Interim Fire Chief Colin Stowell was introduced to the City Council Feb. 3. He will play an important role in preparing Del Mar and Solana Beach for an upcoming change of command structure.
In his role as interim chief, Stowell, a 35-year veteran of the fire service and recently retired chief of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, will lead the fire departments in Del Mar and Solana Beach while developing proposals for a shared fire administration to serve both cities.
He is also assisting in the recruitment and selection of a permanent chief.
Stowell told the Council he is making sure front-line crews in both cities feel supported and that “services will not be any different through this transition.”
On March 31, the City of Encinitas plans to exit an existing fire management services agreement that includes Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas.
Shared fire department administration began locally in 2009 as a way to reduce costs.