Rod Ballard
Fire Chief
Rod Ballard began his Fire Chief duties with the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District on April 6, 2009. Ballard comes to the Fire District with a wealth of experience, knowledge, and professional training. He possesses more than thirty-four years of emergency service experience; the last twenty-eight as part of the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department; the last four years as their Deputy Fire Chief, serving as Director of Emergency Medical Services and Wellness.
Ballard is an All-Risk Incident Management Team Commander, Type III as well as a certified Fire Officer. His experience in fire management and fire suppression has given him the tools to be an exceptional leader. He has served as incident commander, branch director, group supervisor, division leader, as well as strike team leader on multiple alarm and complex fire emergencies. During the wildfires of 2007, Ballard was selected as the City of San Diego Unified Incident Commander. During the Cedar Creek Fire in 2003, he served as the City of San Diego Branch Director.
Ballard’s knowledge in disaster preparedness and emergency response led him to leadership roles planning for such popular events as the U.S. Open, Red Bull Air Races, Rock-n-Roll Marathon, Republican National Convention, and the Super Bowl. Recently he was accepted to the Leadership in Crisis, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and this year, will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University.
Ballard is known for his innovative leadership style, especially when working with limited resources. In San Diego, he erased a $1 million dollar ambulance program deficit by implementing staff changes and acquiring additional revenue producing contracts. The savings realized funded the upgrade of eleven truck companies to the paramedic level, staffed a four person truck company, and three fire captains in the communications center.
Ballard is a Fire Instructor III and teaches at the community college level. In addition, he is an All-Risk Strike Team Leader Instructor and has presented at numerous state, national, and international conferences. He created and developed an innovative public/private ambulance solution and served as President of the San Diego Medical Services Enterprise, LLC, a $50 million dollar a year medical transportation business.
Ballard and his wife (a school teacher with the Chula Vista School District) will make their new home in Big Bear Lake. They have a son and daughter, both away at college. They have spent many weekends in the Valley as recreational visitors.
