief Fildes told the City Council.For several years Assistant Chief Fildes and his dog Taku, members of the Search Dog Foundation, have been active in rescue efforts.Last year Assistant Chief Fildes and Taku were activated as part of the California Emergency Response Task Force for deployment to the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita.
Kevin Fildes promoted to Assistant Fire Chief
June 16, 2006
Santa Paula City Council
Santa Paula’s new Assistant Fire Chief was formally introduced to the City Council at a recent meeting, but Kevin Fildes is already well known throughout the community.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesSanta Paula’s new Assistant Fire Chief was formally introduced to the City Council at a recent meeting, but Kevin Fildes is already well known throughout the community.Fildes, a native Santa Paulan who graduated from area schools, was appointed the Assistant Fire Chief after serving as the interim since Rick Araiza left the post last year, Fire Chief Paul Skeels told the Council at the June 5 meeting.Assistant Chief Fildes has a long history with the Santa Paula Fire Department joining as a paid-call volunteer in 1982.“That was when you had to be voted on by the members of the fire department,” noted Chief Skeels. “Kevin worked his way up through the ranks,” and became an EMT, “one of our earliest,” when the Emergency Medical Technician Program was implemented about 1990.After the major re-structuring of the Santa Paula Fire Department in 1995, Fildes successfully competed for the department’s first ever full-time firefighters and, then a Captain, assigned to Station 1.
