Supervisors appoint Robert Fish as new county fire chief

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) - The Board of Supervisors today appointed a new fire chief for Riverside County and bid farewell to the man who has served in the top spot for the last five years.

The board voted unanimously in support of the appointment of Robert Fish, a Cal Fire firefighter for almost 35 years, to head the Riverside County Fire Department. He assumes the position previously held by Chief Bill Weiser, who is slated to officially retire on Dec. 31.

"Chief Weiser exemplifies the best in Riverside County,'' Supervisor Jose Medina remarked during Fish's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday morning in the County Administrative Center. "He's leaving the county fire department in very good hands. I look forward to working with you, Chief Fish."

Fish recently served as deputy chief for East County Operations, managing a territory extending from Beaumont to Blythe, supervising Cal Fire operations in 10 of the 19 municipalities that contract with the county for emergency services. The county has contracted with Cal Fire for fire protection services since the 1940s.   

Fish was tentatively selected by Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler earlier this year to lead the county fire department, after which he was vetted by a committee composed of two county supervisors, as well as officials from the Executive Office, who affirmed the choice.

"I'm very proud of you to serve Riverside County,'' Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez said. "You grew up in Riverside County, and that's really important. You even graduated from Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, which is really exciting. When Chief Weiser was unavailable, you would step in and do a professional job. You'll be a great fire chief for Riverside County."  

Supervisor Karen Spiegel admitted she'd miss Weiser, who had "done so much for the county."

"But we've got to focus on the future,'' she said. ``You have big shoes to fill, Chief Fish, but you're starting with a clean slate. I look forward to seeing where you're going to take us.''

Fish thanked the board for its decision and vowed that he would do "everything I can to lead as effectively as Chief Weiser has.''   

Weiser, a firefighter since 1981, replaced Shawn Newman as fire chief in August 2020. During the chief's watch, several fire stations have been constructed and renovated. However, the county fire department's budget has also swollen in that time, though by working with the Executive Office, cost overruns have been held in check.   

Weiser told the board he intends to remain in California in retirement.