CAL FIRE East Operations Deputy Chief to Retire

Add Feedback

Share |

November 2011

Deputy Chief Ignacio Otero has been a member of Cal Fire - Riverside County Fire Department since August of 1977. After holding the positions of Volunteer Firefighter, Engineer, and Captain he was promoted to Battalion Chief in September of 1997 where served the City of Coachella and the communities of Thermal, Mecca, North Shore and Oasis. He promoted to Division Chief in April of 2002 where he served as Division Chief of the Emergency Services Division in downtown Riverside. On August 1, 2003 he was appointed to Division Chief of the West Desert Division, which includes the Cities of Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and the Communities of Bermuda Dunes and Thousand Palms. Ignacio promoted to Deputy Chief in 2006; he currently provides leadership to the Eastern Operational Area which includes everything east of Whitewater to the Arizona border.

Chief Otero is a graduate of the Cal Fire Academy; both fire and police academies, he has attended the National Fire Academy and the Emergency Management Institute in Emmetsburg, Maryland. He is a State certified Fire Officer, Peace Officer, Senior Instructor, Fire Investigator, and Emergency Medical Technician. Chief Otero has served on a state Incident Command Team and a National Urban Search & Rescue Team. He was the Chair-Person of the committees that developed Cal Fire's state-wide Air Rescue Program and the County's technical rescue program.

He serves as an advisor and adjunct faculty at College of the Desert – Public Safety Academy; he also serves as the vice-chair on the COD Fire Advisory Committee. He has taught at Riverside Community College and Palo Verde College. He is a member of the California Fire Chief's Association and the Association of Mexican Fire Chief's. He serves as a board member on the Palm Desert Sister Cities Foundation.

Chief Otero has received many local, state and national awards and recognitions for excellence, superior accomplishments and leadership. He was selected to the "Local Government Leadership Circle" by the Sister Cities International in Washington DC.

Chief Otero makes his home in La Quinta with his wife Gloria; they have been married for 35 years, they have five grown children and four grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, working on his vintage Mustang and playing golf.



Author:CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Dept. Press Release