Biography

Rob Patterson began his career with the then Orange County (CA) Fire as a Firefighter on April 24, 1981. After 34 years of service in all ranks from Firefighter to Division Chief with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), he retired as a Battalion Chief in mid-2014. Specialty assignments with OCFA included Training Officer, Wildland Crew Supervisor, Air Operations Helicopter Crew Chief, Crash Fire Rescue Captain, Terrorism Liaison Officer and Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Leader. Administrative assignments have included sensitivity and diversity research to administrative support for executive management. Chief Patterson has been an active participant with State and Federal Incident Management Teams in both Command and General Staff positions and holds current NIMS/ICS/CICCS qualifications. He has been an active member of the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response Program and currently serves as the Incident Support Team Leader for the Blue IST. Chief Patterson holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Service from the University of California at Santa Barbara as well as 3 Associate Degrees at the Community College level in Fire Administration, Chief Officer and Paramedic Studies. He has a lifetime teaching credential as well. As the married father of two boys he maintains an active outdoor lifestyle trying to keep up with them.