Upcoming Events

    • 24 Oct 2025
    • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
    • Willamette Heritage Center (Dye House) 1313 Mill St SE, Salem, OR 97301
    Register

    Please join us as the Salem City Club hosts David Gerboth, Fire Chief of the Salem Fire Department.  Chief Gerboth will provide an overview of the Salem Fire Department, and the broad range of roles and responsibilities served by his team. He will explain how the Department’s personnel and resources are prepared, organized and deployed, in “day-to-day” fire calls, as well as in response to unique emergencies and incidents.  Chief Gerboth will discuss the re-integration of ambulance services into the Fire Department that began on July 1st of this year, as well as how the Fire Department collaborates with other city, county, state, and federal departments and agencies, in responding to incidents and events that require cross-agency coordination and response. 


    For more information on the Salem Fire Department and related services, see:  https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/safety/fire


    At the conclusion of Chief Gerboth’s presentation, there will be time for questions. 


    Speaker: David Gerboth, Salem Fire Chief

    David Gerboth is honored to serve as the 43rd Fire Chief for the city of Salem and supporting the over 325 dedicated members of the Salem Fire Department. 


    Chief Gerboth has over 30 years of experience in the fire service, beginning his career in 1992 with the Shasta College Fire Department. Shortly after, he was hired by CAL FIRE where he worked in both Northern and Southern California. In 1997, he was hired by the Modesto Fire Department, where he worked until he was hired by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) in 2001. Chief Gerboth has held the ranks of firefighter, engineer, Captain, Battalion Chief, Deputy Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief and now Fire Chief. 


    Before coming to Salem, Chief Gerboth served as 2nd in command of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department as the Assistant Fire Chief of Emergency Operations. He oversaw six divisions, including three divisions of Operations, Special Operations, Emergency Medical Services, and the Lifeguard Services Division, with a budget of approximately $400 million dollars and 1,200 personnel. He served as a Shift Commander providing Citywide Operations coverage, as a Battalion Chief throughout the city as well as the program manager for Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 8 (CA-TF8), the SDFD Technical Rescue Team and San Diego Urban Area Incident Management Team.


    Chief Gerboth has been a team member of CA-TF8, the SDFD Hazardous Incident Response Team, and the Technical Rescue Team. In addition, Chief Gerboth has responded to incidents of national significance throughout the country as a National Incident Management Team and Urban Search and Rescue Task Force member. 


    Chief Gerboth has and continues to serve on several committees and working groups, including the National Wildland Coordinating Group National Incident Management Integration Committee, FIRESCOPE Operations Team, and the California Incident Command Certification System State Task Force / Pace V Committee. 


    Chief Gerboth is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Service Executive Development Institute, holds an Associate of Arts in Fire Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Management, and is completing his Master of Science in Fire Service Executive Leadership/Public Administration. 


    David is married, has three children, and enjoys spending time with family and friends engaged in various outdoor activities.


    Program Details
    Doors Open: 11:30 am
    Program Begins: 12:00 pm


    Registration
    Members: Free
    Non-Members: $10






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