Fire Chief - Patrick Dibb

Chief Dibb leads the fire department as the Fire Chief.  He accepted the duties of Acting Fire Chief on July 26, 2011 upon the retirement of the former fire chief, and was appointed permanent fire chief in the summer of 2012.  In this capacity, Chief Dibb directly supervises the operations and services deputy chiefs, and leads the command staff in accomplishing the mission of the department

Chief Dibb joined the Orange City Fire Department in 1985.  Since then, he has served the community as a firefighter/paramedic, fire engineer, captain, battalion chief, division chief and deputy chief.  He has served as a management liaison to the Apparatus and Equipment, Centennial and Technical Rescue committees. 

As part of his management duties, Chief Dibb oversees the fire department budget and has been responsible for numerous grant monies awarded to the City through Federal programs designed to assist local communities with terrorism preparedness.  He also directed the specification and purchase of three new fire engines as part of his budget management duties.  During his assignment of Fire Marshal, Chief Dibb directed the fire department’s oversight of many major developments including Chapman University, Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), St. Joseph Cancer Center, UCI Medical Center, Best Buy and various large residential communities.  Chief Dibb has developed policies and procedures for emergency operations, fire prevention and disaster preparedness.  Most recently, Chief Dibb managed the review and drafting process for the 2010 Fire code adopted by the city council.  Finally, he presided as president of the Orange County Fire Marshals Association in 2010 as part of his fire marshal duties. 

Chief Dibb possesses significant emergency response experience to complement his management abilities.  As a rescue team manager on California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5, Chief Dibb responded to the disasters left in the wake of hurricanes Rita and Katrina.  He also served as a division supervisor for a week during the Santiago Fire in October 2007, during which he commanded 80 fire companies.  These resources protected homes in Tustin Ranch, Irvine, Foothill Ranch, Portola Hills, Live Oak, Rose and Trabuco Canyons with no losses to either the homes or the lives of the people living there.

Chief Dibb has established a career which has left his feet firmly planted in emergency response and management arenas.  This involvement with all facets of the fire department, multiple college degrees and his continued willingness to mentor the future fire service as a “master fire academy instructor” help to round out Chief Dibb as an exceptional fire department leader.