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Meet Our Team
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Fire Chief David Endaya began his career with the Ventura Fire Department in 1996 as an Emergency Paramedic. Throughout his career, Chief Endaya rose through every rank within the department. He has served as a Firefighter-Paramedic, Fire Engineer, Fire Captain, Battalion Chief, Training Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief. Following a recruitment process with over 25 applicants from across the country, David was selected to lead the department as Ventura's Fire Chief in 2014.
Chief Endaya holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from UC Santa Barbara and graduated from the four-year National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program in 2016, officially earning the lifetime designation of Executive Fire Officer (EFO).
Chief Endaya has maintained his California Emergency Paramedic license since 1994 and was an integral part of the development team responsible for the fundraising and construction of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the Ventura County Government Center. During his career with the Ventura Fire Department, he was a member of the Department’s Urban Search & Rescue Team, a Hazardous Materials Specialist, a Paramedic Preceptor, a Captain on the Ladder Truck Company, and a qualified Strike Team Leader.
"The Ventura Fire Department has a dedicated and talented team of firefighters serving our community," said Chief Endaya. "I am extremely proud of the men and women who make up the Ventura Fire Family and feel immensely privileged to lead an amazing team that provides all-hazards emergency services to Ventura around the clock."
Assistant Chief Kris McDonald oversees Fire Operations. Chief McDonald most recently served as a Battalion Chief and Training Chief and was responsible for managing ongoing training schedules, mobile radio communications, mobile data dispatch computers, and OptiCom Traffic Control Systems. Regionally, his specialty qualifications within California’s incident Command System include Resource Unit Leader, Task Force Leader, Strike Team Leader, and Division Group Supervisor.
Kris was born and raised in Northern California and began his firefighting career there as a volunteer firefighter and EMT in 1994. He became a Paramedic in 1997 and was hired by the Eureka Fire Department in 1998. In 2002, Kris joined the Ventura Fire Family, hired as a Lateral Firefighter Paramedic and seamlessly moved through the ranks of Engineer, Captain, and Battalion Chief.
He is currently working toward Type-3 level Operations Section Chief, Plan Section Chief, Incident Commander qualifications, and his Bachelor's degree in Fire Administration.
Battalion Chief Anthony Hill is currently assigned as the C-Shift Battalion Chief, overseeing the Urban Search and Rescue, or USAR, Program, the USAR Regional Task Force 7, fire apparatus and equipment purchasing and maintenance, and staff scheduling.
Chief Hill was born and raised in Santa Barbara, earned his Paramedic License from Mount San Antonio College, and was hired with the Ventura Fire Department in 1996. He promoted to Engineer in 2001, Captain in 2004, earned the Supervisor of the Year award in 2007, and promoted to Battalion Chief in 2011.
Battalion Chief Douglas Miser is currently directing the Training Bureau. His position is responsible for recruitment, promotion, attrition planning, and operational and administrative duties. The bureau also coordinates continuing education, apprentice programs in cooperation with the state, maintaining California State Fire Marshal compliance, maintains certifications for the California Incident Command Certification System, Training Center oversight, directs Battalion Level Training objectives, manages and coordinates training academies, and facilitates educational pathways for career development. The Training Chief regularly responds on large incidents and serves at the direction of the Incident Commander.
Chief Miser also oversees the Ocean Rescue Program, Hazardous Material Team, Department Statistics and Metrics, and serves on several city-wide committees.
Doug raised in Oxnard, and has been a Ventura resident for over 15 years. His career started in Ocean Lifeguarding and received his Emergency Medical Technician while attending college. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University of San Diego and attended the Daniel Freeman Paramedic School at UCLA. He began his career in the fire service with Oxnard Fire in 1999 and lateraled to the Ventura Fire Department in 2001. He promoted to Fire Captain in 2006 and Battalion Chief in 2013.
Battalion Chief Luis Manzano is currently assigned to the B Shift, while also overseeing a variety of Department programs, including Facilities, Personal Protective Equipment, Uniforms, the Safety Committee, the Safety Review Board, and Dispatch. He also serves as our Port District and State Parks Liaison. He is also certified in Urban Search & Rescue, and Hazardous Materials.
Lou was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and has been a Ventura County resident for over 18 years. He started work in public service as a lifeguard at 18-years-old and became a Firefighter-Paramedic with the City of Ventura in 2001. He promoted to Captain in 2012 and Battalion Chief in 2022.
Lou was awarded the Firefighter of the Year award in 2011 and the Greg Andrews Safety Award in 2016.
Battalion Chief Jeremy Henderson is currently assigned to the A Shift, while also overseeing a variety of Department programs including Fire Investigations, Hazardous Materials, Mobile Data Computers, Opticom, Behavioral Health, and Virtual Computer Aided Dispatch management. Regionally, he is qualified as a Situation Unit Leader, holds various other incident command positions, and is a current California Registered Instructor through the State Fire Marshal. He is a co-founder and current Board Member for the Ventura Fire Foundation and earned the Firefighter of the Year award in 2016.
Jeremy was born in Hemet, CA, and has been a Ventura resident for over 15 years. He started work in public service as a volunteer firefighter in 1998 and was hired with CAL FIRE in 2001 as a seasonal firefighter. After earning a paramedic license, he was hired as a firefighter/paramedic and later promoted to Company Officer in 2006 for CAL FIRE. Jeremy joined the Ventura Fire Department in 2011, promoting to Engineer in 2015, Captain in 2017, and Battalion Chief in 2023.
Contact Battalion Chief Jeremy Henderson via email.
Brett Reed currently serves as Ventura's Fire Marshal. As the Fire Marshal, Reed oversees community risk reduction programs which include development plan review and inspections, California mandated hazardous materials enforcement, mandated and existing occupancy inspections, the Fire Hazard Reduction Program (FHRP) and defensible space inspections, and the fire department's involvement in supporting and ensuring fire safe special events.
Contact the Fire Prevention Division at 805-658-4717. Contact Fire Marshal Brett Reed via email.
Heather Ellis currently serves as the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Coordinator and oversees EMS education, infection control, EMS supply and policy oversight, narcotic management, public education, and all things related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heather was born and raised in Mooresville, Indiana, a small community outside Indianapolis, and lived there for 47 years. She holds an Associate's degree in Paramedicine, a Bachelor's degree in Nursing, is a nationally registered Paramedic, and is a certified Firefighter in the state of Indiana. Heather is also a certified Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Instructor, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Instructor, and a CPR Instructor.
Prior to moving to Ventura in 2015 to accept a position with the Ventura Fire Department, she served in many roles as a firefighter-paramedic, Healthcare Emergency Coordinator for an Indiana hospital, Governor-appointed member of the Indiana Integrated Public Safety Commission, and as a Paramedic Program Director.
Throughout her career, Heather has been recognized by the American Red Cross for Acts of Heroism, earned the Brown Township Paramedic of the Year, was a 2014 and 2015 Indianapolis Salute to Nurses Nominee, and he 2021 City of Ventura Employee of the Year.
Contact EMS Coordinator Heather Ellis via email.