Aug 29, 2017 - Office of the City Manager ... provides unconventional field medical care when conventional emergency med
Office of the City Manager 3300 Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 5006, Fremont, CA 94537-5006 510 284-4000 ph | 510 284-4001 fax | www.fremont.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cheryl Golden Communications Manager City of Fremont 510-284-4025
[email protected] Diane Hendry Division Chief of Administration Fremont Fire Department 510-494-4288
[email protected]
Fremont Fire Chief Geoff LaTendresse to Retire After 31 Years of Service Fremont, Calif. – August 29, 2017 – Fire Chief Geoff LaTendresse is retiring from the Fremont Fire Department after dedicating 31 years of outstanding service to the Fire Service, the last 27 of which were to the City of Fremont. His last day will be September 1. Chief LaTendresse joined the department in 1990 as a firefighter and paramedic and rose through the ranks to become fire chief in 2012. Throughout the nearly three decades he spent with the department, Chief LaTendresse served in several positions, including firefighter/paramedic, captain/paramedic, division chief, and deputy fire chief. The Fremont Fire Department, which comprises 11 fire stations and 160 full-time employees, has maintained its reputation as a mission-driven team under Chief LaTendresse’s strong leadership. The City recognizes his commitment to partnerships with other departments and organizations to develop beneficial programs and safeguard the community. Most recently, Chief LaTendresse played an instrumental role in introducing the innovative Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) to Fremont. The TEMS team is a facet of the Fremont Police SWAT team and provides unconventional field medical care when conventional emergency medical service (EMS) teams are unable to address the needs of law enforcement missions. Among his myriad achievements, following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Chief LaTendresse served as planning section chief and was awarded a Unit Citation for his service to the State of Mississippi as part of California Task 4, Urban Search and Rescue during his deployment to Biloxi, Mississippi. He was also instrumental in the development and refinement of the Alameda County Mutual Aid Plan. “Professionalism, talent and dedication are just three of many positive attributes reflected in Chief LaTendresse. He has been a real asset to the City. We’re grateful for the significant contributions he has made to the department and community,” said City Manager Fred Diaz. “Geoff has lived in Fremont since he was three years old. He has Fremont blood in his veins and always will. I have been blessed with a tremendous fire chief and know that he has set a solid foundation for our Fire Department to continue running smoothly in the future.”
During his tenure, Chief LaTendresse was actively engaged in leadership development, incorporating the department’s vision and values into the performance management system. Chief LaTendresse also participated in many community engagement efforts throughout his career. This included hosting WWII veterans in the “Honors Flight” and accompanying veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the War Memorial site, partnering with Habitat for Humanity on the Central Commons Project, and speaking about leadership at high school government and civics classes. The City of Fremont, with honor and sincere appreciation, extends its gratitude to Chief Geoff LaTendresse upon his retirement. The City is currently conducting a nationwide search to hire a new fire chief. In the meantime, the City looks forward to working with Interim Fire Chief Amiel Thurston to guide the department during this transition. ###
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