The city of Carlsbad, California, has named fire department battalion chiefs Mike Lopez and Michael Calderwood to serve as the department’s new division chiefs, following a leadership transition that also included the promotion of Michael Davis to fire chief.
Lopez was promoted to division chief in October 2013 following a five year tenure as battalion chief. Lopez joined the City of Carlsbad Fire Department in 1996 as a firefighter/paramedic. He then served as a firefighter/paramedic of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department from 2002 to 2003, before returning to the City of Carlsbad. He was promoted to captain in 2005 and battalion chief in 2008. Lopez started his career as a firefighter/paramedic for the Calexico Fire Department, where he worked from 1993 to 1996. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in vocational education with an emphasis in life and fire safety management from California State University, Long Beach.
Calderwood was promoted to division chief in November 2013. Prior to that he served as a battalion chief from 2011 to 2013 and a paramedic/captain from 2007 to 2011. Calderwood started his City of Carlsbad career in 2003 as a firefighter/paramedic. Prior to Carlsbad, he worked as a firefighter/EMT for the city of Pismo Beach from 1998 to 2000, when he was promoted to fire engineer. In 2001 the city of Pismo Beach Fire Department merged with Cal Fire. Calderwood holds a Bachelor of Science degree in law and society from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The City of Carlsbad Fire Department has a nearly $18 million budget and a workforce of 90 staff and 130 volunteers, consistently earning a 99-percent level of satisfaction from customer service surveys and a reputation for management excellence. The division chiefs are responsible for overseeing the day to day administration and operations of the department, under the direction of the fire chief.
The City of Carlsbad announced in January the appointment of former Division Chief Michael Davis to fire chief, following the announcement that Fire Chief Kevin Crawford would leave the organization to serve as president and CEO of the United Way of San Diego County.
