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By Janene Scully, Noozhawk North County Editor | @JaneneScully
May 12, 2021
| 8:13 p.m.
Eighteen years after giving up an engineering career and getting hired as a firefighter, Todd Tuggle has been chosen to lead the Santa Maria Fire Department.
Todd Tuggle
On Wednesday, City Manager Jason Stilwell announced that he had named Tuggle as fire chief, effective last Saturday.
A badge-pinning ceremony is scheduled during the City Council meeting on Tuesday.
It’s a different career than Tuggle had after graduating from Cal Poly in 1996 with an engineering degree, but he hasn’t looked back.
“I’ve never doubted it for a moment,” he said of the switch. “It’s been the most fulfilling, amazing, challenging (job). It’s never been dull from day one.”
Santa Maria names new fire chief
SANTA MARIA, Calif. The City of Santa Maria has named Todd Tuggle as the City’s new Fire Chief.
Tuggle has been with the Santa Maria Fire Department since February 3, 2020.
He first served as Deputy Fire Chief and was later named Interim Fire Chief effective December 19, 2020.
In a City press release, it said City Manager Jason Stillwell named Tuggle to the position effective May 8.
His official badge pinning ceremony is scheduled to take place at the City Council meeting scheduled for May 18, 2021.
Before working in Santa Maria, Tuggle served 17 years with the City of Fresno Fire Department, where he rose to the position of Battalion Chief.