Tahoe Douglas Fire's Mark Novak takes Chief job in Vail, Colorado

Mark A. Novak, the current assistant chief for the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, has been named to head the Vail Fire Department.

Novak, 48, will begin full-time employment with the town on Feb. 2. He was selected from a field of 105 candidates during a national search process which included six finalists.

Novak has more than 20 years of mountain resort community experience and has been assistant chief with the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District since 2011. During his tenure with the district which began in 1990, Novak has held positions as fire marshal, battalion chief, captain and firefighter/paramedic. He has also served as an adjunct fire science instructor at Lake Tahoe Community College and is currently enrolled in a Master of Public Administration program at American Military University.

The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, with an annual budget of $11 million, is the largest fire department in the Lake Tahoe basin, employing 54 staff members and covering 17.3 square miles. The Rest of the Story >>