Technically speaking, Kevin Wise has but one title: Modesto Fire chief. But in reality he is also the fire chief of every city contracting with Modesto for fire services – including Ceres.
But all those responsibilities end for Wise when he officially retires on Aug. 20 and somebody else fills his shoes – just who has yet to be determined.
“I just want to spend more time with my family,” said Wise, who decided it’s time to wrap up 26 years of fire service.
Wise said he looks forward to more family time, including helping out his son who races in professional motocross competitions around the country.
The chief’s personal health battles were also a factor in the timing of his retirement. Wise has battled Acute Myeloid Leukemia which is now in remission but he also undergoes treatment for Multiple Myeloma, a cancer that affects plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in the bone marrow.
“That’s a little piece of it and looking out I just don’t want to work till I get sick and then can’t work or can’t enjoy retirement.”
For the last three years Wise has been undergoing once a month treatment.
“I go in and have it taken care of every fourth Monday, and then go about my time. But yeah, it’s on my mind because I’ve had relapses in the past, so that’s definitely a consideration I’ve had.”
Wise began his firefighting career volunteering for six years until being hired for a paid position 20 years ago. He earned his associate degree in Fire Science from Modesto Junior College in 2004 and his bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration from Cogswell Polytechnical College in San Jose. He spent time working for Oakdale and Woodland Avenue fire departments and in 2012 joined Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Department. Wise attended the National Fire Academy’s executive fire officer program from 2014 to 2018.
At a time when Ceres ran its own fire department, Wise became its fire chief in 2019 to replace Bryan Nicholes. The tenure was short lived for he left Ceres in 2021 to become deputy fire chief for the city of Fremont. He returned to the Valley when he was hired by Modesto Fire. When the city of Ceres decided to contract for fire services with Modesto, Wise again because Ceres’ fire chief.
Wise’s replacement will be filled by an interim chief that could be announced this week. Recruitment will take place to fill the seat “permanently.”
Wise believes Ceres made a good decision to merge with Modesto Fire.
“Obviously we’ve been able to increase the level of service over the last four years and getting that paramedic on Engine 15.”
The Local EMS Agency has allowed Modesto to improve Advanced Life Support services in Ceres.
“So literally, we could have a paramedic on every piece of apparatus, in Ceres, which having a paramedic is crucial, you know, really for our medical response and really increases that level of service.”
That’s crucial when you consider that Ceres sees more than 6,000 calls each year and about 75-80 percent are medical aid calls.
Staffing levels have also increased.
“We’ve been able to put four firefighters on our truck company. And so previous to the contract, we only had three firefighters. So we maintain a minimum staffing with four firefighters there.”
Wise noted that a four-story training tower has just completed at the Service Road fire station in Ceres with the financial assistance of fire agency partners. They include the cities of Ceres, Modesto and Turlock, as well as Stanislaus County, Stanislaus Consolidated and Modesto Junior College.
“It’s really complimented the training site out there. It’s going to really benefit all our firefighters.”
The Modesto Fire contract will be coming up soon for council review.
