Welcome to South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue, our department was established in 1966, one year after the city of was formed.

With a total of 37 firefighters, responding out of three fire stations, the fire department is proud to embody the mission statement of service to our community with compassion, professionalism and honor.

As the fire chief, I oversee all aspects of the department and report to the city manager, Joe Irvin.

We are very proud to serve one of the most beautiful locations in the world; that holds a diverse range of challenges for first responders. To address these challenges the department maintains high levels of expertise in technical rescue, water rescue, forestry firefighting and structural firefighting. South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue personnel and equipment responded to over 3,700 emergency calls in 2019.

The fire department provides all risk emergency and non-emergency services including fire protection, emergency medical services, limited fire prevention, and public education. We have wildland firefighting capability, which allows us to respond out of the area on large fires as part of a strike team.

Teams are made up of five wildland engines and can be a mix of any agency in the Lake Tahoe Basin. This gives us another unique opportunity to build relationships and sharpen our skills. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens throughout California during the devastating wildfires that occur annually. Our teams have saved properties, which positively impacts families and gives our firefighters a sense of pride.

The department’s operational focus over the next several years is to continue building strong relationships with our neighboring fire districts, mentoring our staff, refining our rescue and firefighting skills, and supporting our police and ambulance services.

At the end of the day, the fire department is really all about establishing and fostering relationships. We strive to provide world class customer service to “Mrs. Smith” and work to ensure that we are compassionate, professional and serve our citizens and visitors with honor.

It is my privilege to serve as the fire chief for South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and I am proud of every member of our agency and their service to our community.

Clive Savacool is the fire chief for South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue.