It's a new chapter for Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson, who has been tapped by the governor to serve the State Board of Fire Services. This key group addresses pressing fire protection and prevention issues with a scope as vast as California itself.
Comprising representatives from diverse fire service sectors and governmental bodies, the board's composition is as varied as the state's topography, including voices from fire service labor, fire chiefs, volunteer firefighters, and even the insurance industry. Appointed on Wednesday, as reported by Placer County, Gustafson brings a wealth of experience to a table seated with counterparts from city, county, and state offices, among others.
"The State Board of Fire Services is an important board to California’s fire service," State Fire Marshal Chief Daniel Berlant told Placer County. "The board addresses critical fire protection and prevention issues of statewide concern, including firefighters training standards."
In response to her appointment, Gustafson highlighted the acute wildfire risks plaguing communities, something she's acutely familiar given Placer County's high number of homes in the wildland urban interface. "Wildfire risk is a very critical issue for our communities. Placer County has some of the highest numbers of habitable structures in the wildland urban interface compared to all counties in the state. We continue to invest and take steps to protect our communities and continue to be a leader in California in addressing these risks," she commented. Gustafson's commitment to the issue runs deep, grateful for the opportunity "to elevate the obstacles and issues homeowners and businesses face to better inform the decisions that affect us," she added.
Gustafson's resume is robust, having been at the helm of District 5 since 2019. Her prior roles included serving as CEO of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, and nearly a quarter-century at the Tahoe City Public Utility District. She's not unfamiliar with state appointments, having been a commissioner of the California Fish and Game Commission from 2005 to 2009. Her current duties are expansive, including seats on various boards concerned with the region's planning and transportation.
As she steps into her new role on the State Board of Fire Services, Gustafson's track record of leadership in fire and emergency services—as a member of Placer County’s Fire and Emergency Medical Services Ad Hoc Committee and other regional boards—suggests she'll be a proactive force in California's ongoing struggle with wildfire management and prevention.
