Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue veteran Chris Coates named as department’s new battalion chief

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Chief Dan Stefano announced on Thursday Jan. 3 that there is a new member of the department’s command staff as Capt. Chris Coates has been promoted to become one of the city’s three Fire Battalion Chiefs.

Coates has been a captain since 2003 and most recently served as the department’s Administrative and Training Captain, where he maintained the duties of the Public Information Officer and Emergency Medical Services Manager as well as overseeing Training Program and Social Media Program Management.

“Chris is a respected fire service professional and leader who truly understands and embraces the value of building strong relationships, providing exceptional service, professional development, being authentic, and getting comfortable being uncomfortable,” Chief Stefano said. “We look forward to his leadership contributions being elevated to a new level, as the expectations for him will continue to be raised, with my full confidence that he will rise to the occasion.”

As the new Battalion Chief, Coates returns to the field and will oversee an entire shift of personnel, as well as becoming part of the department’s executive management team and taking on additional administrative responsibilities. He will be based out of the city’s new Fire Station No. 1. Captain Coates fills the position that became vacant with the recent retirement of Battalion Chief Kevin Diamond. His official start date will be January 21, 2019.

“First, I would like to thank Fire Chief Stefano for this amazing opportunity,” Capt. Coates said. I’m honored and humbled and look forward to serving the city and community and fire family as battalion chief. Further, I am grateful for the relationships I’ve made with my city staff colleagues and value their expertise and experience. Working side-by-side with them has been so meaningful to my career and that will only expand in my new role. Finally, and most importantly, if it wasn’t for the unwavering support and love from my family, none of this would be possible.”

Coates has more than 23 years of experience in the fire service and started his career in 1996 as a Firefighter/Paramedic for the City of Escondido Fire Department and later worked for the City of Garden Grove before hiring on in Costa Mesa in 1998.

Coates has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Applied Studies from Brandman University, an Associate of Arts Degree from Santa Ana College, and recently finished his first year in the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program.

He has previously served as the President for the Orange County Fire Chiefs Training Officers Section and currently serves as the President for the California Fire Chiefs Training Officers – Southern Division, among several other honors and distinctions.