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MONTECITO, CA – Montecito Fire Chief David Neels has announced his upcoming retirement at the end of March, after 36 years of dedicated service to public safety. Chief Neels has served as Montecito Fire Chief since 2023. His last day as Fire Chief will be March 31, 2026.
Chief Neels began his firefighting career in 1989 as a paid-call firefighter for San Luis Obispo County Fire. He also worked as a seasonal firefighter for Cal Fire San Luis Obispo while earning his bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Neels went on to complete paramedic school and worked as an ambulance paramedic before joining Santa Barbara County Fire Department in 1998.