Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano announced that Jon Neal has been appointed to the position of Fire Marshal.
“Jon has been a highly valued addition to our team,” Chief Stefano said. “We are pleased to announce that he will be overseeing the entire Community Risk Reduction Division and holding the rank of Fire Marshal, a position we have been working to formalize and reestablish for many years.”
Neal has been a member of the Fire & Rescue team since 2015 and works in the Community Risk Reduction Division.
Prior to his work with Fire & Rescue, Neal was hired in 2008 as the City’s Storekeeper.
During his tenure with the City of Costa Mesa, he has filled numerous positions.
In 2012 he was promoted to Code Enforcement Officer as part of the Development Services Department’s Community Improvement Division.
In 2017, Neal was promoted to Assistant Fire Marshal.
In this role, he is responsible for the coordination and review of building plans and analyzation of statistical data relating to new code provisions. He is the lead in coordinating fire and life protection activities alongside staff from building and planning divisions and various utility companies.
Neal serves as President of the Orange County Fire Marshal section of the Orange County Fire Chief’s Association and serves as Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue’s liaison to the City’s Network for Homeless Solutions, Group Home Work and Development Review Committee.
Right after graduation from high school, Neal enlisted in the United States Coast Guard where he served as a firefighter on the USCGC Alert, a 210-foot cutter in addition to a multitude of other assignments. Upon completion of his active duty, Neal worked as the inventory control manager at Active Ride Shop, followed by his service as a logistics manager for Invisible Children in Gulu, Uganda.
Neal has earned several California State Fire Marshal Certification in addition to a Bachelor’s of Fire Science Management from American Military University.
When not working, Neal enjoys spending time with his wife Zana and spending as much time traveling and participating in outdoor activities including but certainly not limited to, skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, mountain biking and hitting the trails.