Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District hires retired CalFire chief, Kevin Lawson

Submitted by paula on Fri, 08/23/2024 - 3:14pm
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STATELINE, Nev. — Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) has announced the appointment of Kevin Lawson as the new assistant chief/special operations. Chief Lawson, a seasoned veteran with over 32 years of experience in fire service, assumed the role on August 5 and was officially sworn in on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.

In this role, Lawson will oversee the special operations division. His years of experience beginning as a firefighter and working his way up through the ranks, make him an invaluable addition to the Tahoe Douglas fire family. We are confident that he will help us continue to provide exceptional service and carry on our mission by caring for our community with care, professionalism, and respect.

Lawson joins TDFPD from CAL FIRE, where he served as deputy fire chief of operations with CAL FIRE-San Diego County Fire. During his tenure, he provided leadership and management to over 42 fire stations and 950 employees. Lawson holds an A/S Degree in Fire Science, Type 1 “All Hazard” Incident Commander, Certified Fire Instructor, Chief Officer Certification, Fire Investigator/peace officer P.O.S.T. certified (Ret. CAL FIRE), and served on CAL FIRE’s Type 1 Incident Management Teams for 17 years.

"I am humbled and privileged to step into the assistant chief of special operation role at Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District," said Lawson. "I look forward to working with the dedicated team of professionals to continue protect lives and property, and to further strengthen our community partnerships."

After retiring from CAL FIRE, Lawson moved home to Nevada. He resides in Gardnerville with his wife Leslie of 29 years. They have two adult children. His daughter Taylor serves as a Nurse at Carson Valley Medical Center and his son Trevor is an Engineer for CAL FIRE in Colfax.

Pictured above, left to right: Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal, Bryce Cranch; Battalion Chief Mike Monaghan; Battalion Chief, Steve Prather; Fire Chief Scott Lindgren; Battalion Chief Brandon Brady; Battalion Chief Chris Lucas; Assistant Chief/Special Operations, Kevin Lawson.