County fire chief Mark Lorenzen to retire early next year

Ventura County Fire Department Chief Mark Lorenzen will retire from the post early next year, county officials announced Thursday.

Lorenzen, 58, has served as chief since 2012, capping a career with the agency that stretches more than three decades.

"When I joined the Ventura County Fire Department as a firefighter trainee 31 years ago, I couldn’t imagine becoming chief," Lorenzen said in Thursday's release. “Since then, I have been blessed to work with so many good people who care deeply about public service and our community."

Lorenzen led the agency through some of the largest local disasters in recent history, including the Thomas Fire in 2017 and the Borderline mass shooting and Woolsey Fire the following year.

On Friday, Lorenzen said he does not plan to retire entirely. "I am working on figuring out what's next," he said in an interview.

The Santa Barbara resident plans to continue working in the fire protection field, either as a consultant or in local government.

"I am looking forward to something that motivates me to get up in the morning," he said. "It is not going to be playing golf or going surfing. I am still looking for something where I can make a difference."

He counts the 2016 consolidation of dispatch services for fire and medical calls as a high point in his tenure because it allowed the closest fire engine to be sent to an emergency without regard to city boundaries.

Another highlight was the addition of Santa Paula to the agency's territory, which he said has improved service in the small city.

With the addition of Santa Paula, the department provides fire protection for the unincorporated areas and all cities in the county except Ventura, Oxnard and Fillmore.

He won't miss the tragedies inherent in the job.

"Just on a daily basis when people call 911, generally something terrible has gone on," Lorenzen said.

County Executive Office Mike Powers commended the outgoing chief's work in running the agency known formally as the Ventura County Fire Protection District.

“Mark’s leadership has helped build our Fire Protection District into one of the

most innovative and advanced fire organizations in the nation,” Powers said in a statement.

During Lorenzen's tenure, the Ventura County Air Unit — a joint operation of the county fire and sheriff's departments — bought three surplus Blackhawk military helicopters that were converted to Firehawk helicopters for fighting wildfires.

After the Thomas Fire, Lorenzen worked with legislators in Sacramento to help secure $25 million for technology infrastructure updates and to revamp the statewide system for ordering fire resources.

The fire department employs about 600 people and operates on an annual budget of $200 million, Lorenzen said.

Lorenzen draws the top salary in the pay range of $185,537 to $259,778.

Recruitment for Lorenzen's successor will begin in early 2022, according to county officials. Officials plan to conduct a national search for his replacement and hope to appoint his successor by the time Lorenzen retires in March.

The final selection is up to Powers with the concurrence of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors.

Jeremy Childs is a breaking news and public safety reporter covering the night shift for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached by calling 805-437-0208 or emailing jeremy.childs@vcstar.com. You can also find him on Twitter @Jeremy_Childs.

Kathleen Wilson covers the Ventura County government, including the county health system, politics and social services. Reach her at kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0271.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura County fire chief Mark Lorenzen to retire early next year